USA > New Jersey > Hudson County > Bergen > Annals of the classis of Bergen, of the Reformed Dutch Church, and of the churches under its care: including, the civil history of the ancient township of Bergen, in New Jersey > Part 4
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THE HISTORY OF BERGEN.
In a general provincial assembly, 10th April, 1664, Bergen was represented by Englebert Steenhuysen and Hermanus Smeeman .*
In 1664, by virtue of full power from Lord John Berkley and Sir George Carteret, on the 10th of Feb- ruary-Philip Carteret, Governor of the then province of New Jersey-and by their concessions of 10th of February, 1664, authorizing the said governor, of the province and his council, to make grants of land sub- ject to such rents and reservations as might be proper, said Philip Carteret and his council did, on the 22d day of September, 1668, make, execute and grant un- to the Town and Freeholders of Bergen, a Charter or deed of lands and privileges. The boundaries of the same are thus described : " The bounds and limits of the aforesaid town and corporation of Bergen, is to begin at the North end thereof, from a place called Mordavis' Meadow, lying upon the West side of Hud- son's River ; from thence to run upon a N. W. line, by a three rail fence, that is now standing, to a place called Espatin, and from thence to a little creek sur- rounding N. N. W., till it comes into Hackensack River ; containing in breadth from the top of the hill, one and a half miles, or one hundred and twenty chains. From thence it runs along said Hackensack River upon a S. S. W. line, till it comes to the point or neck of land that is over against Staten Island and Shooter's Island, in Arthur Cull Bay, containing in length about twelve miles. From thence to run Eastward along the river called Kill Van Koll, that
* Brodhead's History of New York, p. 729.
55
THE HISTORY OF BERGEN.
parts Staten Island and the main, to a point or neck of land called Constable's Point or Constable's Hook, and from thence to run up Northward, all along the bay up into Hudson's River, till it comes to Mordavis' Meadow aforesaid, so that the whole tract of upland and meadow, properly belonging to the jurisdiction of the said town and corporation of Bergen, is bound- ed at the North end by a tract of land belonging to Captain Nicholas Varlet and Mr. Samuel Edsall ; on the East side by Hudson's River ; on the South end by the Kill Van Koll, that parts Staten Island and the main ; and on the West side by Arthur Cull Bay and Hackensack River. The whole, both upland, meadow and waste land, containing according to the survey, eleven thousand five hundred and twenty acres Eng- lish measure."
The second article of the charter requires a payment to the lords, proprietors, or to their heirs or successors, or Receiver General, of £15 sterling for the whole tract, in lieu of the half-penny per acre, mentioned in the concessions ; payment to begin on 25th March, 1670.
The sixth and seventh articles of this charter are of great interest in the religious history of the town, and of the church and school.
The sixth-that all the freeholders aforesaid, or the major part of them, have power to choose their own minister for the preaching of the word of God, and the administering of his holy sacraments; and being so chosen, all persons, as well the freeholders as the inhabitants, are to contribute according to their es-
56
THE HISTORY OF BERGEN.
tates and proportions of land for his maintenance, or to lay out such a proportion of land for the minister, and the keeping of a free school for the education of youth, as they shall think fit, which land being once laid out, is not to be alienated, but to remain and continue forever from one incumbent to another, free from paying of any rent, or any other rate or taxes whatsoever. Notwithstanding, it shall and may be lawful for any particular person or persons, to keep and maintain any other minister at their own proper cost and charges.
The seventh-that in religious concerns and the way of worshiping God, there is liberty of conscience granted to all persons in general, as well to the free- holders as to others, that shall be admitted inhabit- ants within the said corporation or township, they taking or subscribing to the oath of allegiance to the king, and fidelity to the lord proprietors and their successors ; and that no persons whatsoever, shall be injured, molested or troubled for his or her difference of opinion in matters of religion, provided that this liberty granted, shall not extend to licentiousness, or the disturbance of others, and the public peace.
The fourteenth-empowers the corporation to erect and ordain a court of judicature within the jurisdic- tion and for the limits thereof, for the trial of all causes actionable, between party and party, from whence no appeal could be taken under £5 sterling, and also for the trial of all criminal and causes of misdemeanor, and to inflict such fines and punish- ments as the merit of the cause shall require, as by
57
THE HISTORY OF BERGEN.
imprisonment, stocking, pillorying, ducking, brand- ing, whipping, (not exceeding twenty stripes), and the like. The court to consist of a president, who was to be a justice of the peace, and of the magistrates or any two of them, at the least; a clerk, and such other officers as they shall appoint.
