USA > New Jersey > Documents relating to the revolutionary history of the state of New Jersey, Vol. I > Part 5
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2 John Smyth was one of the leading men of Amboy before the war. He had been Treasurer of the Province, one of the Wardens of Saint Peter's Church, and one of the Commissioners to erect the French and Indian barracks at Perth Amboy. In the early days of the Revolution he was arrested for disloyalty, but afterwards released on giving his parole of honor.
3 Heathcote Johnstone was a Captain in Colonel Nathaniel Heard's First Regiment Middlesex county, New Jersey, militia.
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Alexander Ross, Esq, deceased, are requested to bring in their Accounts as soon as possible .- New York Gazette and Weekly Mercury, March 4, 1776.
A T a Meeting of the Inhabitants of the County of Bergen, qualified to vote for Representatives in General Assembly, held at the Court House in New Barbadoes,1 in the said County of Bergen, on the Twenty- first Day of September (being the first Thursday in said Month) in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-five, pursuant to a Resolve of the Provincial Congress of the Province of New-Jersey, made and passed on the Seventeenth Day of August last.
JOHN FELL,2 Esq ; Chosen Chairman.
1 The court-house was in the village of Hackensack, in the township of New Barbadoes. The township of Hackensack lay between the Hackensack river and the Hudson river .- W. N.
2 John Fell was the senior member of the firm of John Fell & Co., merchants in New York, at least as early as 1759, when they had several armed merchant vessels plying the seas. He continued in New York for some years thereafter. Sub- sequently-just when is not known-he purchased a tract of 220 acres, being 32 x 69 chains in area, at or near Paramus, in Bergen county. He called the place Peters- field, probably in imitation of Colonel Philip Schuyler's Petersboro, opposite Belle- ville. The name Petersfield was doubtless, however, suggested in honor of some relative of John Fell, perhaps his father. From the beginning of the Revolution he took a most positive stand in favor of his country, serving with great energy as Chairman of the Bergen County Committee, in which capacity he gained the repu- tation of being "a great Tory hunter." He was a member of the Provincial Con- gress which met at Trenton in May, June and August, 1775, and of the Council in the first State Legislature, in 1776. On the night of April 22d, 1777, he was taken prisoner at his house by twenty-five armed men, who hurried him to Bergen Point, where Colonel Abraham Van Buskirk was in command of the British forces. The two men had been well acquainted before the war, and when Fell was brought before Van Buskirk, the latter remarked: "Times have changed since we last met." "So I perceive," replied the prisoner. Van Buskirk, however, assured him that on account of their previous acquaintance he would give him a letter to Gen- eral Robertson, in New York, with whom he was well acquainted, and this letter would doubtless insure him proper treatment. Fell was sent to New York and con- fined in the provost jail, where he was treated with such severity that the New Jersey Committee of Safety offered to release James Parker and Walter Rutherford in exchange for John Fell and Wynant Van Zandt, on October 16th, 1777. This proposition not being acceded to, the committee, on November 17th, 1777, ordered that Parker and Rutherford be committed to the Morris county jail until Fell and Van Zandt should be released. General Robertson does not appear to have seen Fell until December 8th following, when he called upon him at the jail. Fell gave him the letter of Colonel Van Buskirk, which he read and then handed back, with a curious smile, to the prisoner, who found that the purport of the letter was that
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John Demarest, Esq ; Dr. Abraham Van Boskirk,1 and Jacobus Post,2 Esq ; were elected by the Plurality of Voices, to represent the County of Bergen in Provincial Congress, to be held at Trenton, in the County of Hunter- don, on Tuesday the Third Day of October next. And the following Persons were elected by Plurality of Voices, to constitute a County Committee of Observation and Correspondence, with full Power, as well to superintend and direct the necessary Business of the said County, as
