USA > New Jersey > Burlington County > Burlington > History of Burlington and Mercer counties, New Jersey : with biographical sketches of many of their pioneers and prominent men > Part 100
USA > New Jersey > Mercer County > History of Burlington and Mercer counties, New Jersey : with biographical sketches of many of their pioneers and prominent men > Part 100
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The sons of William Conover were William, Gar- ret, and David. The genealogy of one branch of the family of William (2) will be found in the following paragraphs :
William Conover (2) married Deborah Voorhees. family from Long Island, and had children named William, Ralph, Deborah, Margaret, and Mary.
William Conover (3) married Mary Grover. His children were William (born July 9, 1799). Ralph, Pearson, Richard, Deborah, Elizabeth, Gertrude, Maria, Margaret, Voorhees, and Lavinia and George Follet (twins ).
William Conover (4) married Elizabeth Bastido. His children were named Ira, Mary, William, Gar-
1 Formerly spelled Kouwenhoven, Kovenhoven, and Covenhoven.
" This original Penn patent is still existing in the Schenck family at Princeton.
WEST WINDSOR TOWNSHIP.
ret, Ralph, Ann, Abbie, Charles, Elizabeth, and Alice. Of these, Ira, Alice, and Ralph are dead. None of the others live in the vicinity.
Ralph Conover, son of William (3), and brother of William (4), married Rachel Dye, and lives at Tren- ton.
Pearson Conover married Annie Morris, and had children named Edward, Lawrence. John, Elizabeth, Mary, and Emma. Mary married James Dennis, of West Windsor. None of her brothers and sisters live in the township.
Richard Conover married Margaret Dye, and lives near Cranbury. He has four sons, named Dye, Dis- brow, Baxter, and Voorhees.
Deborah, Elizabeth, and Gertrude Conover never married.
Maria Conover married Paul Morris, and located in Monmouth County.
Margaret Conover married Z. Stout, and removed to Jersey City.
Voorhees Conover died many years ago.
Lavina and George Follet Conover (twins) died young.
As appears from the records of the township, Gar- ret Schenck, Joseph Schenck, and John Schenck were prominent in local affairs before and after the beginning of the present century. John A. Schenck, David K. Schenck, John G. Schenck, John C. Schenck and others of the name have at a later date been con- spicuous citizens, actively identified with the affairs of the township.
The pioneers at Dutch Neck were Holland Dutch- men from Long Island. Among the very few fami- lies of original settlers in that part of the township, the Voorhees and Bergen families were prominent. Like the two families on Penn's Neck, these two families intermarried, the second wife of Coert Voor- hees, the settler of the name at Dutch Neck, having been a woman of the Bergen family.
Coert Voorhees had several children, among whom were Coert, Jr., and Elijah. None except these re- mained in the township. Elijah married a Van Nest, and lived and died at Dutch Neck. He had two sons named Eli and Ralph, neither of whom ever married. The former is dead. The latter lives at Dutch Neck. Coert Voorhees, Sr., and Coert Voorhees, Jr., both served in the American ranks during the Revolu- tionary struggle, the former fighting at the battle of Trenton.
The younger Coert Voorhees was born at Dutch Neck, Feb. 20, 1756. He married and had children named Catharine, William Cornelius, John, Major, Elijah, Joseph, Anna, Polly Betsey, and Ellen. Of these we have no information except the following relative to Catharine, William, and Major :
I. Catharine Voorhees married William Conover, and had children named Mary Ann, Eliza, Phebe, Catherine, John, and William. John is living in New Brunswick; William is dead.
