USA > New Jersey > Passaic County > Paterson > History of the Old Dutch Church at Totowa, Paterson, New Jersey, 1755-1827 : baptismal register, 1756-1808 > Part 1
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THE OLD DUTCH CHURCH AT TOTOWA.
COPYRIGHT 1892 BY WILLIAM NELSON
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENGE AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS
KAVR
N3333H
HISTORY
of the
OLD DUTCH CHURCH
AT TOTOWA
Paterson New Jersey
1755 -- 1827
.
BY WILLIAM NELSON
Baptismal Register 1756-1808
A
4
PATERSON, N. J. : PRESS PRINTING AND PUBLISHING COMPANY, 269 MAIN STREET.
1892. M.T.
100 copies printed on heavy paper 100 copies printed on thin paper All for private circulation
slo. 18 141 Hx. Nelson
LEN
IBRARY
NEWYORK
RIVER .... NUPIKEN, OF 1900. ) 2555
CONTENTS.
Forewords
7
The History
I. Introductory 9
II. First Preaching at Totowa. 11
III. Organization of the Totowa Church. 11
IV. Totowa's First Call to a Pastor. 14
V. Dominie David Marinus 16
VI. The First Consistory. . 22
VII. The Deed for the Old Church Site. 24
VIII. The Trustees in 1762. 26
IX. The Church on the Hill-Side. 27
X. Its External Appearance 28
XI. Internal Appearance 31
XII. Church-Going in the Olden Time. 34
XIII. The Successors of Dom. Marinus 35
XIV. A Tragic Incident. 39
XV. Reconstruction of the Old Church 41
XVI. Pew-Holders in 1816 43
XVII. Statistics 46
XVIII. "God's Acre " 46
XIX. Burning of the Old Church 48
XX. Supplementary Notes 50
De Nieuwe Beroepsbrief van Do. David Marinus
59
Baptismal Register
.61-131
Appendix
I. "A Lest of Salliry for Dominy Schoonmaker " 133
II. "Pew Holders of the first Reformed Church of totowa" 134
III. Subscription toward Rebuilding the Church. 136
IV. Another Subscription toward Rebuilding the Church
137
V. Disagreement about Rebuilding 140
VI. Pamphlets by Dominie Marinus
141
Index
143
1
1
FINDING NUMBER OF 1900.
FOREWORDS.
1
From the lips of the "oldest inhabitant" the writer was wont many years ago to hear much about the Old Dutch Church at Totowa, till in fan- cy he could picture to himself the quaint square stone building with pyr- amidal shingle roof, and odd belfry ; the box-pews, with doors carefully closed ; the queer pulpit perched up at one end, overshadowed by the huge sounding-board ; the sturdy Dutch folk who with reverential air lis- tened to the Word as expounded by Dominie Marinus, Dominie Meyer, Dominie Schoonmaker or Dominie Eltinge, and at intermission strolled about the solemn "God's Aere" where reposed their dead who waited the resurrection into Life.
The "oldest inhabitant" is forever passing away. Cornelius Van Winkle, Cornelius H. Post, Ralph Doremus, Mrs. Catharine Doremus, Abraham H. Godwin, Avery Richards, John R. Van Houten, David Bensen, Richard Van Houten and others from whom the writer in former days gleaned their recollections of the Old Church and its founders, have all gone. Soon there will be none left who have worshipped within those walls.
To preserve the accounts obtained directly from those personally famil- iar with the Old Church has been the aim of the writer, that there should be a permanent memorial of an edifice wherein so much for good was wrought during three quarters of a century. Oral tradition has been sup- plemented by original documents, hitherto unpublished.
There has been added the Record of Baptisms, in the original Dutch, the only early record of the church known to exist.
The frontispiece is drawn from the description on pages 28-31 and the sketch by Uzal W. Freeman, mentioned on page 33, and which was printed in ISII (not 1825; as stated in the text).
Much of this History was published by the author in a local newspaper about 1871. It has been re-written and revised, and a large amount of new material since discovered has been incorporated. In its present shape it is hoped that the work may be of some value as a contribution to local history, and serve to perpetuate the memory of that ancient landmark-the OLD DUTCH CHURCH AT TOTOWA.
