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1500
HISTORY
OF THE
COUNTY OF HUDSON,
NEW JERSEY,
FROM ITS EARLIEST SETTLEMENT TO THE PRESENT TIME.
BY CHARLES II. WINFIELD, 11
COUNSELLOR.AT LAW, AUTHOR OF "HISTORY OF THE LAND TITLES IN HUDSON COUNTY."
"Ask now of the days that are past."-Bible. "Forsan et hic olim meminisse juvabit."-Virgil.
"'Gainst the tooth of time And razure of oblivion."-Shakespeare.
2655EZ.
NEW YORK :
KENNARD & HAY STATIONERY M'FG AND PRINTING CO., No. 89 LIBERTY STREET.
1874.
-
F142 HEuly Copy 2
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, by CHARLES H. WINFIELD,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.
PREFACE.
IN the summer of 1869, while the author was investigating the title to the land now owned by the National Storage Com- pany, near Communipaw, he had occasion to examine some old records. These awakened an interest in the past of this vicinity, which has increased with the subsequent years of research and toil. The following pages are the result. Whatever may be its imperfections, the candid reader may safely credit the author with considerable " work and labor done and performed," as the lawyers say, and an honest endeavor truthfully and impartially to reproduce the past and perpetnate the present, for the pleasure or profit of the future.
Not a statement has been made withont authority for its justi- fication ; not a fact which could throw light upon or add interest to whatever has happened within the County has been omitted, so far as the same eame to his knowledge.
The records at Albany, Trenton, Hackensack, Amboy and New York, besides many books, papers and private manuscripts, have been consulted. These have been depended on in prefer- ence to memories approaching the "forgetfulness of all things." The County was no inconsiderable part of New Netherland, and its history is contemporary and its government one with New Amsterdam. This suggested the starting point for investiga- tion. It has been carried from that point until the present time. There cannot be much doubt but many interesting facts have
iv
PREFACE.
escaped discovery ; yet, it is believed, somewhat has been found and recorded new and interesting to the reader.
As, until a few years ago, the residents in the County were mostly comprised in a few families, the genealogies of these families are here inserted. In their preparation much assistance has been obtained from the records of the old churches. These in that early day were kept in a manner which should make the keepers of modern church records ashamed of their carelessness.
The sketches of some of the churches would have been more complete, had not persons who might be supposed to be inter- ested therein been quite so indifferent.
To those who have by their subscriptions encouraged the au- thor to publish this work he is profoundly grateful, and trusts they may have no canse to regret their part in its publication.
JERSEY CITY, February, 1874.
C. H. W.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I .- 1609-1638.
Claims of the early discoverers-Arrival of Henry Hudson-The object of his expedition-Discovery of Newark Bay-Its several names-Attacked by the Indians-Names of Hudson's river-He anchors in Weehawken Cove -Description of the country-The Dutch West India Company chartered -Plans of the Company to settle the country-Michael Pauw purchases of the natives, Hoboken, Ahasimus, Aressick and Staten Island-Names the colonie Pavonia-First settlement in the County-Arrival of Bout- Arrival of Van Voorst-Feast at his house in Ahasimus-Contest be- tween Pauw and the directors-He sells Pavonia, 1-25
CHAPTER II .- 1638-1646.
Arrival of Kieft-Settlement in the County-Difficulties with the Indians- Murder of Smitz-The people assemble-The twelve chosen-Van Vorst killed by an Indian Chief-The river Indians flee to Manhattan-Thence to Pavonia-Description of the settlements in the County-The Indians encamp near Communipaw-Kieft orders their destruction-Attacked and slain by the Dutch-Communipaw Massacre-Terrible revenge-Pavonia a desolation-Treaty of Peace-Savages again on the Warpath-Van Vorst taken prisoner-Peace declared, 26-46
CHAPTER IH .- 1646-1658.