II. William Voorhees married Ellen Stonaker, of Cranbury (Middlesex County), and had children named Eliza, David S., Martin, Abraham, James. Ezekiel, Cornelius, Joseph, Alexander, and Ellen. and two or three others. Eliza married Richard Hutchinson, of West Windsor, and had children named Abbie, Deborah, James, William, John, and Isaac. David S. married Amy Slinglon, of Prince- ton, and is now living at Penn's Neck. His children were named Harrison, George, Smith, David, Edward (dead), Mary, Harriet, and Elizabeth (dead). Martin removed to Somerset County, and now lives there. Abraham married Sarah Henderson, of Princeton, and lived and died in West Windsor. James died unmarried. Ezekiel married Rachel Silvers, and lives in East Windsor. Cornelius married an Em- bley of East Windsor, and is living at Asbury Park. N. J. Joseph, at the age of twenty-one, entered the United States navy, and has only once revisited his native place. It is not known by his relatives whether he survives. Alexander died unmarried. Ellen married Ezekiel Lutes, of West Windsor, and is dead. None of her children live in the township.
III. Major Voorhees was born at Dutch Neck. May 12, 1798, and in 1820 married Atheleah Cub- berly, who was born at Hamilton Square, Aug. 7, 1799. In 1823 they removed to Hamilton Square, where they celebrated their golden wedding in 1870.
George Bergen operated a grist-mill near Dutch Neck during the Revolution. His sons were John, Peter, and John G. He had several daughters. John removed to Kentucky. William G. Bergen, son of George G., married Susan Reed, and is a farmer near Dutch Neck. His children are named James, Spaf- ford, Stephen, Sarah, Johnson, Eliza, Howard, Emma. and George T. No further information concerning this family can be obtained.
The Van Nest family were among the pioneers of West Windsor. Few descendants are now living there. John Tindall, William Tindall, John Cox. Thomas Clark, John Morgan, Abel Slayback, Joseph Stout, Amos Hutchinson, John Skillman, William Dey Jewell, ' Isaac Cook, William Vaughn, Ezekiel Smith, Joseph Olden, and William Holmes, besides some of the persons previously mentioned, were holders of township offices in West Windsor previous to 1800.
William Fisher settled in the southeast part of the township, near Hickory Corners, in 1775, and owned a large tract of land in the vicinity. He married Era Stout and reared a large family, of whom were Wil- liam, Samuel, Eunice, Sarah, Elizabeth, Ann, and others. William Fisher, Jr., married and settled in Burlington County. Mary Wilson was his first wife. Samuel Fisher married Johanna S. Stockton, and located on a portion of the homestead. His sons were named James S. and William. The former mar-
1 Thomas Jowell, William D. Jewell, and the heirs of Elisha Jewell own and occupy three of the finest farmy in the township.
870
HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
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ried Margaret Clark and located at Penn's Neck, where : Mount, Elisha Rogers, Isaiah Jamison, William Post, he now lives. The latter married Mary Dutcher and . Thomas Hooper, William V. Seudder, John A. L. lived at Penn's Neck twenty-five years, and then re- moved to Bound Brook, N. J. Ennice married Ran- dall Chamberlain and removed to Ohio. Returning, she afterward married James Hultz and located at Plainsboro' (Middlesex County). Sarah married a Chamberlain and settled near Hightstown; Mary married Abel Harden and located in East Windsor ; Elizabeth married Aaron Forman, and for a time lived at Hightstown, but later removed to Edinburg, where she and her husband died; Ann married a Howell, and lived on the old Fisher homestead.
Prior to 1800, Matthew Rue settled on what is now known as the Dutch Neck road, about a mile east of Dutch Neck, and was a purchaser of about five thou- Organization .- As it appears from an ancient sand acres of land in that vicinity. He married , document in the office of the Secretary of State, the Rebecah Ely, and had children named Ann, Mat- original township of Windsor 1 was organized March 9, 1750. thias, Enoch, Phebe, Mary, Joseph, Matthew, Achsah, Joshua E., Rebecah, John, and Gilbert W. Rue.
Ann married William Cotheal, and located in Mid- dlesex County, and reared a family.
Matthias married Ellen Ruc, and removed to Mid- . was named East Windsor, and all that portion west dlesex County, and engaged in farming. He had ; of the division line named West Windsor. sons named John and Elwood Rue.
