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 34
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MERCER COUNTY.
MERCER COUNTY was formed from Hunterdon, Burlington, and Middlesex counties, Feb. 1838, and named in honor of Gen. Mer- cer, who fell at the battle of Princeton. It is about 20 miles long with an average width of 12 miles, bounded NW. by Hunterdon co., NE. by Somerset and Middlesex counties, SE. by Monmouth and Burlington counties, and SW. by Delaware river, dividing it from Pennsylvania. It is watered by Stony Brook, a branch of the Rari- tan, the Assunpink creek, with its branches and other smaller streams emptying into the Delaware. The country south of Tren- ton and Princeton is level, of an alluvial formation, soil light, but
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productive. Above these places the surface is undulating, more hilly as it approaches the north; mountainous on and near the northern line. This portion is composed of a variety of soil, well adapted to both winter and summer grains. Within the limits of this county are located the capital of the state and her most im- portant literary institutions. Here too were fought the battles of Trenton and Princeton, memorable for turning the tide of the American revolution. The county is divided into the 9 following townships, all of which, except Ewing, Hamilton, and Princeton, were incorporated in 1798.
East Windsor, Hopewell, Lawrence Princeton, Trenton,
Ewing, Hamilton,
Nottingham, West Windsor.
The population of the county in 1840, was 21,075.
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EAST WINDSOR.
East Windsor has an average length of about 10, and width of 5 miles. It is bounded NW. by West Windsor ; NE. by South Bruns- wick and Monroe, Middlesex co. ; SSE. by Upper Freehold, Mon- mouth co., and SW. by Hamilton. The surface is level and the soil light. The township contains 3 grist-m., 2 saw-m. ; cap. in manu- fac. $15,965 ; 6 schools, 167 scholars. Pop. 1,989.
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Central View in Hightstown.
The village of Hightstown is 14 miles E. of Trenton, on the line of the Camden and Amboy railroad. The 'above view was taken in the principal street of the place. The public building on the right is the Baptist church. Further down the street the rail- road crosses Rocky Brook, in tressel work. Since the construction of this road, the village has more than doubled in population, and is now in a thriving condition. It contains 6 stores, a grist and saw mill, a variety of mechanics, 1 Methodist, 1 Universalist, and 1 Bap-
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tist church, an academy, from 80 to 100 dwellings, and a popula- tion of about 500.
The Baptist church is the oldest in the village. It formerly be- longed to Cranbury, where it was constituted in 1745, with 17 members. In 1785 the society built a church in Hightstown.
" The first pastor," says Benedict, in his history of the Baptists, " was James Car- man, who was remarkable for living by faith. He was born at Cape May in 1677, wes baptized at Staten Island, near New York, by Elias Keach, in the 15th year of his age . after this, went first among the Quakers, then with the New Light Presbyterians, whom he permitted to baptize one of his children. But in process of time he came back to his first principles, united with the church in Middletown, began to preach in the branch of it at Cranbury, and was ordained its pastor at the time it was constituted. Here he dicd at the age of 79. For many years after his death this church had only occasional sup- plies, and had nearly become extinct when Mr. Peter Wilson came amongst them in 1782. In nine years from his settlement over 200 persons were added to the church by baptism ; upwards of 800 have been baptized by this successful pastor, during the whole of his ministry here. The church is scattered over a wide extent of territory, and Mr. Wilson, in his more active days, not unfrequently rode 15, and sometimes 20 miles, and preached four times on a Lord's day. From this church originated the one at Trenton." The Rev. Mr. Mulford is its present pastor.
EWING.
Ewing was formed from Trenton in 1834, and comprehends about all of what then constituted that township, excepting the city. It was named in honor of Charles Ewing, LL. D., chief-jus- tice of New Jersey, who died in 1832. It is about 5 miles long, with a width of from 2 to 4 miles. It is bounded N. by Hopewell, E. by Lawrence, S. by Trenton, and westerly by Delaware river. The surface is generally level or undulating, and the soil very fa- vorable for the production of oats. There are in the township 1 fulling-m., 1 woollen factory, 1 grist-m., 2 saw-m. ; capital employed in manufac. $14,500 ; 3 schools, 77 scholars. Pop. 1,017.
This township was settled about the year 1700, by emigrants from Long Island, from East Jersey, and elsewhere. The following is a list of part of the settlers :
Daniel Howell, Charles Clark,
Jacob Reeder,
John Davis,
Ebenezer Prout,
Richard Scudder
William Reed,
Abiel Davis,
Isaac Reeder,
Robert Lanning,
Simon Sacket, Jonathan Davis,
John Burroughs,
John Lanning,
John Deane.
