USA > New Jersey > Salem County > Salem > History and genealogy of Fenwick's colony > Part 41
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METHODIST SOCIETIES.
The spirit of religious reformation emanated from John and Charles Wesley, the eminent Christian reformers. It appears by the record that the first organization took place at the City Road chapel, situated on Moorsfield, a kind of pleasure grounds where the people walked on their holidays, and the young men 'engaged in sports and games. The first Conference was held 25th of 6th month, 1774, in the vestry of the church. John and Charles Wesley and four other clergymen and four laymen attended, and the foundation of the Methodist Society was laid. Both of the Wesleys lived to the advanced age of four-score years or more. Charles had been sickly from his youth, yet his active intellect had accomplished labors scarcely inferior to those of his brother. It has been said his sermons were always attractive to his audience, and his plaintive hymns stirred the deepest feelings of his contemporaries, and are still numbered among the most popular of modern compositions. It is further stated that he lived in self-chosen poverty, and when he died, at the age of eighty years, he left nothing to pay for a modest funeral. He was buried at the expense of a few of his personal friends. The loss of his brother warned John Wesley that he too could not long hope to remain behind to guide his faithful followers, but he still preached with animation at the age of eighty-four, but at eighty-six he admitted the weight of years ; his eyes, he remarked, were dim, his voice faint, but he traveled almost to the last; and was followed by the throngs who never deserted him. In the spring of 1791 he was brought to his house in City Road, stricken with a fever, and on the 2d of 3d month he died. Thus passed away one of the greatest men that England ever raised. He desired no pomp at his funeral, but, only the tears of those who loved him.
With the death of its founder the opponents of the new reform foretold that it must soon pass away, yet the Wesleys had left behind them a throng of disciples of various powers and attainments whose zeal upheld the principles they had inculcated, and whose laborious lives enforced the growth of
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Methodism. Of the most eminent for learning and virtuous resolution was Adam Clark, a man who was never idle, whose very amusements, his son wrote, were instructive. History tells us that he studied the Septuagenet and mastered the rarest niceties of the Hebrew while on horseback, book in hand, riding from place to place, preaching almost incessantly. IIe was sometimes assailed by gangs of angry smugglers in Guernsey, or frozen with the cold, and worn with fatigue, shivered in a lonely cabin as he pressed on in his studies. He composed, in the midst of his active labors as an ardent preacher, a " Com- mentary on the Bible," which is considered the most accurate, learned and extensive known to any tongue, a work that is acknowledged a wonder of English intellect, and fit to stand not far from " Gibbons' History of the downfall of Rome." He was at the same time employed by the English government in arranging its state papers, and enlarging the knowledge of its own history. An eminent writer said such a man could scarcely fail to bear on the banner of the Wesleyan reform, and was indeed the mental offspring, the peculiar product of the care and the foresight of John Wesley. Adam Clark was born in rude, yet honest poverty, in Ireland. He said on one occa- sion that he should hate his scoundrel heart if he did not love all mankind. Hence the Methodist Society began at once to teach a liberal humanity.
In that bold crusade against human slavery that agitated all England at the beginning of the present century, it is not im- probable, but for the strenuous efforts of the prominent mem- bers of Friends and Methodist Societies, and the support and influence they gave, that Wilberforce, Brougham and Clarkson might have failed to reach the goal for which they toiled.
It has been said that the most pleasing preachers at the City Road Chapel, after the death of Wesley, was Joseph Benson, and probably he was one of the greatest pulpit orators that ever belonged to the Methodist Society. His biographer states he was learned, amiable, modest, and graceful in elocution, and never failed to draw large audiences, and to touch the higher impulses of his hearers. There were also among the early Methodists a noble band of women, the most conspicuous among them being Susanna Wesley, the mother of John and Charles Wesley, and Mary, the wife of Adam Clark. Their names should be perpetnated to the latest posterity for their self-sacrificing deeds in behalf of humanity. In this short sketch I think it would be right to refer to Thomas Clark, who was sent over to organize the Methodist Church in America,
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and who was the first Superintendent or Bishop in this country. He was represented to have been small in stature, yet ardent and active above his contemporaries. In early life he was touched by Methodism, and became the chosen companion of Wesley in his most difficult labors, and gave his fortune, talents, and his life to the cause of missions. But in his boundless be nevolence he longed chiefly to extend the blessings of faith and culture to the slaves of the West Indies, the people of Africa, and the countless worshippers of idols in Hindostan ; he could be content with nothing less than the consolation of the most miserable, or the elevation of the most degraded of his race, and while the hideous traffic in the bodies and souls of men was at its height, while men were making profit from buying and selling men, human nature is at least redeemed from total infamy by the God-like labors of Thomas Clark. There were a large number of negro slaves converted through his influenee. He saw Ethiopia "stretching out her hands," and he was reso- lute enough to answer her cry. It has been stated on good au- thority that John Early, a native of Ireland, emigrated to this country in 1764, and located near what was afterwards known as Union church, in Gloucester county, he being the first Metho- dist in New Jersey. Previous to 1770 Early had embraced the doctrines of the Gospel as presented by John Wesley.
