USA > New Jersey > Morris County > A history of Morris County, New Jersey : embracing upwards of two centuries, 1710-1913, Volume I > Part 69
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From the Munson Family History we learn how the Munson family came to these parts. It is interesting, now and then, to trace one family line back in its wanderings over the face of the earth, and in this way we see how a town like Dover has drawn its human elements from many widely separate sources, meandering by devious ways until they reach Dover and stay there for a while. No town history can be understood without these excursions "up stream." These excursions are quite as significant as the search for the sources of the Nile, but we never get back to the source in a human history, until we make one final leap and merge all our histories in the old Adam, original proprietor of New Jersey and other provinces.
(I) Thomas Munson, born 1612, died 1685, aged 73. First record of him shows that he resided in Hartford in 1637 and participated in the Pequot War. He was one of the founders of Yale College. He was a carpenter and also known for his military prowess.
(II) Samuel Munson resided at New Haven and Wallingford about twelve miles from there. He was baptized in 1643.
(III) Samuel, born 1668, in Wallingford, died 1741, aged 73.
(IV) Solomon, born 1689, in Wallingford, died 1773, in Morristown, aged 84. Solomon went to Morristown, New Jersey, in 1740.
(V) Solomon (no memoranda).
(VI) Ezekiel, born 1762, in Morristown, died 1828, Dover, aged 66. He was an iron-worker, working for a number of years in the forge of John Jackson. Then he bought a farm near Benjamin Lamson's. I have discovered in my searches an old memorandum of October 7, 1805, telling that Ezekiel Munson and Rhoda, his wife, of the township of Mendham, county of Morris, sold to Moses Hurd of same place for $110 lands near Horse Pond Forge in the township of Pequannack. This Ezekiel used to plough the ground for Mr. Losey where the business part of Dover is now located. Ezekiel sold the Munson farm to Mahlon Prudden. Mahlon Mun- son bought it back.
(VII) Mahlon Munson, born 1798, died 1881, aged 83, was a member of St. John's Episcopal Church, Dover. He helped Jacob Losey cart iron from the Dover works to Elizabeth Port, whence it was shipped by water anywhere.
Sarah Emmeline, a daughter of Mahlon, married M. V. B. Searing, and now resides in Dover with her son, Mr. Frank Searing. Mahlon O. Munson lived and died on the Munson Farm.
(VIII) Mahlon Ogden Munson, born 1828, in Dover.
(IX) Stella Eugenia Munson married Leonard Elliott, now living in the old homestead of which we are writing.
(X) Marjorie Elliott, Leonard Elliott.
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(IX) Mary Esther (sister of Eugenia) married George P. Curtis.
(IX) Thomas Sidney, in Morristown. He has three children: Helen S. Munson, in Dover High School, 1914; Sidney and Edith.
Such is the story and descent of the oldest title, it may be, in the city limits of modern Dover. (And of one of my esteemed pupils. A school- teacher's interest, of course, is in the personality of his pupils rather than in the real estate which they inherit. In all this history of Dover I am study- ing the background of my educational works of art.)
The Baker Homestead on the Sparta Road :
Where Green Pond Brook crosses the Sparta turnpike about two miles northwest of Dover is a clump of buildings that was once a hive of in- dustry. We learn from Munsell's History that this plantation was located by Jacob Ford in 1757. Known as the "Jonah Austin" plantation in 1774, it was afterward the property of Josiah Beaman, the iron manufacturer of Dover, by whom it was sold in 1792 to Jeremiah Baker, who devised it to his two sons, Henry and William H., in 1861.
