History of Burlington and Mercer counties, New Jersey : with biographical sketches of many of their pioneers and prominent men, Part 53

Author: Woodward, E. M. (Evan Morrison) cn; Hageman, John Frelinghuysen
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1096

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 53
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 53

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Soon after this event the "Wabash" became the flag-ship of the South Atlantie squadron, under command of Flag-Officer (afterwards Rear-Admiral) S. F. Dupont. Paymaster Guliek was then assigned duty as fleet paymaster of this squadron, and served on the staff of Rear-Admiral Dupont at the bon- bardment and taking of Forts Walker and Bay Point, in the harbor of Port Royal, S. C., Nov. 6, 1861. In the spring of 1862 he was detached from the squadron and assigned duty at the navy-yard, Washington, D. C., from whenee, after one year of service, he was transferred to the navy-yard, Philadelphia. He re- mained on this service, having entire charge of the pay departments of the yard, of the receiving-ship, and of the naval asylum, until the spring of 1865, when he was ordered as flect paymaster of the Mis- sissippi Squadron, on the staff of Rear-Admiral S. P. Lee. Here he served until the surrender of Kirby Smith's army on the Red River practically elosed the war. From this time until October, 1866, he was employed upon various special services, such as courts- martial, boards of examination, etc., when he was assigned regular duty at the Naval School, Annapolis, Mid. Here he served until May 12, 1869, when he was again ordered to sea as fleet paymaster of the European squadron. This cruise of two years and a half was terminated by the return of the flag-ship " Franklin" to the United States, November, 1871.

On March 3d of that year, Paymaster Gulick was promoted, and appointed by President Grant to be a pay director, with the relative rank of captain in the navy. The next regular service assigned Pay Direc- tor Guliek was that of inspector of provisions and clothing at the Washington navy-yard, from which position, after about two years, he was transferred to the Naval Asylum, Philadelphia. April 13, 1877, he was placed on duty in charge of the navy pay-office in Philadelphia, where his service continued until May 14, 1879, when, in conformity to the act of Con-

gress requiring the retirement from active service of all officers who have attained the age of sixty-two years, he was honorably retired, having a record of about twenty-nine years of continuous service. Since his retirement from active service Pay Director Gu- liek has lived at his home near Princeton, N. J., where, in full possession of his faculties of mind and body common to men younger in years, he awaits such service as the government is entitled to assign him in case the country is again visited by war.

CHARLES B. ROBISON.

William Robison, a native of England, came to America in company with his two brothers prior to the Revolutionary war. His brothers settled in Bal- timore, MId. Richard joined Washington's army, served the country of his adoption, and was at the final surrender of the British forces at Yorktown in 1781.

He married a lady of Holland extraction of Penn- sylvania, and settled in Hopewell township, Mercer County, then Hunterdon, where he reared a family of two sons, Joseph and Reuben. He died at the age of seventy-six years, his wife at the age of eighty years. Josepli, born in 1792, was a carpenter by trade, mar- ried Patience, daughter of Joseph Powers, of Middle- sex County, N. J., who bore him nine children,- Eliza, wife of William R. Skilhnan, settled in Illinois; Harriet, wife of William Van Duyne, died at her home in Princeton in February, 1882; John S., settled in Illinois, and died about 1872; Charles B., subject of this sketch ; Mary Ann, wife of Joseph Cook, settled in Illinois, and died in 1876; Joseph B., resides in Illinois ; Samuel C. E., died at the age of seventeen ; Reuben C., resides iu Kansas; and Louisa was mar- ried and died soon after in Illinois. -

Charles B. Robison, born in 1822, was apprenticed at the age of fifteen to learn the milling business to Samuel Brearley, near Rocky Hill, N. J., with whom he remained for six years. Upon reaching his ma- jority he married Emiline, daughter of Abraham Applegate, of Kingston, aud settled at Bridge Point, Somerset County. He remained there several years, and for seven years resided in New York City, when he purchased a farm near Hightstown, Mereer County, upon which he resided for six years. In the spring of 1866 he established a flour and milling business at Kingston, which he continues to carry on in 1882, and in 1877 he erected his present fine residence opposite his mill property.

Mr. Robison is serving his fourth term on the board of chosen freeholders of Mercer County, and was the Democratic candidate of his district at the election of 1881 for the State Legislature, receiving a lrandsome complimentary vote over the regular party poll. He is a director of the Princeton Mutual Fire Insurance Company, treasurer of the Kingston Build-

663

PRINCETON.

ing and Loan Association, and treasurer of the Kings- ton Land Associatiou.