Under this charter the government of the township was maintained until the 14th day of January, in the twelfth year of the reign of Queen Anne, A. D., 1714, Robert Hunter being then Governor-in-Chief of the province of New Jersey, when a petition from Andrew Van Buskirk, Barrent Christian, Enoch Freeland, Rutt Van Horne, Hendrick Cuyper, Winder Deverichs and John Deverichs, being freeholders, in behalf of them- selves, and the other freeholders of the town, setting forth the previous possession and enjoyments of their ancestors, of divers lands, tenements and heredita- ments, and their exercise of divers privileges and im- munities, by virtue of the charter of September 22d, 1668, and that many of the lands were lying undivi- ded, and were subject to great damage and waste of wood; and that by said charter sufficient authority was not given to prevent such damage, as well as for other purposes, relief was needed from the Govern- ment. An act was passed of that date, in the reign of Queen Anne, giving the petitioners a new charter as a community, or township, or body corporate, or politic, by the name of " The Trustees of the Free- holders, Inhabitants of the Township of Bergen," with more extensive powers.
By this authority they were declared a body corpo- rate and politic, with power to sue and be sued, to 3*
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THE HISTORY OF BERGEN.
purchase, have, take, and receive, and enjoy, to them and their successors forever, the use of the freeholders, inhabitants of the township of Bergen, lands, tene- ments, messuages, rents, privileges and other heredi- taments of whatsoever nature, kind and quality they be, in fee and perpetuity ; as also, to give, grant, bar- gain, sell, let and dispose of, any of the lands belong- ing or appertaining to the said community, and as yet unappropriated, either for one, two, or three lives, for a term of years or in fee. To make all such prudential rules and orders for the improvement, preservation and defence of said lands ; to have a common seal, to choose two constables, one overseer of the poor, and two overseers of the highways. The said corporation yielding, rendering and paying therefor, unto them, their heirs and successors, or to the Collector General of the said province, for the time being, yearly and every year, on the first day of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, an acknowledgement of the said privileges, the annual rent of five shillings; in lieu and stead of all other rents, services, dues, duties and de- mands whatsoever for the same.
Under the foregoing charter, confirmatory of previ- ous grants and privileges, the interests of the township were somewhat better cared for. Nevertheless diffi- culties were arising among the patentees, claiming an interest in the common lands, (so called because held in common, and actually used in common), in regard to the cutting of timber, and, in many instances, en- croachments on said common lands by the occupancy of portions of the same, by individual freeholders, until it became an extensive grievance, and the occasion of
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THE HISTORY OF BERGEN.
disagreements among them. The extent of this difficulty is illustrated by an instrument in writ- ing, formally executed by no less than thirty one of the actual freeholders, all being inhabitants of the county, on the 16th day of June, in the sixteenth year of the reign of King George the Second, Anno Domi- ni, 1743, in which the said persons say, that since the making of the said charter (that of Carteret), and grant, sundry of the said freeholders, have at sundry times surveyed, taken and used, and improved to their own use and benefit, sundry lots, pieces and parcels of the common and undivided lands within said town- ship and corporation, without any warrant, power and authority for so doing, and without the consent of the major part of the freeholders of the said township, for that purpose, first had and obtained, and have used and enjoyed the same, with their patented lands, by means whereof it is not known how much of the said commons have been taken in by the said freeholders, nor can the same be found out or discovered without a particular survey of such patents, to which such common lands have been taken in and added to. Wherefore said parties have agreed as followeth:
"It is agreed, by and between all and every the parties to these presents, that whatsoever part of the common and undivided lands have been by them or either of them, at any time heretofore taken up, used or claimed, and added to their patented or purchased lands, shall forever hereafter be deemed taken and adjudged, and shall remain and continue in common, till a division be made of the said common and undi- vided lands."
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THE HISTORY OF BERGEN.
They then agree to a survey to be made by Corne- lius Corson, who was to survey the several patents within eighty months from the date of the instrument.
They next bind themselves, their heirs, executors and administrators, to produce to said surveyor, their several deeds, grants and writings, by which they hold their respective farms, and in no way to obstruct the said surveyor in his survey; and that each one pay for the survey of his own tract or grants.
Next, they, for the better preservation of the tim- ber and wood, bind themselves not to cut, or cause to be cut, any more wood or timber than each one may need for necessary building, repairs, fencing and fire- wood, for him and themselves only.
