USA > New Jersey > Morris County > Annals of Morris County > Part 24
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He has lelt descendants who are highly respectable and whilst scarcely less could be said of Ium, we are to charge the fault which led to the disasters of his career to the char- acter of the times in which he lived, aud to east over it the mantle of charity.
Let us now retrace our steps to learn what the Parish did during the ministry of Mr. Carle. The carlier part of it seems to have been marked by such ability on the part of the mims.er as to attract the attention of the people and inspiro them with some ambition to make the meeting house decent and cots- tortable. In February, 1794, the Parish re- solved " io raiso three hundred pounds for
The vice of the times was intemperance as might be inferred from this history of " the new parsonage," and whilst he was pastor hero Mr. Carle seems to have somewhat indulged ( repairing and finishing the meeting hous." It
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ANNALS OF MORRIS COUNTY.
is difficult to realize the condition of the house thirty -Jour years after it was raised and en- closed. It had several aristocratic pews in it, but it was neither eerled nor plastered. The birds and the air had free admission, and in that comfortless place all the meetings of the church bad been attended, and there Mr. Carle had been ordained ou a Jannary dav, as in the same room finished, but also without fire, his successor was ordained fifteen years afterward on a cold December da ;.
In April, 1794, " three hundred and upward subscribers." were reported for the meeting house, and on the 10th of June " the Trustees Articled with Job Allen to finish the Meting hons for £360." Ou the 10th of December a committee appointed by the Trustees " to im - spect the meting bons reported that they have viewed the bons and cannot agree upon the goodness of the work." On the 26th of the same month the Trustees met aod with them Job Baldwin and Jonathan Brown, "Two Joiners." These gentlemen were invited to " determine conserning the work and to settle with Job Allen," and after viewing the house gave it as "their opmiou that the hous was finished something better by more work done to it than agreement by the amonut of one pound and eighteen shillings." It being de- cided that " the west stairs bad not been done in a workman'ike manner, Allen relingnested his claim to and gave it to the Parish ." Upon the adding of a few little things to the gallery "the Parish voted to receive the bonse now fimished." In January, 1795, it appeared that of the L312 subscribed to repair the church Allen had only collected L230 The Trustees threatened to proscute thedelinquents, and as I find no further mention of the matter I infer that Allou received his pa.v.
Iu September 1794, Mr. Carle asked the con - gregation to raise bis salary to £150 per year with the use of the parsonage and firewood, and I suppose it was so arranged, since there was so good an understanding between the minister and parish that " the Board in December gave Mr. Carl leav to Build a Smoak houso on the Parsonage and bring the account against the Trustees." In the same mouth we have Mr. Carle's receipt 10 Inll for salary and repairs of the Parsonage up to 16th of September.
a remuant of the "oild Parsonage &t three ponnds current money per acre." The amount named was £55, 10%, 6d. At a subsequent meeting Mr. Carle's salary was fixed at £180 per year " and to find himself and fire wood." There is evidence in the records that it was not easy to raise money for him, and at last some of the permanent lunds were appropriated to make up the deficiency. Indeed without know- 1 g it certainly I infer that the money realized for the sale of the parsonage properties was used to pay Allen his balance for repairing the church and Mr Carle's for salary.
The " now parsonage " in Franklin was sold to Dr. Ebenezer HI. Piersou in December, 1795. for eleven hundred dollars, " $375 of which was to be paid on the Ist of May next and the re- mainder in one year from that time with in- lerest." How long Dr. Pierson was a citizen of Rocka way I have no means of knowing. He was generally esteemed and had an extensive practice.
The enterprising people now took in hand "the feusing Meting hous " and " the clearing and fensing the Meting hous Lot and likewise a Duar yard. An agreement was made in 1796 wbith Stephen Jackson "lor elcaring the whole of the Met ng house Lot in front of the hous said Jackson to clear it off well by entting the stumps low and all the underbrush and Burn It all for the wood and bald Rans." Aud yet in 1797 the parish " agreed to make a fiolick to c.ear off tre Brush in front of the Mening hous and heap the wood and sell it at Vaudue." At that time it was resolved "' to paint the in- side of the Meting hous." "Job Allen to far- Dish the paint and on and superintend the work."
