A History of the city of Newark, New Jersey : embracing practically two and a half centuries, 1666-1913, Volume I, Part 38

Author: Urquhart, Frank J. (Frank John), 1865- 4n; Lewis Historical Publishing Company. 4n
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: New York, N.Y. ; Chicago, Ill. : The Lewis Historical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1186


USA > New Jersey > Essex County > Newark > A History of the city of Newark, New Jersey : embracing practically two and a half centuries, 1666-1913, Volume I > Part 38


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A UNITED COMMUNITY IN 1812.


Independence Day, 1812, brought eloquent evidence of a united spirit. Party bickering was put aside. Federalists and Republicans (the latter by that time being quite generally known as Demo- crats) were of one mind. It was the old story of the quarreling brothers and sisters who rally to each other's aid, the instant outsiders seek to injure any one of them. The militia turned out in good numbers. Captain Decatur, a brother of the famous commodore, who was then a manufacturer with shops on Second River, led out his troop of light horse on a test run, to see how fast the cavalrymen could move. The town newspaper records the fact that the troop covered the distance between the centre of Newark and the First Presbyterian Church in Orange, with flying artillery, in 18 minutes !


"On the whole," says the town newspaper, "we never witnessed a celebration of the Anniversary, where more cordiality prevailed. Party distinctions were laid aside. All appeared to act the part of Americans. The universal sentiment seemed to be," concluded the paragraph, in sanguinary rhetoric:


"If we must surrender our rights let them not perish till the hostile cannon has destroyed the last emblem of American Liberty. If we must see our independence gone, let it sink in an ocean of


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blood. If we must resign our happy Constitution, let it be buried under the bodies of our citizens. If Columbia's plains are doomed to become the abode of slavery, let every field be ravaged-let every house be burnt-and let the last rampart of America become the last grave of the last American !"


In 1816, fire rockets were introduced as part of the Independ- ence Day illumination, for the first time. They were set off from Military Park, from some sort of a shelter, called a "Military Garden." In 1818, there appeared on the program for the day's celebration this innovation. "A full band of music will play American airs from the first bannister of the First Church." No doubt "baluster" was meant, and that the band was posted behind the balustrade that encloses the platform around the church spire at the point where it rises from the roof.


In 1818 we find the first traces of a revival of the industrial feature in the parade since the first of which we have record, 1788. Thirty years had now passed, and the town was in the heydey of its prosperity. So, we discover that twenty different groups of "mechanics" as manufacturers and their men of all sorts and descriptions were denominated, had their place in the procession, demonstrating their several trades or occupations. Hitherto the line of march had usually been from Military Park to the First Church, but now, in 1818, we find the first departure from the routine of a generation. Gathered at Military Park, the parade started at the firing of a signal gun, going up the park, behind Trinity Church, into Broad street, up to Bridge street, down Wash- ington street to what is now Washington place, into Broad street, and thence down to the First Church.


In 1819, the militia, at the conclusion of the exercises in the First Church, reassembled in Military Park before going to the customary dinners, and fired what the newspapers called a "feu- de-joy." In the evening came Newark's first accident from fire- works. While a great number of the "excellent ladies" of the community were gathered to see the fire rockets shot off, an explosion occurred and several were badly hurt.


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In 1820 there were no less than ten different companies of militia in the parade, including, besides three companies of artillery: Capt. Ball's Mechanic Rangers, Capt. Boudinot's Inde- pendent Cadets, Capt. Rankin's Governor's Guards, Capt. Earl's Columbian Blues, Capt. Kilburn's Columbian Patriots, Capt. Phillip's Independent Jersey Blues, and Capt. Kinney's Riflemen. The Artillery companies were headed by Capts. Brown, Bruen and Shipman. The Harmonic Society made its first appearance in that year, 1820, furnishing the vocal music at the church exercise. It did so for three or four years thereafter.


REMARKABLE INDUSTRIAL PARADE OF 1821.


In 1821 came the most ambitious demonstration in the history of the town, up to that time. By dint of great activity, it was contrived to have nearly every manufacturing interest in the community in the procession. The newspapers spoke of this dis- play as "correctly representing the great mechanical interests of Newark," which means that the program of floats or "stages" is little short of being an industrial directory. This time the paraders moved across Military Park back of Trinity Church and up to Bridge street, around Washington Park, and then on down Broad street to what is now South or Lincoln Park, returning to the First Church for the usual exercises. Great crowds flocked in from all the surrounding towns. It was the largest assemblage in the town's history, thus far. The list of "stages" or floats of about forty different establishments is as, follows, being taken from the Centinel of Freedom for July 5, 1821:


AGRICULTURAL REPRESENTATION.


