USA > New Jersey > Morris County > Annals of Morris County > Part 4
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Probably about the time of Cooper's arrest. or previons to it, be soll his interest at Liber- nia to Lord Stirling, who was already a joint owner, und his arrest was at Hibernia in 17.3.
I have seen no deed of sale by either Cooper or Henderson, but can only say that Lord Stir- ling was reported to be the sole owner of the works when he rented them to Mr. French. This innst have been subsequent to July 10. 1778, at which date I bud a letter to Lord Stir- ling, from Charles Hoff, his manager at Hiber- nia, reporting to him what he was doing. Jo- soph Hoff, the son of Charles Hoff, Sen., of Hunterdon County, was for some time tho man- ager of the Hibernia Works .* The letters of which I have copies from the brothers Joseph and Charles Hoff, reach from May 17, 1775, is July 10, 1778. From these wo learn that pow- der was scarce, that "the weather is so very
* I have copies of several letters from him to Robert Erskine, Lord Stirhug, "Messrs. Robt. and Jno. Murray," Col. Moylan, Murray, Sau- son & Co., and "Col. Knox, at Fort Washing- ton, in the State of New York ;" also some from his younger brother, Charles Hoff, who at his death anceceded him in the management. The original book is in the possession of Joseph 'T. Hoff, Esq., of Mount Pleasant-P. O. address. Dover, N. J.
* Morristown Bill of Mortality, 41.
t Minutes Privy Council MS. . Proceedings N. J. Hist. Soc. V, p. 51.
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ANNALS OF MORRIS COUNTY.
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* Then a prisoner with the English. See Col- lections Hist. Soc., Vol. II, p. 163.
* Among the incidents of the war was the robbery of Charles Hoff's house and stables, by a gang of fellows from the neighborhood of Ramapo, led, as was said, by the notorious Claudius Smith. They came suddenly into the house in the early evening, compelled the fam- ily to get supper for them, stole what jewelry plate, fine goods and horses they could, and made off for the mountains again with their plunder. In 1790 Capt. Joseph Board, who re- sided in the vicinity of Riugwood, wrote Mr. Hoff concerning some of the miscreants who eame to a bad end. Smith and his party shot down one Lieut. Clark, who had been their pur- suer, but the murderers were themselves over- taken in thelr hiding place and all shot.
t Compiled by Rev. Abner Morse.
warm (August 25, 1775) that if I do not have | which caused an abundance of candidates for rum for the people I fear they will be more the places. The same year (July 4, 1778). Mr. Hotf wrote a card ou the subject of "a good many deserters, both of the British troops and Hessians, who are come in and sent to Phila- delpilia." He seeks to engage some of these for cutting wood, making charcoal, doing work as mechanics, and other employments. His brother, John Hoff, was sent to Philadelphia with particular instructions as to kird, mnm- bers and pay. He did not succeed in the plan. Mr. Faesch employed several Hessians at Mount Hope, most of whom remained in this country after the war .* sickly ;" that, June 30, 1775, "in conversation with Lord Stirling, this week at this place, he told me it was his candid opinion that every kind of intercourse between New York and Jer- sey would be immediately ent off by the port of the former being shut ;" that in the spring and summer of 1776 attempts were made to cast cannon at Hibernia, with no great success, al- though "last night we made a tryal at casting one of the guns. but, unfortunately for us, we brought the furnace too low and it missed in the Breech, all the rest was sound and good ;" that, Sept. 2, 1776, "I lament much Lord Stir- It will be seen that Hibernia and Mount Hope both have claims on onr interest, m dis- cussing the early history of Morris County. ling's situation at present ;* hope, however, he may be exchanged tor some persons of equal rank in our custody ; the dangerous situation of Let me before closing this paper gather np a few dates and facts concerning other parts of the county. From a maunscript "history of the Congregational Church, "t I learn that "the tract of land now constituting the town- ship of Chester, was surveyed and run into lots in 1713 and 1714, and began soon after to be set- tled with emigrants from Southhold. L. I., who had been brought up in the Congregational church planted there by their fathers, and were by conviction and profession attached to its doctrines and customs. It was in their hearts to do as their fathers had doue, plant a church of the same faith and form of government as that in which they had been baptised and to which they owed so much. Having settled from one to three miles apart, in a country to be cleared of heavy timber, with their private buildings to erect, roads, bridges and fences to make, and families to support, it is wonder- Inl that they, as early as 1747, should have been able to ereet a commodious honse of worship with pews and galleries to seat an andience of 400. This house stood abont six rods west of the present meeting house." property of all kinds gives me sensible concern for yon in particular