USA > New Jersey > Morris County > Chatham > Brief history of Chatham, Morris County, New Jersey > Part 5
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There were no stoves in this church until the year 1820. Previous to this date each worshipper either brought a foot warmer with him or suffered from the cold. The only lights used were candles, and those who attended church went on foot, horseback or in a springless wagon. Beside the min- ister in the elevated pulpit there regularly stood at his right the chorister whose business it was to set the pitch with his tuning fork and lead the singing.
The Presbyterians of the town were organized as the Chatham Village Church in 1823. There were thirty-eight members at this time. The first pastor of the congregation was Rev. Asa Lyman. The upstairs rooms in the old academy were used for Sunday school and prayer meeting in conse- quence of the two congregations using the regular union meeting house. In 1828 Rev. Joseph Meeker Ogden was called as the second pastor, and served the people of his church in a most meritorious pastorate until the year 1873. Mr. Ogden was graduated from Princeton College in the class of 1823. He was a scholar of high standing both in Greek and Hebrew and for many years was the examiner in these subjects in the theological school of his Alma Mater. The Rev. Mr. Ogden was well known among the church authorities and had an exalted reputation as a preacher of the gospel.
The members of both the Presbyterian and Methodist congregations who used the union church found it very hard to work in harmony. Consider- able feeling eventually arose between the two organizations and the most bitter hatred was finally exercised in what was known as the "Battle of the Churches" in ancient Chatham. The quarrel between the Presbyterians who wanted to withdraw and build a new church, and the Methodists who cared not to permit this procedure became so heated that the members of the Presbyterian faction ultimately under the cover of nightfall, in the year 1830, hitched oxen to the corner of the church and pulled it down. The poem herewith presented was written at the time and fully describes the event although throughout a biased opinion is rather evident. This poem, the literary critic will observe, is not without considerable merit.
A MODERN, OR SECOND MONTPELIER.
Montpelier in miniature arrayed, Or papacy as modernly displayed : Montpelier a noted town in France, Rose to a city, 'twas by art or chance. 'Twas at Montpelier a church once stood, Devoted by the Huguenots to God: 'Twas here the Huguenots with cries and tears
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HISTORY OF CHATHAM
Sent forth to heaven their fervent, humble prayers; But alı! how soon deprived of this retreat, To pay their homage at their Saviour's feet; Louis the fourteenth, tyrant of his age, Commands, and lo! they pull it down in rage; Poor Huguenots, they pile the sacred stones In memory of their pious fathers' bones. Their warm attachment and regard they prove By this last token of paternal love.
But lo! we turn from ancient 'peliers down
To one of recent date and one of home.
I've lived to see said 'peliers rise of late, And lived to see said 'peliers mournful fate.
In Morris County, near Passaic's flood,
In Chatham town, a Chapel long has stood,
Built by the Methodists in days of yore,
And stood the test near forty years or more.
Yet built for all denominations free, On principles of pure philanthropy ;
Near thirty years the house was occupied
By Methodists more than all sects beside ;
But right was not denied, to sect or name, Till Presbyterians usurped their claim. Perhaps they think as Irish rebels thought, None should, but their divinity be taught-
And they, in eighteen hundred thirty-two,
Commenc'd a Chapel of their own, 'tis true,
When rear'd and covered, and adorned with paint,
In imitation of a half washed saint;
They held a party caucus in the town, And there agreed to pull Montpelier down ; A host of men, deliberately led
By men in trust, and deacons at their head, Proceed in purpose firm, without a jar,
With one intent, pull down the house of prayer ;
Took out the windows, and unhinged the doors,
Knocked off the boards and then took up the floors;
Took off the roof and then the frame took down,
And laid poor 'pelier level to the ground.
Then bore their booty from the spot away,
As heroes do the trophies of their prey;
The shatter'd fragments advertise for sale, And I suppose will poeket the avail-
I called to mind the faithful Hittites' lamb,
And cried, oh if I am bereaved I am.
But here I rest-the bigotry or spite,
Leaves men to judge, if wrong was ever right-
May generations yet, unborn and free, Proclaim the deed to late posterity,
May Gospel, Christian herald, public news,
The tidings, o'er this continent diffuse ;
May packet ships convey the news to France, That 'peliers sons may at tidings glance :
May England hear, and all her subjects see
The blest effects of free born liberty-
And may the archives of a free born seed, In faithfulness record the noble deed May a new era in our history rise, To be observed,-till time and nature dies, May travelers of every cast and lot While passing by, point out the sacred spot. And call to mind, 'twas here! 'twas surely here The Methodists once owned a house of prayer. But Presbyterians in the warmth of zeal. With their adherents marching at their heel Pull'd down the house of prayer.
