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 40
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October 26, 1683. Mr. Martin, Mr. Giles, Mr. Hull and Hopewell Hull chosen to be joined with John Gilman and Edward Slater, to treat with the Governor about the settlement of the township.
October 26, 1683. It was ordered there should be " a Cart Bridge by Higginses, a foot bridge by Rehobeth Gannet's, and a foot bridge at Stony- brook going to Greenlands."
January 1, 1683-4. Major Giles and Lieutenant Doty were appointed to visit the town magazine, and to report thereon to the townsmen at the next meeting.
April 2, 1684. H. Hull, G. Drake, John Langstaff and John Gilman to go and treat with Governor Lawrie about the quit rents and patents. Another Committee for similar purpose the next year-Gilman, Drake, Smalley and Slater.
January 1, 1684-5. H. Hull and J. Martin to run the lines and lay out the bounds between "Beaver Dam and Woodbridge line."
September 4, 1685. A bounty of twenty shillings authorized to be paid to any one killing a wolf in the township-renewed in 1696.
January 18, 1685-6. " Att the Towne Meetinge then agreed yt there should be a meetinge house built forthwith, the dimentions as followeth : Twenty foot wide, thirty foot Longe and Ten foot between joynts." John Gilman, H. Hull, John FitzRandolph, John Martin, senior, and Edward Slater appointed to agree with the workmen and look after the building. They were also ordered " to provide a house to meet in both for Towne meetings, Courts, and other publick businesse."
September 17, 1686. "Hopewell Hull and George Drake chosen to make ye bridge att John Pounds."
" Agreed yt every inhabitant of this Towne is to pay nine pence in silver towards ye buyinge of Nailes for ye Towne house."
December 10, 1686. Town rate fixed at £44 68.
2 See East Jersey &c., pp. 81, 192, and page 402 of this volume.
412
PISCATAWAY.
January, 1688-9. "It was agreed that there shall bee a Sled waye maide to the greate meadows and iff any man shall goe with a carte In the said sled waye shall paye ten shillings for so dowinge for each tres- pase."
January 1, 1689-90. Edward Slater, George Drake and Isaac Smalley were chosen " to Discorse hopwell hull a bout the finishen the towne house and If hopwell hull refuse to finish it that the above mentioned men have. power to hire workmen to finish the saide houste."
March 2, 1690. Edmond Dunham to have ten shillings "for mending the buriall place and to set it up with good white oacke or Chesnut stakes And bound with good Withes."
"Shingle Hill," "Turtle Hill," "Scotlands Bridge," are mentioned about this period.
January 1, 1691-2. " Considering ye season for getting out hay and that few attend att ye Towne meetinge, the said Towne meetinge was ad- journed to the second day of february or Candlmas day."
January 1, 1692- 3. " By virtue of a Warrant from ye Sheriff of the County of Middlesex, for making choise of debuties or representatives for ye succeeding year, the Inhabitants of this Towne meetinge att ye place appointed &c att ye day &c considering that itt was ye Lord's day or Sun- day day, the meeting was adjourned by the consent of ye People then assembled none contradictinge and it is adjourned till tomorrow morninge att Eight o'clock precisely."
January 1, 1694-5. A Committee appointed to get the burial place fenced and a good gate made to it.
July 20, 1695. The Deputies of the town for the year to have 4 shil- lings a day.
January 1, 1695-6. A Pound established.
October 24, 1696. Robert Cole engaged to keep school in the town for one year, to be supported by voluntary subscriptions.
January 1, 1705. The Stocks, Burying place, Pound and the Town House were all to be substantially repaired, the latter to have "glaysed dores hanged and maid tite."
April 11, 1711. John Molleson was chosen Town Clerk, and in Sep- tember he thus makes his first record :-
the
"Piscataway 13 of Suptember 1711
At the towne Meting then Choes William olding and James maning overseers for the puer and Isac Small and John Drak Seneor for the in- shuing year asesers : which ofesess they argried execuit grates. The Raiets is to be resed by Discration of the assesers "
JOHN MOLLESON clark
" At the forsaid meting it is agried that the biring place shall be fensed suficient."
This entry the Town thought it advisable to confirm the following March, by having the substance of it repeated in plainer English.
March, 1712-13. The Freeholders were "to look after the building of a goal."
March 10, 1719. It was agreed that Benjamin Hull "should have the benefit of the burying yard for six shillings a year " * and " Edmund * Dunham was chosen to receive the money of the said Hull yearly for to keep until the fence of the said burying place wanted repairing "-which does not appear to have been the case until 1728.
