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COLES
ST
-HENDERSON-
-ST-
.
COMMUNIPAW
OLD BERGEN
HISTORY AND REMINISCENCES
WITH
MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS
BY DANIEL VAN WINKLE
AA
C
,
.
J
0
JOHN W. HARRISON JERSEY CITY
THE LIBRARY OF GO-NGRESS. TWO COPIES RECEIVED APR. 11 1902 COPYRIGHT ENTRY Feb. 25-1902 CLASS a XXX No. 27631 COPY B.
COPYRIGHTED, 1902, DANIEL VAN WINKLE
VHAAQUI JHT
F144 .0513
Preface.
This little volume is projected with the hope of ex- citing a new interest in the territory of which it treats.
From its antiquity and historical importance, " Old Bergen " deserves more than a passing glance. Founded during the infancy of our country, and standing at the gateway of the continent, it was sub- jected during the colonial and revolutionary period to the privations and vicissitudes peculiar to those early days, to an unusual degree. Although located under the shadow of a great city, its bosom seamed and scarred by the ebb and flow of the traffic and commerce of the Great West, it preserved until very recent years the customs and conditions of " The Long Ago."
The people inhabiting its territory, retaining to a great extent the characteristics and conservativeness of their forefathers, were oftentimes visited by their city neighbors, when tired and worn with the cares and anxieties of a business life, to secure a momentary relaxation and rest among their peaceful surroundings.
Although by no means exhaustive, the matter pre- sented in this book is reliable and authentic. It has been procured from all available sources and carefully selected : The historical facts, from colonial records and revolutionary documents; libraries have been freely consulted, and files of old newspapers scanned
vi
PREFACE.
in search of matters of local interest, while the tra- ditions and reminiscences indulged in from time to time, have been gathered through a succession of gen- erations, and many of them here rescued from that oblivion into which so many have fallen.
A few generations ago, much unquestionable tradi- tionary information could have been secured, but owing to the lapse of time, traditions have been for- gotten and documents destroyed, that might have aided us greatly in our search for information affecting the homes and people of "Old Bergen." Through the general growth of our country and changed con- ditions, "Old Bergen " has been absorbed by the greater Jersey City, and lost its identity in its new relations. With the hope of rescuing its name from oblivion, and that other investigations may be continued, to secure more fully, whatever there may be of existing data relating to the " Olden Days," this volume is issued. DANIEL VAN WINKLE.
Bergen (Jersey City Heights), January, 1902.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTION-EARLY TRADE CONDITIONS,
.
I-3
CHAPTER II.
DISCOVERY OF THE REGION OF THE HUDSON,
4-8
CHAPTER III. CLAIMS OF EARLY DISCOVERERS AND INDIAN LEGENDS, 9-14
CHAPTERS IV AND V.
SETTLEMENT OF NEW NETHERLANDS, .
15-22
CHAPTER VI.
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED,
23-25
CHAPTERS VII AND VIII.
SETTLEMENT OF "OLD BERGEN," .
26-32
CHAPTER IX.
THE NATIVE INHABITANTS,
.
33-36
CHAPTER X.
DISSATISFACTION WITH GOV. KIEFT AND RESULTS, .
37-41
CHAPTER XI.
CONTINUANCE OF INDIAN TROUBLES,
42-46
CHAPTER XII.
PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES ADOPTED,
47-51
CHAPTERS XIII-XIV AND XV.
BERGEN,
52-66
CHAPTER XVI.
CURRENCY AND CAPTURE BY ENGLAND,
67-72
viii
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XVII.
BERGEN BECOMES AN ENGLISH COLONY, .
73-75
CHAPTER XVIII.
BERGEN BECOMES AGAIN A DUTCH DEPENDENCY,
76-78
CHAPTERS XIX AND XX.
GROWTH OF BERGEN, .
79-90
CHAPTERS XXI-XXX.
REVOLUTIONARY TIMES,
91-139
CHAPTER XXXI.
CLOSE OF THE REVOLUTION,
.
· 140-144
CHAPTER XXXII.
GROWTH AND CHARACTERISTICS, . . 145-147
CHAPTER XXXIII.
CHANGES,
148-154 CHAPTER XXXIV.
TRANSPORTATION, .
. .
.
155-162
CHAPTER XXXV.