My interest in these old places becomes a personal one through my pupils whose family history is associated with them, and through persons who have responded to my antiquarian research by giving me some clue to the past as revealed by a relic or by reminiscences. I like to follow these bypaths of history. It seems more like stumbling upon wild flowers in the woods, as compared with the smooth highway of a generalized history. And so when one of my pupils, Wm. H. Baker, shows me an old account book of 1794 I feel that I am getting close to the sources, finding how one corner of our community life was going on in those early days. A clue to the population of that time would be found in the list of ninety cus- tomers whose accounts are kept in this book, among them Cornelius Hoag- land, Josiah Beeman, David Cooper, Hurds and others. This business was carried on by Baker & Ludlow, and such entries as this are found: Mend- ing pair shoes 0:2:0, a pair shoes for Jane 0:4:6, ditto for Enos O:II:0, for Mr. Hoagland 0:9:6, to soling a pair stockings 0:3:9. The accounts are kept in pounds, shillings, and pence. Payment was made in a variety of ways, for example, calf skin 0:5:0, bar iron, 2 beef hides 2:4:9, 0:3:27 lbs. iron at 36-ct. 1 :15:8, 1/2 day's work 0:3:0, day's work getting Barke 0 :4:0, 1/2 bu. apples 0 :1 :0, 1 1b. flax 0:1 :4, I pig 0:5:0. Samuel Hix, Cr. by carting iron to Elizabeth Town o:10:0, by two shoats I :0:0. Much interesting knowledge about the cost of living and the ways of living in those days could be gleaned from this old book.
Two old scraps of paper covered with school boy figuring show us how Silas Dell, in his "Syphering Book," pored over the mysteries of "Vulgar Fractions" in 1808. This may be the earliest exhibit of school work to be found in this vicinity. A three-foot measuring rule of metal, folding in lengths of four inches, and used by Silas Dell forms a souvenir of one of our most indefatigable surveyors, who in his search for un- claimed parcels of land, worked out, plot by plot, the first general map of this vicinity. This map is now in the possession of Mr. Wm. H. Baker, proprietor of the Baker Theatre.
A Toal Book, dated Feb. 1816, has columns ruled for Rye, Wheat, Corn, Buckwheat, Oats, Sweepings, Cornfeed.
An old torn book of 1815-19 is inscribed "Henry Doland His Book." A brief note pinned in the book reads thus: David Cooper's order, New- foundland. Mr. Ludlow I have sent you one calf skin. Pleas to credit
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me for the same and send me the six pare of shews if you have them done and oblig Yours D. Cooper, 21 July 1796. Even the old pin used here tells a story of the progress of invention. " This is a pin with a fine wire bent around the top to form a head. The process of forming head and stem of one piece came in later and was a great step in the making of pins.
Another book speaks of Isaac Hance making iron in 1820, and con- tains items about tailoring, iron, wood, clothing, flour, general trade, and work.
An old drum has this inscription written on it :- OLD DRUM: Be- longed to The First Company, Second Battalion, Third Regiment of the Morris Brigade, April 29, 1822. J. Baker. This was Jeremiah Baker, of the Morris Rangers. Their advertisement or summons to appear for train- ing day may be found in old newspapers. There is also an old cannon, made in 1824 at the rolling mill in Dover. This was used for training days and on Fourth of July.
In his book of stamps young William Baker has a specimen bank note of the Morris Canal and Banking Company. It is printed on one side only, as follows :- $1.00 State of New Jersey Receivable for Canal Tolls. 12 mos. after date Morris Canal and Banking Company will pay One Dol- lar to Wm. Pennington or Bearer with interest at Jersey City. No. 5694. Aug. 5, 1841. Isaac Gibson, Cashier. Edwin Lord, President.
A companion piece to this, illustrating the history of Banking in Dover, is a blank form, printed on one side only, called a POST-NOTE (the word being printed across each end). This note is finely engraved by C. Toppan & Co. Philada. & N. York. The upper engraving represents a number of ladies with an eagle in their midst. They seem to be taking notes on the eagle (not bank notes). - after date THE UNION BANK at DOVER Promises to pay to the order of Dollars
Dover, New Jersey 18 ..
Cash'r. Seal of N. J. Prest.
I have not yet been able to find anyone who could explain to me the nature and history of such a post-note. This is printed on deckle-edged, handmade paper, such as they used before 1840. This came from the Segur bank, and was given to me by Mr. Andrew Byram.