" At the Same Town meeting it was agreed upon that when the Townsmen are gathered together at a Town meeting for to do any Town business, then they shall give in their minds in writing "-a requisition,
-
413
PISCATAWAY.
which, judging from the clerical abilities of their chosen clerk, must have given the "townsmen " no little trouble.
May 16, 1732. A specific sum for the first time noticed as authorized to be raised for the relief of the poor-" fifteen pounds of Current Lawfull money at Eight Shillings per ounce."
A pair of Stocks to be made and kept in the usual place.
April, 1735, Poor rate 10 pounds; November, 1736, 20 pounds; Sep- tember, 1752, 50 pounds; December, 1753, 60 pounds ; June, 1755, 80 pounds; November, 1757, 50 pounds; March, 1759, 100 pounds; April, 1762, 150 pounds (8s. 9d. per ounce); "March, 1763, 30 pounds; March, 1764, 200 pounds (proclamation money.)
March, 1764. It was agreed that Jersey Bills should pass among the inhabitants in all future contracts, in proclamation money, according to the laws of the province.
March, 1765. An arrangement authorized for boarding the poor at one place, with such person as would take them for the least sum.
February 7, 1766. Reune Runyon, Town Clerk and one of the Judges of Common Pleas, certifies that Jacob Martin, son of Joshua Martin, had appeared before him 'and said he had had the misfortune that morning to have a large piece bit off the back side of his left ear by a horse:' which relation he believed as he saw the ear bloody-a proper precaution when cropping was a common punishment.
March, 1766. £100 assessed for the poor.
April, 1766. The town poor put with John Dunn for one year at £48 11s. light money, to be paid quarterly.
March, 1767. "The taker of the poor to clothe the poor for the ensu- ing year "-" the poor set up to the lowest bidder," who was Jeremiah Dunn, at £120, but the bidding then adjourned until April, when they were put with John Dunn, at £49 16s. 6d. In April, 1768, they were put with him for £59 19s. 10d., light money; in 1769 at £40; in 1770 at £50 :2s. 11d .; in 1771 at £48 15s.
May 25, 1767, £17 was assessed for the poor; March, 1768, £100; 1770, £80; 1771, £50; 1772, £80; 1773, £80; 1774, £70; 1775, £80; 1776, £90; 1777, £75; March, 1778, £175 Proc .; 1779, £150; 1780, £150; January, 1781, this sum not having been found sufficient £30 more authorized, "in'spetia ; " 1781, £100 lawful money; 1782, £40 ; 1783, £50; 1784, £50; 1785, £40; 1786, £60; 1787, £80; 1788, £130; 1789, £220; 1790, £160; 1791, £150; 1792, £120; 1793, £130; 1794, £130; 1795, £100; 1796, £120; 1797, £150; 1798, £140; 1799, £100; 1800, £150.
The following table gives the population of the township of Piscataway at five decennial periods :-
White-Males - -
- 1,094
Females -
-
1,053
In 1810 "Other free persons " -
77
Slaves
251
Total
2,475
L White-Males - -
- 1,153
66 Females
- 1,170
In 1820 "Other free persons " 174
Slaves
- 151
Total 2,648
-
414
PISCATAWAY.
White-Males -
- 1,168
In 1830.
Females
- 1,191
Free Colored Persons - 249
Slaves
56
Total
2,664
White-Males -
- 1,250
Females
-
1,277
In 1840
Free Colored Persons
298
Slaves
3
Total
2,828
White-Males -
- 1,356
66 Females
1,398
In 1850
Free Colored Persons
221
Slaves
0
Total
2,975
-
-
-
APPENDIX.
NOTE A, PAGE 2.
THE word Ompoge or Ambo was probably a generic appellation, and be- came, in consequence, more easily attached to the name of PERTH, given to the settlement by the proprietaries : " Perth Ambo " being used instead of Perth-point; and hence the compound title.
Lieutenant W. Smyth, in his " Narrative of a Journey from Lima to Para," mentions avillage named Ambo by the natives, situated, like the ancient capital, at the confluence of two streams. May there not have been some similarity between the language of that branch of the Ameri- can Aboriginal family and the language of the Delawares ?
