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 4
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39 Wodrow, I. pp. 356, 357, 361. II. pp. 10, 179.
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THE SETTLERS.
ing that length in conformity required of them by the law, did live very uneasie ;" and natural was it for him to turn his thoughts towards that land where he and they might " freely enjoy their own principles without hazard or the least trou- ble," longing for the wings of a dove that he might flee away and be at rest. From his confinement in the Bass he ad- dressed a petition to the Council, praying for his release, en- gaging to "go to the plantations," and promising to take with him his wife's cousin, Archibald Riddell, one of the ob- noxious preachers ;- offering to become his security in the sum of five thousand merks. This petition was acted on April 1, 1684, and the Laird of Pitlochie found himself once more at liberty."40
This liberty was employed by him in preparing "The Model of the Government of East New Jersey in America," to which we are indebted for a large portion of the information which has come down to us respecting the condition of East Jersey at that time, the character of the settlers, and the cir- cumstances which attended their emigration from Scotland.41 His position in society, his connection with many of the first families of the kingdom, and the persecutions to which he had been subjected, which, of course, increased his notoriety, all tended to secure for his work much more consideration from his countrymen, than would have been the case had the au- thor been less distinguished ; and when, adding example to precept, he announced his intention of embarking with his family for the newly-discovered asylum for the oppressed, it is not surprising that many should have associated themselves with him in the undertaking.
The approbation of " those in authority" was obtained, and his arrangements based upon the following permission :-
"By the Right Honourable Earl of Perth, Lord High Chancellour of Scotland, &c. These are Permitting and allowing Mr. George Scot, of Pitlochie, with his Lady, Children and Family, and such other Persons as he shall ingage, to pass from this Kingdom either by Sea or Land, to any
41 Only three or four copies of this work are known to be in existence. It was reprinted, however, in the first vol-
40 Wodrow, II. p. 57. ume of the Collections of the New Jer- sey Historical Society-in whose libra- ry one copy of the original work may be found.
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THE SETTLERS.
of His Majestie's Forreign Plantations, providing such persons to be trans- ported by him, be not declared Traitors, Rebels, Fugitives, and that with- out any Let, Impediment, or Molestation, from any person whatever : they always behaving themselves peaceably and according to Law. Given at Edinburgh the first of January, 1685.
" For all Magistrates, Officers, and Souldiers within the Kingdom of Scotland, whom these do or may concern. PERTH CANCELL."
On the 11th February, the Council authorized Scot by warrant to transport "to the plantations" a hundred of the prisoners confined at Glasgow, Edinburgh and Stirling, if they were willing to go, excluding those who were " heritors above one hundred pounds of rent ;" and such persons as were under bonds to appear before them when called, were to have those bonds returned should they join him.
Thus authorized, the Laird of Pitlochie proceeded to collect his company ; and, under date of 7th August, he requests the Council to transfer to him a large number of persons who had been banished to Jamaica (of which number, however, only twelve were granted to him), having already obtained fifty prisoners, and engaged several workmen, to go with him to New Jersey.
Under dates of August 17th, 21st, and 25th, one hundred and five persons who had refused the oath of allegiance to the King,43 or had been previously banished, and then in the tol- booth of Leith, were ordered to be delivered to Scot, to be transported to East Jersey, on his giving security to land them there, as, by a certificate from the governor or deputy-gov- ernor, might be made to appear, prior to September, 1686 ; the penalty to be five hundred merks in case of failure in any instance. Other persons were afterward assigned to him in like manner, and some, previously named, prohibited from embarking.44
Scot, as early as May, had chartered the "Henry and Francis of Newcastle, a Ship of three hundred and fifty Tun and twenty great Guns, Richard Hutton, Master," but it was
42 Model, &c. p. 269. East Jersey, p. 332.
43 " All the said persons, being men, having judicially in presence of the council, refused to take or sign the
oath of allegiance, and the women abovesaid having altogether refused to own his Majesty's authority, or to take the oath of abjuration."-Decree
44 Wodrow, IV. pp. 216,220,222,223.
,
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THE SETTLERS.
not until the 5th September, 1685, that the vessel left the harbor of Leith, the banished persons having been on board for some time.
The names of all who finally set sail cannot now be given, the whole number being near two hundred. The list which follows comprises all mentioned by Wodrow,45 those not named being of the number who embarked voluntarily, among whom were also those on the list marked + ; and those dis- tinguished by a * left a written protest against the measures which led to their banishment.46 Those whose names are printed in italics are known to have died on the voyage.
