USA > New Jersey > Morris County > A history of Morris County, New Jersey : embracing upwards of two centuries, 1710-1913, Volume I > Part 38
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over 200 members, presided over by C. Franklin Wilson, M. E. H. P. The efficient secretary is C. A. Fairchild.
Morristown Lodge, No. 188, Free and Accepted Masons, was insti- tuted at a much later period, and is a prosperous body of which Harry P. Van Gilder is secretary.
O-do-se St. Amand Commandery, No. 12, Knights Templar, Dr. R. Ralston Reed, recorder, is one of the old Masonic bodies of the state, now located at Morristown, but, like Madison Chapter, was organized elsewhere.
Roxiticus Lodge, No. 98, I. O. O. F .- This lodge was instituted Sep- tember II, 1849, continued until 1863, was reorganized in 1871. Other bodies of the Order of Odd Fellows are: Enterprise Encampment, No. 44; Morris Lodge, No. 109; and Naomi Lodge, No. 29, Daughters of Rebekah.
Other Fraternal Orders-Other fraternal bodies in Morristown are: Morristown Lodge, No. 815, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; Pride of Morristown Council, No. 104, and Pride of Vanatta Council, No. 94, Daughters of Liberty; Morristown Eyrie, No. 1311, Fraternal Order of Eagles; Court Ridgedale, No. 1564, Independent Order of Foresters; Morristown Conclave, No. 854, Improved Order of Heptasophs; Morris- town Division, Independent Order of Hibernians; Iona Tribe, No. 181, Im- proved Order of Red Men; Mohuscowungie Tribe, No. 216, Improved Order of Red Men; Mohuscowungie Haymakers Association; Watnong Council. No. 18, Loyal Association; Whipponing Council, No. 48, Daughters of Pocahontas; Vanatta Council, No. 123, Junior Order United American Mechanics; George Washington Council, No. 359, Knights of Columbus; Morristown Lodge, No. 121, Knights of Pythias; Morristown Camp, No. 8579, Modern Woodmen of America ; John Milton Lodge, Order of Knights of St. George ; Clan Murray, Order Knights of St. George; Loantaka Coun- cil, No. 938, Royal Arcanum.
Grand Army of the Republic-The first post of the Grand Army of the Republic in Morristown was Phil Sheridan Post, No. 18, Department of New Jersey, organized September 3, 1868. The name of the post was changed afterward to Ira J. Lindsley Post, in honor of Captain Ira J. Lindsley, who fell at Chancellorsville, May 3, 1863. The post surrendered its charter in 1874. Officers: Samuel J. Hopkins, commander ; James M. Brown, senior vice-commander; Heyward G. Emnell, junior vice-com- mander ; George W. Derrickson, adjutant; Willis T. Armstrong, quarter- master ; Charles P. Chase, sergeant-major; John Moreland, quartermaster- sergeant.
Winfield Scott Post was organized July 14, 1879, but on the death of General Torbert the name was changed in his honor to A. T. A. Torbert Post, No. 24, there being a large number of his old brigade, who were members of the post. Death has so thinned the membership that but few of these old defenders of the flag are left. These few, however, maintain a brave front, and are among Morristown's most honored citizens.
There are many club organizations and societies in Morristown, social, educational, charitable, professional and patriotic. Among the latter must be named Morristown Daughters of the American Revolution, whose interest and devotion have been noticeable in suitably marking with tablet and monu- ment many historic places of the Revolution in and around Morristown. The Morris County Golf Club owns a fine clubhouse with an estate of one hundred and twenty-five acres and has a large membership. The leading business men's social club is the Tapkaow, with clubhouse on Washington street. Another is the Morristown Club on South street.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE TOWN OF BOONTON.
EARLY HISTORY-THE IRON INDUSTRY-CHURCHES-SCHOOLS-MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT-BANKS.
