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HISTORY
OF
ESSEX AND HUDSON
COUNTIES,
NEW JERSEY.
COMPILED BY WILLIAM II. SHAW.
ILLUSTRATED.
VOL. I.
PHILADELPHIA - EVERTS & PECK. 1884. 1
. EX55 ٧٠١
PREFACE.
Ix presenting these handsome volumes to the many patrons of the " History of Essex and Hudson Counties, N. J.," the author will not waste the time and space usually occupied in a dry and meaningless essay, under the guise of an Introduction, nor weary the thousands of readers with fulsome praise of a work of which they are to be the judges, but simply say, "Here is our work ; judge it by its merits."
In the preparation of this work the compiler has been greatly assisted by some of the most prominent citizens of both counties, some of whom are author- of literary work- of great merit. Among those who have contributed to the general chapters of this work, we may be permitted to mention Rev. Henry Vehslage, of Irvington, for the first chapter in the first volume; Prof. George HI. Cook, 'of New Brunswick, for article on the Basaltic Formation of First Mountain; Hon. Frederick W. Ricord, of Newark, for the Early Courts and Bench and Bar, and the Medical Chapters of Essex County, Education in Newark, and Medical Chapter of Hudson County; R. Wayne Parker, of Newark, the chapter on Taxes and Money in New Jersey before the Revolution ; Henry Farmer, of Newark, for the chapters on Railroads, the Morris and Essex Canal, Okl Roads and Bridges and Street Railroads in both counties ; Hon. P. T. Quinn, of Newark, for the Agricultural and Horticultural Interests of both counties; Hon. Charles H. Winfield, of Jersey City, for chapter on the Capture of Paulus Hook by Maj. Lee, and on the Affair at Block- House Point, 1780; Hon. Jacob Weart, of Jersey City, for Bench and Bar of Hudson County ; Edward S. Peck, Esq., of New York City, for the Educational Interests of Hudson County. For the History of the Revolutionary War we are indebted to Hon. William S. Stryker, from whose "Officers and Men of New Jersey in the Revolutionary War" it was taken; and for War of 1861-5 to "New Jersey in the Rebellion," by John Y. Foster ; and to Samuel Toombs, of Orange, for sketch and roster of the Thirteenth Regiment.
For township histories we are indebted to Rev. John L. Chapman, for history of Clinton ; Daniel T. Clark, Esq., for South Orange, and for Early Settlers of Clinton township; Jeptha H. Baldwin, for Livingston ; Hon. C. M. Harrison, for Caldwell ; Rev. Charles E. Knox, D.D., for Bloomfield and Montelair townships ; Theodore Sandford, Esq., for Belleville ; Henry Far- mer, for Franklin ; and Thomas Cushing, M.D., AAlfred Mathews and C. D. Peck, for the town- ships of Millburn and East Orange. The educational chapter of Orange was compiled from
iii
iv
PREFACE.
MSS. left by the late Alexander H. Freeman, of that eity. The Societies of Newark, Jersey City, Orange, Bloomfiekl and Montelair, and Industries of Jersey City, were contributed by Henry Farmer. To the late William A. Whitehead we are indebted for the chapter on the early settlement of Newark, compiled from his printed MSS. The first chapter on the Industries of Newark was compiled from P. T. Quinn's report to the Board of Trade of Newark for 1881. For the second chapter on the Industries of Newark, and other chapters in this work, we have been permitted by the author, Mr. Joseph Atkinson, to draw largely from his "History of Newark " for many items of interest pertaining to the pioneer mann- factories, their location and early ownership. The pioneer history of the Oranges was compiled from the late Rev. James Hoyt's "History of the Mountain Society." The genealogieal sketches of the Oranges are the contributions of Gen. Alfred F. Mann and Jotham H. Condit, of East Orange. To Stephen Wickes, M.D., of Orange, are we indebted for an interesting article on the Mountain Colonnades, of West Orange, and to the late John C. Williams, of Newton, N. J., for Reminiscences of Tory Corner. To Judge Jesse Williams, Ezra C. Williams, William Williams, Joseph M. Dodd, Abram Mandeville, Edward Reeve, I. P. Baldwin and others in Orange are we indebted for many items of interest. The city of Bayonne, town of West Hoboken, town of Union, town of Guttenberg, and townships of Wechawken, Union and North Bergen, in Hudson County, were written by the Hon. Anthony H. Ryder, of New Durham, and the city of Hoboken, by Charles B. Brush. Hon. George H. Farrier, of Jersey City, contributed valuable historie material, as well as plates, maps,
We are also indebted to the press of both counties, and more especially the Centinel of Free- dom and the Daily Advertiser, of Newark, for valuable extracts from their files relating to the early and later history of this territory.
