USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > A history of Monmouth and Ocean counties : embracing a genealogical record of earliest settlers in Monmouth and Ocean Counties and their descendants, the Indians, their language, manners and customs, important historical events. > Part 23
USA > New Jersey > Ocean County > A history of Monmouth and Ocean counties : embracing a genealogical record of earliest settlers in Monmouth and Ocean Counties and their descendants, the Indians, their language, manners and customs, important historical events. > Part 23
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48
The first town meeting of the inhabitants of the township of Brick was by the above act directed to be held at the house of Richard Burr. Burrsville, on the second Tuesday in March, 1850.
OCEAN TOWNSHIP.
The act establishing the township of Ocean was approved April 13, 1876, and thus defines its bounds :
All that part of the townships of Union and Lacey, in the county of Ocean, lying within the following boundaries, that is to say : Beginning at the sea and running, first, north sixty-seven and a half degrees west to the mouth of Little Horse Neck Creek, known as the north fork of Lochiel branch; thence, second, westerly up said branch to the bridge on the main shore road leading from Barnegat to Waretown; thence, third, north fifty-seven degrees west to the north side of the Hezekiah Soper old house standing on the westerly side of the old main road; thence, fourth, north seventy-eight degrees west to the Pancoast road: thence, fifth, westerly along said Pancoast road to a stone on the north side of said road on the east line of a tract of land containing about one hundred and seventy-five acres now belonging to
269
EARLY SETTLERS.
Samuel Birdsall, said stone being twenty-one chains easterly from where the middle of the Barnegat straight road to Cedar Bridge crosses said Pancoast road; thence, sixth, north sixty-seven and a half degrees west to a point where the road leading from Millville to the Barnegat and Cedar Bridge straight road intersects said line; thence, seventh, northerly to a point where the Jones road crosses the Wells Mills road; thenee north- westerly on or along said Jones road to the south line of Lacey township; thence, eighth, easterly along the southerly line of said Lacey township to the mouth of oyster creek; thence, ninth, south seventy-seven degrees, forty-five minutes east to the sea ; thence, tenth, along the edge of the sea, erossing Barnegat inlet to the begin- ning.
STAFFORD TOWNSHIP.
Stafford was set off from the lower part of old Shrews- bury township in 1749. The patent creating the town- ship was issued in the reign of George II., and is now preserved in the office of the County Clerk at Toms River. It is the oldest public official document relating to the present county of Ocean. It is on parchment with the great seal of the Province of New Jersey affixed. The following is a copy of
The Patent of Stafford Township, Ocean County :
George the Second by the Grace of God of Great Brit- ain, France and Ireland, King Defender of the Faith, &c. TO ALL to whom these presents shall come GREETING KNOW YE that we of our especial Grace certain knowledge and meer motion HAVE Given and Granted and by these Pres- ents DO Give and Grant for us our Heirs and Successors to the Inhabitants of the South western part of the Town- ship of Shrewsbury in our County of Monmouth in our Province of New Jersey Within the following bound- aries (to wit) BEGINNING at Old Barnegat Inlet and from the North End of the Beach lying to the Southward of the said Inlet, running over the Bay North forty-six de- grees West five Miles and thirty-seven chains to the
270
HISTORY OF MONMOUTH AND OCEAN COUNTIES.
