USA > New Jersey > Documents relating to the Colonial History of the state of New Jersey, Vol. XXIV > Part 45
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WHEREAS about six o'clock on Saturday evening last, a paper was sent to me, expressing, that "a great number "of the citizens of Philadelphia, assembled at the State- "House do demand of Mr. JOHN HUGHES, Distributor "of Stamps for Pennsylvania, that he will give them as-
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"surance under his hand, that he will not execute that of- "fice, and expect that he will give them a fair, candid, and "direct answer by Monday next, ten o'clock, when he will "be waited on for that purpose."
Saturday, October 5, 1765,
I DO THEREFORE return for answer to those gentlemen, and all their associates, that I have not hitherto taken any step tending to put the late Act of Parliament into execu- tion in this province, and that I will not either by my self or my deputies, do any act or thing, that shall have the least tendency to put the said Act into execution in this province, until the said Act shall be put into execution generally in the neighbouring colonies, and this I am de- termined to abide by.
And whereas my commission includes the three Coun- ties of New-Castle, Kent and Sussex, upon Delaware, I do therefore hereby, voluntarily, inform the good people of those counties, that no act of mine shall, either directly or indirectly, involve them into any difficulties, with re- spect to the said STAMP ACT, before the same shall take place generally in the neighbouring colonies.
JOHN HUGHES.1
This paper from Mr. HUGHES at first gained the appro- bation of three Huzza's, but we find many people much dissatisfied with it since, as they think he ought to have
1 John Hughes was a grandson of John Hughes and Jane Evans, of Merionethshire, Wales. In 1680 their son, Hugh, then nine years old, ran away and came to America, whither his parents followed him. settling in Upper Merion, now in Montgomery County, Pa. Hugh, their only child, married Martha, only daughter of Hugh and Martha Jones, of Upper Merion. He was a tanner, in Philadelphia. Hugh Hughes had four children, among them John, who m. Sarah Jones in 1738, and died in Charleston, S. C., Feb. 1, 1772, aged 60 years; he was the Stamp Distributor for Philadelphia. His younger brother, Hugh Hughes, was in business in New York at the beginning of the Revolu- tion, was an active "Son of Liberty," was Deputy Quartermaster General of the Continental Army, and Quartermaster General of the State of New York during the Revolution. He died at Tappan, N. Y., March 29, 1802, in his 75th year. Both John and Hugh left descendants in New Jersey. The latter, Col. Hugh Hughes, had a granddaughter, Sydney Maria Stotesbury, who m. Philemon Dicker- son, Governor of New Jersey and U. S. District Court Judge, 1841-63; she d. in Paterson, N. J., in 1900.
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resigned his office without reservation; and from the spirit which discovers itself amongst all ranks of people, we have reason to think this declaration would not have quieted the inhabitants, had Mr. Hughes been in better health. Capt. Hawker having taken the Stamp'd Papers on board his Majesty's ship, prevents them from being exposed to the resentment of an injured and enraged peo- ple. Thus have we, in some degree, followed the example of our fellow sufferers in the neighbouring colonies, and the cool thinking people amongst us congratulate them- selves and their country on finding spirit enough exerted to put us on the same footing with the rest of the conti- nent, and that this was done by men, who had moderation not to proceed to any necessary acts of violence. It may not be amiss to inform the public, that Mr. HUGHES, did declare upon his honor, he would not receive or take any charge of the Stamp'd Paper, and as we have no reason to doubt his firm adherence to any resolution he makes, we think there is no danger of their being distributed in this province .- The Pennsylvania Journal, No. 1192, October IO, 1765.
New-York, October 10. On Monday last the Commis- sioners from the several Colonies, appointed for holding the general Congress, being all arrived, assembled and entered upon the Business. The most important that ever came under Consideration in America.
The following is a List of the Gentlemen assembled.
Massachusetts-Bay.
James Otis, Oliver Partridge, and Timothy Ruggles, Esqrs.