Capt. Moses Baldwin and Daniel Tichenor, two farmers of distinction, on horseback, with sprigs of wheat in their hats.


A citizen bearing a stubbing scythe for clearing the field of briers, etc.


Plough, drawn by four yoke of oxen.


A citizen sowing grain.


Harrow, drawn by two yoke of oxen.


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A citizen, bearing a cradle, and making the motion of cutting the waving harvest.


A citizen bearing a rake, significant of raking the golden sheaves of harvest.


A waggon, drawn by one yoke of oxen, loaded with sheaves, indicating the gathering of harvest.


A waggon, drawn by two horses on which a stage was erected ; three men were threshing sheaves and another separating the wheat from the chaff by a fanning mill.


A load of hay drawn by two horses.


Wood's famous patent plough, exhibited on a waggon and made and sold by E. Meeker & Co.


A large country waggon, with 32 citizens from Orange, drawn by six horses.


MECHANICAL REPRESENTATION.


Moses Harris and Son, merchant tailors: A stage erected on a waggon, drawn by four horses, with a handsome awning, and a carpet on the floor. Hanging up were seen a variety of ready- made clothing; also on the shelves-cloths, cassimeres, vestings, etc .; and one of the firm ready to receive the orders of customers and several persons actually at work.


John E. Ruckel, baker ; a stage erected on a waggon, exhibiting stove and fire, and the moulding and baking of sugar cakes and crackers.


Jacob Alyea's blacksmith's shop, erected on a waggon drawn by two horses-having forge, bellows, "jobbing of all kinds." Motto: "July, 1776."


Isaac Nichols' carpenter shop, elevated as before described exhibiting work bench, chest of tools, saws, grind stone, etc., and hands at work.


James Nutman and Nathaniel Canfield, masons; their works on a wagon, and a cart attached. In the first were hands at work erecting a fireplace and chimney. In the cart the mason tenders, his brick, mortar, etc. In a sly place we noticed a pitcher and beside it "black betty," probably intended by the labourer to keep up the "spirit" of the day.


Z. Grant & Son, stone cutters; their shop erected on a stage, and all hands busily at work dressing stone.


E. Meeker & Co., potter-bakers; their works erected as above, exhibiting ready made ware, a potter's wheel in operation, etc.


tion, Motto: "Success to the Shuttle and Plough."


B. Hall, cotton weaver, with a loom, quill wheel, etc., in opera- Messrs. Dey, Tice and others, representing the tanners, eur- riers and morocco dressers. A number of hands were at work, and


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a variety of leather, calf and morocco skins were exhibited. An elegant flag was erected, emblematical of their profession.


Messrs. Goble and Thomas and Jabez Canfield, boot and shoe manufacturers. Their stages were on two waggons. In front was exhibited a ware-room and persons engaged in packing shoes, writing letters, etc. In the rear a work shop and several hands at work on seats; one of whom made a shoe before the procession entered the church.


Andrew Rankin's hat manufactory, handsomely represented by a sign in front, together with a large kettle set and fire under it; five hands at work sizing hats, one at finishing, one at sewing and one at pulling and cutting muskrat.


Benjamin Cleveland, elock and watchmaker. Messrs. Taylor and Baldwin, jewelers, and Messrs. Downing & Phelps, clock and watchmakers, their establishments being united-near a dozen hands at work at their respective occupations.


David T. Andruss & Co., plane makers; two work benches were erected on a stage, and several rabbit, smoothing and fore planers were finished.


John Allen, cabinet maker; three work benches erected, a roping lathe with a supply of tools. The hands were employed in making a bureau bedstead, and roping a sett of table legs.


Hugh M'Dougall, cabinet maker; the stage handsomely orna- mented with evergreens; two work benches erected and several hands at work making a cradle, claw work, stands and portable desks.


David Alling's fancy chair establishment, represented by two dozen ready made chairs, and workmen making rush bottom and windsor chairs, together with painting and ornamenting.


D'Coudres & Eagles, tin copper, stove and brass fenders; exhibiting their work benches, smith's forge, copper kettles, brass fenders, stove and tinware.