HAMILTON.
Hamilton was originally a part of Nottingham, but in 1842 the latter township was divided, and only the tract between Delaware river and the Delaware and Raritan canal retained the original name ; the remainder, being the greater part of its territory, was incorporated into a township by the name of Hamilton. Its ex- treme length is about 8, and its average width is about 5 miles ;
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bounded NW. by Lawrence and Trenton, easterly by East and West Windsor, S. by Chesterfield, Burlington co., and westerly by Nottingham. The surface islevel, and the soil, though light, can be made productive by the use of marl, which is found in abundance within its limits. The township is watered by streams which in their course through the light soil have worn deep gulleys. The popula- tion is estimated to be about 2,500. The New Jersey railroad passes along near the western boundary of Hamilton, and the Camden and Amboy railroad passes the southern part.
This township was originally settled by Friends. The house in which Mr. Benjamin Vanscoick now resides, about half a mile from the State's Prison, was built in 1708 by Isaac Watson, an emi- grant from Nottingham, England, from which the old township of Nottingham derived its name.
HOPEWELL.
What time this township received its name, is not precisely known. As early as 1699, the tract known as the township of Hopewell, was bounded by the Assunpink on the S., by the line of East and West Jersey on the E., and by its present boundary on the N. These limits have been greatly reduced. The township is now about 10 m. long, and 6 broad. It is bounded N. by Amwell, Hun- terdon co., S. by Ewing and Lawrence, E. by Montgomery and Princeton, W. by the Delaware river. The surface of the northern part is hilly ; the south, level and fertile. Pop. 3,213. It is be- lieved that most of the first settlers were English families, who removed from Long Island about the year 1700, or, perhaps, a few years previous. The first settlers were the Stouts,* Goldens, Hough-
* The family of the Stouts are so remarkable for their number, origin, and character, in both church and state, that their history deserves to be conspicuously recorded ; and . no place can be so proper as that of Hopewell, where the bulk of the family resides. We have already seen that Jonathan Stout and family were the seed of the Hopewell church, and the beginning of Hopewell settlement; and that of the 15 which constituted the church, nine were Stouts. The church was constituted at the house of a Stout, and the meetings were held chiefly at the dwellings of the Stouts for 41 years, viz. from the be- ginning of the settlement to the building of the meeting-house, before described. Mr. Hart was of opinion (in 1790) " that from first to last, half the members have been and were of that name: for, in looking over the church book, (saith he,) I find that near 200 of the name have been added ; besides about as many more of the blood of the Stouts, who had lost the name by marriages. The present (1790) two deacons and four elders, are Stouts ; the late Zebulon and David Stout were two of its main pillars ; the last lived to see his offspring multiplied into an 117 souls." The origin of this Baptist family is no less remarkable : for they all sprang from one woman, and she as good as dead ; her history is in the mouths of most of her posterity, and is told as follows : " She was born at Amsterdam, about the year 1602; her father's name was Vanprincis ; she and her first husband, (whose name is not known,) sailed for New York, (then New Amsterdam.) about the year 1620; the vessel was stranded at Sandy Hook ; the crew got ashore, and marched towards the said New York ; but Penelope's (for that was her name) husband being hurt in the wreck, could not march with them; therefore, he and the wife tarried in the woods ; they had not been long in the place, before the Indians killed them both,, (as they thought) and stripped them to the skin ; however, Penelope came to, though her
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tons, and Merrils, in the northern part, and the Burroughs, Harts, Hunts, Mershons, Drakes, Baldwins, Tituses, Phillipses, Moores, Brooks, Smiths, Stephensons, Bakers, Temples, Bollens, Hoffs, Well- ings, and Cains, in the southern and middle parts of the township. Jonathan, the ancestor of the Stouts, came here from Middletown in this state, in the year 1706; his family was one of the first three which settled on the tract now called Hopewell. The place, then, was a wilderness, and full of Indians.
Pennington Male Seminary.