Mouth of Oyster Creek and then West Eleven Miles and Seventy chains to Pine tree in the South West plain in the Old partition line of East and West Jersey formerly run by George Keith thence bounded by the said Old Di- vision line South Nineteen degrees East Nineteen Miles and Sixty Chains to the south Stationary Point of Di- vision between East and West Jersey at the Main Sea North Easterly to the place of Beginning according to the plan hereunto annexed to be and remain a Perpetual Township and Community in Word and in Deed to be called and known by the name of the Township of Staf- ford. AND we further Grant to the said Inhabitants of the Township aforesaid and their Successors to choose an- nually two Commissioners of the High Ways, one Over- seer of the High Ways, one Overseer of the Poor, one Assessor. one Town Collector, and one Constable for the Town aforesaid and to have hold and Enjoy all other Privileges Rights Liberties and Immunities that any other Township in our said Province do or may of right Enjoy. AND the said Inhabitants are hereby Constituted and appointed a township by the Name aforesaid. To HAVE HOLD AND ENJOY the Privileges aforesaid to them IN TESTIMONY whereof we have caused these our Letters to be made patent and the Great Seal of our Province of New Jersey to be hereunto affixed. WITNESS our Trusty and well beloved JONATHAN BELCHER ESQR : our Captain General and Governor in chief in and over our Province of Nova Cæsarea or New Jersey and Territories thereon depending in America, Chancellor and Vice Admiral in the Same &c. at Burlington the third day of March in the twenty third year of our Reign A. D. MDCCXLIX.
" The Plan annexed" is on paper, and has but a fragment left. It begins with the words: "The Bounds of Stafford Township in Monmouth county, and ends with the date February, 10 1749-50. It is in a different hand writing. The Patent is on parchment, and the chiro- graphy is beautiful.
The endorsement on the back reads: "Let the Great Seal of the Province of New Jersey be hereunto affixed.
271
EARLY SETTLERS.
To the Secretary of the Province of New Jersey.
J. Belcher.
"Recorded in the Secretary's Office in Burlington in Lib. A A A. of Commissions fol. 305 &c. J. Read, Regr.
The name Stafford was probably given through the influence of James Haywood, as the Haywood family was an ancient family of Staffordshire in England.
Benjamin Paul was born at Deghton, Mass., and de- scended from William Paul, who came from England in 1635. Luke Courtenay, it is said, was born in England and came to this country just before the Revolution.
During the war (in December, 1780,) a shocking ca- lamity occurred at Manahawkin, by which several lives were lost. A dwellinghouse owned by William Pidgeon, on what was once known as the Haywood place, took fire and burned down. Captain Isaac Andrews lived in the house. His two daughters, one white hired man and two colored men were burned to death, so rapid was the fire, occasioned by a high wind. Six persons in the house managed to escape, but without apparel. Mr. Pidgeon at the time was ill in the house, and got somewhat burned, but leaped out of a second-story window and was then taken to a neighboring house; he was taken worse from excitement, and caught cold that night, having been re- moved in his shirt, and died a few days after.
James Haywood, said to be from near Coventry, England, bought land in Stafford in 1743, and is frequent- ly named subsequently in deeds, and he also was the chief man in building the old church, originally a free church, but subsequently known as the Baptist church. Thomas, George and William Haywood are named be- tween 1760 and 1770 and subsequently Reuben, Thomas and Job Randolph, Nathan and Seth Crane, Louis Pang- born, Luke Courtenay, David and Thomas Johnson, Ben- jamin P. Pearson, Benjamin Paul and Zachariah Southard were settled here previous to the Revolution, and bore an honorable share in that war. The Randolphs probably came from Middlesex, and Cranes, Pangborn and Pear- son from Essex.
272
HISTORY OF MONMOUTH AND OCEAN COUNTIES.
The late William Aumack, who long lived at Cedar Creek, built, about fifty years ago, the old storehouse at Manahawkin, in the upper part of the village; he was father of John Aumack, now of Toms River, Ex-Sheriff B. F. Aumack and Elijah and other children, and he sat up some of his sons in business here, and they carried on an extensive business for a number of years in mer- chandise, charcoal, etc. After them Henry C., and Hor- ton Gulick had the stand. Among their successors in the same stand were Randolph & Abbott, Allen & Son, Joshua S. Lawson, Charles M. Sloan, Sprague & Oli- phant, Alfred Brown, I. M. Inman, Lewis B. Peckworth and Peckworth & Bros., who in 1880, sold to Charles H. Cranmer.
