USA > New Jersey > Bergen County > History of Bergen county, New Jersey > Part 47
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Lubbert Lubbertson Van Westervelt had children : Lubbert, born in Meppel, and married Belitje Bouluse, March 4, 1680; Roelof, also born in Meppel in 1659. Jumen, Jan, Margrietie, and Maritie were born in this country.
Deeds and papers in possession of their descedants show that the Van Westervelts were among the early settlers of old Bergen county, as Cornelius, son of Lubbert, settled at Acquackanonk, and was one of the original fourteen patentees who purchased the Acquackanonk patent in 1684, containing some thirty thousand acres. He did not remain long there, as there is only one conveyance afterwards, and then settled on the other side of the Passaic River, in what is now Bergen county, and hence originated the Van Westervelt name here. Like other families from Holland when first coming to America, they had no surname, but added to their baptismal name the name of the place from whence they came in Holland. Hence Jan, from the west of Holland, --- "wast valt," a west field, -would be "Jan Wast Valt," or John Westervelt.
The grandfather of Samuel D. Westervelt lived at the Hopper grist- mill. The Hoppers settled in the valley of the Wagzaw in 1711, and owned nearly all the land in that section on the Passaic River.
Of his children, Lucas, the youngest, was born in Pompton, March 17, 1788, and upon the death of his mother, when he was only seven years old, he came to Teaneck, where at the proper age he learned the mason's trade. He married Belinda Demarest November 5. 1803, who was born November 24, 1784, and died January 6, 1858. After his mar- riage he settled at Tenafly, where he built a stone house, in which he resided until his death, March 17, 1825. The house was standing in 1881, and is one of the monuments left of "olden time," and showing his chosen occupation.
His children were Simon, John, Cornelius, Samuel D., Elizabeth. Eve, and Aun, wife of Albert Winant, of Hackensack.
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
Lourens Andriessen Van Buskirk, signifying "from the church in the woods " (sometimes calling himself by the former and sometimes by the latter name, and whose name is frequently mentioned in the recital of early events in this history ) jointly with others purchased, January 6. 1676, a large tract of land, then known as New Hackensack, upon which he resided as early as 1688.
The De Mott family were Huguenots, and settled in English Neighborhood in the seventeenth century. Mathias, the ancestor of this family was born in France, and settled in Bergen county in 1685. His son Jacob was father of John De Mott, who died in 1832, aged eighty-four. Jacob, the father of.Jacob J. De Mott, was born March 11, 1794, and succeeded to the ancestral home on the Tenafly road. John De Mott, son of Jacob, lived in English Neighborhood where he carried on a saw and grist mill.
Richard Paulison was descended from an early settler in English Neighborhood. He was born October 1, 1773, and lived all of his life in the present Ridgefield township and died in 1873, at nearly one hun- dred years of age. He was the father of John R., and other children, who have left a large family of descendants, among whom was the late Judge Paulison and Paul Paulison.
Robert Earle, one of the pioneer settlers of Bergen county, located in Ridgefield township, and purchased a large tract of land, beginning at the North River, from thence to the Hackensack, and running thence to Bull's Ferry, from thence to Five Corners (or Bergen), near Fort Lee, as early as 1650; and as there were no white inhabitants near Mr. Earle, he gave several acres of woodland to a number of white families to locate on, with a view of forming a settlement. The only descendant of which there is any knowledge was Robert, who married Mary Smith and located in Ridgefield township. His children were Daniel, Robert, Philip, Joseph, John, Charles, Edward, Elizabeth, Jennie and Mary.
Andrew Engle, a native of Germany, settled on Bull's Ferry Hill, Ridgefield township, in about 1779, and purchased a large tract of land, and engaged in tilling the soil. His family consisted of John, Jennet, Sarah, Maria, Margaret, Andrew S., and James.