The village of Pennington is 8 m. N. of Trenton, on the great road to Flemington, and the NW. part of the state. The village contains 2 churches, 1 Methodist and 1 Presbyterian, 2 seminaries, 1 male and 1 female, and about 60 dwellings. The Pennington male seminary, represented in the engraving, is built of brick, 88 feet long and 44 wide. It was erected by the stock subscriptions of persons principally residing in the village and its vicinity, at an expense of about $15,000. It was opened for the reception of stu- dents in 1840, and is under the patronage of the New Jersey an- nual conference of the M. E. church. It has a choice library, a
skull was fractured, and her left shoulder so hacked, that she could never use that arm like the other ; she was also cut across the abdomen, so that her bowels appeared ; these she kept in with her hand ; she continued in this situation for seven days, taking shelter in a hollow tree, and eating the excrescence of it; the seventh day she saw a deer pass- ing by with arrows sticking in it, and soon after two Indians appeared, whom she was glad to see, in hope they would put her out of her misery ; accordingly, one made to- wards her to knock her on the head ; but the other, who was an elderly man, prevented him ; and, throwing his matchcoat about her, carried her to his wigwam, and cured her of her wounds and bruises ; after that he took her to New York, and made a present of her to her countrymen, viz. an Indian present, expecting ten times the value in return. It was in New York, that one Richard Stout married her : he was a native of England, and of a good family ; she was now in her 22d year, and he in his 40th. She bore him seven sons and three daughters, viz : Jonathan, (founder of Hopewell,) John, Richard, James, Peter, David, Benjamin, Mary, Sarah, and Alice ; the daughters married into the families of the Bounds, Pikes, Throckmortons, and Skeltons, and so lost the name of Stout ; the sons married into the families of Bullen, Crawford, Ashton, Traux, &c., and had many children. The mother lived to the age of 110, and saw her offspring multi plied into 502, in about 88 years."-Benedict's Hist. Baptists.
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cabinet of minerals, and philosophical and chemical apparatus. The Pennington female seminary is built of brick, 4 stories high, and has been established for several years. There is also an acad- emy for the accommodation of the children of the village, which has a fund of upwards of $4,000, under the direction of trustees, being the devise of Miss Abigail Moore, the interest of which is, by her will, directed to be appropriated to pay the bills of tuition of poor children who attend the academy.
There are 5 post-offices in this town, one in each of the follow- ing places, viz : Pennington, Woodsville, Columbia, Bernardsville, and Titusville. Woodsville lies near the north line of the town, 13 m. N. of Trenton ; contains a store, tavern, and about 8 or 10 dwellings, on a slope of rising ground from which there is a fine prospect of the surrounding country. Columbia, 17 m. N. from Trenton, contains a Baptist church and about a dozen dwellings .: The ground on which this church stands, was the donation of John Hart, Esq., one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Bernardsville, formerly called 8 Mile Ferry, is situated on the Dela- ware ; has a tavern, store, and a canal basin, attached to the feed- er of the Delaware and Raritan canal. There is a lattice-bridge, opposite to this place, connecting it with Taylorsville. This is the spot at which Washington crossed the Delaware previous to his capture of the Hessians at Trenton. Titusville, 2 miles above Bernardsville, contains a Presbyterian church, 8 or 10 dwellings, and a number of mechanic shops.
The Presbyterian church of Hopewell (now Pennington) was organized by the first settlers. The first authentic notice of its existence is found on the records of the Pres- bytery of Philadelphia, in 1709, with which presbytery it was connected till 1757, when it was transferred to that of New Brunswick. The first pastor was Rev. Robert Orr, who was installed in 1715 ; the second pastor, Rev. Joseph Morgan, who was originally from Great Britain, and settled about 1730; his successor was Rev. John Guild, from Massachusetts, who took the pastoral charge in 1738, and continued till his death in 1785, a period of 47 years. He was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Rue, from Freehold, Monmouth co., a pupil of Rev. Wm. Tennent ; he died in 1826, having been pastor 41 years. His successor, Rev. Benjamin Ogden, was installed in 1826, and continued pas- tor 12 years, when he removed to Michigan; he was succeeded by Rev. George Hale, in Feb. 1842. The first house of worship, for this society, was a frame building ; the sec- ond, now standing, is of brick ; it was erected in 1766.
The first Baptist church of Hopewell, in Columbia village, was organized in 1715, nine years after Mr. Stout and his associates removed into Hopewell ; Mr. Stout's family furnishing 8 of the 15 members who constituted the church at that time. The first pastor settled over the church, was Rev. Isaac Eaton, who was ordained in Nov. 1748. Mr. Eaton died in 1772 ; previous to his ordination the church had no permanent min- ister. The present pastor is the Rev. John Boggs, who has had charge of the congreg .. tion 35 years. Harbourton, or the Second Baptist church in Hopewell, was constituted in 1803 ; the first pastor was Rev. James McLaughlin, the present is Rev. Christopher Suydam.