Manahawkin seems to have been one of the earliest settled places in Ocean county. The name is said to be from Indian words signifying good land or good land for corn. The name was anciently written Mannahocking and Manahocking.
Among early settlers was Nicholas Brown, who died about the beginning of 1724. He came from Burlington and was the son of Abraham Brown, who came to that county from Monmouth and was of Rhode Island origin. Nicholas Brown had wife Elizabeth, and sons Abraham and Joseph and daughters.
EAGLESWOOD TOWNSHIP.
The act creating this township was approved March 17, 1874. The bounds of the township are thus set forth :
All that part of the township of Stafford contained within the following bounds: Beginning at a stone in the main highway leading from West Creek to Manna- hawkin, in a north-easterly direction one hundred and ninety-five chains and forty links from the middle of West Creek mill stream; thence runs, first, north forty- five degrees west, by a straight line to the Burlington and Ocean county line ; thence, second, bounded by and following the said line between Burlington and Ocean
273
EARLY SETTLERS.
counties, in a south-easterly direction to the Atlantic Ocean, and thence running in a north-easterly direction to a point south-east from the place of beginning.
The first town meeting in Eagleswood was fixed to be held at the house of George Gaskell, West Creek, on the second Tuesday in April, 1874.
West Creek was one of the earliest, if not the earliest settled places in the present county of Ocean. The name was anciently given as Westeconk or Weste- cunk, an Indian name, probably signifying " a place to get meat or eatables," and indicating that this was a place of resort for oysters, fish, clams, etc. Among the first settlers at West Creek was Gervas Pharo, son of James and Ann, born in Lincolnshire, England, 3 mo. 15, 1675. He came to this country with his parents in the ship Shields, in 1678. His father died in 1688, when he was only 13 years old. He was left, by his father's will, two or three tracts of land, one of which, in Springfield, was the one on which his parents resided. In 1706 he sold this to his brother-in-law, Richard Ridgway 2d, and not long after moved to West Creek. In 17.01 he married at Hempstead, L. I., Elizabeth Willetts, daughter of Hope and Mary, of that place. The same year Richard Ridgway, 2d, married Mary Willetts, another daughter of Hope and Mary, who are described then as of Jerusa- lem L. I .. Gervas Pharo died in 1756, leaving an only son named James, from whom descend the Pharos of Little Egg Harbor and Ocean county. Members of the Willetts, or Willis and Cranmer families were also among early settlers.
LACEY TOWNSHIP-GENERAL JOHN LACEY.
Lacey township derives its name from General John Lacey, who, in the Summer and Fall of 1809, built at Ferrago the first forge and also dwelling houses, barns, stables, etc., there; and bought large tracts of land in that vicinity. In 1810 he applied for authority to have a road laid out from Forked River Landing to Ferrago and thence on to Hanover Furnace. In September, 1810, the
274
HISTORY OF MONMOUTH AND OCEAN COUNTIES.
Supreme Court appointed as Commissioners three men from Burlington county and three from Monmouth. From Burlington, the men appointed were Eli Mathis, Daniel (Mathis?) and John Irick ; from Monmouth, John Hay- wood, James Edwards and Abraham Woolley. The re- turn was dated October 13, 1810. The length from Forked River Landing to south end of the dam at Ferrago was eight and one quarter miles, less three chains ; four rods wide from Hanover to Forked River landing.
This road, the well known "Lacey road," was run out by John Black, at one time President of the Mount Holly Bank, who, when a young man, followed surveying.
In 1740 there was a landing on the north branch of Forked River and a cart-way from swamp to the landing is named in a survey of that year.
Robert Hulett and Moses May had dwellings near Goodluck between 1740 and 1750; there was at this time at Forked River, a bridge over north branch and also an "upper bridge." A new causway was also then built. In 1748 James Holmes bought 70 acres of land near Robert Hulett's house.
