USA > New Jersey > Sussex County > Hardyston > Hardyston memorial : a history of the township and the North Presbyterian Church, Hardyston, Sussex County, New Jersey > Part 10
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9th-Resolved, That twenty-five dollars shall be the price of each share.
10th-Resolved, That one dollar on each share be paid in advance at the time of subscribing.
11th-Resolved, That there shall be nine directors, one of whom to be chosen for their President, and five to make a quorum.
12th-Resolved, That every subscriber shall be entitled to a vote for each share subscribed, to the number of ten, and for every five shares over that number one vote.
13th-Resolved, That the hills between Hamburg and the Bergen line are not to exceed six degrees elevation and the re- mainder part of the road not to exceed five degrees.
14th-Resolved, That the road from Hamburg to Acqua- conack shall be made twenty-four feet wide.
15th-Resolved, That the Commissioners to lay out said
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road shall be chosen by the President and directors.
16th-Resolved, That when one thousand shares are signed for, the Committee are required to call together the stockholders in order to choose directors."
Thomas Lawrence, Esq., was from the start, one of the most active spirits in the enterprise and was a director in 1810, as shown by the notice found among his papers.
MAY 8, 1810.
SIR :
At a meeting of the Stockholders of the Paterson and Hamburg Turnpike Company, at the house of Martin G. Ryerson, Pompton, this day, you were elected one of the Direc- tors for the present year. A meeting of the Directors is requested Rt M. G. Ryerson's, Pompton, on Monday the 28 of this inst., at 11 o'clock forenoon at which meeting you are desired to attend. By order of the Directors, MARTIN J. RYERSON, Pr.
To Thomas Lawrence, Esq.
The following memorial is endorsed " A memorial to the P'. M. General from the citizens of Hamburg, Stockholm, Pompton, Paterson and Acquaconack, on the subject of the establishment of Post Offices and a post route between Hamburg and New York :
" To GIDEON GRANGER, ESQUIRE, POST MASTER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES, AT THE CITY OF WASHINGTON:
"The subscribers, inhabitants of the villages of Hamburg, Stockholm, Pompton, Paterson, and Acquanunck, and their vicin- ity, in the State of New Jersey, beg leave to represent that a turnpike road has lately been completed from Hamburg through the several other villages to the city of New York. That the dis- tance thereby to the city has been much shortened, and the facil- ity for traveling greatly improved. That the citizens residing in and near the villages aforesaid beg leave to solicit the Post Master General to favor them with the convenience of having a Post Office established at the villages of Stockholmn, Pompton, Pater- son, and Acquanunck, of which they have heretofore been de- prived, and consequently has subjected them to very great incon- veniences, expense, and delay in their communication of business with the city. That the settlements on this route have become very populous, and the business transacted, even under their pres- ent privation of a public conveyance, is such that in their opinion
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it would add very considerably to the revenue of the postal depart- ment. Your memoralists pray, therefore, that you will take their request into consideration, and grant them the conveniences they now solicit.
"They beg to add further that it is contemplated to commence running a stage shortly from the village of Hamburg on the above route to New York City, and which they take the liberty to sug- gest to the P. M. G., under the idea that a contract may possibly from that circumstance be made with more economy for the con- veyanee of the mail, and that the distances between the offices solicited for may be known, your memoralists have enjoined a schedule of the places and the distances from each other, and from Hamburg to the city of New York."
The road was completed through the whole extent about 1810.
Jersey City was originally ealled Paulus Hook. The Paulus Ilook Ferry was well known to older travellers, and the crossing of the Hudson River was a matter of apprehension with the timid. In 1802 there were only thirteen inhabitants within the limits of the present city, exclusive of the settlements of Bergen and Communipaw. Thomas Lawrence in a letter written in 1804 to a member of his family said :
"I wish to entertain you with all the news" afloat, and an information was annonneed to me last night that will be new and surprizing to you. What think you of a new city, to be called the City of Jersey ? The grounds have all been purchased, on a lease of 999 years, of the Dutchman, the proprietor. This has been done by a company of gentlemen in New York. The lots, many of them, have been laid out, and many sold. The plan is to be similar to the city of Philadelphia. The situation is ele- gant, and the salubrity of it will induce its speedy settlement."
