USA > New Jersey > Morris County > Chatham > Brief history of Chatham, Morris County, New Jersey > Part 3
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The northern part of the State was filled with Tories, and Morris county had its share of them. It was often hard to tell in what direction a man's sympathies lay. The entire country throughout this locality was filled with renegade disturbers and many were ready to take out "protection papers" and espouse the British cause. But with all the Tory spirit which permeated the country there were many staunch patriots in sympathy with the army at Lowantica and ready to make every effort possible to relieve them in their state of privation. Many of the soldiers were housed in the homes of patriots. Food and clothing were supplied from various parts of the community. and during the epidemic of smallpox much heroic service was rendered the suffering army.
Throughout the winter of '76 and '77 an armed sentinel was kept sta- tioned on Prospect Hill ready to signal the country far and wide through the burning of the tar barrel at night, or the booming of the "Old Sow" by day, should the enemy be seen advancing on the Elizabeth Town road toward Chatham. It is said that more than once the country was set ablaze with patriotic fervor, caused by the signals given from Prospect Hill during that winter. The following paragraph by Rev. Joseph F. Tuttle beautifully describes the condition of affairs: "There was continual excitement and solicitude. The alarm gun was firing, or the beacon light was burning, or the sounds of the fife and drum were heard, or companies of soldiers were passing and repassing, or the minute men of the vicinity were hurrying back and forth, or the commander-in-chief and his suite and life guards were going from or returning to headquarters, or some general parade was taking place upon the camp ground, or some Tory spies were seen prowling about, or some company of the enemy's troops under the conduct of Tory guides was committing depredations in various parts of the country, or some other thing of similar character was continually occurring to keep those who resided here in a state of excitement and fear, and it was no unusual thing to see General Washington and his accomplished lady mounted on bay horses, and accompanied by their faithful mulatto "Bill" and fifty to sixty mounted guards passing through the village with all eyes upon them." [ Hist. Morris County, N. J., Munsell & Co., 1882, p. 192.] Many lives were lost during this winter through the scourge of smallpox and other diseases, and the moral standards of the community were broken down by the reckless practices of the soldiers.
Among the men who served their country during this winter of hard- ships those from the vicinity of Chatham were: Lieutenant Silas Hand, John Miller, Samuel Denman, Jolın Minthorn, Jabez Titchenor, Lieutenant Noadiah Wade, Surgeon Peter Smith, Captain Benj. Carter, Lieutenant John Roberts, Luke Miller, Josiah Burnet, Jeremiah Carter, Cornelius Genung, Captain Thompson of the New Jersey artillery (This Mr. Thomp- son had both legs shot off at the battle of Springfield and died urging his
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soldiers never to give up to the enemy. He is said to have been captain of a company of soldiers here in Chatham, which drilled upon the ground, south of Main Street and east of Summit Avenue), Captain Eliakim Little of the New Jersey artillery (It was his company which by desperate fighting, held the enemy at bay for two hours until they were reinforced and the enemy routed at Springfield), Samuel Paul, John Bonnel, Robert Pollard (This man was shot through the body at Connecticut Farms, and yet sur- vived many years after the war was ended), Ephraim Sayre, James Brook- field, Second Lieutenant Samuel Day, Ellis Cook, Caleb Horton, Joseph Bruen, Benj. Harris, Captain William Day, Benj. Bonnel (He assisted in carting the guns which were captured by the Continental troops from a British sloop grounded in Elizabeth Town Creek. The guns were taken to the armory at Morristown.) Lieutenant Stephen Day, Captain John Howell, Colonel Seeley, Gilbert Bonnel, Wright Reding, Israel Lum (he fought in the battle of Monmouth ), Samuel Lum, son of Israel, Benj. Robinson, Mat- thias Lum, Ed. McDonald, James Richardson, and Philip Lunney.
With all the heroism that was shown by the men of the country equally as great was the heroism shown by the women. They made clothing for the soldiers and helped care for the sick and the dead. In many instances women harrowed and plowed the fields and threshed the grain. It is said that the home of Aaron Ward located on Coleman's Hill, was always kept in readiness for General Washington. Whenever the soldiers came to the house, Mrs. Ward fed them with the best that could be had : and often the whole first floor was given over to them for lodging during the night, while the family occupied the rooms up stairs. On one occasion when a child of the family had the croup, Mrs. Ward in order to get medicine from the closet down stairs, was obliged to step over the bodies of the sleeping sol- diers who were packed in upon the kitchen floor. This is but one illustration of the hospitable spirit of the staunch Whigs of the town of Chatham.