Rhode-Island. - Metcalf Bowler, and
Henry Ward, Esqrs.
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Connecticut.
Eliphalet Dyar, Samuel Wm. Johnson, and, David Rowland, Esqrs.
-
John Cruger, Robert R. Livingston
New-York.
Philip Livingston William Bayard, and, Leonard Lispenard, Esqrs.
Robert Ogden
New-Jersey.
Hendrick Fisher, and, Joseph Borden, Esqrs. J John Dickinson ?
Pennsylvania.
John Morton, and
George Bryan, Esqrs. J Jacob Kollock, !
Government of the Coun- ties of New-Castle, Kent and Sussex on Delaware.
Cæsar Rodney, and
Thomas Mckean, Esqrs.
William Murdock,
Maryland.
Edmond Tilghman, and
Thomas Ringgold, Esqrs.
South Carolina.
Thomas Lynch, Christopher Gadsden, and,
John Rutlidge, Esqrs.
Essex County, { s. PURSUANT to an Order of Samuel New-Jersey, Woodruff, and Stephen Crane, Esqrs. two of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas for the County of Essex, upon the Petition of Daniel Price, an Insolvent Debtor, and the Majority of his Cred- itors, Notice is hereby given to all the Creditors of said Daniel Price, to shew Cause, if any they have, before the said Judges, on Thursday the 3Ist Inst. October, at 9 o'Clock of the same Day, at the Court-House in Elizabeth-
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Town, why an Assignment of the Estate of said Daniel Price, should not be made, according to the Prayer of said Petition, to Messrs. John Blanchard, and Thomas Price, and the said Daniel be thereupon admitted to the Benefit of an Act of the Governor, Council, and General Assem- bly of this Province, made this present Year, entitled, "An Act for the Relief of Insolvent Debtors."
October 7, 1765.
-The New York Gazette or Weekly Post Boy, Oc- tober 10, 1765.
We hear from New-Jersey, that Mr. ROBERT OGDEN, Speaker of the Assembly there, and Messieurs BORDEN HART and FISHER, are the Gentlemen appointed to join the General Congress at New York.
Hunterdon County, New Jersey, ss. October 7, 1765
BY Order of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, held at Trenton, in and for the said County of Hunter- don, the Ist Day of November next is appointed for all Persons, Creditors of the Subscriber, being insolvent, to appear at the Court-house, in said County, at 3 o'Clock in the Afternoon of the said Day, to shew Cause, if any they have, why an Assignment of the said Debtor's Es- tate should not be made, and the said Debtor discharged, pursuant to an Act of Assembly of this Province, for the Relief of Insolvent Debtors, lately made and provided for that Purpose.
JAMES CHAMBERS.
Salem County, West New-Jersey, October 1, 1765.
PURSUANT to an Act of General Assembly, lately passed, intituled, "An Act for the Relief of insolvent Debtors," James Popenes, an insolvent Debtor, now con-
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fined in Salem Goal, hereby gives Notice, that he intends to take the Benefit of the said Act, in order to his Dis- charge; and the Judges of the Inferior Court of Com- mon Pleas, for the County aforesaid, have appointed Thursday, the 24th Day of this inst. October, for the Creditors of the above insolvent Debtor to meet at the Court-house, in the Town of Salem, to shew Cause, if any they have, why an Assignment of the said Debtor's Estate should not be made, and said Debtor discharged, according to the Form and Effect of the said Act.
NOTICE is hereby given to all Persons whom it may concern, that there was a Petition laid before the House of General Assembly, for the Province of New-Jersey, held at the City of Burlington in June last past, for the Building a bridge over Great Timber Creek; and as there were no Opposers to said Petition, this is to inform all whom it may concern, that at the next Sessions, if any Persons have any Objections, they will be heard, other- wise there will be an Act passed for the Confirmation of the same .- The Pennsylvania Gazette, No. 1920, October 10, 1765.
