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 40
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The growth of Amboy, although perhaps not rapid, was very considerable under the fostering care of the proprietors. They di- rected the deputy-governor to reside in the place, establish courts, &c. in 1684, making it the seat of government. On the 2d of Jan. 1683, they say, in their instructions to Lawrie, " It is not to be for- gotten that, as soon as can be, weekly markets and fairs at fit sea- sons be appointed at Perth-town ;" and accordingly, at the first session of the assembly at Amboy, in 1686, Wednesday in each week was made the market-day, and two fairs annually were appointed to be held. Notwithstanding the efforts of the proprietors to pre-
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vent it, New York, by her superior location, was enabled to over- shadow her sister, "New Perth," in commercial importance. Being the seat of government, however, some considerable foreign com- merce continued to be carried on till the revolution.
The change of the proprietary to the royal government of the province, appears to have had but little effect upon Amboy. It continued to send two members to the general assembly, in addi- tion to those from the county, as it had done under the proprietors, and shared with Burlington the meetings of the assembly and the presence of the chief officers. Each governor, on his arrival, would march in procession to the courthouse, and, in the presence of the assembled people, proclaim his commission from the sovereign of England, receive the congratulations of the authorities, &c.
The first city charter was obtained in August, 1718, during the administration of Gov. Robert Hunter,-William Eier being ap- pointed Mayor, and Jas. Alexander, (the father of Lord Stirling, an officer in the revolution,) Recorder, until an election should be held. Previous to that time no local government, save the "Courts of Common Right," as they were called, seems to have existed.
The Church of England was the first established here. The proprietors, by a reso- lution passed 21st Feb. 1698, ordered one of their houses, built in 1685, (one stone of which, bearing the date, is inserted in the rear wall of the present St. Peter's church,) together with the lot on which it stood, a short distance south of the entrance to the property of Andrew Bell, Esq., to be given for the use of a church,-the first minister of which was the Rev. Edward Perthuck, sent over to the province at that time by the Bishop of London, at the solicitation of the proprietors. How long Mr. Perthuck re- mained here is not known. After his retirement, the congregation was visited from time to time by different missionaries ; and among them, Humphries (in his Hist. Acct. of the " Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts") mentions the Rev. Mr. Brook. This energetic clergyman was stationed at Elizabethtown, but extended his labors over a section of country more than 50 miles in extent,-preaching at Eliza- bethtown, Rahway, Amboy, Cheesequakes, Piscataway, Rocky Hill, and expounding and catechising 14 times a month besides. His labors were highly beneficial, but, it is supposed, occasioned his death in the midst of his arduous duties. He received from the society £60 per annum.
The Rev. Mr. Halliday was established here from 1711 to 1719, when again mis- sionaries officiated until 1723, during which year the Rev. Wm. Skinner became the rec- tor of the church, and so continued until his death in 1758. . It was not until after Mr. Skinner's arrival that the present church edifice was fully completed in its original form and size. The collection of materials had commenced as early as 1705; and in 1718, the congregation received a charter from the king, by his representative, Gov. Hunter. Although during the revolution the church was turned into a stable, and the premises desecrated in every possible way, by the British troops, yet the records were saved.
The burial-place now attached to the Presbyterian church, was set apart originally as a public ground forever ; and the first inti- mation of a Presbyterian congregation is in a petition to the proprie- tors from sundry individuals, in July, 1731, stating that their parents, wives, or children, had been buried in the ground mentioned, and praying that it might be transferred to them to erect a meeting- house thereon. Permission having been obtained, it is supposed a house of worship was erected soon after,-which was standing just previous to the revolution, in a very dilapidated state. We have not been able to ascertain who were the first settled ministers.