Another relic shown to me by my young friend, Wm. Baker, was a calfskin covered trunk, made by Major Minton in Dover about 1823. (Major Minton built the frame building now occupied by Kilgore & White.) An inscription in the trunk reads :- "Bought by Henry Baker of Jacob Powers who worked for Major Minton, for I pr. calfskin boots." It is lined with The Palladium of Liberty of date Oct. 9, 1823, and measures about 20 inches by 12 by 10. This, with the petite trunk for lady's apparel found in the Vail Home, goes to illustrate the history of trunk- making, another industry.
Shoe-making and the tanning of leather was the great industry at the Baker Homestead. Jeremiah Baker learned the business of tanner and currier and shoemaker with his brother-in-law, Ziba Ludlow, in Mendham. Among these relics is a sheep-skin that was tanned at the old place, and a good piece of work it is. Mr. Wm. H. Baker of the Theatre has a pair of shoes of primitive simplicity, but stout material that were made at the Homestead; also a woodchuck's skin of beautiful yellow leather, that was tanned there. Such skins were cut into strips for leather thongs and shoe- strings. Even the woodchuck had his uses.
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Leather, to be well tanned so as to be durable, must be left in the vat for several years. When the Civil War broke out, a man came through here trying to buy up all leather in the vats for use in making shoes for the army. He wanted to buy all that Mr. Baker had in the vats at the time, regardless of the time it had been curing, but Mr. Baker refused to sell any leather that was not thoroughly tanned, and ready for hard service.
A pair of homespun trousers made by Mary King, wife of Jeremiah Baker, and a bag for hops, of material like burlap, shows a specimen of woman's handiwork.
Mr. Wm. H. Baker has shown me some old tools found at the Baker Home. A carpenter's brace and bit, made by hand from a slab of oak, and used about a hundred years ago is among them. The top of the handle works loosely on a wooden pin turning in a hole bored out with an auger. The bit is fastened in the lower end by nails driven around it, and remains in place. This is in great contrast to the modern brace and bit with its ad- justments. Mayor Lynd tells me that ship carpenters used to be equipped with this kind of a brace-and-bit made by hand, out of white oak, one for each bit that was used.
A blank book of Phebe Baker's dated Randolph, 1829, shows the school work that she was doing in arithmetic at the age of 14, and contains rules and examples in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The book is adorned with the most elaborate and fanciful headings, marvel- ous specimens of penmanship, which may have taken more time than the examples in arithmetic.
These few specimens of work, of tools, of accounts go far to suggest the historical background of our community-and even of our national life a century ago.
THE HISTORY OF INDUSTRY AND OF BUSINESS.
The history of industry and of business in this section of country might well form a volume in itself, and a most interesting one, both in its beginnings and its later development. I have gathered many items with an eye to this, hoping that these stray facts might disclose their significance and be of value in a department of study which is now claiming the atten- tion of our High School students, and becoming of new import in that large body of literature which deals with business as a human interest.
An old account book kept at Mt. Pleasant by Baker & Ludlow (1794-1799) contains much information about the kind of business that was transacted, besides giving a valuable list of the persons then living in this vicinity. In Munsell's History we read that the first store in Dover was started about the beginning of the nineteenth century "in what is known as the Hoagland House, which stood on the north side of the Rockaway River near the depot of the Central Railroad of New Jersey, and was kept by Canfield & Hunt." I think I have the advertisement of that store among my advertisements from old newspapers. But in the old account book just mentioned I find under the account of John Cooper, 1798, January 13, the entry, "To Credit at Dover Store 3:0:0. June 15, To paid at Dover 0:17:6." This bears witness to the fact that Dover then bore its present name, and that it had a store in 1798. In the Daniel Mills account book we found traces of Tuttle's store at Mill Brook at an earlier date.