CHURCH AND SCHOOL, 163-170 CHAPTERS XXXVI AND XXXVII.
CHURCH,
· 171-180 CHAPTER XXXVIII.
LATER HISTORY OF CHURCH, . . 181-185
CHAPTER XXXIX.
CHURCH CUSTOMS,
. 186-191 CHAPTER XL.
THE CHURCH,
CHAPTER XLI.
OTHER CHURCHES,
CHAPTER XLII.
. 195-202 SCHOOLS,
. 203-210
·
. 192-194
-
ix
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XLIII.
COLUMBIAN ACADEMY, .
.
. 211-216
CHAPTER XLIV.
OTHER EARLY SCHOOL ACCOMMODATIONS,
217-222
CHAPTERS XLV AND XLVI. GROWTH AND CHANGES OF " OLD BERGEN," . 223-235
CHAPTER XLVII.
CHARACTERISTICS OF INHABITANTS,
. 236-240
CHAPTER XLVIII.
WARS OF 1812 AND 1861 AND OLD LANDMARKS, . 241-252
CHAPTER XLIX.
CHANGES AND OLD LANDMARKS CONTINUED,
.
· 253-262
CHAPTER L.
CHANGES,
.
.
. 263-273
CHAPTER LI.
HOBOKEN,
. 274-280
CHAPTER LII.
HOBOKEN AND TRADITION,
. 281-289
CHAPTERS LIII-LIV AND LV.
TRADITIONS AND REMINISCENCES, . 290-306
CHAPTER LVI.
CUSTOMS AND HABITS, ,
· 307-31I
CHAPTER LVII.
THE OLD HOMES,
·
CUSTOMS,
· 312-316 CHAPTER LVIII.
.
.
. 317-319
ILLUSTRATIONS.
ORIGINAL SHORE LINE AND TOPOGRAPHY
Frontispiece
HENRY HUDSON
·
4
HALF-MOON .
6
VAN VORST'S BOUERIE
27
MILL CREEK .
.
39
MAP OF BERGEN
56
COMMUNIPAW
61
FORT AT PAULUS HOOK
93
MAP JOHN CHAMPE'S ROUTE
. 119
LINE LEE'S RETREAT
I3I .
RACE BETWEEN HORSE CAR AND " TOM THUMB" 152
GRASSHOPPER ENGINE
. 160
OCTAGONAL CHURCH
. 166
DOCTOR DUBOIS
. 170
OLD CHURCH
173
OLD PARSONAGE
177
DOCTOR TAYLOR
182
PRESENT CHURCH
183
DOCTOR AMERMAN
.
184
DOCTOR BRETT
185
COLUMBIAN ACADEMY
213
GEO. H. LINSLEY
.
220
W. L. DICKINSON
.
221
OLD FERRY
231
OLD WELL
246
EDGE'S WINDMILL
.
254
PRIOR'S MILL.
.
258
THATCHED COTTAGE
261
OLD TAVERN .
.
267
WEEHAWKEN DUELLING GROUND
.
285
WEEHAWKEN DUELLING GROUND (PRESENT)
287
CIDER MILL
.
302
OLD HOME
· 313
.
.
·
.
·
.
.
" Haec olim meminisse juvabit."
Chapter I.
INTRODUCTION.
THE strife for commercial supremacy among the nations of the Old World, in the latter part of the fif- teenth and the beginning of the sixteenth centuries, produced far-reaching results. The mercantile rivalry of the times engendered a spirit of enterprise that re- sulted in the discovery of a new continent, and the development of a new world.
The difficulties and dangers attending the trade with India, China and Japan, as carried on through the Mediterranean and by the overland route to the Persian Gulf and Red Sea, were so great that the mer- chants of the day put forth every effort to discover some plan whereby the tediousness and expense of such voyages could be avoided. Expeditions were fitted out to ascertain whether India might not be reached by skirting the coast of Africa, and several attempts were made in this direction. These expedi- tions proceeded cautiously, pushing to the south, each one somewhat farther than the preceding one, until Vasco De Gama, in the year 1497, succeeded in round- ing the southernmost point of Africa and reached the eastern coast of Asia.