John married Mary Day, and settled adjacent to his father. His children were Jennet, Andrew, Henry, Sarah, Catherine, John, Mar- garet, Eliza Ann, James, Wilmina, Lonisa.
CIVIL ORGANIZATION.
The act of 1871, erecting the township of Ridgefield from the southern part of Old Hackensack, defines its lines of boundary as follows :
"Beginning at a point on the Hackensack River where the Cedar Lane road strikes the same, running thence in an easterly direction along the middle of the said Cedar Lane road to the middle of the Over- peck Creek ; thence in a northerly direction along the easterly branch of said creek to where the same strikes the line of lands formerly of John
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
I. Demott; thence easterly along the southerly line of said Demott's land to the east line of the township of Hackensack."
Edward Jardine became the first chosen freeholder under this last organization, and served for the year 1871, and followed by Hugh Bros- naham for 1872 and 1873, followed by Thomas Goulard for 1874, by Isaac R. Vreeland for 1875-77, John Winterburne for 1878, John J. Wood for 1879 and 1880, by Stephen H. V. Moore for 1881 to 1890 and by Cornelius J. Terhune to 1895, John C. Abbot to 1896, and by William B. Pugh to 1899.
The assessors of the township since its organization are as follows : John V. H. Terhune, 1871-75; James Armett, '76-77; John Fletcher Burdett, Jr., '77-79; William E. Taylor, '80-85; John Burns, '85-86; John C. Abbott, '86-87; John Burns, '87-88; John H. Mannix, '88-91; Thomas F. Mallon, '91-94; Henry Benecke, '94-97; Charles Corker, '97-99.
The collectors, Nicholas T. Romaine, 1871-72; John H. Winant. '73-75; William P. Degraw, '76-78; James Christie, '80-84; Charles H. Lozier, '84-86; J. Fletcher Burdett, '86-90; James Christie, '90-94; J. Fletcher Burdett, '94-99.
Township Clerks: James Christie, 1871-73; Andrew S. Engle, '7 .?- 75; Arthur J. Pollock, '75-77; J. H. Mannix, '77-80; Charles H. Lozier. '80-84; Daniel Manning, '84-87; John H. Monahan, '87-89; Edward M. Fitzgerald, '89-90; Fred. Marsden. '90-92; James F. Tracy, '92-99.
The justices of the peace, Charles W. Chamberlain, 1872; James C. Hazelton, '73; Thomas Dunn English, '76; Maurice Fitzgerald, '77; Arthur J. A. Pollock and Alexander Clendenin, 78; Samuel E. De Groot, '79; James Day, '80; Joseph L. Greeley, '85: Joseph Corte, '86; Cornelius D. Schor, '81-96; Alexander Clendenin, '83-88; Maurice Fitz- gerald, '80-90; Daniel Manning, '90-99; S. G. H. Wright, '86-92; Henry W. Mabie, '89-94; James F. Tracey, '94-99; Edward A. Gaute-1, '98-99. The population of Ridgewood Township in 1875, was 3576. The official vote cast at the November election after six boroughs had been taken out was 527.
FREEHOLDERS.
Names of members of Ridgefield Township Committee: 1871. Maurice Fitzgerald, John R. Paulison, Nicholas Jocobus, David Christie. Joseph Coyte; 1872, Maurice Fitzgerald, Nicholas Jacobus, Jacob V. Banta, David Christie, Albert Z. Bogert; 1873, Maurice Fitzgerald. Albert Z. Bo- gert, Nicholas Jacobus, John W. C. Van Winkle, WilliamL. Jones: 1874. Maurice Fitzgerald, S. H. V. Moore, Henry D. Eagle, John H. Brinker- hoff, Jacob V. Banta; 1875, Maurice Fitzgerald, S. H. V. Moore, Henry J. Kipp, Nicholas Jacobus, Charles W. Chamberlain; 1876. Henry J. Kipp, James Christie, John Monahan, Charles W. Chamberlain, Charles E. Richter; 1877, John Monahan, James Christie, Charles E. Richter, Henry J. Kipp, John H. Williams; 1878, James Christie, S. H. V. Moore, Jacob Terhune, William E. Taylor, John D. Probst; 1879, S. H. V. Moore, Jacob Terhune, James Day: 1880. Peter Bogert, Jr., Albert B. Christie, Joseph Coyte: 1881, Nicholas Jacobus. Peter Bogert, Jr ..
