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 24
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 24
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" Beginning at the sea, and running, first, a due west course to the southerly point of Harvest Point; thence north forty-five degrees west, crossing the bay to the main meadows; thence north-easterly along the edge of the same to the mouth of Gunning River ; thence up said river its various courses to the mouth of Fresh Creek ; thence up said creek its various courses to the north line of a tract of land known as the Fresh Creek lot, now owned by the heirs or devisees of Samuel G. Wright, de- ceased, and others; thence westerly along said line to the westerly end thereof ; thence north fifty-two degrees and fifty minutes west along a line known as the Ogden line, to a stone, being the second corner of a tract of land known as the Ogden tract, standing on a course north ten degrees and twenty-one minutes east, eight chains and seventy-five links from a large stone standing on Par's cabin knowl; thence north-westerly to the north- west corner of a tract of land that Joseph W. Pharo pur- chased of the executors of Samuel Pharo, deceased ; thence north fifty degrees west, one hundred and eight chains and twenty-seven links to a stone in the west line of Sonman's patent; thence north seventy degrees west to the Burlington county line ; thence up and along said county line to intersect with a due west course from the head of the main southerly branch of Cedar Creek, known as Factory branch ; thence down and along said branch and creek to the bay ; thence a due east course to the
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH AND OCEAN COUNTIES.
sea ; thence southerly along the edge of the same to the beginning."
The act was to go into effect on the second Tuesday of March, 1846.
The first annual town meeting of the township was ordered by the above act of the Legislature to be held at the house of Benjamin Predmore, Waretown, on the day appointed by law for holding annual town meetings in the other townships of the county of Monmouth, and after- wards at such place in the township of Union as the inhabitants of said township shall determine.
As long as the township of Union preserved its original bounds the town meetings were usually held at the same house.
In 1871 Lacey was set off from Union. In 1876 its bounds were again lessened by the act creating the town- ship of Ocean.
BERKELEY TOWNSHIP.
The act creating the township of Berkeley was approved March 31, 1875, and its bounds are thus de- fined :
" All that part of the township of Dover, in the county of Ocean, contained within the following boun- daries, that is to say :
"Beginning on the south-west corner of the town- ship of Dover at a point where the road from Giberson's . inill to Dover Forge crosses the easterly line of the town- ship of Manchester; thence, first, easterly along said road to Dover Forge, said road being the boundary line between the townships of Dover and Lacey; thence, second, southerly along Guise's road by Dover Forge pond to the middle of Cedar Creek ; thence, third, easterly along the middle of Cedar Creek to its junction with Barnegat Bay ; thence, fourth, on a course due east to the Atlantic Ocean; the above metes and bounds being the division line between the townships of Dover and Lacey ; thence, fifth, northerly along said Atlantic Ocean to the south side of old Cranberry Inlet ; thence, sixth, on a course westerly to the middle of Toms River
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EARLY SETTLERS, ETC.
at its junction with Barnegat Bay; thence, seventh, westerly along the middle of said Toms River and up the north branch to the Toms River and Manchester Rail- road ; thence, eighth, along said railroad to the east division line between the townships of Dover and Man- chester ; thence, ninth, southerly along said division line to the place of beginning."
The name Berkeley was selected for this township by the late Samuel H. Shreve, formerly Surveyor and Civil Engineer of Toms River.
John B. Larner is said to have purchased the tract known as Barnegat Park, west of Bayville, Berkeley township, in the Spring of 1887. It was designed to have lots sold to army and navy officers and their friends. About fifty lots had been sold by July following.
Thomas Placide, a well-known actor, resided in Berkeley, on south side of Toms River, not far from the County Seat. He was of a family of actors, his father, mother, brother and two sisters having followed that pro- fession. His brother had been a great sufferer from a cancer, and he became a victim of the same complaint, and it so preyed on his mind that in a fit of desperation he took his life July 20, 1877. He was 69 years of age.
