USA > New Jersey > Historical collections of the state of New Jersey : containing a general collection of the most interesting facts, traditions, biographical sketches, anecdotes, etc. relating to its history and antiquities, with geographical desciptions of every township in the state. > Part 18
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" Thus she continued on her course until three o'clock, Saturday morning ; when the mate, whose watch it was on deck, was heard to give the dreadful cry, ' Breakers ahead !' The brig, by the instant efforts of her steersman, obeyed her helm; but as she came around, ahead off shore, her stern striking knocked off her false keel, deadened her head- · way, and she backed on the beach stern foremost. In less than fifteen minutes, the sea made a clean breach over her. The scene, in the mean time, ' beggars description :' the passengers rushed out of the cabin, some of them in their night-clothes ; six of whom, and two of the crew, got in the long-boat. One of these was a young French lady, of
* The gentleman from whom the account of this shipwreck is derived says : " The Per- severance had a very valuable cargo on board, of rich goods, china, glass, silks, &c., which were strewn for miles along the beach. The people of Cape May were charged, upon this as upon some other occasions, of having converted some small portion of the goods, thus washed upon our shores, to their own use. I would ask, is there a spot up- on the Atlantic coast, from Maine to Florida, where there would not be as much danger of depredation as at Cape May ? I will go further : what would be the fate of a ship of merchandise, scattered in the streets of our principal cities, without a guard, for twenty- four hours ? I do not intend to defend the person that will take that which does not belong to him : far from it ; but I do contend that the innocent should not suffer for the guilty, and that there is as much honesty and integrity among the people of Cape May as in any other community, on the seaboard or elsewhere."
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great beauty. The remainder of the crew and passengers succeeded in reaching the round-top, excepting a Mr. Cologne, whose great weight and corpulency of person com pelled him to remain in the shrouds. Soon the sea carried the long-boat and its passen- gers clear of the wreck, when it was too late discovered she was firmly attached to it by "a hawser, which it was impossible to separate. Had it not been for this unfortunate cir- cumstance, they might possibly have reached the shore. Their cries were heart-rending, but were soon silenced in the sleep of death : the boat swamped, and they were all con- signed to one common grave. The body of the lady floated on shore.
" The sea ran so high that it wet those in the round-top; and although many efforts were made, on Saturday, to rescue them, it was found impossible, as the boats would up- set by ' turning head over stern,' subjecting those in them to great danger. Capt. Snow lost his life, in attempting to swim ashore. On Sunday the sea fell a little, and those on the wreck were made to understand they would have to build a raft of the spars, and get on it, or they could not be saved. The mate had fortunately secured a hatchet, with which one was constructed ; by which the survivors, (except a negro who was washed overboard, and reached the shore in safety, whilst making the raft,) were rescued by the boats. There were but four saved, out of the seventeen souls on board, viz : one - passenger, who was badly frozen, the mate, and two of the crew, including the negro. Three perished in the round-top, and were thrown over.
"Mr. Cologne, who was in the rigging, and unable to descend from the shrouds, let go and fell into the water, and was caught, as he came up, by his hair, and thus towed ashore. He lived only three days after, although every possible attention was paid him. He and his niece, the young French lady, were buried side by side, in the Golden bury. ing-ground, at Beesley's Point. An eye-witness, Dr. Maurice Beesley, from whom the above account is derived, says: ' I saw this young and beautiful female after she had been transferred from the beach to the main. Her features were perfectly natural ; her cheeks bore the crimson tinge of life; and it was scarcely possible to realize that, in- stead of a concentration of all the graces of the female form, animated by the fervor of life. I was gazing upon a cold and lifeless corpse.' "
CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
CUMBERLAND COUNTY is bounded SSW. by Delaware bay, NW. by Salem co., NE. by Gloucester and Atlantic co., and SE. by Cape May co. It is about 30 m. long, E. and W., and its extreme breadth, N. and S., is 28 miles. It was included in Fenwick's tenth, and was part of his colony. It formed a portion of Salem county until 1747, when it was erected into a separate county, and named by Gov. Belcher in honor of the Duke of Cumberland. The county was, at its formation, divided into six townships, viz., Greenwich, Hope- well, Stow Creek, Fairfield, Deerfield, and Maurice River,-to which Millville and Downe have since been added. Along on its SW. boundary, on the Delaware bay, is a tract of marshy land, varying from one to six miles in breadth. This marsh extends up the principal streams, Maurice river and Cohansey creek, for seve- ral miles. The surface of the county is level-its soil of alluvial formation, and generally a sandy loam, with some clay. A large portion of the NE. part is covered with a pine forest. Cumber land county is divided into eight townships, viz :
Deerfield, Downe,
Fairfield, Greenwich,
Hopewell, Maurice River,
Millville,
Stow Creek.