Enoch married Lydia Davison, and located in West : that,- Windsor, on the road from Dutch Neck into Lawrence township, a mile from Dutch Neck, and engaged in farming. He had one son named John D. Rne, and one danghter, the wife of Rev. Mr. Van Syckle.
Phebe married Elias Bergen, and removed to Tren- ton.
Mary became the wife of Matthias Mount, and located near Dutch Neck.
Joseph married Cornelia Mount, and removed to Englishtown, Monmouth Co.
Matthew married Mary Ann Allen, and lived on part of the old homestead of the family, and had seven children.
Achsah married S. Joseph Ely, and removed to Monmonth County.
Joshua E. became a preacher, and married Mary McAuley.
Rebecah married Enoch Mount, and located at Hightstown.
Jolm married Mary Laird, and removed to Mon- mouth County.
Gilbert W. married Annie Hutchinson, and is living in Monmouth County.
Amung names of members of families who have come into the township at a later date than the pio- neers and who have at one time or another been prominently identified with its leading interests, may be mentioned those of Amos Hutchinson, Daniel Agnew, Benjamin Clark, Col. E- Beatty, Jacob Van Dyke, Redford Job, David T. Labaw, James D. Hutchinson, John T. Hutchinson, James McGalliard, John S. Robins, Liscomb T. Robbins, Enoch Robbins, Elijah V. Perrine, James H. Everett, Richard C.
Crater, John S. Van Dyke, William Wiley, Henry M. Taylor, Abraham Van Hise, and William K. Holmes. Others may be found in the civil list of the township, which may be fairly regarded as being com- posed. for the most part, of the names of its leading and most influential citizens. Others still will be seen in the chapters devoted to the religious and industrial interests. As has been seen, the pioneers on the soil of West Windsor were few in number, and the record of their achievements is manifested in the progress and general prosperity of the township, though it cannot be recounted with the fullness that may seem desirable by any of its present residents.
The township remained as originally organized un- til 1797, when a division was effected by an act of the Legislature, and that portion east of the division line
In the third section of this act it was provided
" The inhabitants of the said township of East Windsor and West Windsor respectively shall meet at Haightstown (Hightstown), in the said township of East Windsor, and at the house where Jacob Bergen now lives, in the said township of West Windsor, on the day appointed by law for the first annual town-meetings after the pass- ing of this act, and shall then and there proceed to the election of town officers for each of the said townships, as the law provides."
Feb. 11, 1813, a portion of West Windsor township was set off to form a part of the borough of Princeton, then erected from West Windsor, and the township of Montgomery, Somerset County.
Civil List .- None of the records of the old town- ship of Windsor are be found or known by the officers of the townships of East Windsor and West Windsor to be in existence. Below is given a complete list of the principal officers of West Windsor since the division of Windsor in 1797 :
CHOSEN FREEHOLDERS.
Ezekiel Smith, 1797.
James A. Hutchinson, 1818.
Joseph Olden, 1797.
William Holmes, 1798-99.
George W. Applegate, 1853-59.
Elisha Jewell, 1660.
Thomas Clark, 1799-1802.
Jolin D. Rue, 1861-62.
E. Beaty, 1800-10, 1815-22.
Eli Rogers, 1862-63.
Joseph Clark, 1805-6.
Isaac Rossell, 1863.
John G. Schenck, 1807.
Amos H. Tindall, 1804-71.
Benjamin Clark, Jr., 1808-10.
Joseph II. Grover, 1865-66.
Henry Dye, 1823-24.
Sammuel Fisher, 1967.
William Bicknor, 1825, 1827-36. Vincent Dye, 1825.
Elijah V. Perrine, 1:70.
John C. Schenck. 1826-35.
William G. Bergen, 1872-73.
William Beekman, 1>26.
John Wyckoff. 1-75.