The oldest monument in Berkeley is on the old Anderson place, near Dover Chapel. On it is inscribed : " Here lies the body of William Cheamlin. He died De- cember 18, 1759, aged 36 years." The name Cheamlin was probably intended for Chamberlain.
Mary Worth, living in the southern part of Berkeley, reached the advanced age of 106 years. She died March 5, 1873.
SOPER'S LANDING.
The first settler on the Soper place, between Ware- town and Barnegat, according to the late Jeremiah Spragg, an aged citizen of Barnegat, was John Perkins, whose daughter married James Spragg, father of Jere- miah. Mr. Perkins came from England during the old French war and located near Soper's landing, and subse- quently sold out to Joseph Soper, ancestor of the numer-
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH AND OCEAN COUNTIES.
ous Soper families in this vicinity and elsewhere. The first house built on the beach opposite to Waretown, according to Mr. Spragg, was by Thomas Rogers. It was located near the inlet, and in it lived Rogers, and also James Spragg, father of Jeremiah ; and during the Revolution they witnessed many exciting scenes, such as shipwrecks of war and merchant vessels, and contests between the British and Americans in efforts to capture crews and cargoes. The first Soper in New Jersey was Thomas Soper, who landed in West Jersey in 1678 The old members of this family had a tradition that they were of Huguenot descent. The Ocean conuty Sopers descend from Henry Soper, who settled at Huntington, L. L., in 1666. His son Richard came to Middlesex county, N. J., and his son Joseph came to Barnegat.
MASONH' CEMETERY, BARNEGAT.
On Monday evening, January 12, 1857, a meeting was held at Temperance Hall, at Barnegat, for the purpose of forming a Barnegat Masonic Cemetery Association. Captain T. W. Falkinburg was chairman, and James Bodine secretary. The following persons were the original associates : Charles I. Errickson, Timothy W. Falkinburg, James Robinson, James Bodine, John W. Bennett, Nathan S. Crammer, Joseph H. Townsend, Ed- win Salter, Thomas Edwards, Joseph Anderson, Alex- ander S. Letts. Stephen Conklin, James W. Collins, Jr., Levi Cranmer, Charles Soper, William Errickson.
The Association was incorporated under the act relating to cemeteries passed by the Legislature in 1851.
The following persons were elected as trustees at the first meeting: For one year, Charles I. Errickson, James Robinson ; two years. T. W. Falkinburg, Joseph Anderson : three years, James Bodine, John W. Bennett. The annual meeting was fixed for January 15, 1857. UNITED BROTHERS DIVISION SONS OF TEMPERANCE, NO. 103, BARNEGAT.
The certificate of incorporation of this Division was recorded March 10, 1853, and signed by Job F. Randolph,
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EARLY SETTLERS, ETC.
W. P., and Gabriel M. Inman, R. S. The lodge was instituted some time before this, probably about 1849. For a time they held their meetings in an upper room or hall prepared for them, and also used for other purposes. in the Temperance House, kept by Gabriel M. Inman.
Barnegat Lodge, Knights of Pythias, No. 71, was incorporated January 20, 1887. Incorporators Ira S. Cranmer, Thomas Bamford and Joseph O. Elbertson, trustees.
Mariners' Lodge, No. 150, F. A. M., was organized February 7. 1881. It had been working under a dispen- sation granted May 5, 1880.
The Town Hall at Barnegat was completed about January, 1871.
The Masonic Cemetery contained 127 burials up to July 4, 1872.
BURRSVILLE.
The forge at Burrsville was established about March, 1808, by John Lippencott. It was subsequently bought by Barzillai Burr and John Butcher, and was once known as Butcher's forge. Burrsville derives its name from Barzillai Burr.
In 1808 John Lippincott bought land of Proprietors described as on "south side of Metetecunk, near Indian stage, and near road from new bridge over Metetecunk to C'edar Bridge." He also bought, subsequently, numer- ous tracts near Metetecunk river and Kettle Creek.