The record of April 21, 1793, shows that that faithlul and good man to whom the church owed so much, Capt. Job Allee, had re- cenily died. May 7th, 1793, the name of a man to whom the church owes a debt that can never be pud, appears on the records for the first time, when " JOSEPH JACK.UN was appointed clerk of the Board." in 1800 the question is raise I " the Trustees shail break upou the lands to pay Mr. Carle's salary, and whether the frustees shall have leavo to ask a separation with Mr. Carl." In 1801 Mr. Carle's ministry was closed in Rocka- way and in May of that year his family was re- moved to Elizabethtown Point. I am told he went to Connecticut to be the pastor of a church. His accounts with the Parish were no: balanced until October. 1801.
December 7, 1795, Mr. Carle "informed the Trustees that he had concluded to buy a ptase of his own and that the Trustees might have full liberty to sell the Parsonage " and in April following, 1796, " Mr. Carl muformed the Board that be bad purchased bimseff a plase viz. of The only discourse of any sort which we have from Mr. Carle's pen is his "Funeral Sermon on the Death of General George Wash . Rockaway. Very considerable formality . Was David Beeman." This bouse was on the west side of the village near the Righter Fonudry, and was alterward kuown as the "Berry [ ingioa." It was delivered in the old church at House. At the same time Mr. Carle purebase 1
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ANNALS OF MORRIS COUNTY.
observed in having the military present and a | named on the books as paid for their minister- ial services during those years .*
procession formed which proveded to the church to listen to the sermon and theu re- turned to the starting place between the lonse of Stephen Jacksou and that on the opposite side of the road then occupied by Col. Chilian Ford. This was on the east side of the river in front of the residence ceenpied by the late Col. Joseph Jackson. The discourse of Mr. Carle was published in a pamphlet for sale and in 1860 it was republished in the Sussex Demo- crat. It will be found in the issue of June 7th. It is in no respect a very remarkable document, but it is ereditable to the author's patriotism.
In June, 1802, Joseph Jackson was unani- monsly chosen President of the Board, and that year appears the evidence of some tronole about the Wind's legacy in connection with the ocenpant of the farm, Barnabas Banghart. Through the years following we find arrange- ments "for paying the supplies on the min- istry ordered by the New York Presbetery," buying a crowbar, pick, spade, bier, etc. for the use of the graveyard. The bier is described carefully as " to be made of white oak timber, heart stuff. 10 feet long with le s morticed into the side pieces to realish even on both sides with an Inch shoulder lengthways with 4 slats across with brads in and to be painted black." In 1804, there were in the treasury "sixty. six dollars and twenty and a hall ceuta" and the same was ordered to be put out at interest and " to tabe landed security for the same." In 1807, Joseph Jackson Was permitted " to enclose in a fence twenty eight feet square in the grave ground at the meet- ing house where his wife is buried for a bury- ing ground for his family and such ot his Father's family as may choose to bury their dead there."
Among the ministers who supplied the Rock- away pulpit after Mr. Carle left it is the Rev. Lewis Williams who was credited with " six months services in preaching the gospel in Rockaway Meeting House " for which he was paid $180. This was in 1805 *. During the years 1802-3 and 4 the congregation paid five dollars a Sabbath for the occasional supply of the pulpit. The Rev. Mes:18. Lemnel Ford- ham, Crane, James Richards, Amzi Armstrong, Aaron Coudit, Mathias Carnet and Keys are
It is evident that considerable ebanges have taken place in the condition of the people. Faesch of Mount Hope has failed and moved away, and the furnaces there and at Hiber- nia nuder new hands are doing an uuprofit- able bormess. Moses Tuttle, Stephen Jack- xon and Benjamin Beach have become rich.t The population has tuercased, and yet then as ever since there was that disparity in Wealth among the people which is common in com- monities which depend on the manufacture of iron.