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In 1810, the population was 12,670 ; in 1820, it was 12,688 ; in 1830. it was 14,093 ; in 1840, it was 14,363.
DEERFIELD.
This township is bounded NE. by Pittsgrove, Salem co., NW. by U. Alloways creek, Salem co., S. by Fairfield, and W. by - Hopewell, from which it is separated by Cohansey creek. Its ex- treme length N. and S. is 11, with an average breadth of 6 miles. It contains 1 flouring-m., 2 grist-m., 2 saw-m. ; cap. in manufac. $97,975 ; 3 acad. 396 students,-11 schools, 836 scholars. Pop. 2,621. The villages are Bridgeton, Deerfield, and Centreville. Deerfield is 7 m. N. of Bridgeton, and contains a large and flour- ing Presbyterian church, and 30 or 40 dwellings. Centreville is on the line of Gloucester co., and contains a Methodist church and about 25 dwellings. Carllsburg is a hamlet in the central part of the township.
Southern View in Bridgeton.
Bridgeton, the county seat, is pleasantly situated on both sides of the Cohansey creek, and therefore in the townships of Deerfield and Hopewell. It is 60 m. from Trenton, 17 from Salem, and 8 from Delaware bay. There are in the village 4 churches, (viz. 2 Presbyterian, 1 Baptist, and 1 Methodist,) a newspaper printing- office, the Cumberland Bank, a public library, 2 mutual aid asso- ciations, 2 fire engines, 2 academies, 1 woollen factory, 2 grist-m., an extensive rolling-m., foundry, and nail factory, I saw and 1 pa- per-m., several mechanic shops, 10 stores, and a population of about 2,500. A large business is done here, and about 30 coasting-ves- sels sail from this port, which is at the head of navigation on the Cohansey river. The above view was taken on the eastern bank of the river, about 40 rods below the bridge which connects the two portions of the village. On the left are seen the extensive iron- works of the Messrs. Reeves & Whitaker, which at times employ over 100 hands. On the right is seen a small portion of the village on the eastern side of the river.
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CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
The original name of this part of the country, on both sides of the river, was Cohansey,-from an Indian chief named Cohanzick, who anciently resided here. The first settlement of Bridgeton was made at an early period : the precise date is unknown. There was, doubtless, a convenient fording-place across the Cohansey where the town now is; and, in process of time a bridge being erected, and a settlement springing up, it was known by the name of Bridge Town,-and so continued until the establishment of a bank, in 1816, when it was changed to Bridgeton.
The courts of the county were held at Greenwich until Dec. 1748, when they were adjourned to Cohansey Bridge, there then being a few houses there. Since the revolution, the growth of the town has been steady. Up to that period, and for several years after, the houses were principally on the hill on the west side of the river. The principal taverns, the post-office, courthouse, and jail, were all on the hill. The courthouse was erected about 1750, and the present jail about 1790. Of late years, the larger part of the town has been built on the east side of the Cohansey.
Until 1792, there was not any organized church in the town, neither was there a house for divine worship. Many of the inhabitants were connected with the congregations at Fairfield and Greenwich, and often had preaching at the courthouse. In 1792, a Pres- byterian church was organized in union with the one at Greenwich ; and it is worthy of notice, that the burial-ground was presented to the society by a member of the Society of Friends. The brick building at the west end of the town, now unused, was erected in 1794, and the expense partly defrayed by a lottery. The Rev. Dr. Clarkson was the pastor until 1801. In 1805 the Rev. Jonathan Freeman became the pastor of the united churches, and continued until his decease in 1822. The churches were then separated, and in 1825 the Rev. B. Hoff became the pastor of that in Bridgeton, and continued . until 1834. To him succeeded the Rev. John Kennedy ; and after him, in 1839, the Rev. Samuel B. Jones, the present pastor. The number of members in regular connec- tion is 208. Number of the congregation, about 800. The edifice now occupied, on Laurel-st., was erected in 1838. A Methodist Episcopal church was organized in the town, as part of the Cumberland circuit, in 1806, and a church erected in 1807. In 1823, this church became a station, and had the following succession of preachers : the Rev. Messrs. Chas. Pitman, Walter Burrows, John Potts, James Smith, Robert Gerry, William Wiggins, Bartholomew Weed, Thomas M'Carroll, Abrahamn Owen, Thomas Sovereign, John L. Lenhart, and James H. Dandy. The number of members in full standing is 352, connected with 14 classes. Number of the congregation, about 850 The church on Commerce-st. was erected in 1833.