John S. Van Dyke, 1-36-46. . Jasper Allen, 1>57-79
Eli bye, 1837-43, 1831-59.
William H. Jamison, 1581.
David K. Schenck, 1841-48, 1850.
1 George M. Rue, 1550-54.
Joseph Schenck, 1798, 1803-4, 1811- 14.
James D. Robins, 1860-61.
Edward Jewell, 1864.
John Hamilton, 1811-24.
Joseph Coleman, IsGs.
) Named in honor of Windsor, in England, as is supposed.
871
WEST WINDSOR TOWNSHIP.
TOWNSHIP CLERKS.
George G. Bergen, 1797-92, 1812-14. ' Elwood Rogers, 1802, 1864-65. Francis S. Labow, 1800-11. Scott Berrien, 1.63.
Dayid Schenck, 1815-24. Thomas Hooper, 1825-26. John S. Van Dyke, 1827-30, 1832- 48.
John S. Rubins, 1850-61.
Liscomb T. Robins, 1866-70, 1873- 81. Joseph Watson, 1871. George R. Cook, 1.72. Sammel S. Wilson, 1875.
ASSESSORS.
William Tindall, 1797-1802, 1821 -28. William G. Bergen, 1847, 1850-51, 1853. Elijah Voorhees, 1803-6. Charles G. Bergen, 1848. Enoch Robbins, 1852, 1854-62, 1866.
John A. Schenck, 1807-20.
David K. Schenck, 1829-37.
Henry MI. Taylor, 1863, 1872-74.
Elijab V. Perrine, 1862-65.
James McGilliard, 1838-39, 1843, 1845. David S. Dye, 1840-42, 1844.
John S. Robins, 1846.
Jasper Hunt, 1875-80. Jolin Yard, 1881.
COLLECTORS.
Able Slayback, 1797. Elijah Voorhees, 1798-1802.
John F. Labow, 1859-63, 1866. Nathaniel Schenck, 1864. Isaialı Jamison, 1865.
Henry Dye, 1803-37,
Richard C. Mount, 1838-40.
George Denison, 1867, 1871-78.
Elisha Rogers, 1841.
Jonathan Watson, 1868.
Eli Rogers, 1:42-48. 1850.
James D. Duncan, 1851-55.
William G. Bergen, 1856-58, 1879- 80
TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE.
Garret Schenck, 1797-1802. John Tindall, 1797.
Willianı Tindall, 1798-1816, 1820- 27, 1834-35. John Cox, 1798. John Schenck, 1798-1800. Thomas Clark, 1798. Ezekiel Smith, 1799. John Morgan, 1799. Amos Ilutchinson, 1800-2. Coert Voorhees, Sr., 1800-6. Daniel Agnew, 1801-4. Joseph Olden, 1803-7. William Vaughn, 1803. John A. Schenck, 1804-20. Benjamin Clark, 1805-6. Jehin Hamilton, 1807-24. Alexander L. Cruser, 1807. Joseph Schenck, 1808-11. George G. Bergen, 1808-13. Jacob Van Dyke, 1812-15. William Post, 1814-24, 1826-41. Benjamin Olden, 1816-29. Redford Job, 1817, 1819. David F. Labow, 1821-31. Abraham Voorhees, 1825. J. D. Ilutchinson, 1825-33. John T. Hutchinson, 1828-34. John C. Schenck, 1830-35. Ezekiel Rogers, Jr , 1832-38. Francis S. Labow, 1835-37. James Olden, 1836-39. James McGalliard, 1836-37, 1847- 48.
Elisha Jewell, 1838-46, 1:57. James D. Robbins, 1838-39. 1842- 47, 1850, 1856-62, 1864-65. James A. Ilutshinson, 1839-46. Charles S. Oldlen, 1:10, 1> 12-48. George MI. Rue, 1540-45, 1850-52. Enoch Ayres, 1:46.
David K. Schenck, 1847-49, 1x50. Isaac Rossell, 1547-48, 1850, 1856- 58.