Lying in the southern part of Boonton township, and partly in the township of Hanover, on the main line of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, and on the line of the Morris Canal, thirty miles from New York, Boonton has attained considerable prominence as a manufactur- ing point. The town is situated on an elevated tableland about 500 feet above tidewater, at a break in the hills through which the Rockaway river flows over a perpendicular fall and a succession of rapids, making in half a mile a descent of 150 feet. The river here forms the boundary line between Boonton and Hanover townships. The corporate limits of the town cover considerable territory in Hanover, but by far the greater part is in Boonton township. The town occupies an elevated position that commands a view of from twelve to twenty miles in extent looking south, east or west. Its pure air, good water, fine scenery, pleasant drives, good roads and healthful climate render it a most desirable place of residence, and it is little wonder that the population for 1910 shows so decided an advance. Boonton is ten miles northeast of Morristown, with which it is indirectly connected by steam and electric railway ; sixteen miles west of Paterson, with which it has direct communication by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad; nineteen miles northwest of Newark, with which it has rail connection and a wagon road of the best modern build. Express trains east and west stop at Boonton, and the best of express and telegraph service is furnished. With the many industries already established and the facilities for more, Boonton has a prosperous future awaiting her.
The first settler on the tract now known as Boonton was Christian Loweree, who built his house in 1766, on Sunset Hill. Some of its hewn timbers are now incorporated in the home of Mr. Herbert S. Hitchcock. As the settlement grew, it took the name of Old Boonton, after Governor Boone (1760-62). Iron was plentiful, and here were established the first iron works in all America, and from them were produced cannon balls for the Revolutionary army, as well as implements and domestic utensils. More than once, while posted at Morristown, Washington visited the works to inspect its processes on army contracts. The later development of the iron industry is told on following pages.
The construction of the Morris Canal gave Boonton its first start toward prosperity, as prior to 1829 it was a quiet spot with little but its great natural beauty of mountain and stream, to call for attention. The canal was opened to Newark in 1831, and to Jersey City in 1836. A feature of the canal is the transporting of boats over great elevations by means of inclined planes. A curious accident happened at Boonton shortly after the opening of the canal. A boat called the "Electa," owned by Colonel Joseph Jackson, and partly loaded with merchant iron, was on its way to Newark, having on board the captain, his wife and two children. Just as the boat passed the summit of the plane, the chain broke, and the car with the boat ran down
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the incline with great velocity, striking the water with such force as to throw an immense wave over the towpath, which carried the boat with it down an embankment 15 to 20 feet high, landing it on the rocks below. People hastened to the spot, opened the cabin door, and there were the mother and children sitting composed and uninjured. When told what had occurred, the mother remarked that she "thought the boat came down very swift, but supposed that was the way the thing worked." The canal passes through Boonton, Montville and Pequannock townships in Morris county; and from where it enters Boonton at Powerville to where it leaves near Meads Basin, a distance of about nine miles, the descent is 350 feet by means of four locks and four inclined planes.
The Iron Works-When the canal was being constructed at Boonton, the company in the early part of August, 1829, obtained from William Scott a deed for such land as was required, and for the privilege of dam- ming the river above the falls, so that the canal might be fed from the river at that place. In return the canal company covenanted with Scott, granting to him, his heirs and assigns, the privilege of using the canal as a raceway for conveying water to mills from the dam above the falls. By this con- tract Scott secured an abundant water power and a raceway from a dam built entirely at the cost of the canal company. He could use not only the natural flow of the river but also the feed passing through the canal, only being obliged to return it to the level below the plane. This fine water power and the canal transportation attracted the attention of New York men, and after examination, David W. Wetmore, of the firm of Green & Wetmore, New York iron and hardware dealers, made the first purchase of land, 200 acres from William Scott and several smaller tracts from Daniel T. Peer, including 1012 acres lying between the river and the inclined plane on the canal, and bounded by the river on the west and the canal on the east. On this tract the rolling mills, puddling furnaces and foundry were placed. The 200 acres purchased of Scott, commenced on the river above the 1012-acre tract bought of Peer, and extended eastward, includ- ing the greater part of the ground upon which the northern part of the town is built. These several tracts of land purchased by David W. Wetmore in his own name, were on November 30, 1830, conveyed by him to the New Jersey Iron Company, a corporation organized for the purpose of building and operating the Boonton works.
