USA > New Jersey > Middlesex County > Perth Amboy > Contributions to the early history of Perth Amboy and adjoining country : with sketches of men and events in New Jersey during the provincial era > Part 30
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Such property to be the basis for the issue by the province of £40,000 of paper money-twenty thousand to each com- pany-which was to be the capital upon which they were to trade : and so confident were they of success, that it was pro- vided for in the bill that for twenty days after the books were opened, no person was to be allowed to subscribe for more than one share-and for the second twenty days for not more than two shares-the shares being one hundred pounds each.
It seems to have been expected by the framers of the bill that in ten years the profits of the companies would be sufficient to sink the forty thousand pounds-but should such not prove to be the case, then the property held as security was to become
302
MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS.
liable for any deficiency. Benjamin Smith of Hunterdon introduced the bill, but with whom it originated is not known.19
In March, 1758, Acting Governor Reading brought the languishing state of trade to the notice of the legislature, and recommended an export duty "such as would be felt " upon all articles sent to be exported from New York or Pennsylvania, excepting common daily provisions for the markets, and the granting of a bounty upon such as were shipped directly from the province ; but his suggestions were not heeded.
The frequent changes in the laws regulating the disposition of wheat was of course injurious to the planters, and, in all probability, had no restrictions ever been placed upon the inter- course with New York, the ready market there afforded them would have gradually led to a largely increased production. An aged inhabitant of Amboy informed me some years ago that he had heard from the grey beards of his youthful days, of times when forty vessels at once could be seen loading with wheat at that place-at some period probably when the duty upon its exportation was not levied.
The mistaken policy of thus desiring to make the busi- ness of Amboy one of a peculiar character must be considered the principal cause of its never arriving at the height of com- mercial greatness which its founders so confidently ex- pected it to attain. A considerable amount of foreign com- merce, nevertheless, continued to be carried on before the War of Independence. The arrival and departure of vessels are found frequently noticed in the New York papers, but the rapid growth of that city had to so great an extent oversha- dowed and obscured its humble neighbor, that the removal of the officers of the Provincial Government, and its ceasing to be no longer of note in a political point of view, at once de- stroyed its commercial importance, and it has remained un- resuscitated to the present day ; the little intercourse with foreign ports which has existed, being the result almost en- tirely of enterprises by New York merchants, in the prosecu- tion of which the proximity of the port to their city affords facilities which are occasionally made available.
19 Votes and State Papers, Vol. I. in State Library.
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MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS.
The materials for estimating the extent of the commerce of Amboy before the Revolution are exceedingly scanty ;- the only particular tabular statement I have seen is the following, relating to the business of the year ending June 24th, 1751.20
ARRIVALS.
DEPARTURES.
2 Ships
From and to L
2 Ships
2 Snows
7 Brigantines
8 Brigantines
18 Sloops
13 Sloops
10 Schooners
2 Shallops
2 Shallops
41
Imports from Foreign Ports for the same time.
39,670 Galls. Rum.
31,600 Molasses.
168,500 lbs. Bread.
333,968 lbs. Sugar.
314 bbls. Beef and Pork.
437 bbls. Naval Stores.
17,941 Bushels Grain.
123 Pipes Wines.
14,000 lbs. Hemp.
12,759 Bushels Salt.
And small quantities of Butter, Hams, Beer, Flax-seed, Bar-iron and Lumber.
Mr. Russell, in his work on America, printed in 1778, es- timated the commerce of the province at the commencement of the Revolution to be twice as great as it was in 1751. The " fee book" of Jonathan Deare, " Naval Officer " at Amboy, is in the possession of the New Jersey Historical Society, showing the number of entrances and clearances from June 8th, 1784, to February 8th, 1788 - three years and eight months-to have been as follows :-
Entrances.
Clearances.
Snows
2 Snows
2
Brigs
6 Brigs
6
Ketch
1 Ketch
- 1
Schooners
10
Schooners
7
Sloops
- 33
Sloops
34
52
50
20 Douglas Vol. II. p. 294. Correct View of the Colonies, London, 1775, and other works. There are of course full and complete returns in the Eng- lish Archives. For the sake of com- parison it may here be stated that during the year ending September, 1750, the arrivals at New York were 232 and departures 286. At Boston in the year ending Christmas, 1748,
the arrivals from foreign ports only were 430 and departures 540, and the coasting trade was estimated to em- ploy as many more. From January 1st, 1734, to March, 1736, the en- trances at Philadelphia were 226, clear- ances 263. Entrances at New York 209, clearances 227. Entrances at Boston 892, and clearances 725.