"John Fell was a great rebel and a notorious rascal." But it happened that General Robertson and Fell had made each other's acquaintance years before, after the capture of Quebec, during the French War. "You must be changed indeed, John Fell," said the General, "if you are as great a rascal as this Colonel Van Buskirk." He assured the prisoner that he would secure him good treatment, but he afterwards declared that owing to various circumstances he was unable to show him the favor he desired. However, on January 7th, 1778, he secured his release on parole, and in the following May, Fell was allowed to go home. The New Jersey Legislature elected him, November 6th, 1778, one of the State's delegates to Congress, in which capacity he served two years. He was evidently a man of considerable means and accustomed to live in good style, and was frequently the guest of John Adams and other distinguished members of that notable body. A diary kept by him while in Congress is in the possession of the editor of this volume. Fell was elected a member of the Legislative Council from Bergen county in 1782 and 1783. The Legislature appointed him, September 6th, 1776, one of the Common Pleas Judges of Bergen county, and at the expiration of his term he was re-appointed, September 28th, 1781. He sold his Petersfield estate November 1st, 1793, to John H. Thompson, a merchant of New York City, for £2,000. In the deed he is described as "John Fell of Petersfield, Bergen County, Esq." He probably removed to New York about this time. No subsequent trace of him has been found. His wife's name was Susanna. He had at least two children: (1) Peter, whom the Legislature elected Lieutenant-Colonel of the First Regiment of Bergen County Militia, March 27th, 1778, which office he resigned October 5th, 1779; (2) Elizabeth, married Cadwallader Colden (grandson of Lieutenant-Governor Cadwallader Colden), October 13th, 1774, but left no issue. It is understood that Peter left descendants .- W. N.
1 Lourens Andriessen Van Boskerck came from Holstein, Denmark, in the summer of 1655, and with others bought, January 6th, 1676, a large tract of land at "New Hackensack," on which he located as early as 1688. The family have been numerous in the English Neighborhood, Bergen county, ever since. Dr. Abraham Van Bus- kirk was appointed Surgeon of the Bergen Regiment, February 17th, 1776, but did not serve long. John Jacobus Van Buskirk was probably the John, son of Jacobus, son of Peter, son of Lourens Andressen, who was born November 28th, 1739. He was charged with holding communication with the enemy on Staten Island, July 8th, 1776, but on being tried was acquitted. Abraham, son of Laurence, was a Captain in the Rangers (Loyalists); at the close of the war he sailed for Nova Scotia, in 1783, but died on the voyage, at the age of thirty-three years .- W. N.
2 Jacobus Post was a miller, on the Passaic river, opposite the present city of Paterson, between the Broadway and Wesel bridges. He was commissioned Major in Colonel Williamson's Regiment of Light Horse October 27th, 1775; resigned Feb- ruary 3d, 1776 ; probably removed afterwards to Orange county, N. Y., founding the village of Postville, now Edenville .- W. N.
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NEW JERSEY IN THE REVOLUTION. [1776
to carry into Execution the Resolutions and Orders of the Continental and Provincial Congress; to wit, Thomas Brown,1 Esq ; John Jacobus Van Boskirk, Esq; Daniel Smith,2 Esq, Michael Moore, Albert Zabriskie,3 Jacob Quackenbush, Arent Schuyler,4 Gabriel Van Norden, D. Isaac Browne, Garrabrant Van Houten,5 Hendrick Dore- mus,6 David Board,7 Garrit Garritse,8 Cornelius Lezier,9 Johannes J. Ackerman, John Van Boskirk, Esq ; Isaac Blanch, David Duryee.
JOHN FELL, Chairman.
At a Meeting of the Committee of the County of Ber- gen, on Monday the Twenty-fifth Day of September, in
1 He was elected Judge of the Bergen County Common Pleas, September 6th, 1776. -W. N.
2 Living near the present Smith's Mills, West Milford township, Passaic county -W. N.
3 Albert Zabriskie was of Schraalenburgh. He joined the British army on or about December 7th, 1776, and his property, 14312 acres, on the Hackensack river, was confiscated, and was sold, June 10th, 1779, to Isaac Nicoll, of Orange county, N. Y., for £4,734. Another tract, five acres, also on the Hackensack river, near Doe's creek, was confiscated, and sold to the same purchaser, May 1st, 1785, for £48 .- W. N. 4 Living at what is now known as Schuyler's Basin, on the Pompton feeder of the Morris canal, in Wayne township, Passaic county -W. N.