The iron works, begun in September, 1829, were completed and the first iron rolled in May, 1831. The first puddlers and rollers were brought from England in June, 1830, and others came later in the year. The first machinery was imported from England, arriving June 10, 1830. Houses were built for the workmen under the hill ; one of them was used as a store to furnish needed supplies; another was a large boarding house that a half a century later was still standing, old and dilapidated, on the east side of Main street, just above the falls. The erection of other buildings on what are now Main and Church streets soon followed, and so the upbuilding of Boonton began. Had the canal not been built there would probably never have been a town there, although the waterpower would have been utilized in some way no doubt. As stated, there is a perpendicular fall in the river of about thirty feet. The iron works, located a short distance below in the narrow valley between the canal and the river, were about eighty feet below the level of the water in the pond above the falls. The water to drive the works was taken from the canal at the head of the plane, and was used three times before reaching the level at the foot of the plane, and once
Cradle of Iron Industry, on site of old Forge where cannon balls were made for Revolutionary Army. This site now 60 feet under waters of Jersey City Reservoir.
Old Homestead at Boonton, where Washington stopped on his way from Morristown to visit the near-by Forge where cannon balls were made for his army. Site now 75 feet under water.
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more between that level and the river. About thirty years after starting the works, and after they had been greatly enlarged, a steam engine was put in to aid in keeping up speed when the water ran low in a dry season. The mills at first consisted of a large rolling mill in two departments, and a few puddling and heating furnaces, the product being merchant iron in various forms. The first fuel used was bituminous coal; six or seven years later anthracite was substituted, being cheaper and readily obtained by way of the canal, the lessened cost of coal of course cheapening the cost of pro- ducing the merchantable iron. In 1833 the first blast furnace was erected in Boonton, a charcoal furnace standing near the later-day machine shop. The furnace consumed 1,000 bushels of charcoal daily, producing about 35 tons of pig iron weekly. With the high cost of charcoal in later years, and with the rapid improvements made in the use of anthracite coal in the making of iron, the charcoal furnace became unprofitable and was closed. At about this time the mills were mainly devoted to the manufacture of railroad iron, but that business was short lived, and the mills returned to the making of sheet iron and flat merchant iron of various sizes. In 1848 the first anthracite blast furnace in Boonton was built under the supervision of Samuel Thomas of Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, one of the great iron masters of his day. The furnace was originally thirty-six feet high with a capacity of 5,000 tons of pig iron annually. In the fall of that year Mr. Thomas was succeeded by George Jenkins as superintendent of the furnace, the latter continuing in that position until his death in 1864. In 1848 the New Jersey Iron Company decided to add a cut nail mill to their plant. It was filled with the best machinery and placed in operation in August, 1851. At this time the nail market was very low, $3.00 and $2.75 per hundred pounds being the prevailing rate, while some sales in very large quantities were made at still lower prices. The Iron Company, still suffering from a financial embarrassment, became still more heavily involved by the ruinous prices and resolved to close up. The mills and all real estate was sold at a sheriff's sale in May, 1852, Dudley B. Fuller being the only bidder and purchasing the entire property for $160,000. He had previously purchased all that was personal property about the mills and factories at its appraised value, $125,000. This purchase was not made from choice but from self protec- tion, Mr. Fuller having been for several years acting as commission mer- chant for the company, and being a large creditor. He publicly offered to discount his purchase $20,000, but no buyer appeared, the low price of iron products effectually curbing all desire to enter that field. Mr. Fuller, however, staggered along under the load until advancing prices on nails turned the tide and brought him fortune. A new nail mill was built below the canal, and many improvements made, placing the plant on a high plane of efficiency. Shortly after his purchase of the mills in 1852, Mr. Fuller took as a partner James Couper Lord, a son-in-law of James Brown, the banker. Henceforth, they operated under the firm name, Fuller & Lord. On the death in 1864 of George Jenkins, superintendent of the anthracite blast furnace, previously mentioned, he was succeeded by his son, Henry C. Jenkins, who repaired and increased its height to 45 feet and its capacity to 9,000 tons of pig iron annually. In 1868 Furnace No. 2 was built with a capacity of 12,000 tons annually. In 1874 Furnace No. I was again re- built, and its height raised to 70 feet. There had been a destructive fire in 1851, the original rolling mill, greatly enlarged, being then destroyed, but it was rebuilt the same year. In 1873 the saw mill, lower nail mill, cooper shop and several large drying sheds caught fire and were destroyed
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with 2,000,000 staves ready for use. New buildings were erected, and the plant was operated as a whole by Fuller & Lord until the last of June, 1876. Although Mr. Fuller had died in 1868, and Mr. Lord in 1869, the works were operated by the provisions of their wills until 1876. In the set- tlement of the joint interests in this large property, the estate of Mr. Lord came into sole possession of the real estate, including mills, furnaces, mines and other property. When the works closed down, the large mill was capable of producing 320 tons of puddle bars weekly. The next mill contained four furnaces and four nut machines. In the two nail mills there were 150 nail machines capable of producing 200,000 kegs annually. In the saw mill three sets of stave machines produced 20,000 staves daily, using 1,000 cords of chestnut logs annually, and 400,000 feet of whitewood and pine boards for keg heads. The average output of nails was 150,000 kegs annually, requiring 2,000,000 staves and 900,000 keg hoops. The mills covered six acres of ground, and paid out monthly in 1865 $30,000 in wages. Besides the mills, Fuller & Lord owned and operated several valuable iron mines that employed about 5,000 hands. Such was the nature and the extent of the great industry that gave birth to and for forty-five years fostered the growth of Boonton. An unbroken stillness reigned over the plant from 1876 to 1881, when a por- tion of the works was leased and operations were resumed. Until 1911 the works had periods of prosperity and many lapses, but did not entirely give up until that year. The building yet stands, but the machinery and equipment has been sold and the plant practically abandoned.