10 Schooners
Foreign Ports and Coastwise ; not in- cluding, however, ordinary coasting vessels not obliged to enter and clear.
3 Snows
38 Exports for Foreign Ports for the same time.
6,424 bbls Flour.
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MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS.
Coastwise Entrances 19.
Clearances 21
From New York
12
For New York
11
Philadelphia -
1
Nantucket
1
6 Boston
1
66 Providence
1
Charleston
3 Virginia
2
Savannah
2
Charleston
3
66 Maryland
1
New Haven
1
66 Savannah
1
Entrances from Foreign Ports 34.
Clearances for Foreign Ports 29.
From Nova Scotia 12
For Nova Scotia
- 8
St. Eustatia
6
Antigua
3
St. Croix
3
St. Eustatia 3
Tobago
3
Tobago
3
St. Johns, N. B.
2
St. Johns, N. B. St. Croix
2
Barbadoes, Tortola, St.
2
Christopher, St. Mar-
tins, St. Domingo, Ja-
8
maica, England and
Madeira each one.
Fayal, St. Domingo Gau- daloupe, Bahamas, Trini- dad, Madeira, England and Surinam each one.
8
In this statement vessels engaged in the ordinary coast ing trade are not included, neither were they in the preceding one, and consequently from a comparison of the two, the dif- ference in the commerce of the place before and after the Rev- olution is very perceptible.
The following is a list of the Collectors of Perth Amboy since the establishment of the government of the United States to the present time. No complete list of the officers previous to that time can be obtained.21
John Halsted-August 2, 1789. Andrew Bell-March 18, 1800. Daniel Marsh-June 13, 1801. John Heard-June 1, 1802.
Phineas Manning-February 25, 1806.
Daniel Perrine-April 15, 1809.
Aaron Hazard-June 12, 1812.
John Brewster-April 1, 1818,
Robert Arnold-January 20, 1821.
James Parker-April 1, 1829. Joseph W. Reckless-March 11, 1833.
David K. Schenck-June 23, 1838.
Charles McK. Smith-July 10, 1841. Francis W. Brinley-Aug. 24, 1843. Solomon Andrews-June 15, 1844. Jas. A. Nicholls-May 6, 1845. Charles McK. Smith-July 31, 1849.
Francis W. Brinley-March 26, 1853.
21 From 1786 to 1789, John Johnston was Collector.
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FAIRS AND RACES.
Regular Market days and Fairs being formerly considered essential to the prosperity of all towns and cities, the Proprie- tors, ever assiduously devising plans for the improvement of their capital, directed, at an early period, their establishment at Amboy. Under date of 2d January, 1683, they say in their instructions to Gawen Lawrie, " It is not to be forgotten that as soon as can be, weekly Markets and Faires at fitt sea- sons be appointed at Perth Towne." Accordingly, at the first session of the Assembly held at Amboy, April, 1686, Wednes- day in every week was made market-day, and semi-annual. Fairs authorized to be held on the first Tuesdays in May and October-each continuing three days.
With what spirit this law was carried into effect is not known, but it is presumed from the interest manifested for its passage (as it seems to have been drawn up in accordance with the views of the inhabitants of the province generally), and from the markets and fairs being often adverted to, that its provisions were found to have a beneficial tendency.
Fairs and market-days were stipulated for by the Proprie- taries on the surrender of the government to the crown, and authority to establish all that might be necessary was in con- sequence given to Lord Cornbury in his commission. In the Act of Incorporation granted the city in 1718 was a clause directing two market-days weekly throughout the year, on Tuesdays and Saturdays-Christmas day and holydays ex- cepted-in the market place "near the Court-house or City Hall, and nowhere else." Two fairs were also authorized to be held annually on the second Tuesdays in May and Novem- ber "for all sorts of goods, chattels, wares and merchandises that are usually sold at fairs"-each to continue four days. Subsequently only one fair was held per annum, and that on the first day of May. These continued until the Revolution- William Dunlap remembered one or more in his youth. Cir- cumstances of other places seem not to have warranted the same .continuance. Some were abolished by special Acts of
20
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the Assembly,22 others were neglected to be held, and became consequently irregular and unserviceable.
