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 33
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 33
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Daniel Parker and Elizabeth his wife; Edward Gennings and Abigail his wife; Thomas Edwards and Catharine his wife; Samuel Grey and Katurah his wife ; Amos Southard and wife; Mary Fortuneberry : Phebe Bennett ; Hannah White ; Martha Headley; Leah
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HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS IN OCEAN COUNTY.
Clayton ; Hannah Sulsey; Jemima Pidgeon; Hester Perrine." In the foregoing, Mary Fortuneberry, we pre- sume, should be Mary Falkinburgh.
The Baptist Century Book furnishes additional in- formation to the above as follows :
" The Baptist Society at Manahawken was organ- ized August 25, 1770. In October, 1771, there were eleven members, and Lines Pangburn was a delegate to the Baptist Association. There were seven appoint- ments made for that year.
In 1772 there were twelve members; four preachers were appointed for the ensuing year.
1773. No delegates ; twelve members.
1774. Rev. Henry Crossley, delegate ; fifteen mem- bers ; four had joined by letter, one by baptism and one died. The church this year is called "The Stafford Church."
1775. No delegates ; members the same.
From 1775 there are no returns until the year 1800, when five members are reported.
1801. Four members, one having died. The re- maining members of the church having some doubts in their minds because of the fewness of their numbers, whether they exist as a church or not, it is the sense of this Association that the church still exists, and while they rejoice in that prosperity which has lately attended the preaching of the Gospel among them, they exort them to proceed to the reception of members and the election of officers.
1802. Edward Gennings appointed delegate ; four baptized, twenty received by letter, one dead ; remaining, 27 members.
1803. Thirty-three members.
1804. Amos Southard and Samuel Grey, delegates ; 31 members.
1805. Samuel Grey, delegate ; 74 members ; 44 bap- tized ; two received by letter, and three dismissed.
1806. Samuel Grey and Edward Gennings, dele- gates ; 69 members.
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH AND OCEAN COUNTIES.
Here ends the record of this church in the Baptist Century Book.
It will be seen by the foregoing, that from the outbreak of the Revolutionary war this society seems to have shared the fate of so many others in that eventful period, being virtually broken up for a time. Some of its principal members and supporters responded to their country's call ; Reuben F. Randolph became a captain in the militia, his sons members of his company; Lines Pangburn, who we presume was the same person first elected delegate, was killed by the Refugees within sight of the church, and doubtless others were among the patriots from this village, who did military service during the war, particularly in guarding against marauding bands of Refugees who were active until the very close of the Revolution.
Rev. Benjamin Miller, who organized the church, belonged to Scotch Plains, where he labored for over thirty years, and died in 1781.
For the items relating to the original deed of the church we are indebted to the researches of the late Samuel H. Shreve, Esq.
OTHER BAPTIST SOCIETIES.
The Baptist Century Book says that "the Baptist Church of Squan and Dover" was received into the Baptist Association in October, 1805, and the same year Samuel Haven was delegate, and the society had thirty- eight members. In 1807 Samuel Haven was again delegate; forty-five members.
In Gordon's History of New Jersey, it is stated that a Baptist Society was established at West Creek in 1792, which had, about 1832, thirty-three members. [This is believed to have been in Cape May county.]
ISLAND HEIGHTS.
Island Heights, near Toms River, was selected for a Summer resort by Rev. Dr. Graw, who conceived the notion
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ISLAND HEIGHTS.
that a camp ground near the sea ought to be found some- where in this section. Being Presiding Elder, he traveled along shore looking for a favorable spot. At length he noticed what was formerly known as Dillon's Island ; the location pleased him and he invited a few ministers and laymen to go with him and examine the site. All were pleased. He proposed that 25 or 30 persons unite as stockholders, buy the tract and proceed to develop it for the purpose of a camp meeting ground and Summer resort. His plan was agreed to, the land purchased and the company incorporated July 1, 1878. The directors chosen were : J. B. Graw, S. Vansant, G. H. Morris, C. E. Hendrickson and J. G. Gowdy. Rev. Dr. J. B. Graw was chosen President, W. W. Moffett, Vice President ; G. R. Morris, Secretary, S. Vansant, Treasurer, and John Simpson, Superintendent. The certificate of incorpora- tion, dated July 1, 1878, was filed July 2, 1878. Capital, $9,000; shares, $50. The Rev. J. B. Graw took 102 shares, amounting to $5,100, and the following subscribers six shares of $300 each : Chas. E. Hendrickson. Mount Holly ; G. K. Morris, Mount Holly ; Geo. B. Wight, Cam- den ; Samuel Vansant, Toms River; Geo. L. Dobbins, Bridgeton; Joshua Jeffries, Camden ; Annanias Lawrence, Millville, George Reed, Absecon; Ralph B. Gowdy, Toms River ; Jas. G. Gowdy, Toms River; David H. Schock, Millville ; Geo. H. Neal, Gloucester City ; James M. Cassidy, Camden ; amounting in all to $9,000.
