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 86
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 86
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The first pastor of this church was Rev. George Faitout, who was called in 1779 and gave oue-third of his time to this society for about two years. The second pastor was Rev. Joseph Clark, who was called in 1784, and who tradition says had been a chaplain in the American army during the Revolution, and at one time an aide to Gen. Washington. Jonathan, Thomas, John, Amos, and Isaae Hutchinson, Job Richardson, William Wilgus, Robert Phares. William Mount, David Cubberley, and David Chambers were prominent in securiug his services.
In 1820, Rev. John Cornell, of the Dutch Reformed Church, became pastor. Upon his retirement the Presbytery supplied the pulpit for some months, Revs. Miller, Alexander, Woodhull, Comfort, and Howe, and perhaps others, officiating at different times.
The Presbyterian Church of Hamilton Square. Rev. Henry Perkins was called in 1820, and or- -The first house of worship of this society was built ; dained and installed December 20th of that year. before the Revolutionary war. The second building, He preached at Hamilton Square and at Allentown alternately. At that time the elders of these two churches were David Cubberley, Jacob Fisher, Robert Vanderbeck, Cornelius Vanderbeck, James Hughes, Amos Hutchinson, Theophilus Furman, David W. Rue, and Ebenezer Smith. In 1827 the following were among the active members of this church : David Cubberley, James Hughes, Chris- tophier Vannest, Matthias Mount, Capt. Amos Hutch- inson, and Joseph Appleton. which was torn down in 1867, had a tablet in the front wall which bore the inscription : " Built in 1776. Re- built in 1837." The first building stood in that part of the churchyard which lies to the east of the line between the land of Simon Reed and the lower part of the present graveyard. It was painted yellow, and as it began to grow old was designated as the " Old Yellow Meeting-House." In 1837 the old yellow church was removed to give place to a brick building then erected west of the old site, and on land deeded Rev. George Ely assuined the pastorate of this church, in connection with that at Dutch Neck, in 1840. In 1856 he asked for a release on aceouut of to the church by the late William C. Sinelair. The lower part of the graveyard has been added to at dif- ferent times by the late John Clarke. The brick church was considerably improved in 1862, but in 1867 it was torn down and the present, beautiful house
1 Only a short time before, the sexton, J. T. Reed, had been in the belfry tolling the bell for a funeral. Other buildings were damagel.
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eertain afflictions which were sorely troubling him, and a call was extended to Rev. R. S. Manning, who was in charge until 1868, when he resigned and was succeeded by Rev. I. V. W. Schenck, whose pastor-
The present pastor, Rev. William Luke Cunning- ham, a graduate of Princeton, was called in the spring of 1880, and preached his first sermon to his congre- gation June 13th following.
In 1844, the present parsonage was erected. The church was broken into and robbed in March, 1871, of its best carpets, its pulpit Bible, the Sunday-school library, and other articles. The thief was caught some months later, and the stolen property was re- turned. The elders in 1882 were John C. Cubberly, David Lee, John S. La Baw, George R. Cook, John E. Gordon, William H. Hughes, and William H. Sharp. Elisha Hughes was a deacon.
The Baptist Church of Hamilton Square. - There were probably not many Baptists in the township in the last quarter of the last century, but there were a few, and they are said to have made up in zeal what they lacked in numbers. One of the most zealous was Abram Eldridge, who seems to have been ably sec- onded by his wife, and by William Nutt and others. It was Abraham Eldridge who gave to such a Bap- tist Society as then existed at the Square a lot on which a church was built in 1785. The church must have languished, for in 1788, Eldridge and his wife and Nutt deeded the property to the Baptist Church of Hightstown, for seventeen pounds eight shillings, with a view, it is thought, to having it held by a cor- porate body. The old church was a frame building of good size, with a gallery and an old-fashioned sounding-board.
Among those who preached here early was Rev. Peter Wilson, who held religious meetings in this section and at Trenton in 1787, and administered the rite of baptism by immersion in the Delaware for the first time, March 4, 1788, and subsequently became the first regular pastor of the Hamilton Square Church. The old church was occupied irregularly by different traveling preachers up to 1812.