20
MORRIS COUNTY
These facts are truc, As here presented to the public view. Chatham, Morris County, New Jersey, September 3, 1832.
After the wave of spirited feeling had subsided in the year 1832, the Presbyterians built on the site of the razed structure a church edifice in which building the Rev. J. M. Ogden was the first pastor. (See Addenda, D. 51.) Following is a list of the ministers who succeeded Dr. Ogden : Rev. A. V. C. Johnson, Rev. W. F. Anderson, Rev. J. B. Beaumont, Rev. Dr. E. P. Gardiner, Rev. Dr. John Macnaughtan.
The first reference to Methodism in the territory is found in the quo- tation which follows: "1786 Rev. Ezekiel Cooper made a visit of two weeks to New Jersey." [Light on Early Methodism, p. 43.] Mr. Cooper preached in Chatham during this visit at a Mr. Clark's and Colonel Crane's. [ History of Chatham Methodism, Rev. Wm. J. Hampton, p. 8.] It is said that the Presbyterians doubted the authority of the Rev. Mr. Cooper to preach and demanded by what right he undertook so divine a calling. He was about to be arrested but the procedure was obviated through his identi- fication with the Elizabeth Town circuit. Quarterly meetings were held in Chatham as early as January 16 and 17, 1802. However Father John Han- cock of Springfield writes February 23, 1849, that a church was built in Chatham at an early period prior to 1807 where for many years up to about 1830, regular services were held by circuit preachers. This same Father Hancock at one time conducted services in Chatham. Mr. Tuttle relates in the history of the old classical academy of Bottle Hill, in which Rev. Mr. Bradford taught school, that the first Methodist Episcopal services held in Chatham Township were conducted in this building. It will be recalled that it was in this house after it was removed from Madison to Chatham that Shepard Kollock printed the New Jersey Journal. It was after his aban- donment that it was used as a church. This tradition was handed down to Mr. Tuttle by Mr. Enos Bonnel of Chatham. Brainard Dickin- son, Matthias Swaim, and Isaac Searles were the staunch supporters of this early Methodist organization. The last one mentioned is referred to in the Christian Advocate as having been the founder of Chatham Methodism.
After the destruction of the union church a house of worship was built by the Methodists on the southeast corner of Main and Summit avenue. William H. Dickerson was the first regular pastor of the congre- gation in 1852. Previous to this date the church in Chatham was an adjunct to the Madison circuit. The building on Summit avenue was used until the year 1896, when it was pronounced unsafe and the congregation removed to Kelley's Hall for the next two years. During this time a beautiful building was being constructed on Center street, to which many Presbyterians whose ancestors many years before had spitefully opposed and fought the promul- gation of the Methodist doctrine. contributed liberally. Happily all the fervid animosity of former times has disappeared and both congregations are now observed working harmoniously to the one end of Christian uplift.
The brick industry which was begun about the year 1830 later attracted a great many Irish Catholics to Chatham. In 1870 it was apparent to the Right Rev. William M. Wigger that there was need of a Catholic mission in the town. Through the advice of Mr. John McCormack, property was pur- chased of Mr. Paul Lum for a school. This location was later exchanged for a plot of land then belonging to Mr. John Doran, which was nearer the centre of population. A school was erected in 1872 at a cost of $4000, and
30
HISTORY OF CHATHAM
was used for the two-fold purpose of mission and school. Since a number of parishoners worked in the near-by brickyard, sufficient bricks were con- tributed for the construction of the building. For a time the "fog" in Chat- ham was a damper on the courage of the Bishop to establish a church along the Passaic. However, the difficulty was overcome in 1887, and a church was founded by Bishop Wigger, on the corner of Washington avenue and Oliver street. Rev. Muhl was the first acting priest of the parish. Follow- ing him came successively Father McGahan, Rev. Joseph C. Dunn, Rev. William T. McLaughlin, Rev. James M. McCormack, Rev. Samuel Hedges and Father Keyes. At the present time the church is under the leadership of Rev. P. A. Maher.