Jolin .A. L. Crater, 1848.
George W. Applegate, 1850-59, 1865, 1866, 1871-73. Thomas Lavender, 1851-52.
John H. Clark, 1851-52.
Jelin Rogers, 1851-52. David S. Dye, 1852. William Tindall, 1853. William Van Dyke, 1853-56. Randall IInghes, 1853-55. William G. Bergen, 1854, 1859-61, 1863, 1868, 1870-74. Amos H. Tindall; 1854-55. Phillip Shangle, 1855-56. James II. Everett, 1857-62. Robert L. Fisher, 1858. Isaiah Jamison, 1859. William S. Wyckoff, 1860-62. Eli Dye, 1860-62. Charles B. Moore, 1862. J. II. Watson, 1863. Aaron Coleman, 1863. Jolin C. Bergen, 1863. William Updike, 1863, 1867-68. Daniel MI. Hulet, 1864-67. Stephen HI. lledden, 1864. Enoch Robbins, 1864. Barzillia Grover, 1864. C. J. Wills, 1865-67, 1869-71. Samuel Fisher, 1865-66. John S. Robins, 1866. 1867, 1869- 74.
Joseph G. Grover, 1868-81. Elijah V. Perrine, 1-68-69. Alexis Ryncar, 1868, 1875. Peter Rue, 1870. . Enochi W. Hart, 1869. William II. Jamison, 1872-74, 1877. Thonias S. Everett, 1875-76. William G. Schenck, 1875. Julin. D. Kne, 1-76-78. George R. Cook, 1876-81. Joseph Coleman, 1856, 1878-79. Spatferd Bergen, 1877.
W. J. Tindall, 1578, 1881. Ralph Rogers, 1879-80. Symes Bergen, 1879-80. -
Jasper Allen, 1881. Jolin E. Gordon, 1981.
CONSTABLES.
John Skillman, 1797. Charles Carson, 1855.
William D. Jewell, 1798, 1804-20. Major Hooper, 1-56-59. William Vaughn. 1799-1503. Isaiah Taylor, 1856-59. William D. Conover, 1859. Isaac Cook, 1758-1800. Jonathan Smith, 1860. Daniel Mershon, 1801. William Downing, 1802. William Hlight, 1:07-8. Gilbert Gibiersog, 1818, 1822. Asher Temple, 1:19-21. Israel Tindall, 1821-22. Nathaniel Lalon, 1824-27, 1829. Charles MI. Campbell, 1822-28. Enoch Robbins, 1800. William Schenck, 1861. Daniel llawks, 1862. James Voorhees, 1862-64. Austin M. Walton, 1863. Enoch W. Hart, 1863. Abrahamn Van Ilise, 1864. James H. Everett, 1565. William II. Tindall, 1865-71. Vincent Perrine, 1829. David S. Dye, 1-30. John Simpson, 1832-35. Ralph Gulick, 1536. Eli Rogers, 1837-39. Joseph Taylor, 1866. William S. Wyckoff, 1866-67. Absalom Hart, 1867-74. William S. Davis, 1868-70. William West, Jr., 1869-70 William Bush, 1869. Israel 11. Pearson, 1871. Samuel l'ope, 1840-41. HIenry D. Grover, 1871.
Alexander 21. Hudnut, 1837.
James Everett, 1840-58.
Willi um G. Bergen, 1842-48, 1850- 51. William B. Furman, 1847.
Elias A. Smith, 1872-75. John L. Corliss, 1872. Samuel H. Ayers, 1874-75 ..
E. B. Hewit, 1850.
Amos 11. Tindal!, 1851.
Ezekiel Lutes, 1852.
Oscar Rogers, 1552-53.
J. W. Yard, 1st3.
Isaac Van Ilise, 1:54.
John S. Robins, 1854.
William Fisher, 1855.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
Richard R Rogers, 1850.
William Perrine, 1866.