The Postoffice at this place was established about 1839 or '40, and called Metetecunk, and so continued down to about 1884, when the P. O. Department changed it to Burrsville. B. H. Fielder was the first Postmaster ; among his successors was Hon. A. O. S. Havens, the sec- ond member of the Assembly from Ocean county.
METETECUNK M. E. CHURCH.
The M. E. church at this place was dedicated Decem- ber 29, 1878.
BAY HEAD.
This place holds the key of the mainland at the
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH AND OCEAN COUNTIES.
nothermost extremity of Barnegat Bay. On July 25, 1883, ground was broken for the erection of the office of the Company. At this time a number of lots had been sold and several cottages contracted for.
A Postoffice was established at Bay Head in the Summer of 1882, Julius Foster, Postmaster.
The Bay Head Land Company was incorporated September 6, 1879. Capital $12,000. Incorporators David H. Mount, Rocky Hill, Edward Howe, Leavitt Howe and William Harris, of Princeton.
This quickly developed Summer resort may be said to have contributed largely to the current of popular fa- vor now bestowed upon this portion of Ocean county. It is situated at the head of Barnegat Bay, from which it takes its name of "Bay Head." There are about 286 lots in this tract, 50x100 feet in size. Its present popula- ation is seventy-five. The improvements in 1882 com- prise 20 new cottages, and all the other improvements in a resort in the process of development. A sea wall has been put in, roads built and graded, &c. The prospects for the future are flattering, new houses being rapidly built. Bay Head Junction adjoins this tract and con- forms with its survey.
MANTOLOKING.
This beautiful property lies south of Bay Head on the peninsula beach, bounded on the east by the Atlantic ocean, on the west by Barnegat Bay. Considerable money has been laid out in improvements of this tract, of which the grading and complete laying over of the entire beach with heavy fertile inland soil may be men- tioned. This tract was first brought into notice by the New Jersey Sea-Shore Land and Improvement Com- pany, under the management of Capt. John Arnold, of Point Pleasant, whose energies' awakened much interest in behalf of the place. Quite a number of fine cottages are already upon it, and many more in contemplation.
SILVESTER.
The Kettle Creek post office was established about 1834 or '5 and Mary Kelly was postmistress.
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EARLY SETTLERS, ETC.
Kettle Creek was anciently known also as Fishing Creek.
James Fullerton had a patent for land beginning at north cape of Kettle or Fishing Creek and Dr. John Dalrymple had tract adjoining.
Among persons who took up land from the pro- prietors in its vicinity were John Forman 1742-5; William Brinley 1742 ; Benjamin Woolley 1747; Richard Stout 1747; Ebenezer Applegate 1750; Abraham Schenck 1755; Annanias Gifford 1756; David Knott 1761-1770; Delan- cey and Cuyler 1763; James Parker 1764; John Allen 1766. Among other persons who owned land here about or before this time were Thomas Tilton, Samuel Hulett, Joseph Potter and John Chambers.
There was a saw mill built on Kettle Creek about 1740 and probably by Ebenezer Applegate, as in 1761 his "old saw mill" is referred to. It is presumed that this Ebenezer Applegate was a son of Jacob, as in the tax list of 1764 " Ebenezer Applegate son of Jacob" is the only Ebenezer named. Between 1740 and 1750 bridges were over branches of Kettle Creek, one of which was built by Benjamin Woolley and Job Cook. In 1764 John Allen had a saw mill on north branch.
Tunis Denise took up considerable land in 1755 and thereabouts near Meteteconk and had saw and grist mill. It is possible that from him may be derived the name Tunes, one of the branches of Kettle Creek. In 1815 Silvenus Bills owned the Tunis Denise mills.
Michael Ortley, whose name is noted in connection with land on the beach, took up land in 1818 between north and south branches of Kettle Creek.