Robert Adam,
William Douglas,
John Gilfillan, *
Lady Aithernie, t
Charles Douglas,
Bessie Gordon,
John Arbuckle, *
Isabel Durie,
Annabel Gordon, *
Rev. Wm. Aisdale, t
John Frazer,
Katharine Govan,
Jolın Black,
Thomas Finlater,
John Harvie, *
George Brown,
Elspeth Ferguson,
John Henderson, *
Robert Campbell,
Janet Ferguson,
Adam Hood, *
David Campbell,
Margaret Ferret* (For- Charles Homgall, *
Wm. Campbell, rest ?), John Hutchison,
John Campbell,
John Foord, *
John Hodge,
Christian Cavie,
James Forsyth, *
Thomas Jackson, *
John Crichton,
John Foreman,
Wm. Jackson,
John Corbet,
John Gray,
Annabel Jackson,
Andrew Corbet,
Thomas Gray,
George Johnston, *
John Corsan (Casson ?),
Thomas Graham,
John Johnstone, t
Agnes Corhead,
Grisel Gemble,
James Junk,
Barbara Cowan,
William Ged, t
John King,
Marjory Cowan,
Fergus Grier, John Kippon,
Wm. Cunningham,
James Grier (Grierson?), John Kincaid, *
Patrick Cunningham,
Robert Gilchrist, James Kirkwood,
45 His manner of rendering some of the names varies on different pages, as noticed in the list.
46 Wodrow gives the following sum- mary of this document: "That now being to leave their own native and covenan- ted land, by an unjust sentence of ban- ishment, for owning truth, and holding by duty, and studying to keep by their covenanted engagements and baptismal vows, whereby they stand obliged to resist, and testify against all that is contrary to the word of God and their covenants; and that their sentence of banishment ran chiefly because they refused the oath of allegiance, which in conscience they could not take, because in so doing, they thought they utterly declined the Lord Jesus Christ from having any power in his own house, and practically would by taking it, say
he was not King and head of his church- and over their consciences; and on the contrary, this was to take and put in his room a man whose breath is in his nostrils, yea, a man that is a sworn enemy to religion, an avowed papist, whom by our covenant we are bound to withstand, and disown, and that agreeably to the scripture, Deut. xvii. 14, 15-'When thou art come unto the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, and shalt possess it, and shalt dwell therein, and shalt say, I will set a king over me, like as all the nations that are about me; thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee whom the . Lord thy God shall choose; one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee; thou mayest not set ৳ stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.'"-IV. pp. 331, 332.
-
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THE SETTLERS.
John Kirkland,
Margaret Mclellan,
William Spreul, * Thomas Shelston,
John Kellie, McLellan, Andrew Mclellan,
John Swinton,
John Kennie, Margaret Leslie, * Janet Lintron,
Wm. Mc Millan,
John Sinton * (Seton ?),
John McGhie, *
George Scot, t
Gawen Lockhart,
Wm. Niven, t
Margaret Scot,t
Michael Marshall, John Marshall, John Martin,
Andrew Paterson,
Janet Symington, *
John Pollock,
James Sittingtoun,
Margaret Miller, John Ramn, George Moor * (Muir), Gilbert Monorg, or Mo- Mrs. Riddel, t
Rev. Archibald Riddel, t John Turpnie,
William Turnbull,
norgan,
Wm. Rigg, t
Partrick Urie,
Jean Moffat, *
Eupham Rigg, t
John Vernor, t
John Muirhead,
Marian Rennie,
James Muirhead, *
John Renwick,
Wm. McCalmont,
James Reston,
Patrick Walker,
John McEwen,
Thomas Russel,
James Wardrope,
Robert McEwen, *
Wm. Sprat,
William Wilson,
John McQueen * (Mc- Agnes Stevens * (Tan- Robert Young. Ewen ?),
nis ?),
Robert Mclellan,
· The charge for transportation, as publicly announced, was five pounds sterling for each adult, and to each of those who were unable to pay for their passage, was promised 25 acres of land and a suit of new clothes on the completion of four years of service, to those who advanced the requisite amount.48
47 Margaret Spence, "relict of John for children under ten years of age, Vernor," on 1st November, 1685, made her will on board the vessel-" foras- much as I am now presently lying under a grievous fever, and it being apparent that I am more likely to die than to live,"-thus ran the document -she left all she had on board to Christian Spence, daughter of James Spence, merchant, of Queensferry, Scot- land-who was on board. On the 27th November, William Rigg made his will -leaving to Eupham Scott-her father and mother were already dead-all the jewelry on board, the clothes, &c., be- longing to his mother and sister, de- ceased ; as well as a joint interest they had with Eupham in a "common stock " laid out in Scotland .- Proprietary Re- cords, B. 493, A. 238.