and the province in gener- al ; I hope, however, to hear more favorable ac- counts soon, tho' indeed the crisis seems to be arrived, which must decide the fate of New York one way or the other ; happy for us that we have so secure an asylum from danger." He then tells bis correspondent "we have made two small cannon," which he asks to have tried. He writes to Col. Knox for help "to support the business and complete the job." July 27, 1777, Charles Hoff, who succeeded Joseph, writes to Governor L'vingston that "we are now boring and preparing for trial four or five cannon of three pounders, and are of opinion That they will prove good, which would be of great use in the artillery. We made last year, tor the publick service, upwards of one bundred and twenty tons of shot of different kinds, many tons of which are here still. I shall over think myself happy and in my duty to my country, to contribute by every means in my power in opposing that tyrranical spirit which is now exhibited in the British nation, and shall be ready to obey any The Presbyterian church, at Chester, was or- gazized iu 1752, and began its meeting house about 1755. commands from your Excellency for that end." That their capacity for iron making was not large, is evident from the statement of the man- A manuscript account of "the Evangelical Lutheran church of German Valley, Morris ager to his New York correspondents, that "we make 15 or 16 tons weekly," which "pig-metal, I have sold some for 12 pounds, some for 15 pounds, some for 20 pounds and some for 30 pounds per ton." The Hoffs wanted to make cannon, and so write to Col. Knox, saying, "we would willingly engage to make a quantity of shot of any kind and try at some eannon-say 6 or 9 pounders-&c. We are persuaded our iron will answer for cannon, as we have proved the first we made to be good." Charles Hoff, in 1778, says the government gave exemption to twenty-five men for the Hibernia Works,
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ANNALS OF MORRIS COUNTY.
county, New Jersey " has this record : "This part of our county appears to have been settled in part by Protestant Germans, some time about the year 1740. This settlement of Ger- mans, together with others in Hunterdon and Sussex counties, was visited as early as the year 1745, by the Rev. H. M. Muhlenbergh, D.D., so justly distinguished for his learning, piety and patriotism. With his name, and the names of his sons, the early history of these German settlements, as well as the history of tho entire American Lutheran church, Is rich- ly interwoven. The Lutheran church, of Ger- mau Valley, was originafly incorporated with Lutheran churches in the above named coun- ties, the principal one of which was located at New Germantown, Hunterdon county. The more distinct history of these churches com- weneed with the year 1767, at which time, through the agency of the Rev. H. Muhlen- bergh, those churches obtained a charter of in- corporation from George III, King of Great Britain, executed by William Franklin, Esq., Captain General and Governor of the Colony of New Jersey, "at his office in Burlington." The first church built at German Valley was a log house of very rnde construction, which, in 1775 gave place to the Union church owned by the Presbyterians and Lutherans."*
In the north-eastern part of the county set- tlements were made very carly. Dr. Schenck, for several years the pastor of the Reformed church at Pompton Plains, says that the first settlements in that region were made ou the east side of the Pompton river, in what is now Passaie connty. "At the opening of the year 1700, it is probable that there were bnt five or six white families in this valley- that is on the east side-and probably nome on the Plain-, or west side of the river. The first lamihes came from New York, and were, some of them at least, members of the Dutch church, or their fathers were. A few families also settled in 1700 in the vicinity of the Ponds. The ear- liest notice we have of preaching, in this regien of country, was at the Ponds, in 1710. The first house of worship was built in 1735-6, and dedicated April 7th, 1736. This was also on the east bank of the Pompton river, a little be- low where what was then called the Pompton river empties into the Pegnanae, and on lunds formerly belonging to the Schuyler family. It was probably taken down in 1770." The first church. crection at Pompton Plains was planned in 1769, and finished, so far as to be used, in 1:71. Its pews were not made until after- wards.t Dr. Schenck says, the first purchase
* MS sketch of German Valley Lutheran church, by Rev. E. D.
& Copy of Dr. Schenck's Paper in Minutes of Pompton Plains Church.
of lands in the Pompton valley, from Indians and proprietors, included the great body of the land in the valley. If some lover of local his- tory would spend a few days among the Ryer- son, and other old famihes, of Pompton, Ring- woerd, and Bloomingdale, in the examination of deeds, and compare these with the Records at. Amboy and Trenton, the date of settlement in that region could probably be settled, since these families are said to have been among the first in that region, and their descendants still live ther ..
