Documents relating to the revolutionary history of the state of New Jersey, Vol. V, Part 38

Author: Stryker, William S. (William Scudder), 1838-1900; Lee, Francis Bazley, 1869-1914; Nelson, William, 1847-1914; Scott, Austin, 1848-1922; New Jersey Historical Society
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Trenton, N.J. : J.L. Murphy Pub. Co., printers, [etc.]
Number of Pages: 1002


USA > New Jersey > Documents relating to the revolutionary history of the state of New Jersey, Vol. V > Part 38


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NEWSPAPER EXTRACTS.


1782]


TO BE SOLD,


A NEGRO WENCII, about thirty-five years of age, with a female child about two and an half years old. The wench understands all sorts of kitchen work, and cooking in particular of a variety of dishes. She is very healthy, and has had the small-pox and measles. For terms apply to Andrew Mershon, inn-keeper, at Millstone, in Somerset county.


Feb. 14, 1782.


WHEREAS Catherine Shapher hath, by force obliged me to contract matrimony with her against my will: This is to give publick notice, that I shall not pay any debts of her contracting from the date of this advertisement, as I hold the marriage unlawful, it not being done with my free consent, and I never intend to live or bed with her.


PETER HENRY.


February 2, 1782.


For the NEW-JERSEY GAZETTE.


AMERICA, before the late war seemed to have been little known or considered, in the important light it merited, in Europe .- It was a distant country, and nobody guessed at the rapid improvement it had made in so short a time from its first settlement .- Indeed it was almost impossible they should, for I believe there is no instance, in ancient or modern times, which could justify the reasonings of this extent .- It has had a progress, beyond any calculation founded in the knowledge of other countries. There seems to have been almost a magical creation of men and things; nor can any thing less than the most irrefragable facts realize to the mind the present state of population and improvement in these colonies.


Let any one only take a view of the map of Pennsylvania made thirty and forty years ago, and he will find the limits of geographical knowledge so scanty, compared with the settlements actually made since several hundred miles beyond them, that he will regard it rather as matter of curiosity than general information .- There is scarcely any American state but may furnish an instance of the same nature, though not many of them perhaps in an equal degree .-- What some few well informed persons well knew the circumstances of the present war have fully demonstrated to all the world. Political arithmeticians have calculated with great certainty, that the inhabitants of many of these states double their numbers by natural increase, exclusive of the accession of strangers, in five and twenty years. These facts have been gathered from an actual numbering of the people at different times, fairly made, with a view of information to the government, in several of the colonies. I shall here give two lists of this kind, made in New-Jersey, in the years 1737-8, and 1745, it being a state into which few or no strangers have been imported from abroad.


"The number of people in New-Jersey taken by order of the gov- ernment in 1737-8."


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388


NEW JERSEY IN THE REVOLUTION.


[1782


Total | Total


of


of


Counties


16


Feml. | Males | Feml.| above 16 under 16


16


whites|slaves


Middlesex


1134


1085


1086


956


272


231


4261


503


Essex


1118


1720


1619


1494


198


177


6644


375


Bergen


939


822


820


708


443


363


3289


806


Somerset


967


940


999


867


425


307


3773


73:


Monmouth


1508


1339


1289


1295


362


293


5431


655


Burlington


1487


1222


1190


996


192


151


4895


343


Gloucester


930


757


782


676


74


48


3145


112


Salem


1669


1391


1313


1327


97


87


5700


184


Cape-May


261


219


271


21


21


21


962


41


Hunterdon including Morris


1618


1230


1270


1170


124


95


5288


219


Total


11631


10725


10039


9700


2200


1773


43388


3981


N. B. The whole is 47,369.


"Number of people in New-Jersey, taken by order of Governor Morris in 1745."


Males


Feml.


Males | Feml.]


Total | Total


Counties


above


above


under 16


16


Males Feml. whites slaves


Morris


1109


957


1190


1087


57


36


4343|


93


Hunterdon


2302


2117


2182


2090


244


216


8691


460


Burlington


1786


1605


1528


1454


233


197


6373|


430


Gloucester


913


797


786


808


121


81


3304


202


Salem


1716


1603


1746


1595


90


97


6660


187


Cape-May


306


272


284


274


30


21


1136


52


Bergen


721


590


49


585


379


237


2390


616


Essex


1694


1649


1652


1548


244


201


6543


445


Middlesex


1728


1659


1651


1695


483


396


6733


879


Monmonth


2071


1783


1975


1899


513


386


7728


899


Somerset


740


740


765


719


19-


149


2896


34


under


Slaves


of


of


16


16


Total.