His children are Martin V., who enlisted at the age of eightcen in Company H, Fourteenth New Jersey Volunteers, and was killed in the battle of the Wil- derness, May 10, 1864, at the age of twenty, and William A. Robison, who married Miss Mary Pierce, and resides at Kingston, Middlesex Co., N. J.

CHARLES S. OLDEN.

THE WAR GOVERNOR OF NEW JERSEY.1

The history of New Jersey's participation in the war for the Union eannot be impartially written with- out according especial honor to the chief magistrate who during that momentous period wisely presided over her interests. So indelibly was Governor Olden's influence impressed on every branch of the public serviee that no hesitation is experienced in designa- ting him as pre-eminently the man to whom this work should be inscribed, or assigning him a high position among New Jersey's distinguislied sons. The earlier portion of Governor Olden's career was devoted to mercantile pursuits in Philadelphia and New Orleans, from which he retired with ample fortune to his home on the battle-field of Princeton. But he was not long permitted to maintain liis coveted seclusion. His finan- cial experience and practical business qualifications were appreciated and secured in various directions. He was twice elected to represent his county in the State Senate, where after six years' service he left a record without blemish. While a member of that body, his ripe judgment and proverbial integrity clothed him with an unusual degree of influence, which he ever exercised for the public good; and the State is far more indebted to his foresight and well-directed efforts for its noble lunatic asylum and State capitol than to any other man. The gubernatorial nomination sought him, and he was only prevailed upon to accept through urgent representations, placing it clearly in the light of duty. The dark cloud of civil war which spread over the land soon after his inauguration suddenly required him to assume onerous duties as the head of the War Department. This, after more than forty years' disuse and neglect, was almost obsolete. But Governor Olden was not to be deterred by obstacles however formidable. Fully appreciating the gravity of the occasion, he never for a moment faltered, but proceeded to raise troops, provide munition and trans- portation, and in all matters pertaining thereto acted so wisely and efficiently as to elicit profuse commen- dations from the national executive. He not only organized, but with unsleeping vigilance endeavored personally to inspect the carrying out of details to their utmost extent. He devoted much time and pa-

tient inquiry to the selection of competent officers, preferring, wherever possible, those whose experience and acknowledged ability best fitted them for the va- rious positions; and to this and his careful oversight may be attributed in a great degree the superior hand- ling and veteran-like steadiness which conspicuously characterized the New Jersey regiments in the field. His labors in the executive department were almost incessant ; the first at his post and the last to retire, through all the trying years of his administration, it was a matter of astonishment to those who had oppor- tuuity for observation that his physical organization did not succumb.

Governor Olden's financial experience peculiarly qualified him to grapple with the greatest difficulty of his position,-an empty treasury. He not only triumphed over all obstacles in securing the neces- sary means to meet every requirement of the occasion, but put iuto successful operation the present admira- ble system of managing our finances under the pressure of public debt, which no one has ever called in ques- tion. Aside from this, his careful and intelligent su- pervision saved to the State an immense amount of money which in a more confused administration might have been hopelessly squandered. The troops called for were raised, armed, and equipped within a surprisingly brief period, aud the first four regiments were dispatched down the Chesapeake Bay to An- napolis, and marched into Washington as complete in all their appointments as regulars. They arrived at the darkest period of the Rebellion, and were hailed as affording the first substantial feeling of se- curity experienced at the national capital. Governor Oldeu's duties to the close of his official term were equally unremitting. Regimeut after regiment was raised and dispatched to the seat of war, and his sys- tem continued to work as noiselessly and well as a nicely-adjusted piece of machinery. When he re- tired, every department of his government was set- tled to its bearing.

Governor Olden died in April, 1876. In addition to other public duties, he filled most acceptably the position of judge of the Court of Errors and Appeals. He was an intelligent observer of events, and eminent among his fellow-citizens for practical wisdom, prob- ity, unostentatious charity, loyalty, and, in short, all the qualities of mind and heart which constitute a ¡ true man. Most fortunate was it for New Jersey that ;in such an emergency she could command the ser- vices of such a Governor. His name is inseparably connected with many of the most brilliant pages of her history, and his patriotism, integrity, and repub- lican simplicity will be perpetuated in the memory of a grateful people.