THIS is to give Notice to all the Creditors of George Williams, an insolvent Debtor, confined in the Goal of Burlington to appear at Burlington on the 7th Day of November, before Robert Smith, and Thomas Rodman, Esquires, to shew Cause why said Williams should not assign over in Trust to Joseph Borden, Esq; and Mr. Thomas Lawrie,1all and singular his Estate, whether real or personal, for the Use and Behoof of his Creditors in general.
1 Thomas Lowry, a prominent merchant of Trenton.
Į
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Bordentown, September 26, 1765.
"On Sunday, the 22d Instant, departed this Life, at his House in this Town, JOSEPH BORDEN,1 Esq; in the 79th. Year of his Age; and the Tuesday following was
1THE BORDEN FAMILY.
RICHARD BORDEN, born 1601, was admitted an inhabitant of Aquidneck, R. I., in 1638, and on May 20 was allotted five acres. On March 16, 1641, he became a freeman. In 1665 he and Benjamin Borden (his son, then a minor), James Grover and others, all of Gravesend, L. I., bought considerable tracts of land at Neversink, Narumson and Portupick, in Monmouth county, N. J., for which he contributed £9, and was allotted three shares. Richard was a Deputy to the General Court in 1667-70, indicating that he had returned from Long Island, if, indeed, he ever removed from Rhode Island. He died May 25, 1671, and was buried in "the burying place that Robert Dennis gave Friends in Portsmouth," R. I. His (nuncupative) will was proved May 31, 1671, by the Town Council, on testimony concerning the wishes of the de- ceased. By its provisions land in New Jersey was left to his son Francis. His personal estate was inventoried at £1572 8s. 9d .- Genealogi- cal Dictionary of Rhode Island, by John Osborne Austin, 1887, 23-24; Mon- mouth County Deeds, ARC; Hist. Burlington and Mercer Counties, 454; Old Times in Old Monmouth, 207; Borden Genealogy. His children were:
Second Generation.
i. Thomas2, m. Mary Harris, Jan. 20, 1664; d. Nov. 25, 1676; she d. March 22, 1718. He lived at Portsmouth, R. I.
2. ii. Francis2.
iii. Mary?, married John Cook, and died before 1691.
iv. Matthew2, born May, 1638; married Sarah Clayton, May 4, 1674; died July 5, 1708; she died April 19,. 1735. He lived at Portsmouth, R. I. He was "the first English child born on Rhode Island," say Friends' records. He owned land on Cooper's Creek, Gloucester county, in 1685. A patent was issued to him for 400 acres on Crosswicks Creek and John Tomlinson's Run, 4th mo. 1695 .- N. J. Archives, XXI., 377, 651.
v. John2, born September, 1640; married Mary Earle, Dec. 25, 1670; died June 4, 1716; she died June, 1734. He lived at Portsmouth, R. I. He devised to his daughters, Hope and Mary Borden, all his lands in Shrewsbury, N. J., and certain lands in Pennsylvania. He owned land in Mon- mouth county as early as 1687. See N. J. Archives, XXI.
vi. Joseph2, born July 3, 1643; married Hope He lived at Portsmouth, R. I., and at Barbadoes, W. I. Joseph Borden, of Chester county, Pa., cordwainer, bought a tract of 356 acres of land at Oneanickon, alias Carmell, Spring- field township, Burlington county, Dec. 1, 1701 .- N. J. Ar- chives, XXI., 531.
vii. Sarah?, born May, 1644; married Jonathan Holmes; she died about 1705; he died in 1713.