John A. L. Crater, 1850:
John S. Robbins, 1871.
William V. Scudder. 1855.
Joseph L. Watson, 1873.
James McGalliard, 1835, 1858, 1868.
Liscomb T. Robins, 1875, 1881.
David S. Voorhees, 1861, 1866, 1875, 1878.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE.
William Conover, 1832. Nelson Silvers, 1840-42.
Jolin T. Hutchinson. 1832, 1834. George T. Oimstend, 1841.
David S. Dye, 1852-45. Charles S. Olden, 1842.
William Welling, 1833-34. James A. Hutchinson, 1843-46.
James McGilliard, 1835-36. James D. Robbins, 1543.
Christopher Bergen, 1835-40. William Walton, 1844-16.
Peter Ilvoper, 1835-39. William Lotes, 1846.
SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS.
David D. Gray, 1847-48.
Charles B. Moore, 1858.
James McGiiliard, 1850. Jolin D. Rue, 1858-60.
Charles S. Oldlen, 1851-52. Nelson Silvers, 1633-54.
Alexander Schenck, 1855.
David S. Dye, 1856. William Walton, 1857, 1863.
Elijah V. Perrine, 1861-62. Samuel Fisher, 1864. Amos Martin, Sr., 1865. William Il. Jamison, 1866-67. ·
Villages and Hamlets .- PENN'S NECK, on the Trenton turnpike, in the northeastern part of the township, contains a church, a few dwellings, and one or two small mechanics' shop-, and receives its name from the tract of land so called, purchased in the pioneer period of the history of the township of William Penn by Conover and Schenck.
The first public-house there was the Red Lion Inn, : built by William Conover about 1807 or 1805. Its first keeper wa- John Joline. It was afterwards kept
Jacob L. Hendrickson, 1875-77. Synims Wyley, 1875. William --- , 1877-78.
Addison Hughes, 1878-81. J. Il. Bergen, 1879-80. Charles 5. Rogers, 1881. John W. Griggs, 1881.
Daniel M. Hulet, 1869-70. David D. Grover. 1881.
James D. Duncan, 1857-70. James 11. Everett, 1871.
William K. Holmes, 1828-36. Joseph Mount, 1520-31.
872
HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
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by George Follet, Kenneth Day, Elijah Davison, Maj. Giberson, Asher Temple, a man named Donald- son, Widow Jackson, James Davison, and others, and its last occupant was Noah Reed. It often changed owners as well as landlords, and a few years ago was sold to the Baptist Church of Penn's Neck aud was converted into a parsonage.
After the beginning of the days of staging along the turnpike, Richard Warren, William Stockton, ; and Phineas Withington bought a dwelling opposite the Red Lion Inn, and remodeled it and leased it to successive keepers, among whom were Garrett Em- bly, Asher Temple, Gilbert Giberson, and others, who kept it open as a public-house until about 1850, when it was purchased by David S. Voorhees and recon- verted into a dwelling, and as such has been occupied by him to the present time.
During the staging period Penn's Neck was the scene of much activity, and its two rival taverns botlı flourislied. Blacksmithing and wagon-repairing were also in demand. Nathaniel La Bow is said to have been the pioneer blacksmith. Thomas Benham had a shop for some years, and was succeeded in 1833 by David S. Voorhees, who continued the business till about 1850. Since then the old smithy has had ser- eral tenants, among them Jolin Benham and James Wainwright, and is now again in the possession of its venerable proprietor, who has done a little work in it from time to time since his retirement from active business.
The first wheelwright was Moses Burroughs, who opened a shop at an early day. Elias and Arthur Howell have carried on this branch of industry at different times. About 1820 a coach-making and re- pairing business was established by John A. Schenck, and was afterwards conducted by Rowland & Schenck for many years. Elias Howell had a harness-shop in connection with his wheelwright-shop, and the two trades were conibined later by Charles Campbell.