Christmas-Tide, 1892.
.
THE OLD DUTCH CHURCH AT TOTOWA.
I. INTRODUCTORY.
For more than three-quarters of a century the church-going people of the country now included within the limits of the city of Paterson attended divine worship at what is known in our local history as "The Old Dutch Church at Totowa." More than sixty years have passed since the quaint and venerable structure was swept out of existence. In a few more years none will be left who can say they have stood within its walls. Al- ready it is difficult to glean any facts concerning its history from living witnesses. Most of the particulars hereinafter given were obtained years ago from persons who have long since gone to join the "innumerable company" who once worshiped at this old church. To put in permanent and available form some account of the history of this ancient edifice the following pages have been written, as a contribution to the local history of the neighborhood.
While most of our older citizens have heard of the old Totowa church, vague accounts of which are handed down by tradition, accurate, definite information concerning it is not readily obtained. The only church records bearing on its his- tory known to exist are, ist: the Acquackanonk Church Rec- ords-one ponderous folio containing entries from 1724 to 1773, and two smaller manuscript volumes, down to and after 1816; 2d, the Totowa Church Records-one volume containing the Treasurer's accounts from 1795 to 1816, and minutes of Con- sistory thereafter until 1833 ; another volume containing min-
IO
THE OLD DUTCH CHURCHI AT TOTOWA.
utes of the Great Consistory and meetings of the congregation, in 1816, and 1827 to 1857 ; and a third volume containing a bap- tismal register, 1756-1809. to which is prefixed a copy of the call to the first pastor of the church. The Acquackanonk Rec- ords contain a few direct references to the Totowa church, as hereinafter noted ; again in 18to, in reference to a dispute be- tween a member of the church and the pastor, and in 1816 when the connection between the two churches was finally dissolved. The Totowa Records are not connected at all, and give no in- sight into the workings of the church until IS25 and thereafter. Hence, we must look elsewhere for much of the information as to the history of the church for the first three-quarters of a cen- tury of its existence. The more important authorities will be mentioned as quoted.
The Acquackanonk Church chose its first officers in 1694, and was located about where the First Reformed church of Pas- saic now stands-partly, doubtless, because there was something of a settlement there, and because it was most convenient to the greater part of the congregation. During the next thirty years the population north of Acquackanonk increased to such an ex- tent that a church was organized at the Ponds (1724), * and To- towa, Paterson, Preakness and Pompton Plains were represent- ed in the Acquackanonk Consistory by the Van Gysens, Peters- es, Vreelands, Van Winkels, Vander Beeks. etc. In May, 1710, Peter Helmerichse van Houte was elected Deacon, and he was doubtless the first chosen from Totowa. In 1716, Joris (George) Reyersen was elected a Deacon-probably from Pac- quanac ; in 1718-Simon van Nes, from Singack, or perhaps from Pompton Plains; in 1719-David Hennion, from Upper Preakness ; in 1720-Roelof Helmerichse van Houte, doubt- less from Totowa ; in 1730-Cornelis Doremes, who settled at Preakness in 1723 ; in 1732-Paulus van der Beek, of Pomp- ton Plains ; in 1734-Dirk van Houte, of Totowa; in 1737- Roelof Van Houten, Elder ; in 1738-Thomas Doremes, Dea- con ; in 1739-J (acob) V. Houten, Elder ; in 1742-Helmech R (oelofse) V. Houten, Deacon ; in 1743-Cornelis Hel(mer- ichse) V. Houten, Elder ; Hel. Piet. V. Houten, Deacon ; in
·
.
*Now Oakland, Bergen County.
II
ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH.
1744-Robbt. v. Houten, Deacon ; in 1745-Joh's Reyerszen and John Vincent, Deacons; in 1751-Rinier van Houte, Church Master ; in 1753-Dirrick van Houte, Elder, Gerre- brand van Honte, Deacon ; in 1755-Johannis Vanhoute, Dea- con. These are the names only of the church officers chosen from north of the Passaic river; the van Winkels, Vreelands, Posts and Gerritses chosen from the Boght, Wesel, Slooterdam and vicinity were even more numerous. This indicates the growing importance of the church membership north of Ac- quackanonk, and the increasing need of regular preaching at some place between Acquackanonk and the Ponds.