The Fairs at Amboy were held on the hill towards Sandy Point, now the property of Mr. Watson, which, with the sur- rounding fields, has for many years been distinguished by the title of "the Race Ground." Races took place there at the time Brighton House was open for the reception of the public, but the name was conferred at a much earlier period ; those who resorted to the fairs amusing themselves with races, seve- ral of which are advertised in the old New York journals.
Gay and animated was the scene then, where now little but the cheerful repose of nature meets the eye ; a gayety and an animation that a visitor to the spot may never reasonably ex- pect to witness there again. The booths with their gay streamers-the horses and riders-the gentry and yeomanry -every variety of vehicle, and a heterogeneous collection of articles for sale, will never again cover those pleasant grounds, over which the assembled multitudes, when not engrossed by the spirit-stirring race, or the pursuits of traffic, were wont to scatter in various groups as age or circumstances impelled. A parcel of youngsters in all the light-heartedness of youth per- forming in one place their gambols on the green sward ; in an- other a knot of greybeards discussing the prospects of the season or the state of crops ; while widely wanders many a pair in search of the
"Hawthorn bush, with seats beneath the shade, For whisp'ring lovers made."
To some whose eyes may fall upon these pages how many
" painful, Albeit, most pleasing recollections,"
will the reference to these fields occasion. How many happy
22 Salem in 1763. Grenwich, Cumber- land County, 1765. Burlington, Prince- ton and Windsor, 1772; and in April, 1750, Governor Belcher issued a pro- clamation that he had accepted the surrender of the charter of the Borough
of Trenton, and gives notice thereof, "to prevent trouble and attendance upon the fairs, which will not be held as usual." In 1797 an Act was passed abolishing all fairs.
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moments, dear to memory, have been passed beneath the shades where
" The velvet grass seems carpet meet For the light fairies' lively feet."
But ere the silver cord will be loosed or the golden bowl be broken of many who have of late years wandered in all the gayety of youth about these premises, a change will have come over them. Prosperity or adversity-innovations under the name of improvement, if the first ; or impoverishment of soil, through neglected culture, the wash of water, and the fall of trees, if the last-will so work upon
" These glades so loved in childhood free,"
that one may look in vain for the land-marks of memory.
Already has the hand of Time impaired the beauty of scenes rendered interesting to the writer by associations that can never be forgotten. Trees that chronicled the names of chosen companions in connection with his own no longer exist ;. vines that furnished him and them their luscious fruit have: disappeared, the victims of the axe or of old age ; foliage that. offered a grateful relief from the noonday sun has vanished,, but still, the
" Scenes that soothed Or charmed him young, no longer young he finds Still soothing; and of power to charm him still."
RACES.
Horse-racing seems to have become prevalent in the pro- vince at an early period, and to have been followed to such. excess as to call for the restraining hand of the legislature in. 1748. In that year all horse-racing for " lucre of gain " was. declared to be a nuisance, excepting at fairs, and on the first working days after Christmas, Easter and Whitsuntide (mak- ing the festivals of the church thus serve as days of prepara- tion), when races were permitted for any sum not exceeding forty shillings, or any article not of greater value ; and any one betting more than that sum was liable to a penalty of five:
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pounds. Corporations, however, might raise the stake to twenty-five pounds.
This Act continued in force until 1761, when it was dis- covered "that many persons of vicious or unguarded conduct, taking advantage of the toleration granted in said law, assem- ble themselves together, from many parts of the country, at some of the yearly fairs, and game and lay wagers to an im- moderate degree, to the great prejudice of some families, and the hinderance of trade and industry, and the corruption of the morals of youth, and against the peace and quiet of many of his Majesty's liege subjects." A law was accordingly passed prohibiting all races both by corporations and individuals, whether for purses or not ; but inasmuch as " the improvement of the breed of horses might be a matter of consequence, and by some thought in part to depend on their public exercises," authority was given to any three magistrates to legalize a race at any time by giving written permission, provided they at- tended in person, to prevent all wagers, drunkenness, and other disorderly conduct ; but no race was ever to be allowed within two miles of any place of public worship.
Notwithstanding these restrictions, we find that races were run at Amboy and elsewhere ; and continued so to be occa- sionally at various places in the State until quite recently, under some difficulties, perhaps ; but our legislators, now, do not seem to regard the practice as detrimental to society as did their predecessors in the periods referred to.