The index of the Baker & Ludlow book gives us the following names : David Allen, William Alger, Jonathan Aken, Samuel Burnet, Josiah Bee-
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man, John Burril, Veniah (?) Bayles, Titus Berry, Daniel Backouse, Elkeney Babbitt, Ephraim Burrel, David Cooper, John Cory, John Cooper, Clifton Forge, Joseph DeCamp, Joseph Diceson, John DCamp, David DCamp, Stephen Dickeson, Lemuel DCamp, Henry DCamp, Jonathan Deane, David Edminster, Lemuel Eakley, Elijah Freeman, Chilion Ford, Caleb Fairchild, Stephen Freeman, Charles Gorden, Thomas Green, John Grinder, Jacob Grigger, Cornelious Hoagland, Charles Hoff, Josiah Hurd, Dan Hurd, Joseph Hurd, Stephan Hurd, Amoriah Hynds, John Hance, James Hinchman, Samuel Henry, Samuel Hix, H. Dan & Joseph, David Henry, Isaac Hurd, John Hares, Christopher Hoagland, Moses Hoppens, Peter Jonson, Stephen Jackson, Thomas King, William Ludlow, Jonas Lyon, James Meeds, Timothy Mills, Patrick McGil, Jonathan Miller, John Mills, Coonrod Miller, Roburd Olever, Ebenezer Person, John Reed, Valen- tine Rider, James Raymond, Daniel Right, William Ross, Moses Ross, Matthias Seig, James Shadwin, Jonas Smith, Chrilion Strate, Daniel Strate, Daniel Strate Jun., Obidiah Seward, Benjamin Turner, Thomas Toan Jun., Ebenezer Tuttle, Thomas Toan Sen., George Turner, Joshua Thompson, Wydow Write, Edward Wels, Benjamin Williams, John Williams, Samuel Wirts, Henry Williams, John Whitehead. This makes a list of ninety names.
Still other names can be found by searching the pages of the book, such as names of persons in the family or in the employ of the one with whom an account was kept, to whom a pair of shoes or repair work is charged. Under Cornelius Hoagland we find these names: Jane, Phebe, Enos, Sinior Anderson, Tobe Brown, his Wife, Mertin, Anna, Moses, Spenser & for his wife, Jane Die, Silas Tirner, Dealyer, Timothey Wire, Barn ya, Oakey, Dan Clark, John Losey, James Meeds, John Pope, Gorge, Barny Pope. A complete list of such names, listed under another name, would go far to form a census of the population at that time.
Under Charles Hoff we find Jane, Joseph, Samuel, Williams, Claresey, Betsy, Hariet, Lotty, Rose, Charles, Tobe Brown Jr., Abden Owens, John McCurdy Boy.
Under Joseph Hurd we find Moses Hoppin, wife, Betsy Lum, Betsy Nickles, Isack, "your child," James, Hannah Lum, William Arven, Daniel Lum, pair shoes for petty wife, James, to Leather for strings 8:6, Mc- Barney,
Under Josiah Hurd we have Isac, Moses, Josiah, Betcy Co, Caty Brown, Mr. Loper, James Loree, Betsey Purkins, Cr. by nine knot & a half thread o:1 :7,
Under Dan Hurd we have Victor Thibough, Stephen, Phebe Conger, John, Betsey, Charles, John Sheldin, Cr. by 209 p Beef hides at 5 d per 1b. 4:7:3. By I C. 2 qr. 2 lbs. Comon Iron at 40/ 3:0:10. By I C. I qr. o lb. Iron Mill at 36/ 2:5:0.
Under Stephan Hurd we have Abram, baby, Polly, Mary, Caty, Caty Ogden, John. Cr. by 6 shad at 1/6 per shad 0:9:0.
Under Capt. David Allen,-shoes for turner, Jacob gardner, To an order on Dover store 1:0:0, Banjamin Williams, mot vandine wife, David, sopher, Henry Williams, Samuel Williams, peter Jonson, Moses Lamson, Henry Williams, shadie, To Elijah Freeman for getting Timber for a Dwling house in partnership 1:10:0, To Benjamin Turner.
It begins to look as if the General Store were a sort of neighborhood banking house, where accounts of all the neighbors were balanced off. I wonder if this can be the beginnings of our banking system.
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Under Elijah Freeman we have-John, Stephen, To an order to Jonas Smith 16/, pair shoes for gairl 8:6, To two hundred iron 2:16:0, To half day work by David Hurd o:3:0.
Under David Hurd we have-Elizabeth Coo, Nathanel Bunel, Hanah Carshel, John Norris, Robert Monday.