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The Courthouse Market, the present Sunday-school of St. Peter's church, (formerly the office of the secretary of the province,) the barracks, and many private houses, are still abiding witnesses of royal authority and munificence. The barracks were built in 1758 and '59, and were first occupied, it is thought, by the troops return- ing from the siege of Havana, in 1761. A regiment of British troops were generally stationed here. Perth Amboy was the resi- dence of Gov. Franklin, who was made prisoner by the " Rebels," so called, and sent to Connecticut for safe-keeping. William Dun- lap, Esq., a painter and author of some celebrity, was a native of this place. The following graphic description relative to " olden times," is taken from his own memoirs in his " History of the Arts of Design:"
I was born in the city of Perth Amboy and province of New Jersey. My father, Samuel Dunlap, was a native of the north of Ireland, and son of a merchant of Lon- donderry. In early youth he was devoted to the army, and bore the colors of the 47th regiment, " Wolfe's own," on the plains of Abraham. He was borne wounded from the field on which his commander triumphed and died. After the French war, Samuel Dun- lap, then a lieutenant in the 47th regiment, and stationed at Perth Amboy, married Mar- garet Sargent, of that place, and retired from the profession of a soldier, to the quiet of a country town and country store. The 19th of Feb., 1766, is registered as the date of my birth, and being an only child, the anniversary of the important day was duly cele- brated by my indulgent parents. Education I had none, according to the usual accepta- tion of the word, owing to circumstances to be mentioned ; and much of what is to the child most essential education, was essentially bad. Holding negroes in slavery was, in those days, the common practice, and the voices of those who protested against the evil were not heard. Every house in iny native place where any servants were to be seen, swarmed with black slaves-every house save one, hereafter to be mentioned. My father's kitchen had several families of them, of all ages, and all born in the family of my mother except one, who was called a new negro, and had his face tattooed-his lan guage was scarcely intelligible, though he had been long in the country, and was an old man. These blacks indulged me of course, and I sought the kitchen as the place where I found playmates, (being an only child,) and the place where I found amusement suit- ed to, and forming my taste, in the mirth and games of the negroes, and the variety of visitors of the black race who frequented the place. This may be considered as my first school. Such is the school of many a one even now, in those states where the evil of slavery continues. The infant is taught to tyrannize-the boy is taught to despise la- bor-the mind of the child is contaminated by hearing and seeing that which, perhaps, is not understood at the time, but remains with the memory. This medley of kitchen associates was increased during a part of the war of our revolution by soldiers, whe found their mess-fare improved by visiting the negroes, and by servants of officers bil leted on the house.
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Perth Amboy being now in the possession of the British, my father returned with his family to his house, and I saw in my native town, particularly after the affairs of Prince. ton and Trenton, all the varieties and abominations of a crowded camp and garrison. An army who had so recently passed in triumph from the sea to the banks of the Dela. ware, and chosen their winter-quarters at their pleasure, were now driven in, and crowd. ed upon a point of land washed by the Atlantic, and defended by the guns of the ships which had borne them to the shore as the chastisers of rebellion.
I have elsewhere compared the scenes I now witnessed, to the dramatic scenes of Wallenstein's Lager. Here were centred, in addition to those cantoned at the place, all those drawn in from the Delaware, Princeton and Brunswick ; and the flower and pick of the army, English, Scotch, and German, who had at this time been brought in from Rhode Island. Here was to be seen a party of the 42d Highlanders, in national costume, and there a regiment of Hessians, their dress and arms a perfect contrast to the first. The slaves of Anspach and Waldeck were there-the first sombre as night, the second gaudy as noon. Here dashed by a party of the 17th dragoons, and there scamp- ered a party of Yagers. The trim, neat, and graceful English grenadier, the careless
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and half-savage Highlander, with his flowing robes and naked knees, and the immovably stiff German, could hardly be taken for parts of one army. Here might be seen soldiers driving in cattle, and others guarding wagons loaded with household furniture, instead of the hay and oats they had been sent for.
The landing of the grenadiers and light-infantry from the ships which transported the troops from Rhode Island ; their proud march into the hostile neighborhood, to gather the produce of the farmer for the garrison; the sound of the musketry, which soon rolled back upon us; the return of the disabled veterans who could retrace their steps ; and the heavy march of the discomfited troops, with their wagons of groaning wounded, in the evening, are all impressed on my mind as pictures of the evils and the soul-stirring scenes of war.
These lessons, and others more disgusting-the flogging of English heroes, and thump- ing and caning of German ; the brutal licentiousness, which even my tender years could not avoid seeing in all around, and the increased disorders among my father's negroes, from mingling with the servants of officers,-were my sources of instruction in the win- ter of 1776-7.
The following inscriptions are from monuments in the graveyard of St. Peter's church :-
Sub spe beatæ resurrectionis hic reponitur quod in THOMA GORDON mortale reper- tum est qui familia prisca de Pitlurgi in Scotia ortus prosapia si fas esset potuit gloriari tamen illi non defuit quo jure gloriaretur nam a secretis hujus provincia reipublica emolumentum ex animo respiciens senatui quoad potuit optime consuluit bonis gratus necessariis charus numinis eterni verus cultor vixit volens et decessit lubens 28 avo Die Aprilis Anno Domini 1722 do ætatis vero 70 in memoriam cujus uxor mærens que hic etiam condi expetit hoc qualecunque poni curavit vixit dum voluit dum fata volebant sic nec vita gravis mors nec acerba fuit.
