History of Burlington and Mercer counties, New Jersey : with biographical sketches of many of their pioneers and prominent men, Part 7

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 7
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 7

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Anna and Emily, the daughters of Francis, were married, the former to the Rev. Dr. Edward A. Foggo, rector of Christ Church, Philadelphia, and the latter to A. C. Scovel, connselor, Camden, N. J.

Lieut. Alexander Hamilton Hopkinson, United States navy, died in July, 1827, on board the frigate "Java," while that vessel was cruising in the Medi- terranean, and was buried on the island of Milo, where his brother-officers erected a handsome monu- ment to mark his grave.

Midshipman Edward Hopkinson, United States navy, was accidentally killed when bnt seventeen years of age.

Oliver, the only surviving son of Judge Joseph Hopkinson, served as lieutenant-colonel of the First Regiment Infantry, Delaware Volunteers, and was wounded at the battle of Antietam. He resides in Philadelphia, but still retains the old Hopkinson inansion at Bordentown, where with his family he usually spends the summer months.

THOMAS PAINE .- Among the celebrated men who resided for a time in Bordentown was Thomas Paine. The following extract from a letter of his to a lady at New York would seem to indicate he looked upon Bordentown almost as he did his home in New York : "I had rather see my horse, Button, eating the grass of Bordentown or Morrisania than see all the pomp and show of Europe."

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BORDENTOWN.

It has been stated in several lives of Mr. Paine that the State of New Jersey presented to him ah estate at Bordentown. This is a mistake. Mr. Paine owned a house and lot at the northwesterly corner of Farns- worth Avenue and Church Street, and some meadow- land near by.

The tradition of Bordentown in relation to Mr. ' heretic. He had stopped at Bordentown, in New Paine is pretty full, and differs in tone with all we Jersey, to look at a small place he owned there, and to visit an old friend and correspondent, Col. Kirk- bride. When he departed the colonel drove him over to Trenton. to take the stage-coach. But in Trenton the Federal and religious party had the upper hand, and when Paine applied at the booking- office for a seat to New York the ageut refused to seil him one. Moreover a crowd collected about his lodgings, who growned dismally when he drove away with his friend, while a band of musiciaus provided for the occasion played the . Rogue's March.'"1 have conversed with but little. Quite a number of persons are now living who remember hearing their parents speak of seeing and conversing with him. He is generally represented as dirty in his person. slovenly in his dress, and free to converse.with any proper person who approached him. Deborah Apple- gate at that time kept the tavern now owned by John J. Rogers, and known as the Washington House. This place was Mr. Paine's principal resort, and here he had many contests with the gentlemen whom he met. It must be remembered in the olden days taverns In regard to Mr. Paine it is but just and right that the eminent services he rendered to the cause of in- dependence should be fully appreciated. He certainly had his claims to the national gratitude recognized by such men as Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, and others, about whose good judgment there ean be no dispute. Let us try and be just and impartial even to those we condemn. were not dignified with the name of hotels, and were not frequented by promiscuous customers, but were the resort of gentlemen of means principally. Fur- nished with ample arm-chairs and tables, they pos- sessed some of the comforts of club-rooms, and the conversations or arguments were conducted with great decorum. Mr. Paine was too much occupied in literary pursuits and writing to spend a great deal of It should be remembered that Mr. Paine wrote and published the " Age of Reason" in Paris during the French Revolution in 1794 and 1795, and it exactly suited that atmosphere. It cannot be denied the "Age of Reason" was the death-knell of Mr. Paine's popularity in America. his time here, but he generally paid several visits during the day. His drink was invariably brandy. In walking he was generally absorbed in deep thought, seldom noticed any one he passed, unless spoken to, and in going from his house to the tavern was-frequently observed to cross the street several Mr. Paine died in New York, June 8, 1809, in his seventy-third year. He was buried at his farm at New Rochelle, the gift of the State of New York, and ten years afterwards his bones were resurrected bv William Cobbett and taken to, England. By his will Madame Bonneville, her husband and family were left his principal legatees. times. It is stated that several members of church were turned from their faith by him, and on this ac- count and the general feeling of the community against him for his opinions upon religious subjects he was by the mass of the people held in odium, which feeling to some exteut was extended to Col. Kirkbride, who, though, was known by all to be a Christian. Miss Maria H. Nutt, who is a grand- daughter of Col. Kirkbride's sister, related to the author a family tradition that one evening the colonel, accompanied by Mr. Paine, called upon his brother- in-law, Mr. Samuel Rogers, who then resided at Belle- vue, the present residence of Miss Nutt. Upon intro- ducing Mr. Paine, MIr. Rogers refused to take his hand. This was in Mr. Rogers' own house.