Arrival of Stuyvesant-Murder of Simon Walinges at Paulus Hoeck-Con- ference with the Indians-Tracts of land taken up in the County-War again breaks out -- Pavonia destroyed-All the settlers flee-Indians re- turn their prisoners to Paulus Hoeck-Detached settlements forbidden- Persecution of the Quakers, 47-61
CHAPTER IV .-- 1658-1664.
Deed from the Indians for all the land in the County between the Hackensack and the Hudson-The Refugees desire to return to Pavonia-Forced to concentrate-Petition to found a village on the Hill-The village of Bergen begun-Its founders and name-Its manner of settlement and defence-Its first charter and court-Names of officers-Lot owners or- dered to take out patents-A well ordered to be dug in the village-Com- munipaw fortified, 62-90
vi
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER V .- 1664-1673.
New Netherland captured by the English-Sir Edmund Ployden's claim to New Jersey-Governor Carteret reorganizes the court at Bergen-Speci- mens of suits in this court-Names of officers-People of Bergen take · the oath of allegiance-First tavern license-Assemblymen elected- Carteret's charter to Bergen-Why he granted the land to the Free- 91-114 holders,
CHAPTER VI .- 1673-1764.
The country recaptured by the Dutch-Bergen summoned to surrender-The people comply and take the oath of allegiance-The military power of Bergen organized-Controversy between Bergen and its dependent ham- lets, Pembrepogh and Minkakwa-Bergen sends her soldiers to New Orange-The country surrendered to the English-Condition of the County in 1680-Its villages and farms-Queen Anne's charter-Pro- vision for the care of the common land-Its final partition, - 115-136
CHAPTER VII.
The Revolutionary War-How it affected Hudson County-Incidents of the war in the county-Fort Delancey-Capture of Paulus Hoeck-Block House Point-The Cow Chase-Desertion of Sergeant Champe, &c., &c., 137-199
CHAPTER VIII.
The Duel Ground at Weehawken-Duels between Aaron Burr and John B. Church-George I. Eacker and Price-George 1. Eacker and Philip llamilton-John Langstaff and Oliver Waldron-Augustus Smith and Archibald M. Cock-De Witt Clinton and John Swartwout-Richard Riker and Robert Swartwout-Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton- Isaac Gouverneur and William H. Maxwell-Benjamin Price and Major Green-Stephen Price and Captain Wilson-Commodore Perry and Captain Heath-William G. Graham and Mr. Barton-Henry Aitken and Thomas Sherman, - 200-231
CHAPTER 1X .-- FERRIES.
Communipaw ferry-Weehawken ferry-Jersey City ferry-Bergen Point ferry-Hoboken ferry-Brown's ferry-Douw's ferry-Pavonia ferry- Budd's ferry-Bull's ferry-De Klyn's ferry-Elizabethtown Point ferry, 232-277
CHAPTER X.
History of Jersey City-Paulus Hoeck-Paulus Hoeck race course-Early lot- teries-British graveyard-Names of city officials-Consolidation with Van Vorst township-With Bergen and Hudson City-As a port of entry
vii
CONTENTS.
-Water works-Post office-Bull-baiting-Floating theatre-The old windmill-History of Bergen-Its officers-History of Harrison-Captain William Sandford-Petersborough-History of Ahasimus-West India Company's farm-The Duke's farm-Ilistory of Hoboken-Its first occu- pant-Made into a city-Its officers-History of North Bergen-Secaucus -Three Pigeons-The Frenchman's garden-History of Hudson City- Its officials-Beacon race course-Horses running and time made,
278-331
CHAPTER XI.
Organization of the County-Its officers-Vote for location of court house- Laying corner stone-Address of Chief Justice Hornblower-Representa- tives in the Legislature-List of Freeholders-List of Judges, 332-356
CHAPTER XII.
Roads, traveling facilities and traffic-Banks-Newspapers-Churches and their pastors-Statistics of population, schools, taxes and crime, 357-423
CHAPTER XIII .- GENEALOGIES.