To the pastors of the several churches to whom we are indebted for many courtesies, and to all others who have kindly assisted in furnishing material for this work, we return our most grateful acknowledgements. W. H. S.
CONTENTS OF VOLUME I.
PAGE
CHAPTER I.
Discovery and Occupation of New Netherlands 1
CHAPTER HI
Geography-Topography -Area-Population-Govern-
ors
6
CHAPTER III.
Climate-Temperature-Rain-Snow of Northern New Jersey .
CHAPTER IV.
Something of the Geology of Northern New Jersey . 10
CHAPTER V.
Geological Formation of Essex County .
12
CHAPTER VI.
Freestone and Sandstone Quarries in Essex County 13
CHAPTER VII.
Water Supply of Essex County for Domestic Use
.
17
CHAPTER VIII.
Schedule of Warrants of Lands in Newark when the Township covered the whole of what is now Essex County-Surveys of Lands on Warrants- Patents for Lands in Newark . 20
CHAPTER IX.
Taxes and Money in New Jersey before the Revolution 23
CHAPTER X.
Essex County in the Revolutionary War
28
CHAPTER X1.
Essex County in the Revolutionary War-(Continued) 31
CHAPTER XIL.
Essex County in the Revolutionary War-( Continued) 32
CHAPTER XIII.
Essex County in the Revolutionary War-( Continued) 88
CHAPTER XIV.
Essex County in the War of 1861-65 5.4
CHAPTER XV.
Essex County in the War of 1861-65-(Continued) . 61
CHAPTER XVI.
Essex County in the War ot 1861-65-(Continued) .
CHAPTER XVII.
PAGE
Essex County in the War of 1861-65-(Continued ) 135
CHAPTER XVIII.
Essex County in the War of 1861-65-(Continued ) . 147 CHAPTER XIX.
Essex County in the War of 1861-65-( Continued) . 166
CHAPTER XX.
Old Roads. Turnpikes and Bridges iu Essex County . 184
CHAPTER XXI.
Ancient Stage Lines and Routes-Morris and Essex Canal-Railroads in Essex and Hudson Counties -Street Railroads in Essex County 187
CHAPTER XXII.
Legislation Relative to Educational Interests in New Jersey 20元
CHAPTER XXIII.
County Societies
209
CHAPTER XXIV.
l'ivil History
211
CHAPTER XXV.
The Press of Essex County .
218
CHAPTER XXVI.
Bench and Bar of Essex County
230
CHAPTER XXVII.
The Bar of Essox County
256
CHAPTER XXVIII.
The Medical Profession of Essex County
302
CHAPTER XXIX. The Medical Profession of Essex County-(Continued) 318
CHAPTER XXX. The Medical Profession of Essex County-(Continued) 829 CHAPTER XXX1.
Ilospitals of Essex County
347
CHAPTER XXXII.
93 Essex County Agricultural Interests 349
Y
CONTENTS.
PAGE
CHAPTER XXXIII.
CITY OF NEWARK.
Correspondence Leading to its Settlement-Pioneer
Settlers, with Genealogieal Notes. . 355
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Historical Account of the Circumstances Leading to and Connected with the Pioneer Settlement of Newark-Indian Bill of Sale-Indian Deed- Deed from the Proprietors-Record of Warrant and Survey-Pioneer Town Patent and Charter- Pioneer Boundaries . 372
CHAPTER XXXV.
Town History from 1666 to 1714 . 386
CHAPTER XXXVI.
Ilistory from 1714 to 1833 . . 443
CHAPTER XXXVII.