Samuel Worden, or Warden, as it was recorded, had salt works at Forked River in 1754. Between 1750 and 1760 Peter Peshine had dwelling on north branch, and John Towson or Tozer, in 1750, had dwelling between south branch and Oyster Creek; about the same time John Bird lived between Forked River and Goodluck. In 1770 Benjamin Allison lived between middle and south branches of Forked River. James Mills took up land near bridge on north branch, 1780-90, and had a pub- lie house on the site of the present Lafayette House. John Winnow or Winner at same time had dwelling be- tween north and middle branches, west of main road, on the place owned in late years by Daniel Chamberlain, deceased.
Thomas Parker and Francis Letts together bought land on Cedar Creek in 1792; and Thomas Parker bought, in 1805, fifty acres between north and middle branches. About this time his son Anthony settled at
275
EARLY SETTLERS, ETC.
Forked River, near where the Riverside hotel now is.
At Cedar Creek, among persons who early took up land were Gabriel and David Woodmansee, sons of Thomas. David owned the Judge D. I. C. Rogers place. They were settled here at least as early as 1749. David's sons, Samuel, James and Gabriel, settled between Stout's Creek and north branch of Forked River.
Thomas Potter, Sr., and his son, Thomas Potter, the friend of Rev. John Murray, were settlers at Goodluck about 1750.
John Holmes, called " the Elder," took up land near the Upper Mill, Forked River, 1759 and '60; and another John Holmes, who married Catharine Brown in 1764, lived at the mill before and during the Revolution. Samuel Brown, brother of John Holmes' wife, had a place on south branch of Forked River. After the war he moved to Mannahawkin.
Caleb Falkinburg took up land in 1803 between Forked River and Stout's Creek. His house was on the place owned by the late Captain Joseph Holmes.
The first settlers of Lacey generally located some distance east of the main shore road, and not far from where the uplands join the meadows. Their dwellings in this vicinity were generally situated about in a line from the old Captain Benjamin Stout farm, east of Good- luck Church, across Stout's Creek, by the Joseph Holmes and James Jones places, and thence to the south side of Forked River, by the old James Chamberlain or Ezekiel Lewis place, and James Anderson's ; then across Oyster Creek, by the old Camburn homestead. And the original main route of travel along here appears to have been by these places. Then the little north branch of Forked River, now known as Bridge Creek, had a bridge over it, and there was a ferry across Forked River, nearly oppo- site the old Wells swamp, at the place still called "The Ferry " by old residents.
A century ago, the most noted residents appear to have been : David Woodmansee, who lived on the place now owned by Judge D. I. C. Rogers ; Thomas Potter,
276
HISTORY OF MONMOUTH AND OCEAN COUNTIES.
who lived on the farm east of Goodluck Church ; Samuel, James and Gabriel Woodmansee, sons of David, who lived on the James Jones and Joseph Holmes farms ; Samuel Brown, who lived on the old Wright place on south branch of Forked River; and John Holmes, who lived at the upper mill, Forked River.
Rev. John Price, who was made Major after the war, moved to Goodluck two or three years before the war ended. There was a tavern at Goodluck before the war, and one just over Cedar Creek during the war.
The act establishing the township of Lacey was approved March 23, 1871, and its bounds are thus de- scribed :
" All that part of the townships of Union and Dover, in the county of Ocean, contained within the following boundaries, that is to say: Beginning at a point in the line between the counties of Ocean and Burlington where the southerly and easterly line of Manchester township meets the same ; thence, first, along said township line in a north-easterly direction to a point where the road from Giberson's mill to Dover Forge crosses said town- ship line ; thence, second, easterly along said road to Dover Forge ; thence, third, south-easterly along Guise's road, by Dover Forge pond, to the middle of Cedar Creek ; thence, fourth, along the middle of Cedar Creek to its junction with Barnegat Bay; thence, fifth, on a course due east to the Atlantic Ocean ; thence, sixth, southerly along said Atlantic Ocean to the north side of Barnegat Inlet ; thence, seventh, on a course westerly to the mouth of Oyster Creek; thence, eighth, westerly along said Oyster Creek to where the road from Waretown to the head of Factory or south branch of Cedar Creek, known as Stout's Road, crosses the same ; thence, ninth, westerly in a straight line to the head of said Factory branch, on the division line between Dover and Union townships ; thence, tenth, south-westerly along said division line to the county line of Burlington and Ocean; thence, eleventh, along said line north-westerly to the place of begin- ning."