Meanwhile the belief had grown that the Far East could be reached by sailing due west, and the attention
2
"OLD BERGEN."
of all navigators was turned in this direction. The sagas of the Northmen which told of lands reached in the dim past by sailing in a westerly direction, were corroborated, at least in theory, by the investigations of mariners who gave special thought to the problems of the unknown sea.
At last Columbus, braving the dangers of the "Sea of Darkness" (as the Atlantic was called), which according to the ignorance and superstition of the , times was filled with all imaginable horrors and peopled with hideous monsters, proved that such dangers were but imaginary. He determined the correctness of his theory, that the form of the earth was spherical, by sailing westward and reaching, as he thought, the eastern coast of India.
On his return to Spain with evidences of his dis- covery, new interest was excited, his theory was generally accepted, and his glowing reports stimulated anew the spirit of commercial enterprise. Nations vied with each other in sending expeditions to the west, and the seas which had been regarded with so much terror were now looked upon as affording new opportunities for enlargement of territory, and the development of that wealth and power so eagerly sought after.
According to the laws of the times, any new terri- tory discovered by any navigator became the property of the nation under whose flag he sailed ; and the opportunities for the acquisition of new territory and the resultant benefits therefrom, as presented by the report of Columbus, produced the most energetic
3
" OLD BERGEN."
efforts to secure these advantages. Among those who pursued the search in quest of a direct route to the East were John and Sebastian Cabot, who demon- strated that the prevailing idea, that the land discov- ered was part of the eastern coast of India, was crroneous ; and by their continued explorations they determined the existence of a great continent. The desire to secure the advantages offered by these dis- coveries was general, and settlements were projected by the different nations on the shores of the New World.
While England was establishing her first permanent settlements in America, and France was following the great rivers and lakes into the interior at the north ; and while Spain, her cupidity excited by the tales of fabulous riches, was pushing her explorations in search of the coveted gold throughout the extreme south ; the Netherlands had revolted against Spanish rule and established the Dutch Republic. They drove the Spanish and Portuguese from the ocean and built up a trade with India and the East. Com- panies were formed by their merchants, the better to prosecute their trade ; one of which was the East In- dia Company. Eager to secure any trade advantage, and desirous of avoiding the long and tedious voyage around the Cape of Good Hope, this company deter- mined to search for a more direct route to the Indies ; and they accordingly secured the services of Henry Hudson, an experienced navigator, to prosecute this search.
Chapter II.
DISCOVERY OF THE REGION OF THE HUDSON.
WITHI a crew of sixteen men, Englishmen and Hol- landers, Hudson set sail from the Texel on April 6. 1609, directing his course toward the north. He arrived at Newfoundland, and, sailing along the coast in a southwesterly di- rection, reached Dela- ware Bay; whence returning and skirting the easterly shore of New Jersey, on Sept. 3, 1609, he discovered, as he thought, the long-souglit-for pas- sage. The next morn- ing he passed within Sandy Hook and there anchored, deter- mining to continue his explorations on HENRY HUDSON. the following day. His experiences are related in the following extracts from his Report :
" During the night a storm arose, and the wind blow- ing from the northeast, the vessel was driven on shore, but as the ground was soft sand and ooze, it was not
.
5
"OLD BERGEN."
harmed. The people of the country came aboard of us, seeming very glad of our coming, and brought green tobacco and gave of it for knives and beads. . In the morning as soon as the day was light, the wind ceased and the flood came, so we heaved off our ship again in five fathoms of water. Some of the Indians came aboard of the vessel, but at night they were sent on shore as they were not to be trusted."
He decided, however, to continue his voyage, and on the sixth of September he made preparations to ascend the passage. He passed through the Narrows, and sent in a boat's crew to investigate. Sailing along the shore of Staten Island, they passed through the Kill von Kull and entered Newark Bay ; but find- ing that the sought-for passage was evidently not in that direction, they retraced their route. While re- turning through the Kills, they were attacked by the Indians and one of the crew killed. The remainder reached the vessel in safety, bearing the dead body of their companion.
The Indians now showed such an unfriendly dis- position that a strict watch was maintained to guard against treachery. Determining from the investiga- tions of the crew that the desired passage lay before him, Hudson weighed anchor, and from the 7th to the 13th the vessel slowly and cautiously worked its way through the bay to about Weehawken Cove, where he again anchored.