Methodism, in its ecclesiastical, owes its origin in New Jersey to Captain Thomas Webb, who was a local preacher and officer in the British army. Being stationed at Burlington, on duty, in 1770, he formed a class 14th of the 12th month, same year, and appointed Joseph Toy, a native of New Jersey, its leader. A short time previous to this Richard Boardman and Joseph Pilmoor came from England, and landed at Gloucester Point, in October, 1769 ; they were the first missionaries in America. The first house of worship of the sect was built in Greenwich town- ship, Gloucester county, in 1770: it was called Greenwich Chapel, and Edward Evans was the first minister. He died after a few month's service, and Joseph Pilmoor, one of the first missionaries, at that period a resident of the city of Philadel- phia, preached his funeral sermon, that was on the 15th of 10th month, 1771. When I take into consideration the early habits of Benjamin Abbott, the father of Methodism in Salem county, he certainly was one of the most remarkable men of his genera- tion. He married in early life, and located himself in Pitts- grove township; his wife was a member of the Presbyterian church of that place, and he occasionally went with her to church. In the fall of 1772, in the fortieth year of his age, he
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became converted under the preaching of Abraham Whiteworth. At that time he was a hired laborer for Benjamin Vanmeter, a prominent farmer in that neighborhood, and, according to tra- dition, Benjamin employed him solely on account of his museu- lar strength, for otherwise he was very objectionable, being in- temperate, and then so very quarrelsome. There lived in the same neighborhood John Murphy, a member of the Presbyte- rian Church, he being a man of considerable intellect and exten- sive reading, whose house appears to have been a home for the Methodist itinerants, and among the first preaching places of the county. After a time he became a member of the Society, quite contrary to the wishes of his former friends. At his house was formed the first Methodist Society in this county ; on the same site there was erected, a few years since, a good substantial brick building, which is called on the Salem circuit plan Friend- ship church, Benjamin Abbott being the first member. John Murphy was one of his neighbors, and it was returning from a visit to Murphy's that Abbott's wife was converted. Methodism was introduced in the town of Salem about the year 1774. Daniel Ruff visited the town and preached in the Court House. Some two or three years after Abbott's conversion he left Pitts- grove and located himself and family in Mannington township. There was a Methodist society formed at Quinton's Bridge, at the house of Benjamin Weatherby; among the members were Henry Firth and John McCloskey ; the latter became a distin- guished preacher, and filled several important appointments, including the cities of New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore, and also that of Presiding Elder. In the year 1784, the first Methodist church was built in the town of Salem ; Henry Firth and Benjamin Abbott and a few others were the principal mem- bers. The first named was instrumental (he having the most means) in building the church on a lot that he purchased on Margaret's lane, now known as Walnut street. They asked as- sistance from the members of other religious denominations, particularly of the Society of Friends. The matter was dis- cussed in their Quarterly Meeting, some Friends objecting to contribute, believing, by so doing, it would be a violation of the testimony that the Society always held against aiding hireling ministry. It was stated in the meeting that the preachers of the new sect only received a passing support for their services, and after a general expression of opinion it was decided by the Society that such of their members as felt free to contribute might do so, which they accordingly did. After the meeting house was completed, Benjamin Abbott was baptized in the new church,
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Although he had been preaching for twelve years, in consequence of the ministry having not been ordained he had not been bap- tized. He did not reside long in Mannington before he went to Lower Penns Neck to live, and about that time there was a Methodist society organized in that township; at the present it is a large congregation. The most reliable account that is left on record of Abbott is that his speaking was of a declam- atory kind, calculated to arouse his audience. He possessed an uncommon degree of zeal, and if he had the learning of the Wesleys, Clark or Benson, it is probable he would have been an uncommon pulpit orator. He died on the 14th of August, 1796, aged 64 years, and was buried on the third day following, in the Methodist burial ground in Salem.
