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 29
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NEWTON.
This township is about 6 m. long, 3 wide ; bounded N. and E. by Waterford, S. and SW. by Union, and W. by Delaware river and Camden. Its surface is level, and the soil, though light, is produc- tive, and well adapted to grain and grass. There are in the town- ship 9 stores, 1 fulling-m., 1 woollen fac., 1 pottery, 3 grist-m .; cap. in manufac. $21,190; 3 academies, 155 students ; 5 schools, 245 scholars. Pop. 1,863.
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It was early settled by Friends. The following history was writ- ten by Thomas Sharp, the first conveyancer and surveyor in Glou- cester co. :-
Let it be remembered. It having wrought upon ye minds of some Friends that dwelt in Ireland, but such as formerly came thither from England ; and a pressure having laid upon them for some years which they could not gett from under the weight of untill they gave upp to leave their friends and relations there, together with a comfortable subsist- ence, to transport themselves and famelys into this wilderness part of America, and there- by expose themselves to difficulties, which, if they could have been easy where they were, in all probability might never have been met with ; and in order thereunto, sent from Dublin' in Ireland, to one 'Thomas Lurtin, a friend in London, commander of a pink, who accordingly came, and made an agreement with him to transport them and their famelys into New Jersey, viz. : Mark Newby and famely, Thomas Thackara and famely, William Bate and famely, George Goldsmith an old man, and Thomas Sharp a young man, but no famelys ; and whilst the ship abode in Dublin harbor provideing for the voy- age, said 'Thomas Lurtin was taken so ill that he could not perform ye same, so that his mate, John Dagger, undertook it. And upon the 19th day of September, in the year of our Lord, 1681, we sett saile froin the place aforesaid, and through the good providence of God towards us, we arrived at Elsinburg, in the county of Salem, upon the 19th day of November following, where we were well entertained at the houses of the Thomsons, who came from Ireland about four years before, who, by their industry, were arrived to a very good degree of living, and from thence we went to Salem, where were several houses yt were vacant of persons who had left the town to settle in ye country, which served to accommodate them for ye winter, and having thus settled down their famelys, and the winter proving moderate, we at Wickacoa, among us, purchased a boate of the Swansons, and so went to Burlington to the commissioners, of whota we obtained a warrant of ye surveyor general, which then was Daniel Leeds ; and after some consid- erable search to and fro in that then was called the third or Irish tenth, we at last pitched upon the place now called Newton, which was before the settlement of Philadel- phia ; and then applied to s'd surveyor, who came and laid it out for us ; and the next spring, being the beginning of the year 1682, we all removed from Salem together with Robert Zane, that had been settled there, who came along from Ireland with the Thoin- sons before hinted, and having expectation of our coming only bought a lott in Salem town, upon the which he seated himself untill our coming, whose proprietary right and ours being of the same nature, could not then take it up in Fenwick's tenth, and so be- gan our settlement ; and although we were at times pretty hard bestead, having all our provisions as far as Salein to fetch by water, yett, through the mercy and kindness of God, we were preserved in health and from any extream difficulties. And immediately there was a meeting sett upp and kept at the house of Mark Newby, and, in a short time, it grew and increased, unto which William Cooper and famely. that lived at the Poynte resorted, and sometimes the meeting was kept at his house, who had been settled some time before.
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Zeall and fervency of spirit was what, in some degree, at that time abounded among Friends, in commemoration of our prosperous success and eminent preservation, boath in our coming over the great deep, as allso that whereas we were but few at that time, and the Indians many, whereby itt putt a dread upon our spirits, considering they were a salvage people ; but ye Lord, that hath the hearts of all in his hands, turned them so as to be serviceable to us, and very loving and kinde; which cannot be otherwise ac- counted but to be the Lord's doings in our favor, which we had cause to praise his name for. And that the rising generation may consider that the settlement of this country was directed by an impulse upon the spiritts of God's people, not so much for their ease and tranquillity, but rather for the posterity yt should be after, and that the wilderness being planted with a good seed, might grow and increase to the satisfaction of the good nusbandman. But instead thereof, if for wheat it should bring forth ta es, the end of the good husbandman will be frustrate, and they themselves will suffer lose This narration I have thought good and requisite to leave behind, as having had knowledge of things from the beginning.