History from 1834 to 1881 . 453
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
The Fire Department and Associations . 458
CHAPTER XXXIX.
Religious Interests of Newark . 463
CHAPTER XL.
Freemasonry in Newark .
524
CHAPTER XLI.
Odd-Fellowship in Newark 533
CHAPTER XLII. PAGE
Sveieties of Newark .
540
CHAPTER XLIII.
Pioneer Merchants of Newark . 550
CHAPTER XLIV.
Industries of Newark .
560
CHAPTER XLV.
Industries of Newark-( Continued )
570
CHAPTER XLVI.
Newark's Noted Visitors
62]
CHAPTER XLVII.
Banking and Insurance in Newark .
625
CHAPTER XLVIII.
Street Illumination by Gas and Electric Light in New- ark . 638
CHAPTER XLIX.
Education in Newark
645
CHAPTER L.
Newark's Noted Celebrations
660
CHAPTER LI. New Jersey Historical Society-Parks-Cockloft Hall -Ship-building-Moral Epidemie-County Asy- Ium-Collectors of the Port of Newark 66.1
CHAPTER LII.
Necrology of the City of Newark
669
ILLUSTRATIONS OF VOLUME I.
J'AI.E.
Agens, Jonas
Kirk, Williams 11 .
. 609
Agens, Thomas .
Krueger, Gottfried
614
Allright, Andrew
691
Lang, Heury
579
Albright. Vidrew, residence of Alling. Imane .A
603
Mandeville, Frederic B. 323
Atha, Andrew 593
Map of "Our Town on Passaic River
Balbach, Edward, Sr
Map of Newark in IsoG .
448
Benelict, Terab
Map of Newark in 1:30 .
1.8
Bradley, Jogh T'
255
Marsh, Stewart
Broad Street in 1& 1 . 453
Meeker David M
Bruniley, John D
319
Military Park, Krwarh
Burr, Aaron
Miller, James W
fromplwell, David . 619
Morris, Squats
275
MIark, OHNEKr .\
. 612
Newark, Enst of Mulberry Street, 1820-25. . 449
"'lark, Williom
613
Newark National Banking Company
('hurk, Willinen, Residence of
613
Ogden, Col .. Saving his Wheat on Sunday
Clark Thread 's
612
O'Gorman, William .
325
('kklott Hall . 667
(' Rourke's Quarry
l'oles, Vorabum . 332
Osborn, Penni- .
552
Conger Walter M. 620
Peildie Thomas B.
Corey. Ashbei W
261
Pennington. A. C. M.
Pennington, S. H
I Taven, Klighn Rt .
Pennington, William
212
Daily soffrine
. 320
Polers, George
Darry, John ..
307
Phillips, Johu M
Depue. David 1
247
Pinneo, James B 1.20
Divident Hill
382
l'oinier, II. ... .
Dindd, Amızi .
25
Price. Daniel,
Field, Jumex W
Prieth, Benedict
First Presbyterian Church in Newark
Plon, Stephen 11
THU
First Presbyterian Church, Newark, 1541
Quinn. P. T.
353
Fish, Henry i'
Rend. I W. 1111.
Fleming, Jamry 1 .. 5544
Reilly. I'ntrick
Frelinghuysen. Frederick T
. 270
Ruchuple. David W.
Frelinghnywen. Theodore
958
Ricordi. Frederick W.
Goble, 1 G .
309
Romer, Charles W. A.
Runyon, Theuilore
Malgrant, > S.
tirant. Gabriel
321
Smith, F. ...
Grover, LOWIBt
Smith, Hugh
Halsey, Samuel
575
smith, Joseph M
$10
Harrison, Ira M.
639
Stockton, Charles &
Havell. George
Taylor. John W.
Hay. F. (*
506
Tresc. Frederick H.
Hay. James B.
595
Tichenor II. H. 338
llaves, Davul A .
2014
Titus, William
Henth, S R. W
550
Tompkins, sammel F.
389 219
Heller, Frederick
617
Wallace, William C 551
Hornblower, Joseph (
241
Ward, Arthur 335
Howell, Theodore P
576
Waril, John F
312
Hyatt. John W .