Washington Irving, in his "Life of Washington," makes the following mention of the staunch patriotism of the citizens of Morris: "To the honor of the Magistrates and people of Jersey, Washington testifies that requisi- tions for supplies were punctually complied with. Jos. Tuttle says provi- sions came in with hearty good will from the farmers in Mendham, Chat- ham, Hanover and other rural places, together with stockings, shoes, coats, and blankets; while the women met together to knit and sew for the soldiery." (Life of Washington, vol. iv, p. 5.) The suffering at Valley Forge was scarcely more severe than that of the winter of '76-'77 at Lowantica.
In the fall of '77 General Sullivan by order of Washington left our community en route for Wilmington, Delaware. Chatham was consequently somewhat relieved from scenes of warfare until the winter of 1779. How- ever the town continued a military station. The Continental Congress on March 2, 1778, ordered that horses should be assembled in various parts of the state for the use of the army. Under the date of March 5th, 1778, advertisements were placed in the newspapers that purchases should be made at the following places : by Captain Harrison at Pennington, Colonel Sheldon at Chatham, Major Clough at Trenton, and Lieutenant Colonel White at Brunswick. [N. J. Gazette, Nos. 178, 180.] These men were the com- manding officers at the places mentioned. It is quite evident from this notice that even through the period from '76-'79, the crossing of the Passaic on the road to Elizabeth Town was sufficiently guarded.
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One of the most noteworthy events in the history of Chatham is that of the publishing of the New Jersey Journal by Shepard Kollock. Mr. Kollock was born at Lewes, Delaware, in September of the year 1750. He learned the art of printing in the office of the Pennsylvania Chronicle at Philadelphia. During the beginning of the Revolutionary War he entered the army and served as first lieutenant with Colonel Neill of the Continental artillery. At the close of the campaign in 1778, through the advice of Gen. Knox, he began the publishing of his Journal in Chatham. The New Jer- sey Journal was a weekly publication and the first number bears the date Tuesday, February 16, 1779. [N. J. Journal, vol. I, No. 1, N. Y. Hist. Soc. Lib., 170 W. Cent. Park, N. Y. Copies were sent by the printer to Mr. Gerardus Duyckinck, a druggist in Morristown, at the time. Mr. Duyckinek was a regular subscriber, and an advertiser in the Journal.] After Tuesday, January 25, 1780, the paper was issued on Wednesday. It was a national publication, an ardent supporter of the cause of indepen- dence, and the second newspaper printed in the State of New Jersey. The New Jersey Gazette preceded it. The first issue of the Gazette was published at Burlington by Isaac Collins, December 5. 1777. Shepard Kollock's publi- cation was known to the British as the "Rebel Paper." It was rumored that Mr. Kollock thought of locating his paper in Elizabeth Town; but the condi- tions there were so threatening that he chose Chatham, a town beyond the hills "where no British soldiery ever trod." It has been handed down through tradition that the first location of his printing office was on the island north of Main street in the Passaic river, and that afterwards Mr. Kollock bought the old parsonage in which Ebenezer Bradford taught school in Madison. This building was removed to Chatham village during the Revolutionary War, where Mr. Kollock utilized it as a printing office. [Hist. Madison Pres. Church, Rev. Samuel L. Tuttle, p. 31.] It was located on the north side of Main street opposite Jacob Morrell's dwelling house, the present home of Mr. Fred Tallinadge. The old printing house was burned during the Civil War. It is possible that at one time the newspaper press of the New Jersey Journal was in the end of the old tavern located west of Foster Horton's store. Shep- ard Kollock's advertisement in his Journal of April 5, 1780, helps to locate his printing office. The notice reads as follows: "The highest price is given for clean linen rags by Shepard Kollock in Chatham near the liberty pole." This notice is also found under the dates August 2, and December, 1780, showing that he lived at this place during the greater part of that year. The liberty pole of Revolutionary times stood in front of the tavern kept at that time by Timothy Day. Besides printing a paper here Shepard Kollock printed books and pamphlets; and in connection with his printing office he had a store in which he sold anything from a pound of tea to farms and slaves. The following advertisement is taken from the pages of the New Jersey Journal, "To be sold at the printing office at Chatham ; Swift's works, 13 volumes ; Spectator, 8 volumes ; Clarissa, 8 volumes; Beauties of Prose, 4 volumes; Triumvirate, 2 vols; Collection of poems, 2 vols; Ogilvies Poems ; Theoron and Aspasia; Bradford Abbie; David's Repentance; Life of Alexander Pope; History of Greece; Lord Somners on Jurors ; Testaments, and Spelling Books; also Cole's Latin Dictionary ; Greek Lexi- con ; Kent's Lucien ; Intro. to making Latin, etc."