In memory of the Rev. ROBERT MCKEAN, M. A., practitioner in physic, &c., and mis- sionary from the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, to the city of Perth Amboy, who was born July 13th, 1732, N. S., and died October 17th, 1767. An unshaken friend, an agreeable companion, a rational divine, a skilful physician, and, in every relation of life, a truly benevolent and honest man. Fraternal love hath erected this monument.
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SOUTH AMBOY.
South Amboy is about 10 miles long, 6 wide ; and is bounded N. by Raritan river, NE. by Raritan bay, SE. by Freehold and Mid- dletown, (Monmouth county,) SW. by Monroe, and W. by North Brunswick. Its surface is level, soil sandy, and a portion of the face of the country covered with pine and oak timber. The chief source of wealth to the township has been its wood. There are in the township 1 pottery, 1 paper-factory, 1 grist-m., I saw-m .; cap. in manufac. $24,100 ; 6 schools, 198 scholars. Pop. 1,825.
The village of South Amboy, on a safe and deep harbor on Rar- itan bay, at the mouth of Raritan river, 12 miles below New Brunswick, contains an academy, and about 25 dwellings. The Camden and Amboy railroad terminates at this place. Stone-ware is extensively made, near the village, from clay of a superior qual- ity, found in the vicinity. Old Bridge, on the South river, a branch of the Raritan, and on the line of the Camden and Amboy railroad, 7 miles SW. of South Amboy, contains about 35 dwellings. Large quantities of pine and oak wood are sent to New York from here. At the head of Cheesequake creek is Jacksonville, where there is a Baptist and a Methodist church, and about 15 dwellings.
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NORTH BRUNSWICK.
North Brunswick is about 8 miles long, 7 broad ; bounded N. by Raritan river, (separating it from Piscataway,) E. by South Amboy, S. by South Brunswick and Monroe, and W. by Franklin, (Somer- set co.) The township contains 79 stores, 1 flouring-m., 2 grist-m., I saw-m .; cap. in manufac. $103,600; 18 schools, 686 scholars. Pop. 5,860.
Washington is a village, 4 miles SE. of New Brunswick, at the confluence of the South river with the Raritan. It contains about 50 dwellings, and in summer steamers ply between there and New York, with the produce of the country.
NEW BRUNSWICK, city, and capital of Middlesex co., is situated on the western bank of the Raritan, about 14 miles from its mouth. at Amboy, 29 miles SW. from New York, and 26 NE. from Trenton. The city was incorporated in 1784, and lies partly in North Bruns- wick, and partly in Franklin, (Somerset co .; ) Albany-st. forming the dividing line. The streets immediately on the river are narrow, and the ground low ; but on leaving it the ground rises rapidly. In the upper part of the city they are wide, and there are many fine buildings. The city contains a courthouse, jail, and 8 churches, viz .- 1 Dutch Reformed, 1 Presbyterian, 1 Episcopal, 1 Baptist, 1 Methodist, 1 Protestant Methodist, 1 colored Methodist, and 1 Cath- olic ; 2 female seminaries, 1 bank , 120 stores, 800 dwellings, and 8,693 inhabitants. The Delaware and Raritan canal commences here, extending 42 miles, to Bordentown; is 75 feet wide, and 7 feet deep, admitting the passage of sloops of from 75 to 150 tons burden. The Delaware and Raritan Co. was incorporated in 1830, and completed their canal, with a feeder along the Delaware, 23 miles long, at an expense of about $2,500,000. There are two bridges over the Raritan, at New Brunswick-one a toll-bridge, now dilapidated, and not used, about 1,000 feet long, which was built by a company, in 1811, at an expense of $86,687; the other the railroad bridge, over which the New Jersey railroad passes through the city, forming a part of the chain of railroads from New York to Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington.