About the latter part of last century John Havens, Senior, bought dwellinghouse and land of John Allen and John Havens, Jr., bought dwelling and land of James Allen and in 1800 took up a tract from proprietors be- tween Kettle Creek and Reedy Creek, near head of latter.
James Runnals lived south side Metetecunk 1745.
POINT PLEASANT.
Point Pleasant is a name applied to a semi-peninsu-
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH AND OCEAN COUNTIES.
lar tract of land in Brick Township, Ocean county, rapidly becoming studded with resorts. It constitutes the northern extremity of the county, and is bounded on the east by the Atlantic, on the north-west by the beau- tiful Manasquan river, and on the south by the Metete- conk river and the head of Barnegat bay. The distance across the neck of the semi-peninsula (between the Mete- teconk and Manasquan rivers) is nearly two miles, while its ocean front stretches for three miles along the beach !. Point Pleasant is a fertile tract, with well wooded undu- latory hills interspersed with lakelets, and faces a part of the Manasquan river with a bluff. It is reached from New York by the New Jersey Central railroad and also by the Freehold and Jamesburg branch of the Pennsyl- vania railroad ; and from Philadelphia by the Philadel- phia and Long Branch railroad.
Some 18 or 20 years ago Point Pleasant was an unimproved, undeveloped tract, till taken hold of by Capt. John Arnold, seconded afterwards by no less energetic allies, and the result of his and their energy and enter- prise is now seen in fine cottages, schools, churches, stores, hotels and boarding-houses standing on well laid out streets and avenues, where formerly rabbits and rep- tiles were wont to burrow. At that time the population did not exceed 12 families who had houses fit to live in; and ingress from or egress to either Philadelphia or New York implied forty miles by stage, and the loss of a whole day for the single journey. Point Pleasant now has Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Protestant, Episco- pal, Roman Catholic, and Presbyterian churches ; graded, public and private schools; two Postoffices and railroad stations as mentioned, and numerous hotels and board- ing-houses. Its chief attractions are those presented by the ocean, Barnegat bay and Manasquan river, afford- ing facilities for boating, fishing, crabbing, bathing, gun- ning, &c., its shady groves, and pure sea air.
ARNOLD CITY.
Arnold City is the most northerly of the new resorts referred to under Point Pleasant. The tract comprises
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EARLY SETTLERS, ETC.
300 lots, 50x100 feet, with avenues 70 feet and streets 60 feet in width. It is named after Captain John Arnold, the pioneer of this beautiful section of our coast. The improvements already mentioned under Point Pleasant, include the resorts. This tract is a part of the Arnold farm, purchased by Robert M. Worthington, who is as- sociated with Brighton, a flourishing new Summer resort in Monmouth county. By his able management of the Arnold tract most of the entire property has been dis- posed of to classes who are calculated to improve it. On this property are a station and roundhouse of the New Jersey Central railroad.
POINT PLEASANT CITY.
Point Pleasant City is the name of a Summer resort adjoining Arnold City. It is one of the first tracts taken up and laid out for a Summer city by the sea at Point Pleasant. It has received increasing patronage from seaside seekers, who have purchased lots and are build- ing Summer homes upon them. The "Resort House," and other hotels and boarding-houses attract large num- bers during the hot Summer months.
BAY HEAD JUNCTION.
This property is the last remaining beach tract imme- diately connecting with the main land on the New Jersey coast. It lies north of Bay Head. It contains 190 lots, and offers the same advantages and attractions as the other Point Pleasant resorts.
THE POINT PLEASANT LAND COMPANY.
In the Spring of 1878 this company bought the Jolin Forman property, consisting of 250 acres. The officers were John L. Murphy, President, James Buchanan, Sec- retary, J. Hart Brewer, Treasurer.
Their first purchase extended from the ocean back to the old Squan road, and down to near the head of Barnegat Bay. Streets were laid out fifty to sixty feet wide.
The company was incorporated Oct. 22, 1877, capital $50,000. Incorporators, J. Hart Brewer, Charles H.