Males | above


Slaves.


under| Males| Feml .!


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NEWSPAPER EXTRACTS.


1782]


The whole is 61,403. Increase in seven years, 14,034.


It appears then, that the increase upon 47,369 souls, in seven years, from the year 1737-S to the year 1745, is 14,034 -- so that the number at the latter period is, 61,403 .- Now according to the same ratio, at . the end of the next seven years, that is in 1752, the increase of the number 61,403 will be about 18,000, which makes in the whole in said years, 79,000; and reckoning upon this number, agreeably to the same mode of calculating, the amount of the inhabitants in 1759 was about 102,000, in 1766, 131,000, in 1773, 168,000, and in 1780, 215.000 .-- But leaving this method, let us take up the arithmetick of those politicians who say, that the number of inhabitants in these states double every five and twenty years-the number then in 1745 being 61,403, in 1770 it was 122,806, and in the present year, after making some allowance for those who have removed into other states, and the loss sustained by the war, I think we may reasonably set them down at 175,000 souls.


At the two periods, when the above lists were taken, it appears that the males above 16 years of age bore a proportion of about one fourth part to the whole number; that is, there were 11,631 males above 16, out of 47,369 souls, in 1737-8; and 15,080 above the same age, out of the number of 61,403 in 1745 .- Pursuing this rule it will be found, that we must have in the state of New-Jersey, in the present year 1782, forty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty males above sixteen years of age -- But, for the sake of round numbers, suppose 40,000-Quere, Ilow many are there of these under the age of 50? beyond which age the male inhabitants are excused from bearing arms.


If this question can be answered with precision, we shall easily arrive at the number of men capable of bearing arms within this state.


It cannot but afford a secret satisfaction to every well-wisher to America to observe, from the foregoing facts, how suddenly the loss of inhabitants in these states by disease, casualties and war, is re- paired by natural generation only.


I believe there never has been, in any other country, an instance of population in the same degree, from the same cause. There was a time indeed in Europe, when the northern part of it, or the northern line, as it was called, poured forth immense swarms of people, which was thought by some to be owing to the countries from whence they came, being overstocked with inhabitants. But some historians have very properly accounted for these migrations, from other causes. The lands in those countries were cleared in spots, not very extensive, or contiguous ; and, in process of time, becoming, from the increase of population, insufficient to maintain and support the inhabitants, they were too lazy and indolent to make farther improvements; but al- lured by the warm climate and fertile lands of the south, they collected in bodies, formed armies, and marched thither to take possession of them. Hence it appears, that the cultivation of the lands was lim- ited from the natural indolence and want of industry in the people, and this could not fail of circumscribing or at least checking their rising numbers.


In these states there has been a happy combination of causes in favour of the increase of the inhabitants, which those nations of


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390


NEW JERSEY IN THE REVOLUTION.


[1782


Europe did not enjoy. Knowledge and the Arts, were diffused, and conspired with the industry of the inhabitants in favour of our growth and improvement .- Commerce took off her superfluous commodities and poured into her lap the riches of other nations .- A civilized liberty - too has had its share in making us what we are.


These are the causes, joined to the advantages of a fruitful soil, and favourable climate, which have produced such wonderful effects.


TO BE SOLD,


By publick vendu, on Second Day the 11th of March next, at the late dwellinghouse of Thomas Woodward, of Upper-Freehold, in the county of Monmouth, and state of New-Jersey, deceased.


ALL. his personal estate, consisting of a variety of household goods and kitchen furniture, such as beds, bedding, desks, drawers, tables, looking-glasses, chairs, &c. &c. together with a large stock of valuable horses, cattle, sheep and hogs. Likewise, waggons, ploughs, harrows. gears, and every implement of husbandry or farming utensils. Also, a large quantity of wheat, rye, and about eight hundred bushels of Indian corn, and seventy or eighty acres of wheat and rye growing on the ground.


To be rented for a term of years, about three hundred acres of land and meadow, it being a part of that so much noted excellent plantation of the said Thomas Woodward, deceased, either by vendue or private agreement.


Whoever are indebted to the above estate, are requested immediately to settle the same, and they who have any demands. are desired to bring in their accounts, properly authenticated, that they may be ad- justed.


N. B. The vendue to begin at eight o'clock, when the conditions will be made known, and attendance given, by


SUSANNAH WOODWARD, 1 Execut. RICHARD POTTS,


February 22, 1782.