Ward, Marcus 1 ..
675
Jenkinson, George B.
. 587
Ward, William
Jones, Phineas
682
Washington's Army entering Newark . .
Joy, Elmuund I.
557
Watts, William .
Kearney, Philip
62 Weston, Edward
King, Willam
Whitehead, William .1
654
kinney, Thomas T
. 224
Woodhull, .A. W
Kinney, Wilham B
. Zeh, C. M.
33€
vii
598
Ileinisch, Ruchuy
. 599
Tuttle, William
Goble, Luthımı 543
Goukl, Stephen U 635
. 410
Crane, Benjamin F. . 630 . 471
Mapes. James J
Buyden, Seth 502
Mar Whorter, Mexander 467
PAGE .. 553
HISTORY
OF
ESSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
CHAPTER I.
DISCOVERY ANDOCCUPATION OF NEW NETHERLANDS.1
TilIs honor has been variously claimed and as- signed, but it is not necessary to discuss the point here or to decide whether the claim of England, on account of Cabot's voyage, or Hudson's venture under Dutch authority is most firmly established. We readily see that very early in the sixteenth century, influences were at work which showed that the fame of the discoveries by Columbus, and the rich cargoes brought to Spain would stimulate other efforts. The desire for new territory was a strong motive for the rulers, and led them to encourage every such move- ment. Besides this, the latter part of the fourteenth century had established the Turks in Europe and Africa, so that Western Europe found itself almost entirely shut out from direct trade with the Indies. The finding of a new way thither, so as to share in that rich trade, was the dream of the day, under which various expeditions were equipped and sent forth. In this search for a north-west passage, one after another touched this country, and set up a claim to discovery. But no advantage was taken of these discoveries for a long time. In 1606 King James, without regard to Sir Walter Raleigh's patent re- ceived twenty-two years before from Queen Elizabeth, made a grant of a large portion of land, in which New Jersey was included, which led to the fitting out of several ships, with artificers of every kind, and everything necessary for a new settlement, but it does not appear that any large part of the tract was settled.
In 1607 and 1608 Henry Hudson, an English sailor, went out, and being disappointed, returned and engaged himself to the Dutch East India t'om- pany, at Amsterdam, who became interested in his representations, and put him in command of a vessel, with twenty men. He entered Delaware Bay, but finding the navigation somewhat difficult, he turned, and, following the eastern shore of New Jersey, anchored at Sandy Hook, September 3, 1609. Here he first fell in with the Indians, and his journal says " the people of the country came aboard of us, seem- ing very glad at our coming, and brought green tobacco, and gave us of it for knives and beads. They go in deer-skins, loose, well dressed. They desire clothes, and are very civil." A subsequently sent out crew sounded what is now called "The Narrows," and discovered the Kill von Kull, through which he came to Newark Bay, which he called the Achter Cull, or after-bay, because it lay behind New York Bay. On his return, he was attacked by the Indians, and one of his men was killed, and two were wounded. He familiarized himself with all the bays and inlets, and finally sailed up the river which bears his name, as far as eight or ten miles above Albany, returning on the 2d of October to Wechawken Cove, and immediately sailed for Europe. The report of his discovery created intense excitement. Dutch mer- chants saw opened to them a new field of trade which they could not only occupy, but monopolize. In 1610 a ship was sent out by the Dutch West India Com- pany, for the purpose of trading in furs, which con- tinued for a number of years to be the principal object of commercial attraction. Five years later, purchasing Hudson's charts of the coast and river, the Company obtained a grant of the exclusive trade on Hudson's River, and built forts and established
! Hy Rev. Henry Vehslage.