It was incorporated in 1820. Gov. Aaron Ogden moved there in 1828, and was made Collector of Customs. A steam ferry took the place of the old sail boat.
CUSTOMS AND LOCAL HISTORY.
In the days when flax was raised and all the family linen was homespun, it was the custom to have spinning visits. After the flax had been gathered and hatcheled, it was divided into por-
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tions, and the boys would go out on horseback to carry a small bale to each house. The girls of the families spun the flax, and upon invitation assembled on a given evening with their young friends to bring in their hanks of thread, and have a gay party. There would be an inspection of the work done, and some of the young ladies took much pride in spinning fine yarn and having it unifornı.
All the appliances for carding wool, and spinning and weav- ing wool and flax were common in many houses. The ordinary winter dress of the females was often of colored flannel. The men and boys wore homespun gray suits of woolen cloth. Some- times, however, the cloth was dyed a butternut, or even a bright blue. Their shirts were of coarse linen and very durable. Home- manufactured clothing might not be considered handsome in our own times, but it was serviceable, and much more lasting than the modern garments. The patterns for cutting out the clothes were carefully preserved by the good mothers.
Tailors were found in the large towns, but few in carlier times in the country. When, however, broadcloths and cassimers began to be imported, lads were apprenticed to learn the tailor's trade. Hamburg, for years, supported two or three tailor shops with journeymen and apprentices. Then there sprang up a race of sewing women, who were styled " tailoresses," and went out to sew upon men's garments in the different houses. In primitive times a calico dress was considered quite a luxury with many. Some of the patterns were very quaint with floral designs almost as big as cabbages. Chintz curtains were hung upon the high posts of the best bedsteads. The coverlets were blne and white, often with quite pretty designs. They antedated the patch work quilt.
The early settlers made themselves moccasins in Indian faslı- ion, for covering their feet, with the addition of thick leather soles. When tanneries were established, families sent their own cow- hides and calf-skins from which their boots and shoes were to be made. The shoemaker made yearly visits, boarding at the houses were he worked, often for weeks at a time, until the whole household, father, mother, boys and girls, were provided for the
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next twelve months. Boots and shoes were commonly not made rights and lefts, and for the sake of economy changed from foot to foot every day to make the wear uniform. The more skillful young men could repair their own boots, and one of the accomplishments of a good house wife was the ability to put on a neat patch for herself and her children.
A shoemaker named Shadrach kept the turnpike gate two miles north of Hamburg, and for many years spent his winters in going around to the houses where his services were required.
Soap and candles were home made. It was a busy day in the house when the soft soap was made for the yearly supply. So, too, was it, when the tallow candles were dipped.
Most hardware, sixty years ago, was procured from the black- sinith. All the nails, hinges, door latches, and common locks, were made at the village shop. Every blacksmith made his own tools, and supplied many of those of the carpenter. Farmers would come to the blacksmith to have their axes and sythies made, and their plow shares pointed. The stores sold hollowware-i. c. pots, kettles, etc.
Upper and lower Hamburg from early times have each had their blacksmith and wheelwright shops. The upper blacksmith shop was long run by Samuel Woodhull, commonly called " Uncle Sam Odell." He was a devout man, a good Methodist, although somewhat noisy in meetings. His son," Bill Odell," also a black- smith, was the village poet and wit. He composed many verses and often gave recitations of them in public places. Some of his compositions were comic doggerel, in which he would travesty the words and speeches of his townsmen, and describe their ways and characters. Woe to the man against whom Bill had any grudge, for he would " show him up," and affix a nickname never to be lost. His poems never went to the printer, and the words of his songs are now lost. " Full many a gem, etc."
An old cannon, of somewhat rough casting, was handed down from revolutionary times, and remained for many years in the village. In was dragged out on general training days, and used on occasions of national rejoicing and political victory. It was a great feature at the Fourth of July celebrations. When the news
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of General Jackson's re-election reached the place, in 1832, the old cannon was used in firing a salute of one gun for each state of the Union. In the rapidity of the firing the piece became heated, and the loading was attended with some danger. It was necessary to ex- clude the air from the powder as it was put in. A man was hold- ng his thumb upon the touch hole for this purpose, while two others were ramming down the charge. The hot iron burned the man's thumb, and made him flinch, so that air was let in, and an explosion took place. One of the gunners was Coonrod Welch, son of JJacob, who was badly burned in the breast, his left arm torn away, and the thumb taken from his right hand. He recovered, how- ever, and with one hand, and that maimed, continued to work at his trade, gaining quite a local reputation for making grain cradles and axe handles.