48 " The charge of transportation, is, for every man or woman, five lib. sterling, passage and entertainment;
fifty shillings; and sucking children nothing; forty shillings for the tun of goods, and often. under * * * For or- dinary servants, who are willing to go over after four years' service from the time of their arrival there, during which time they shall be well enter- tained in meat and clothing, they shall have set out to each twenty-five acres to them and theirs for ever, paying two- pence an acre, as much corn as will sow an acre, and a suit of new clothes. Now, considering that there is five pounds sterling paid for their passage, these are good terms, and then after the term of their service is expired, they will gain more in one year there than they could do in two at home."- Scot's Model, pp. 105, 106 ; and see East Jersey, &c. pp. 103, 104, 207, for other stipulations respecting settlers and their servants.
Katherine Kellie,
John Mc Kenman,
John Smith,
Wm. Oliphant,
Eupham Scot, t
John Targat,
Mrs. Vernor, + 47 John Watt,
Walter McEwen * (Mc- Peter Russell, ' Igne ?),
Elizabeth Whitelaw,
Christopher Strang, *
Grizel Wotherspoon,
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THE SETTLERS.
Many of the passengers of the "Henry and Francis" were consequently such as were known at a later period of Ameri- can history as " Redemptioners."
Under these circumstances there is injustice in charging Scot, as Wodrow does, with "tampering" with some of the prisoners before they sailed, in offering, for five pounds sterling paid then, to set them at liberty on their arrival in East Jer- sey.49 It was no more than those paid who voluntarily emi- grated, and having rescued them from imprisonment, if not from death, under heavy responsibilities to land them abroad where peace and prosperity seemed to await them, with the expectation of being at the expense of their transportation and subsistence, a demand for some remuneration was not unrea- sonable. Feelings of commiseration for the oppressed, and of pain at the unfortunate character of the voyage, should not be allowed to warp the judgment when determining the propriety of the demand, especially so, as it appears from Scot's own statement to the council, that fifty of them at least, under the grant of the 11th February, willingly profited by an engage- ment with him to escape the rigor of their confinement. It should be remembered that Scot himself had been the vic- tim of persecution ; that the doors of the Bass had several times closed upon him, so that the pains of imprisonment, for conscience' sake, had by him been suffered as well as by his ill- fated companions ; that it was "the evils of the times " which prompted him to emigrate, and that emigration in his case as well as in theirs-voluntary it is true on his part, while on theirs it was forced-was the alternative to a loathsome exist- ence within the walls of a prison. To say, therefore, that he " proposed to be enriched by the prisoners," and that the result shows it to be "a hazardous venture to make merchandise of the suffering people of God "50 is to ascribe motives and inter- pret judgments in a manner unwarranted by the facts. That Scot hoped for some remuneration for the expense he was in-
49 Woodrow says, " Informations be- him out of his native land, adding he fore me bear, that Pitlochy tampered had done nothing worthy of banish- ment." IV. p. 332. with some of them," but he only men- tions James Forsyth, who answered, 50 Wodrow, IV. p. 333. " he would give him no money to carry
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THE SETTLERS.
curring is probable, as is also the supposition that assurances of some kind were given that he would not be unrewarded ; else why burden himself with the transportation of those whose re-incarceration in Dunottar Castle depended upon his decision alone ? Had the voyage been less disastrous, we should not probably have heard these accusations.
As has been already stated the vessel sailed from the har- bor of Leith on the 5th September, 1685. We hear of no untoward event until after she had got beyond "the Land's End," when a fever began to prevail with virulence, particu- larly among the prisoners, many of whom were sick when they came on board, and the health of the others was endangered by the condition of the provisions laid in by the Captain ; the meat, owing probably to the length of time which had elapsed since the vessel was chartered, becoming offensive, and uneat- able. A month elapsed, and the fever assumed a malignant type. Few escaped it, and on some days as many as three and four bodies were committed to the deep. Not half of those who died are designated in the foregoing list, for the whole number was nearly seventy. Among them (as will be seen) was the Laird of Pitlochie himself, and his wife, with her sister- in-law Lady Aithernie, and her two children.
Death and unwholesome food were not the only evils the unfortunate emigrants had to encounter. Wodrow represents the conduct of the Captain as being most cruel ; extending even to the devising of measures to interfere with their perform- ance of religious services. The ship, too, sprang a leak twice, and calms and storms added to their anxiety and distress.