Finally, for the faithful performance of these arti- cles, they individually bind themselves in the penal sum of one hundred pounds proclamation money of New Jersey, to be forfeited and paid by any party breaking the agreement.
The persons signing the document were,
his
his Myndert M Gerrebrants. Jacob Gerre I C Van Wagener mark mark
his his Cornelius Van X Newkirk. Jacob I Van Horne. mark mark
Abraham Diederick. Daniel Van Winkle.
his
Cornelius K Gerrebrants. mark Abraham Sickels.
Jacobus Van Buskirk.
Hendrick Van Winckell.
Andries Van Buskirk.
Johannis gere Van Wagenen
Lowrens Van Buskirk. Johannis Van Houten.
this
Cornelius C B Blinkeroff. is mark
Zacharias Sickelse.
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THE HISTORY OF BERGEN.
Michael Cor'e M Vreeland. his
Peter Marcelise.
mark
John Van Horne. his Ido I Sip. mark
his Hendrick H S Spier.
mark
Arent Taers.
his
Hendrick V Siggels.
Garret Roose.
mark
Cornelius Van Woorst.
Hendrick Vanderoff.
his
his
Jacob I B Brower.
Lereymis Van Buskirk.
mark
mark
Sealed and delivered in presence of
JOHANNIS VREELANDT, DIRCK KADMUS.
Notwithstanding this agreement, and which may have been to some extent carried out, other difficul- ties were occurring, and no satisfactory adjustment was effected until December 7th, 1763, when the Governor, the Council and General Assembly of the colony passed "An Act, appointing Commissioners for finally settling and determining the several rights, titles and claims to the common lands in the township of Bergen; and for making a partition thereof, in just and equitable proportions among those who shall be adjudged, by the said Commissioners, to be entitled to the same."
The first section of this act recites the claims of the parties under the charter of Philip Carteret, of 22d September, 1668, in which the limits or boundaries of the township are recited, and the powers granted thereby, especially as to the dividing of the lands within the township, not at that date already appro-
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THE HISTORY OF BERGEN.
priated. And that Letters Patent, of her Majesty Queen Anne, dated 14th of January, in the 12th year of her reign, were issued, confirming said corporation of the said township of Bergen, and said Letters Patent were confirmed by an act of the Governor, Council and General Assembly of the Colony, passed 29th of January, in the year A. D., 1713, entitled " An Act for the confirmation of a patent or charter granted by his Excellency, Robert Hunter, Esquire, Captain-General and Governor-in-Chief in and over the provinces of New Jersey and New York, as well for settling the claims to the commons, as the respect- ive portions in which the same ought to be divided." That by reason of the present undivided state of the said commons, great and unnecessary waste is com- mitted by destroying the timber growing thereon. By which means, if the same be not prevented by a speedy partition of said commons, they will be ren- dered of little value, and the township of Bergen be reduced to great distress for want of timber and fuel. The petitioners therefore pray for relief in the pre- mises.
The second section enacts; that Jacob Spicer, of Cape May, Charles Clinton, of Ulster County, Wil- liam Donaldson and Azariah Dunham, of New Bruns- wick, John Berrien, of Rocky Hill, Samuel Willis, of Long Island, and Abraham Clarke, Junr., of Elizabeth- town, be and hereby are appointed commissioners for making partition of the common lands of the township, and are authorized and required to divide the same in the manner hereafter directed.
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THE HISTORY OF BERGEN.
They were required, moreover, to give public no- tice previous to any partition of said lands, in the New York Gazette, and Mercury, of time and place, when and where they would meet to survey, run out, and ascertain, as well the bounds and limits of the township, as the bounds and limits of each and every patent and grant within the township, with power to go with all necessary attendants and implements, upon and across any lands or meadows to make their sur- vey ; which said survey of the township, and the several patents or grants contained within the bounds and limits thereof, when made, should conclude all persons whomsoever claiming under the said township of Bergen, or any patent or patents, grant or grants contained within the bounds or limits thereof.
After the foregoing survey was completed, they were to set apart so much of the common lands as would be sufficient to defray the charges of making a general partition of the common lands, and lay out and allot to such of the several patents or grants with- in the township, as they should judge to be entitled to the same, such proportion of said common lands as they shall judge right, " having regard to the right and allotment due to the Church and Free Schools, as in said charter specified."