viii. Samuel2, born July, 1645; married Elizabeth Crosse, June 1, 1679. On Feb. 10, 1672, he sold Lewis Mattox, of Ports- mouth, R. I., a share of land in Monmouth, N. J. He is said to have removed to Westchester, N. Y., prior to to his marriage, but was afterwards at Philadelphia, where he died. He was a member of the West Jersey Assembly in 1682, says Smith's Hist. of N. J., 151. There was surveyed for Samuel Borden a tract of 200 acres "at Hatt's Plantation on the northwest side of the road from Burlington to Shrowsburry," Feb. 21, 1681-2 .- N. J. Archives, XXI., 350. This tract was conveyed by his administrators about 1694 .- Ib., 872. Administration on the estate in West Jersey of Samuel Porden was granted Feb. 8, 1692-3, to Francis Rawle, of Philadelphia, merchant, principal credi- tor of the deceased; Thomas Budd, of Philadelphia, and. John Budd, of Burlington, were bondsmen for the ad- ministrator .- Burlington Records, p. 19; N. J. Archives, XXIV., 46. Francis Rawle, administrator of the estate of Samuel Borden, of Pennsylvania, dec'd, and Thomas Woodroof, of Salem, late of London, conveyed to James
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interred in a plain and decent Manner, in the Presence of a great Concourse of People.
"That Gentleman came to this Place in the Year 1719, which at that Time was a mere Wilderness, notwith-
Antram, of Mansfield, Burlington, yeoman, one twenty- fourth of a share of the Province, bought by Woodroof of Borden .- Ib., 454. Was this the same person?
3. ix. Benjamin?, born May, 1649; married Abigail Grover, Sept. 22, 1670.
2. FRANCIS2 BORDEN was a freeman of Portsmouth in 1655. He removed to Shrewsbury, N. J., in 1665, or soon after. The first Friends' meeting in New Jersey is said to have been held at his house, in 1672. The court was held at his house, Sept. 3, 1678. He married Jane Vicars, 12th of 4th mo., 1677. He d. in Shrewsbury, 19th ist mo., 1704-5. His will, dated May 24, 1703, describes him as of Shrews- bury, yeoman. In it he devises lands patented March 25, 1687, and other tracts bought May 4, 1696, and of his brother, John Borden, April 7, 1700; also property in the Parish of Goudherst (Goldhurst), Kent, England, inherited from Francis Fowle, of Cranbrook, county of Kent, by his will of October 8, 1632. This is suggestive of the origin of the Borden family, although Fowle was probably a connection or an ancestor in the maternal line. Francis Borden appointed his wife and his son Francis executors of his will. His personal estate was inventoried at £106, 11, 6 .- East Jersey Wills, Lib. 1, p. 151. The "Jean Borden" who in 1707 was induced to contribute £3 toward a fund said to be for the purpose of bribing Lord Cornbury, then Governor, to do justice to the people, was probably the widow of Francis Borden .- Austin, as cited; Hist. Burlington and Mercer Counties, 454; N. J.
Archives, III., 214; Shrewsbury Friends' Records. Many references to Francis Borden are to be found in N. J. Archives, XXI. In the early records this name usually appears as Burden or Burdein.
The children of Francis Borden and Jane Vicars were (all b. at Shrewsbury) :
i. Richard3, b. 11th of 2d mo., -
ii. Francis3, b. 1st ot 9th mo., m. Mary Their children (b. in Shrewsbury) were: i. Elizabeth, b. 6th of 5th m., 1707; ii. Jane, b. 7th of 6th mo., 1708; iii. Frances, b. 24th of 12th mo., 1709-10; iv. John, b. 23d of 11th mo., 1710-11; v. Ancy (? Amy), b. 6th of 12th mo., 1714; vi. Mary, b. 21st of 6th mo., 1717; vii. Thomas, b. 27th of 4th mo., 1719; viii. Jeoms, b. 4th of 8th mo., 1722.
iii. Joyce3, b. 4th of 4th mo., 168 -; m. John Hance, junior. Issue: i. Joseph; ii. John, named in the will of Francis Borden. Perhaps others.
iv. Thomas3, b. 4th of 12th mo., 1684.