Henry Firth, one of the first Methodists in this county, was of a Quaker parentage. His great ancestor, John Firth, settled in the neighborhood of Salem as early as 1707, and had several children. Henry Firth's mother was the daughter of Samuel Stubbins, he having but one son, Henry Stubbins, who inherited his father's estate in Elsinborough, and married, in 1737, Re- becca Daniels, daughter of James Daniels, Sr. They had no issue, and Henry Stubbins Firth became the adopted son of his unele, and eventually the owner, by will, of all the real estate that belonged to Henry Stubbins, in the township of Elsinbor- ough. His wife was Sarah, the daughter of Charles and Sarah Bassett Fogg, of Alloways Creek. Henry subsequently pur- chased the Preston Carpenter property in Mannington, and perhaps that purchase, together with his liberality to the new re- ligious sect, was the primary cause of his eventually losing his estate, and becoming unable to pay his just debts. John Wistar, whose heart was always filled with the milk of human kindness, with a few other friends, interceded for Henry and his wife, and succeeded in having a tenant house and about ten or twelve acres of ground attached, set apart for them to occupy whilst they lived. Henry soon after was appointed one of the Justices of the Peace of Salem county, he being well calculated for the office. He had a large patronage, and he and his wife lived comparatively comfortable to old age. They had three children -Stubbins, Ezra and Clara Firth. These children were greatly assisted in school education by those persons that took an inter- est in them. John Wistar soon discovered that the eldest son, Stubbins, possessed more than common abilities, and he accord- ingly gave him a liberal education at his own expense. The celebrated Dr. Casper Wistar, of Philadelphia, by the solicita- tions of his brother John, gave him studies, and soon after he
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graduated he removed to Charleston, South Carolina, where, in a short time, he had an extensive practice, and married a young lady of wealth, belonging to the old aristocratic families of that city. Stubbins died when he was about middle aged, without issue. John Firth, a younger brother of Henry, also left the religious sect of which he was born a member, and became a member of the Methodist Church. He married in 1793, Mar- garet Taber Sparks, of the county of Gloucester, in which place I think he resided mostly the remainder of his life. He was the author of the life of Benjamin Abbott.
In 1788 the name of the circuit was changed from West Jer- sey circuit to Salem circuit ; James O. Cromwell was appointed elder, and Joseph Cromwell, Nathaniel B. Mills, and John Cooper appointed to the circuit. About the year 1800, or a short time prior, the Salem church was largely increased in numbers. Among those new converts were three brothers, Jacob, William and Maskell Mulford ; they came to Salem from Greenwich, Cumberland county. Their parents were members of the Presbyterian church of that place; their mother's name was Maskell. That family were among the first Presbyterians that emigrated to Fenwick Colony from New England, as early as 1700. William, the second son, married the daughter of Elijah Cattell, who was the son of William Cattell, and Ann, his wife, born 27th of 7th month, 1751. He took an active part in the Revolutionary war, by which he lost his membership in the Society of Friends. He was a merchant, and his place of business was at the corner of Market and Broadway streets. After the death of E. Cattell, the property was sold to Isaac Moss, and he conveyed it to Thomas Jones.
The Methodist congregation in Salem increased rapidly, so much so that the Society found that the old frame building on Walnut street was not large enough to accommodate them, and in 1826 they concluded to erect a brick meeting house, which was completed and dedicated in 1838. Abraham Owen was at the time pastor of the church ; since then there have been sev- eral eminent clergymen stationed there ; among them was Jef- ferson Lewis, who was considered more than an ordinary pulpit speaker. The present popular pastor, Willis Reeves, I have been informed, attracts large audiences ; so much so that the Society has it in in contemplation to enlarge the present house. The church has about 334 members. In 1858 there was a number of the congregation, who belonged to the old church, believing it would be an advantage to the Society to have two separate congregations, resolved to build another church. Ac-
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cordingly 114 members purchased a lot on Broadway street at a cost of $4,000, and erected a large brick church there in 1859, at a cost of $18,000, size 55x80 feet. At the time of the organ- ization of the new church, the following persons named were the trustees : James Newell, Benjamin Lloyd, Ebenezer Dunn, John C. Dunn, Robert Newell, and T. V. F. Rusling. The two first named trustees, however, soon returned to the Walnut street meeting. The different ministers that have been stationed at the Broadway church since it was established were William H. Jeffery, two years ; R. H. Chalker, two years ; C. E. Hill, two years; Caleb Fleming, two years; J. S. Heisler, thrce years ; G. K. Morris, three years; William H. Pearne, two years. The present pastor is C. W. Heisley. There are about 300 members belonging to the church at the present time.