6 Gerrebrandt Van Houten lived in a stone house which he built, probably in the spring of 1769, and which is still standing, Nos. 117-119 Water street, Paterson. He was a descendant of Cornelis Roelofse, one of the first patentees of Acquackanonk, and was the grandson of Roelof Helmigse, one of the first grantees of Totowa, Paterson. In 1768 he and his brother, Helmigh Van Houten, Abraham Godwin and Martin Frans Ryerson bought a tract of 660 acres, in the present First and Second wards of Paterson and Manchester township. Gerrebrandt Van Houten died in 1789, leaving one son, Dirc (Richard), who had Gerrebrandt, Helmigh and Adrian. The last-named Gerrebrandt had three daughters, one of whom, Jane, wife of Henry Garritse, acquired the old homestead. She afterwards married Ralph Dore- mus, whose heirs still own the old stone house -W. N.
6 Probably lived on the east bank of the Passaic river, near Jacobus Post. As an adherent of the British, his property, 304 acres, more or less, with buildings, &c., was confiscated, and sold to Adolphus Waldron, November 1st, 1779, for £6,575 .- W. N.
7 Of Boardville, now Erskine, Pompton township, Passaic county, and whose father, Cornelius Board, had bought extensive tracts of land in the Ringwood val- ley for iron-mining. David was a member of the Assembly in 1776 and in 1786 .- W. N.
8 The Garritse or Garrison family were descended from Gerrit Gerritse, from Wag- eningen, Holland, who was one of the patentees of Acquackanonk; most of them took the name Van Wageningen, or Van Wagoner, but one branch of the family, who removed across the river and acquired several thousand acres of land in Saddle River township, Bergen county, between the present Wesel and Wagaran bridges, retained the name Gerritse-son of Gerrit-now generally modified into Garrison. Some of this family also settled, about 1730, at the Ponds (now Oakland); the above Garrit Garritse was probably of the latter neighborhood .- W. N.
9 This name is now generally written Lozier.
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the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-five.
Present, Sixteen Members.
The Committee chose John Van Boskirk, Esq; Chair- man.
At a Meeting of the said Committe on Saturday the Thirtieth Day of September. Present, John Van Bos- kirk, Esq, Chairman, and Fourteen of the other Members.
John Van Boskirk, Esq ; proposed to resign the Chair to Thomas Brown, Esq ; (who was not present at the for- mer Meetings) and Mr. Brown declined accepting the Chair.
Resolved unanimously, That John Van Boskirk, Esq, remain Chairman of the Committee.
Ordered, That John Van Boskirk, Esq ; Daniel Isaac Browne, Albert Zabriskie, Thomas Brown, Gabriel Van Norden, Jacob Quackenbush, Johannes J. Ackerman, or any five of them, be a Committee of Safety to direct and transact the Business of the County during the recess of the County Committee.
Ordered, That the Committee of Safety meet (during the Recess of the County Committee) when summoned by the President or Vice President of the Committee of Safety.
Resolved, That D. Isaac Browne1 be President, and Gabriel Van Norden be Vice President of the Committee of Safety.
The aforegoing are true Extracts, from the Minutes of the Proceedings of the Committee of the County of Ber- gen. Examined per
D. ISAAC BROWNE, Clk. Com. pro tempore. -New York Gazette and Weekly Mercury, March 4, 1776.
1 Daniel Isaac Brown (or Browne) lived at Hackensack When hostilities actually began he sided with the British, and was commissioned Major of the Fourth Bat- talion of New Jersey Volunteers (Loyalists). His property at Hackensack, eight and three-quarter acres, was confiscated, and was sold, September 6th, 1780, to Dr. Peter Wilson, for £204, 16s. The name might easily be taken for a corruption of Brouwer, in which family there were many Daniels and Isaacs.