3. BENJAMIN2 BORDEN married Abigail Grover (dau. of James Grover, senior, of Middletown), Sept. 22, 1670. He probably removed from Portsmouth, R. I., soon after making the purchase of lands in Shrews- bury, in 1665, and settled at the latter place, being allotted Lot No. 29 of "the lotts of Middleton," Dec. 30, 1667, and the next day Lot No. 23, in "the lotts that are in the Poplar feild and the mountany feild."- Toun Book of Old Middletown, 1. He was allowed, April 9, 1670, to take up nine acres elsewhere in lieu of Lot No. 23, "considering the badnes of it being throwne up to make good some other lotts."-Ib., 10. He was admitted, July 8, 1670, as one of the associate patentees. He contributed £6 toward the purchase, and was allotted one share. The court was held at his house in Shrewsbury, in 1676. He was a Justice of the Peace in 1685. In 1692 and 1694 he was elected to the Assembly from Middletown, and in 1695 and 1698 as one of the six members from Monmouth county. In 1693 he was appointed by act of the Assembly to be one of the Road Commissioners for Monmouth County, a posi- tion he still held in 1711. He was one of three men "legally Chosen (Jan. 1, 1695-6) to meet the men of the other towns of the County to
Assess the tax or Rate that is to be Raised for the Support of the Government," to which office (corresponding with the "chosen freeholder" of to-day) he was re-elected in 1697-8 .- Town Book, 32-33. The records of conveyances show that he was a large landholder; some of his purchases were as follows: Oct. 21, 1676-return of survey
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standing he commenced a small Trade, which he managed with Prudence and Integrity; but in about four or five Years it pleased God to afflict him with a severe Fit of the Asthma, which (although he got the better of at that
for tract in the allotment of Cohanzick; 1677-8, Feb. 28-patent for same, 300 acres; he was then a weaver, of Middletown; June 20, 1677- patent for 351 acres at Middletown; Jan. 22, 1687-patent for 150 acres in Monmouth county; March 28, 1688-he was the owner of 1-20th of 1-48th of East Jersey; May 1, 1695-patent for 240 acres at Crosswicks, and 30 acres at Barnegat; Oct. 5, 1696-deed for 560 acres in Monmouth county .- N. J. Archives, XXI., 27, 113, 116, 235, 297, 542, 556, 566. In 1716 he appears to have been of Evesham, Burlington county, when he con- veyed lands to his son Joseph, of Freehold. In 1718, being then of Auchweas, Burlington county, he conveyed lands to his son James .- Austin, as cited; Old Times in Old Monmouth, 170, 171, 207, 208, 249; N. J. Archives, XXI., 158-61. His children were:
Third Generation.
i. Richard3. b. Jan. 9. 1672. Probably on account of some of the political troubles of the day, the Attorney General was directed in 1734 to file an information against him. In 1739 he was of Chester, Burlington county. In 1750 he resided at Evesham, Burlington county. He had a suit in chan- cery against Richard Stout, but his solicitor, John Coxe, threw up the case in a huff, saying that he could not get justice from Gov. Belcher, the Chancellor ex officio .- N. J. Archives, XIV., 505; XI., 580; VII., 542-3, 547.