At this time there were 172 acres in the tract proper, 154 acres bought of Mrs. A. S. Brinley and 18 acres of the Westray estate. Work was commenced at once ; underbrush removed from about ten acres ; two avenues partly opened ; a pavilion built ; seats arranged for camp ground ; thirty camp meeting cottages erected and a hotel commenced; a wharf erected, and yachts and hacks chartered to take visitors to and fro. In August a camp meeting was held ; on the 20th of August one hun- dred lots were sold. bringing $10,000, all of which went for improvements.
The Pennsylvania Railroad built a branch from their
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH AND OCEAN COUNTIES.
main line from Camden to Seaside Park to Island Heights in the Summer of 1883.
Island Heights takes its name from two sources ; it originally was an island and vessels once sailed through a channel which existed on the north side. It is situated by a steep bluff sixty feet above the river. It was origi- nally known as Dr. Johnson's island, being included in the patent granted to him in 1680. The next century it was known as Dillon's island, so called before the Revo- lution, probably for James Dillon, a somewhat promi- nent man about Toms River. It came into possession of John Imlay of Allentown, who, in 1794, sold it to Isaac Gulick. In 1797 Isaac Gulick and wife Abigail sold it to Abraham and George Parker. In 1799 they sold it to Abel Middleton of Upper Freehold.
A saw-mill was built on the stream from Long swamp, which in 1760 and thereabouts, was known as Jacob Jacobs' saw-mill.
Tradition says that during the Revolution Indian Tom had his wigwam on what is now Island Heights.
At the time of the whites first coming to this part of New Jersey, the vicinity of Island Heights was a resort for the Indians and they left behind them a memento which was noted among the whites for perhaps a century. This was the resemblance of the face of some large crea- ture on the south side of a huge whiteoak which was two feet in diameter, cut by the Indians; the tree was also marked on other sides. The location of this tree is thus described in a survey for 189 acres, to Ebenezer Applegate, made in 1750; his beginning corner is described as "one chain northeast fiom Dr. Johnson's Long Swamp, the stream whereof runs into Toms River at the end of Dr. Johnson's Island, beginning at a white- oak near two feet through, marked in several places and on the south side with the resemblance of the face of some large creature, supposed to have been done formerly by the Indians."
This whiteoak must have stood near the north-west corner of the island. This tree is referred to as late as
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METHODISM IN OCEAN COUNTY.
1793, in a survey of Kenneth Hankinson and Matthew Howell.
If this enrions face was made with reference to the religious belief and worship of the Indians, as it prob- ably was, it is suggestive of the great contrast between the worship at Island Heights now and at the same place two centuries ago.
The capital of the Island Heights Association was increased in April, 1880, when $21,000 was added to the original amount.
The Island Heights Hotel Association was incorpo- rated January 19, 1888. Capital $50,000. Incorporators, Thomas D. Dilkes, Mary Tudor, William F. Lodge, John F. Vogle, Jr., and Howard D. Vansant.
The corner-stone of the First Methodist Episcopal church of Island Heights was laid August 29, 1882. The ceremonies were conducted by Rev. J. B. Graw, assisted by Revs. A. Lawrence, S. Thackera, J. O'Hara and John Simpson.
The church was dedicated August 17, 1884. Rev. W. W. Moffit, presiding elder, preached the sermon, Rev. Joseph Sawn was the pastor.
The edifice was thirty by fifty feet, surmounted by a cupola. It seated three hundred persons and the Sunday School room attached, seated one hundred.
METHODISM IN OCEAN COUNTY.
The first Methodists in Ocean county held their meetings in the old Potter Church at Goodluck. In the dark days of the history of Methodism, when it not only met with opposition from other societies on account of difference in religious views, but also when during the Revolution, their enemies unjustly charged them with being in sympathy with Great Britain, and would allow them to hold meetings in but few places, the old Good- luck Church was always open to them, and the people of this vicinity gave its preachers a welcome which they rarely met with elsewhere.