Haddonfield is situated on the south side of Cooper's creek, 5 m. SE. of Camden. The village is principally built on a single street, ornamented by shade-trees. It consists of about 150 dwellings, 4
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houses for public worship, 1 for Friends, 1 Baptist, 1 Methodist, and 1 Episcopal, 5 mercantile stores, 2 grist-m., 2 tanneries, and a large woollen factory. The annexed engraving represents the Friends meeting-house, situated in the central part of the village. The Baptist church was erected in 1818, the Methodist in 1835; both
Friends Meeting-house, Haddonfield.
these houses are substantial brick edifices. The Episcopal church now (1842) erecting, is of wood. The first house of worship erect- ed in this township was for Friends. It was built about the year 1690, on what is now called the Collins road, about 21 miles SW. of Haddonfield. This house was removed about 30 years since, and the one near Camden line erected. The village of Haddon- field derives its name from the family of John Haddon, who pur- chased about 400 acres of land at this place, about the year 1710.
Having no sons, he sent his daughter Elizabeth, a young woman about 20 years of age, to make a settlement on the land, build a house, &c., under an expectation that he would remove himself and family to the place after the settlement was made. She built a large brick house on the premises, in the year 1713, and the great road or king's high- way being laid out through the land from Burlington to Salem, on which a town began to be built. Some years afterwards, she married a distinguished Quaker preacher from England, whose name was John Haddon, whom she survived a number of years ; they had no children, and she returned to England and adopted one of her sister's sons, named Ebenezer Hopkins, whom she brought over with her, with an intention of making him her heir. He married in this country a woman named Sarah Lord, and had a number of children, and died a young man long before his aunt Estaugh, who left all the estate intended for him amongst his children.
During the war of the revolution, Haddonfield had become a place of some note, and the inhabitants were mostly, if not altogether, sound whigs ; and being of the Quaker persuasion, they were not found fighting under the banners of carnal warfare. A guard- house was kept by the Americans, on the premises of Wm. Griscomb ; and the British army marching through, set fire to the building, and destroyed the house of Mr. Gris- comb* and the adjoining one belonging to Thomas Redman, they being both Friends or
* In front of Capt. James B. Cooper's dwelling is a button-wood tree, which was stand- ing at the time these buildings were destroyed. The body of it was burnt out, and a large cavity left, which was used after the war by children for a playhouse. The bark has now grown around it, and the tree is in a flourishing condition.
Haddonfield was successively occupied by the American and British troops. Among
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Quakers. A great deal of their furniture was destroyed, as well as their houses, but no lives lost. The British quartered their soldiers on the inhabitants of the village and vicinity for several days, and made great destruction of the fences for fuel, so that the inhabitants were truly eaten out of house and home. The congress sat for several weeks in Haddonfield, during the war, in the house built by Matthias Aspden, and boarded about among the inhabitants.
The first Friends meeting-house was built about the year 1720, and the present meet- - ing-house was built in the year 1760, on the same site.
The house built by Elizabeth Haddon stood about a third of a mile from the centre of the village, back from the Camden road about 30 rods. It was built of brick and boards brought from Eng- land, and had upon it the date "1713." It was accidentally de- stroyed by fire, April 19th, 1842.
UNION.
Union is about 6 miles long, and 2} broad ; bounded N. by New- ton, E. by Waterford, SE. by Gloucester, SW. by Deptford, and W. by the Delaware river. The surface is generally level, and the soil highly productive in corn, wheat, grass, and vegetables. There are 3 schools, 105 scholars. Pop. 1,074. There are two small villages in the township, viz. : Mount Ephraim, 5 miles SE. of Cam- . den, and Gloucester Point, 3 miles below Camden, on the Dela- ware, where there is a ferry.