There are now more than twenty Methodist congregations within Fenwick Colony. Although their first religious organi- zation in this country being not much over one hundred years old, they are one of the most numerous Protestant sects in the United States. It must be admitted by every unprejudiced mind that they, in a society capacity, have done great good in promulgating moral and religious sentiments among mankind.
AFRICAN METHODIST SOCIETY.
The African Methodist Church in Salem was organized the latter part of the last century on Fenwick street. The late Robert G. Johnson deeded a lot of ground for the purpose, for their meeting house, and grave-yard. The Society purchased the old frame house that was formerly used as a Baptist Church at Mill Hollow, and moved it on Johnson's lot. It was used as a place of worship until within a few years. It is now used as a school house for colored children, and the Wesleyan Society of colored have erected a brick church in its stead. About 1820, there was a division among the colored Methodists in the town of Salem. Richard Allen, a colored preacher from Philadel- phia, contended the colored church should be governed by Bishops of their own race. By far the greatest number that belonged to the Salem church adhered to his principles of church government, and withdrew, and erected a meeting house for themselves. Consequently there are ten African churches in the city of Salem. There is one at Marshallville, in the town- ship of Mannington, one in the township of Quinton, and one at Bushtown, in Pilesgrove township.
ROMAN CATHOLIC SOCIETY.
In the early part of the present century there was a consider- able emigration from Germany and Ireland to Salem and Cum- berland counties. The greater number of those persons who came were members of the Roman Catholic Church. In the year 1850 the Catholics organized in the city of Salem a church, calling it the St. Mary's Catholic Church. There was erected about that time, on Oak street, a large church building. It was built of stone. The Catholic congregation at this time is considered one of the largest in the city. Father Pattle is their priest. It is generally considered that he exerts a moral and religious influence over his large congregation.
TOWNSHIPS.
John Fenwick, soon after his arrival, in 1675, wrote a code of laws for the government of his colony, being republican in form, and laid out a town which he called Salem, on a point of land bounded on the east by a tributary of Salem creek, which he called Fenwick creek, on the south by Amblebury creek. The number of acres, including the town marsh, was about 1700. His plan seems to have been for his colony to be governed by a Legislative body, distinct and separate from the other inhabit- ants of West Jersey. But the most eminent men that resided within the Salem tenth, and large owners within the same, op- posed his plan in that particular. They insisted that the inhab- itants of the whole of West Jersey should be governed by one Legislative body. The result of their disagreement was that the inhabitants of the infant colony were governed by the dif- ferent justices of the peace, created by the proprietor, and located in the different precincts of the county until 1683. At that time William Penn, being one of Edward Billings' trustees, took a great interest in the affairs of the people of the whole of West Jersey, and in 1682 he purchased the whole of John Fen- wiek's right in the Salem tenth, the proprietor reserving 150,000 acres for himself and heirs. In the spring of 1683 there was an election held for the first time in this section of Jersey, to elect three members to the Legislature of West Jersey, to meet at the town of Burlington the following winter. John Fenwick was elected as one of the members, but he died the same fall before the time of the meeting of the Assembly.
The principal and leading inhabitants of the town of Salem, from 1675 to 1770, were James Nevell, Thomas Killingsworth, Hippolite Lefever, John Pledger, Edward Wade, Edward Brad- way, Richard Johnson, William Hall, Alexander Grant, James Rolph, Benjamin Acton, Samuel Hedge, Jr., and his son, Sam- nel Hedge, 3d, Robert Rumsey, John Goodwin, Robert Conar. roe, Henry Wilkinson, James Champney, John Adams, John Fenwick, the proprietor, Edward Keasbey and John Test. The latter had a son, John Test, who resided in Pilesgrove ; also a
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son, Francis Test, who married and settled on the south side of Cohansey; he had nine children. The present Joseph Test, of Salem, is a lineal descendant of Francis Test, Jr. Thomas Hill was a leading and influential man in the town of Salem in the fore part of the last century.