TIIE METHOD OF RAISING MUSTARD SEED IN DURIIAM, OLD ENGLAND.


TIIE ground must be well manured and made into hills about three and a half feet distant each way, and managed in the same manner as Indian corn; plant the seed a little below the surface, the first good weather in March, let there be only one stalk remaining on each hill, and the seed will grow larger and better; as it does not all come to perfection at one time, it must be gathered as it ripens and spread on a floor to dry, which is the work of children.


N. B. An acre of good ground, cultivated in this manner, will produce about ten bushels of seed, the value of which, according to the price now given, will be Twenty Pounds.


WILLIAM RICHARDS takes in mustard seed at his store at Trenton Landing, where it is manufactured, also at his store in Market-Street, Philadelphia.


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NEWSPAPER EXTRACTS.


1782]


TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN :


State of New-Jersey.


NOTICE is hereby given, that a court will be held at the house of James Green, in Freehold, in the county of Monmouth, on the 16th day of March next, at the hour of ten in the forenoon of the same day, then and there to try the truth of the facts alledged in the bill of Capt. William Gray, (who as well, &c.) against the sloop . or vessel called the Lucy, taken on her voyage from Egg-Harbour to New-York, William Dillen, late master, with her tackle, apparel, fur- niture and cargo, and a negro man named York: To the end and intent that the owner or owners of the said vessel, or any other per- son or persons interested therein, may appear and shew cause, if any they have, why the said vessel, cargo and negro man, should not be condemned to the captors, pursuant to the prayer of the said bill.


By order of the Court,


ABIEL AKIN, Agent.


February 23, 1782.


TO BE SOLD,


At publick vendue, on Wednesday the 27th of March, on the premises,


A Valuable plantation whereon Colonel Joseph Stout, deceased, dwelt, now in the tenure of Mr. John P. Hunt, situated in Hopewell town- ship, and county of Hunterdon, containing, by estimation, 296 acres of good land, 200 or more of which are cleared, the rest well timbered, and watered with a number of good springs, has a quantity of good mowing ground, and more may be made with little expence. On the said premises are a large stone dwelling-house, two stories high, with nine rooms well finished, six fire-places, and a large entry through the center ; a cellar and cellar kitchen, a well of excellent water at the door, a stone barn and other out-houses, an orchard of grafted fruit, peaches, pears and cherries of the best kind, and a variety of other fruit. The situation is very healthy and pleasant, and would suit a gentleman or farmer. The vendue to begin at twelve of the clock on said day, when attendance will be given, and the conditions made known, by JOSEPH STOUT.


BY virtue of a writ of Fieri Facias to me directed and delivered, will be exposed to sale at publick vendue, on the premises, between the hours of 12 and 5 o'clock in the afternoon of Saturday, the 27th day of April next, the old well-known publiek-house commonly called Ringo's Tavern, in the township of Amwell and county of Hunterdon, together with about forty five acres of land adjoining it, of which there are ten of good meadow land, and nearly the same quantity of wood land. There are on the premises a large barn and stables, two sheds, a good well of water close to the door, &c. &c.


:


The above is seized and taken in execution at the suit of the execu- tors of the last will and testament of William Pidgeon, Esq. deceased. JOSHUA CORSHON, Sheriff.


Amwell, Feb. 26, 1782.


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892


NEW JERSEY IN THE REVOLUTION. [1782


From the New Jersey Gazette, Vol. V., No. 219, March 6, 1782.


BY HIS EXCELLENCY GEORGE WASHINGTON, ESQUIRE,


General and Commander in Chief of the armies of the United States of America.


PROCLAMATION.


WHEREAS there is good reason to believe, that there are many deserters from the continental army, who, from a conviction of their errors, and from finding themselves deluded by false promises, would willingly return to their colours, were they not apprehensive of that punishment which is justly due to their crimes: Therefore from motives of humanity, and in order to give all such an opportunity of . returning to the service of their country, I have thought fit to issue this my proclamation, offering free pardon to all deserters; as well as those who may have joined the enemy as others, who shall deliver themselves up to any continental officer, on or before the first day of June next.


But I think it necessary at the same time to declare, that all those who neglect to embrace the terms now offered, and are hereafter ap- prehended. may expect the most exemplary punishment.


GIVEN at Headquarters in Philadelphia, this eighth day of February, 1782.


GEORGE WASHINGTON.


By His Excellency's Command,


Tench Tilghman, A. D. C.