Three Chatham imprints are in existence. One is "A Fast Day Sermon" delivered by Jacob Green, A. M., at Hanover, New Jersey, April 22, 1778. The following line is at the bottom of the pamphlet: "Chatham, printed by Shepard Kollock, at his office, 1779." Another imprint is entitled, "Upon
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HISTORY OF CHATHAM
Persons Possessing Iniquities of their Youth in After Life," by Jacob Green, printed by Shepard Kollock in Chatham, 1780. Sprague in his annals "The American Pulpit" states that Jacob Green published three sermons. It is quite probable that Shepard Kollock printed the third which has not yet been discovered. The first of these pamphlets is in the possession of Rev. Joseph Folson of Newark and the other is owned by William Nelson of Paterson. The most considerable Chatham imprint of Shepard Kollock's is a small 16mo, volume of the Psalms of David by Isaac Watts. The writer has an original copy of this Chatham imprint. This volume was printed in 1783 and contains more than 300 pages. This issue was probably published to supply the deficiency of Watts' Hymnals made by Parson Cald- well at the battle of Springfield on June 23, 1780. During this battle the Rev. Mr. Caldwell, seeing that the soldiers were in need of wadding for their muzzle-loading rifles, went to the church and brought forth an armful of these Hymnals which he passed out to the soldiers, saying as he presented them, "Now put Watts into 'em, boys!"
A complete list of Shepard Kollock's publications in Chatham, as far as it is known, is as follows : 1779, Oct. 12, Poems on Several Occurrences, Rev. Wheeler Case: I. A contest between the Eagle and the Crane ; 2. A Dialogue between Col. Paine and Miss Clorinda Fairchild; 3. St. Clair's Retreat and Burgoyne's Defeat; 4. The First Chapter of the Lamentations of Gen. Burgoyne : 5. The Fall of Burgoyne; 6. The Vanity of Trusting in an Arm of Flesh : 7. The Tragical Death of Miss Jane M'Crea; 8. An answer for the Messenger of the Nation. 1779, Verses on the Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Chapters of Genesis, Stephen Hand; 1779, Feb. 16 to Dec. 3, 1783, New Jersey Journal; 1779, Sept. 7, A Fast Day Sermon, Rev. Jacob Green, A. M .: 1779, July 20, Spelling Book; 1779, U. S. Almanac for 1780: 1780, May 24, A Short Introduction to English Gram- mar; 1780, Sermon at Newark, Uzal Ogden, Aug. 15, 1779; 1780, Apr. 12, A Sermon Designed for Instruction and Warning to Youth of both Sexes, From Job 12-26. Rev. Jacob Green, A.M .; 1780, Dec. 6, Sermon on Prac- tical Religion, Rev. Uzal Ogden; 1780, United States Almanac for 1781 ; 1781, Apr. 25, A View of the Christian Church and Church Government, by the Associated Presbytery of Morris Co .; 1781, A Sermon on Funeral of Elizabeth Hackett, Uzal Ogden; 1781, Nov. 30, United States Almanac for 1782; 1782, Dilworth's Spelling Book (?) ; 1782, New England Primer (?) ; 1782, U. S. Almanac for 1783 (An imperfect copy of this almanac is in the New York City Library) : 1783. Elogy on Francis Barker. Dr. Ebenezer Elmer ; 1783. The Covenant Interest of the Children of Believers, Rev. Amzi Lewis; 1783, Regeneration, A Sermon, Rev. Mr. Ogden ( ?); 1783, Psalmus of David, Isaac Watts.
The rebel paper, printed in Chatham was of much concern to the British. Major Andre, the spy, in his poem entitled "The Cow Chase," made the following reference to this Whig publication. Andre pictured the parson as viewing "Mad" Anthony Wayne's retreating train after his futile attempt to capture the block house on the palisades above Weehawken.
"In his dismay, the frantic priest1 Began to grow prophetic, You had swore, to see his lab'ring breast, He'd taken an emetic. 'I view a future day,' said he, 'Brighter than this day dark is, And you shall see what you shall see, Ha! Ha! one pretty marquis.2
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And he shall come to Paulus' Hook,3 And great achievements think on, And make a bow and take a look, Like Satan over Lincoln.4
And all the land around shall glory To see the Frenchman caper, And pretty Susan5 tell the story In the next Chatham paper'.'
(Patriotic Poems of New Jersey by Wm. C. Armstrong, p. 109.)