Within the bounds of the parish there were several nou mines that were worked. Among these were those at Mount Hope. Hiberuna, Monut Pleasant, and the Swede's Mine, rear Dover, which " was discovered about 1792 or 1794." There were blast furnaces at Mouut Hope and Hibernia, and forges at Rockaway, Horse Pond, Denmark, Dover, Franklin, Nin- kie, Shaungum, and some other places. The iron was still taken to New York by way of Ehzabethtown Poiut.
As for the moral condition o. the community when Mr. Carle was dismissed and ontil the tourtb pastor eame there is but one testimony . Not merely was religion at a very low condition, bul irreligion was in great power. Within the bounds of the parish there was not a leading man who made a profession of religion. Some were open scoffirs, and the masses were neglecters of religion.
One of the old men who has recently passed a way once wrote to me of one part of the par- ish at this time that "during the reign of Israel Caufield & Co., Dover, was notorious for its infidelity and wickedness of all kinds and was considered a second Scdom. All the Pro- prietors as well as their Agents and Managers had embraced the sentiments of Tom Paine and they gloried indiesennuating themselves. The club meluded a great number of influen- tial mea in the county. * * * * *
Israel Canfield was converted in the great revival nuder Rev. Albert Barnes at Morristown, but the rest of the club persisted in their opposi- tion." He speaks in the warmest adnuration
*Mr. Jackson speaks of Mr. Wilhamns "as an Englishman jus. from over the water who for six months was hire : to preach half Ins time at Rockaway and the balance ar Suekasnona. Ife was a hard preacher. more of a Jew than a Gentile as he lad a perteet abhorence of Pork or Lard in any shape or combustion in lits tood. He boarded at my uncle Benjamin Jackson, and my annt was not slow iu prep . r- ing ha ford with a good proportion of swine's flesh in some form or other !"
*One who often heard Mr. Fordham, says " he was longer winded than Mr. Baldwin, mak- ing the Sabbath a day of pain rather than one of ethiteation to those compelled to ride those old seats without ens bions to relieve their suf- lerings." The free and casy pen of my ohl hiend Mr. Jackson is discernible in the sen- tence but all I bear of Mr. Fordham from other sources is of the same import.
+Stephen Jackson died March 28:1, 1812. Benjamin Brach, May 17th, 1827. aged 82 Years, John Jacob Faesch, May 26tb, 1799, and Moses Tuttle, July 10th, 1819.
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ANNALS OF MORRIS COUNTY.
of Mrs. Jacob Losey as a woman of extraor- dinary piety and goodness, who was a gentle but powerful refutation in herself of the blas- phemies which these meu were nttering even when seated at her table. It was no doubt of Mrs. Losey that Mr. King speaks in his de- scription of Dover. " he was one of the first fruits of my ministry, and ber consistent and boly life exerted an important influence. Her death which occurred two years after she pro Messed hope in Christ. gave a severe blow to infidelity. A sister and two brothers aban- doned their mufidel principles and professed faith in Christ." (40th "Ann." Ser. p. 17.)
When this gloomy period closed and a brighter one dawoed there was but a single Christian man within the wide bounds of the Rockaway congregation who could offer a prayer in public or at the bed side of the dying. This ras Deacon John Clark. Pro- faneness, drunkenpeas, Sabbath desecration, and other forms of immorabty were general, and. as Mr. King remarks in his Fortieth An- niversary sermon, "religion was at a low ebb, almost as low as it could be and not become extinet." And yet in this dreary survey there is one cheering fact that the people were determined to keep the church alive so far as they could do it by their contributions and attentions. We cannot doubt there had been from the very first some devout Christian people who bad carried this church on their bearta, and the life of the church was in them hid in Christ and therefore safe .*
*The following list of members of the church previous to the settlement of the Rev. Barna- bas King. I have received from Hubbard S. Stieble, Esq., who is now ( 1858) about seventy- three years ofd. All or most of these persons are not mennoned in our other catalogues.