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NEW JERSEY IN THE REVOLUTION. [1776
To be SOLD, at private SALE,
The several Lots of Land hereafter mentioned, situate in the township of Little-River,1 the County of Bergen, and Province of New-Jersey, on the publick Road from Morris-Town to Warwick, in the Province of New-York. NE Lot of Land containing Forty-seven Acres, about
0 sixteen Acres of which is Swamp and Meadow, fifteen Acres of plough Land, on which is set out fifty young Apple Trees, the Remainder well timbered. Two good Dwelling Houses and one Barn. Through this Tract runs a Stream of Water, with a very good Con- veniency for Water Works. On the Premises is raised a Frame for a Grist Mill, covered with Cedar Shingles, 20 by 24 Feet square : Also one other Lot of Land about three Miles from said Premises, containing five Acres of Up-land and Meadow, on which is a good Dwelling Log House, 20 by 22 Feet square ; and one other Lot of about four Acres of good Cedar Swamp, well timbered. All of which is situated in a very convenient Part of the Country for a large Range of Cattle. Any Person inclin- ing to purchase all or any one of said Lots of Land, may know the Terms by applying to the Subscriber, on the Premises, and a good Title given for the same, by
STEPHEN ARENTS -New York Gazette and Weekly Mercury, March 4, 1776.
TO BE SOLD In the City of Burlington,
A BRICK HOUSE with a good front, pleasantly situated on the river Delaware, with a large back lot. Also another small water lot in said city.
1 An error for Saddle river.
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A tract of land in Cranberry, containing about three hundred acres, all good timber land, to be divided into equal parts and sold separate.
Sundry small lots situate in and about Trenton.
A pleasant seat in Trenton, known by the name of Doud's Dale, with a good frame dwelling-house, and kitchen separate from the dwelling-house; a good meadow and apple orchard, with a constant stream of water running through the meadow ; also a small barn. It is a convenient place for a tradesman, and an excellent place for a tan-yard ; containing about sixteen acres.
A tract of land about two miles from Trenton, contain- ing about forty-two acres, part of which is good meadow.
The above places were the property of ABRAHAM COTTNAM,1 Esq ; of Trenton, lately deceased,-And all persons indebted to the said estate either by bond, note or book accompt, are·desired to make immediate pay- ment ; and those who have demands against the estate to render in their accompts that they may be adjusted.
ELIZABETH A. COTTNAM, Executrix, ROBERT HOOPS, and GEORGE COTTNAM,
Executors. -The Pennsylvania Packet, March 4, 1776.
1 Abraham Cottnam was a leading citizen of Trenton before the war. He lived for several years some distance out of the village on the Pennington road, but in the later part of his life he removed to what is now the northwest corner of Warren and Bank streets. At the death of Cottnam, this property became the inn of Rens- selaer Williams. (See advertisement thereof, page 79, in this work.) His sons, George, who is named here as one of his executors, and Warrell, remained in the old house in the suburbs, selling it after a while to Chief Justice Brearley. Eliza- beth A. Cottnam was his widow and Robert Hoops his former westerly neighbor. This was Major Hoops, General Dickinson's Brigade Major during the war. See Hall's Presbyterian Church at Trenton and Stryker's Trenton One Hundred Years Ago.
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[1776
New-Brunswick, Feb. 27, 1776.
SIX POUNDS REWARD.
Stolen last night, out of the stable of the late Alexan- der Ross, Esq ; near New-Brunswick, three well matched bay COACH HORSES, about eight years old, upwards of fifteen hands high, two of them blooded, the other a stout round bodied horse, and lame in his right fore foot by a cut above the hoof; one of the blooded horses was at times somewhat lame in his right hip, had a short dock, and only a piece of a shoe on one of his fore feet ; the other two shod all round, and one of them had a long dock ; they were in good order. The above Reward will be given to any person who takes up said horses, or Forty Shillings each, and Three Pounds for the thief, by
SARAH ROSS. -The Pennsylvania Packet, March 4, 1776.