"The Baptist church on Pearl-st. was first opened for divine service in 1816, the church worshipping there remaining connected with the Roadstown church until 1828. In that year thirty-eight individuals were constituted a separate church, and the Rev. George Spratt chosen pastor. He was succeeded in 1831 by Rev. John C. Hopkins, and he in 1835 by the Rev. Michael G. Frederick, who died in 1837 ; and in 1838 the Rev. Charles Hopkins was chosen, and continues the pastor. The number of conimunicants is 210, and that of the congregation about 400. In Oct. 1838, a second Presbyterian · church was formed, with seventeen members ; and in 1840 the stone church on Pearl-st. was erected. Large and flourishing sabbath-schools are connected with all the churches."
Johnson thus gives the history of the Deerfield Presbyterian church :
" About the year 1732, a number of Presbyterian families, from different places, settled in Deerfield. They were early induced to organize themselves into a religious society. They therefore united in building up a good and convenient log-building, about the year 1737, in which worship was held, and supplies afforded them from time to time; and in the absence of a minister the people regularly attended for worship on the sabbath-day, and conducted the same according to the established order of the church.
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About the year 1740, the Rev. Samuel Blair, then the Rev. Gilbert Tennant, then, after him, Rev. Samuel Finley, and a few others not recollected, dispensed the word of life to this people ; and their ministrations were abundantly blessed, and there was a glorious ingathering of many precious souls, through their instrumentality of preaching. The Rev. Andrew Hunter, having labored here as a supply, accepted a call from the united congregations of Greenwich and Deerfield ; and he was now constituted their first pastor 4th Sept. 1746. In the year 1760, the pastoral connection with Mr. Hunter was dis- solved, and was_destitute for four years, being dependent for supplies from the presbytery until the Rev. Simon Williams came, in 1764, and resided with them for about the space - of two years ; when, on the 9th June, 1767, the Rev. Enoch Green was installed pastor of the Deerfield congregation, and so continued until Nov. 2d, 1776, when he died. In the following year, 1777, the Rev. John Brainard (brother of David, the celebrated mis- sionary) assumed the pastoral charge ; and died on 18th March, 1781, greatly lamented by his congregation. Rev. Joseph Montgomery, and others, officiated as supplies until June 25th, 1783, when Rev. Simon Hyde was ordained the pastor, and by a sudden ill- ness died 10th Aug. 1783. The congregation were now dependent upon supplies until June, 1786, when William Pickles (an Englishman) was installed their pastor. He was very eloquent, and for some time exceedingly popular ; but his conduct becoming loose, and unbecoming the character of a minister, he was deposed by the presbytery of Philadelphia. The church was again assisted. by supplies for almost eight years, when, on the 12th August, 1795, the Rev. John Davenport was installed pastor ; but, through age and other infirmities, he was dismissed, in Oct. 1805. Again the church became dependent on supplies for about three years, when the Rev. Nathaniel Reeve was installed pastor, Oct. 1808 ; where he continued until he was dismissed, at his own request, by the presbytery of Philadelphia, April 17, 1817. Afterward the Rev. Francis G. Ballentine was installed the pastor, June 22, 1819 ; and so continued until, at a meeting of presby- tery, held at Salem, June 8th, 1824, at his request, his pastoral relation with that congre- gation was dissolved. Then the Rev. Alexander McFarlane was ordained and installed, April 27, 1826, where he continued to discharge his duties as their pastor until he was dismissed from his charge, in 1830, and accepted of a professorship in Dickinson College, Carlisle. The Rev. John Burt then took the oversight of the church for some months, when Rev. D. McCuenne was installed the pastor of this church ; and on 19th Oct. 1836, was dismissed from his pastoral relation, at his request. On the 18th Oct. 1838, the Rev. Benjamin Tyler was ordained and installed the pastor thereof.
. " Names of ruling elders since 1779, to wit: William Tullis, Recompence Jeake, William Smith, Pohn Stratton, William Garrison, Abner Smith, Joseph Moore, Ebenezer Loomis, Joseph Brewster, Nathaniel Diaments, Ebenezer Harris, Ephraim Loomis."