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
John S. Watkins; 1882, Peter Bogert, Jr., Nicholas Jacobus, Joseph Coyte; 1883, John S. Edsall, Peter Bogert, Jr., Frederick R. Grace; 1884, Peter Bogert, Jr., Frederick R. Grace, John S. Edsall; 1885, Peter Bogert, Jr., Frederick R. Grace, John S. Edsall; 1886, Peter Bogert, Jr., John S. Edsall, Frederick R. Grace; 1887. John S. Edsall, Peter Bogert, Jr., Frederick R. Grace; 1888, John C. Abbot, John S. Edsall, Frederick R. Grace: 1889, Joseph Schlosser, Jr., John C. Abbott, John S. Edsall; 1890, John S. Edsall. Joseph Schlosser. Jr., John C. Abbott; 1891, Albert Ravekes, Joseph Schlosser, Jr., John S. Edsall; 1892, Joseph Schlosser, Jr., Albert Ravekes, John S. Edsall; 1893, Peter Spindler, Joseph Schlosser, Jr., Albert Ravekes; 1894, Albert Ravekes, Joseph Schlosser, Jr., Peter Spindler: 1895, Joseph Schlosser, Jr., Peter Spindler, Albert Ravekes; 1896, Samuel Mabie, Joseph Schlosser, Jr., Albert Ravekes; 1897, Julius M. Dubois, John A. Brandt, Samuel Mabie: 1898, Julius M. Dubois, John A. Brandt, Samuel Mabie; 1899, James A. Brandt, James Burns, John Brown.
COMMENCEMENT OF IMPROVEMENTS TO GRAND. PALISADE AND BROAD AVENUES.
In 1869 an Act was passed by the Legislature of New Jersey to widen, straighten, grade, macadamize and put in good order all that part of the public road heretofore known as the English Neighborhood road. in the township of Hackensack, in the county of Bergen, from where it joins the Bergen turnpike in Ridgefield to Palisade Avenue in Englewood in the said township; and appointed Garret A. Lydecker. Nathan T. Johnson, Samuel E. De Groot. J. Vreeland Moore and Nich- olas T. Romaine commissioners for five years, in which to make these improvements.
In 1870 the Legislature amended the Act of 1869, and largely increased the powers of the Commissioners; also specifying that the English Neighborhood road should be known as Grand Avenue; and also added all that part of Palisade avenue from Grand avenue west- wardly to the bridge on said Palisade avenue near the blacksmith shop of Henry West, in said village of Englewood. Said Commissioners were also authorized to open, alter, grade and put in good order a new public road, to be known as Broad avenue, from Ridgefield to Englewood. In 1871 and 1872 there was additional legislation; and the Commission finally completed their work July 4, 1874, at an expense of a little over thirty-five thousand dollars.
SCHOOLS.
From a report of the schools of Ridgefield township, dated April 10, 1843, we extract the following :-
"No. 2. at Fort Lee was visited on the first Monday in March. The school building appears to be the best, largest, and most com- modious of any in the township. A becoming spirit animates all in the furtherance of popular education. The average number of scholars
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
taught is fifty-two, the terms of tuition $1.50 and $2.00; the school has been kept open the whole year; the amount of money received $92.44. Out of this was paid for interest debt on school house, $30; to paying teacher $30; for stove and fuel $24, leaving an unexpected balance of $8.40 Poor children are admitted free of charge, the teacher being engaged by the year at a fixed pension.
" All of which is respectfully submitted." (signed ) John Van Brunt.