We can scarcely appreciate the emotions of this bold navigator who, after many years of searching and
6
"OLD BERGEN."
stormy buffetings, found himself, as he supposed, on the threshold of a discovery that would revolutionize the trade of the then known world. Standing on the
-
THE HALF-MOON.
deck of his vessel on that autumnal morning, his eyes rested upon the fairest picture that ever sun shone upon. As he passed through the Narrows, he saw
7
"OLD BERGEN."
stretching out before him the glittering road that was to lead to fame and fortune. Surrounded by the wooded hills of Long and Staten Islands, with the rocky shores of New Jersey rising in the distance, the magnificent bay and river reached off to the north- east, as if beckoning him on to the long-sought-for goal.
On the arrival of the vessel at Weehawken Cove, it was surrounded by the canoes of Indians from the west bank, who desired to trade with the white strangers. They seemed peaceably inclined and friendly. Hudson says : " They go in deer-skins, loose and well dressed; they desire clothes and are civil; those from the east side were more fierce, while those from the west side, while we lay at anchor, brought for barter the largest and finest oysters, Indian corn and vegetables."
The next morning, the 14th, Hudson commenced ascending the stream, but he soon discovered, from the shallowing of the water, that he had not succeeded in finding the northwest passage. He continued his · investigations, however, reaching a point above Al- bany on the 23rd. Jouet states : " Higher up it becomes so shallow that small skiffs can with difficulty sail there, and one sees in the distance several lofty hills from whence most of the water in the river flows."
Returning thence, Hudson explored the adjoining country and traded with the Indians for skins of wild beasts and products of the soil. He reached Wee- hawken Cove and again anchored there on the 2nd of October. Jouet says : " Within a while after, we got
8
"OLD BERGEN."
down about two leagues beyond that place " (Haver- straw Bay), " and anchored in a Bay clear from all danger on the other side of the River. We here saw a good piece of ground, and hard by there was a cliff " (Castle Point) " that looked of the color of white green, as though it was either a copper or silver mine, and I think it to be one of these by the trees that grow upon it, for they are all burned and the other places are green grass. . . . There we saw no peo- ple to trouble us and rode quietly all night, but had much wind and rain. The 3rd was very stormy, and in the morning in a gust of wind and rain we drove on the ground, but it was oozy. We had much wind and rain, with thick weather, so we rode all night. The 4th being fair weather, we weighed anchor and came out of the great mouth of the great river that runneth to the northwest" (junction of Hackensack and Passaic Rivers ), " and by 12 o'clock we were clear of the inlet. On the 5th we continued our course toward England without seeing any land by the way." It is thus seen that Hudson left the harbor through the Kills, and passing around Staten Island, reached the. ocean.
Although Hudson had failed in his endeavor to secure a short passage to the East, the knowledge that he had discovered a country of such boundless resources, doubtless reconciled him to his want of success.
Chapter III.
DISCOVERY OF THE HUDSON REGION, AND INDIAN LEGENDS.
ALTIIOUGH various discoveries had from time to time brought into notice different parts of the New World, we have no positive proof of any discovery of . the Hudson River and the region in its immediate vicinity, before this memorable voyage of Hudson in 1609. Claims of prior discoveries have been made, but the fact remains that none resulted in any prac- tical benefit, previous to the discovery of Hudson.
Some assert that the Cabots, in their earlier voy- ages, discovered this territory, yet although they sailed along the coast from Labrador to Virginia, they do not mention any particular bay or river, which they probably would have done had they en- tered and explored our own magnificent bay and, harbor. Verrazano, in his account of his voyage in 1524, gives a general description which might be ap- plied to this territory, but the details are not given with sufficient exactness to verify any such claim. Tradition states that some Dutch in the employ of the Greenland Whale Company came into the bay for winter quarters, and built a fort for temporary pro- tection, in 1598.
Notwithstanding these claims, Adrien Vander
IO
"OLD BERGEN."
Donk, who wrote in 1650, states as follows: "That this country was first found and discovered by the Netherlanders, is evident and clear from the fact that the Indians, or natives of the land, many of whom are still living, and with whom I have conversed, declared freely that before the arrival of the Lowland ship, the Half-Moon, in the year 1609, they (the natives) 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. Some of them supposed the ship to be a strange fish or monster."