FOUR DOLLARS REWARD.
Ran away about three months ago from the subscriber, living in Upper Freehold township in the county of Mon- mouth, and province of New Jersey, a certain Negro man who calls his name TONY WARD, a stout well made fellow, about 41 years of age. His cloaths I cannot give a proper description, but shall name his former masters, which may answer the same end, viz. He was sold in 1771 by Levi Eldridge of Gloucester county, to Jabez Buzby, of the county of Burlington; in 1774 said Buzby sold him to Abraham Zilley, of the same county; in 1775 said Zilley sold him to Thomas Page, of the same place, and soon after said Page sold him to me. Any person who will take up said Negro and deliver him to Thomas Page, in Slab Town, or secure him in Burlington Gaol, shall receive the above Reward and all reasonable charges, paid by
GILBERT LONGSTREET.
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N. B. I understand he passes for a free Negro; This is to forwarn all persons whatsoever from hiring or harbouring said Negro about their houses at their peril .- The Pennsyl- vania Packet, March 4, 1776.
Whereas Elizabeth, the wife of the subscriber, living * in the township of Deptford, and county of Gloucester, in West-New-Jersey, hath eloped from his bed and board (without any just cause) and taken with her sundry of his goods and effects, and at present has taken up and cohabits with one Robert Henry : These are therefore to forewarn all persons from trusting her on his account, as he will pay no debts of her contracting from the date hereof; as witness his hand, this 24th day of February, 1776.
JOHN STEEL. -The Pennsylvania Gazette, March 6, 1776.
MR. TOWNE,
As a proof that the sentiments of the Assembly of New- Jersey, in November last, with respect to independance are not the same with the sentiments of the people of New-Jersey at this time, I beg you would mention the following anecdote in your paper.
"When the name of a certain gentleman was men- tioned in the Provincial Convention, to represent that colony in the Congress, a few weeks ago, one person ob- jected to him because he was for the independance of the Colonies. A vote was called, and eleven counties out of twelve approved of him."-The Pennsylvania Evening Post, March 7, 1776.
GLOUCESTER, MARCH 5, 1776.
The GENERAL LOAN-OFFICE for the County of Gloucester, WILL BE OPENED at the Court-House,
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NEW JERSEY IN THE REVOLUTION. [1776
at Gloucester, on Second Day, the 25th Day of this in- stant March. The Commissioners will be ready to receive Borrowers, qualified according to the Directions of an Act of the General Assembly of the Province of New-Jersey, intituled, An Act for striking One Hundred Thousand Pounds, in Bills of Credit, and directing the Application thereof; at which Time and Place Attendance will be . given according to Law, by JOHN HINCHMAN John Gill, and Joseph Hugg, Commissioners .- The Pennsyl- vania Gazette, March 13, 1776.
TO BE SOLD BY
SAMUEL ALLINSON, of the City of BURLINGTON
A Plantation, situate near 2 miles from the town, on a navigable creek, emptying into Delaware, containing about 75 acres of land, of which about 15 are meadow, most of it is very good, being under a tight substantial bank, 15 more are well timbered, and the remaining 45, except what is appropriated to buildings, is kind arable land ; it has a commodious small wooden dwelling-house, with a cellar under the same, and a well of good water at the door ; a convenient barn, stable, hay-house, and cow-sheds, all new and very pleasantly situate ; the garden and orchard contain a great variety of young bearing fruit trees, of the best kinds, English grape-vines, &c. in thriving order.
Any person inclining to purchase are desired to view the premises, and may then be informed of the terms, by applying to the subscriber, who will convey a good title thereto.
The new Edition of the Laws of New Jersey, is now binding, in Burlington, and as fast as compleated will be sent to the persons who took in subscriptions, by calling
1776]
NEWSPAPER EXTRACTS. 63
on whom the subscribers may be furnished .- A few vol- umes more than subscribed for were printed, and may be now had of the aforesaid
SAMUEL ALLINSON1
Second Month 16, 1776
-The Pennsylvania Gazette, March 13, 1776.