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH AND OCEAN COUNTIES.
Skirm, John L. Murphy, James Buchanan and William ('loke.
The Stafford Forge Cranberry bog is quite a noted one, and usually very productive. In 1877 Mr. Daniel R. Gowdy, the owner, had 300 pickers employed.
Jolin Lawrence of Manasquan sold 232 acres in 1727 to Thomas Tilton of Shrewsbury.
Osborne's Island is now owned by Dr. Fuller of New York. As the river channel runs south of it, it belongs to Mommonth.
Joseph Lawrence was a son of the first William and became possessed of 4-7ths of his father's estate above and below Manasquan river.
POINT PLEASANT NOTES.
The Thomas Cook place at junction of the river was bought by Thomas Cook, Sr., of Walter and Mary Curtis 1782.
The first Thomas Cook named above had children Thomas, Richard and Sarah who married Thomas Shearman.
The Curtis family owned at one time most of the land around Point Pleasant. The first of the family were step-sons of Joseph Lawrence who married a widow Curtis. Joseph Lawrence lived just over the river in Monmouth on the Col. James Osborne place.
The island in the river was once called Hartshorne's Island and then Osborne's Island. Samuel Osborne is named in this vicinity in 1754.
OLD TIMES IN OCEAN COUNTY.
THE LAST WAR WITH ENGLAND-CAPTURE OF OCEAN COUNTY VESSELS.
During the war of 1812-14, Ocean county vessels trading to New York and elsewhere, found their business seriously injured by British cruisers on our coast. Occasionally some bold, fortunate master of a vessel would succeed in eluding the enemy's vigilance, and
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OLD TIMES IN OCEAN COUNTY.
arrive safely at New York ; but generally they were not so fortunate. Commodore Hardy, in his flag-ship, the " Ramillies," a 74-gun ship, had command of the British blockading squadron on our coast. All accounts, written and traditional, concede that he was one of the most lionorable officers in the British service. Unlike the in- famous Admiral Cockburn, who commanded the block- ading squadron further south, Hardy never took private property of Americans, except contraband in war, with- ont offering compensation. By his vigilance he inflicted considerable damage to our coasters, and by nearly stop- ping this trade, injury also resulted to a large portion of other citizens then depending on the lumber trade.
On the last day of March, 1813, Hardy, in the " Ramillies," came close to Barnegat Inlet and sent in barges loaded with armed men after two American ves- sels lying in the inlet. They boarded the schooner " Greyhound," Captain Jesse Rogers, of Potter's Creek, and attempted to take her out, but she grounded. The enemy then set fire to her and she was burned, together with her cargo of lumber. They then set fire to a sloop belonging to Captain Jonathan Winner, Hezekiah Soper and Timothy Soper, of Waretown. This vessel was saved, however, as signals were fired by the Commodore, recalling the barges in haste, that he might start in pur- suit of some vessel at sea. As soon as the barges left, the Americans went on board the sloop and extinguished the fire. The name of the sloop has generally been given as the " Mary Elizabeth," but one or two old residents insist that it was the "Susan." The probability is that vessels of both names were fired, but at different times. While the barges were in the inlet a party landed on the beach, on the south side, and killed fifteen head of cattle belonging to Jeremiah Spragg and John Allen. The owners were away, but the British left word that if they presented their bill to Commodore Hardy, he would settle it, as he generally did similar ones. But the owners were too patriotic to attempt anything that seemed like furnishing supplies to the enemy.
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH AND OCEAN COUNTIES.
At another time the schooner "President," Captain Amos Birdsall, of Waretown, bound to New York, was taken by Commodore Hardy, who at once commenced to take from the schooner her spars, deck planks, etc. Cap- tain Birdsall, with his crew, had liberty to leave in their vawl; but on account of a heavy sea they were detained a day or two on board, when they succeeded in getting on board a fishing smack, and thus got home. Before Captain Birdsall left the "Ramillies," the masts of his schooner had been sawed into plank by the British.