1 Rev. James Caldwell. 2 Lafayette. 3 Jersey City. A figure of the devil on top of Lincoln College, Oxford University, England. 5 Susannah Livingston of Eliza- beth, N. J., daughter of Gov. Wm. Livingston, was said to have contributed political articles to the Journal published at Chatham.
The New Jersey Journal was printed in Chatham until December 3, 1783. At this time immediately after the evacuation of New York by the British, Mr. Kollock moved to that city and began the publication of the "New York Gazetteer and the Country Journal." The removal of Kollock from Chatham led a Mr. David Cree to attempt the publishing of a paper in 1784; but little is known concerning it. Not even the name is remembered. [New Jersey as a Colony and as a State, Lee, p. 53.] While in New York Mr. Kollock conducted a weekly paper in New Brunswick, New Jersey, as early as July, 1784. About April, 1785, this publication was transferred to Elizabeth Town and was there styled the "New Jersey Journal and Political Intelligencer." Later on Shepard Kollock was judge in the court of common pleas in the county of Essex. Mr. Kollock died July 28, 1839, in Elizabeth Town, at the age of eighty-eight years. He was a brave soldier, a zealous patriot, a strenuous advocate of the Republican principles of government, and did good services for his country as a soldier and as an editor. His name deserves to be placed among the most noteworthy patriots of the Revolutionary times.
After the encampment of Washington at Lowantica in the winter of '76 and '77, the scene of warfare was removed to the south. The winter of '77 and '78 was spent by Washington with the main army at Valley Forge. There was a recurrence of hostilities in New Jersey during the year 1778, and in the winter of '78 and '79 Washington was found encamping at Middle Brook, New Jersey. On the breaking up of camp at Middle Brook, the commander-in-chief, with his army crossed over to Staten Island, evacu- ating New Jersey. Later he passed back through the central part of New Jersey to Philadelphia where he interviewed Marquis de Lafayette, who had just arrived in that city. After a strenuous campaign in watching the move- ments of the enemy in central New Jersey, Washington removed from Scotch Plains to Morristown for winter-quarters. O11 December 13th a large detachment of the army passed through Chatham toward Bottle Hill (Madison), where an encampment was made. It is possible that this de- tachment was in charge of Lafayette, and that at this time the pleasing love episode between Count D'Anteroche, one of the aids of the Marquis, and Polly Vanderpoel took place. The story is told that the young count while riding through Chatham over the Morris Turnpike in company with some American officers, encountered near the bridge over the Passaic river a pretty girl who had just stepped out of her father's house, which was located on the slope above the river. On looking into the sweet face of Miss Polly Vanderpoel the young French officer lost his heart. David Vanderpoel upon being informed of his daughter's suitor raged, stormed, and swore
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HISTORY OF CHATHAM
that she should marry, "no d-m Frenchman." The young chevalier upon hearing the stand taken by Captain David became heart sick and took to his bed. Turning his face to the wall, he said "Let me die! Let me die!" Finally the stern father relented and casting his prejudice aside withdrew all hindrance against his daughter's suitor. Their troth was plighted and in one of the severest winters on record, on the 30th of January, 1780, the twain were made one by good old Dr. Bradford of Bottle Hill. After the war Count D'Anteroche and his charming wife removed to Elizabeth Town, where they lived for a number of years with some of the Count's com- patriots. The hero of this romantic story died some years afterwards while on a visit to France. Mrs. Mary Vanderpoel D'Anteroche continued to live in Elizabeth Town until her eighty-sixth year. When Lafayette revisited this country in 1824, she and her children were greeted by him with the affection of a dear relative.
It was during the severe winter of 1779 and 'So that many of the most interesting episodes of the Revolutionary period in Chatham took place. It is said that the temperature was so low throughout this winter that New York Bay was frozen over to such an extent that the British cavalry could pass back and forth into New Jersey at will. Many devastating inroads were made in this part of the State. In consequence of this condition of affairs it was found necessary to keep the bridge at Chatham constantly guarded in order that no British soldier should pass. A company of militia under Col. Jacob Miller was for a considerable time the custodian of this bridge. Ashbel Green a youth of fifteen years was one of the guards and there is record of his having unceremoniously shot down a man who at- tempted to pass without giving the necessary countersign.