In an article in the Atlantic Monthly for November, 1859, entitled "Tom Paine's First Appearance in America," the author says, "Until the spring of 1787, Paine spent his time in Philadelphia or in Bor- dentown, writing occasionally on subjects which in- terested him, and indulging his taste for scientific speculations in the company of Fraukliu and Ritten- housc."

In the same magazine for July, 1959, we find the following ancedote in regard to his last visit to this place : " In October, 1802, Paincanade his second visit .

to America. . . . When the nine days' wonder had expired in Washington and the inhabitants had grown tired of staring at Paine and pelting him with abuse, he betook himself to New York. On his way thither he met with an adventure which shows the kind of martyrdom suffered by this political and religious

COL. JOSEPH KIRKBRIDE .-- Ou the 26th day of October, 1803. died Col. Joseph Kirkbride, a pure patriot and Christian gentleman of the Revolution. His great-grandparents, of Scottish origin, were Mat- thew and Magdalen Kirkbride. of the parish and town of Kirkbride, twelve miles west of Carlisle, Cumberland Co., England. They became united with the Society of Friends early after its rise in 1652. Soon after that the province of Pennsylvania became a household word among the sect, and his grandfather, Joseph Kirkbride, the founder of the family in America, then a youth of nineteen, ran away from his master, and started for the New World with a little wallet of clothing and a fail. He ar- rived safely at Chester Creek, in the " British Factor," Roger Drew, commander, on the 11th of December, 1681.2 He was soon taken into the employ of the

1 The author is indebted for the extracts from the Atlantic Monthly to William John Potte, Catden, N. J.

: Proud's list. of Penn., vol. i. page 193,

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HISTORY OF BURLINGTON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

proprietor at Penn's Manor, opposite Bordentown, but his stay was not of long duration, he crossing the Delaware into West Jersey. While in Pennsylvania he, however, formed an attachment for Phobe, the , old Bordeu ground. His funeral was attended by daughter of Randall Blackshaw, a large landed pro- many distinguished gentlemen of the State, and a large marble slab marks his grave. The following appropriate inseription is engraved upon the stone : prietor of Bucks County, and on the 14th of the 1st month, 1GSS, they were united in marriage at the Friends' Meeting at the Falls. Phoebe lived but a few years, leaving several young children. On the 17th of December, 1702, he married Sarah, the daugh- ter of Mahlon and Rebecca Stacy, of the Falls. He was one of the commissioners in 1710 to run the boundary line between New Jersey and New York, and in 1719 was a member of the West Jersey Assem- bly. He died in the early part of the 1st month, 1737, aged seventy-five years.

Joseph Kirkbride, the second, a son by the Black- shaw marriage, was born 9th mo., 1691, and married Sarah Fletcher, at Abington, Montgomery Co., Pa., in 1724, and died in 1748.

Col. Joseph Kirkbride, the third, was born the 13th of the 6th month, 1731, at " Bellevue," Penn's Manor, Bucks County, opposite Bordentown. His father dying when he was but seventeen years of age, the management of the farm and slaves devolved almost exclusively upon him. The period of the Revolution found him a well-to-do and prosperous farmer. pos- sessed of the confidence and esteem of his neighbors. He early espoused the eanse of independence with great zeal. Early in the war he was appointed lieu- tenant of Bucks County, and was engaged in collect- ing recruits, substitutes, arms, ammunition, stores, blankets, etc., for the army. He was soon promoted to the rank of colonel.

In May, 1778, when the British flotilla under Capt. Henry, with an infantry foree under Maj. Maitland,' aseended the Delaware to punish the Whigs of Bor- dentown, they did not forget Col. Kirkbride. After destroying everything belonging to the Bordens and attempting- Trenton, they landed at Bellevue and burnt everything combustible. He made Borden- town his re-idence soon after the destruction of his property. Not many years after he moved to Borden- town he married Miss Mary Rogers, of Allentown, Monmouth County, who was a sister of Samuel Rog- ers, who married Mary Kirkbride, a sister of the colonel. Somewhere about 1780, Col. Kirkbride pur- chased of Joseph Borden a portion of the Hill Top. Upon this he erected the dwelling-house which now foris part of the college building.

of honor, and a sincere Christian, he was one of the noblest men that Bordentown ever possessed. He was buried on the bluff overlooking Black's Creek, in the

" This shall commemorate the virtues of COL. JOSEPH KIRKBRIDE, fur he was a patriot who zealously served his Country in the Armies and Councils during the Revolution of 1776. He was a citizen who faithfully performed the duties of social life, and he was an honest man, who in his thoughts, words, and actions Illustrated the noblest work of God. Died Oct. 26th, 1903, aged 72 years."