OFFICERS OF THE CHURCH.
David Beaman, William Ross,
John Huntington, Jacob Allington, Job Allen,
John Cobb,
Obadiah (?) Lum.
Mr. Stickle thinks be has heard that Abrabam Kitchel and William Winds were officers
MEMBERS.
William Winds, Robamah Winds, Josiah Bramau, Hnidab Beamao,
John Cook, Jane Cook, John Peer, Betty Peer, Ehzabeth Stickle, ( wife of Peter)
Peter Suckle. (son ut Elizabeth and brother
of George, Hubbird's father) Mary Allen, (Job)
Mrs. Casterline, ( Daniel's mother)
Mrs. Phebe Ross, (Moses) Mrs. Patience Matthews, (James) Mrs. Elizabeth Lausaw, (Fraucis Lausaw) Daumel Tuttle,
Eleanor Tuttle,
We now turn our attention to the new era in this church's history. Among the accounts of the Trustees appears this item which was the first beam of a brighter day to Rockaway. " 1806, Jan. 26tb, cash paid Mr. King for preaching one Sabbath $4.50." Although he supplied the church occasionally during that year and the next he was not permanently employed until in October, 1807. From that time until his death, April 10th, 1862, a period of almost fifty-five years, the history of the church and his biography would be, if not the same, identical in mauy important particulars. A sketch of his life previous to his appearance in this pulpit will be pertinent to this history.
Barnabas King, son of Amos Kirg, and his wife Lucy Perkins, was born at New Marl- borough, Mars., June 2d, 1780. He received a careful elementary education in the public school, and there arrested the notice of his minister, Dr. Jacob Catlin, by his proficiency as a scholar and his admirable manners. Dr. Catlin offered to take him into his family and for his services on the farm prepare him for the Freshman Class of Williams' College. He spent about two years in the paster's family winning his esteem, and in the fall of 1800 was admitted to Freshman standing at Williams. He was graduated in 1804, and spent the year following in teaching and in the study of the- ology with Dr. Catlin, who, December 2Ist,
Mrs. Stagg, (mother of Eleanor Tuttle)
Mrs. Mary Beaman, (David) Mrs. Ross. (William)
A brabam Kitchet,
Mre. Kischel,
Mrs. Elizabeth Huntington, (Dea. Jolin)
Mrs. Williams, (at Ninkie) Mrs. Betsey Stiles, ( wife of David Stiles and
daughter of Abraham Kitchel)
Mr. Stephen Beach, Mrs. Beach, Mrs. Anderson, (Eleakım) David Garrigus, Sr., Abigail Garrigus,
Mrs. Innis. (John) (ask Mrs. David Hamilton) Mrs. Lois Herriman, (wife of John Herriman and sister of Capt. Job Alten)
Mr. George Brinkerhoff,
Mrs. Brinkerboff,
Mis. Hanbab Kıtchel, (wife of James)
Mrs. Teabo, (wife of Nicholas and grand-
mother of Jacob Powers) Mrs. Deney Hatheway (Silas) Absalom Lyon, Catharine Lyon, Samuel Beaman, Coonrod Estler,
Margaret Estler, Enos Lymas,
Mrs. Lymas, Fnos Lymas, Jr., William Ray, Mrs. Rav, John Strong,
Josbna W.nget, Jaines Lockwood, Charity Lockwood,
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ANNALS OF MORRIS COUNTY.