On the death of Scot, the direction of the voyage devolved upon John Johnstone, whom Wodrow calls Scot's "son-in- law"-which it is probable he was not at that time,-and we are told that he was urged by the Captain to change the course of the vessel towards Virginia, or to the island of Jamaica, either place presenting better opportunities for the employment of servants than New Jersey ; Hutton offering, as an inducement, to charge himself with the disposal of the prisoners, and to account to him for them "in bulk."51 What
$1 In cargo or productions of the country.
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THE SETTLERS.
attention Mr. Johnstone paid to these overtures is not defi- nitely stated, but there is an evident desire to impress the reader with the idea that he acceded to the project, for, " when they are thus treating," says our author, " and near an issue, very much for the advantage of the passengers and prisoners, the wind turns straight for New Jersey, and they were forced to sail with it." It is scarcely necessary, with a knowledge of all the circumstances which, from the first con- ception of the voyage, pointed out New Jersey as its termina- tion, and of the heavy obligations entered into by Scot that such it should be, to proffer a refutation of the insinuated perfidy.
It is further stated by Wodrow that Mr. Johnstone en- deavored to prevail upon the prisoners, before landing, to enter into a voluntary agreement to serve four years, in accordance with the terms before mentioned, in consideration of the ex- penses incurred by Scot for their transportation. This they would not do, but joined in another protest against their ban- ishment, recounting at length the hardships of the voyage. He also says that " the people who lived on the coast-side " had not the gospel settled among them, were inhospitable, and showed no kindness to the destitute immigrants, but the inhabitants of a town "a little way up the country "-by which Woodbridge is supposed to be meant-were very kind to them : invited to their settlement all who could "travel ;" 52 sent horses for those who could not ; and contributed liberally to their support the remainder of the winter ; and that, when the spring opened, Mr. Johnstone had them cited before some legal tribunal, but, "after hearing both sides, the Governor called a jury to sit and cognosce upon the affair," who "found that the pannels had not of their own accord come to that ship, nor bargained with Pitlochie for money or service, and, therefore, were assoiled." 53 This statement is erroneous, although it purports to have been derived from some of the immigrants.
The records of the Court of Common Right which are yet
$2 " Travel "-Walk.
53 Wodrow IV. 333.
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THE SETTLERS.
extant show that, at a session held at Elizabethtown on the 25th February, 1685-86, a suit was tried, in which Captain Hutton was plaintiff, and George Moore defendant : an action of debt for the sum of five pounds sterling, being the price of his passage in the Henry and Francis. Witnesses were ex- amined on both sides, says the record, and the governor (Deputy-governor Lawrie) briefly summed up the evidence and charged the jury : to whom was submitted like issues against Christopher Strang and William Nivens. The ver- dict was-" We Jurours finde for the plf wh five pounds ster- ling debt and costes of suite,"-and similar suits subsequently brought against Thomas Corbett and Robert Young were at- tended with a like result.
On the 13th May, further action of the Court favorable to Captain Hutton is met with, in an order that "a non- resident, arresting any person in this province not being a settled inhabitant, is not liable to give security to pay the defendant's cost." That numerous arrests had been made is evident from the court's naming a certain day in the suc- ceeding June, "for the trial of all such actions as are depend- ing in this court at the suit of Captain Richard Hutton, and that a jury be summoned from the town of Amboy Perth to try the same."
On the 9th June, the day named, one of the cases (Adam Hood's) was called, and Captain Hutton not appearing, the defendant was discharged on the payment of fees, and a simi- lar order was issued in the cases of " all the other defts that were arrested to this Court of Common Right at the suite of the said Captain Hutton." What was the cause of his fail- ing to appear is not stated. He may have left the province, but assuredly nothing had occurred in the prosecution of the suits to lead to their abandonment from doubts of success ;- and the fact that the verdicts of the jury were rendered after a full examination of witnesses, goes far to prove that some understanding existed, even with those who remonstrated against their expatriation, that Scot, or the master, was to be remunerated for their passage. Upon what terms the ves- sel was chartered is not known, but the result of these judi-
3
34
THE SETTLERS.