The first person of the Methodist denomination who preached in Hopewell, is supposed to have been Capt. Webb, a British officer from New York, who visited this place about the year 1768. The first regular class was forined by Joseph Pillmore, who was sent to this country in 1769. This place was also visited by John King, Francis Asbury. (a terwards Bishop,) William Waters of Virginia, Freeborn Garretson, and other devoted preachers, and the society rapidly increased in numbers. It continued in connection with the 'Trenton circuit till 1832, when they were made a separate charge, called " Penning. ton Station." The society now has two houses of worship, one in Pennington and
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one 4 four miles distant, towards the Delaware, called the " River Church." Abou a milc from Pennington village, on the road leading to the Delaware, formerly stood what was usually called the " New Light Church," erected in 1741, by persons who seceded from the Presbyterian church, during the period of the great revival under the labors of the celebrated Whitefield, Tennents, and others. The last preacher of this church was Rev. James Davenport, a preacher of some celebrity on Long Island and in Connecti- cut. Mr. D. died in this place in 1757, aged 40 years ; after his death, the congregation generally formed a sort of union with the old church, and their house of worship finally fell into the hands of the Methodists.
JOHN HART, Esq., a signer of the Declaration of Independence, was a native of Hope -- well; he was a deputy from Hunterdon co., in the Provincial Congress of 1775, and a member of the Committe of Safety, and in 1776, was a member of the Continental Con- gress. Soon after the Declaration of Independence, New Jersey became the theatre of war. The progress of the British troops was marked by rapine and wanton destruction of property. The children of Mr. Hart escaped from insult by retiring from the neigh- borhood of the troops, leaving the farm and stock to be pillaged and destroyed by the Hessians. Mrs. Hart, at this time, was afflicted with a disorder which prevented her re- moval, and which terminated in her death. Mr. Hart was driven from the bedside of his dying partner, and hunted through the woods and among the hills. " While Washing- ton's army was dwindling down to a mere handful, this old man was carrying his gray hairs and infirmities about from cottage to cottage, and from cave to cave, while his farm was pillaged, his property plundered, his family afflicted and dispersed ; he was, through sorrow, humiliation, and suffering, wearing out his bodily strength, and hasten- ing the approach of decrepitude and death. Yet he never despaired, never repented the course he had taken." At one time being sorely pressed for a safe night's lodging, and being unknown, he was obliged to share the accommodations of a dog. Mr. Hart died in 1780, leaving a bright example of patriotism and devotion to his country. His residence was the one occupied now by William Phillips, Esq., near the village of Columbia.
Col. JOAB HOUGHTON, an active partisan officer of the Revolution, was a native of this township; he lived in the NE. part, in the house now occupied by Mr. Wm. Suy- dam, and died in that occupied by Mr. Joseph Swain. While this part of New Jersey was overrun by the British and Hessians, there were but few hardy enough to oppose even the small marauding parties that were daily plundering for the British camp. Nearly the whole of the active population had left their homes, some with the army under Washington, and some to a place of safety. Pennington was occupied by the British troops, and the inhabitants who remained, being aged, were peaceable, and lay at the mercy of these plunderers. Col. Houghton being at that time at home, word was brought to him by night, that the neighborhood of Moore's Mill had been visited by the enemy, and that they would probably be out the next day. Early next morning, Col. H. collected a few of his neighbors, and placed himself on the point of a neighboring mountain which overlooked the surrounding country ;- presently he saw the party, who entered a house near by where Col. H. and his men were stationed, after stacking their guns on the out- side. The Colonel and his men now rushed from their hiding-place, seized first the arms and then their owners-a Hessian sergeant, and twelve men, whom they found re- galing themselves in the cellar with Metheglin. Col. H. remained in the field during the war, after which he was a member of the Legislature from Hunterdon co. He was a member of the first Baptist church, and died at an advanced age about the year 1795.
WILSON P. HUNT, Esq., the hero of Irving's Astoria, was born in this township. He was born in the house now standing on the property of Benjamin S. Hill, and served his time in the store of his uncle, Abraham Hunt of Trenton. His adventurous and enter- prising spirit brought him to the notice of John Jacob Astor of New York, who planned an enterprise across the Rocky mountains. The command of this expedition was in- trusted to Mr. Hunt, who with his party reached the Pacific after much toil, suffering, and perseverance. This was the first commercial enterprise that ever reached the Pacific across the Rocky mountains. Mr. H. on his return, settled at St. Louis, and died in 1842.