The annexed is an engraving of Rutgers' college, at New Bruns- wick. It is constructed of dark-red freestone, and was completed in 1811. It stands on a commanding eminence, on a site presented to the college by the Hon. James Parker, of Amboy. This institu- tion was chartered by George III., in 1770, and was named Queen's College, in honor of his consort ; but, for want of necessary funds, did not go into operation until 1781. It began and continued un- der the instruction of tutors, and degrees were conferred by the board of trustees, until 1786, when the Rev. J. R. Hardenbergh was elected the first president. Dr. Hardenbergh died in 1790, and in 1795 the college exercises were discontinued. The institu- tion remained in this state until 1809, when a professor of mathe- matics and a teacher of moral philosophy were appointed, and its
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exercises resumed. In 1810 a union was formed between the trus- tees and the general synod of the Reformed Dutch church, and Dr. J. H. Livingston, professor in the Theological Seminary, was ap- pointed president of the college, and Dr. J. Condict vice-president.
Rutgers' College, New Brunswick.
The institution, however, languished ; and in 1816 its regul ...- structions were again suspended. During this and the former sus- pension, the grammar-school still continued in successful operation, under the supervision of the college trustees.
In 1825, the college-edifice was purchased by the general synod, and, at the request of the trustees, the legislature of the state changed the name from Queen's to Rutgers' college, in honor of Col. Henry Rutgers, one of its distinguished benefactors. The in- stitution was now revived under the patronage of the synod, and so united to their theological seminary that the professors of the latter were also professors of the former. The Rev. Philip Mille- doler, D. D., was at this time appointed president. In 1840 Dr. Milledoler resigned the office of president, and was succeeded in the office, the same year, by Abraham B. Hasbrouck, LL. D.
At the close (says Gordon's Gazetteer) of the 17th century, the place where the city now stands was covered with woods, and called, after the name of its proprietor, " Prigmore's Swamp." The first inhabitant, of whom any account is preserved, was one Daniel Cooper, who resided where the post-road crossed the river, and kept the ferry, which afterward, in 1713, when the county line was drawn, was called Inian's Ferry. This ferry was granted by the proprietors, 2d Nov. 1697, for the lives of Inian and wife, and the survivor, at a rent of five shillings sterling per annum. One of the first houses is said to be still standing, at the foot of Town- lane; and some other buildings, erected at an early period, may be distinguished by their antique structure, in Burnet and Albany sts. The first inhabitants, of European origin, were from Long Island. About 1730, several Dutch families emigrated from Alba- ny, bringing with them their building materials, in imitation of their ancestors, who imported their bricks, tiles, &c., from Holland.
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Some of them built their houses upon the present post-road, which thence acquired the name of Albany-st. ; though originally it was called French-st., in honor of Philip French, Esq., who held a large tract of land on the north side of it. About this time the name of New Brunswick was given to the place, which had, hitherto. been distinguished as " The River."
Kalm, the Swedish traveller, who visited this country about a hundred years since, has left us in his Travels some interesting facts relating to New Brunswick. He says-
This morning [October 29, 1748] we proceeded on our journey [from Princeton.] The country was pretty well peopled : however, there were great woods in many places ; they all consisted of deciduous trees, and I did not perceive a single tree of the fir kind until I came to New Brunswick. The ground was level, and did not seem to be everywhere of the richest kind. In some places it had hillocks, losing themselves almost impercep- tibly in the plains, which were commonly crossed by a rivulet. Almost near every farm- house were great orchards. The houses were commonly built of timber, and at some distance, by themselves, stood the ovens for baking, consisting commonly of clay.
On a hill, covered with trees, and called Rockhill, I saw several pieces of stone or rock, so big that they would have required three men to roll them down. But, besides these, there were few great stones in the country ; for most of those which we saw, could easily be lifted up by a single man.
About noon, we arrived at New Brunswick, a pretty little town, in the province of New Jersey, in a valley on the west side of the river Raritan ; on account of its low situation it cannot be seen (coming from Pennsylvania) before you get to the top of the hill, which is quite close up to it. The town extends north and south along the river. The German inhabitants have two churches, one of stone and the other of wood. The English church is of the latter kind ; but the Presbyterians were building one of stone. The town-house, likewise, makes a pretty good appearance. Some of the other houses are built of bricks, but most of them are either made wholly of wood, or of bricks and wood ; the wooden houses are not made of strong timber, but merely of boards or planks. which are within joined by laths. Such houses as consist of both wood and bricks, have only the wall toward the street of bricks, all the other sides being merely of planks. This pecu- liar kind of ostentation would easily lead a traveller, who passes through the town in haste, to believe that most of the houses are built of bricks. The houses were covered with shingles ; before each door there was an elevation, to which you ascend by some steps from the street ; it resembled a small balcony, and had some benches on both sides, on which the people sat in the evening, in order to enjoy the fresh air, and to have the pleasure of viewing those who passed by. The town has only one street lengthwise, and at its northern extremity there is a street across ; both of these are of a considerable length. .