At Powerville, a mile above Boonton on the Rockaway river, a forge and grist mill were erected by Joseph Scott early in the nineteenth century. After his death in 1827, his son, William Scott, became sole owner. He was an active, enterprising man and sought to make improvements in iron making. He was successful in accumulating property and became the owner of large tracts of land, among them being the Hibernia tract, with its valu- able iron mines from which he obtained his supply of ore for his forge. He introduced at Powerville a method of separating the pure part of iron ore from the dross by first crushing it and then passing it over magnetic rollers. William Scott died at about the time anthracite was displacing charcoal in converting pig into wrought iron. The old-fashioned charcoal bloomeries passed out of existence, although one was kept in operation at Powerville for converting scrap iron into blooms by the use of charcoal.
At the death of William Scott, his son, Elijah D. Scott, succeeded to the ownership of the forge and grist mill. In 1846 with Thomas C. Willis he built a small rolling mill which was used for making the smaller kinds of merchant iron from the charcoal blooms made at the forge. Elijah D. Scott at his death left all the property on the east side of the river to his partner, Mr. Willis, who continued to operate the mills as before until his death. The forge and rolling mill were then rented and were used to make horse- shoes and other kinds of merchant iron from scrap blooms made in the forge, large quantities of scrap being brought from New York by canal and rail.
About a quarter of a mile from Boonton on the road to Montville, H. W. Crane built a mill in 1877 for the manufacture of foundry facings. He obtained his power from the overflow and waste gates of the canal and did a thriving business, often working his plant day and night.
In 1878 R. M. Booth began the manufacture of pocket cutlery on the south side of Canal street, obtaining power from the canal.
The Knox Hat Manufacturing Company also erected an extensive
Old stone house of 1776, built of mud, mortar and stone. Torn down to clear bed of new reservoir for Jersey City. Site now 80 feet under water.
Home of the Boonton Club.
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plant that is still in operation. Other industries of the present day are the lace manufacturing plant of Sontheimer & Stein; the extensive silk mill of Pelgram & Meyer; the bronze works of George Benda; the plant of the Boonton Hosiery Company, manufacturers of silk hosiery; the paper mill of Field & White, devoted to the manufacture of roofing and build- ing paper; the very busy establishment of Parker H. Sweet, manufacturer of files used in cotton manufacturing; the reclaiming plant of the Boonton Rubber Manufacturing Company, and of the Leonia Hard Rubber Com- pany.
Though the glory of the "hole" departed with the iron company, Boon- ton, it will be seen, is not a "one industry" town, but has adapted herself to changed conditions, and while the old order that brought her fame has de- parted, she faces the future confidently and contests with vigor to retain her old time supremacy.
Silk Making-The year following the closing of the great iron works, Boonton's greatest and almost entire source of employment, a number of the enterprising men of the town joined forces and erected a two-story building, 30x70 feet, intended for a branch of the silk making industry. The building was rented to a man who proposed to start silk weaving, but he turned out a failure, much to the disappointment and injury of the men who had invested. In 1879 a Paterson, New Jersey, firm put in steam power and machinery and began silk winding. They were successful and in a few months an addition of 100 feet was made to the building and work given to 130 hands. In 1881 the firm erected a substantial building op- posite the railroad station on the east side of the river, 40x200 feet, four stories high, where silk manufacturing has since been successfully carried on. Pelgram & Meyer, the proprietors, have other plants engaged in silk manufacture, and are well known in the business world.