COMPANY E, 2ND REGIMENT, N. J. VOL. INFT.
This company was organized May 1, 1861, the recruiting having been done largely in Ridgefield township. The armory is at Leonia. The first officers were James Vreeland Moore, Captain; Garret L. Edsall, First Lieutenant; Stephen H. V. Moore, Second Lieutenant; John H. Brinkerhoff, First Sergeant.
The company was organized for the New Jersey National Guard service, and during the railroad riots of 1877 took part in the quelling of that disturbance. From the Adjutant General's report of 1877 we find that the 2nd Battalion was commanded by James V. Moore, Major; his staff officers being Charles W. Springer, Adjutant; Jacob J. DeMott, Quarter Master; William P. DeGraw, Paymaster; Melancthon S. Ayers, Surgeon.
Company A, of Leonia: B of Englewood, and C, of Hackensack, 1st Brigade composed this Battalion. Company A, at that time. was commanded by Stephen H. V. Moore, Captain; Emanuel G. Gismond. First Lieutenant; Frederick G. Bennett, Second Lieutenant.
During the Spanish American war, this company, ( known as Com- pany E, Second Regiment, N. G., N. J.), was recruited to the war standard largely from Leonia, Fort Lee, Coytesville and Englewood. and was mustered into the United States service at Sea Grit, N. J., May 2, 1898, for the Cuban war. On June 1st the Company left there for Camp "Cuba Libre " Jacksonville, Fla., and was attached to the Second Brigade, First Division, 7th Army Corps, General Fitzhugh Lee con- manding. It returned home September 24th, and was mustered out of U. S. service November 17, 1898, at Paterson, N. J. The company was commanded by Captain Henry R. Goesser; First Lieutenant, Lorenzo Gismond; Second Lieutenant, John Brinkerhoff; First Sergeant, George M. Williams, and upon the return of the command the entire company received a royal welcome at Leonia and also at Fort Lee, September 26, 1898. One private of Company E. died during their absence. In com- pliance with general orders No. 6, A. G. O., dated Trenton, May 2. 1899, the National Guard of New Jersey, was re-organized to conform as nearly as possible to the organizations in the United States Army, and reducing the number of infantry requirements from six to four. A number of the companies were also disbanded, including the infantry Company at Leonia.
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
FORT LEE."
" As the traveller passes up the Hudson, he will observe that a point nearly opposite Carmansville the mass of rock known as the Pali- sades, which from below Hoboken recede for some distance over the river, and have their basis studded with towns, villages, and country seats, are suddenly forced apparently to the edge of the stream by a deep and narrow ravine. Thence they approach so close to the water's edge that their columnar wall seems to rise nearly direct over the bed of the river, In the circular bend made by this change of position lies the older village of Fort Lee, formed by about fifty dwelling houses, an exceedingly uncomfortable schoolhouse, a shackly building that was once a piano manufactory, a dilapidated barn, and four wharves that seem to have been erected about the time that Charles II gave to his brother that portion of the New Netherlands, now known as New Jersey. This is the original settlement which grouped itself around Berdette's house after the Revolution. The modern portion of the vil- lage, embracing the minor hamlets of Coytesville, Taylorsville, Pond Park and Irishtown, lies above the summit of the Palisades, and occupies about four square miles. This part contains nearly three hun- dred and fifty buildings, irregularly scattered over the surface, and fashioned in every style of architecture known to civilization, including some erections that seem to be modelled after the style of Kamtchatka and Central Africa. The roads and streets are graded and covered in a way that would break the hearts of McAdam and Telford, could either of these famous engineers see them.
" The Palisades, which first show at this point their most striking peculiarity of formation, commences at Bergen Heights and extends to the New York line, a distance of about twenty-four miles. Their height varies from two hundred to five hundred feet, and their average width is about one and a half mile. They are composed of metamorphic rock, particularly trap and green stone, with occasional thin seams of zoolite, maguesite and amethystine quartz. The summit of the Palisades from Bull's Ferry upward remain in an almost primitive state of wildness. The timber is mostly of second and third growth, but it contains many beautiful trees that might have been standing when Hendrick Hudson ascended the river.