A swarm of Erolites, or shooting stars, appeared throughout the country on the night of November 12th and 13th, 1833. Pro- fessor Olmstead, of New Haven, estimated that 240,000 fell in the space of nine hours. The inhabitants of our town observed the storm of fire, and not without alarm as portentous of some great change that might affect the duration of the globe, or the conditions of life upon it.
The winter of 1835 and 1836 is spoken of as the most severe ever known in this region. On the 20th of November the snow commenced falling, and the storm continued for three days. The depth of snow, with accumulations from succeeding storms, was from four to five feet upon the level. This was followed by continuous cold weather, so that the snow covered the ground for five months, until the latter part of April. Travel was impeded, and the labor of opening the public roads was very great. Com- panies of men on horseback were formed to ride though and break the tracks. Most of the fences were out of sight, and the road breakers were not at all particular in keep to the highway, but passed anywhere through the fields where the snow was light- est. At intervals there were side tracks or switches broken to enable sleds to pass each other. Accidents upon the roads were of common occurrence. Teams would be stalled, horses fall down, and become exhausted with a few miles driving. Paths were
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shovelled from the barns to the streams for the watering of the . stock, and to the hay stacks. Often the weaker would be thrust into the snow by the stronger cattle, and the farmers were obliged to draw them out and lift them to their feet again. Many cows and sheep died. Sheds were not then commonly provided for the dairy, but the cows were foddered to a large extent in the barn yards. Families were shut in for weeks. Many were in want of firewood, and were forced to cut down the shade trees around their dwellings for fuel. They cut the trees to the level of the top of the snow, and when the snow finally disappeared, the stumps left were five feet high. The supply of provisions with many families ran very low. It was difficult to carry grain to the mills, and some were without flour for days together. It was equally difficult to reach the stores and purchase groceries. Our mails were brought by stage from Paterson, but the route was completely blocked for a long time.
About 1820 there was a considerable immigration to the Lake country in central and western New York. The immigrant wagons camped on the field above the Lawrence hill, which be- came quite a recognized halting place for the night.
In the years of 1836 and 1837 there was a great exodus of families to the western States, especially to Illinois and Missouri. Some thirty-five families went out from the bounds of the North Ilardyston congregation, and the church was necessarily very much weakened. In the fall of 1836 long strings of wagons loaded with household goods and farming utensils, and carrying the families of the settlers, were seen on their way passing to Pennsylvania and Ohio, and thence to what was regarded as the far West. Some were months in reaching their destination near the Mississippi River. Those who were overtaken by winter, suffered terribly in the tedions journey. They passed through regions sparsely settled, with the people poor and having small supplies for their own use and little to sell to strangers. When the settlers reached their new homes the manner of living was very different from that of their former abodes. Young children died and delicate mothers pined away under the hard conditions of prairie life. Yet, the thrifty in the course of years established
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comfortable homes and lived in plenty. Some, from the rise of their lands in value, became wealthy. It is said of one family that they loaned all their money, $600, and when the borrower failed, they felt it a great hardship that they received only a piece of prairie land. In the course of years the city of St. Louis ex- tended around and over their property and the younger generation have been living in affluence from the sale of their city lots, and the rentals of portions of their inheritance.
A strange halucination of the times was the expectation of great wealth from the raising of silk. It was believed that a new industry had been introduced, more profitable to farmers than the raising of grain and making of butter. Whole ship loads of young trees and euttings of the white Italian and morus-multicaulus mul- berries were imported, and fields planted with the worthless growth. Silkworms eggs were brought from southern Europe and the East, and sold all over the country. Men, women and boys gathered leaves and fed the worms, which were hatehed by expos- ing the eggs to warmth and the rays of the sun. The amount of silk was so inconsiderable and of so little value for manufacture, that the speculation died out as speedily as it had sprung up. The descendants of the foreign trees are still occasionally seen, the vestiges of the short-lived scheme. Some importers of the trees made great fortunes, but many more who embarked in the enter- prise lost heavily.