One of the streets is almost entirely inhabited by Dutchmen, who came hither from Albany, and for that reason they call it Albany-street. These Dutch people only keep com- pany among themselves, and seldom or never go amongst the other inhabitants, living as it were separate from them.
. The greater part of its [New Brunswick's] trade is to New York, which is about 40 English miles distant ; to that place they send corn, flour in great quantities, bread, several other necessaries, a great quantity of linseed, boards. timber, wooden vessels, and all sorts of carpenter's work. Several small yachts are every day going backward and forward between these two towns. The inhabitants likewise get a considerable profit from the travellers who every hour pass through on the high road.
The following historical items are from a map of New Bruns- wick, published in 1829, by Messrs. Marcellus, Terhune, and Letson.
Reformed Dutch Church .- The present building is the third which this denomination have occupied in this city. The first was erected previous to the year 1717 ; how long before, is not known. It stood on the corner of Schureman and Burnet streets, and at that date was called " the church of the River and Lawrence Brook," and numbered 78
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N. E. VIEW OF NEW BRUNSWICK, N. J.
On the right is seen the Railroad Bridge, above which, on an eminence, is seen Rutger's College. The Delaware and Raritan Canal, pane ing along Raritan River, is seen in front of the city.
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members. In 1720, the Rev. Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen, from the classis of Amsterdam, Holland, became its pastor. He was succeeded about the year 1750 by the Rev. Johannes Leydt, during whose ministry the second church was built, on the site of the present one. Mr. Leydt died in 1783, and was followed as pastor by Dr. Harden- burgh in 1786, who also died in that office in 1790, and was succeeded in office by Dr. Ira Condict. Dr. Condict died in 1811, and in 1812 the present church was erected. Since that time it has been successively under the care of Rev. J. Schureman, 1813; Rev. J. Fonda, 1814 ; Dr. Ludlow, 1818; Rev. J. Ferris, 1821 ; Rev. J. B. Harbenburgh, 1825. In 1828, a brick stuccoed steeple was placed on the house.
Presbyterian Church .- This congregation occupy their second house of worship. The first was built either before or during the ministry of the Rev. Gilbert Tennent, who became their pastor in 1726, and continued until 1740. The church stood in Burnet- street, below Lyell's brook, and its site is at present used as a place of interment. Mr. Tennent was succeeded by the Rev. Thomas Arthur, and by the Rev. Israel Reed, who became their minister sometime previous to the year 1759. Among the rest of the wan- ton depredations committed by the British soldiers, in the winter of 1776 and 1777, was the destruction of this church; and it was not until after the war, in 1784, that the present edifice was erected. In 1786, the Rev. Walter Monteith became a colleague with Mr. Reed, and in 1797 Dr. Joseph Clark was installed their pastor, who died in the year 1813. To him succeeded the Rev. Leverett I. F. Huntington, in 1815; who also died in this office in 1820. In 1821, the Rev. Samuel B. How was installed, who resigned in 1823, and was succeeded in 1825 by the Rev. Joseph H. Jones.
Episcopal Church .- Christ-church was erected in 1743. The congregation for many years were supplied with missionaries by the society in England, for " Propagating the Gospel in Foreign Parts." The Rev. Mr. Wood became their first minister in 1747, and was in 1754 succeeded by the Rev. Mr. Seabury, who afterward became the first bishop of the United States. He was followed by the Rev. Mr. Mckean, in 1757; the Rev. Leonard Cutting, in 1764, and the late Dr. Abraham Beach, in 1767. In 1773 the steeple was built, which was afterward burned to the stone basement in 1802, and rebuilt the same year. Dr. Beach resigned his rectorship in 1784, and was succeeded by the Rev. Mr. Rowland the same year ; the Rev. Mr. Ogilvie. in 1787 ; the Rev. Mr. Van Dyke, in 1791; the Rev. Dr. Hobart, (afterward Bishop of New York,) in 1799; the Rev. Mr. Colton, in 1800, and Dr. John Croes, (Bishop of New Jersey,) in 1801.
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