1 Samuel Allinson, of Burlington, was licensed as an attorney, November 9th, 1760; on March 22d, 1762, he was commissioned one of the Surrogates for the West- ern Division of New Jersey. In 1769 there was a popular uprising in New Jersey against what were considered the exorbitant fees of attorneys in law suits, and Samuel Allinson was one of the lawyers whose charges were criticised. He appeared before the House of Assembly and produced certificates signed by the Justices of the Supreme Court and by three of the most distinguished members of the bar- Richard Stockton, James Kinsey and John Lawrence-setting forth that they had carefully inspected the bills of costs complained of and found them to be in every particular correct. Allinson turned the tables on one of his prosecutors by appear- ing before the House on October 25th, 1769, and showing that the people's grievances were mainly due to the excessive charges of the Sheriffs, one of whom-Samuel Tucker-was then a member of the House, and particularly energetic in his denun- ciation of the lawyers .- Field's Provincial Courts of New Jersey, 167-70. In 1773 the Legislature appointed Allinson to collate and publish a new edition of the laws, for which purpose the Council gave him permission to peruse the first three volumes of their minutes. His work was so far completed on January 14th, 1775, that the Legislature appointed a committee to inspect the laws as prepared by him for the press .- N. J. Archives, XVIII., 395, 482. His compilation, known as Allinson's Laws, was printed at Burlington, by Isaac Collins, in 1776, forming a handsome folio of pp. 493, 6, and index, pp. 15. He was clerk of the Burlington Friends' Preparative Meeting, in 1779, in which year he was appointed by that meeting one of the trustees to establish the Friends' School in Burlington .- Friends in Burlington, 65. He married, first, Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Smith and Elizabeth Bacon, by whom he had two children: (1) William, died at the age of 75, unmarried; (2) Mary, died at the age of 91, unmarried .- The Burlington Smiths, 115. He married, second, in 1772, Martha, daughter of David Cooper and Sybil Matlack, daughter of Timothy and Martha Matlack .- Penna. Magazine, XVI., 467. (David Cooper, son of John Cooper and Ann, his wife, was born near Woodbury, in Gloucester county, N. J., the 13th of 1st mo., 1724; his wife died 1st of 5th mo., 1759, aged 28, leaving six children ; Martha took charge of the family when she was only fourteen years old. He died the 5th of 11th mo., 1795 .- See "Testimony from Woodbury Monthly Meeting " in Friends' Miscellany, vol I., 334-6.) By his second wife, Samuel Allinson had issue : (3) David, who began printing at Burlington in 1803, and during a period of twenty years or more published many volumes highly creditable to his press ; he died at the age of 84; (4) Elizabeth (blind from her birth), lived to be 81 years old; (5) James, married Bernice, daughter of James and Rebecca Chattin, and died aged 33 years; he was the father of the late Samuel Allinson, the distinguished philanthopist, who was born December 20th, 1808, and died December 5th, 1883; (6) Sybil, died aged 76; (7) Margaret, died aged 76 ; (8) Samuel, died aged 75; (9) John, died aged 26 -See paper on Samuel Allinson, by John F. Hageman. Samuel Allin- son was doubtless precluded by his principles as a member of the Society of Friends from taking an active part in the Revolution, and his name does not appear con- spicuously after the date of the meeting mentioned above in the text. He died 2d of 6th mo., 1791 .- Penna. Magazine, XVI., 467 .- W. N.
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NEW JERSEY IN THE REVOLUTION. [1776
March 5, 1776.
These are to give notice to the creditors of Thomas Vaughan, a prisoner, confined for debt in the goal of Salem, that they be and appear before Grant Gibbon, Andrew Sinickson, John Holmes, John Mayhew, or any two of them, Judges of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas for said county, at the house of Joseph Haynes, in Salem, on Thursday, the 11th day of April next, to show cause why the said debtor should not be discharged, agreeable to an Act of the General Assembly, intituled An Act for the Relief of Insolvent Debtors .- The Pennsyl- vania Gazette, March 13, 1776.
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