The land (says Mulford, in his lecture) between Timber creek and the Rancocus was sold Sept. 10th, 1677, to John Kinsey and others, from London, by Katamus, Sekappio, and three other In- dian chiefs, for thirty guns, thirty axes, thirty small hoes, thirty awls, thirty jewsharps. a hundred fishhooks, seven anchors of brandy, &c. This purchase being made, a town was laid out, in 1689, on a large scale, at Gloucester Point, called by the Indians Axwamus. A draft in the surveyor-general's office, at Burlington, represents this town as extending back to Newton creek, and nearly down to Timber creek. It was intended to have thirteen streets, and an area in the middle of the town. Three chains square was reserved for a market-place. High expectations were indulged as to the prospective importance of the place. These were not entirely realized, though it continued to be of some con- sequence, being the place where the public business for this part
the former was a " bold dragoon," named Miles Sage, who had been sent on an errand out of the village just before the British entered. He executed his commission, and rode back, as he supposed, to his friends. He stopped at Col. Ellis's quarters, but finding it filled with British officers, remounted his horse and galloped on his way. The stars and stripes were still waving from the flag staff; and, on passing, he gave three cheers for " Washington and Independence." The British were formed in three ranks across the street, near the site of the upper tavern. He bravely charged through two ranks, but his horse fell at the third. The soldiers charged upon him with fury, and pierced him with nine or ten bayonet wounds, when a little Scotch officer came up and bade them desist. He asked him if he was alive ; and on receiving an affirmative answer, had him conveyed to a neighboring dwelling and taken care of. Sage survived to fight in many a battle, and to tell the tale of his scars to his prattling grandchildren.
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of the province was transacted. A courthouse, erected here, was standing within the memory of those now living. The lands in this vicinity were taken up at an early period, and upon the draught are represented the adjoining tracts, in their relative situation, with the dates and names of purchasers. The last tract represented adjoins Newton creek. But some of the very earliest purchases were made still higher up, at the site of the present city of Cam- den.
It is stated, in Gordon's History of New Jersey, that immediately after the evacuation of Fort Mercer, in Nov. 1777, Cornwallis. with a force of about 5,000 men, collected large quantities of fresh pro- visions for the British army, and took post on Gloucester Point, which was entirely under cover of the guns of the ships. "Gen. Greene commanded an almost equal body of troops, in New Jer- sey, a part of which were militia ; and awaited the arrival of Glo- ver's brigade from the north, in order to take offensive measures against Cornwallis. But an attack upon the British, in their pres- ent advantageous position, would have been unwarrantable. Yet a small but brilliant affair was performed, by a detachment of about 150 men, from Morgan's rifle-corps, under Lieut. Col. Butler, and a like number of militia, under the Marquis Lafayette, who served as a volunteer. They attacked a picket of the enemy, con- sisting of about 300 men, and drove them, with the loss of 20 or 30 killed, and a great number wounded, quite into their camp ; retiring themselves without pursuit. 'I found the riflemen,' said Lafayette, in a letter to Washington, 'even above their reputation, and the militia above all expectation I could have formed of them.' Cornwallis soon after returned to Philadelphia, and Greene joined the main army, under the commander-in-chief."
WATERFORD.
Waterford is a long, narrow township, stretching along the whole length of the NE. boundary of the county, from the Dela- ware river to Atlantic co. It is 24 miles long, with an average width of about 4 miles. It is bounded NE. by Chester, Evesham, and Washington, (Burlington co.,) SE. by Mullica, (Atlantic co.,) SW. by Camden, Union, Newton, and Gloucester, and NW. by the Delaware river. Pop. 3,467. The south part is covered with pines, and the north part is fertile, and productive in vegetables. There are in the township 10 stores, 2 glass-houses, 2 grist-m., 10 saw-m., 1 oil-m. ; cap. in manufac. $92,115; 8 schools, 425 schol- ars. Pop. 3,467.
This township was settled about the year 1712, principally by ·Friends, who located themselves on large tracts of excellent soil, in the north part, in the vicinity of Colestown and Cooper's creek. The names of some of these early pioneers were Kay, Cole, Spicer. Ellis, Matlock, &c. Cooperstown, Waterfordville, and Ellisburg
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are small settlements in the north part, containing respectively a few dwellings. In the south part, among the pines, are Jackson's and Waterford glass-works. The first has a glass-factory, and about 20 dwellings ; the latter, two extensive glass-factories, owned and conducted by Joseph Porter & Co., and also about 60 dwellings.
On Petty's island, in the Delaware, opposite this township, lies the wreck of the famous continental frigate Alliance. She was built at Salisbury, in Massachusetts ; and the alliance with France, in 1778, induced our government to give her that name. After the capture of the frigate Trumbull, in 1781, the Alliance and Deane frigates composed the whole force of that class of ships in the American navy. Her history furnishes many pleasing anecdotes, among which is the following. In an encounter with a British vessel, a shot entered the corner of the Alliance's counter, and made its way into a locker, where all the china belonging to the captain was kept. An African servant of Commodore Barry, a great favorite, ran up to the quarter-deck, and called out, " Massa, dat - Ingresse man broke all de chana !" "You rascal," said the commodore, " why did you not stop the ball ?" "Sha. massa, cannon-ball must hab a room !"