The following are some of the notices which have been alluded to :-
" April 21st, 1755. Whereas, by the charter of Perth Amboy a fair is to be held yearly in said city, on the 1st day of May; This is to give notice that on the first of next May said fair will be opened, on which day a purse of ten pounds value will be run for by horses in said city."
A similar advertisement appears in 1760-the races to continue two days :-
" The plate or purse to be of twenty pounds value, Jersey money ; no horse allowed to enter that has won a purse before; entrance money to be paid to Alexander Watson and William Faudrill-twenty shillings if paid four days before, and thirty-five shillings if paid subsequently. Horses to run three heats of two miles each, and the horse that wins two heats and
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saves his distance the third, to be entitled to the purse. The entrance money to be run for the second day by any save the winning and distanced horses of the first day-not less than four horses to run."
1763. " The Elizabethtown Free Mason's Plate of twenty pounds value to be run for in the field of John Vanderbilt on the south side of Staten Island on Thursday, 4th day of October next, being the first day of Elizabethtown fair. All disputes to be determined by three master masons to be appointed for that purpose."
May 1st, 1766. "A Purse of twenty pounds is to be run for at Amboy on Thursday, the day appointed for the fair by the charter, open for any horse, mare or gelding not more than half blood, carrying nine stone; the best of three heats two miles each. The horses to be entered with Elijah Dunham or William Wright, on or before 26th April. Entrance $2, or $4 at the post. The entrance money to be run for the next day-not less than four horses to start."
THE PUBLIC BATHING DAY.
In vain has a clue been sought to the certain origin of the custom, so general with the farmers and others of the neighbor- hood, of visiting Amboy on the first or second Saturday after the full moon in August for the purpose of bathing.
To all inquiries the answer has been returned "it has al- ways been so ; " but this long continuance, so that "the me- mory of man runneth not to the contrary," although it may · satisfy a lawyer of the soundness of those legal doctrines that are based on custom, only serves to give a double zest to the researches of an antiquary. But it must be given up-like the object of interest to the renowned Syntax,
" Its history perhaps may be Far in remote antiquity, But memory does not now recal A trace of the original."
It is probably safe to attribute the rise of the custom to the establishment of the fairs before mentioned. They served, doubtless, to make the inhabitants of the surrounding country acquainted with the conveniences for bathing afforded them, and of which they would be led to avail themselves when the labors of harvesting were over and some relaxation and recre- ation necessary ; the custom spreading from one family to an- other until, as at the present day, hundreds meet without any previous concert.
310
MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS.
Of late years the number of visitors generally has not been so great as it was formerly ; the author has himself counted more than two thousand persons, of all ages, sexes and colors, returning from the shore in the course of three hours on one of those days, most of whom had probably been in the water at the same time ; and he has understood that during some late years the number has been far greater.
FIRES AND ENGINES.
To Amboy the visitations of "the devouring element "- oftentimes so destructive to the labor of years and to the pros- pects of the most industrious and prosperous-have been com- paratively few, when it is considered that the largest proportion of the houses are built of wood, and that the means for the speedy arrest of fires have been wanting during the whole period of the city's existence. Endeavors were made at differ- ent times previous to the Revolution to effect the establishment of engines, and on one occasion a machine was actually received from New York.
A letter in my possession from Elias Bland, dated New. York, May 15th, 1767, says :-
" I hope the worthy gentlemen of your Corporation will not suppose I want to impose on them respecting the fire-engine, which comes here- with, with a certificate from the person who has the care of those belong- ing to this city. I had three; two of 'em wanted something done to 'em, owing to being long out of use. This now sent has wanted nothing done. Stoutenburgh says it is a very good engine, and (unless abused) will last forty years. However, if not approved let it come back per Thompson 29 at my expense." A note at the foot gives as the value of the engine, " 20 guineas at Current Exchange, at present 77} per cent."
This engine must have been returned, or else have been rendered unserviceable soon after its arrival, for in March, 1774, an Act was passed by the General Assembly authorizing the Corporation to raise, by a tax on the inhabitants, a suffi- cient sum of money " to amend the public roads and streets, to repair the town wharf, to purchase a fire engine with the
23 The only navigator at that time between the two ports.
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MISCELLANEOUS TOPICS.
necessary paraphernalia, and to dig public wells," 24 but the oldest resident cannot remember that an engine was ever pro- cured at this or at any other time.