" In the rocky clefts, and through the rarely trodden. woods that have thus far escaped the axe, there is to be found a choice variety of insect and reptile life not to be seen on the other side of the Hudson. The deer and panther have long since gone with the red men; and the fox and American hare, and that handsome little animal which defends himself against all comers by a perfume more potent than agreeable, make all the fauna of to-day. Snakes there are in abundance; copper- heads, black snakes and blowing vipers abound, while occasionally a rattlesnake gives warning that he has not yet entirely yielded to the approach of civilization. For miles and miles a foot traveller may pass
#From a sketch on Fort Lee by Dr. Thomas Dunn English in 1871,
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
along the summit of the Palisades and find no trace of man, but of the wild beauty of nature he will find enough. The artist who makes his annual weary pilgrimages to the White Mountains or the Adirondacks in search of subjects for the pencil, rarely knows that within less than an hour's journey from the Art Building he can find studies enough to keep him busy for a lifetime at his easel, and that he has a choice between inland scenes of great variety and beauty, and water views, with an extent of panorama and apex of light, shade and atmosphere to be surpassed in few portions, if any in the United States."
"During the Revolution Fort Lee was the theatre of many exciting scenes, and raids were made by the British and Tories along the Hund- son from Weehawken to Tappan, driving off cattle and destroying property of the settlers. South of Fort Lee, above Bull's Ferry, on Block-house Point, stood the famous block-house, the refuge for the most unscrupulous Tories of the Revolution. From the block-house frequent raids were made upon the settlers. Washington ordered Gen- eral Wayne to attack this neighborhood, and on July 20, 1780, Wayne left his headquarters at New Bridge, and, leaving two regiments at Fort Lee, proceeded with the remainder of his force to the attack. On the morning of the 21st the attack was made, and after a fierce encounter General Wayne was forced to withdraw, first destroying the Tories' boats on the river front, and driving off their cattle.
"This attack brought forth a sarcastic poem entitled " The Cow Chase," written by Major Andre, the unfortunate British officer who was executed as a spy, just beyond the border of this county, near the village of Tappan.
"It was at Fort Lee that the noted Thomas Paine wrote one of his famous political papers, the one beginning with the often quoted phrase: " These are the times that try men's souls." In a short account of the battle and evacuation of Fort Lee, Paine says:
"It is stated that Washington saw the assault and its result and wept at the sight in the presence of Burdett, who lived in the house below the cliff, which, part of the time was Greene's headquarters, and still stands with a modern addition. This account is implicitly believed by Dr. Dixon. Burdett was evidently one of those prudent men who kept on good terms with both sides. With a large force ready to cross at the ferries above, and powerful enough to force a passage, Fort Lee and its dependencies became unattainable, and preparations for retreat was made at once. The movement on the 20th, was that of the rear guard. The distance was not more than five miles by the direct route, but a part of the forces moved up a lower road, traces of which exist and have furnished the artist with one of his views. The main road now a little south of the present turnpike, arose on the hill, so as to strike just back of the present residence of Henry J. Irving, running close to the farm house, now occupied by William Taylor. As General
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
Washington lodged at this last house for a short while, it forms one of the many Washington headquarters. The exterior of the house, built in the Dutch style, has been recently modernized, but the interior of the sitting room remains,-except the furniture-in its old condition. There is a bullet hole in the jamb of one of the doors, a relic of a Revo- lutionary skirmish. Mr. Trylor took out the bullet some years since and then replaced the casing leaving the hole unfilled. Down these two roads the army seems to have marched, with the exception of a few who retreated in a path further south above a beaver dam, which may still be seen, minus the beavers. The British pursued as far as the Hackensack river where they encamped.