During the Revolution the thoroughfares of Bor- dentown consisted of Main Street, now Farnsworth Avenue; Market, now Park Street; Graveyard, or : Meeting-house Alley. now Church Street ; Crosswieks road, now Street; Second Street, and Walnut Street. : At the foot of the latter two roads forked off to the right and left, leading to Black's Creek. one to the small bridge that erossed that stream near its mouth. The Burlington road came in over the mill-dam bridge, above the present Burlington Street, and entered Main Street near the intersection of the two streets. There was also the direet road from this point past Miss Nutt's to Watson's Ferry, where the Camden and Amboy Railroad bridge uow crosses Cross- wieks Creek. This road. we think, was never regu- larly laid out and opened. From Crosswieks Creek southward almost to Crosswieks Street, and coming nearly up to the east line of Second Street, was a heavy wood. Near the foot of Walnut Street. and on the south side of it, was Moor's tan-yard. where the four militiamen were murdered by the British soldiers. : On the east side of Second Street and north of the line of Graveyard Alley was Carman's tan-yard, and some distance east of this and north of the line of the rail- road was another tan-yard, but we are not certain of its existence at this early period. On Second Street, directly opposite Graveyard Alley, was a eider-press and still-house. Co !. Oakey Hoagland kept a tavern at the northeasterly corner of Main and Market Street-, and ~, one at the northeasterly corner of Main Street and Crosswicks road. The whipping-post and stoeks stood on an open lot belonging to William Nor- Street. In 1803 the sentiment of the people wa- < 0 mueh opposed to this relie of barbarism that two young men one night ent it up, and it was never erected again. The present Friends' meeting-house was standing at that time, and on the site of the Bap- tist Church stood their first meeting-house, a sub-tani-

Tradition represents him as a tall, well-formed man, with a large, old-style head and prominent features. With his cocked hat and half-military dress of those . cross, on the south side of Market, west of Main days, his frilled shirt and ruffled sleeves, his dignified bearing and courteous manners, he presented a striking and stately appearance. Well read, liberal and en- larged in his views, high-minded and gallant, the sou!

I Clark's Naval History of the United States, vol. i. p. o.

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BORDENTOWN.

tial briek structure. Next to -- , tavern, and about where Mr. Rogers' parlor now is, stood Applegate's blacksmith-shop. The Bunting brothers' smith-shop stood at the southwesterly corner of Main and Market Streets. Another one stood on the sonth side of Graveyard Alley, on Carman's lot, about half-way between Main and Second Streets. The present Bor- dentown Hotel, kept by Levi Davis, is supposed to have been ereeted by Dr. Allison, who opened his celebrated school in it in 1778. His pupils came from almost every State in the Union, and from Spain, France, the West Indies, and South America. Robert Jaekaway's gunsmith-shop stood on Crosswicks road, a little east of Main Street. Under the hill, on Cross- wieks Creek, was Hugh Jackaway's honse. We will now eommenee at the hill-top and proceed southward on the easterly side of Main Street. The first house was occupied by Parmeli Jolly, then followed Reed's, Thorn's, Herbert's, Reeves', and then Col. Hoagland's tavern, at the corner of Market Street. On the oppo- site eorner was Hopkinson's, then eame Prior's, C. Douglass', Snowden's, Taylor's, and A. Reeves', where the railroad arel now is; then Stiles and Updike's, at Graveyard Alley eorner. Opposite, Carman's; next, Preserve Brown, then a house owned and oecu- pied by a Frenehman, and then Applegate's smith - shop and tavern. On the opposite corner of Cross- wieks road was Noreross, then S. Adam's, Taylor's, and Bunting's.