During this winter of '79 and '80 an exchange of prisoners was arranged for at the bridge in Chatham. General Winds was deputized to officiate for the continentals. After the transaction was completed the British field officer remarked on parting. "We are going to dine in Morristown some day." "If you do," said Winds, "you will sup in h-1 in the evening." This reply was not made through the habit of profanity, but on the contrary through the fervid patriotic spirit which pervaded the general. In Mr. Platt's poem, entitled, "Chatham Bridge," this incident is one of a number referred to. He also treats of an attempted capture of Washington by the British in the winter of '79. As he speaks of it the soldiery which made this attempt passed beyond the river and as far as Union Hill. There is dispute regarding this statement for in a letter which is herein given, it will be found that the storm of the night and the crust on the snow prevented the detachment from going any further than .David Vanderpoel's house which was located east of the river. Furthermore had this company of British soldiers gone beyond the bridge, it could not have been said as it so often was that the bridge at the river was a "closed gate and secure" through which no British ever trod.
The signal gun, on Prospect Hill, was ever in readiness to fire the alarm and the tar barrel blazed forth whenever any movement of the enemy over the eastern plain portended harm to the inhabitants of this vicinity. It is quite probable that numerous officers were quartered in the village and that a detachment of the army was stationed here in the fall of 1779. The oldest inhabitants were wont to relate that Washington accompanied with his retinue of officers frequently passed through the town, and that on various occasions he was accompanied by his distinguished friend, Marquis de Lafayette.
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MORRIS COUNTY
During the year 1779 the vicinity of Morris county was overrun with spies and banditti of the British soldiers. The following item is indicative of the condition of affairs at that time: "Four armed men were seen south of Chatham. A posse of men, accompanied by dogs, was sent after them. Two were caught and two got away. One of the men caught was George Whelps, Esq., from Coshecton, N. Y. It is hoped he will be treated to a taste of American hemp." [N. J. Journal, April 11, 1779.] The above men proved to be British spies.
The location of Chatham with its protecting hills made it not only a safe retreat for Shepard Kollock, but also a place where patriots unmolested could meet and discuss questions of vital interest concerning the nation's welfare. The following extracts show with what importance the location was considered.
A general courtmartial of the state of which Col. Neilson is appointed president is ordered to set at Chatham on the 27th instant. Col. Frelinghuysen and Van Dyke (Lieutenant), Colonels Jacob Crane and Benoni Hathaway, Majors William Davison and Joseph Lindley, Captains Peter Latham and Daniel Cook, Gawen McKoy, Stephen Monson, Joseph Beech, James Kean are appointed members. Mr. Wilcox is appointed to act as judge-advocate of the court by order of His Excellency, Governor Livings- ton. April 10, 1780. [N. J. Journal, Vol. 2, No. 61, April 12, 1780.]
The committee of Essex County Associators request the Whig inhabitants of Morris County to meet them at the house of Matthias Woodruff in Chatham on Tuesday the 24th, this month. precisely at one o'clock, on business of the greatest importance. Signed, Vauxhall, April 17, 1781. [N. J. Journal, ibid, No. 113, April 18, 1781.]
This quotation from an old letter is further evidence of how strategic a point was the town of Chatham during Washington's encampment at Morristown in the winter of '79 and '80.
Immediately opposite the Presbyterian Church is still standing a frame dwelling owned by Mrs. Mary J. Tallmadge in which Washington at various times sought shelter and relief from the burdens pressing him. It was the home of Jacob Morrell at the time Washington was in Morristown.
In the winter of 1780 while Washington accompanied by his faithful aide. Alex- ander Hamilton, and his two faithful servants, was temporarily quartered in this building, the American army being encamped at Morristown, a party of one thousand British cavalry left New York with the intention of taking Washington prisoner. They came by the way of Elizabethtown. During the night a violent storm of hail, snow, and rain set in, forming a thick crust which cut their horses feet, and ren- dered the road so impassible that when daylight dawned, having journeyed no further than the Passaic River, near what is now known as the Vanderpoel residence, they deemed it prudent to return. Standing in fear of their guide, an American spy, they enclosed him in the center of a hollow square, and then rode with drawn swords.
While Washington was temporarily stopping at the house already alluded to, a scout called Karmel, belonging to the American Army, was on his way from Perth Amboy with important dispatches to Washington's headquarters then at Morristown. When the scout reached Elizabethtown he was overtaken by a blinding snow storm. He proceeded on his way, however. Before reaching Chatham the snow had changed to hail and rain, which froze as it fell, forming a thick crust. His horse's feet were so badly cut by the sharp crust that he was obliged to seek shelter in the dwelling which stood on the site now occupied by the residence of Mr. Vanderpoel, and at which time was owned and occupied by David Vanderpoel, the great grandfather of the present owner. Here the scout learned that Washington had taken refuge from the same storm in the house of one of Chatham's patriotic citizens.
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