1 Written for the " First New Jersey Cavalry," by Charles P. Smith.

664

HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

CHAPTER LXIII. CITY OF TRENTON.1

THIS city, co-extensive with the township of Tren- ton, is located on the east side of the Delaware River, at the mouth of Assanpink Creek. It derived its name from William Trent, the first chief justice of New Jersey, who was a large trader here when the town was laid out. It is said by Smith, in his " His- + tory of New Jersey," that the name Littleworth was given to lands lying north of the A-sanpink, and it has been believed that this name was significant of the opinion first entertained concerning the value of lands in that region. If the name was ever applied to that locality it was soon dropped. The creek which discharges its waters into the Delaware here has been called in the publie records Derwent, St. Pink, Sun Pink, Assunpink, Stony Creek (from the character of its bed), and finally Assanpink.

At Trenton the ebb and flow of the tide in the Del- aware River ceases, and the current above is more rapid, hence the names Falls, Fallsington, Falls of the Delaware, Delaware Falls, and Trent Town Falls that were in early times applied to the general locality. It is said by Dr. Hall that the descent of the river is about eighteen feet in six miles. The designation of these rapids as falls has led to some ludicrous disap- pointments with travelers, and to the confounding of these ripples with the cataract of West Canada Creek, in New York, which is called Trenton Falls, from a village in the vicinity. The name Falls of the Delaware was used to designate the general local- ity during more than a century.

On the 10th of December, 1678, the ship "Shield," from Hull, the first vessel to ascend the Delaware as far as Burlington, arrived. In this ship, among others, came Mahlon Stacy and Thomas Lambert. Mahlon Stacy located at the Falls of the Delaware, and took up a tract of eight hundred acres on both sides of the Assanpink, mostly, however, on the north side. The historian Raum says, "The tract lay be- tween the Old York road (now Greene Street) and the Delaware River, and between State and Ferry Streets, and extended into what is now Hamilton township on the south side of the creek. On the 26th of the fourth month (April), 1680, he wrote in high terms of praise of the country to his friends in England, dating his letter from the Falls of the Dela- ware, in West Jersey. In 1680 he completed a grist-mill on the south bank of the Assanpink, in Kingsbury (now Broad Street), on the spot where Washington was received by the ladies of Trenton a century later. This mill was of hewn logs, one and a half stories in height, with its end towards the street. Mr. Stacy resided in a log house near the present residence of Edward H. Stokes, E-q. His mill and another at the mouth of Ollive's Creek were during several years the only ones in New Jersey. About

1690, Judge William Trent purchased it, and erected in its place a stone mill, two stories in height. The mainland at that time included Gravelly Island. Dr. Daniel Coxe erected a saw-mill at the mouth of the Assanpink early in the eighteenth century. The ruins of this mill were visible till recently.

Mr. Stacy's purchase and occupancy of the land at the mouth of the Assanpink was prior to that of any other permanent settler. The land north from Stacy's tract was taken up by Nathaniel Petit. Thomas Lambert, who came in the same ship with Mr. Stacy, settled at Lambertstown, which took its name from him, about 1679. These, with other early settlers here, were Quakers, or Friends, as they termed them- selves, who left England on account of the persecu- tion to which they were subjected because of their re- ligion, and sought an asylum in the wilderness on the shores of the Delaware.

It may here be remarked that as early as 1676 some Quakers settled on the lowlands above the Assan- pink, but these settlements were totally destroyed by a flood which occurred, according to Phineas Pem- berton, on the 16th of the 3d month (March 16th), 1687. This was probably the same flood spoken of by Smith as having occurred in 1692. During this flood a " rupture" is said to have taken place. This probably was the formation of the island at Morris- ville, opposite to the Trenton bridge, which was then separated from the mainland.

In 1687 a malignant fever visited the inhabitants, both in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and many of the settlers in the vicinity of the Falls fell victims to this sickness. Disasters of some kind almost always befall the first settlers of a new country. These set- tlers, however, as in this case, are usually men of strong wills and indomitable energy. The same force of character which prompted them to abandon the ease and luxuries by which they were surrounded in their native lands and seek homes in the untamed forests of new regions enables them not only to grapple suc- cessfully with the difficulties they encounter, but to sustain themselves when overtaken by adversity.

In Barber's Historical Collections it is stated that "Governor William Penn, who in the year 1683 issued an order for the establishment of a post-office, requested Phineas Pemberton carefully to publish the information on the meeting-house door, that is, on the door of the private house in which the Society of Friends was accustomed to meet. It was usual for the Friends settled about the Falls to assemble at the houses of William Yardley, James Harrison, Phineas Pemberton, William Biles, and William Beakes, for the meeting-house at the Falls, or Fallsington, was not built till 1690."