In consequence of a flourishing paper manufactory in Stanley, Mr. George Shepard Page organized a Sunday school for his employees in the year 1867. Services were held in an upstairs room opposite the old paper mill on the River Road. This group of worshippers grew until a building was erected and named Stanley Hall, in honor of Mr. Page's mother, which building is the present Vapo-Cresolene factory. In the year 1873 thie Con- gregational Church of Stanley was organized, and Stanley Chapel was built in 1881 on the corner of Hillside and Watchung Avenues. Messrs Abram French and John Munn were active in this movement. The first pastor of the church was Rev. F. S. Palmer, who served in this capacity from the year '73 to '75. In 1902 a handsome gray stone edifice was built by the Congregationalists on the corner of Fairmount avenue and Oliver street. A flourishing organization of about two hundred members now supports this church under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Charles E. Hesselgrave.
The beginning of the Episcopal church in Chatham was in the parlor of Mr. John Gould, on Elmwood avenue. A Rev. Mr. Lylburn was the first rector, from 1897 to '98. Mr. Gould at his death gave a plot of ground adjoining his property on which to build a chapel. Funds were not available for some years following and in 1902, when the Presbyterians decided to build a new church, the chapel on Main street, east of the Fairview Hotel, was purchased; and the Presbyterians bought the lot which lay near the corner of Main and Elmwood avenue, where the present Presbyterian church stands. The Rev. J. W. Van Ingen, of Milburn, is the officiating pastor.
For a number of years there were no cemeteries in juxtaposition to the churches of the town. The Methodists buried in Turkey ( New Providence ) and the Presbyterians in Bottle Hill ( Madison). The first graveyards of Chatham were in connection with the Methodist and Presbyterian churches and were located near these places of worship-the Methodist on the corner of Main and Summit, and the Presbyterian north of Main street and west of the river. These continued until the year 1859, when Fair- mount Avenue Cemetery was incorporated. The east side of Long Hill was selected as the site, and the bodies in the old cemeteries were disinterred and placed in this new burying ground. A small family burial plot was at one time located on the present clubhouse grounds. This was used by the Days and later by the Browns. The bodies buried in this plot were also disinterred and placed in the Fairmount Cemetery.
The Public Schools-It is reported that from the earliest time the people of Chatham and Morris County gave special attention to the educa- tion of their children. After a long research it has been quite impossible to find where within the present borough limits the earliest building for the use of sehool purposes was located. In the history of every town a brief aecount
31
MORRIS COUNTY
of the old log schoolhouse is invariably presented. Such account concerning Chatham cannot be given for no one knows of the existence of an original log structure. The first school house might have been located across the river near Timothy Day's hotel, since that was the centre of the town pre- vious to 1800. Shepard Kollock entered the following advertisements in his Journal under each of the dates, May 10, 1780, and January 3, 1781. "A schoolmaster that can be well recommended may find employment by apply- ing to the printer hereof." There is also reason to infer that the original building was located on the exact site of the old Academy. This may explain why no trace of the first school of the town can be found. The first reference regarding a school in this vicinity reads as follows: "Joel Jones came from Massachusetts about the year 1787. He kept school on Long Hill." [Littell's Genealogy, p. 196.] The school here referred to might have been one located on the site of the present red schoolhouse.
The first schoolhouse within the limits of the borough of which any definite record exists was that known as the "Old Academy." This build- ing was located on the north side of Main Street on the present site of the Episcopal Chapel. This structure was erected about the year 1800 and was used until 1873. It contained two stories. On the first floor the common public school was held, and part of the time the upstairs room was used for Sunday School purposes. Eventually the school was divided into two parts ; one, a select school in which the pupils paid for their tuition, and the other, a common free public school. This was one of the many academies estab- lished throughout the state in the early part of the nineteenth century through the solicitation of Yankee schoolmasters who came down from New England and sought patronage from the parents in various vicinities. These teachers "boarded around" and charged a certain amount for the tuition of each pupil in addition to their board and lodging which was furnished by the patrons. The bell of this academy is at the present time on the colored meeting house in Madison and bears the date 1806. Herein is a clue respect- ing the time when the building was erected.