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The inhabitants of Bridgeton and vicinity were firm adherents to the cause of their country, in the war of the revolution. In 1775 a company of soldiers was raised here, of which the late Gen. Jo- seph Bloomfield was captain, and the late Gen. Ebenezer Elmer a lieutenant. This corps marched to the north, and joined the army under Gen. Schuyler. Dr. Jonathan Elmer, who lived many years in the place, and died there in 1817, was a member of the revolu- tionary congress ; and was one of the first senators under the pres- ent constitution of the United States. Simultaneously with the whigs of Salem, in the autumn of 1774, a committee of safety was appointed for the county, which consisted of two members from each township, who met occasionally, at Cohansey Bridge, to see that the association be properly attended to, and energetically and punctually observed, in every particular. Toward the close of 1779, and spring of 1780, an association of whigs of this and Sa- lem co. built and equipped, at Bridgeton, a fine schooner, as a let- ter-of-marque, which, in compliment to the governor of the state, was called the "Gov. Livingston." She made but one successful trip ; and when on her second voyage, on her return home, having a very valuable cargo on board, was captured, near the capes of
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CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
the Delaware, by a British frigate. No other attempts, of the na- ture, were made here afterward.
The following notice respecting Gen. Elmer, of this town, is from the " Bridgeton Chronicle," Oct. 21st, 1843 :
" It is with deep sorrow that we record the death of our oldest and most estimable citi. zen, Gen. EBENEZER ELMER, President of the New Jersey Cincinnati Society, and the last surviving officer of the New Jersey line of the revolutionary army ; who died on Wednesday last, Oct. 18th, aged ninety-one years.
"Gen. Elmer was born at Cedarville, Cumberland co., N. J., and was the grandson of the Rev. Daniel Elmer, who came from Connecticut to Fairfield, in the year 1727. He studied medicine with his elder brother, the late Dr. Jonathan Elmer, and was about es- tablishing himself in practice when hostilities commenced between America and Great Britain. In Jan. 1776, he was commissioned an ensign in the company of continental troops commanded by the late Gov. Bloomfield ; and served in that capacity, and as a lieutenant in the northern army, until the spring of 1777, when, the army being reorgan- · ized, he was appointed a surgeon's mate. In June, 1778, he was appointed surgeon of the second Jersey regiment, and served in that capacity until the close of the war ; never being absent from duty. After the war he married, and settled in Bridgeton, as a phy- sician. In 1789 he was elected a member of assembly, and in several succeeding years in 1791 and in 1795 he was speaker. In 1800 he was elected a member of congress, and sat in that body six years, during the administration of Jefferson, of which he was a sup- porter. He was adjutant-general of the militia of New Jersey, and for many years brig- adier-general of the Cumberland brigade. During the last war with England, in 1813, he commanded the troops stationed at Billingsport, in this state. In the year 1807, and afterward in 1815, he was a member of the council of this state, and vice-president. In 1808, he was appointed collector of the port of Bridgeton, which office he resigned in 1817-was reappointed in 1822, and continued in that office until 1832, when he again resigned ; and having arrived at the age of fourscore, wholly declined public business. In his early years he was deeply impressed with a concern for his immortal interests, and has been for many years a member of the Presbyterian church. His great charac- teristic, through a long and useful life, was stern integrity. His generosity and benevo. lence are known wherever he was known, and ' his praise is in all the churches.'
" Gen. Elmer was buried on Friday. The funeral proceeded from his late residence to the church in Broad-st., where the Rev. Ethan Osborne, one of his revolutionary com. patriots, preached an appropriate sermon, from Matt. xxv. 21; and then the body was interred in the Presbyterian burying-ground."
It is stated, in a late number of the paper from which the above biographical sketch is taken, that Mrs. SARAH SMITH, who recently died at Bridgeton, was a lineal descendant of the royal family of Sweden.
" Her great-grandmother Elizabeth, in the troublous times of that kingdom, was com- pelled to flee from her native country, when she was sixteen years old. She was con- cealed in a hogshead, on board of a ship, at Stockholm, for some time before the vessel sailed for America. She brought many valuable treasures with her across the water, which were also concealed on board the ship; but after the vessel had sailed over the Atlantic, she was wrecked on the Jersey shore. This lady, with a few of the crew, barely saved their lives. In her destitute condition, on the shore of a vast wilderness, as New Jersey then was, she fell in with a hunter, by the name of Garrison. Their ac. quaintance grew into intimacy, and ripened into love. She married him, and by him had ten children. It is said that her youngest son, William, was born when she was in her fifty-fifth year. She died in the ninety-fifth year of her age. She has a grandson now living, in Bridgeton, who was brought up by her, until he was about nine years of age, to whom she related this narrative, and many of her interesting adventures. This gen- tleman computes his grandmother's descendants in the country at more than 1,000 souls."