The original lot deeded to the church by Abram Eldridge, whose farm at that time extended to the vil- lage, was about two-thirds of the present land owned by the society. About 1851 a piece of land east of the original lot was bought off the Cubberley tract, and about 1864 the society bought the lot known as the Reed property, which is now in the graveyard. The first of the two additions just mentioned has been converted to other than church uses. Thirty- five years ago the lower part of the graveyard was qnite full of forest-trees, and was locally known as the " meeting-house woods."
April 25, 1812, the church was regularly consti- tuted with thirty-one members, mostly formerly of the Hightstown Church. There were present at its recog- nition Revs. Peter Wilson, William Boswell, and ate was a successful one, and continued until the | John Boggs. The first deacons were Daniel Hutch- winter of 1879-80. In 1875 or 1876, William Tin- dall, of Newtown, deeded a lot to this church, upon which, chiefly as the results of the efforts of Rev. Mr. Schenck, a chapel was built in 1877.
inson, John Flock, and William Appleton. The first trustees were William Tindall, John James, John Tindall, William S. Cubberley, and Ashur Quigley.
Dec. 29, 1812, the property, which had been held in trust by the trustees of the Hightstown Church, was deeded to the trustees of this church.
The first pastor, Rev. Peter Wilson, divided his time between this and the mother church at Hights- town, and resigned about 1816. Rev. William Bos- well was the second pastor, and preached alternately at Hamilton Square and South Trenton until 1820, when he resigned and discontinued preaching, holding principles which, it is said, were in some respects at variance with the Baptist faith. Rev. John Seger became pastor in 1820, preaching half of the time at Hightstown, and continued until about 1832. The church was without a pastor until some time in 1835, when Rev. William D. Hires came, but remained less than a year.
In 1837, Rev. Searing Stiles came, and was the first pastor who gave his undivided labor to this church. Ile remained until 1852, his pastorate being long and successful. Near the end of his pastoral connection with the church, in 1851, a second church edifice was built, at a cost of two thousand two hundred dollars. In 1866 a recess was added, and a baptistery put in.
Rev. William Paulin succeeded to the pastorate in 1853, and remained until 1859. Rev. A. H. Bliss was pastor 1859-62; Rev. W. E. Watkinson, 1863-70; and Rev. W. W. Case, from October, 1871, to the fall of 1881, since which time the church has been with- out a pastor, though a call has, in the present year, been extended to Rev. J. B. Hutchinson, of Hatboro', Pa.
The pastorate of Rev. W. W. Case was a successful one, resulting in much advancement in both the spiritual and material interests of the church, the membership of which is now about three hundred and fifty, though in 1874 fifty members withdrew to form the church at Allentown (Monmouth County). A few of the members had long been discussing the advisability of building a new house of worship, but had been opposed by others who were in favor of making the old church serve for some time yet. But in 1880 the agitation culminated in a resolution to erect a larger and more substantial edifice, the church having in 1874 received from the late Wilhemina Hutchinson a large bequest, and later another from the late Elizabeth Lipes, and having another in pros- pective from the estate of the late William Tindall, of Newtown. A building committee was appointed, and the contract for building the church, according to certain plans and specifications made by William
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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
Hammell, was left to John II. Martin, of Cranbury (Middlesex County ), who covenanted to complete the structure by Jan. 1, 1881, for thirteen thousand dol- lars.
The last sermon in the old church was preached by the pastor June 13, 1880, and its demolition began the following day. A bottle placed in its walls in 1851 by Rev. Searing Stiles was found, but the arti- eles therein were nearly destroyed. Some printed matter was in a state of partial preservation, but a was mostly mouldered away. Enough of the writing could be deciphered, however, to show that the book had contained a list of the members of the church in 1851, and a list of baptisms by the then pastor since 1837. On a fragment of a leaf were the following words, plainly legible :
"The oldest person whose funeral I attended was Elizabeth Cubberley, aged 98;" and " the number of dwellings in Hamilton Square is 39."
The corner-stone of the new church was laid Aug. 10, 1880, by the pastor, assisted by Rev. W. E. Wat- kinson, Rev. William Luke Cunningham. and others. A copper box, made by P. II. Bennett, was placed in a receptacle which had been fashioned to receive it. Its contents consisted of various papers selected by the pastor, and a copy of a historical address deliv- ered by .Joseph H. West at Hamilton Square, July 4, 1876. The contractor failed to complete the church at the specified time, and early in 1881 the building committee took it off his hands, and under their di- reetion it was finished, and dedicated Oet. 19, 1881, by Rev. M. Everts, of Jersey City, assisted by the pastor and others. Sinee the 10th of the preceding July services had been held iu the Sunday-school room, which had been finished for such use, a bell weighing one thousand five hundred and forty-seven pounds having been purchased of the Good Will Fire Company of Trenton and hung in the belfry June 30th.