The names of many of the teachers of this academy have been lost. However, among some old papers found in the possession of Mr. Washing- ton Bond were discovered receipts given to Thomas Bond who was a trustee of the academy in the early part of the century ; and from these the follow- ing names have been assembled: Under the date February 26, 1803. N. C. Everett was the teacher; March 24, 1804. Anthony Cameron; March 28, 1836, Thomas M. Dooley ; October 26, 1840, Mary M. Walker : 1846. John O. Day, George H. Cook ; 1855 ( ?), Richard Robinson, Lewis Case Carpen- ter, Dr. Forgus, Mr. Howard, Mr. Morey, Mr. Fox, Benjamin Felch, Hugh Cox, Mr. Henderson ; June 23, 1865, William F. Morrow, Jessie Cutler, Thomas H. Briggs: 1868-70. W. C. Sandy. Thomas T. Collard. The fol- lowing receipt is typical of the evidence from which a number of these names were taken :
MR. THOMAS BOND,
Chatham, March 24th, 1804.
To ANTHONY CAMERON, DR.
Jan. 15, 1804-To teaching your son Maxfield, Latin, 40 days at 4d. per day
£o
13s. 4d. 6
Melissa. 45 days.
0
7
0
7
6
Tom Bond, 45 days
To bal. of a former account
0
5 9
14S. 1d.
32
HISTORY OF CHATHAM
Notable among these teachers was Geo. H. Cook of Hanover, for many years State Geologist of New Jersey. One of the most reputable teachers of this list was Mr. Thomas H. Briggs, who was said to be the severest of all schoolmasters. Mr. Briggs had but one leg, and was consequently con- fined to the use of a crutch. Men now living who attended his school report that his favorite method of discipline was by throwing the dried up pigtail which he always kept at his right on the desk to the unruly boy, requiring him to bring it forward to receive punishment. Mr. Briggs was very dex- terous in going about the schoolroom. By means of his crutch he was able to cover the distance between his desk and the pupil in a surprisingly short time.
Many were the unruly acts committed on the teachers by the pupils of the "Old Academy." These outbreaks of deportment toward the new teachers frequently led to violence. It is said that some were "smoked out," by locking the master in, closing the shutters, and then sealing up the chimney. Occasionally a disreputed teacher was snowballed out of town. Then too, the big boys who attended in the winter would often pick a quarrel with a likely master and give him a thrashing. It is reported that previous to the coming of Thomas Briggs there had been four schoolmasters driven out successively. Each one stayed no more than a month. The jokes and unruly conduct were not committed toward the men teachers alone ; however respect for the women of the profession never permitted any to commit acts of violence. The story is told of a rather bold joke on Miss Elizabeth Magee. It appears that she had a young man admirer by the name of Solomon Parsons. His attentions to Miss Magee were so well known by the boys that jokes about him became frequent in occurrence, and successively more harsh in character. The climax was reached when some culprit of the school took a jackass from the stable of a townsman and led him to the Academy. On the arrival of Miss Magee in the morning, she was put in much of a quandary on her approach to the school, because of the frequent clinking of the school bell. She hurried to the building, anxious to find the cause. On opening the door at a glance all was explained. The rogue had taken the donkey into the building and tied him to the bell rope; but that was not all. In large letters on a placard fastened about the animal's body was the inscription, "I am Sol Parsons." Miss Magee saw at once the whole intent of the joke. The beast was hastily removed, and the punishment inflicted on the culprit, were he discovered, it might be inferred, was severe.
Mr. Thomas Collard taught both in the old academy and the new school building which was constructed on Passaic Avenue in the year 1873. Miss Elizabeth McGee, niece of Rev. Joseph Meeker Ogden, and daughter of Dr. McGee of Elizabeth Town, for many years during the 50's conducted a select school upstairs in the old academy. Miss Alice Arnold and a Miss Genung were also teachers in this select school.
On the occupancy of the school on Passaic avenue, there were but two teachers, Mr. Collard and Miss F. H. Megie. Following Mr. Collard in 1877, Mr. Peter Garabrant was the teacher. A most unique coincident accompanied his conducting the school. Mr. and Mrs. Garabrant were the sole teachers in the school, their home was in the rooms of the building up- stairs, and their children were part of the school. The enrollment at this time was about 130 pupils.
A complete list of the teachers from the time of Mr. Garabrant until the present is herewith presented : 1883-85, Albert Brugler ; 1885-87, Walter
33
MORRIS COUNTY
D. Wheat ; 1887-90, J. L .. Snook ; 1890-96, Frank O. Payne ; 1896-97, Russell M. Everett ; 1897-99, WV. L. Sprague; 1899-1900, A. F. Stauffer; 1900-01, Ralph W. Jones; 1901-05, W. A. Ackerman; 1905-09, Arthur E. Lovett ; 1909-Charles A. Philhower.