There are four towns or villages called Amboy in he United States, besides Perth Amboy and South Amboy in New Jersey: one is in the county of Lee, Illinois, having a population of 540 by the last census; one in the county of Hillsdale, Michigan, having a population of only 252; one in Oswego County, New York, having a population of 1,132 ; and one in Fulton County, Ohio, with a population of 460. I have taken some pains to trace the origin of their name, but with little success. The one in New York was so named by a company of citizens who accidentally met in a country store, Amboy being selected by a majority from a num- ber mentioned, and the doings of the little self-constituted convention being published in the county newspaper, the name became confirmed. One of the persons present, from whom this information was received, was not aware that Amboy in New Jersey was thought of. Amboy in Ohio is thought to have derived its name from its ancient forerunner, through a Mr. Thomas Berry, who felt some interest in the place ; and Am- boy in Illinois owes its title to the impression made by the productions of its Jersey namesake upon one of the Commissioners appointed in 1845 to divide the county in which it is situated into townships. "Amoy " was a name proposed, and it immediately reminded the functionary alluded to (so says my informant, as from himself) of having visited Perth Amboy, New Jersey, in 1842, in his "clerical capacity," as a Mormon Elder; and retaining many pleasing recollections of "fat oysters, good wives, and
27
416
APPENDIX.
pretty women," he urged the adoption of Amboy as the name of the township, and his request was complied with. I have no information re- lative to the Amboy in Michigan.
NOTE B, PAGE 6.
JAMES, Earl of Perth, interested in East Jersey, and in whose honor the Capital of the province was named, succeeded to the title and estates of his father, in 1675, and was the fourth who had borne the title. Be- tween the time of his accession and that of his connection with the New Jersey proprietors (which arose probably from the courtly associations of Robert Barclay and William Penn), he had filled several high stations ; attaining in 1684 to that of Lord High Chancellor of Scotland, in which capacity he sanctioned the embarcation of George Scot and his unfortu- nate companions for the province the ensuing year, having been continued in the possession of all his offices on the accession of James II., and hon- ored with the chief administration of affairs in Scotland as a reward for his stanch adherence to the Stuart family, and his adoption of the Roman Catholic religion.
The abdication of James in 1688, and subsequent retreat to France, led the Earl (who in 1687 had resigned his Earldom and several of his offices in favor of his son and heirs male) to seek a refuge there also; but his in- tentions becoming known, he was pursued by an armed boat, overtaken, stripped of all he had with him of value, and being brought back, was thrown into the common prison at Kirkaldy ; and was subsequently re- moved to Stirling Castle, where he remained in confinement until 1693, being relieved on his giving bonds in the sum of £5,000 to leave the king- dom. Of the circumstances attending his capture and imprisonment, he has left a graphic account, in letters to his sister, which contain many touching expressions of the abandonment of friends and retainers. "Every thing," he says, " that was designed to do me good turned to my hurt, and death was wherever I turned my eye. * * many have left me who professed they never would, and to say true, few have stuck by me."
On his release the Earl proceeded to Rome, and resided there for two years, but was sent for by his Sovereign, then at St. Germain, and re- ceived from him the title of Duke of Perth, was invested with the Order of the Garter, and had conferred upon him the offices of First Lord of the Bedchamber, Chamberlain to the Queen, and Governor of the Prince of Wales: empty honors it is true, but valuable as indications of regard from the fallen monarch. The Earl died at St. Germain, March 11th, 1716, aged 68, having survived James more than five years, and was buried in the chapel of the Scots college at Paris.
A contemporary says of the Earl that he was " passionately proud, told a story prettily, was of middle stature, with a quick look and brown com- plexion ; " by other writers he has been pronounced timorous and waver-
417
APPENDIX.
ing. His letters which have been published by the " Camden Society,'" show that he possessed no small share of Christian resignation, and a firm conviction that the cause in which he suffered was the cause of God. "I am in great quiet and peace," he wrote to his sister while imprisoned in Stirling Castle, "and I have not a wish but that the will of j God is done in all that relates to me. Blessed are they who suffer for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven." Of the sincerity of his con- version to the Romish faith these letters give abundant evidence, and he manifests an unbounded belief in all the relics, legends and mysteries of the times.
The Earl had several sons, one of whom, James, adhered to the for- tunes of the exiled family of the Stuarts, was engaged in the rebellion of 1715, and by Act of Parliament was attainted. He had two sons, both of whom followed the example of their father and grandfather in continu- ing their adherence to the Stuarts, and were engaged in the rebellion of 1745. They were also attainted, but the eldest son died before the attain- der came into effect, and the youngest was restored to the title in 1797; but dying in 1809 without male issue, the title became extinct; for al- though the Drummonds claimed it through John, the brother of the fourth Earl of Perth, it was not accorded to them by the English Parliament un- til June, 1853, when Queen Victoria assented to a bill reversing the attain- der, and allowing the title of the Earl of Perth once more to be enjoyed by George, the fourth Duke of Melfort-the title conferred upon the Drummonds by James II. The Scottish estates, however, are in the posses- sion of the Burrel family, through a daughter of the Earl, who died in 1809.