Under Thomas Toan Jun., we find Adam Dowlin, John Davis, John Grinder, To paid Joseph Hurd for Boards 12:6, To paid Edward Wells II:O. (This does look like a rural banking system.)
Under David Hervey 1797, we find Mrs. Heddin, To a load of Clay 0:7:6, To Ballense due on Iron that went to york 0:6:6:, shoes for Reece, By Credit on John DeCamp's Books 2:6:6. By a sheepe o:8:0, By a pig 0:2:0. By 5 tunes of oer 5:0:0.
Under Matthias Seig we find Nelley, wife, Micle, Mary Dannels, mikel, Elizabeth Grinder, your Boy, michel, Mary Chaise, Phebe Sheldon, By a quantity of iron. (Seems to have been in iron business.) To order on Dover store 2:0:0.
Under Josiah Beeman we find Ned, hulda, Bloom, susey, hulday, To making a pair for susey found thread 0:4:4, John Carle To making a pair shoes for susey found understuf 0:7:0, To making shoes at your house I:IO. Cr. by a pig & fork 0:8:6, By Cr. on John Carle & Wm. Salcry 0:15:6, By Dr. on Bond 10:10:4.
Under Ebenezer Person we find To a pair of shoes for your Neagro 0:12:0, To a pair of shoes for Mrs. Seig o:9:6, To a pair of shoes for Noah Berry 0:11:0, To a pair of shoes for wench and a pair for Gairl o: 16:0, To a pair small shoes for scooly o:6:0. (It looks as if all the neighbors had their shoes charged to any other neighbor who kept an account at the store.)
A little note pinned in the book at Ebenezer Tuttle's account lets us into the secret, as follows :-
Mount Pleasant, December 9th, 1795.
Mr. Baker Job Browns Wife Tells me you have made her a Pr. Shoes if so Let her Have them, and I will See you Paid. Ebenezer Tuttle.
As showing how business was conducted, the following paper may be of interest to our modern students of accounting :
Dover May 7th 1818. Rec'd from Jeremiah Baker 47 bars Iron wg. 25.1.13 lbs. which remains Stowd with us till further orders.
42 bars Mill Iron made by Whutenowe & Love-w. . . 23.0.20
5 bars small iron. 2.0.2I
25.1.13
D. off
22
For Blackwell & McFarlan Thos. Miller.
4 bars of the above Iron w. 2.1.23 made by Whutenowe & Love to be worked over at Dover.
25.0.19
ENDORSED .- May 12th 1818. The within Iron credited to Mr. Baker in the Book of B. & McFarlan at Dover from which was lost in wt. in making 4 bars sound 22 lbs. & charged for Coal used 10/. Mr. Baker pd. Morgan & Black June 10/.
JACOB LOSEY agent for BLACKWELL & McFARLAN.
Ent'd on Book.
The books of McFarlan, still preserved, are a model of old fashioned accounting, and contain much information about the history of real estate
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transactions on a large scale throughout northern New Jersey, with a view to locating mineral lands.
Many more names of persons and items of information can be ob- tained from such old accounts, such as are in the possession of William Hedges Baker, through whose kindness I have been permitted to make these extracts.
HURD PARK.
Hurd Park, the gift of John W. Hurd to Dover, was formally dedicated to public use on October 12, 1911. Mayor John Mulligan presided and made the opening address in these words :
"It seems most appropriate that Mr. Hurd should be the donor of this, the first great gift to our town of a purely public nature, as the name of Hurd is one of the oldest and most respected in this vicinity; it may, in fact, be said to be synonymous with Dover, for history records that about the year 1722 Moses Hurd, one of the forefathers of the present Mr. Hurd, setting out from Dover, New Hampshire, whither his ancestors had immigrated from England about the middle of the seventeenth century, and traversing the wilds of what now forms the State of New York, entered New Jersey and settled close to the spot on which we are now stand- ing, having been attracted by the natural beauty and promise of the sur- rounding land. Moses Hurd found employment at Jackson's Forge, which stood close to the present site of the Singleton silk mill, acquired a tract of land near by, to which he gave the name of Dover, after his native home in New Hampshire. This name, being adopted by his neighbors who settled on adjoining lands, gradually supplanted the same of Old Tye, by * which the settlement was formerly known. (Such is the tradition. ) * *
"Those of us whose good fortune it has been to have become asso- ciated in any way with Mr. John W. Hurd know him as a man of sound judgment and well defined ideas, a man in the best sense of the word, but withal of such a kindly nature that our most enduring impression of him is that of a man at peace within himself and radiating with good will toward his fellow men, a calm and upright Christian gentleman.