In 1909 it was found necessary to make further provisions for the children of the town. The old building was more than filled, and for seven years Kelly Hall on Main street had been used for the overflow. In accord- ance with this demand a new building was erected on Fairmount avenue in 1910, and occupied at that time with an initial enrollment of 310 pupils and 13 teachers. This was an increase of four teachers over the number in the old school. At the present time the enrollment of the public school is 425.
Various private schools have been conducted in the town. Most popular of these were Miss Cooley's school above Dr. Swaim's drug store, Miss Hannah Bower's school on Bower Lane, and Miss Thring's school on Main street, near Passaic avenue.
Previous to the year 1856 the schools of the State were governed by township superintendents. Mr. Stephen Ward, of Chatham, was one of the first to act in this capacity, and for many years was employed as superin- tendent of Chatham township. The Rev. J. M. Ogden was the leading trustee in this township, and in the Report of the State Superin- tendent of Education in the year 1856, Mr. Ogden gave a very excellent account of the status and progress of the schools of Chatham. At that time the township was made up of a number of one-room schools. In the im- mediate vicinity of the town there were three outlying schools: one was situated south of Coleman's Hill on the right hand side of the road going down Budd Lane, one at Union Hill, and another which probably antedates these two was situated on Long Hill where the present red schoolhouse is located.
The school at Union Hill continued until the year 1863 and was located at the corner of Division street and Kings Road. The building was eighteen by thirty feet, and had a large fireplace with a great stone chimney in one end. About the year 1846 this fireplace was removed and a tinplate stove was substituted. It is thought that this building was erected somewhere about the year 1800. In 1862 in consequence of the reconstruction of school districts a new building was erected west of Union Hill and north of Main street in the borough of Madison. The various teachers of the original Union Hill School of Chatham as accurately as they can be recollected by Mr. Frank Bruten were: Miss Hannah Bower, Miss Marietta Tuttle, Mr. John Condit, Dr. Forgus, Mr. James K. Magie, Miss Sarah A. Carter, Mr. Parsons, Mr. Charles Sayre, Mr. Ashbel Wright, Mr. Henry Smith, Miss Anna E. Thompson, Mr. Stephen H. Ward, Miss Johanna B. Thompson, Mr. Van Cleve, Mr. Francis Smith, Mr. Richard Robinson, Mr. Wilbur F. Morrow, 1863. (The Public Schools of Madison, N. J., by Fred B. Bardon, P. 57.)
From these crude and illy kept country schools many men of note received their early education. However the great mass of pupils in the district frequently suffered for want of attention denied them on account of the demands of a few brighter pupils in the school. The present practice of grading the schools is a great departure from this old method of conduct- ing these public institutions. Under this system each pupil in the grade receives equal attention. The school at the present is composed of an up-to-date kindergarten, eight well regulated grades in the grammar depart-
34
HISTORY OF CHATHAM
ment, and a four-year high school which offers three courses; classical, scientific, and commercial. The first two courses mentioned admit pupils to college without examination. The high school was placed on the State Ap- proved List in the year 1910.
New Jersey was the first State to encourage the development of public school libraries. This was done by a law which provided that for every $20 raised by a school district for the establishment of a public school library, the State would give an equal amount, and during each succeeding year thereafter, on the event of the district raising $10 for the further develop- ment of said library, $10 would be donated by the State. The originator of this bill was the Hon. Nathaniel Niles, of Union Hill, whose estate is located on Division street. Mr. Niles was at this time, 1871 and 1872, a mem- ber of the Assembly from Morris County, and speaker of the house in '72. He was the staunch supporter of the public schools of the State. To Il13 honor lies the credit of establishing the school system of the State on a firm financial basis. This was done by means of an annual redistribution of the State school tax according to the school population of each county. Through its operation for the past forty years this law has proved most practical and has enabled the poorest county of the State to offer to its children school advantages equal to any. [Modern Battles of Trenton, Sackett, p. 78.]
Travel-From the time the earliest settlers came to Chatham the great thoroughfare of travel was over the "Road to Elizabeth Town," the course of which was determined by the Minisink Indian trail leading from the upper Delaware to the coast. In 1790 a stage coach was running from Wm. Par- rott's hotel in Chatham to Paulus Hook, Jersey City. It is recorded that this stage also stopped at Timothy Day's hotel in Chatham. From Jersey City to New York there was a relay which enabled the traveler to go from Chatham to New York and back in three days. The main turnpike road led to Elizabeth Town.
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