Van Vorst Family-Vreeland Family-Van Winkle Family-Van Wagenen Family-Van Buskirk Family-Van Ripen Family-Van Horn Family -Newkirk Family-Garrabrant Family-Sip Family-Brinkerhoff Fan- ily-Schuyler Family-Kingsland Family-Gautier Family-Cadmus Family, 424-561
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Communipaw-Jan de Lacher's Hoeck, or Mill Creek Point-Columbia Acad- emy-Prior's Mill near Point of Rocks-Fortifications on Paulus Hoeck -The Lee Medals-Duel Ground at Weehawken-Tablet in Hamilton's Monument-Views of the ferry boat Jersey, &c .- Paulus Hoeck-Corner of Newark avenue and Grove street-The Van Vorst Mansion at Ahasi- mus-Castle Point and Elysian Fields-Octagonal Church, 1680-Re- formed Church of 1773-The Van Vorst Mansion, corner of Jersey avenue and Wayne street-The Schuyler Coat of Arms-Retirement Hall.
PORTRAITS.
The Founders of Jersey City-Col. John Stevens and Edwin A. Stevens-Jacob M. Merseles-Robert Gilchrist-Benjamin C. Taylor, D. D .- Rev. John Kelly-Stephen Vreeland-Jane Vreeland-Hartman Vreeland and wife -Colonel Peter Schuyler.
MAPS.
Bergen and Buyten Tuyn in 1660-Part of New Jersey-Roads to Newark- Part of Hudson County-Bergen and the Schuyler Mines.
HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY.
CHAPTER I .- 1609-1638.
Claims of the early Discoverers-Arrival of Henry Hudson-The object of his expedition-Discovery of Newark Bay-Its several names-Attacked by the Indians-Names of Hudson's river-Ile Anchors in Weehawken Cove-Description of the country-The Dutch West India Company chartered-Plans of the Company to settle the country-Michael Pauw purchases of the natives, Hoboken, Ahasimus, Aressick and Staten Island-Names the colonie, Pavonia-First settlement in the County- Arrival of Bout-Arrival of Van Voorst-Feast at his house in Harsimus -Contest between Pauw and the Directors-He sells Pavonia.
CONCERNING the discovery of the harbor of New York and the adjacent country much has been written, and different conclusions reached. It may, however, be safely asserted that the honor of its discovery does not belong to the distinguished commander of " de Halve Maan." In 1497, Jean and Sebastian Cabot, under commission of Henry VII. of England, sailed along the coast of North America, and claimed for their master the entire country, the shore of which they occasionally saw at a distance.1
In 1524, Jean de Verrazzano, a Florentine, in the service of Francis I., King of France, is supposed to have visited the bay of New York .? Governor Stuyvesant, in his " Manifesto" to the Governor of Maryland, says : "The French were, in the year of our Lord God Ahnighty 1524, the second followers of the dis- covery in these northern parts of this America by Johan de Verrazzano."3
1 O'Cal., N. N., i., 26.
3 Col. Hist. of N. Y., i., 149.
2 Bancroft, U. S., i., 17.
2
HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY.
In 1525, Estevan Gomez, a Portuguese in the service of the Emperor, Charles V., who had fitted out the expedition for the purpose of discovering a shorter passage to the Moluccas,1 visited the bay of New York. How thorough his explorations were is not known. As late as 1679 there was a tradition among the Indians that the Spanish were here before the Dutch, and that from them the natives obtained the maize or Spanish wheat .? On Ribero's map, which embodies the outlines of the map of Gomez, the whole country, from New Jersey to Rhode Island, is called the land of Estevan Gomez.3
In 1598, some Dutch in the employ of the Greenland Com- pany came into the bay of New York, and, intending to use it for winter shelter, erected a " little fort " against the incursions of the Indians.4
By virtue of the discoveries of Verrazzano, Henry IV. of France, in 1603, gave to Des Monts that portion of the country lying between the fortieth and forty-sixth degrees of north lati- tude. This included the greater part of New Jersey. But the
1 Biddle's Life of Cabot, 271.
2 Long Isl. Hist. Soc., i., 273.
3 Hudson's Sailing Directions, 45.
4 Col. Hist. of N. Y., i., 149. In a letter (now in my possession) written by Robert Morris of New York to Abraham Ogden of New Jersey, dated Nov. 4, 1785, occurs the following passage : "The only valuable property at Pavonia was within a fort which continued necessary for its original purposes, to wit : a defence against the Indians," etc. Where Mr. Morris obtained his authority for the statement it would be difficult to tell.