The rights of the Earl of Perth in East Jersey were conveyed to others, partly by himself in 1683 and 1684, and partly by his heir and assignee in 1704. For further information respecting the family, the rea- der is referred to the introduction to the Letters published by the Camden Society : East Jersey, under the Proprietors, p. 197, Macauley's England, II. p. 87, &c.
NOTE C, PAGE 73 .;
The following are extracts from the letters of Gronovius to Dr. Lewis Johnston, referred to in the text. They are given verbatim. From 1743 to 1754 Gronovius corresponded also with Bertram, the American Botanist :--
"LEYDEN, Feb. 22, 1735.
4* * * It happened in December, that I was at Rotterdam, where I find a friend, who hath a mind to stay all winter at London, to whom I have given a box with some of the officinall plants, which I hath dryed last summer; and some disputes of gentlemen that took their de- gree ;- some orations of the professors, and a part of Albinus upon the Muscels." * * * * " In the same room where you lived at Mr. * Brandright is come a divine, being a Dutchman but from Scotch parents,
418
APPENDIX.
so that he speaks the two languages; he is a regenerated, and hath got a place at Won'brugge, two hours from hence near Alphon, where formerly Mr. Blok was a pearson, whom he succeeded. Must ye not say how happy is my room? Dr. Bull a pretty Gentleman from Carolina, and who hath an exceeding good education, lived a great while with Him, but because he was not regenerated, it was enongh for Him, wen they saw one an- other to hear, Sir, your servant. That new superstitious and phantastic religion [has] increased here very much. I wish it never will come in that happy country where you are. * * *
* * Boerhave hath printed nothing; but hath still his collegies as frequently as before,
people from abroad come frequently to Him." * *
"I am very much obliged to you for the branches, and the fruit of the Cedar, I shall bee very glad to see them ; they will bee a great ornament to my collection and garden.
* The Bookseller, Vander Aa, who lived next the university is dead; his books which are in a great num- ber will bee sold by auction; if I can get the catalogue in time, I shall send them to you. I am very much obliged to you for the good mind you have to send again a Cedar logg, and the Elk-skin, of the for- mer log I have a very curious bufit, and other conveniences which are much admired by the people here.
[He then tells him that having seen the son of the deceased bookseller, he has ascertained that the books would be sold in September, allowing time to learn Dr. Johnston's wishes respecting any work in the collection.] "About the Cicero of Grovius. You must known that Grævius never printed all Cicero's works, but only some of them which are in all eleventh volumes which are sold not long ago for fifty gilders. But Davisius hath printed which Grævius hath omitted, so that those of Grævius and Davi- sius make Cicero's work all together and the price of these of Davisius is uncertain, for hardly to be got.'
The best Plato, is that apnd Hennicum Stephanum, 3 vol., in folio, Ann 1758, græce et Latine, en interpretatione Latina Job. Serrani-it is a very scarce book and when it is in an auction it always cometh to about 50 gilders. There is another edition of Plato by Ficinus, not much estimed, but printed with a large caracter, the price is about 6 gilders.
[Desires that 25 pounds of Candleberry wax or Barberry should be got for him. "I would try " he says " to make these candles of myself."] * * * I should desire you would send me the seeds of these greens which serveth for the kitchen and which you have not seen in Holland, as the fabœ, pisa, and particularly of those greens which are used by the Indians.
All this was written before the 20th of February. When this very morning, being the 21st, I received Mr. Santvoords box with the branches, and fruit of Cedar. I thank you kindly for them. * * *
* I always thought that the Cedar was a coniferous plant but by your kindness I am wiser, and see clear that it is a berry bearing and belongst to the Iunipe- rus. I believe there are several sorts of pine trees and oaks in your coun- /ry. * * * * Mr. Santvoord hath sent to me several fine speci- mens of plants and trees which I have never seen before: amongst these where two specimens of oak trees, quite different from ours, and no doubt
419
APPENDIX.
there are more. You should do me a great favour when the fruits of the oaks are ripe, to send a boy to gather them; I would try to make a walk of them in my garden. * * *
JOHN FREDERICK GRONOVIUS.
LEYDEN, August 29th, 1736.