From the London Evening Post. To the PRINTER.


Str,


AMERIes can never be subdued by our arms, unless the people can be alienated from their own rulers, and allured into a voluntary submis- sion to our government.


Were it possible for America to be forced into a temporary submission by some wondrous turn of fortune, such a growing people could not be long kept in obedience, unless their spirits could be reconciled to the yoke.


A bold and civilized people, who have once been made jealous of their liberties, will never assent to. a voluntary dependence on a foreign power, while they think themselves able to assert their freedom.


The millions of money annually expended in America, for the sup- port of our forces in that country, since the beginning of this war, are the most powerful arms that they could be supplied with against our- selves, and will either enable them to make a speedy renewal of their efforts if they should be baffled in their present struggle, and reduced to make treacherous concessions : or if, what is much more probable, the aera of their allowed independence should now arrive, will furnish them with the means of the most rapid progress in every line of improvement.


It is absurd to hazard the almost certain and immediate loss of our West-India islands, by an obstinate perseverance in the American war, on the idea, that if the Americans become independent, they may some time or other make these islands appendant on their own empire. The subjugation of America, if It were certain to be effected in the end, would not compensate for the loss of the West India islands in the ac- complishment of that object


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NEWSPAPER EXTRACTS.


1782]


WHITEHALL, November 27.


Extract of a letter from Sir Henry Clinton to the Right Hon. Lord George Germaine, one of Ilis Majesty's principal Secretaries of state, dated on board the London, off Chesapeake, October 29. 1781; by Captain Melcombe, of Ilis Majesty's sloop the Rattle- snake, who arrived in town on Sunday night last.


AGREEABLE to the information which I had the honour to give your lordship in my last despatch, the fleet under the command of Rear-Admiral Greaves sailed from Sandy-Hook on the 16th instant. and arrived off Cape Charles the 24th, when we had the mortification to hear that Lord Cornwallis had proposed terms of capitulation to the enemy on the 17th. This intelligence was brought us by the pilot of the Charon, and some other persons who came off from the shore, and said they had made their escape from York on the 1Sth, and had not heard any firing there since the day before. The Nymph frigate also arriving the next day from New-York, brought me a letter from his Lordship dated the 15th, the desponding tenor of which gives me the most alarming apprehen- sions of its truth. Since then we have been plying off the Capes with variable and hard gales of wind to the present hour, without being able to procure any further information, except from two men taken in a canoe, whose report exactly corresponds with the former.


Comparing, therefore, the intelligence given by these people, and sev- eral others since come in, with the purport of Lord Cornwallis's letter, a copy of which I have the honour to enclose for your Lordship's in- formation, we cannot entertain the least doubt of his Lordship's having capitulated, and that we are unfortunately too late to releive him ; which being the only object of the expedition, the Admiral has determined upon returning with his fleet to Sandy-Hook.


I beg leave to mention to your Lordship, that the army is under the greatest obligations to the Admirals, the Captains, and the officers of the King's ships, for the chearfulness with which they submitted to many and great inconveniences for our accommodation on this service.


Admiralty-Office, November 27, 1781.


Captain Melcombe, of His Majesty's sloop the Rattlesnake, arrived at this office late on Sunday night from America, with despatches from Rear-Admiral Graves to Mr. Stephens, of which the following is an extract.


London, at sea, October 29, 1781.


In my last letter, by the Lively, Captain Manley, I desired you to acquaint the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty of my having passed the bar of New-York with the British fleet, with 7000 of the army em- barked, to go to the releif of Earl Cornwallis, at York, in the Chesapeake.


The fleet accordingly sailed the moment the troops were put on board, and proceeded the same day (the 19th) for the Chesapeake.


The 24th we received intelligence from a black man, who was pilot of His Majesty's ship Charon, a white man who belonged to the Quarter- Master General's department, and another black man, who had made their escape together from York, that Lord Cornwallis had capitulated on the 18th inst. the day before the fleet sailed from Sandy-Hook.


The 25th one of our boats brought off some people from the shore near Cape Charles, who gave the same report of the capitulation.


The 26th Ilis Majesty's ship La Nymphe joined us from New-York, and brought despatches from Lord Cornwallis, dated the 15th, a copy of which is enclosed, and leaves little room to question the truth of the other intelligence. The three people being still on board and questioned agalo, and known for what they reported themselves to be by several persons still to corroborate : I therefore determined to detach the Battle- snake for Europe, to give the earliest information to their Lordships, that government may be prepared to receive the particulars.