cial proceedings indicates a direct liability to the master, on the part of the passengers, or some of them, irrespective of any agency of Scot. They also exonerate Mr. Johnstone from the imputations cast upon him, for neither as plaintiff nor defendant does his name appear on the records of the court, before October, 1687. A claim by him for headlands on account of these unfortunate persons would appear upon the proprietary records, had he entertained at the time any expectation of deriving benefit from their services, and his character (as will be shown hereafter in these pages) was too humane to warrant any supposition of persecution or undue severity on his part. 53
Besides those banished persons who were given in charge of Scot, the following were directed to be delivered to Robert Barclay, governor of the province, under date of 7th August, 1685, on condition that they should be transported to East New Jersey :54
George Young,
James Stuart,
Robert Cameron,
James Oliver,
John Gibb,
Colin Campbell,
John Campbell, John Swan, John Jackson,
Gilbert Ferguson,
then in the Canongate Tolbooth :
John Gilliland,
William McIlroy,*
Thomas Richard,*
Archibald Jamieson,* William Drennan,*
then in the Laight Parliament house, or the Tolbooth, of Edinburgh :
William Thompson, Donald Moor,
John McKello,
Malcolm Black, John Nicol, Duncan McEwen,
Alexander Graham,
John McAulin,
prisoners in St. Paul's hospital. There is little doubt of their having been among the passengers in the Henry and Francis.
53 Wodrow's assertion that "much of the money remaining [of Scot's es- tate after paying the expenses of the vessel] was spent upon the lawsuit in New Jersey," does not comport with our ideas of the simple proceedings of
the times, or else proves that, in en- deavoring to secure an asylum for him- self and others, he had reserved little for the future.
64 Wodrow IV. p. 221.
* Those thus marked were among a large number who, on the 31st July, were sentenced to have their left ears cut off by the common executioner on the ensuing 4th August; whether the sentence was carried into execution is not known.
35
1206068
THE SETTLERS.
It is difficult to determine how many of those who came to the province at this time remained in the vicinity of Am- boy. A few will be found mentioned among the settlers of Woodbridge in a subsequent chapter, but most of them re- moved to New England, and not a few returned to Scot- land.
WILLIAM JACKSON, one of the banished men, was a cord- wainer ; removed to New York ; and it was at his house, in . the lower end of Pearl street, that Makemie preached.55
JOHN FRAZER was a candidate for the ministry, and went up to London in 1678 or '9 for improvement, and, at the same time, to consult his safety. In 1684, being among the hearers of the Rev. Alexander Shiels who were seized by a party of soldiers in Foster Lane, near Guildhall, he was sent to Newgate and thence to Scotland, having been marched through the streets with his unfortunate companions manacled in couples. Arrived in Scotland, they were thrown into Dun- nottar Castle, and underwent, with one hundred others, the horrors of imprisonment during the whole summer. Many, of course, died ; some few escaped.56
Mr. Frazer did not long remain in New Jersey ; he removed to Connecticut, and was ordained at Woodbury ; but on the accession of William and Mary he returned to Scot- land and became the minister of Alness. His son was the author of the well-known work on Sanctification.
WILLIAM NIVEN, "Smith in Pollockshaws," we first find mentioned as ordered to the plantations on 28th May, 1678, for refusing to state under oath who preached and who were present at a certain conventicle. He remained in prison with many others until November, when they were placed on board of a vessel at Leith, destined for Virginia ; but on arriving at Gravesend, in consequence of the non-appearance of the char- terer of the vessel, the master put them all ashore, rather than
55 MS. letter from Rev. Richard the theological history of the Middle States enabled him to communicate.
Webster, of Mauch Chunk. I would here express my obligations to Mr. W. for many facts and details respecting the career of the immigrants of 1685, which his minute acquaintance with
56 Woodrow (IV. pp. 322, 323) gives these hardships in detail from the papers of Mr. Frazer and other pris- oners.
36
THE SETTLERS.
retain the charge of them longer, and they generally reached their homes after an absence of about nine months.57
·
Niven continued to follow his trade, and lived quietly re- fraining from any objectionable conduct, save that he attended not the authorized religious services, until the 29th July, 1684, when he was taken from his bed at midnight, and carried to the Glasgow Tolbooth, where he laid in irons for three weeks ; he was then examined, but nothing of a serious character was elicited. He refused, however, to take the oath of allegiance; . and was sent into Edinburgh under guard, with five others fettered in pairs :58 was there confined in irons night and day, until May, 1685, when, upon a charge of having some acquaint- ance with treasonable documents, he and others were sentenced to immediate execution. Circumstances occurring which led to a postponement, he was suffered to remain, subjected to all the miseries of imprisonment in Dunnottar Castle, of which, as so many of the emigrants were subjected to them, it will not be irrelevant to give some account.
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