Prior to 1700 no great progress was made in settle- ment here. About that time purchases began to be made from the original proprietors, or those who had taken up the lands. Most of the old deeds for lands in this vicinity bear date from 1699 to 1710.

1 By Thomas Cushing, M.D.

· .

.. . . .. . ...... :

Dilawarc

C : R.Bcakes 11.

House

Meadow Swamp ..

Black Walnut Trec

SE 2.45

Potles Runn

Mapt

Tetty's House

Hopewell Road

Pettys Plantation.

Mall 00

Maidenhead/ Road

S. S.E. 26 Ch.

Spanish Oak

White Oak

S. E. 32'& Ch.

Heaths Land

Scale 8 Kl.

Assunpink Creek

Contents "besides Ways " /800 Acres.

Mahlon Stacys Plantation, Surfeved by Win. Emler, 6 00 12th 17 14.

NE 58º 92 Ch.

Maple Tree

Black oak

LE25-1 Ch. Timber Swamp Andrew Heath & Thomas Lambert

Plantation

Scot House

Ruth Beaks

W. by S. 59 Ch.

V. N.E. 68 Ch.

The Site of Trenton

in 1714.

Engraved expressly for this work.

Copied from Basse's Book of Surveys by Chas: R. Hutchinson.

Spanish Oak

CITY OF TRENTON.

665

It must be remembered that at this time what is now the eity of Trenton had not begun to put on the appearance of a village, or even of a hamlet. In 1814, Mrs. Jemima Howell, who was born in 1725, stated that although she could not tell when the framed church (in Ewing) was built, she remembered to have assisted in scrubbing it seventy years before. She also distinetly remembered when there were but two or three small houses within the limits of the. present eity of Trenton, and that from the vicinity of the framed church to Staey's (afterwards Waln's) mill it was woods, with only a footpath, during many years, and that pack-horses were used by the farmers to carry their grain. To this extent only had the place developed at a date not earlier than 1730, prob- ably several years later than that. Between 1730 and 1740 an impetus appears to have been given to settle- ment here. In 1739 the Friends' meeting-house was ereeted by Mr. Plasket, and in 1740 a briek house was built by Thomas Tindal on what is now the corner of Hanover and Greene Streets.

From the flourishing condition of the town during a few years subsequent to 1740, the inhabitants were led to anticipate a rapidly increasing growth and prosperity ; and believing that both would be greatly promoted by the acquisition of borough privileges, application was made by Governor Lewis Morris and a number of the inhabitants in the uineteenth year of the reign of King George II. (1746) for an act of incorporation. In their petition they set forth " that Trenton was the head of sloop navigation, and that a variety of circumstances rendered the place favorable for business, and that its interests would be greatly promoted by such an aet. Accordingly a royal eharter was granted for a borongh, the limits of which are described as follows : 'Beginning at the mouth of Crosswicks Creek ; thence up said ereek to the mouth of Doctor's Creek ; thenee up the said ereek to Ruth's | line, between East and West Jersey; thenee along --- said line, including Maidenhead and Hopewell, be- tween Hopewell and Amwell, to Delaware River; thenee down said river to the place of beginning, to be known as the borough and town of Trenton.' Thomas Cadwalader, Esq., was appointed chief bur- gess ; Nathaniel Ware, recorder ; David Martin, marshal ; and Andrew Reed, treasurer. The other burgesses were William Morris, Joseph Warrell, Daniel Coxe, Andrew Smith, Alexander Lockart, David Martin, Robert Pearson, Andrew Reed, The- ophilus Phillips, Joseph Decow, Samuel Hunt, and Reuben Armitage.

: " The Common Council were Joseph Paxton, The- ophilus Severns, Benjamin Biles, Jasper Smith, Cor- nelius Kings, Jonathan Stout, Jonathan Waters, Thomas Burrows, Jr., George Ely, John Hunt, John Dagworthy, Jr., Joseph Phillips, John Welling, Wil- liam Plasket, Daniel Lanning, and Benjamin Greene. . But the inhabitants not experieneing the benefits which were anticipated from their charter, they sur-

rendered it to King George II. in the twenty-third year of his reign (1750)."