It is proper to bear in mind that the Dutch generally denied all discoveries of the Hudson river prior to 1609 ; at least they denied that the natives recol- lected, or even had a tradition, that the bay had ever been visited by white men. Van Der Donck, who arrived in New Amsterdam in 1642 and wrote a descrip- tion of the country in 1653, says : " The Indians, many of whom are still living, and with whom I have conversed, declare freely that before the arrival of the Low Land ship, the Half Moon, in the year 1609, they did not know that there were any other people in the world than those who were like themselves, much less any people who differed so much in appearance from them as we did." N. Y. Hist. Soc., N. S., 137. The poetical account of the first arrival of Euro- peans at York Island which the Rev. John Heckewelder, a Moravian missionary in Pennsylvania, received from the Indians, bears out the same belief, that Hudson was the first white arrival. Ibid, 71. The weight of evidence, how - ever, seems to be against the position.
3
HENRY HUDSON.
grant of the French King was ignored by James I. of England, who, in 1606, granted to Edward Maria Wingfield1 and his associates, under the name of the South Virginia or London Company, the land between the thirty-fourth and forty-first de- grees of north latitude, and to the North Virginia Company he gave the land lying between the thirty-eighth and forty-fifth de- grees of north latitude .?
While these bold navigators were facing the dangers of un- known seas, and monarchs were elated at the prospect of extend- ing their sway over a new and wonderful land, events were trans- piring in Europe which were destined to plant an empire on the banks of the Hudson. Notwithstanding the severe measures adopted by Charles V. and Philip II. to destroy the freedom and enterprise of Holland, that indomitable people not only baffled their foes in the field, but, in the midst of their cruel oppressions and the fires of long years of wars, kept alive a keen appetite for trade and adventure, and extended their commerce to every sea. The Spaniards had attempted to destroy the Dutch trade to the Indies, and the Netherland merchants now boldly sought a route to that El Dorado by the way of the northwest. To accomplish this, Henry Hudson, whom the Dutch writers call "the bold Englishman," was induced to enter the service of the Dutch East India Company. He was an experienced navigator, had already, under the patronage of some London merchants, made two attempts (in 1607 and 160S) to discover his favorite passage, and still had unshaken faith in final success. The Company put him in command of a yacht or " Vlie boat"3 called the Half Moon,4 of thirty lasts5 burden, and manned by a
I Wingfield was one of the Councillors of the Virginia Company of London, and chosen its first president. He was a grandson of Sir Robert Wingfield of Huntingdonshire, and son of Thomas Maria Wingfield, so christened by Queen Mary and Cardinal Pole. Camden Soc. Pub., No. 43. He invested $88 in the venture. Force's Coll., iii.
2 It will be observed that the two grants lap between the 38th and 41st de- grees. Why this was so, unless to reduce the prior grant, I do not know.
3 So called from being built to navigate the Vlie, or Texel. The name is now corrupted into " Fly Boat."
4 De Halve Maan.
5 A last is nearly two tons-zwaarte van 4,000 pond.
4
HISTORY OF IIUDSON COUNTY.