II. FIRST PREACHING AT TOTOWA.
It was the custom of the old Dutch ministers to preach oc- casionally through the week at hamlets remote from the church- es, and it is not unlikely that Dominie Jonannes Van Driessen, pastor at Acquackanonk and Pompton, 1735-48, may have held forth sometimes at or near Totowa, though he says nothing of it in his voluminous personal memoranda in the Acquackanonk Records.
III. ORGANIZATION OF THE TOTOWA CHURCH.
The organization of the Totowa church is undoubtedly due, under God, to the zealous efforts of a pious young man, David Marinus, who, while yet a Theological student (" S. S. Theol. Studiosus") was called (Nov. 12, 1750) to take charge of the churches at Acquackanonk and Pompton. He seems to have been a man of some means, and instead of occupying the parsonage at Acquackanonk during his whole ministry, he bought (July 20, 1754) of Henry Brockholst a tract of one hun- dred acres lying on Totowa, between the Falls and Hamburgh avenue, or more definitely between the present streets known as Marion street and Red Woods avenue, and extending from the river about 5,700 or 5,800 feet north to between Chamberlin and Chatham avenues, including the present city poor farm. The price was £200 "current lawful money of New York," about $500 of our money to-day .* Tradition says he built a
*Bergen County Deeds, Liber E, p. 189; Book A of Bergen County Transcribed Deeds in Passaic County Clerk's office, p. 274.
12
THE OLD DUTCH CHURCH AT TOTOWA.
house and lived on this tract, on the north side of Totowa ave- nue, near the present Jasper street, about where stands an old stone house formerly occupied by the late Robert Field. Dec. 2, 1760, he sold this place to Gerrit Van Houte, of Slooterdam, for £400 "current money New York" (about $1,000) .* The transaction was really an exchange, it is said, the Dominie re- moving to and occupying Van Houte's farm at Slooterdam (where the Van Bussums now are), and Van Houte removing to Totowa and occupying the Dominie's house. This dwelling was replaced by a subsequent purchaser, Albert Van Saun, by the stone house now standing, near Jasper street, as above men- tioned.
To Dominie Marinus's residence on Totowa is doubtless due the organization of the new church, which was effected in about a year after his settlement there. The location of it was also his work, in all probability, as it was almost within a stone's throw of his dwelling.
In the first volume of the Acquackanonk Church Records are several minutes, setting forth the steps taken to organize the new church. Following is a translation :
The 12 November 1755 at 3 o'clock in the afternoon the Venerable Consist- ory of Achquechenonk met. The meeting was opened with prayer by the President and a letter was delivered which was opened and read contain- ing a request from a part of our Congregation at Totua, wherein they pe- tition the Venerable Consistory to know (1) how much service they shall be allowed in the new church [Kerk]t at Totua (2) whether the Churches [ Kerken] namely that at Achquechenonk & that at Totua shall be gov- erned by one or by two Consistories (3) and whether every portion of the Congregation shall contribute money for the services or the Salary shall be paid by each [church] equally.
Whereupon Do. Marinus remarked in the first place that he intended to stand by his Call until the matter should be settled between the Congrega- tion and a conclusion was reached by the majority of the Consistory
*Bergen County Deeds, Liber E, p. 193; Book A of Bergen County Transcribed Deeds in Passaic County Clerk's office, p. 277.
tIn Dutch, Gemeente or Kerk is used indifferentiy to denote a church or congrega- tion, while the church edifice is always denoted by Kerk or Huis-or Huys in the older writings. The writer has in the translation just given been careful to denote wherever the word Kerk is used, as it might have a bearing on the date of the erection of the church at Totowa,
13
ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH.