"Fort Lee did not grow for a long time after the Revolutionary war. At one time it was the seaport town of the county. Here the farmers of the neighboring valley used to embark with produce to seek a New York market. first in periaguas, then in horse-boats and finally in the steamboat. Turnpike roads first and railroads afterward, diverted this stream of travel. Then came a piano manufactory. After some years this passed. Then came the shoe interest, which had its day, and gave place to the Belgian block-makers, who now form the industrial element of the neighborhood. With all these the lower village does not grow, for mere want of space. As for the upper village, that is gradu- ally expanding. In 1776 there were farms on the hill. War swept all that, and Demeter fled before Ares. The embankment was thrown up in a cornfield, in which were a number of bearing pear trees that were cut down to form abatis. When the war was over the place was cover- ed with copsewood and brambles, with young trees, and liquid ambers and hickories here and there, that gradually formed a grove. As the proprietors of the ground were Tories, and Toryism got the worst of it, their property was confiscated and sold to the highest bidder. The highest bidder was a very low bidder indeed. A few shillings per acre was considered a high price for land that was made up of rock and swamp and low growth, There is a tract in the neighborhood, held partly by position, and partly through reference to it in the conveyance of an adjoining plot of ground. The owner did not think the ground of enough value to pay for, according to the original deed, which was afterward lost. Yet part of this wild property sold for thirty dollars per acre less than thirty years since and recently changed hands at over one hundred and eighty-six times that price.
THE BOURDETTES.
Fort Lee was commenced on the 12, of September, 1776, and was situated on the western side of the road that leads up the hill from the steamboat landing, about three hundred feet behind Palisade rocks which skirt the river. Its southern bastion is situated directly behind the Episcopal Church. It was about a quarter of an acre in extent, and was surrounded by an embankment, still traceable, though nearly obliterated by the plough.
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HISTORY OF BERGEN COUNTY
Some four hundred acres-comprising the whole of the village proper, together with the landing and the hill on which the hotel stands-were purchased about twenty years before the Revolution, by Stephen Bourdette, who, in connection with William Bayard had received from the King a grant of a large tract of land, comprising Weehawken and Hoboken. The house is still standing at Weehawken Hill, in which he lived. He purchased the land at Fort Lee from an old slave who had been made a free man by his master, and lived in soli- tude by fishing and trapping the animals that abounded in the vast forest about that place.
The father of Stephen, Etienne Bourdette, was the son of a French gentleman who had left his native country many years before the Edict of Nantes and settled in one of West India islands as a planter. Etienne had been sent to New York by his father, to acquire an education, about eighty years before the war.
Stephen Bourdette lived in Pine street and cultivated the beautiful region of which we write- purchased the entire place, and erected a spacious stone house afterward occupied by Robert Annette, proprie- tor of the hotel and landing. This exceedingly valuable and command- ing situation, was given to an old man for constructing a few hundred yards of wall, to hold up the old road leading from Mr. Burdette's house to the cow pasture on top the hill.
The stone house occupied by Etienne Burdette, was the only one then standing on the place. This was the headquarters of Washing- ton, and after the death of Etienne it was left to his son Peter, and his wife, who had been living at Hackensack, but came to take charge of their father in his extreme old age. He died there, aged eighty years. Peter Bourdette, with his excellent wife, came to the place about fifteen years before the war, and soon made it an abode of great comfort and hospitality. There the miserable and afflicted always found a com- forter, and were never turned away empty.
Upon the death of Etienne, several years before the war, the place was given by Stephen to his brother Peter, who with his eldest son ( also Peter ) and his wife Rachel Bush, then seven years old, afterwards the mother of Edward H. Dixon of New York, passed through the stormy period of the Revolution. In November, 1776, Washington having issued orders to General Mercer to summon all available troops and erect a fort there, hundreds of tents appeared on the high ground that com- mands the river, the general himself coming on the 13th of that month.
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