There has not been a store at Penn's Neck for many years. The first merchant there is thought to have been Jacob Stryker. A man named Donaldson was also a merchant there.
About thirty years ago a post-office was established in one of the public-houses, with William Wyckoff as postmaster. On account of some local difficulties it was discontinued in about three weeks, and has never been re-established.
DUTCH NECK .- This locality received its name from the fact that it was first settled by Dutch emi- grants. It is a thriving little village, pleasantly situated in the centre of the best agricultural section of the township, containing one general store, a wheelwright-shop, a shoe-shop, a blacksmith-shop, the office of the West Windsor Mutual Fire Insur- ance Association, and a Presbyterian Church and a fine chapel belonging to the same denomination, now nearly completed. The population is about eighty.
At various times different small mechanical trades :
have been plied here transiently by men whose names are forgotten.
For fully one hundred years, up to a few years ago, when it was finally closed as such, a public-house was kept at Duteh Neck by many successive landlords, the last of whom was John Griggs. The building is now owned by Mrs. Mary Ann Updike, and will probably never again be opened for the entertainment of the traveling public.
Dutch Neck enjoys the advantages to be derived from the presence of a post-office. The postmaster is William G. Allen, who during the past eight years has kept the only store in the place. The present wheelwright is V. R. Hutchinson, the present shoe- maker is Charles V. Smith, and the present black- smith is T. F. Williamson.
CLARKSVILLE .- By this name. derived from Dr. I. Clark, a former property-owner there, is known a hamlet on the Trenton turnpike, partially in the northwest part of West Windsor, partially in Law. rence, containing a hotel, a blacksmith-shop, a wheel- wright-shop, and seven dwellings.
The nucleus of this settlement was the hotel, which was built about 1800 by Dr. Clark, and changed owners several times until it came into the hands of William West, Jr., in 1853. The staging traffic and travel over the turnpike rendered this a good location for blacksmiths and wheelwrights. William Hulfish was a blacksmith there in 1825. He had had prede- cessors, and has had several successors. The present blacksmith is Charles I. Carr. John Anderson was an early wheelwright. The present one is Peter Bender, who has been located there long enough to be regarded as a permanent citizen.
About 1853, John Yard erected a building designed for use as a store, which, however, was never occupied as such until 1861, and was only kept open as such one year, when it was sold to Peter Bender, who re- moved to it from his former shop and has since occu- pied it.
Previous to the erection of the Clarksville Hotel, there stood another old inn, on the opposite side of the road, which has long since disappeared.
EDINBURG .- This hamlet was formerly known as Assanpink, or "Sandpink," from its location on the bank of Assanpink, by many called "Sandpink," Creek, and received its present name by a resolution of its citizens a few years ago. It contains a hotel, a store, two basket-factories, a blacksmith-shop, and about seventy inhabitants.
One of the oldest landmarks there is the hotel, which during the Revolution, says tradition, was kept at a place about three hundred yards distant from its present location, to which it was removed carly in the present century. It is thought by the oldest residents that John H. Hutchinson was the first who kept it after its removal. It has often changed hands, and is now kept by John W. Griggs.
The pioneer merchant at Edinburg is thought to
873
WEST WINDSOR TOWNSHIP.
have been John T. Hutchinson, probably as early as 1820. Among his successors have been Marco Kra- kakie. Job Silvers, Lucien Britton, Richard Waddy, Israel Baldwin, Richard R. Rogers, Isaac R. Rogers, Charles R. Hutchinson, Samuel Tindall, and Joseph L. Watson, the present merchant, all of whom have traded in one building. Futile attempts have been made to establish stores in two other buildings now standing unoccupied.
The post-office was established in 1852, with Rich- ard R. Rogers as postmaster. It has most of the time been -kept in the store, and a majority of those who have occupied that building as merchants since that date have been postmasters. The present incumbent of the office is Joseph L. Watson. Mails arrive and depart daily by stage from and to Trenton.
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