The sloop "Elizabeth," Captain Thomas Bunnell, of Forked River, was captured by barges sent into Bar- negat Inlet, and towed out to sea : but it is said she was shortly after lost on Long Island. The captain saw the barges coming, and he and the crew escaped in the yawl. She was owned by William Platt and Captain Bunnell. At another time Captain Bunnell was taken out of another vessel and detained by the British some time, and then put on board a neutral vessel, said to have been Spanish, and thus got to New York. The sloop "Traveler," Cap- tain Asa Grant, was set on fire by the British, but the fire was extinguished after the British left. At another time, two sloops, one named the " Maria." Captain Joshua Warren, and the other the "Friendship," Captain Thomas Mills, were chased ashore near Squan. They were com- ing down the beach, when Commodore Hardy espied and stood for them, and they ran ashore. Hardy sent barges ashore to plunder them. One boat came to the " Friend- ship," and the bowsman caught hold of the taffrail to jump on board. Jesse Chadwick, a soldier of the Revo- tion, went to the edge of the shore and shot the man. The barges then put back to the ship, which fired about two hundred balls at the sloops.
A vessel commanded by Captain John Rogers, who lived near Toms River, was also captured, and Rogers himself detained for a while on the British man-of-war. Captain Rogers used frequently to relate his adventures on this ill-starred trip which cost him his vessel.
Captain Jesse Rogers, of the "Greyhound," who
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OLD TIMES IN OCEAN COUNTY.
lived to quite an advanced age, made efforts to have his losses reimbursed by Congress, as did also Messrs. Spragg and Allen and others, but they were unsuccessful.
At Waretown much excitement was created by the barges of Commodore Hardy entering the inlet and burn- ing the " Greyhound." At Forked River a new dwelling and store had just been erected at the upper landing by Charles Parker, father of ex-Governor Joel Parker. Mr. Parker informed the writer that though his house was unfinished, vet the roof was filled with persons watching Hardy's proceedings. Judge Jacob Birdsall, then a boy, was among the children sent to dwellings back in the woods for safety.
The war of 1812 did not seem to be a very popular one in New Jersey, as the political party opposing it generally carried the State. To raise troops, a draft was at one time ordered along shore, which called for one man in every seven. This draft, however, seemed to work but little hardship, as seven men would club to- gether to hire a substitute, who could generally be engaged for a bonus of fifty dollars. Most of the men obtained under the orders for drafting were sent to de- fend Sandy Hook, where, from the reports they subse- quently made, their time was principally occupied in uttering maledictions on commissaries for furnishing them with horse beef and other objectionable grub. Among those who volunteered, the last survivor at Forked River was the late Gershom Ayres, who served under General Rossell. At Waretown, Ralph Chambers was the last survivor. He was properly entitled to a pension for wounds received in the battle of Plattsburg; but as he had money of his own when wounded, he hired medi- cal attendance at a private house to insure good atten- tion, by which means his name escaped being embraced in the official report of wounded. At Barnegat, Tunis Bodine was the last survivor of the war of 1812, and received a pension for his services. In September, 1877, Mr. Bodine completed his eighty-sixth year, and was remarkably well and hearty.
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH AND OCEAN COUNTIES.
BIRTHPLACE OF UNIVERSALISM IN AMERICA.
THE POTTER CHURCH AT GOODLUCK.
A singular and interesting chapter in the religious history of not only Ocean county, but of this country, relates to the noted old Goodluck Church, formerly known as the " Potter Church," built in 1766 by Thomas Potter, a benevolent citizen of the village, who then lived east of the church on the farm subsequently owned by the late Captain Benjamin Stout. Before building the church, Potter had been in the habit of opening his house to travelling preachers of all persuasions, and after a while erected this cdifice free to all denomina- tions, and in it preached Quakers. Presbyterians, Bap- tists and Methodists, and in it was preached the first Universalist sermon ever delivered in America.
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