The NAME of the county and its shiretown has elicited some icqniry. A few paragraphs concerning the genealogy and name of the county will close this paper. In 1709 the Pro- vincial Legislature passed an act defining and naming several conuties. The county of Bur- lington then included all the present counties of Hunterdon, Mercer, Morris, Sussex and War- ren. lu 1713 the same anthority divided Bur- lington county so as to set off by itself the county of Hunterdon, in honor of Robert Hun- ter, the Governor of New York and New Jer. sey. Hunterdon then included the present connties of Hunterdon, Mercer, Morris, War- ren and Sussex. On the 15th of March, 1738-9. the Provincial Legislature passed an act which set off from Hunterdon the territory mcluded in Morris, Sussex and Warren, and named it Mon- RIS, evidently in honor of its Governor. Lewis Morris, who about a month previous had been appointed the first Governor of New Jersey as a Province distinct from New York .* For ser- eral years, according to Allinsou, the most of the citizens of Morris county must have been practically disfranchised. since it appears that until the passage of an act, May 10th, 1768, and confirmed by the King, in Connen, December 9th, 1770, they voted in Hunterdon as former- ly : being allowed " from time to time, as occa. sion shall be. to appear at FRENTON, OR ELSE. WHERE IN SAID COUNTY OF HUNTERDON.and there to vote and help to cleet and choose Rep- resentatives for the said county of Hunterdon. after the same manner as formerly before the making of this act."t
As to the early settlement of MORRISTOWN my information is quite meager, although I have given a great deal of time to the search for it, and must now band it over to the local Instorian. A single record at Trenton shows that surveys had been made in Morris town- ship about the time of the surveys m Mend- ham, Chester, Randolph and Hanover town- ships. The first purchase on the west side of Pompton river, according to Dr. Schonck, was made about the year 1700 ; those m Mendham,
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* Papers of Governor L. Morris, 29.
t Allinson's Laws of New Jersey, 109, 306-7.
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ANNALS OF MORRIS COUNTY.
Chester, Randolph, in 1713-14; on the 27th of November, 175, Frederick Miller bonght land in Rockaway valley, above Boonton, of " Wil- lium Allen and Edward Shippen, excentor of Humphrey Murray, deceased, of Philadelphia," which land belonged to a tract surveyed unto James Bollen, for Legatees of George Hutch- inson, deccased. containing 1666 acres .*
As late as 1738 the name of Morristowu was West Hanover, as is evident from the record made by the Rev. Gilbert Tennent of his visit, in July of that year, to " West Hanover." I suppose it must have been a question agitated among the people soon after the county of MORRIS was set off from Hunterdon, whether the county town should not receive the name of the Governor also ; but the first official use of it, that I have discovered, is two years after the organization of the county. The following record in the first volume of minutes of the Court of Common Pleas, tor Morris county, is an important addition to the history of the Ponuty and is given entire.
" MARCH 25TH, MDOYXL.
GENERAL SESSIONS OF THE PEACE. " The Court taking into consideration the necessity of dividing the county of Morris into Proper Townelups or Districts, for having proper officers within every such Township or District, and more especially for such officers as are to act in concert with other Townships, we therefore order and Determine that from henceforth a certain Township, bonnded on Pissaic river, Poquanock river, to the lower end of the great pond at the head thereof, and by Rockaway river and the west branch thereof, to the head thereof, and thence eross to the lower end of said poud, and shall henceforth be called Poquanock Township, District or Pre- einct.
" And that a certain road from the Bridge, by John Days, up to the Place where the same road passes between Benjamin and Abraham Pierson's, and thence up the same road to the corner of Samuel Ford's fence, thence leaving
Samuel Ford to the right hand. thence run- ning np to the road that leads from the Old Iron Works towards Suecasunning. and cross- ing Whippenung Bridge, and from thence to Succasunning, and from thence to the great pond on the head of Museonecung, do part the Township of llanover from the Township of Morris, which part of the county of Morris, Lying, as aforesaid. to the Southward and Westward of said roads, lines and places, is or- dered by the Court to be and remain a Town- ship, District or Precinct and to be CALLED AND DISTINGUISHED BY THE NAME OF MORRIS Towy."