410
IIISTORY OF MONMOUTHI AND OCEAN COUNTIES.
It is probable that the pioneers of Methodism visi- ted our county within a very few years after the princi- ples of the society were first proclaimed in America, and that occasionally some preacher would hold forth in one of the free churches, in school houses or in private houses, possibly as early as 1774. Rev. William Watters, the first itinerant of American birth, was stationed in our State in 1774, and it is possible that he and the noted Capt. Thomas Webb, of Pemberton, (then New Mills,) may have visited this section. That zealous, self-sacri- ficing minister of the Gospel, Rev. Benjamin Abbott, is the first preacher who speaks positively of visiting this vicinity, though before his visit which was in 1778, it is probable that some if not all the following named, may have preached here, viz : Capt. Thomas Webb, Revs. Philip Gatch, Caleb B. Pedicord, Wm. Watters, John King, Daniel Ruff and Wm. Duke. From that time up to the year 1800, the names of preachers assigned to this part of the State is given in the "History of Methodism in New Jersey." During the first thirty years of the present century, among the most noted preachers in this section were Revs. Sylvester and Robert Hutchinson, Ezekiel Cooper, Charles Pitman and Geo. A. Raybold. Rev. William Watters, above mentioned as the first itinerant of American birth, who was located in our State in 1774, published in 1807 an account of his labors here and elsewhere.
THE FIRST METHODIST CHURCH.
The first Methodist Episcopal Church at Toms River was built in 1828, and dedicated in the month of November of that year. Revs. B. Weed and J. McLaurin were the preachers on the circuit, which was then a part of Pemberton circuit. The building was 24 by 30 feet, with one aisle and open back seats. It was never painted and had but one coat of plaster. It cost $740.78. It was free for anybody of orthodox Christians to worship in, when not occupied by the Methodists. The building was situated on Hooper Avenue, in the grave- yard, opposite the present location of the church. After
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THE BATTLE OF MONMOUTH.
thirty years of service as a house of worship, it was moved to the north-west corner of Hooper Avenue and Water street, where it now stands, and is occupied as a dwelling.
THE BATTLE OF MONMOUTH.
As everything of an authentic character relating to the memorable Battle of Monmonth is of abiding interest, the following additional accounts are given of that great event :
COLONEL JOHN LAURENS' ACCOUNT. HEADQUARTERS, ENGLISHTOWN, 30th June, 1778.
MY DEAR FATHER :
I was exceedingly chagrined that public business prevented my writing to you from the field of battle, when the General sent his despatches to Congress. The delay, however, will be attended with this advantage, that I will be better able to give you an account of the enemy's loss ; tho' I must now content myself with a very succinct relation of this affair. The situation of the two armies on Sunday was as follows : General Wash- ington, with the main body of our army, was at four miles distant from Englishtown. General Lee, with a chosen advanced corps, was at that town. The enemy were retreating down the road which leads to Middle- town ; their flying army composed (as it was said), of two battalions of British grenadiers, one Hessian grenadiers, one battalion of light infantry, one regiment of guards, two brigades of foot, one regiment of dragoons and a number of mounted and dismounted Tagers. The enemy's rear was preparing to leave Monmouth village, which is six miles from this place, when our advanced corps was marching towards them. The militia of the country kept up a random running fire with the Hessian Jagers ; no mischief was done on either side. I was with a small party on horse, reconnoitering the enemy in an open space before Monmouth, when I perceived two