After the second war with Great Britain there was great pov- erty throughout the country. The national resources were in a deplorable condition. There was little money in circulation and great business depression. Farm products brought low prices and our community suffered in common with other places. Then eame a reaction, and business was conducted upon the credit sys- tem. Paper money and promises to pay took the place of coin. No one thought of paying in actual money. The United States Bank came into operation, and the State Legislatures chartered banks for almost every town. Our own village had its charter entitled " An Act to incorporate the Hamburg Bank," passed by the Legislature in 1837. Fortunately, perhaps, as it was ready to go into operation, some occurrences delayed organization, and its
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bills never went into circulation. Some of these State Banks were conducted honestly, but too many, with small assets in their vaults, issued their bills and sent them broadcast wherever they could dispose of them. Giving and endorsing of notes was the common practice. Long credits were given and payments made in written promises to pay after so many days from date. Upon these principles trade was very active. Many were induced to make purchases, because the pay day might be so indefinitely postponed. The Philosopher's stone, which Jolm Randolph de- clared, he had found comprehended in four words," Pay as you go," was lost sight of. Sales were made, property exchanged owners, and real estate rose very high. Speculation of all kind was rife. Town lots were staked off and cities grew upon paper. Many men were suddenly accounted wealthy, and reckoned their imag- inary wealth by the thousands and Imundred of thousands of dol- lars.
This insecure basis could not stand however, and in due time the bubble burst. When inflation came to its end, it scattered dismay on every side. The charter of the United States Bank ex- pired in 1836, and was renewed by anthority of the State of Penn- sylvania. It suspended specie payment in 1837, a measure fol- lowed with few exceptions by all the banks throughout the coun- try. These suspensions were followed by disastrous consequences to many. Failures and bankruptcy spread through business cir- cles. Credit ceased as notes went to protest, and men were una- ble to meet their obligations. Many who believed themselves secure in their possessions, awoke to see that their riches had taken wings and they were penniless. Manufacturing ceased and work- men were thrown out of employment.
Snufftown, as narrated by Col. Joseph Sharp, received its name from liquor being sold on the top of the mountain, the men who went there to have their jugs filled called it "going to buy snuff." Then a set of men frequented it for their frolics and called it " Snufftown." So that " going to Snufftown " was equiv- alent to going on a drinking carouse. The name still adheres to the locality from old usage, although the railroad station and Post Office are called Stockholm, from the iron works which were
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formerly carried on a little farther down on the Pequannock stream.
The name of the river Pequannock means, in the Indian lan- guage, the dark or black creek. The whole range of the Ham- burg Mountains was called by the Indians " Wa-wa-gan-da," which is still applied to a part of the range, with the change of a single letter, making Wawayanda.
Very near the county line, on the Pequannock River, stood the " Windham forge," and a little farther up stood the "New Snufftown forge." Then on the Seward branch stood the forge, grist mill and saw mill of Stephen Ford Margerum.
Pochunk is said to have been the name of an Indian chief, from whom the mountain was called. The termination unk is frequent with Indian names of mountains, as Monunka Chunk, Musconetcunk, Shawangunk, and others in New York and Penn- sylvania.
CHAPTER VIII.
MEXICAN AND CIVIL WARS.
Hardyston had little part in the MEXICAN WAR.
FOWLER HAMILTON, son of Benjamin and Sally Hamilton, was a graduate of the West Point Military Academy. He served with distinction under General Taylor and General Scott, rose to the rank of Major in the Regular Army, and died while on duty in Texas, after the war.
WALLACE C. COLLETT was a student at law in Hamburg when the war broke ont. He returned to Paterson, his native place, and raised a Volunteer Company, who chose him Captain. He took his company to Texas and served in several battles under General Taylor. A Lieutenant from Orange Co. challenged hin to a duel, in which he was killed. His brother was Colonel Mark W. Collett, of the 1st N. J. Volunteers, who fell while gallantly leading his regiment at Salem Heights, Va., May 3d, 1863.