The trustees in 1882 were James C. Robbins, David S. Hutchinson, Samuel Flock, Enoeh South, Ezra Cubberley, Samuel M. Smith, and Alfred Fagans. The elerk was R. F. West. The deacons were Wil- liam J. Robbins, James B. Coleman, John S. West, George S. Cubberley, George C. Dye, and Samuel Floek.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Hamilton Square .- The Methodist Church at Hamilton Square . was built in 1844, and a box containing records was placed in one of its walls. The corner-stone was laid and the building dedicated by Rev. J. B. Wakely. : The house of worship was considerably enlarged in 1874, when it was rededicated. There were three religious services held in it on the day of rededication, Rev. T. Hanlon preaching in the morning, Rev. C. II. Whitecar in the afternoon, and Rev. J. Wilson in the evening.
Among those prominent in the organization of this
church were Enoch Knowles and wife, Jeremiah Reed. Sr., Jeremiah Reed, Jr., Ashur S. Cubberley, Elijah Wall, Charles D. Cubberley, and Simeon Reed. The first trustees were Enoch Knowles, Charles D. Cub- berley, Joseph Appleton, Jeremiah Reed, Jr., Simon Reed, Elijah Wall, and Ashur S. Cubberley.
Among the early local preachers of the Methodist faith at Hamilton Square were Revs. Enoch Knowles and William Lutes. Until 1870 this church was a preaching station on a cirenit, and it has been found small book containing a writing made by Mr. Stiles . impossible on account of frequent changes to present a complete list of the ministers who have labored here.
The following names of preachers who have served the church during what may perhaps be termed the latter half of its history : Revs. J. J. Graw, J. L. Souder, Joseph Atwood, G. H. Neal, E. F. Moore, J. Wilson, J. Hill, J. O'Hara, -- Miller, Charles Eider, 1877; Rev. D. M. De Hughes, 1877-79; H. J. Con- over, 1879-81, and the present pastor, Rev. Gideon Elvin, who came in 1881.
During his pastorate Rev. D. M. De Hughes pub- lished a small but ably conducted monthly paper, called The Methodist Record, in the interest of this church. Its first issue was dated September, 1878, and its publication was continued until Mr. De Hughes went to another charge.
This church now has a good membership, and its property is valued at four thousand five hundred dol- lars. It was officered as follows in 1882 : Trustees, C. D. Cubberley, J. Reed, E. Wall, L. C. Holmes, S. R. Reed, C. Hammell, E. Lambert, and D. Holman ; stewards, C. D. Cubberley, E. Wall, D. Holman, S. R. Reed, E. Lambert, J. Clark, C. Hammell, A. Reed, and J. Stall.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Groveville. -The Methodist Episcopal Church of Groveville was erected on a lot purchased of Richard Jaques and hi- brother for an almost nominal price, and dedieated by Rev. Charles Pitman in 1836.
Previous to that time meetings had been held in the school-house by Rev. (better known as "Papa") MeNeil, a circuit preacher. The following named were the original members of this church :
John Moore, Joseph Furman, Samuel F. Chambers, Joel Blakesley, John Bennett, and Daniel Britton, and their wives, and John Rulon and Enoch Knowles.
The first officers were as follows :
George S. Green, John Bennett, Joel Blakesley, John Rulon, and John Furman, trustees; and John Rulon, John Chambers, John Bennett, and Daniel Britton, stewards.
In 1882 the officers of this church were as follows : Trustees, James Woodward, Samuel T. Duffield, John N. Clymer, Thomas Cubberley, Andrew Asay, Joseph Nelson, and Reed Pearson ; stewards, G. O. Barber, Amos N. Cole, William H. Burke, Thomas Cubberley. James Wood, Ambrose Asay, and Samuel T. Duflield. The pastor was Rev. Sammel White.
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The membership is sixty. The value of the church property is fifteen hundred dollars.