The precinet of Elsinboro, although the smallest in the colony, by the original survey contained only 800 acres. It was first called Elsborg, after the fort built by the Swedes about 1640. Elsinboro is a historical precinct, for in that place the first Eng- lish settlement was made by a colony from New Haven, Con- necticut, as early as 1640. It was not a permanent settlement, for in 1642 they all returned to New England again. The town- ship is also noted for having some of the most conspicuous men in the first settlement of the colony that purchased lands and resided within its boundaries ; such men as Samuel Nicholson and his two sons, Samuel and Abel Nicholson, John Smith of Amblebury ; Robert Windham and his son-in-law, Richard Dar- kin ; John Mason and his son Thomas Mason; John, Andrew and Thomas Thompson ; Rudoe Morris, and his three sons, Jo- seph, Lewis and David Morris ; Isaac Smart and his son, Nathan Smart; George Abbott and his two sons, George and Samuel Abbott; Samuel Stubbins and his son, Henry, and John Firth. In the third generation there was Samuel Nicholson, son of Abel Nicholson, who was an eminent philanthropist in his generation. Perhaps he did as much or more than any other person of his time towards assisting the poor in Salem county. As early as 1760, Col. Benjamin Holme, who is well known in the history of this county, became a resident of Elsinboro, and died there in old age, full of honors; and his great-grandchildren are the owners of the patrimonial estate, and reside thereon. As early as 1700 William Hancock, the son of the emigrant, purchased a large tract of land in Elsinboro, and, with his son, Thomas, and grandsons, William and Thomas Hancock, held a large in- fluence in that place.
Monmouth precinct composed at the present time three town- ships-Alloways, Quinton and Upper Alloways Creek, and origi- nally contained 64,000 acres. In the year 1760 an act was passed by the New Jersey Legislature giving the inhabitants of Alloways Creek power to divide the township. Benjamin Thomp- son, in the upper district; John Stewart, of the lower; and Elnathan Davis, of Cumberland, were appointed commissioners ; the latter also was the surveyor. They set off 34,000 acres to the upper district, and it was called Upper Alloways Creek, and leaving 30,000 acres to the lower portion, it retaining the orig-
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inal name, Alloways Creek. A few years since there was an act passed by the Legislature to set off another township from the territory of Upper Alloways Creek, which is called Quinton, to commemorate Tobias Quinton, who was one of the first emigrants that located a large tract of land where the village of Quinton is situated. The descendants of the first and the most conspic- nous men that first resided in the ancient Monmouth District became historical characters : Christopher White, Samuel Wade, Neal Daniels, William Hancock and his son, John, John Han- cock, cousin of William, Nathaniel Chambless, his son Nathan- iel, William Tyler and his son, William, Charles Oakford, William Bradway, son of Edward Bradway, of Salem, John Malstaff, James Denn and his son, John Maddox Denn, Joseph Ware and his son, Joseph, George Trenchard 1st, George Dea- con, who removed to Burlington county in 1690, (where some of his descendants are still living,) Jonathan Smith, the son of John Smith, of Almsbury, Tobias Quinton, Daniel Smith, son of John Smith, William Willis, William Penton, Jolin Holme, William Thompson, the eldest son of Andrew Thompson, Wil- liam's four sons-Joseph, William, Samuel C. and Benjamin Thompson, Joseph Fogg and his three sons-Joseph, Daniel and Samuel Fogg, William Oakford, Jeremiah Powell and his two sons-Jeremiah and Samuel. John Maddox, the son of Ralph Maddox, was born near London, in 1631, removed to the city of London, in 1669, and resided in the parish of St. Sep- ulchre. His business was that of a tallow chandler. He mar- ried Elizabeth Durham, widow of Joseph Durham, a citizen of London. John and his wife, Elizabeth Maddox, and their dauglı- ter, Elizabeth, with two or three servants and a number of other passengers, sailed from London in the ship Surrey, Steven Nicli- ols, Captain, on the 24th of 6th month, 1678, for the province of West New Jersey. John and his family resided a short time in Salem. In 1680 he purchased of Isabella Hancock, a widow of Willian Hancock, 500 acres of land on the south side of Monmouth river. Their daughter, Elizabeth Maddox, married James Denn; they had two children-Margaret Denn, born 29th of the 4th month, 1689, and John Maddox Denn, born 1693. John Maddox, in 1700, sold all his real estate in the Monmouth precinct to Jeremiah Powell and John Hancock. (The latter was the son-in-law of Nathaniel Chambless, Sr.) It appears by the records that James Maddox and Elizabeth, his wife, had only one child, Elizabeth Denn. James Maddox died at Alloways Creek, in 1701 ; his will was executed in the year 1700.
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