crew of twenty, partly Dutch and partly English. By his agree- ment with the Company, dated January 8, 1609, he was to sail about the first of April in search of a passage by the north side of Nova Zembla, and to continue along that parallel until he was able to sail south to the latitude of sixty degrees, and then hasten back to report to his employers. For this service he was to receive eight hundred guilders, and in case he did not come back within a year, then they were to give his wife two hundred guilders more. In case he found the passage, then the Company were to reward him " for his dangers, trouble and knowledge in their discretion." He was ordered "to think of discovering no other routes or passages except the route around by the north and northeast above Nova Zembla;" but if this could not be accom- plished at that time, " another route would be the subject of con- sideration for another voyage."1 Bound by his instructions not to go south of the sixtieth degree of north latitude, he sailed from the Texel, April 6, 1609. Disregarding his instructions, however, in his anxiety to discover his favorite object, he coasted along from Newfoundland as far south as the Chesapeake, and, returning, cast anchor inside of Sandy Hook, on the third of September. Before him rose the Highlands of the Navesinck, while upon his left lay the shores of Monmouth. He pronounced the surrounding country " a very good land to fall in with, and a pleasant land to see." Here he lay for a few days, cultivating an acquaintance with the Indians, who seemed highly pleased with the pale face. "The people of the country came aboard of us, seeming very glad of our coming, and brought green tobacco, and gave us of it for knives and beads. They go in deer-skins loose, well dressed. They have yellow copper. They desire clothes, and are very civil."3 On the morning of the sixth, John Colman, with four men, was sent to sound the river opening to the north. Passing through the Narrows, they found
1 Henry Hudson in Holland, by H. C. Murphy.
2 Called by the Indians, Naosh, i. e., a point surpassing all others.
3 Juet's Journal of Hudson's Voyage. N. Y. Hist. Coll., N. S., ¿. , 323.
5
NEWARK BAY DISCOVERED.
" a very good riding for ships,"" and " a narrow river to the west- ward between two islands."" They found the shores on both sides " as pleasant with Grasse, and Flowers, and goodly Trees, as ever they had seene, and very sweet smells came from them. So they went in two leagues and saw an open sea."3 On their return they were attacked by twenty-six Indians in two canoes, and Colman was killed.4 His remains were interred at Sandy Hook, and the spot was named Colman's Point.5 On the eleventh Hudson passed through the Narrows and anchored near the mouth of the Kill Van Kull, "and saw that it was a very good harbor for all winds." The next afternoon he went up the bay six miles -about opposite Communipaw. The surrounding country im- pressed him with being " as pleasant a land as one need tread upon." At seven o'clock the next morning he hoisted anchor for the exploration of the lordly river, which he hoped would lead him to the Indies ; but which, instead of bearing his trusty ship to the shores of the Orient, will, as long as its waters roll on
1 Hudson's Journal. This was the upper bay, or " Great Bay," as Van Der Donck calls it, Moulton, ¿. , 214, or quasi per excellentiam, " The Bay." N. Y. Hist. Soc., N. S., i., 140.
2 This was the Kill van Kull, or Het Kill van het Cull, i. e., the creek of the bay. A kill may be either an inlet or an outlet. The name is now applied to the outlet of Newark Bay. At one time the same name was applied to Pin- horne's Creek, which is an inlet. At times it has been called After Skull River and Kill van Corle.
This was Newark Bay, afterward called Het Achter Cull, i. e., the back bay, to distinguish it from " The Bay," or New York Bay. By the Dutch it was also written Aghter and Achter Coll, N. Y. Ilist. Soc., 2d, S., i., 93; and by the English After Coll, Col. Hist. of N. Y., ii., 576, and applied to the territory bordering on the Kills, between Elizabeth and Amboy, as well as to the bay itself. It was afterward corrupted into Arthur Cull and After Kull.
4 This attack was probably made at the mouth of the Kill van Kull. It is also probable that the canoes were from Manhattan, for the Indians on the Jer- sey shore visited the ship the next day, and seemed to be ignorant of what had happened. This, I think, would not have been the case had the attack been made by any of their neighbors on the west side of the bay. It must also be borne in mind that there was no intercourse between the tribes on the opposite sides of the river. They were infessissimi hostes. Moulton, i., 219.
5 ('Cal., N. N., i., 36 ; N. Y. Ilist. Col , i., 324.