The Presbyterian Chapel of Yardville .- There has never been a regularly organized branch of the Presbyterian Church in this village, but many of the residents have long been and are deeply interested in the work of that body.
About 1852 a subscription was raised and a house of worship erected at a cost of fifteen hundred dol- lars, which was dedicated by Rev. Dr. Theodore L. Cuyler.
The pastors of the Hamilton Square and Allentown (Monmouth County ) Churches have officiated there.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of White Horse .- A house of worship was erected at White Horse in 1858 by the Methodists of that vicinity, greatly assisted by Mary Pearson Hopkinson, who also donated the land on which it stands. It cost about one thousand dollars, and was dedicated by Rev. Alfred Cookman.
The second Robert Pearson had desired to have a church built there, but he had at this time been dead a hundred years. The generous benefactor of this church owned the land around about it, and solicited subscriptions for the erection of the house of worship. She is said to have borne the larger part of the ex- pense herself, however. Her death occurred shortly after the building was completed, and she left money in trust for its preservation. She was an Episcopa- lian, but conveyed the property to the Methodist : vent of the whites, but there is no good authority for Church there, no doubt feeling that as Methodists so believing. However, in digging for graves re- cently bones have been found outside of the present inclosure. It is by some thought that the original lot was much larger than the present one, which may account for bones being found beyond the fence now standing. were much more numerous in the neighborhood than Christians of her own sect, it would, in the possession of this society, be much more likely to be taken care of than by the scattering Episcopalians in the vicinity.
The constituent members of this church were John Gordon, William Chapman, George H. McCabe, Am- brose Asay, David Williams, David Holman, and Ralph Pearson, and their wives.
The trustees in 1882 were William Chapman, Thomas Worthly, Alfred Nutt, William Bucken- heizer, and Mahlon Sprague.
This church is on the Groveville charge, the pastor · being Rev. Samuel White.
The Mormons .- In 1842 or 1843 some Mormons held camp-meetings in the woods in the neighbor- hood of Hamilton Square, gaining a few converts, some of whom emigrated to Utah.
Rev. David Brainerd at Crosswicks .- Early in the latter half of the last century, Rev. David Brain- erd, the renowned missionary among the Indians of New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, preached to the Indians at Crosswicks, near the creek, and in that part of the settlement formerly known as Wood- wardsville, now North Crosswicks, in Hamilton. His work here was attended with considerable success.
Burial-Places,-Some few of the early settlers had private burial-lots on their own plantations. One . here.
John Rogers had one of this description on his farm, on land now owned by Ralph Rogers, of West Wind- sor township.
Previous to 1786 most of the dead in this township were buried at Crosswicks, in the Friends' church- yard, in the Pearson burial-lot at White Horse, and in a graveyard near Mercerville, on the road to Edin- burg, on land now owned by Samuel Hughes.
This latter burial-place had become neglected, and over fifty years ago it was desecrated by being plowed over, and all traces of it have long since disappeared : yet beneath that sod lie the bones of many of the pio- neers of New Jersey, among whom may be mentioned the Rossels. This graveyard was very little used after the churches were built at Hamilton Square, and no one living now ever remembers seeing an inter- ment made there. The monuments in it were but field-stones. There has probably been no interment made there since 1800.
The Pearson graveyard at the White Horse was set apart for that purpose probably as early as 1700 by the Pearsons. The oldest monument in it bearing a date is dated 1722, and marks. the grave of the wife ,of Robert Pearson. There are many buried there besides the Pearsons, among whom are the Cubber- leys, Douglasses, Quigleys, and others. The ground contains many headstones in a good state of preser- vation. It has been supposed by some that this had been an Indian burying-ground long before the ad-
The first person ever buried at Hamilton Square was a daughter of Amos Hutchinson, named Betsey Hutchinson, in 1786. Her grave is in the Presbyte- rian yard, and an inscription on the monument upon it states that she was the first person ever buried in that yard. The church was built ten years before. The Baptist Church was not built until 1785, and the lot had not previously been used for a burying-place. There are no stones in it bearing date earlier than 1793.
From about 1820 to 1858, Nottingham and Hamil- ton townships had a burial-lot west of Mercerville. just to the left of the forks of the road, and very many were buried there. During the cholera in Trenton in 1835, or about that time, large numbers were brought here from Trenton to be buried. There were a few marble monuments, which were removed by the friends of the deceased when the lot was sold by the township of Hamilton to Enos Bowne in 1858.