Aaron Baldwin, gunsmith; exhibiting a number of guns, fowl- ing pieces, polishing lathe and men at work.


Abner Campbell, tallow chandler; exhibiting moulding jack, dipping machine, candle wick and candles, all in complete operation.


Peter Jacobus, saddle and harness maker; exhibiting a neat shop, with saddles, harnesses, trunks, portmanteaus, etc.


David Beach's coach making establishments; neatly con- structed on two waggons; exhibiting number of hands at work on trimming, harness making, woodwork and painting.


Jabez Cook, smith's shop, attached to Mr. Beach's establish- ment, having a forge, bellows, etc., erected and having several hands at work engaged in ironing carriages.


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The following six branches were from the Washington factory (on Mill Brook), each distinguished by appropriate signs.


George' Rohde's coach spring factory ; five men at anvils, filing at springs and putting them together.


Andrew Wilson's silver plating factory, represented by four men at work.


William Steven's worsted manufactory, represented by a comber combing wool of various colors, for the spinning machinery, for which machines were very ingeniously kept in motion by the hind wheels of the waggon. Every part was kept in complete operation and seven hands were at work.


William Stevens' coach lace factory, represented with a loom in full operation, with several other branches of business, and four hands at work.


Thomas Owens' woolen manufactory, represented by five hands weaving, shearing and dressing cloth; with flannels, satinets, etc., ready for sale.


Samuel Simpson, stocking weaver, represented by a loom erected and in full operation; also exhibiting a number of ready- made articles.


Evans & Owens, chocolate and mustard manufacturers, hand- somely representing their business in a shop, with a number of hands at work, and their machinery in complete operation.


Peter Tronson, representing the coopering business, by work- ing at barrels, etc., and exhibiting ready-made pails and tubs.


Stephen Cooper, pump maker, having a log elevated on the stage and hands engaged boring and preparing pumps.


John Paris, hairdresser, with his establishment neatly rigged on a small waggon, and himself employed in making a perrywig.


COMMERCE.


Represented by a beautiful vessel about 12 feet long, mounted on ways, (drawn by two grey horses) completely rigged in the style of a man-of-war, and called the "Independence." The motto: "Free trade and Sailor's rights," was seen flying at the fore royal mast head; and was manned by two boys.


TOASTS TELL SPIRIT OF THE TIMES.


The exercises were held in the Second Presbyterian church in 1822, and for a number of years afterward. By studying the list of "toasts" given at the dinner after the church exercises, and which were published in the town newspaper, one may come into close touch with the burning topics of the time, for the popular


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thought of the moment was there expressed. Sometimes they had thirteen toasts, for the original United States; sometimes they had the same number of toasts as there were States in the Union. They invariably had a number of "volunteer" toasts after the regular program. A salute was fired (after each toast was read off and drunk) by a gun's crew posted in the neighborhood of the tavern where the festivities were held. The feasting began at 2 or 3 in the afternoon. Ladies never attended these gatherings, and they were, clearly enough, times of pretty heavy drinking on the part of some of those present. The long series of toasts gave all too much opportunity for such indulgence. The President of the United States, the Country, the friendly countries, George Washington, and, after a time, Jefferson, were always toasted, as was the State of New Jersey, and sometimes Essex county, and now and then, Newark.


In 1822 the seventh toast was: "The House of Representa- tives; All talk and no cider. No gun; three groans." Tune, "Go to the Devil." The fifteenth toast was quite characteristic of the feeling of the times: "Kingcraft on its last legs on the Western Continent" ; referring especially to insurrections in South America, "May its star soon set in the East." Three cheers. Tune, "O dear, what can the matter be." The twenty-first toast was: "The County of Essex; may its inhabitants pay more attention to their clergy than to their lawyers." The fourth of the "volunteer" toasts that year was: "The next Congress; may they think more of their business and less of their pay."


REV. HOOPER CUMMING'S STIRRING ORATION, 1823.