1
That to the Northern part of our Congregation at Totua (in case the con- gregation shall approve) the fourth part of the services shall be allowed
2
That the two churches [ Kerken] namely that at Achquechenonk and that at Totua shall be governed by one Consistory
3
That the Salary shall be equally paid with these conditions in case the majority of the Congregation shall approve and on this account it has been provisionally resolved that the Congregation of Achquechenonk shall be called together by themselves the next Thursday eight days at the old church [by de Oude Kerk ] at ten o'clock in the morning and then the meet- ing was closed with a Danksegge.
DAVID MARINUS, Praes :
The 20 November 1755 the above articles were well approved by the major- ity of the congregation and upon the question when the Church [Kerk] at Totua shall be organized, it was resolved that the Consistory shall first inquire how much Salary the Congregation is willing to raise by voluntary subscrip- tions, in order to see whether the Congregation can make up such a sum of Money as Do Marinus judges to be reasonable. proper and necessary to have, in case the very successful Do Marinus is willing to perform the said ser- vice in the new Church [ Kerl;].
The Great Consistory and Congregation of Achquechenonk assembled to- gether the 24 February, 1756 in the Church [ Kerk] at Achquechenonk. The meeting was opened with prayer to God, by the President. First there was read a letter from the Northern part of our Congregation at totua containing a desire that they might have a separate government in their Church [ Kerk] and pay their own Salary. Next there was read by the President a reply from our Consistory at Achquechenonk, wherein they grant the petition of Totua on condition that our Congregation shall approve
Which having been read to the Congregation they after deliberation unan- imously approved
1
That those who henceforth incline to belong to the Church [ Kerk;] at Totua shall hereafter be considered as becoming a church on their own account and have a Separate Government & as a congregation combined with Achqueche- nonk shall have a fourth part of the service and shall pay a fourth part of the Salary
2
Permission is given to Do David Marinus to constitute a consistory and to perform a fourth part of his preaching service at that place immediately
3
The Congregation of Achquechenonk is empowered fill up their Consisto-
-
.
14
THE OLD DUTCH CHURCHI AT TOTOWA.
ry,* depleted by those taken out and it is the order of the Congregation that a New call be made on Do David Marinus in combination with the Venerable Consistories of Totua & Pomptan
4
The sense of the Congregation was proposed by the Undersigned and the above approved by the Congregation.
IV. TOTOWA'S FIRST CALL TO A PASTOR.
The following quaint and interesting document, translated from the Dutch, as originally entered by Dominie Marinus, in the Acquackanonk Church Records, is Totowa's first call to a pastor :
The New Call [Beroefsbrief, letter of call] of Do David Marinus as Preacher at Achquechnonk Totua & Pomptan.
In the name of God!
Inasmuch as the Dutch Reformed church in the till now united Places Achquechenonck & Pomptan in East New Jersey in North America have had the Rev. Do David Marinus as their Pastor [Herder, Shepherd] & Teacher, and your Reverence having already fulfilled the office very zealously and pi- ously four years among us with Praiseworthy Edification, it has pleased the Richness of God's goodness to cause your Reverence's service of the churches so to grow and flourish that out of the two aforesaid churches, with the gen- eral consent of both, a third church has arisen at Totua, which has laid us under the necessity of making changes, and to that End we elders & Dea- cons of the now three combined Churches of Achquechnonk Totua & Pomptan on Friday the 23 April in the Year of our Lord 1756 in the church at Achquechnonk assembled and having consulted with his Reverence Do. R. Erickson [pastor at Hackensack] as our consulent [Moderator] and after the invocation of God's Holy name we have finally come to these conclusions:
1.
That your Reverence shall perform the half of the Preaching service at Achquechnonk the fourth at Totua and the fourth at Pomptan.
2.
The Holy days mentioned in your Rev.'s First Call [from Acquackanonk and Pompton, viz. : "Christmas and the day after, New Year's, the day after Paas- day, Ascension-day, and the day after Pinxter-day"] shall be observed at those
*June 22, 1755, Jacobus Post was elected Elder, and Johannis Vanhoute, Deacon of the Acquackanonk church, for the term of two years. As will be seen hereafter, their names appear, as Elders, signed to the call to Dom. Marinns, April 23. 1756; May 27 following, Gerrit Van wageninge and JJan Van Blerkom were elected Elders of the Ac- quackanonk Church, to serve as Elder and Deacon respectively, for the unexpired terms of Post and Vanhoute, withdrawn to form the new church.