WASHINGTON.
Washington was taken from Deptford, in 1836. It is about 16 miles long, 4 broad ; and is bounded NE. by Gloucester, SE. by Hamilton, (Atlantic co.,) SW. by Franklin and Greenwich, and NW. by Deptford. The soil is light, and the surface principally covered with pines. There are 6 stores, 1 woollen fac., 1 glass- house, 1 grist-m., 8 saw-m .; cap. in manufac. $104,250 ; 4 schools, 131 scholars. Pop. 1,545.
Williamstown, or Squankum, is in the central part of the town- ship, 11 miles SE. of Woodbury. In 1800, there were but four or five houses in the vicinity, within the sound of the conch-shell. One of these dwellings, then occupied by David Williams, is now standing in the village. Paul Sears's tavern was erected about this period, by William Williamson, and occupied as a private dwelling. Some years later the Methodist church was erected. The town slowly progressed, until within a few years, when glass- works were established ; since which it has rapidly improved. It now contains 2 taverns, 3 stores, a Methodist and a Presbyterian church, (lately erected,) glass-works, and about 60 dwellings. There are a few farms in the vicinity. The soil is generally light, susceptible of improvement, and adapted to grain and grass. Cross Keys, 3 miles NE. of Williamstown, is a well-known tavern and post-office, among the pines, where six roads corner. A house of entertainment has been kept there for about 60 years. Chest- nut Ridge and Union Cross Roads each contain one or more dwell- ings. The county poorhouse is in the NW. corner of the town-
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ship, near Blackwoodtown. Attached is a farm of more than 200 acres-one of the best establishments of the kind in the state. In the south part are several small ponds, with saw-mills at their outlets.
WOOLWICH.
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This township is about 14 miles long, and 6 broad: it is bounded NE. by Greenwich, SE. by Franklin, SW. by Pilesgrove and Upper Penn's Neck, Salem co., and NW. by Delaware river. The face of the township is generally level ; but on the NE. hilly, and the southeastern part covered with pines. The soil is varied, being in some parts sandy, others a rich loam, producing large quan- tities of early vegetables. There are 2 fulling-m., 2 woollen fac- tories, 5 grist-m., 4 saw-m .; cap. in manufac. $25,500; 12 schools, 943 scholars. Pop. 3,676.
The annexed is a view taken at the northern entrance of the vil- lage-street of Swedesboro. The village is situated at the head of sloop navigation on the south side of Raccoon creek, about 5 miles from its mouth. It contains 2 churches, 1 Episcopal, (seen on the right of the engraving,) 1 Methodist, 6 mercantile stores, an exten- sive woollen factory, an academy, and about 75 dwellings; 10 miles from Woodbury, and 18 from Camden. Battentown is a village of 20 or 30 dwellings, at the southern extremity of Swedesboro, and is rather a continuation of that village. Harrisonville, formerly Colestown, situated 5 miles in a southerly direction from Swedes- boro, on Old Man's creek, (the boundary line of Salem co.,) contains about 20 or 30 dwellings ; near it is a Methodist church. There are some excellent farms in the neighborhood. Bridgeport, formerly called Raccoon Lower Bridge, about a mile from the mouth of the creek, contains a Methodist church, and about 20 dwellings.
The first settlements in this township were commenced by the Swedes at an early period, on Raccoon creek. In a map of Dela- ware river and the adjacent parts, published by Lindstrom soon after his visit to this country in 1642, a station or settlement is noted as being in existence on Raccoon creek. The ancient Swe- dish church at Raccoon, as Swedesboro was formerly called, was constructed of cedar logs, and stood near the site of the present Episcopal church. This last structure was erected in 1784, at which time the log church was taken down. At this period there were about a dozen dwellings built, mostly of logs; the school- house, parsonage, and tavern being built of the same materials. The Indians, at this time, lived on the borders of Raccoon creek, and deer were quite plenty in this vicinity. The British visited this place during the revolution, burnt several houses, and among other things took the furniture and bedding of Col. Brown, and consumed them by a bonfire in the street.