In 1748 a Swedish traveler (Kalm) gave the fol- lowing description of Trenton :

" Trenton is a long, narrow town, situate at some distance from the river Delaware, on a sandy plain. It is reckoned thirty miles from Philadelphia. It has two small churches, one for the people belonging to the Church of England, the other for the Presbyterians. The houses are partly built of stone, though most of them are made of wood or planks, connnonly two stories high, together with a cellar below the building. and a kitchen under ground, close to the cellar. The houses stand at a moderate distance from each other. They are commonly so built that the street passes along one side of the houses, while gardens of different dimensions bound the other side. In each garden is a draw- well. The place is reckoned very healthy. Our landlord told us that twenty-two years ago, when he first settled here (1726), there was hardly more than one house; but from that time Trenton has increased so much that there are at present near an hundred houses. The houses were within divided into several rooms by their partitions of boards. The inhabitants of the place carried on a small trade with the goods which they got from Philadelphia; ont their chief gain consisted in the arrival of the numerous travelers between that city and New York, for they are commonly brought by the Trenton yachts from Philadel- phia to Trenton, or from thence to Philadelphia. But from Trentou further to New Brunswick the travelers go in wagons, which set ont every day for that place. Several of the inhabitants also subsist on the carriage of all sorts of goods, which are sent in great quantities either from Philadelphia to New York, or from thence to the former place, for between Philadelphia and Trenton all goods go by water, but between Trentou and New Brunswick they are all carried by land, and both these conveniences belong to people of this town. For the yachts which go between this place and the capital of Pennsylvania they usually pay a shilling and sixpence, Pennsylvania eurreney, per person, and every one pays beside for his baggage. Every passenger must provide meat and drink for himself, and pay some settled fare. Between Trenton and New Brunswick a person pays two shillings sixpence, and the baggage is likewise paid for separately."

This route between the two great cities of the Mid- dle States was then considered very favorable, for it only required a land passage between Trenton and New Brunswick. At the present time, when transit between these cities requires only two or three hours in a palatial railway-coach, people are inclined to smile at the idea of the former facilities being con- sidered excellent.

The historian Raum wrote in 1871 :

"There are yet standing some of the old buildings erected at the open- ing of the nineteenth century, among which we may mention the house at the corner of Broad and Second Streets, late the property of John Pearson, deceased ; the Eagle Tavern, on the corner of Broad and Ferry Streets; a stone house in Broad Street, on the west side, south of Market Street, belonging to George James, where Daniel Fenton at one time kept a book-store ; a frame house in the same street, nearly opposite the latter, lately owned by Mrs. Caroline Riley ; a stone house belonging to Mrs. Jane Kite, and now occupied as a looking-glass and picture-frame store, on the east side of Broad Street, north of Market Street : a frame house, nearly opposite, belonging to the German Lutheran Church, and occupied as a parsonage by Rev. George F. Gardiner, formerly belong- ing to the heirs of Capt. Alexander Donglass, deceased, a Revolutionary patriot, and noted as the place where Gen. Washington held a council of war on the evening of the 2d of January, 1777, at which time they resolved to surprise the enemy by falling on their rear ; the stone house on the corner of Broad and Factory Streets, late the property of Daniel Lodor, deceased, which in the year 1850 he converted into two stores, and put in brick fronts. These buildings were erected by George Bright, a baker, in the year 1756, who at the same time erected a stone bake- house directly opposite his residence, which was a few years since taken down. It was located between the paper-mill and the building now standing on the south of it."

Eleven years have elapsed sinee this was written. and of the buildings spoken of only one, the Eagle

666

HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Tavern, remains, a surviving witness, as it were, of | thousand in 1810, an annual increase of about forty events that occurred prior to and during the Revolu- during a period of sixty years. Probably the greater part of this increase was during the twenty years fol- lowing the establishment of the State capital here. The manufacturing interest which has since been developed had no existence then, and its position at tionary war. Trenton was first included in the town- ship of Hopewell. About 1719 it was first called Trenton, or, as it was first written, "Trent's town," in compliment to Judge William Trent. In that year its boundaries were prescribed, and it was first ordered : the head of sloop navigation on the Delaware, be- that the courts should be held and kept in Trenton. tween the growing eities of New York and Philadel- phia, gave it its only importance beyond a purely local one. Because of its position between these cities it became the thicatre of important events dur- : ing the Revolution; but this part of its history is fully treated of elsewhere.

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History of Burlington and Mercer counties, New Jersey : with biographical sketches of many of their pioneers and prominent men, Part 53

Author: Woodward, E. M. (Evan Morrison) cn; Hageman, John Frelinghuysen Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1096

Author: Woodward, E. M. (Evan Morrison) cn; Hageman, John Frelinghuysen
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1096