1
2
HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
trading-posts at New Amsterdam, Albany, and the and Holland were rivals in trade, and in the pursuit mouth of Rondout Kill. When the grant expired, of their interests, were sometimes placed in direct the States-General refused to renew it, but continued opposition. Matters were rapidly assuming such a shape that he feared evil consequences should a Dutch colony be allowed in his possessions. He therefore gave a patent to his brother, the Duke of York, in 1664, giving him the entire territory and power to govern the same. In the same year the Duke con- veyed a portion of this territory to Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret, in an instrument dated March 20, 1664, which appears to be the first docu- ment that gives anything like an accurate description of the bounds of New Jersey. The province was called Nova Cesarea, or New Jersey, in honor of Carteret, who had been Governor of the island of Jersey. To make this grant effective, Sir Robert Carr and others were sent with a small fleet and some land forees, and the Dutch, wholly unprovided for successful resistance to this unexpected attack, soon surrendered, and the whole of the New Netherlands became subject to the British Crown. The two pro- prietors found a constitution securing equal privileges and liberty of conscience to all, and appointed Philip Carteret governor. This was the first constitution of New Jersey, and continued entire until the province was divided in 1676. the trade with Indians, who came from Quebec, over- land, to deal with them. In other portions of the New Netherlands the expeditions were not as success- ful. In 1621 liberal advantages were offered to those who would settle in what is now called the lower part of the State, and charters were given to individuals, conveying the exclusive right to large portions of land, subject only to the claim of the Indians. Large traets were secured, and an association of the settlers was formed, having in view a permanent residence. But when De Vries came in 1630, he found none of the Europeans who had preceded hin. He built a new fort, in place of that which the Indians had destroyed, and returned to Holland. During his absence, a feud arose with one of the Indian tribes, which ended in the extermination of the colonists. He returned with a new company, and continued to trade with the natives, and being in need of provisions, would have gone to a place they named for a supply, but he was restrained by an Indian woman, who assured him that he would not escape the fate of the entire crew of a vessel who had been destroyed in that place. Disheartened by repeated disasters, he finally gave up the attempt to establish a colony.
In the meantime, during the reign of Gustavus Adolphus, the Swedes settled in the New Nether- lands in considerable numbers, and for a long time the country was held by them and the Dutch, both agreeing to resist the pretensions of the English. But difficulties arose between them, which culminated in deeds of violence, until in 1655, the Swedes were compelled to give up all their possessions, and the country upon the Delaware passed into the control of the Dutch, who commissioned directors by appoint- ment from the Governor at New Amsterdam.
The claim of the English, founded on Cabot's discovery, had never been abandoned, though the Dutch and Swedish settlers resisted every endeavor to locate an English colony, even as early as 1640. But the time was approaching for the overthrow of the Dutch supremacy in the New Netherlands. For about fifty years a colony had been maintained whose industry and thrift promised wealth to the individual, and at the same time secured glory to the Fatherland. But in 1660 Charles II. recovered the throne of his fathers. Circumstances occurred at a very early period to disturb the amicable relations which had subsisted between England and Holland. Charles was displeased because the States-General refused to elect the young prince, his nephew, as Stadt-holder ; and the French, disliking the growing friendship between Spain and Holland, endeavored to prejudice the interests of the latter by fanning the displeasure of the English king. Besides this, the animosity of Charles was strengthened by State reasons. England
Indian Occupation .- In Hudson's journal we find the record of friendly Indians, who came from the west side of the Hudson, and that those on the east side were more fierce. Another account tells how "the Indians from the west side came daily on board the vessel while we lay at anehor in the river, bringing for barter, fnrs, the largest and finest oysters, Indian corn and various vegetables." He soon discovered that the Iroquois, and especially the Mohawks, dominated the lower tribes, and, therefore, his effort was to gain the friend- ship and trade of the Iroquois, so averting the colli- sions and complications that would have arisen with the settlers, and enabling him to ereet a trading-post at Manhattan. It is impossible to give a detailed account of all the different tribes of Indians that inhabited New Jersey, numbering as they did many divisions, probably a tribe for every ten or twenty miles, and taking their names from the streams near which they severally located. They were probably not very numerous in New Jersey. In 1648 they were governed by about twenty kings, which might seem to warrant the belief that their numbers were great : but the insignificance of this regal sway is seen from the fact that in one ease twelve hundred were under two kings, and some kings had only forty subjects, so that these rulers might, with greater correctness, be called chiefs.