We will now go back to the hill-top and eommenee on the westerly side of the street. The author is under the impression there were no houses between the hill-top and Market Street except Col. Kirkbride's, which is now part of the college. After Franeis Hop- · kinson removed to Philadelphia, Col. Borden resided in his house. It is not known to a certainty in what house Capt. Borden lived. The present residence of Mrs. John MeKnight was built by Maj. Van Emburgh. Some time prior to 1780 the Kirkbride house was built, and we are inclined to think that Lippineott's, Rob- bins', and S. Emley's houses in that row were built some years after the elose of the Revolutionary war. On the opposite side of Market Street stood the Bunt- ing brothers' blacksmith-shop, then came Bunting's, Emley's, Carter's, Burgess Allison's school, John Oliver's, C. A. Jenkins', MePherson's, Merrit's, and Elizabeth Martin's, at the corner of Graveyard Alley. Opposite, now 106, was Edward Brooks, Jr., the "Sign of the Hat and Racoon," then Douglass', Taylor's, and Pott's, at Walnut Street. Opposite, the Friends' meeting-house : next, on the site of the present No. 164, the house where Mrs. Isdell was killed by the British, then Sayer's and J. Bennett's, at the corner of Federal Alley. Opposite, Norcross'; and then William Trout's, and last Amariah Farnsworth's. Prince Street at this time was hardly opened and not named. Along it was a row of ox-heart cherry-trees. Many of this specimen grew on Penn's Manor oppo- site, said to have been brought to this country by Wil- ' it is believed to be correct.

liam Penn. They were very large trees, and several elderly persons now living in the city remember them in their childhood days. The Baptist Church stood on Prince Street; the Vandike family lived in the old Farnsworth house at the northwesterly corner of Market and Prince Streets, and Allen Wood's and T. Wilkins' house stood near the bluff, in the rear of Kirkbride's, near where Robert S. Van Rensselaer's, Esq., mansion now is. Near the corner of Walnut and Prinee Streets stood Moore's house; near Fed- eral Alley, Wright's; about half-way between it and the present Burlington Street. J. Trout's, and next, .T. Hance's. Near the corner of Second and Market Streets, in Hopkinson's yard, stood a tenement-house, in the yard of which, on a branch of an apple-tree, an old woman hung herself one dark evening. On the same lot was the cooper-shop in which the cele- brated kegs were made. On Crosswicks road, where William D. Rogers now lives, Starkey's house then stood; beyond, on the same side, were Thorn's and Arnel's. On the tan-yard lot, on Second Street, stood C. Carman's house, and near it M. Smith's.1

Ancient Shade-Trees of Bordentown - The Lombardy Poplar - Cause of their Decay .- In early times a few old forest-trees shaded the streets, but the chief trees were buttonwoods and willows. Towards the close of the last century the tall sky- piereers, Lombardy poplars, were introduced. They were first brought to this country in 1786, by William Hamilton, Esq., who resided on the tract now occu- pied by the Woodland Cemetery, near Philadelphia. They were brought by Col. Kirkbride from his farm in Penn's Manor, and planted in lines, closely set, around his premises on the bluff. As they were easily propagated and grew rapidly, they soon became nu- , merous, and a row of them lined the westerly side of Farnsworth Avenue as far south as Federal Alley. The only break in this line was at the Quaker meet- ing-house, where the old-fashioned buttonwoods re- mained. A line of them also covered the opposite side of the avenue, with a few button woods and willows interspersed. There were few farm-houses for many miles around that had not some of them near by, or a row lining the lane. They were then considered, and undoubtedly were, a protection against lightning. The species has now died out, yet there are a few withered specimens of them to be found occasionally. Many persons must remember when they were quite numerous. Watson, in his " Annals of Philadelphia." vol. i. page 223, says, "In time they were visited by a large worm, the bite of which was considered poi-on- ous. It received the name of ' Poplar Worm.'" The Hon. George Sykes, in conversation with the author, ascribed the dying out of this species to the fact that they were not perfect trees, they requiring, like corn,

The author is indebted for the ature to Mr. A. D. Carman, who gathered the facts principally from tradition among the elderly resulrut, of the city. Much of it has been verified by old deeds, and, in the main,

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HISTORY OF BURLINGTON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

the pollen of another to fecundate, and but one of the species having been imported.

The Post-Office and List of Postmasters since its Establishment .-- Prior to the year 1800 there were but six post-offices in the State of New Jersey. Trenton at that time was the nearest office, and the people of this town and for many miles around were

d -- d pretty thing if a man in this free country can't spell his own words his own way." Nonplussed and powerless to meet such overwhelming argument, the doctor, though he enjoyed occasional referenec to the matter, never ventured to criticise the sign again, at Icast in Joslma's presence. Carman was of that pe- culiar type of Americans-little education, strong dependent upon it for mail facilities. But it must : mind, and quick brain-who are never at a loss how be remembered that business transactions were few, . social letters seldom written, and daily newspapers unknown outside of a few large cities. The trans- mission of magazines and books, samples of mer- chandise, etc., was unprovided for, and the custom of sending letters by private hand so prevailing that their carriage over mail routes, except unsealed, was prohibited by law.