By 1823, a portion of the community had again ·become timorous of offending England by the display of militant patriotism on Independence Day. The timorous ones attended simple and more or less colorless exercises in the First Church, while the rest assembled, after the customary parade, at the Second Church, on the west side of Washington Park. There the pastor, the Rev. Hooper Cumming, son of the old soldier, Colonel John Noble Cum-


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ming, and descended from the martyr, Joseph Hedden, on his mother's side, delivered a remarkable oration. It thrilled the assemblage and was remembered with enthusiasm for a generation. It was published in pamphlet form, and some of the most striking passages were as follows:


"For more than seven years the savage foe-man and the fiend- like Hessian exhausted their murderous propensities. The old man trembling beneath a weight of years-the infant smiling on the glittering bayonet pointed at its bosom-and the tender female swooning amidst her fears, were alike disregarded. Ah yes! this brings to the remembrance of some who hear me, that awful night when ruffians, instigated and guided by the more diabolical refugees, perpetrated two acts in this peaceful village of which, were they living, they could not too bitterly repent.


"You passed the spot this morning within a few steps of the sanctuary which you entered to pay your united homage to the Most High, the spot where, with vandalic hands, they consigned to ashes a temple reared to literature and science. And yonder stands the mansion 1 where Hedden, already past the meridian of life and racked with the pain of a most excruciating disorder, was compelled to leave his house at dead of night, and without a gar- ment, in the coldest month of the coldest year ever known in our country, to travel over the frozen pavement of three rivers; every impress of his feet leaving blood behind it; was positively denied the privilege of accepting a blanket which was offered him on the way by the kindness of a friend-and all this cruelty continued throughout the distance of ten miles-and was then cast into prison and there confined for the space of almost nine months, until nature demanded release by death from the injuries and tortures he had sustained.


"And yet, forsooth, we are gravely told that we should not observe this day; or if observe it, yet only by exercises properly religious ; that the Declaration of Independence should not be read, lest we offend the feelings of Great Britain; that we should erect no memorial of the heroism, the constancy and the sacrifices of our fathers, lest we should cherish an unforgiving temper. Away with the idle tale, the sick man's dream! It is the slang of the Pharisee and almost deserves the fate of treason. . For it is the blow of the parracide; it is the voice of rebellion against the imprescriptible rights of human nature. *₭ *


' Pointing to the residence of his father, General John N. Cumming, a little north of Lombardy street on Broad, the home of Judge Hledden at the time of his capture.


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In a footnote to the printed oration the Rev. Cumming says in explanation of the paragraph last quoted: "There is perhaps no town in the Union in which similar objections were urged by very few. There are in Newark, as is alleged by men of veracity and discretion, some aspiring bigots whose sole object in this affair was to acquire more power that they might by obtaining additional influence, afterward lay on the ecclesiastical lash with unsparing severity."


Two of the toasts at that year's feast were: "The County of Essex; A little spot in a little State, but of great promise. For her nature has done much, but industry and enterprise more." "Imprisonment for debt, a relic of barbarism; May its opponents cry aloud and spare not, until it no longer disgraces the juris- prudence of a free country." At that time a debtor's prison was still maintained on the third floor of the county jail at Broad and Walnut streets, where Grace Episcopal church now stands.


In 1824 the observances were of the mildest character. There were church exercises, the ringing of the church bells at sunrise and sunset, but no parade or feasting, and no firing of cannon. Newark was a busy manufacturing town at that time and the manufacturing interests apparently feared that too much demon- stration might interfere with their business.


"The mechanics and manufacturers of New Jersey ; The strong arms of a small body," was one of the toasts at the Independence Day feast in 1824. Another significant toast on that occasion was: "Slavery; A dark spot on the disk of our political sun. May it soon disappear." Few of those who drank to that sentiment were to live to see slavery vanish, however.


ABSENCE OF DRUNKENNESS CAUSES SURPRISE.


"It affords us no small satisfaction," remarked the Newark "Eagle," a rival of the Centinel, in 1825, in telling of the Inde- pendence Day observance, "to mention one fact which we believe is an unusual one; that is, that we do not recollect to have seen


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on that day anyone in a state of intoxication-we can hardly imagine to what cause it was owing, that our streets were not 'graced' with 'drunken Peter' and his retinue."


THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY.


The fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence was observed with as much pomp and pageantry as the town could muster. A most ambitious plan for a monument, to be erected at the apex of Military Park, where the steel flagstaff now stands, and where the original "liberty pole" was set up in 1793, was devised. A foundation was laid with elaborate cere- monies, the stone bearing the following inscription :


"The citizens of Newark, in grateful commemoration of the 50th anniversary of American Independence, have, on this Fourth day of July, A. D., 1826, deposited this stone as a foundation of a monument here to be erected; and when the dilapidations of time shall discover this inscription to future generations, may the light of the Gospel illuminate the whole world."