"As our eye surveys this land, which it has been our good fortune to have presented to us, we see but a meadow, traversed by a winding brook, where but lately horses and cows were wont to graze. But if any doubt its possibilities, I would invite their inspection of the framed plan yonder. I doubt not the people of Dover can be relied on to take advan- tage of the opportunity to beautify this spot as it deserves." * *
Miss Orlena McDavit recited the following sonnet written by Charles D. Platt in acknowledgment of the gift:
FRIEND HURD, we greet thee by the honored name Of 'friend,' for thou hast done a friendly deed For Dover, long thy home; the worthiest meed Of friendliness is love; we own thy claim Upon our hearts; be thine the gracious fame Of one who loved and blessed his native town, Seeking no other guerdon of renown Than kindly memory of thy kindly aim- The gratitude of all who at this spring Shall quench their thirst or find refreshment here Mid scenes of quiet beauty and delight;
So may this park in years to come oft bring An hour of peace and of abiding cheer To hearts that read thy heart and gift aright.
ยท
John H. Hurd, donor of Hurd Park.
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The spring referred to is one whose water had for many years sup- plied the Hurd family and others in the neighborhood with drinking water. Mr. Hurd was particularly attached to this spring of water and stipulated in his deed of gift that it should not be stopped up. The water is said to be of special virtue, having some of the qualities of a mineral spring. It is of an equable temperature, summer and winter, and forms the source of one of the streams that flow through the park. During the presentation exercises the following song was sung by the pupils of the High School, led by Miss Charlotte G. Temby.
SONG FOR THE SPRING IN HURD PARK. By CHARLES D. PLATT. By this spring of water flowing Freely for all, .Sweet refreshment here bestowing Freely on all, When the summer suns are burning, Then for cooling shadows yearning,
Here we turn aside, and turning, Find rest for all.
When the Frost King, life enthralling, Imprisons all;
When the snows of winter, falling, Have covered all; Then thy waters, mildly flowing,
Wind where cresses green are growing,
Sweet refreshment still bestowing, Freely on all.
In his concluding paragraph Mayor Mulligan called attention to the spirit and purpose of the donor of the park:
"As I allow my imagination to carry me forward a few years, I see before me a veritable garden spot with well kept lawns and flower beds; a limpid lake, whereon water fowl disport themselves; winding paths bordered by shrubs and shading trees. The merry peal of children's laughter greets my ears and here the older people are wont to walk in the evening after the labors of the day, attracted by the restful beauty of the spot. If I fail not in my purpose, I have summoned to your mental vision a scene of quiet calm and wholesome contentment, one that should serve as a fitting memorial to perpetuate the name of Hurd, one that aptly symbol- izes the calm and wholesome life and character of our venerable and be- loved friend and benefactor."
John Ward Hurd, the donor of the park, is the last descendant of the pioneer Hurd family. In 1722, or shortly after, Moses Hurd, great-great- grandfather of John W. Hurd, came from Dover, N. H., and procured work at the old Jackson forge located a short distance from the site of the park. At that time there were only four houses in Dover. Josiah Hurd, son of Moses Hurd, (so the tradition has it), took up a large tract of land here some time in the eighteenth century and this farm has been in the possession of the Hurd family, in direct line of father and son, up to the present. John W. Hurd was born in the old homestead, August 12, 1827. He was educated in the public schools and spent his life on the farm until the California gold fever broke out, when he became one of the "Forty- Niners" and made the trip to the western Eldorado. He met with success and when he returned he was rich.
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