"The court adjonrned till nine o'clock to- morrow evening."*
It seems probable that the court acted thus in view of petitious from the people ; but. how . uver that may be, this settles definitely the name of the town and, as I think, disposes of a suggestion of a different origin for the name made by myself on a previous occasion.t
It is worth while here to state that the First Presbyterian church of Morristown was actu- ally organized the same year with the county of Morris, 1738, although its organization was attempted three years previous ; but, as is stated in a deed made by the trustees of that church to the Justices and Freeholders of the county, September 7th, 1771, "on the 8th day of September, A, D. 1756, bis late Excellency Jonathan Belcher, Esq., Captain General, Gov- ernor and Commander-in- Chief in, and over. the Province of New Jersey, &c., did make and grant, nuder the great seal of said province, unto Benjamin Hathaway, Charles Howell. Henry Primrose, Benjamin Bayles, Thomas Kent, Benjannu Cox and Samuel Roberts (by the natoe of the Trustees of Presbyterian church of Morristown), a CHARTER, Investing them and their successors with full powers to receive, and give grants of lands for the use and benefit of said Presbyterian church, &c." The object of this conditional conveyance, in 1771, was to furnish the Justices and Frechold- ers of the county with night to " a certain Lot of Land, commonly called the Gally," " con- laining one acre, strict measure," " for the sole nse and purposes of a Court House, Gaol, and other necessary uses, for the Court House. Gaol, &c., as long as the said Court House shall remain on said lot, or the said county ap- plies the same to those purposes only, and no longer." The consideration was " the sum of £5, current money of the Province aforesaid.
* This warrant bears date March 14th, 1714- 15. This tract is said in the deed to be sur- veyed to the said James Bollen, for the lega- tees of Hutchinson, dec'd, " for his Lot, of No. 21, within the New Purchase made of the In- hans, above the falls of the Delaware river," and it is said to have been " surveyed unto the said James Bollen, in three several pieces, and near a place called Wippannog, in the county of Hunterdon, in the month of May, 1715." (E. Jersey Records, Liber F, 3.) On the 1st of June, 1769, " the Right Honorable William, Earle of Stirhng, and Lady Sarah, Countess of Stirling, for the sum of £2,902, seil to Col. Staats Long Morris, of New York, 967 37-100 acres in the TOWNSHIP and COUNTY of MORRIS, which tract is said in the deed to have been originally surveyed in 1715. (E. Jersey Records, Liber F 3, D. 23. )
* Minutes of Conrt of Common Pleas for Morris connty, N. J., Book No. 1, p. 2. In July of same year John Kinney was proclaimed Sheriff, and licensed to keep tavern in Hano- Ver.
t Pres. Quar. Rev., vol. VI, 289, April, 1868.
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ANNALS OF MORRIS COUNTY.
at eight shillings the ounce, to them in hand paid, &c., and also that said Justices and Free. holders, do constantly and continually keep full and in passable repair, that part of the hereafter mentioned lot of land commonly called the Gully." The names of the church trustees in September, 1771, were Henry Prim- rose, Benjamin Bayles, Benjamin Cox, Samuel Roberts, Joseph Stiles, Samuel Tuthill, Ste- phen Conkling. The name of Benjamin Bayles is signed with "his mark."
The Justices and Freeholders of Morris county, at the same date, were Robert Gonfd, Lemuel Bowers and Josiah Broadwell, Esquires, Justices ; and Freeholders, Matthew Lum, Mat- thias Burnet, Noah Beach, Jacob Gould, Jacob Ford, jr., hartzhoru Fitz Randolph, Jacob Drake, Jabesh Bell and John Stark. The sub- scribing witnesses to the deed were Timothy Mills, jr., and Joseph King, and it was ac- knowledged before Jacob Ford, sen .* The court honse and jail were on the northwest corner of the square. On the 1st of April, 1816, the Trustees of the church, for the sum of sixteen hundred dollars, made over their reserved rights in what is now the publie square, to cer- tain gentlemen named in certain condi- tions that the ground might be orna- mented and improved, but not built on " ex- cept for a meeting hons , a court house and jail, and a market house ;" and if " at any time thereafter the county of Morris should cease to use the land now occupied for a court house and lot, for that purpose, the same should be considered a part of the green or common, Nn bject to the conditions aforesaid."
This paper, already too long, must be con- "luded. I regret that it cannot be made toffer and more explicit. The older members of the Society, who may have tried their haud at writ- mg local history, will appreciate my difficul- ties, and the young members will do so as soon as they attempt the same thing for any tocal- ity east of the Delaware, or west of the lud- HOD.
Let me then sum up the facts ascertained with more or less certainty.
The earliest purchases of lands in the Conn- ty of Morris, so far as I can learn, were in Pe- quannock Township, in the vicinity of Pomp- ton Plains, on the west side of the river, from the Proprietors and Indians, as early as "the
opening of 1700," when there "were five or stx families" on the opposite side of the river. The first settlers were from New York, Long Island, and probably Bergen County, New Jer- sey, as then constituted.