277
EARLY SETTLERS, ETC.
The first town meeting was appointed to be held at the house of Martin Hall, at Forked River, on the second Tuesday in April, 1871.
FERRAGO-BAMBER.
Ferrago came into possession of Reuben Rockwell, a native of Vermont, who came to what is now Ocean county about 1843. Mr. Rockwell was informed that the milldam was unusually costly, as near $10,000 was expended on it.
The ore in the place had some years before been exhausted, and Mr. Rockwell and Joseph Austin, who was connected with him, procured ore from up the North River, probably near Fishkill.
William Hurry, of New York, became owner of the Ferrago tract, which, with other lands bought by him, composed about 10,000 acres owned by him. He named the place Bamber, in remembrance of Dr. John Bamber, of Barking, in Essex county, England, from whom his mother was descended.
Ferrago forge was built in the Summer and Fall of 1809 by General John Lacey, who, about the same time, erected dwelling, barns, etc. It is said that Lacey also owned an interest in Hanover Furnace. He wished to establish a road from Hanover Furnace, by Ferrago, to Forked River landing, and as it would run through two counties, he had to apply to the Supreme Court to have commissioners appointed to lay out the road, which was done September 10, 1810. The commissioners made their return October 13, 1810. The road was to be four rods wide from Hanover Furnace to Forked River landing.
The name Ferrago is from the Latin word ferrum, iron.
MANCHESTER TOWNSHIP.
The act creating the Township of Manchester was approved April 6, 1865, and it thus defines its bounds :
All that portion of the Township of Dover, in the county of Ocean, lying and being within the boundaries
278
HISTORY OF MONMOUTH AND OCEAN COUNTIES.
as follows : Beginning in the middle of the channel of the north or main branch of Toms River, at the sontherly boundary of the township of Jackson, and running thence down the middle of the channel of said branch to where it unites with Ridgway branch. Thence to a stake in the main stage road from Toms River to the village of Manchester, which stake is the dividing line between lands of A. P. Stanton and the lands of James Brown, and running thence in a straight line to a point on the line between Burlington and Ocean counties, distance two miles easterly from the centre of the track of the Dela- ware and Raritan railroad ; thence north-westerly along the dividing line to the south-easterly line of Plumsted township. Thence along the south-easterly line of plum- sted and Jackson townships to the place of beginning.
The first town meeting was designated to be held at the house of Ridgway Taylor in Manchester.
Solomon and Job Ridgway bought land on west side of north branch of Toms River, four miles above Schenck's mill, in 1762, and other tracts at different times. Ridg- way's sawmill is frequently named 1790 to 1800.
Ridgway's sawmill appears to have originally been built by James Hepburn and Stephen Pangborn before 1751, as surveys speak of Hepburn & Pangborn's mill, now Ridgway's.
Vanhorne's new sawmill is named 1749; in 1753 Mat. Vanhorne's sawmill place and Vanhorne's brook are named. Mat. Vanhorne's bridge over Davenport is named 1760. In 1795 Tice Vanhorne's branch, Tice Vanhorne's and Tice Vanhorne's old sawmill are named.
Wheatland is on the New Jersey railroad, near the Burlington county line.
Debby Platt place was a noted hotel where the road from the shore forks, one going to Hanover, another to New Egypt and a third to Collier's Mills. It is since known as Boyd's hotel.
Ferrago Station is on the New Jersey Southern rail- road, and on the road from Ferrago or Bamber to Han- over.