412 HISTORY OF MONMOUTH AND OCEAN COUNTIES.
parties of the enemy advancing by files in the woods on our right and left, with a view, as I imagined, of envel- oping our small party or preparing a way for a skirmish of their horse. I immediately wrote an account of what I had seen to the General, and expressed my anxiety on account of the languid appearance of the continental troops under General Lee. Some person in the mean- time reported to General Lee that the enemy were advancing upon us in two columns, and I was informed that he had, in consequence, ordered Varnum's brigade, which was in front, to repass a bridge which it had passed. I went myself and assured him of the real state of the case ; his reply to me was, that his accounts had been so contradictory, that he was utterly at a loss what part to take. I repeated my account to him in positive, distinct terms, and returned to make further discoveries. I found that the two parties had been withdrawn from the wood, and that the enemy were preparing to leave Monmouth. I wrote a second time to General Washing- ton. General Lee at length gave orders to advance. The enemy were forming themselves on the Middletown road, with their Light Infantry in front, and Cavalry on the left flank, while a scattering distant fire was com- menced between our flanking parties and theirs. I was impatient and uneasy at seeing that no disposition was made, and endeavored to find General Lee to inform him of what was doing, and to know what was his dispo- sition. He told me that he was going to order some troops to march below the enemy and cut off their retreat. Two pieces of artillery were posted on our right without a single foot soldier to support them. Our men were formed piecemeal in front of the enemy, and there appeared to be no general plan or disposition calculated on that of the enemy, the nature of the ground, or any of the other principles which generally govern in these cases.
The enemy began a cannonade from two parts of their line; their whole body of horse maile a furious charge upon a small party of our cavalry and dispirited
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THE BATTLE OF MONMOUTH.
and drove them, until the appearance of our infantry and a judicious discharge or two of artillery made them retire precipitately. Three regiments of ours that had advanced in a plain open country towards the enemy's left flank, were ordered by General Lee to retire and occupy the village of Monmouth. They were no sooner formed there than they were ordered to quit that post and gain the woods. One order succeeded another with a rapidity and indecision calculated to ruin us. The enemy had changed their front and were advancing in full march toward us; our men were fatigued with the excessive heat. The artillery horses were not in con- (lition to make a brisk retreat. A new position was ordered, but not generally communicated, for part of the troops were forming on the right of the ground, while others were marching away, and all the artillery driving off. The enemy, after a short halt, resumed their pursuit; no cannon was left to check their progress. A regiment was ordered to form behind a fence, and as speedily com- manded to retire. All this disgraceful retreating passed without the firing of a musket, over ground which might have been disputed inch by inch. We passed a defile and arrived at an eminence beyond, which was defended on one hand by an impracticable fen, on the other by a thick wool where our men would have fought to advan- tage. Here, fortunately for the honor of the army, and the welfare of America, General Washington met the troops retreating in disorder, and without any plan to make an opposition. He ordered some pieces of artil- lery to be brought up to defend the pass, and some troops to form and defend the pieces. The artillery was too distant to be brought up readily, so that there was but little opposition given here. A few shots, though, and a little skirmishing in the wood checked the enemy's career. The General expressed his astonishment at this unaccountable retreat. Mr. Le indecently replied that the attack was contrary to his alvice and opinion in council. We were obliged to retire to a position, which,
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH AND OCEAN COUNTIES.
though hastily reconnoitered proved an excellent one. Two regiments were formed behind a fence. in front of the position. The enemy's horse advanced in full charge with admirable bravery to the distance of forty paces, when a general discharge from these two regiments did execution among them, and made them fly with the greatest precipitation. The grenadiers succeeded to the attack. At this time my horse was killed under me. In this spot the action was hottest, and there was consider- ble slaughter of British grenadiers. The General or- dered Woodford's brigade with some artillery to take possession of an eminence on the enemy's left, and can- nonade from thence. This produced an excellent effect. The enemy were prevented from advancing on us and confined themselves to cannonade, with a show of turning our left flank. Our artillery answered theirs with the greatest vigor. The General seeing that our left flank was secure, as the ground was open and com- manded by us, so that the enemy could not attempt to turn it without exposing their own flank to a heavy fire from our artillery, and causing to pass in review before us the force employed in turning us. In the meantime, General Lee continued retreating. Baron Steuben was ordered to form the broken troops in the rear. The can- nonade was incessant and the General ordered parties to advance from time to time, to engage the British grenadiers and guards. The borse showed themselves no more. The grenadiers showed their backs and retreated everywhere with precipitation. They returned, however, again to the charge, and were again repulsed.
They finally retreated and got over the strong pass, where, as I mentioned before, General Washington first rallied the troops. We advanced in force, and continued masters of the ground : the standards of liberty were planted in triumph on the field of battle. We remained looking at each other with the defile between us, till dark, and they stole off in silence at midnight. We have buried of the enemy's slain, 233, principally of grena- diers ; forty odd of their wounded whom they left at
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THE BATTLE OF MONMOUTHI.