15
TOTOWA'S FIRST CALL TO A PASTOR.
places where they come nearest the Sunday, except Ascension-day, which shall serve as a turn in that Church in which your Rev : shall celebrate it.
3.
Your Rev : shall preach once on the day of the Lord the whole year through. [No vacations allowed!] Six months at the Longest of the days [i. e., in sum- mer] you shall preach once, and after the morning service you shall catechise in the church: and the other six months of the year you shall cate- chise when and where you and the Venerable Consistory shall agree, and also at Slotterdam.
4.
Twice a year your Rev. shall make house to house visits (huysbesoekinge doen) in the congregation at Achquechnonk, once a year in the Congrega- tion at Totua and once in the Congregation at Pomptan, so long as your bodily health will permit, and four times a year you shall administer the Lord's Supper in each Church.
5.
Whenever by reason of sickness or absence from home your Rev. shall fail to perform the service at any particular place, it must be performed the next following Sabbath at that place where they were promised, and doing this in the manner we have agreed upon among us, as above mentioned
1. A yearly salary of Hundred and Sixteen* Pounds New Jersey money reck- oned at half Proclamation money or otherwise New York current money shall be paid you by the Elders and Deacons who now are and from time to time after us shall be in the service, the just half shall be paid you every half year, that is the Ven. Consistory of Achquechnonk shall to your Rev. pay yearly Fifty-eight Pounds, the Ven. Consistory of Totua twenty-nine Pounds, & the V. Consistory of Pomptan twenty-nine Pounds.
2. And besides this a suitable dwelling which was newly built at the time of Do Henricus Koens at Achquechnonk, t and stands close by the Church; a Barn for Horses and cattle, a Well, a garden and Six acres of ground-all these we will repair and keep in repair, which with all the benefits and profits of the same shall be yours as long as you shall continue our Teacher.
3. But should it happen that one or other of the aforementioned United Congregations should refuse or neglect to fulfill their equal part according to their proportion of the service enjoyed by them, whether in respect to the aforementioned Salary or in respect to the aforesaid Repairs, then the other Church or Churches shall have the perfect right (volkome reght hebben) to take the service to themselves of the delinquent congregation provided that they shall then be obligated to fulfill the above mentioned conditions.
And for the performance of all this we pledge ourselves as present Elders and Deacons as shall also do all who after us shall from time to time be
*In the copy in the Acquackanonk Church Records it was written "Hondert en Twent" but the "Twent" was erased and Sestien written after.
1Pastor 1726-35. Probably the same house occupied as a parsonage until 1888, on the Dundee drive, at Passaic.
16
THE OLD DUTCH CIIURCII AT TOTOWA.
called as Elders and Deaeons of our Congregations, and before they are in- ducted into their office this call must be signed by those Elders and Deacons.
We therefore pray the Lord God then let this our Call prosper and cause it to succeed to the only glory of God's name and to the extension of His King- dom and to the ingathering (enwinninge) and Salvation of many Souls. Amen.
Thus done at Achquechnonk the 23 April 1756, in the presence of me Reinh't Erichzon as Consulent.
The original, in the Acquackanonk Church Records, has the following names appended, which are not in the copy prefixed to the Totowa Church Baptismal Register :
From Achquechenonk : Elders Johannis Walingse vanwinkele, Jeurie pieterse, Enoch Vreeland, Gerrit van Wageninge. Deacons-Johannis Wanshair, Elias Vrelant, Hartman vrelant, Jan van Blerkom.
From Totua :
Elders Simeon Van Winekel, Jacob van Houte, Johannis Reyerse, Jacobus Post. Deacons-Dierk Van Giesen, Helmich Van Houten, Johannis van Houten, Frans Post.
From Pomptan :
Elders -- Michiel Hertie, Guliaem Bertholf, Hendrick Bertholf, Marthe Van Duyn. Deacons-Cornelis Teremis his o mark, Joost Beem, Peter Roome, Albert Bertholf.