DOWNE.
This township is about 11 miles long, E. and W., and 9 broad N. and S. It is bounded N. by Millville and Fairfield, S. and SW
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CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
by the Delaware bay, E. by Maurice river and township of that name, and NW. by Fairfield. A great portion of the township, that bordering on Delaware bay and Maurice river, is marshy land. Downe was probably first settled by Swedes, between 1637 and 1654. Egg island, in the Delaware bay, belongs to this township. From an original draft of a survey, made in 1691, it seems this island then contained 300 acres ; but the continual encroachment of the sea has reduced it to one acre and a half. The township contains 4 stores, 7 grist-m., 4 saw-m .; cap. in manufac. $20,850 ; 7 schools, 250 scholars. Pop. 1,920.
The village of Mauricetown is on the river, about 11 miles from its mouth, and 18 SE. of Bridgeton. It was settled at an early date, by the Petersons and Mattocks, and was known as Mattock's Landing, until about 1812. It is pleasantly situated, on a high bank, above the river; and contains an academy, a Methodist church, and about 30 dwellings. The following account of an extraordinary den or burrow of rattlesnakes, found in this village, about 40 years since, was lately published :
" In the early part of summer, Mr. Ichabod Compton, father of Mr. S. Compton, was attracted, by the noise of some crows, to a small island, in a swamp, lying contiguous to his farm. While in pursuit of the crows, he was startled by the sight of a large rattle- snake. He killed this, and another of the same kind, that afternoon ; and, returning the next day, he killed seven more, the last of which he found coming out of a hole in the ground. This circumstance led to the suspicion that this might be the place where the whole battalion had their usual winter-quarters. In the winter, young Compton, ac- companied by two of his brothers, repaired to the spot, with implements for digging ; and after removing about eight inches of the turf, or upper surface of the ground, they found immersed, in three inches of clean water, and lying side by side, twenty-eight rat. tlesnakes, one large spotted snake, and four black-snakes. And, to complete this 'in- teresting group,' there was, at least, a peck of spring-frogs associated with them. All of these reptiles were in a torpid state. For several years, immediately preceding the period above alluded to, from ten to twelve rattlesnakes had been destroyed, annually, in the neighborhood.
"It is also stated that several dens, of a similar description, had been discovered in the neighborhood of Buckshutem; in all, or most of which, several kinds of snakes, and also frogs, were found grouped together."
Dividing Creeks is near the central part of the township, on a creek of the same name, and 16 miles from Bridgeton. It has a Methodist and a Baptist church, and about 40 dwellings. One of the present members of the United States senate, from Mississippi, was bred a shoemaker in this village, and by his enterprise and industry won the way to his present station. Charles Brown, Esq., now a member of congress from Pennsylvania, was also bred here. A Baptist church was very early established at Dividing Creeks.
" It was formed about the year 1749, from Cohansey, by Jonadab Sheppard, Thomas Sheppard, William Dallas, with their families, and some others. About the year 1760, Rev. Samuel Heaton and John Terry removed there, from Cape May. Mr. Heaton's wife's name was Abbey Tuttle. They had ten children. These married into the fami- Ley of the Colsons, Reeves, Lores, Garrisons, Clarks, Cooks, Johnsons, Terrys, and Kelseys. From these have sprung a numerous people in the county. Heaton was suc. teeded by the Rev. David Sheppard, in 1764; and he by Rev. Peter Peterson Vanhorn and he by Rev. John Garrison."
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CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
Nantuxet, on a creek of the same name on the western line of the township, has a Methodist and a Baptist church, and about 40 dwellings. Buckshutem, where there is a Methodist church, and Port Norris, both on Maurice river, are small villages.
The annexed brief account of an action in Maurice river, oppo- site Port Norris, is from a paper published Aug. 29th, 1781 :-
"Last week, 7 refugees were brought to town from New Jersey. They were taken in Maurice river, a few days before, by a few Jersey militia commanded by Capt. James Riggins. The militia were in a shallop which the refugees attempted to board, when a sharp contest ensued, during which 7 of the refugees were killed, when the rest submit- ted. There were 15 in all ; and it is said their captain called out that he would give no quarter, which occasioned the action to become desperate."
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