The monument was to be a tall shaft surmounted with a ball. A crude picture of it was given in the newspapers. But this memorial was never erected. The originators of the plan furnished the foundation stone, and nothing else. The idea was abandoned, partly from lack of funds and because, as time went on, it was generally recognized that a monument at the spot chosen was not desirable. The stone was unearthed in 1876, somewhat the worse for the "dilapidations of time." A few years ago it was restored, the lettering re-cut, and the whole protected by the railing as it stands today. It is noteworthy, that in the procession on that day, many of the veterans of the War for Independence rode in earriages, much as the survivors of the Civil War now are urged to do. Another interesting feature of the 1826 celebration was the pro- mulgation of a sort of industrial census of the town, which is given in the chapter upon the early industries. There were no daily news- papers in New Jersey at that time, and the issue of the Centinel of Freedom which tells of the semi-centennial festivities, was


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printed with heavy black column rules, for the nation was in mourn- ing for Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, who had both died within the week. That year the route of the procession was some- what extended, indicating the growth of the town. It proceeded around Military Park, to Bridge street, around Washington Park to Broad, to Market street, to Mulberry street, to Walnut and thus into Broad street and up to the First church.


In 1829 the exploitation of the industries upon floats drawn by horses was revived. The procession was headed by a company of farmers, with a patent plough, followed by the fire companies with two engines. Then followed: carpenters, brickmakers, sash and blindmakers, tanners, curriers and morocco dressers, black- smiths, silver platers, saddlers and harness makers, trunk makers, coach and carriage makers, lace weavers, painters, coopers and tobacco manufacturers.


THE CINCINNATI.


The Independence Day feast in 1831 was held at the Mansion Hotel, the Mansion House, on Broad street, nearly opposite the pres- ent City Hall. The hotel closed in the spring of 1913. The New Jersey Society of the Cincinnati dined in one room and the leading citizens in another. At that period the Cincinnati, even though com- posed only of officers and their sons, was more or less closely akin to what the posts of the Grand Army of the Republic are now, in that the members were many of them in modest circumstances and the others were constantly striving to aid them. One of the toasts at the citizens' banquet on that day was: "The unfortunate members of the Cincinnati, their widows and orphans; May the interest of the fund contributed for their assistance be appropriated to their relief by the Society forever." A new pension law went into effect in 1832. The first pension law was enacted about 1818. The Cin- cinnati, at their banquet on that day toasted: "Newark. The home of hospitality, elegance and the arts."


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DANIEL WEBSTER TOASTS NEW JERSEY, 1832.


Independence Day was first called "Fourth of July" in Newark newspapers in 1832. That year there were no exercises beyond the ringing of the church bells, the firing of the federal salute at sun- rise and some fireworks in the evening. This was because of the outbreak of cholera in Newark and the "consequent state of alarm" in Newark. The people feared the pest might be spread through the gathering of crowds. In 1834 there appeared in the list of toasts one written for the occasion by Daniel Webster, who was not present, but who probably gave it to Senator Theodore Freling- huysen, of Newark, who had returned from Washington but a few days before. Webster's toast was as follows: "New Jersey; The blood of the Revolution deeply stained her soil; its principles, as deeply, have imbued the sentiments of her citizens." Senator Frelinghuysen was one of the speakers at this celebration. A few years later he was candidate for the vice presidency on the Henry Clay ticket, and not long thereafter became president of Rutgers College.


In February, 1835, the sale or discharge of "fire crackers, squibs, turpentine balls or fire serpents" was prohibited by act of the Legislature, and in their issues immediately preceding the Nation's birthday the newspapers warned the boys to refrain from offending the law and urged its rigid enforcement. It was not many years before the racket was just as great and occasional accidents were being reported as before.


PASSING OF THE VETERANS.


Survivors of the War for Independence were now becoming few and feeble. One of the guests at the town banquet in 1835 was Thomas Belton, a veteran, who was then 104 years old. A toast for the day ran: "The surviving Revolutionary heroes of old. Essex- Their suffering and their achievement in war have been equaled only by their devotion to the country in peace." Another toast of the day, eloquent of the spirit of advancement that then animated the community, was the following: "Internal improvements, rail-




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