The act then refers to the claims of the inhabitants, to a large part of the common lands, by virtue of a purchase from the Indians, of date of 30th day of January, 1658, and a patent or grant from Governor Stuyvesant in A. D., 1661, and that divers disputes and controversies have arisen and may arise. There-
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THE HISTORY OF BERGEN.
fore, for settling and determining the same, it was enacted, that the said commissioners shall, and here- by are authorized and required in a summary way, to hear and finally determine according to their discre- tion, the said claims of the said inhabitants, being freeholders, which determination shall be final, and conclude all persons whomsoever.
Other provisions of this act, need not be here refer- red to, excepting that these commissioners were to cause two several field books and maps to be made, both of the general and each particular partition and division, and to whom allotted. The said field books to be signed by the commissioners and their surveyor or surveyors-one of said maps and field books to be filed in the Secretary's office at Perth Amboy-the other to be filed in the office of the Clerk of the County of Bergen, to remain and be kept, as evidence, and are made conclusive evidence of such partition ; which said partitions and divisions, and each and every one of them, shall be and is declared good and valid in law, to divide and separate said lands.
In due season, the commissioners executed their commission. The field books and maps were made in duplicate, and filed in the two offices respectively. The one remains in the office of the Clerk of the pre- sent County of Bergen ; the other, by special act of the Legislature, of New Jersey, is transferred to the office of the Clerk of the present County of Hudson ; of which county this ancient township constitutes al- most the whole territory.
This was a noble act. Craved by the good citizens
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THE HISTORY OF BERGEN.
of the township, that divisions and controversies might be ended, and harmonious action take the place of feuds and strifes. No one now pretends for title to go back beyond the field books of these commis- sioners.
In A. D., 1840, February 22d, the township of Bergen, together with Jersey City and the then town- ship of Lodi, were set off from the County of Bergen and erected into the County of Hudson, then having a population short of 10,000.
In 1820, January 28th, an act was passed by the Legislature of the State "To incorporate the City of Jersey, in the County of Bergen," and a board of se- lect men of Jersey City authorized "to conduct the affairs thereof."
Jersey City, under its present charter, had been erected into a city by the Legislature of New Jersey, February 22d, A. D., 1838. The limits of the city were extended westwardly to the center of Grove Street.
The land, originally comprising Jersey City, was granted by Letters Patent from Sir Wmn. Kieft, Di- rector General of the Dutch West India Company, to Abm. Isaacsen Plank, in 1638, and was then called by the Dutch "Paulus Hook," by the Indians " Are- seoh Houck," said to mean "burying ground." In 1668, this grant was confirmed by Gov. Carteret, and the original patent is now in possession of the Hon. D. S. Gregory. On Sept. 13, 1698, Paulus Hook was con- veyed to Ido Cornelius Vanvorst, in whose descend- ants it remained until March, 1804, when Cornelius Vanvorst sold the whole of it to Anthony Dey, who
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THE HISTORY OF BERGEN.
soon after sold it to Abm. Varick, who in May of the same year conveyed it to Richard Varick, Jacob Rad- cliff, and Anthony Dey. In November, 1804, the " Jersey Associates" were incorporated. Near Wash- ington and Morris Streets there was an old fort, used by the refugees against the Americans, and in Put- nam Street there was, until recently, the ruins of old Fort Putnam.
At this period Paulus Hook was an island, and was used as a race course, being about one mile around.
In 1806, Robert Fulton laid the keel of the first steamboat, which successfully navigated the Hudson. Near the site of the present N. J. Rail Road Depot, there was a wind mill, built by Isaac Edge, in 1815, which many remember. It was demolished in 1839.
On the site of the oil factory, as late as 1817, a bull- fight is remembered to have taken place.
The statistics of the growth of Jersey City are al- most without a parallel. In 1802, Major Hunt and family, John Murphy and wife, and Joseph Bryant, constituted the whole population, occupying one house and its outhouses. In 1834, there were 1,500; in 1837, 2,084 ; in 1840, 3,038 ; in 1843, 3,750 ; in 1850, 6,856 ; and in 1855, 21,715; and the whole county, at the present time, has about 43.000 inhabitants.
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THE HISTORY OF BERGEN.
CENSUS OF HUDSON COUNTY FOR 1855.
Increase of J. C. and Hoboken.
JERSEY CITY. HOBOKEN.
Jersey City, 21,715
1850-11,473
2,668
Hoboken, 7,971
1851-13,600
3,292
Bergen,
4,972
1952-16,733
4,161
Hudson,
4,207
1853-18,547
5,527
North Bergen, 3,571
1854-20,989
6,211
Harrison,
1,526
1855-21,715
7,971
43,952
In 1841, the township of Van Vorst was erected, and on the 18th of March, 1851, became incorporated with Jersey City, as the Fourth Ward. Hoboken township was erected March 1st, 1849, and obtained a city charter in 1855.