1805, in a letter of commendation speaks of him as " possessing an amiable and hopefully Christian character, who was gradnared at Willams' College and licensed by the Associa- tion of Berkeshire County to preach the gos- pel as a candidate for the Christian ministry. He has preached acceptably for a number of mouths past, and I feel increasing confidence to recommend him to the further improve- ment and service of the churches "
Having during his college course spent a part of one winter in teaching at Little Falls, N. Y., he had packed his saddle bigs in De- cember, 1-05, to start for Central New York In search of a field of labor. The day before he was to start his classmate Beach returned from New Jersey with reports of "an open door " in that region. Mr. King at once set out on horseback, crossing the Hudson at Newburg, and the line betweeen New York and New Jer- sey at Vernon. He spent Christmas eve at a country tavern at which there was a noisy vall The next day ho made his way to Sparta where Robert Ogden, a distinguished lawyer-lather of Col. Josep Jacksou's first wife-received him into his family. He soon began to preach statedly at Sparta and Berkshire Valiey. He was in this position when he came to Rocka- way on Friday the 24th of Jannary, 1806, and preached at a private house his first ser- mon in the parish from the words " To every thung there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."- (Eccles. 3, 1.)
" On the 5th of Oct., 1807, the trustees voted to offer the Rev. Barnabas King two hundred and eight dollars as a salary for preaching in one meeting house for one half of the time for one year from and after the setting of the New York Presbytery in the present month." Mr. King was waronly commended to the lockaw.y people in a letter from Robert Ogden of Sparta, aud having had the permission of the Pres- bytery Mr. King began a work which was to result in extraordinary success, and which was only closed with his life more than fifty- six years after his first service in this tiekl.
The other half of Mr. King's time that year Was given to Sparta and Berkshire Valley. Whilst in this parish he was for some time the guest of Moses Tuttle, and afterward of Col. Jackson. "On careful inquiry it was found that the church consisted of 35 members at the true he commenced preaching bere, twelve of whom were wulows."* At this time Mr.
King seemed a slender, beardless youth. in feeble health, although he had passed his twenty-seventh birthday, but he began at once in the most systematic minger to n.in- ister to his new charge preaching publiety and from bonse to house. He not only preached in every neighborhood but he visited every house for religions instruction and prayer. Although not a singer he met with the singing schools and in a way that carried great power rought to give them a religious tone. The effect was somewhat apparent in the mereas- Ing members that attended church and a pro- found religions interest in the congregation. In 150g, there was a remarkable revival adding eighty-four to the church. This revival was iu progress when Mr. King'sordination and in- stallation took place. The larger part of the converts were received into the church by Dr. Richards of Morristown, as Mr. King could not yet administer the ordinances.
The Presbytery of New York ordained and mustalled Mr. King pastor of the church on the 27th of December, 1808. Although the Meet. ing Honse bad been finished it was a rude affiir. and very cold. It had no stove in it un. til 1820. The day of the ordination was a cold
Peter Kanonse, min. Penina Searing,
Mary Kanonse, Abigail Conkhng,
Roth (Sam's) Williams, Sammel Palmer, Susan Sebidmore, Bethnel Coe. Phebe ( Times) Shores, Thankful Lampson,
Samnel Beam tu, Hannah M ntou.
Prudence Hathaway, Sarah Beach,
Absolom Lyon, Margaret Arnold,
Catherine Lyon, Rachel Briant,
John Cook,
Enos Squres,
Jacob Prer, Joanna Peer,
Hannah Squres,
Jacob Squres,
Rosanua Teabo,
Elizabeth Hyler,
James Ferris and wife Charity, There are 36 names in place of 35.