ii. Benjamin3. b. April 6. 1675. He settled at Middletown, Monmouth county. He bought, Jan. 8, 1700, of Anthony Woodward, a 'tract of 1,000 acres of the great Dockwra patent, south of Arneytown .- Hist. Burlington and Mercer Counties, 454. When the court of sessions at Middletown, on March 25, 1701, arraigned Moses Butterworth for piracy, and he confessed that he had sailed with Capt. William Kidd on his last voyage, Benjamin Borden and his brother Richard were conspicuous among the thirty or forty men who dashed into the court room to rescue the prisoner. The two Bordens were arrested by the consta- bles, but a hundred men quickly rallied, and they were res- cued from the officers' grasp, though wounded in the melee, and the rioters turned the tables by imprisoning the Gov- ernor (Col. Andrew Hamilton), the Court, the Attorney General and the court officers for four days, in token of their contempt for the waning authority of the Proprie- tary Government .- Monmouth County Records, Book of Minutes No. 1, quoted in "Old Times in Old Monmouth," 263; N. J. Archives, II., 362-3. Benjamin Borden and James Borden were among the petitioners in 1701 for a Royal instead of a Proprietary Governor .- N. J. Archives, II., 396. He was the agent for the receipt of the Mon- mouth county taxes in 1705 and 1706 .- Ib., III., 351-2. Ad- ministration on the estate of Benjamin Borden, of Eves- ham township, Burlington county, yeoman, was granted June 6, 1728, to Susannah Borden, his widow. The inven- tory of his personal estate amounted to £222, 10, 101/2 .- East Jersey Wills, Liber 2, p. 532.
iii. James3, b. Sept. 6, 1677; m. Mary 6. The will of James Borden, of Freehold township, Monmouth county, is dated Dec. 23, 1727, and was proved Feb. 22, 1730-31. His. personal estate was inventoried at £ 115, 16, 10.
iv. Rebecca3. b. June S, 1680; d. young.
v. Safety3, b. Sept. 6, 1682.
vi. Amey3, b. March 4, 1684.
5. vii. Joseph3, b. May 12, 1687; d. Sept. 22, 1765.
viii. Jonathan3, b. April 14, 1690. He was living at Chester,.
Burlington county, in 1739.
ix. David3, b. March 8, 1692; d. young.
x. Samuel3, b. April 8, 1696.
4.
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Time) pursued him, with small Intermissions, to the Day of his Death. In those Intermissions he was remarkably chearful and sprightly, and still continued his small Trade with Success. About the Year 1735 he
4. JAMES3 BORDEN, b. Sept. 6, 1677; m. Mary In his will he names children:
i. Richard.
ii. Innocent, m. John Bozworth, of Burlington county, mar- riage license dated July 13, 1734.
iii. Joseph. .
iv. Phebe, prob. m. Benjamin Gardiner, of Burlington county, marriage license dated May 18, 1737.
v. Rebeckah.
vi. Abigaill.
vii. Mary.
viii. Hellen. ix. Ann.
5. JOSEPH3 BOORDEN, m. Mary Ann -,
prior to 1716. Sailing in a coasting vessel (probably his own) from Shrewsbury, he came to Farnsworth's Landing, Burlington county, in 1719, and determined to locate there. On March 3, 1724, he bought from Samuel Farnsworth a tract of 105 acres of land on the Delaware, to which he added by subsequent purchases until he owned nearly the whole site of the future Bordentown. As early as 1722 he had become interested in the erection of a bloomary forge on Black's Creek, Burlington county. In 1724 his place on the Delaware was known as "Burden's Landing," but by 1739 it was called "Burden's Town," whence the transition to "Burdentown" and "Bordentown" was easy. Joseph Borden was appointed one of the Quorum Justices for Burlington county in 1739. In 1740 he started a "Stage Wagon to carry Passengers or Goods, be- tween Perth-Amboy and Bordens-Town," in order to develop the lat- ter place and make it an important point on the route from Phila- delphia to New York. This stage route was kept up by him and his son Joseph for twenty years or more. He gave the site for the Friends' meeting house in 1740, and Aug. 5, 1751, conveyed to the Bap- tists, for a nominal consideration (£5), the site for a church and burying ground. He opened a store, and carried on a general mercan- tile trade many years; laid out streets, erected what was then con- sidered a splendid mansion, and in other ways manifested a most enter- prising spirit, and a confidence in the future of Bordentown .- Hist. Burlington and Mercer Counties, 456, 458-9; History of Iron in All Ages, by J. M. Swank, 2d ed., 1892, 157; N. J. Archives, XI., 342, 586, note; 587; XII., 22, note; 171; XV., 98.