The Indians in this portion of the State were of the general stock of Delawares, or Leni Lenapes, who were fierce and warlike. They occupied domain along the sea coast from Chesapeake to the land bor- dering on Long Island Sound, and from the Susque-
3
DISCOVERY AND OCCUPATION OF NEW NETHERLANDS.
hanna Valley to the foot of the Alleghany Moun- land where Jersey City and Hoboken now stand, five of these Indians represent themselves in the deed as "inhabitants and joint-owners of the lands named." tains. The different nations frequently engaged in war, and in many parts of the State arrow heads and other articles of flint have been found even within the The conciliatory policy of Hudson was con- tinued, and in general, the aim was to avoid every- thing that would irritate them. In this State the In- dians were always paid for their lands, and so was removed every excuse for inroad or assault upon the settlers. There were, of course, exceptions to thi- general course of procedure, and as a consequence. outbreaks occurred. In some instances, the traders. disregarding the exclusive rights of the company. sold arms and ammunition to the natives, and then, on a slight provocation, either in the heat of debate or stealthily, for revenge, the Indians would use them. Besides this, the injudicious and reckless administra- tion of Director Kieft tended to provoke hostilities. In 1639 he exacted the tribute of maize, furs and wampum. In 1643 the storm broke out, and ended in the destruction of the whole settlement. In that year, the Indians in the vicinity of Albany having commenced a war with some of the tribes further South, the Director Kieft gave permission, and a detachment of troops was sent over to Pavonia, and eighty Indians were murdered in their sleep, or in at- tempting to escape. So little did they suspeet their foes, that some of the Indians fled to Fort Amster- dam, imagining that the attack had been made by their enemies, the Maquas. As soon as they learned that the massacre was by the whites, they killed every last few years. The Delawares were eminent for valor and wisdom, and held a prominent place in Indian history, but on the rise of the Iroquois power, they lost their independence, and fell under suspicion because many of them applied themselves to agriculture. It is well known that the Delawares were overcome hy the Iroquois, who exacted an annual tribute and an ae- knowledgement of subordination, on which conditions they were permitted to occupy their former hunt- ing grounds. The vietors, however, kept some of their own bands intermingled with the Delawares, probably as a precautionary measure. The Delawares naturally regarded their conquerors with a bitter and hardly concealed hatred, and took great satisfaction in affirming their own superiority, by reason of their more ancient lineage and further removal from barbar- isin : while on the other hand, the Iroquois maintained their haughty feeling of superiority to the Delawares, of whom they always spoke as women. While it is needless to recount here the controversies in which both sides endeavored to prove their excellence, it is but fair to say that the vietory of the Iroquois was diminished of much of its glory by the fact that the conflict was so unequal. When Hudson first landed, he found them gaining the ascendancy, and while securing their friendship, he at the same time gave them the means of completing their hold, by selling | man they could find; but more humane than the them gunpowder and lead, and that settled the ques- whites, they spared the women and children. Houses and barns, hay and grain were destroyed, and the war lasted a month or more. Then a peace was coneluded, which lasted only seven months, when a new rupture was caused by an attack upon some sol- diers stationed at Pavonia for the protection of a family, but after a time peace was restored, and we hear of no further disturbance. tion of supremacy. So was prepared the way for the treaty council in Philadelphia, in which, with insult and stinging contempt, the Delawares were com- manded to leave the council house, and prepare to leave their hunting grounds on the Delaware and its tributaries, and were forbidden to sell any lands, or to interfere in any matter between a white man and an Indian. They had no alternative, but removed to the banks of the Susquehanna, and gradually con- tinued their emigration westward, resuming their habits of war and hunting, and finally settled on a fertile tract on the Kansas River, a small portion going to Texas, where they have an excellent reputa- tion as guides, hunters and woodsmen.
It is unnecessary to say much of the general char- acteristies of the Indians, or their habits, as in these respects they ditfer but little from the well-known description of the various tribes. They always in- sisted very tenacionsly on the common right which they had in the soil; even their chiefs were denied the right to convey it without the consent of the tribes, and such consent was, in some cases, refused, when the chiefs were willing to make the transfer. Usually the treaties for such sales were made by se- lected representatives of the trihes, who met the white men in council, and transacted the sale as representa- tives. In the first conveyance to the Dutch of the
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