Monmouth, fell into our hands. Several officers are our prisoners. Among their killed are Col. Moncton, a cap- tain of the guards, and several captains of the grenadiers. We have taken a very inconsiderable number of pris- oners, for want of a good body of horse. Deserters are coming in as usual. Our officers and men behaved with that bravery which becomes freemen, and have con- vinced the world that they can beat British grenadiers. To name any one in particular would be a kind of injustice to the rest. There are some, however, who came more immediately under my view, whom I can mention that you may know them. B. General Wayne, Col. Barber, Col. Stewart, Col. Livingston, Col. Oswald, of the artillery, Capt. Doughty, deserve well of their country, and distinguished themselves nobly.
The enemy buried many of their dead that are not accounted for above, and carried off a great number of wounded. I have written diffusely, and yet I have not told you all. General Lee, I think, must be tried for misconduct. However, this is a matter not generally known, though it seems almost universally wished for. I would beg you, my dear father, to say nothing of it. You will oblige me much by excusing me to Mr. Drayton for not writing to him. I congratulate you, my dear father, upon this seasonable victory, and am ever,
Your most dutiful and affectionate, JOHN LAURENS. The Honorable Henry Laurens, Esq.
We have no returns of our loss as vet. The propor- tion on the field of battle appeared but small. We have many good officers wounded.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
GENERALS WAYNE AND SCOTT TO GEN. WASHINGTON.
ENGLISHTOWN, 30th June, 1778.
SIR : We esteem it a duty which we owe to our coun- try, ourselves and the officers and soldiers under our command, to state the following facts to your Excellency :
On the 28th instant, at five o'clock in the morning we received orders to march with the following detachments,
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH AND OCEAN COUNTIES.
namely, Scott's and Varnum's brigades, Colonels Butler and Jackson in front, amounting to seventeen hundred men ; Colonels Wesson, Livingston and Stewart, with one thousand men, commanded by General Wayne ; a select detachment of fourteen hundred men, rank and file, under General Scott, with ten pieces of artillery properly distributed among the whole.
About eight o'clock, the van under Col. Butler arrived on the left of Monmouth Court House, on the rear of the left flank of the enemy, who were in full march, moving in great haste and confusion. At this time our main body under General Lee, were formed at the edge of a wood about half a mile distant from the Court House. Gen- eral Wayne, who was in front reconnoitering the enemy, perceiving that they had made a halt and were prepar- ing to push Colonel Butler with their horse and a few foot, gave direction for him to form and receive them, and at the same time sent Major Ryles to General Lee, requesting that those troops might be advanced to sup- port those in front, and for the whole to form on the edge of a deep morass, which extends from the east of the Court House on the right a very considerable dis- tance to the left. The troops did arrive in about an hour after the requisition, and were generally formed in this position.
About the same time General Scott's detachment had passed the morass on the left, and the enemy's horse and foot that had charged Colonel Butler, were repulsed. The number of the enemy now in view might be near two thousand, though at first not more than five hundred exclusive of their horse. The ground we now occupied was the best formed by nature for defence, of any perhaps in the country. The enemy advanced with caution, keeping at a considerable dis- tance in front. General Scott, having viewed the posi- tion of the enemy, as well as the ground where about twenty-five hundred of our troops were formed, re- passed the morass and took post on the left, in a fine open wood, covered by said morass in front.
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THE BATTLE OF MONMOUTH.
Whilst this was doing, General Wayne, perceiving that the troops on the right from the wood to the Court Honse were retreating, sent General Fishbourn to Gen- eral Lee, requesting that the troops might return to sup- port him. In the interim General Wayne repassed the morass, leaving Colonel Butler's regiment to keep post on the right flank of the enemy. Generals Scott and Wayne then went together along the morass to the Court House, when Major Fishbourn returned and said that General Lee gave no other answer than that he would see General Wayne himself, which he never did. The enemy having now an opening on the right of General Scott began to move on, when General Wayne and Gen- eral Scott sent to General Lee to request him at least to form, to favor General Scott's retreat, but this requisi- tion met with the same fate as the last. The troops kept still retreating, when General Scott, perceiving that he would not be supported, filed off to the left. General Wayne ordered Colonel Butler to fall back also. Thus were these several select detachments unaccountably drawn off without being suffered to come to action, al- though we had the most pleasant prospect from our number and position, of obtaining the most glorious and decisive victory. After this, we fortunately fell in with your Excellency. You ordered us to form part of those troops, whose conduct and bravery kept the enemy in play until you had restored order.
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