V. DOMINIE DAVID MARINUS.
Who was Dominie Marinus? What was he? Whence came he? How came he to Acquackanonk and Totowa? What was his character? These are questions not easily answered at this
DOMINIE DAVID MARINUS.
late day. Corwin's "Manual of the Reformed Church in America" (edition of 1869) sums up his career thus :
Marinus, David, studied in Pennsylvania, lic. by Coetus, 1752; Acquack- anonk and Pompton Plains, 1752-6, Acquackanonck, Totowa and Pompton Plains, 1756-73, Kakiat 1773-78, suspended; 1780, deposed. Also supplied Fairfield, 1756-73.
Marinus was evidently a native of Holland, who having stud- ied for the ministry in Pennsylvania first connected himself with the German Reformed Synod in that State, and afterwards with the Coetus of the Reformed Dutch church, meeting at New York. This appears from the following extracts from the " Life of Rev. Michael Schlatter, 1716 to 1790," by Rev. H. Harbaugh, A. M., Philadelphia, 1857. Mr. Schlatter labored among the Germans of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. From his Journal these extracts are culled :
On the 28th [October, 1748], two Low Dutch students, who studied in this country, named David Marinus and Jonathan DuBois, inquired of me whether I would assist them in getting permission from the Reverend Christian Synod to present themselves for examination to our Synod. This they desired, that if they should receive a regular call in the church they might then, here in this country, be placed in a position to accept of it. I promised to fulfil their wishes. *
On the 20th of October [1749], Rev. Reiger opened our Synod, again as- sembled [at Mr. Schlatter's house, Philadelphia]. * *
* This Synod consisted of five ministers, besid. s the two Low Dutch students before referred to and sixteen elders. t
Mr. Schlatter having gone to Holland in 1751 and reported the condition of the Reformed church in America to the Synod of North Holland, that body referred the matter to a Commit- tee, in August, 1751, who reported among other things, that " the two Low Dutch students, David Marinus, and Jonathan Du Bois," "ought to be confirmed in the ministry, after prev- ious examination."¿ This recommendation was subsequently acted upon, as may be seen by the published " Min- utes of the General Synod," N. Y., 1859. In the Journal of the Cœtus, held at New York, Sept. 19, 1752, we find, p. LXXII, this entry :
*Life of Schlatter, p. 186.
tIbid., p. 192.
#Ibid, p. 229.
IS
THE OLD DUTCH CHURCH AT TOTOWA.
The President read to the Assembly a letter from Philadelphia, laid upon the table by Dom. Ritzema (of New York), which had been written by Dom. Schlatter in the name of the Pennsylvania Cœtus, containing a statement by the Synod of South and North Holland, respecting the two students, Marinus and Du Bois, with an inquiry from the Ccetus of Pennsylvania as to the way in which they should act, since Marinus belonged under our Cotus. After deliberation, the question was found to be, whether Mr. Marinus should be examined by our Cœtus, or by that of Pennsylvania. This question was taken ad referendum.
The same afternoon Garret Van Wagenen. Elder from Ac- quackanonk, appeared in the Cœtus, doubtless to sustain and encourage his young pastor. For it must be recollected (as shown by the date appended to his first call) that Marinus had been called Nov. 12, 1750, while still a student of The- ology, to take charge of the churches at Acquackanonk and Pompton. Corwin, Dewitt and other writers make the date 1752. But the date appended to the call of Acquackanonk and Pompton is Nov. 12, 1750, beyond all question, and the writing is Dom. Marinus's own ; yet he begins his Baptismal Register Nov. 12. 1752. On the other hand, again, the baptism of a child of his, named David, is recorded (in a crude chirography, that of the Voorleser, doubtless, by whom the records were kept, 1748-52) in the Acquackanonk Records, Nov. 16, 1751 ; and, too, Marinus himself records eight marriages performed by him during 1751 and 1752 (beginning Oct. 11, 1751), prior to Nov. 12 of the latter year. The date. 1752, is doubtless gen- erally given as the year of his settlement, because that was the (late of his ordination, and perhaps for the same reason the three churches, in making out their "new call," in 1756, speak of the "four years'" service of "the Rev." David Marinus, he having been entitled to that prefix only that length of time.
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