One of these who were received 'n 1808 was Mrs Elizabeth Conger, widow of Cant. David Conger she was the mother of thirt .on chil- dren. She is described as a woman ot great energy and excellence. She was received into the church April 10th, 1808. Surrounded by a large family she taught them to work and ihns to be self- supporting, and songht to lead them to Christ. With the nimost punetnahry she conducted fimity worship and lived to see her sous dying nobly, Abyjah weat South on a mission to the Indians, and settled in Georgia leaving a unmerons and excellent body of de- »cendants. John removed to New York and passed a useful life, amassed property, was an honored older in the church, and a grand man every way. Stephen did not noite with the church tint was a most estimable man and reared a most estomabte family. The daugh- ters without exception were worthy of their mother and have given to the church and so- ciety a large number of people who largely carry the moral impress of the christian ances- lees whose mime hea is this note, Iler de- cided piety decided the character of her decen . dants. She was married to Tung Bor v. Sept. 11th, 1812, and died Angust 14th, 1822, in tier 58th year.
*The following is a list of the 35 members copied from a piper in Dr. King's handwriting John Clark,
Elders.
David Peer, Cubarine Innis, Patience Matthews,
Ehzabeth ( David) Peer, Auna Earle,
Mary Alleu,
Auna Beaman,
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ANNALS OF MORRIS COUNTY.
one, and the Presbytery had met at a private house, (Col. Joseph Jackson's. ) for the exami- nation of the pastor elect, and at eleven o'clock went to the church which was well filled with people. There was a prayer meeting in pro- gress and as the minister reached the door, Deacon Clark was " wrestling in prayer " with wonderful earnestness for 'a blessing on the church, its pastor and the services of the day. As the venerable supphant closed his petitious, Dr. Richards greatly moved, expressed his be- lief that a pastorate thus begun must result in great good. The Rev. Dr. John McDowell, of Elizabethtown, preached the sermon from Rev- elation, 1: 1 " Who holdeth the seven stars in his right hand," the Rev. Dr. Richards, of Mor- ristown, delivered the charge to the pastor, and Rev. Mr. Perrine, of Bottie Hill, the charge to the people. The services were not shortened to suit the weather but were held nearly three hours, after which the members of the Pres- bylery dined at Col. Jackson's. Whilst at the dinner table the attention of the company was arrested by the shaking of the table. On in- quiry it was found that Mr. King bad become so chilled at the meeting house as to be shak- ing as if with a violent ague. It is worthy of remark that as such men as Griffin and Hillyer and Richards, and MeDowell and others, looked at the pale young minister whom they had or- damned, and at the revival then in progress in his church they said among themselves "what a pity that such a man is evidently destined to an early death !" And yet he survived every member of the body that ordained him ! There were more brilliant and famous men in that Presbytery as also in that of Jersey to which he afterward was transferred but it is doubtful whether there was one more honored by his brethren in the minstry or inare blessed in his work as a preacher of the gospel.
The first revival in his ministry that of 1808 has been referred to, and it was a significant fact that of the eighty who were received on profession of their faith sixty-three were heads of families, and twenty of these were fathers. And no sooner had the Presbytery invested hin with the sacred gifts of his office than Mr. King seemed at once to redouble his exertions. It was a novel right in Rockaway, this grave and beautiful man of God. so circumspect and earnest, that he needed no other letter of con- mendation to his people. He visited the cabins of miners and colhers among the mountains, and the humble homes that nestled in the se- cluded valleys or were built on the sides of the mountains. He was an evangelist not only in these humble abodes but in the homes ot the rich at Denmark, Mt. Hope, Rockaway, Dover and Mt. Pleasant. Punctilious in his prepara- tion for the pulpit he was systematie in his
visits to his immense parish which was in every direction ten miles in diameter. And he visited not mainly for friendly conversation on ordinary topies, but for the special purpose of winning souls to Christ. Usually each day's visitations were finished by preaching in the evening at some house in the neighborhood. It was a habit that he rarely departed from to return to his home after the evening service, however distant. He was once returning dur- ing a voient and sudden storm from Shongum and could only see his way at intervals by the flashes of lightning. On another very dark night he had started from Mt. Pleasant ; his horse stopping suddenly he felt his way cau- tiously to his head and found him standing on the edge of an uncovered mine hole. A single step forward would have plunged him and his master into sudden destruction.
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