The following official list was kindly furnished by the postmaster-general :

"The office was probably established in the month of October, 1800. William Norcross was the first postmaster, and made returns January 1, 1801.

" Thomas Lawrence, appointed postmaster January 29, 1803.

" Hannah Lawrence, July 31, 1828.

"Joshua Carman, November 4, 1834.

" Elias Thompson, March 9, 1838.

" Peter Shreve, July 2, 1841.

"Thomas T. Bleyer, January 24, .1843.

" Edward Robbins, April 9, 1845.

" P. S. Suydam, from 1849 to 1853.

" Thomas Bennett, May 7, 1853. .

" James Furman, April 18, 1861.

" Henry Wetteroth, May 1, 1877."

Under the old law each postmaster held the office up to the appointment of his successor. But on the 19th of May, 1865, the office became Presidential,

The Lawrences held the office for the period of thirty-one years, and had become accustomed to look upon it as a family fixture. Consequently, when Mr. Carman received his appointment it created great indignation in the mind of the postmistress. Imme- diately upon receiving his commission he opened ne- gotiations with the lady to purchase the office fix- tures, which consisted principally of the post-office sign. In this attempt he most signally failed, and there not being time to procure the services of a painter, he improvised one for himself on part of a barrel-head, and nailed it up over his door, at No. 106 Farnsworth Avenue. It was a plain, unassuming sign, and simply read "Post Offis." Dr. DeBarry stepped in that morning to get his mail, and ob- serving the peculiar spelling of the sign, called Mr. Carman's attention to it. " What's the matter with it ?" gruilly replied Joshua. "Why, Mr. Carman. it is not spelt according to Jolinson !" " Who the hi-Il is Johnson ?" " Why, sir, he is received as authority upon such points." " Well," replied Joshua, "it's a .

to meet and combat all obstacles, whether of an in- tellectual or physical naturc.

We will now give some interesting items from the township records :

" March 11, IS06. A motion was made and seconded to take a vote respecting a New Road that was laid on ye 7th inst. from Bordentown to Cross- wicks wether a Caveat be entered against the said Road or not the vote being taken and Majority ap- peared in favor of the Caveat being entered.

"March 14, 1809. The town-meeting decided to increase the dog tax one cent in addition to the former tax on any person keeping one dog, one dollar for two dogs, and any person holding three or more to pay the sum of ten dollars for each dog.

" March 13, 1810. On motion made to the Town- ship for the prevalege of Making abutment on the end of Main street, in Bordentown, on the Crosswick Creek, to be occupied as a publie Landing by the In- habitants of said Township and others, by subscrip- tion, the same agreed to unanimously, and ordered to be recorded in the Township Book.

"March 9, 1813. A motion was made and seconded whether Benjamin Stillwell should build a store-house on the public wharf at Bordentown at his own expense agreed to, and that he is to take it off when the in- habitants of the Township desire it.

and the appointment since then is for the term of person to recive a wharfage for vessels coming to the four years.

. " March 8, 1814. A motion was made to appoint a public wharf in Bordentown. It was agreed to leave it in the breast of the Town Committee. A motion was made whether William MeKnight should have the privilege of building a store house on the publick wharf at his own expense, agreed to, and the Town- ship Committee pointed out the lower corner of the wharf."

At the same meeting the township committee was authorized to purchase a lot for a public burying- ground.

"1816. The committee was directed to ' crossway or pave the hill at Bordentown.' Fifty dollars a year was also voted to the constable.

" In 1818 it was decided to sell the street sweepings and gravel the thoroughfares.

" In 1819 Elisha Lippincott was granted permis- sion to build a store-house on the public wharf.

" In 1821, Ezekiel Robbins, wharfmaster, was di- reeted to receive from Eli-ha Lippincott and William MeKnight, ten dollars each for the use of the wharf, and fifty cents from all boats coming to the same.

" March 11. 1823. William MeKnight and William

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BORDENTOWN.

Rogers had a privilege granted to build walls on the sides of the Bordentown hill, at their expense, which shall be under the directions of the township com- mittee, who shall direct the overseer to pave to the wall.

"In 1824 it was decided that no person shall hold two offices at the same time."

Hotels .- The first ordinary or "public table" at Farusworth was kept by John Moore.

Iu 1742, " Joseph Richards, inn-keeper," bought a . house that stood where Uriah Bennett's (lately de- Brown and other eminent lawyers boarded here; but ceased) store now is, but we have no proof of his ever keeping at that corner.

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History of Burlington and Mercer counties, New Jersey : with biographical sketches of many of their pioneers and prominent men, Part 7

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