North Bergen township was erected, A. D., 1842, extending from the New Jersey Rail Road, on the South to the northern limit of the county. On the 11th of April, 1855, the city of Hudson was erected, being set off from North Bergen, and having the New Jersey Rail Road on the South-east ; the Paterson Plank Road, Paterson Avenue and the Seacaucus Road on the North; Hackensack River on the West, and Jersey City and Hoboken on the East.
We have thus endeavored to give some idea of the territory of the ancient township of Bergen. Its wonderful changes, which are of recent date, will af- ford the future historian a good field and large mate- rials. The whole face of things has changed so
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THE HISTORY OF BERGEN.
materially in the uses of the soil-the character of the inhabitants; the habits, manners, customs and in- stitutions of the territory, within the last twenty years, that no stranger can form any correct idea of the former state of the agricultural, social, or religious interests of the community. To this, the author, avail- ing himself of various sources of information, and for more than a quarter of a century of his own observa- tion, now invites attention.
It will readily be perceived from the documents heretofore referred to, that the early settlers in Ber- gen, as were those of the colony generally, were in quest of gain; and the co-operation of the West India Company, by the whole tenor of their operations, show, that commerce was their grand object. The perseve- rance, activity, thrift and economy, whereby the marshes of Holland were turned into gardens, and commercial marts were reared, and manufactures fos- tered thereon, gave full promise, that when expended on the virgin soil of New Netherland, large remuner- ation would follow; and with the early progress made and reported, fresh colonists might be expected to betake them thither.
As early as 1630, it is probable the settlement of Bergen changed its character from a mere trading place, for traffic with the Indians, to that of a settle- ment with permanent improvement of the soil and cultivation. In 1633, two houses were erected at Pavonia, but it was not until John Evertsen Bout came out from Holland, in the ship Eendracht, as superintendent of Pauws colony, at Pavonia, and in 1630 obtained a deed for a farm in Bergen, that agri-
69
THE HISTORY OF BERGEN.
cultural settlements began. In 1685, Bergen and its out plantations covered 60,000 acres of land, and was occupied by seventy families, and at least 350 inhabi- tants. Its court was established, holding two sessions annually. The town was compact, and fortified against the Indians ; the dwellings being within the picket enclosure, and the gates fast closed at night.
While thus providing for security at home, and evi- dently well satisfied with their possessions, the spirit and enterprise of some of these people appear in their desire to possess more of this goodly land.
Captahem, an Indian Sachem, on the 28th of March, 1679, executed a deed for "Haquequenunck," to Hans Diderick, Gerrit Gerritsen, Walling Jacobs, Hendrick George and Company, of Bergen; and another deed from the Governor and Council for the same tract, with some slight variations in bounds, is dated March 16th, 1684 .* The consideration to the proprietors was fifty pounds sterling, and fourteen pounds sterling as annual rent. In this deed confirmatory, the name of Hendrick George does not appear, but in addition to the others we have Elias Hartman, Johannes and Cor- nelius Machielson, Andrew Post, Urian Tomason, Cornelius Rowlafson, Simon Jacobs, John Hendrick Speare, Cornelius Lubbers and Abraham Bookey, principally from Bergen. Of some of these persons we have ascertained somewhat of interest.
Cornelius Machielson arrived from Medemblick, in April, 1659, in the ship Beaver,t and Urian Tomason, from Rypen, in 1663, in the Spotted Cow; and Gerrit
* Whitehead's East New Jersey, p. 49.
t Documentary Hist. of New York, vol. 3, p. 55.
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THE HISTORY OF BERGEN.
Gerritsen in 1659 or 1660, in the ship Faith-himself, wife and one child, with seven or eight others, all from the city of Wagening, or its vicinity. Their descendants are yet among us. To show the charac- ter of this family, we insert the following translated certificate. First observing, however, that the names of many of the colonists, after the lapse of years, be- came changed, arising from the familiar manner of speaking of one another. Thus Gerrit Gerritsen, of Wagening, became known familiarly as Gerrit (Van signifying from) Van Wagening. The original, of which the following is a translation, has been handed down in the Gerritsen or Van Wagenen family, from one to another, until it has descended to its present owner, Mr. Hartman Van Wagenen.
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