[Acknowledges the receipt of the cedar, candleberry wax "Eland's skin " and a box ofsassafras flowers.] " In the university is no change at all, except that the publicq garden is extended till the very ramparts; You re- member when you went to Boerhave's chymistry, at the other side of the canal, there was a Racket play, which, and all the houses in the length to the ramparts are taken away, and in the Braughtness from the corner of the Derle Steg (where the gardener lived) to Boerhave's chymistry, so that she is three times larger as she was used to be before." [Albinus had finish- ed his work on the muscles, and Boerhave intended publishing Swammer- dam's works.] * * "I thank you kindly for the beans, which is a plant never seen in Holland, in my next letter I shall tell you the right name of it. The Stomach [Sumac?] seed is very welconie to, and seems to be very fresh, and no doubt a species of Alhohongi or Capsecum; next summer I hope to have it in flower when I shall easily determine the species." * "At the end of your letter you acquaint mne of setting up a Botanic Library. I never would advise it; when you have Ray's Historia Plantarum, Tournefort's Institute, and Plukenet's Phytogra- phia, it is sufficient. But I must tell you Botany has taken a quite other turn. You have heard low Ray Tournefort, Revini, and others quarreled about methods, all taken from the flowers and fruit. Now is come up one Dr. Linnæus, from Sweden, whose methode only consists in the stamina and pistilla ; who hath not only invented this method about plants, but the same he hath done with the Lapidos and animals. Lawson and I printed it at our expenses, for ourselves, and our friends; I hope you will accept it and give it room in your Library." * *
LEYDEN, August 26, 1736.
" I thank God I am by the Favour of good Friends come so far, that I get ever year a vast quantity of seeds of plants, which in Europe are quite lost ; and particularly this year, I restored about 50 plants, which were in no public or private garden in Holland, the specimens of these you shall see with the next ship. * * I have a particular Friend living in the Virginy's at Gloucester County, on York river, whose name is Mr. John Clayton ; that gentleman hath only by reading and looking in Tourneforts plates made himself a Botanist, and so far, that he hath collected more than 400 plants of which he sent ine specimens, and of whom I send him the names, and synonymes." [Proposes to do the same for Dr. Johnston, and adds the price of some Botanical works. Ray's Historum Plantarum. 3 vols.folio, 20 guilders-Plukenet's works 50 to 60 guilders-Tournefort he presumes Dr. J. has.] * * *
* "All the other books are of no use to you, except those which Dr. Linnaeus will publish, which I shall
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APPENDIX.
always send to you as soon as they are printed-wherefore I should persuade you now and then to read over the observations in Regnum veg- itabile, and those pages of the Fundamenta Botanica of which I wrote in my first letter ; for I am printing, with Linnaeus, New Characters of all the genera plantarum which are known till this very day ; in two months time it will be printed, when I shall by the first occasion present you a copy." * Lawson [an English gentleman, an acquaintance of Dr. J. who adds a postscript to one of these letters] is so charmed with the flowers of sassafras, that it is surprising. Yesterday he came to me with Gaunius to drink a tea of it, and they concluded with you that it must be an exceeding good anti-scorbutica."
October 12, 1736.
" I am mightely obliged to Mr. Dubois [of New York] for several curious plants he brought with Him, and made a present of them to me; and by overlooking them I must conclude that the country you live in must be the finest in the world, for I see amongst these plants some which were thought only to grow in the healthiest of East Indies- Surinam and Guinea, and which grow in Europe."
May 26, 1737.
[Mr. Dubois established as a student at Leyden : mentions a case which Dr. Johnston had referred for the opinion of Boerhave-whose charge had been two pistoles.] "I send you here two copys of a plate which contains all the classes of the Systema Botanica of Linnaeus."
Sept. 3d, 1737.
[Sends Dr. J- Plukenet's works which cost 60 guilders.] * * * " I hope this book will give you a good diversion and entertainment, most all the plants of your country you will find there, and I wish you could find a new genus which must be Johnstonia." [Promises to send by the next vessel a continuation of his and Linnæus' work-they had discovered some new genera among plants received from Virginia. Ray's work to be sent so soon as he could obtain it.]
LEYDEN, 11th November, 1739.
[Boerhave had died in the mean while.] "Boerhave's books are sold very dear, and next week his chymerical preparations-the corals which you remember were always standing in the gallery of the garden-every one hath thought these corals, besides two cases with insects and animals in liquor, would have been a legacy to the university, but he left no legacy at all. His papers and writings are in hands of his two cousins Kaw, the eldest, a physician at the Hague, who is at present reduced to such a low state, that for fear his creditors should make him hospes in the Ge- vanger poort at the Hague, he flyed to Vianea, where he liveth in great misery. His brother is in no better condition. Haller a learned man at Ottingen is printing Boerhave's Theory, and Dr. Van Sweeter the colle- giani practicum." I remain,
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