The church there dates back to 1735 or '6.
The next PROBABLE date is that at Hanover. near Whippany Presbyterian Church, at the Old Iron Works, and is "about 1710." The car- iest ACTUAL Jate is the deed to James Bollen. "near a place called Whippenung," in the County of Hunterdon, in the month of May. 1715." The same year we find a traet surveyed in the town and County of Moukis. In 1718 John Richards, schoolmaster, decded to his neighbors, for use ot a church, school house. training ground, burying yard, &c., the ground now occupied for the cemetery at Whippany. This defines the date of Hanover Church as 1718.
The earliest surveys and purchases at Mend- ham, Chester, Randolph and Mill Brook (near Dover), were made in 1713. The great Dich- erson Mine was purchased in 1716, Iron Works were built at Whippany "about 1710," and it forge near Dover in 1722. This defines the be- guning of things af Dover.
About 1725 or '30 settlements began at Rock- away, and forges were built on different streams at Rockaway, Denmark, Middle Forge, Ninker. Shaungum, Franklin and other places from the year 1725 to 1770.
Col. Jacob Ford, Jr., built Monat Hope in 1770, and sold to Mr. Faesch in 1772, m which year the furnace was built by the latter.
The " Ringwood Company "organized in 1740. and sold out to the " London Company" in 1764. Hasenclever was the first manager of the London Company, then Farsch, and then Rob- ert Erskine. The lands of this company are said to have been confiscated during the Revo- lution.
German Valley was settled by Germans about 1740, visited by Dr. Muhlenberg in 1745, and its church actually buih in 1747.
The Rockaway Presbyterian Church dates back to 1758, some thirty years after the first settlement.
The COUNTY OF MORRIS was organized in 1738, and its first Township of Hanover a re- gion of country of indefinite extent, previous to this date, while it belonged to Hunterdon.
MORRISTOWN recived its name in 1740 from the Court of Comumou Pleas, and three towu- ships deferred, viz., Hanover, Morris and Pe- quannock.
Pompton Plains, indeed, we may say Pequan- nock, as a section, was settled by Holland Dutch ; Hanover, Morristown and Chatham, by people from Newark, Elizabeth und Non England ; Mendham and Chester, from Long
* I regret not to be able to give my authori- ty for these facts. By some mistake, at the time I made the quotations, I neglected to note the reference, but from the fact that these deeds, alluded to, are among notes which were taken when examining the East Jersey Records at Trenton, I inter that I found these also in Liber F', 3, East Jersey Records, but am not sure. I am too far from Trenton to verify my inference.
AL., OF MORRIS COUNTY.
and and New any and ; Randolph and Rock- gay, by Holland Dutch and a promisenous ag- riment of people from various localities, mong them what was then Essex County ; nd German Valley by Germans. Not a few Įnakers from Burlington County were among the pioncers.
It would be pleasant to note some changes in the country since Reading first stuck his tri- pod in Morris County, and the trip hammer at Hanover, Dover and Rockaway first rang its music among the forests, and the last rem- lants of the Indians vanished from the Rock- tway and Musconeteong ; but this would tran- cend my purpose. Let me commend the work of collecting the early history of this beautiful County to our YOUNG historians.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF GEN. WILLIAM WINDS .*
Much of the early history of Morris County lost beyond recovery, and with it the char- ter and deeds of many who figured largely in at history have faded from the memory of man. In gathering the materials for this pa- per, my mind has been agitated with regret that so little can now be known concerning the men and the events connected even with our Revolution, and with indignation at the crimu- mal negligence which has permitted the loss. By way of extenuation it may be said, however, that Morris County was settled by a plain and mpretending people, who cared but httle for he honors of ancestry, and who judged that sterity would be able to care for themselves.
ked by great integrity of character, and
at for the cause of religion, honored with a competence which their simple habits convert- ed into abundance, and little thinking that posterity would look back so far into the past with a real desire to know its history, they ept but few records to which we may now re- er', and these generally pertaining to the titles ftheir lands, and the common transactions of ch churches. As for any extended records men distinguished among them as civilians, ists, or patriots, or of the origin, progress success of any expeditions in defence ot rights as a community, or in aid of the ry at large, there are scarcely any in ex- e. It is certainly not a little strange, county, the patriotism of which furnish- ny men and large supplies to our army the war for Independence, and which ice honored as containing the winter 3 of the American army, a county which theatre of bold exploits, and the anx-
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