6
HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY.
to the sea, bear his name down to posterity.1 He did not return until the second of October, when, having been attacked by the Indians at the head of Manhattan Island, he bore gradually across the river, and anchored in Weehawken Cove, just above Castle Point.2 On the fourth, with fair weather and a northwest wind, he weighed anchor, and, bidding a final adieu to the river he had explored, passed through the Kills to Amboy, and thence stood out to sea.3
1 The Hudson River has had many names, some of them striking and beau- tiful. The Iroquois called it Cohohatatea, i. e., "the great river having mountains beyond the Cohoh." The Mohegans called it the Shatemuc, i. e., " the place of the pelicans." The Delawares named it Mahican-ittuck, i. e., " the River of the Mohegans." By the Spaniards it was named Rio St. Antonio, in honor of St. Anthony ; Rio de Montaigne, from the mountains through which it flows. Dr. Asher thinks they also called it Rio de Gomez, in honor of the navigator. Hudson's Sailing Directions, 47. The French called it Reviere des Montaignes. The Dutch named it De Groote Rivier, because of its magni- tude : Noordt Rivier, i. e., North River, to distinguish it from De Zuydt Rivier, i. c., South River, or Delaware ; De Groote Noordt Rivier ran Nieuw Neder- lundt, i. e., The Great North River of New Netherland ; Mauritius, in honor of Prince Maurice (Watson, Historie Tales, 21, and Schoolcraft, Proc. N. Y. Hist. Soe., 1844, 94, say that this last name was not applied until 1623, but Broadhead, ¿. , 45., says it was already thus known in 1611) ; Riviere can den Vorst Mauri- tius. Col. Hist. of N. Y., ¿. , 13. It was also called The River of Paronia, Ibid, 151, and The River of Manahata. The people of New England called it The Mohegan River. It was reserved for the English to honor their brave country- man by naming it Hudson's Riv r.
2 Juet's language is this : " Within a while after we got down two leagues beyond that place, and anchored in a bay clear from all danger of them on the other side of the river, where we saw a very good piece of ground ; and hard ty it there was a cliff' that looked of the color of white green, as though it were either a copper or silver mine ; and I think it to be one of them by the trees that grow npon it ; for they be all burned, and the other places are as green as grass." N. Y. Hist. Col., N. S., ¿. , 331. The description answers to Hoboken in every particular. The only difficulty about it is, he says, " It is on that side of the river that is called Manna-hata." One of two things I think is certain, either he intended this last remark to apply to the place where the Indians at- tacked the vessel, or the translator is in error.
3 It was during this visit that the whites introduced to the Indians the most deadly enemy of their race. They were not slow to learn that wine tastes bet- ter than water., and the wild joy of one debauch gave strong invitation to an- other. While they were a free people, unaccustomed to servitude, and therefore
7
DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY.
Although Hudson failed in the direct object of his ambition, to him must be accorded the honor of making known to Europe the finest harbor of the western world and the great river which is an enduring monument to his memory. He had incidentally opened to the old world the loveliest and richest part of the new, where nature seemed to have scattered her gifts from a full hand. The forests abounded in all kinds of useful and orna- mental trees, many of them bearing delicious fruit. Vines grew everywhere, yielding in abundance. Plants of nearly every variety grew in great profusion, useful for food and for medicine. Through the forests roamed innumerable buffaloes, panthers, bears, deer, elk, foxes, wildcats, wolves, raccoons, beavers, otters, musks, hares, rabbits, squirrels and ground-hogs. These invited the Indian to the chase, for they supplied him with both food and clothing. The fowls of the air were numerous and of great variety. In the waters of the bay and river life was not less active and varied. At times the bay appeared to be alive with water fowl. The swans, similar to those in the Netherlands and " full as large," were so numerous that the water and shores where they resorted appeared " as if dressed in white drapery."1 There were three kinds of wild geese, so numerous that sixteen were killed at a shot ; ducks, widgeons, teal, brant, blue-bills, whistlers, coots, eel-shovelers, and pelicans,2 with many strange fowls, some
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