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NEW JERSEY IN THE REVOLUTION.


[1782


I should have been happy to have tried every possible means to effect a releif, could we have arrived in time ; that prospect being at an end, I determined to leave this station, and return to New-York.


N. B. The copy of Lord Cornwallis's letter above referred to, is the same as that printed in the foregoing despatches from Sir Henry Clinton.


A SPECIMEN OF AFRICAN HUMOR.


On the arrival of the news of the capture of Lord Cornwallis and his whole army, one African meeting another, salutes him thus :


"O! how do Cuffee. You hear about Corn wallis! No. What about Corn wallis? Why, General Washington shell off all the Corn, now he Cob wallis."


TRENTON, March 6.


On Tuesday the 26th ult. departed this life, in the 67th year of his age Mr. Wilson Hunt, of Hopewell, in this county. In him his numerous relations and acquaintance have lost a valuable friend, and the state a worthy citizen. On the Thursday following his remains, attended to the grave by a large concourse of people, were interred in the burying ground on his farm.


Extract of a letter from Madrid, Dec. 1, 1781.


"The Emperor at present attracts the attention of Europe .- The many salutary laws he has already given to the empire prove him not less a wise Legislator, than his former campaign showed him an able General. -- He seems bent upon weakening the power and deminishing the number of the clergy in his dominions .- The measures, he is taking for this pur- pose, cannot fail to embroil him with the Court of Rome .-- The Pope has certainly taken umbrage at many of his late edicts, and particularly at those in favour of protestants, by which they they are tolerated in many of the principal cities of Germany, where heretofore they were not ad- mitted. His Holiness has remonstrated on the subject. but what effect his representations have had on the Emperor is still a secret .--- Those who are not strangers to his character say, he will not be much intimi- dated by the terrors of an excommunication.


"There is reason to hope that while the Court of Vienna is so taken up with the internal police of the empire, she will continue in her pres- ent pacifick dispositions, and that the expectations of Great-Britain from that quarter will be vain .-- At any rate should she think it her interest to become a party in the war, Prussia will not fail to be a thorn, and a sharp one in her side.


"It is certain that England has rejected the mediation of the northern powers in favour of Holland .-- They wished to bring about an accommo- dation on the principles of the armed neutrality -- and as the Court of London will listen to these terms, all prospect of a separate peace be- tween Great-Britain and the States General is at an end .-- The former is distracted enough to insist upon the succors she demanded from the Republiek before her declaration against it .- If the Dutch disputed the English construction of the treaty of Westminster, before the commence- ment of hostilities, it is hardly probable they will submit to it, after the haughty and unworthy conduct of that nation towards them .- England threatens Holland with losses in the East-Indies, and the Dutch them- selves are mireasy about Batavia - The Cape of Good Hope however is safe, and that was certainly the principal object of Governor Johnston's expedition.


"The Spaniards had a pretty piece of success last week in the Mediter- ranean .- Out of eight English cutters, which attempted to get into Gibralter, six fell into the hands of their Admiral, and he was in chase of the remaining two when the express came away. The cutters were loaded with provisions and other stores most essential to the garrison.


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NEWSPAPER EXTRACTS.


1782]


"We were never more impatient for news from America .- If the situa- tion of Cornwallis be not too highly coloured, we are certainly not too sanguine in hoping that something better than a Burgoynade of him has taken place before this time."


On the 17 ult. the house of John Silvers, near Allentown, took fire by accident, and was entirely consumed in the space of one hour, with a considerable part of his household furniture.


* The laws and votes of the last sitting of the General Assembly are printed, and ready to be delivered.


The subscriber, Bluedyer in Germantown, in the state of Pennsyl- vania, hereby informs his customers and others in the state of New- Jersey, who have no conveniency of sending their yarn, cloth, &c. to him in Germantown, that if they send it to Mr. Daniel Sutter's, in Second-Street, six doors above Race-Street, Philadelphia, they can have it again in three weeks from the time they leave it; or at Mr. Isaac Britton's, inn-keeper, at the sign of the Indian King, in Tren- ton, New-Jersey, they may have it again in four or five weeks from the time it was left, and dyed in the best manner, by


Their humble servant, JACOB BECK.


N. B. The present price of dying is as follows, linen per pound, deep blue, Four Shillings and Three-pence; cotton, deep blue, Four Shillings and Nine-pence; woollen, deep blue, Two Shillings and Nine-pence. Feb. 27, 1782.




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