LAWRENCE.
Lawrence was originally incorporated under the name of Maid- enhead, in 1798. Its extreme length is 9 miles; greatest width 5
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miles. It is bounded NW. by Hopewell, NE. by Princeton and West Windsor ; S. by Hamilton, and W. by Trenton and Ewing. The Delaware and Raritan canal passes through the southern part of Lawrence. It has 3 grist-m. and I saw-m. ; cap. in manufac. $14,600; 2 schools, 92 scholars. Pop. 1,556.
This township was settled probably not far from the year 1700. When the colonial assembly erected the county of Hunterdon, they enacted that the Court of Common Pleas and Quarter Ses- sions should alternately be held in Maidenhead and Hopewell, "until a courthouse and jail should be built ;" and it so happened that the first courts of the county were held in Maidenhead, on the second Tuesday of June, 1714. The magistrates present were John Banbridge, Jacob Bellerjeau, Philip Phillips, William Green, John Holcomb, Samuel Green, and Samuel Fitch. The first-named gentleman was buried at Lamberton. in 1732, where his grave- stone now is. He was a prominent and useful public officer, and is supposed to have been the ancestor of the late gallant Commo- dore Bainbridge.
Lawrenceville, anciently called Maidenhead, is 5} miles NE. of Trenton, and about the same distance from Princeton, on a road connecting these two places. It is a small post-village, containing a few houses, and a Presbyterian church, built in 1762. There are also two literary institutions in excellent repute, and favorably located for health and study. The "Lawrenceville Classical and Commercial High School," under the charge of H. and S. M. Hamill, is designed for preparing young men for professional life. Among the pupils who here have been prepared for college, was the late Rev. James Brainard Taylor. The "Lawrenceville Female Seminary," under the direction of Miss Caroline S. Craig, is highly recommended by the faculty of Princeton College, as a place of education for young ladies.
When the British had possession of Princeton and Trenton, this village was the com- mon thoroughfare between those places. On the morning of the battle of Princeton, the enemy passed through it. Previous to this action, the village and adjacent country were deserted by their inhabitants, most of the active men being with Washington in Pennsyl- vania. Among these, was Mr. Elias Phillips, who wishing to know the condition of his native village, returned with two companions to make it a nocturnal visit. Finding it desolate and plundered by the enemy of every thing that could be carried off, and know- ing of the constant passing of the British between the places, they determined to make reprisals of the first party that should pass. For this purpose, they secreted themselves in a deserted shop. About break of day, as a baggage-wagon, guarded by three sol- diers, was passing, the little party rushed out and made them prisoners. They. were taken to the American camp. Washington accepted the prisoners, but the wagon, and stores therein, he directed Phillips to retain for his own benefit. Mr. Phillips was in the field during the whole war. Afterward, he was elected high-sheriff of Hunterdon co., and died while holding that office, lamented by all who knew him.
When the British troops were passing through Lawrenceville, after Washington's re- treat through the Jerseys, a party of Hessians entered the dwelling of Jacob Keen, who was a strong whig. His wife, a woman of great courage and resolution, had locked up her silver in a bureau. Upon their entering, she dispatched one of her children in search of an officer. She stood before her bureau, with the keys in her hand. They de- manded, in their own language, that she should open the drawers. She pretended not to un- derstand their object ; and they, much enraged were in the act of breaking the drawers
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with the butts of their muskets, when an officer entered with the child, and the men re- treated. The above anecdote is derived from a lady now living in Trenton, a daughter of Mrs. K., at that time a child 6 years of age ; and who, on this occasion, was secreted in an oven.
NOTTINGHAM.
Nottingham originally included Hamilton, from which it was. separated in 1842. It is a narrow strip of land, about 6 miles long, between the Delaware and Raritan canal and the Delaware river. On the N. it is less than half a mile wide ; and in the lower part of it only a few rods. Its population is about 2,200. In 1842 its northern part, comprising the villages of Mill Hill, Bloomsbury, and Lamberton, were formed into a borough called "the borough of South Trenton," which is separated from the city of Trenton by the Assunpink creek, and is properly but a continuation of the city. Within the limits of the borough are 4 churches, the county offi- ces and courthouse, the state prison and arsenal ; and the bridge across the Delaware connects the borough with Morrisville, Pa.
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