Mr. Edsall, our Member of Congress from this District, had obtained promise from President Polk, that if a company was raised here it would be accepted and the officers he nominated commissioned. The company was raised, but the officers did not receive their commissions, and nothing came from the enlistments, nineli to the disappointment of our young men.
The Ritames
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HARDYSTON IN THE CIVIL WAR.
HARDYSTON IN THE CIVIL WAR.
With the national uprising that followed the assault upon Fort Sumpter, our section fully sympathized. A few of the young men entered the three months service of the first volunteers, but most of those who desired to go found the ranks of the New Jersey quota already filled. The defeat of Bull Run had very marked effect in arousing patriotic feeling. Soon after August, 1861, THOMAS R. HAINES was anthorized to recruit men for the New Jersey Cavalry Regiment which was being raised. Meet- ings were held and addresses made in school houses and public places, and in a short time the required number enlisted, and formed Co. K. 1st Regiment, New Jersey Cavalry. Haines de- ferred his claims to the captaincy of this company in favor of his friend, Virgil Brodrick, and accepted the 1st lieutenantey.
Company M. of the same regiment was also mainly recruited here, and Haines was subsequently made its Captain.
In the pursuit of Jackson up the Shenandoah Valley, the 1st N. J. Cavalry was placed in the advance. On the 6th of June, 1862, Colonel Windham, contrary to orders, advanced his con- mand beyond his supports and fell into an ambuscade at Harrison- burg, Va. He was himself with a number of officers and men captured, and Captain Haines was killed.
Lieutenant ALANSON AUSTIN was at the time of his enlist- ment a clerk in a Newton store. He was a cousin of Captain Haines, and commissioned 2d Lieutenant of Co. M. At the bat- tle of Cedar Mountain August 9th, 1862, he was struck by a shell which took off his right leg. He was carried to the rear, but soon afterwards expired with patriotic sentiments upon his lips. and asking Chaplain Pency to pray with him.
VIRGIL BRODRICK, born near Lafayette, was clerk for some time in a store in Hamburg, and afterwards at Newton. He served as private in the first three months volunteers, and was made Captain of Co. K. 1st N. J. Cavalry. He passed through many battles, showing great courage, rose to the rank of Lieut. Colonel, and was in command of the regiment at the battle of Brandy Station, Va., June 9th, 1863, leading his men in a charge
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upon the enemy's camp at daylight. Ile was struck by a bullet and fell almost at the entrance to the tent of General J. E. B. Stuart, and was buried in Virginia.
The 1st N. J. Cavalry Regiment participated in nearly one hun- dred fights during the four years of the war. Few organizations have left a more honorable record. Companies K. & M. poured ont their blood on the numerous battle fields, and left many of their fallen to slumber in southern soil. Survivors still bear the scars of their honorable warfare, and it is their glory that they belonged to this regiment.
The handsome monument, erected by the State of New Jer- sey on the Rummel farm, near Gettysburg, to the memory of the fallen of this regiment, has inscribed upon it the names of the three officers above mentioned.
Under the President's call of July 7th, 1862, for three hun- dred thousand volunteers, three companies were raised in Sussex County for the 15th Regiment N. J. Infantry. Co. D. was re- cruited in Lafayette, Co. I. in Newton, and Co. K. in Hardyston.
SAMUEL FOWLER, of Franklin Furnace, was appointed Colo- nel. Hle commanded the regiment until after its arrival at Bakersville, Md., where it was brigaded in the 1st Brigade N. J. troops, 1st Division, 6th Army Corps. At this place Colonel Fowler was stricken with typhoid fever, and when the army moved across the Potomac into Virginia he was left behind under the care of Surgeon Sharp. From this attack he never fully re- covered. For a time he resumed his command, but was by ill health forced to resign his commission March 6th, 1863.
Colonel Fowler was born at Franklin, in 1818, and inherited many traits of character from his father, Dr. Samuel Fowler. His mother was Rebecca Wood Platt, daughter of Robert Ogden 3d, of Ogdensburg. He was untiring in his efforts to further enlist- ments, and his influence was largely felt in gathering the com- panies which his county and State sent into the field. He studied law with Governor Haines, was admitted to practice, but never continuously followed his profession. He was naturally eloquent, and gifted with a degree of personal magnetism, which had great power to sway an audience. Leaving the army, he retired to his
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