EARLY SETTLERS, ETC. 279
Buckingham derives its name from John Bucking- ham, a native of Connecticut, who in early life settled in Eatontown, Monmouth county, and subsequently removed to the village of Manchester. From thence he moved to the place now known as Buckingham, where a steam saw- mill and two or three dwellings had been put up which he purchased.
The Pine Land Improvement Company, for improv- ing lands along the railroad between Manchester and Lakewood, was incorporated December 25, 1883. The incorporators were John E. Howell, New York : Charles C. Lathrop, Newark ; Charles D. Morrow, Newark ; J. R. Mallory, New York ; John Torrey, Monmouth Beach.
The postoffice at Manchester was established in October, 1841, and Henry L. Bulkly was the first post- master. The next was Peter D. Kneiskern, appointed September 30, 1842. He held the office for a number of years. William Torrey was postmaster about 1853-4.
Union sawmill, built by'or before 1750, was proba- bly at Manchester, and from it Union branch derived its name.
The Revolution seemed to have thrown many saw- mills out of business, and this mill must have suffered with others.
A century ago Manchester was known as Federal Forge, and then as Federal Furnace.
A forge was erected here about 1789, it is said, by David Wright and Caleb Ivins. " The old Federal House, which was built for the use of David Wright's forge," and "Federal Company's coaling house," and "David Wright's coaling ground" are named in surveys between 1795 and 1800. Federal furnace was built not long be- fore 1800 by John W. Godfrey, of Philadelphia. In 1815 Federal furnace was owned by Griffith Jones and I. Holmes. In surveys 1830 and thereabouts " Dover fur- nace, late Federal furnace," is named. (Dover forge was on Cedar Creek.)
In 1764, in a survey to D. Knott on Hurricane, reference is made to " the edge of the place where the
.
280
HISTORY OF MONMOUTH AND OCEAN COUNTIES.
Hurricane wind passes through the swamp." This seems to imply that it was thought Hurricane derived its name from the hurricane wind.
WHITING.
Nathan C. Whiting, from whom Whiting derives its name, came from New Haven, Conn., to Ocean county about 1852, and purchased an extensive tract of wood land and erected a saw-mill, and engaged in the lumber business. After about twenty years, he sold out his interest and returned to New Haven, where he died April 28, 1884. He was a son of Deacon Nathan Whiting, editor of the Religious Intelligencer of New Haven.
Phoenix Forge, a short distance below Federal, was built by Jones & Wood, and at first was called Lower Forge. It was burned down and rebuilt, and hence the name of Phoenix.
Mr. Benjamin. Snyder, of Lakewood, says that Samuel G. Wright once owned Federal furnace, and after him came Benjamin B. Howell, and then his sons, Henry and Lewis Howell, who put up another stack.
William Torrey has an order sent by General Wash- ington, in his own handwriting, to Mr. Torrey's father, who was a Colonel in the Revolution, and he also has two swords which belonged to his father. Colonel Torrey was present at the execution of Major Andre.
Mrs. Torrey, wife of William Torrey, when a little girl, sat at the bedside of Tom Paine. His room she describes as filthy ; a barrel for a table, a three-legged stool for a chair, a dilapidated bedstead, etc. He had on a red nightcap.
BAYVILLE.
The village of Bayville, Ocean county, was formerly known as Potter's Creek. The name was changed to Chaseford, after Hon. S. P. Chase, Secretary of the Treasury. From this it was changed to Bayville.
Among ancient settlers of this township was John Grant, who was among taxpayers 1764, and who is fre- quently named in ancient records. John and Joseph Platt were also taxpayers 1764.
281
EARLY SETTLERS, ETC.
Thomas Potter, father of the Thomas who was the friend of Rev. John Murray, bought land in what is now Berkeley in 1756, and at other times.
John Williams took up land in the middle of last century and owned sawmills, ete.
UNION TOWNSHIP.
The township of Union was originally established by an act approved February 7, 1846, entitled, "An Act to set off from the townships of Stafford and Dover, in the county of Monmouth, a new township to be called the township of Union." Its bounds were thus described :
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.