The churches at Raccoon and Penn's Neck appear to have been
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somewhat connected with regard to their pastors. Jonas Auren appears to have been the first pastor : he was appointed in 1697, and died in 1713. He was succeeded by Abraham Lidenius in 1714, who remained till 1724, when he returned to Sweden. Petrus Tranberg and Andreas Windrufwa were sent over in 1726; they divided the churches between them, and so continued until 1728.
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Swedesboro.
when Windrufwa died. John Sandin, the next pastor, was ap- pointed in 1748, and died the same year. Erick Unander, his suc- cessor, was sent over the next year. He was succeeded by John Lidenius in 1756. John Wicksell, the next pastor, arrived in 1762; returned in 1774, and was succeeded by Nicholas Collin in 1778, a native of Upsal, in Sweden.
Dr. Collin was the last of the Swedish ministers who officiated at Swedesboro. In July, 1786, he was rector of Wicaco, (in Phila- delphia,) and the churches in connection. He presided over these churches for a period of forty-five years, and died at Wicaco Oct. 7th, 1831, in the 87th year of his age. During the whole period of his ministry he was much respected by his congregations. He was a man of learning, particularly in languages. The only work which he left behind him is a manuscript translation of Acrelius' History of New Sweden, which he undertook in 1799, at the request of the Historical Society of New York, in whose possession it now remains.
In 1765, the charter for the "Swedish Evangelical Lutheran church" was granted, George III. being king, and William Frank- lin governor of the colony of New Jersey, &c. The following names appear in the petition for the charter, viz : Rev. John Wick- sell, Thomas Denny, John Denny, John Rambo, James Steelman, John Helm, Benj. Rambo, Jonas Keen, Erick Cox, Jacob Archer, Isaac Justison, Gilbert Rinelds, Gabriel Strang, William Homan, Peter Matson, Peter Keen, Andrew Jones, Hans Urien, John Holf-
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man. Lawrence Strang, John Derickson, Charles Locke, Erick Ranels, Jacob Jones, William Matsen, James Halton, Andrew Lock, Moses Holfman, Chas. Fullor, and Andrew Vanneman, in behalf of themselves and others, inhabiting near Raccoon creek, in the county of Gloucester, &c.
The following, respecting the customs, &c., of the early Swedish settlers, is from "Watson's Annals of Philadelphia :"
To the church upon Tinicum Island all the Swedes, settled along the Delaware, used to go in their canoes from long distances. They did the same in visiting the primitive - log church at Wicaco-almost all their conveyances were preferred by water. There was a store upon Darby to which they always went by water, even when the land route was often nearest.
The old Swedish inhabitants were said to be very successful in raising chick turkeys ; as soon as hatched they plunged them into cold water, and forced them to swallow a whole pepper-corn,-they then returned it to the mother, and it became as hardy as a hen's chick. When they found them drooping, their practice was to examine the rump feathers, and such two or three as were found filled with blood were to be drawn, and the chick would revive and thrive.
Kalm, the Swedish traveller, who was here among his countrymen in 1748, has left us such notices as follow concerning them, to wit :
The ancient Swedes used the sassafras for tea, and for a dye. From the persimmon tree they made beer and brandy. They called the mullein plant the Indian tobacco ; they tied it round their arms and feet, as a cure when they had the ague. They made their candles generally from the bayberry bushes ; the root they used to cure tooth-ache ; from the bush they also made an agreeable smelling soap. The magnolia tree they made use of for various medicinal purposes.
The houses of the first Swedish settlers were very indifferent ; it consisted of but one room ; the door was so low as to require you to stoop. Instead of window panes of glass they had little holes, before which a sliding board was put, or on other occasions they had isinglass ; the cracks between logs were filled with clay ; the chimneys, in a corner, were generally of gray sandstone, or, for want of it, sometimes of mere clay ; the ovens were in the same room. They had at first separate stables for the cattle ; but after the English came and set the example, they left their cattle to suffer in the open
· winter air. The Swedes wore vests and breeches of skins; hats were not used, but little caps with flaps before them. They made their own leather and shoes, with soles (like moccasins) of the same materials as the tops. The women, too, wore jackets and petticoats of skins ; their beds, excepting the sheets, were of skins of bears, wolves, &c. Hemp they had none, but they used flax for ropes and fishing-tackle. This rude state of living was, however, in the country places principally, and before the English came, who, rough as they must have also lived for a time, taught a comparative state of luxury.
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