His children were:
Fourth Generation.
i. Anna4, m. the Rev. Joshua Potts, pastor of the Baptist Church at South Hampton, Bucks county, Pa.
6. ii. Joseph4, b. 1719; d. April 8, 1791, in his 72d year.
iii. Rebecca4, m. Joseph Brown, perhaps a physician near Bor- dentown, at whose inn Benjamin Franklin stopped in 1723 when on his journey from Boston to Philadelphia.
iv. Hannah4, m. John Lawrence, of Monmouth, marriage li- cense dated April 26, 1731.
v. Elizabeth+, m. Thomas Douglass, of Monmouth, marriage license dated Jan. 9, 1734.
vi. -4, m. Clayton.
vii. -4, m. Thomas Potts, who bought the iron works on. Black's Creek, Feb. 1, 1725
6. JOSEPH4 BORDEN, jun. (Joseph3, Benjamin?, Richard1), b. 1719; m. Elizabeth, daughter of Marmaduke Watson; died at Bordentown, April 8, 1791. He was actively engaged from early manhood in his father's extensive business enterprises, especially the stage boat and stage wagon from Philadelphia to Perth Amboy, via Bordentown, until his advancing years caused him to retire from active life, i'n 1788. In 1748 tickets for a lottery for the benefit of St. Mary's Church, Burling- ton, were to be had from him. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1749, and a Judge in 1757 and again in 1767. In 1761 he was elected to the assembly as one of the two members for Burlington county, and served until 1769, evidently occupying a conspicuous posi-
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planned and laid out this Town, which, although but small, is much larger than could have been expected, when we consider the Disadvantages its Patron lay under. About this Time he accepted of a Commission of the Peace, in which Station his greatest Enemies allowed he behaved with the utmost Prudence, and strictest Justice; and as he was esteemed for his public, so he also was for his private Worth, he being a kind Neighbour, and a sin-
tion among his colleagues. In 1765 the Assembly elected him as one of the three deputies to represent New Jersey in the Stamp Act Congress, at New York, and he and Hendrick Fisher signed the appeal of that Congress to the King and Parliament, urging the repeal of the Act. The Assembly heartily approved of their conduct. He was chosen as one of the members of the first Provincial Congress, which met at New Brunswick, July 2, 1774, to send delegates to the Continental Congress. In the ensuing February he was selected by his fellow citizens as one of the Committee of Observation for Burlington County, and later as a member of the Provincial Congress held at Trenton in May, June and August, 1775. This body appointed him one of the Committee of Safety, which was vested with executive power during the recess of the Provincial Congress. Early in 1776 he was commissioned Colonel of the First Regiment of Burlington County militia, but he resigned, Sept. 28, 1776, when he was appointed Quartermaster, for which posi- tion his business experience and abilities rendered him peculiarly well qualified. He was appointed Judge of the Common Pleas, Sept. 11, 1776, and again Sept. 28, 1781. He was one of the promoters of the epi- sode made famous by Francis Hopkinson in his poem on the "Battle of the Kegs," when it was designed to blow up the British vessels in the Delaware near Bordentown by a rude sort of torpedoes made of kegs filled with powder, which were sent floating down the river short- ly before daylight on Jan. 7, 1778, and were expected to explode on coming in contact with the war vessels, having certain mechanical attachments to ensure such result. Unfortunately for the success of the enterprise, the vessels were hauled into their docks the night be- fore the kegs were set loose. The British soon after raided Borden- town, and Judge Borden's handsome residence was laid waste by fire. May 10, 1778. He was liberally educated, had a fine presence, and was highly influential in the community. His widow died in 1807, in her 82d year .- Hist. Burlington and Mercer Counties, 467; N. J. Archives, XII., 442; XVI., 89; XVII., 137, 455; N. Y. Public Library Bulletin, I., 104; Gordon's Hist. N. J., 140; Penn. Mag. of Hist. and Biog., IX., 435. Fifth Generation.
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