Lambrechtsen says that "John and Sebastian Cabot, while seeking a passage through the North- west, probably did see the shores of America, although they did not visit them ; " and Robertson asserts that " The Hollanders, having discovered the island of Manhattan with the districts along its shores, acquired all the rights to these which can be given by first possession." Hudson's Report of his voyage, and his description of country discovered by him, justify the claim that the territory of the Hudson was first opened up by him under the auspices of the Nether- landers.
As an item of interest-the following legend, bearing somewhat on the discovery of the Hudson, is here inserted. It is interesting because it alludes to events that occurred at different times, which are mingled without any regard to chronological happenings, hav- ing been handed down through the traditions and legends of the different tribes. Rev. John Hecke-
II
"OLD BERGEN."
welder, for many years a Moravian missionary to the Indians in Pennsylvania, states in a letter dated Jan- uary 26, 1801, as follows :--
" I received my information from Indians in their language and style. I return it in the same way. A long time ago when there was no such thing known to the Indians, as people with white skin, some Indians who had been out a-fishing, and where the sea widens, espied at a great distance something remarkably large, swimming, or floating on the water, and such as they had never seen before. They, immediately returning to the shore, apprised their countrymen of what they had seen, and pressed them to go out with them, and discover what it might be. These together hurried out, and saw to their great surprise the phenomenon, but could not agree what it might be ; some conclud- ing it either to be an uncommon large fish, or other animal, while others were of the opinion, it must be some very large house.
" It was at length agreed among those who were spectators, that this phenomenon moved toward the land ; whether or not it was an animal, or anything that had life in it, it would be well to inform all the Indians on the inhabited islands of what they had seen, and put them on their guard. Accordingly, they sent runners and watermen off, to carry the news to their scattered chiefs, that these might send off in every direction, for the warriors to come in. These arriving in numbers, and themselves viewing the strange ap- pearance, and that it was actually moving towards them (the entrance of the River or Bay), concluded it
12
"OLD BERGEN."
to be a large canoe, or house, in which the great Manitou (Supreme Being) himself was, and that he probably was coming to visit them.
"By this time the chiefs of the different tribes were assembled on York Island, and were counselling on the manner they should receive their Manitou on his arrival -- fresh runners arrive, declaring it a house of many colors, and crowded with living creatures-other runners soon after arriving, declare it a large house of various colors, full of people, yet of quite a different color than they (the Indians)-many are for running off to the woods, but are pressed by others to stay, in order not to give offense to their visitors, who could find them out and might destroy them.
" The house (or large canoe as some will have it) stops, and a smaller canoe comes ashore. Some stay by this canoe to guard it. The chiefs and wise men had composed a circle, unto which the red-clothed man, with two others approach. He salutes them with friendly countenance, and they return the salute after their manner. They think he must be the great Manitou, but why should he have a white skin ?
" A large hock hack (bottle) is brought forward by one of his servants, and from this a substance is poured out, in a small cup, and handed to the Manitou. He drinks, and has the glass filled again, and hands it to the chief next to him to drink. He only smelleth at it, and passes it on to the next chief, who does like- wise. The glass thus passes through the circle, with- out the contents being tasted by anyone, and is on the point of being returned ... when one of their
13
"OLD BERGEN."
number said it was given to them to be drank, and if no one was willing to drink it, he would. He then took the glass and drank it off. He soon began stag- gering about, and dropping to the ground, fell into a deep sleep. He awakes again, jumps up, and declares that he never felt himself before so happy. He wishes for more, and the whole assembly soon join, and be- come intoxicated.
" After this general intoxication had ceased, the man with the red clothes came again to them (from the vessel), and distributed presents of beads, axes, hoes, stockings, etc. They say they had become familiar to each other and were made to understand by signs. ... The white men said they now would return home, but would visit them next year again, when they would bring them more presents, and stay with them awhile, but that they could not live with- out eating, and would want a little land to plant.
" That the vessel arrived the season following, and they were much rejoiced at seeing each other, but the whites laughed at them, as they used the axes and hoes hanging to their breasts as ornaments, and the stockings for tobacco pouches. The whites now showed them the use of these, and a great laughter ensued because they, the Indians, had remained so long ignorant of such valuable implements. . . . Fa- miliarity increasing between them and the whites, the latter now propose to stay with them, asking them for only so much land as the hide of a bullock would cover, which hide was brought forward and spread on the ground before them.
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