The following are the only notices of fires that have been met with or heard of :-
September, 1737. The barn and stacks of corn and hay belonging to Philip Kearny, Esq., were set on fire by a negro boy belonging to him and entirely destroyed.
April 13th, 1768. The houses of Mr. John Skinner and Mr. William Burnet both took fire, but were saved from entire destruction. 25
December 28th, 1776. The dwelling house of Stephen Skinner, which stood on the bank in the rear of what are now known as the Bruen Stores, was accidentally set on fire and entirely consumed. The New York Mercury says "the ware- house adjacent was filled with military stores which were saved from destruction by the activity of the 32d Regiment quar- tered there, and the sailors belonging to the ships in the harbor."
Some time after the Revolution the interior of what is now Brighton was destroyed.
In July, 1795, a two story dwelling house and a store- house belonging to Anthony Butler, Esq., standing " under the hill " was destroyed. Mr. Marsh's old store retained on its roof some marks of the fire up to a very recent period. A ship on the stocks was also destroyed. The loss was supposed to amount to nearly $30,000, the store and cellar of the dwell- ing house being filled with merchandise. It was presumed
24 What is now known as the " Town Well" at the junction of Smith and High streets, was probably dug at this time.
25 A remarkable prevalence of fires on this day is noticed. Besides the two mentioned in the text, there was a large fire at New Brunswick, destroy- ing the dwelling of Widow Deldine, the dwelling and bake-house of John Van Norden, jr., a dwelling, two store- houses, cooper's shop and bolting- house containing a large quantity of produce, belonging to James Nielson,
Esq., the dwelling and store of Peter Vredenburg, and the dwelling of Wi- dow Carmers. The fire was not sub- dued until several buildings were pulled down. Mr. Nielson was out of town about two miles, watching his mills that were in some danger from fire in the woods. Besides these build- ings, Mr. Bard's house between New- ark and Elizabethtown; Mr. William Nicholl's house and barn in Freehold ; Widow Martin's house at Lebanon, and the Durham Iron Works near that place, were also destroyed.
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to have been the work of incendiaries, for a day or two after- ward several officers arrived from New York in search of a number of men who were suspected of having occasioned a con- flagration in Albany a short time before, the description given of them and of their boat corresponding with the appearance of a party seen at Amboy on the night of the fire.
From that time to the present no fire of any consequence has occurred to the knowledge of the writer, with two excep- tions. In 1837, two dwelling houses in High street, south of the premises now occupied by Mr. Merritt, were entirely con- sumed ; and in 1850 a house on the north side of "the Cove."
THE PIRATES AND THEIR HIDDEN TREASURES.
" He that had wit, would think that I had none To bury so much gold *
* * * And never after to inherit it."-Titus Andronicus.
" At all hours I have cross'd this place And ne'er beheld a spirit's face ; Once I remember late at night I something saw both large and white Which made me stop and made me stare But - 'twas the Parson's grizzle mare."-Dr. Syntax.
There is hardly a bay or river in this section of the country that has not been made by tradition the theatre of some ex- ploit of the renowned William Kidd, or his associates. The harbor of Amboy and the Raritan River are included in the number, both of them having been visited, it is said, by Kidd when seeking for proper places for the deposition of his ill- gotten wealth, and it is thought that on one occasion he ascended the river in his vessel as far as was found prac- ticable.
That buccaneers at different periods previous to 1725 in- fested the shores of New Jersey and the Atlantic provinces generally, there can be no doubt, and that Kidd, after his return in 1699 from his expedition to the East Indies, gave some cause for alarm to the good people of New Jersey is pro- bable. In August, 1699, Governor Basse issued a proclama-
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tion authorizing his arrest and the detention of his vessel, " the Adventure Galley." 26
The pirates along the coast multiplied considerably after Kidd's execution, which occurred in 1701, and in 1717 it was supposed they were " fifteen hundred strong at least," and the shores of New Jersey were much frequented.
On 3d August, 1708, the Council of Pennsylvania was con- vened with special reference to these privateers and pirates ; " the greatest pressure and grievance," the Governor said, this province as yet has felt in having our rivers and capes so beset with the enemy that our navigation has been rendered almost entirely impracticable." On 7th May, 1709, one of these vessels landed about 60 men at Whore-kills, and plun- dered the inhabitants ; and other instances are mentioned in the Colonial Annals of Pennsylvania.
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