The Post Office-Boonton until July 9, 1846, had no post office within its borders. For sixteen years the New Jersey Iron Company, and all others, were compelled to go three and one-half miles to Parsippany with and for their mail, yet Boonton, in 1834, had a population of 400, and in 1840 doubled that number and its postal business was five times as great as that of Parsippany and vicinity. In 1846 the post office at Montville was closed, and July 9 was removed to Boonton. The first postmaster was Edmund K. Sargeant, who served until November 27, 1849, then was succeeded by John Hill, who held the office until May 24, 1853, when Mr. Sargeant was reappointed, serving until succeeded by Dr. E. B. Gaines in 1861.
The office constantly grew in importance and in April, 1911, free de- livery was established, Charles F. Hopkins then being postmaster. A postal savings department was added when the government established their bank- ing system, and when rural delivery was inaugurated two routes were laid out departing from the Boonton office. The regular carrier force consists of three carriers, with two substitute carriers. The office force, in addition to postmaster and assistant, consists of three clerks and two substitutes, which will have to be enlarged, as the business of the office is constantly on the increase. The present postmaster is Joseph P. Cullen, appointed Febru- ary 9, 1914; the acting assistant postmaster is Walter W. Reeves.
CHURCHES.
First Presbyterian-Shortly after the opening of the mills of the New Jersey Iron Company, religious meetings were appointed for Sunday, Rev.
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John Ford, pastor of the church at Parsippany, officiating. The first meet- ings were held in private houses, but when pleasant in the shade of a grove. When the first school house was erected in 1832, that building became the meeting house. On July 1, 1832, the first church organization was effected, with the title of "Church at Boonton." The first members numbered nine- teen, nine of them English, ten native born, among the latter being John F. Winslow, the first general superintendent of the iron works. On De- cember 10, 1832, a meeting was held at the schoolhouse to elect trustees. preparatory to the incorporation of a church, in accordance with a law of the state. At this meeting, James H. Woodhull, Thomas C. Willis, Samuel Oakes and William H. Woodhull were chosen trustees. After conforming to the law, they signed and filed a certificate that the name adopted was. "The First Presbyterian Church of Boonton." In 1833 a church was erected on a plot donated by the New Jersey Iron Company, corner of Church and Birch streets, where the present church stands. Rev. John Ford and other ministers supplied the pulpit until July, 1834, when Rev. Joseph Vance accepted a call and was installed pastor July 19, continuing his ministry in Boonton until October, 1838. From that date until March, 1840, the church was without a pastor, the pulpit, however, being occasionally supplied. Rev. Cornelius Conkling was pastor to November 30, 1843, the church then being vacant until May, 1844, when Rev. Daniel E. Megie ac- cepted a call. He was installed May 29, and continued the loved and honored pastor until failing health caused him to resign in September, 1872. After his resignation, Rev. Megie continued his residence in Boonton until his death, in May, 1880, thirty-six years after his installation as pastor of the church.
The old church erected in 1833 was a small building, 35x55 feet, but it served its purpose well for twenty-six years, then was sold and removed from the lot to be supplanted by a larger and more expensive building. The old church, however, was not disgraced, but was moved to the opposite side of Church street, where as "Washington Hall" it was used for public meet- ings. The second church, built in 1859, was as first erected 36x72 feet, but in a few years was greatly enlarged in width. The first parsonage was built on the south side of Church street in 1840, and was first used by Rev. Cornelius S. Conkling, and subsequently by Rev. Daniel E. Megie, whose first wife died there. He married (second) Mrs. Hester Briggs, a widow, sister of his first wife, who owned a residence on the corner of Church and Birch streets, opposite the church. After his second marriage, Rev. Megie moved to his wife's home and the parsonage was soon afterward sold. A second parsonage was built in 1874, on a part of the church lot, at a cost of $6,000. This church, ever a powerful force for righteousness, is still a vital force in the community and abounds in good works.
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