The Methodist churchyard at Groveville contains many graves of comparatively recent date. Richard Jaques, the first sheriff of Mercer County, is buried
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HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
GREENWOOD CEMETERY .- The Greenwood Ceme- tery Association of Trenton was incorporated in 1874. Its officers are Adam Exton, president; Dr. John Wolverton, vice-president ; Joseph McPherson, treas- urer ; Stacey B. Fine, secretary. Greenwood Ceme- tery is located in the western part of the township, and under the management of the officers of the asso- ciation is being improved and beautified.
ST. MARY'S CEMETERY .- St. Mary's Cemetery is. under control of St. Mary's Catholic Church of Tren- ton, and is located in Hamilton township a little be- yond the city line. The first interment there was made in August, 1876.
SOLDIERS' GRAVES .- In the various graveyards of the township are buried soldiers of the late war. In some of them repose the bones of soldiers of the war of 1812-14, and in one or two those of Revolutionary martyrs. In the old burial-place at the rear of the Baptist Church at Hamilton Square is the grave of F. W. Allen, a victim of the Andersonville prison- pen. In the same row is the grave of his father, Thomas Allen, who fought in the last war with Great Britain. Next to the latter is a mound under which sleeps John Likes, a soldier of "the days that tried men's souls." The graves of soldiers are now all marked with suitable headstones, most of which were furnished by the relatives of the deceased. Decoration Day has been observed regularly since 1878.
lodge revived, and has steadily increased in num- bers, the present membership being seventy-five. The officers in March, 1882, were as follows: Charles Hammell, N. G .; Peter H. Bennett, V. G .; Theodore Cubberley, Sec .; R. F. West, Treas.
HAMILTON LODGE. I. O. OF G. T .- In 1869 the above-named lodge of the Independent Order of Good Templars was organized at Hamilton Square, and meetings were held in the Odd-Fellows' Hall. The lodge continued in a prosperous condition until 1872, when the interest begau to abate. The charter has never been resigned, but no meetings have been held for some time. In 1874 the Hamilton Temper- ance Alliance was organized, and meetings are held occasionally in the churches.
lain ; Azariah Cubberley, Sec .; William Hughes, Treas.
Physicians .- The first resident physician in Ham- ilton was Dr. Ezekiel Wilson. The next was Dr. Job Wilson. Neither of the Wilsons remained long. Dr. MeMellen was a resident practitioner for a time many years ago. Dr. Frederick Piper came about 1815, and his son, Dr. Tobias Piper, was afterwards associated with him. Dr. Applegate came next, and Dr. Silah Guliek about 1830. In 1835, Dr. Isaac Hutchinson began to practice in the township, re- maining about two years. In 1837, Dr. G. R. Rob- bins came, and practiced continuously until his death, Feb. 22, 1875, except during his congressional terms, from 1854 to 1858, when Dr. Thomas Belange took lis place and practice. In 1867, Dr. Cloud, a home- opathist, practiced in the township a few months. In 1868, Dr. Wyckoff, from Hornerstown, came, but in 1869 sold his practice to Dr. A. T. Applegate, who left in 1870. In the latter year Dr. G. R. Robbins, Jr., began to practice and continues. Dr. Elmer Barwis practiced from 1875 to 1879. All of the phy- sicians above mentioned have resided at Hamilton Square. Dr. Robert C. Hutchinson located in Yard- ville in 1879, and Dr. Anton Moke has recently settled at North Crosswicks.
St. Francis' Hospital .- St. Francis' Hospital was incorporated by an act of the Legislature of the State of New Jersey, approved Feb. 12, 1873. It had been opened in 1871, when the three-story brick building since in use was erected by the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis. It is valued at forty-six thou- sand dollars. The grounds embrace an arca of two acres. The hospital is provided with eighty-one beds, sixty-two of which were occupied by patients in March, 1882.
Lodges and Societies .- HAMILTON LODGE, NO. 97, I. O. O. F .- This lodge was instituted at Hamil- ton Square, Sept. 1, 1849, with the following officers: G. R. Robbins, N. G .; Israel C. Voorhees, V. G .; Richard R. Rogers, Sec .; Elijah Mount, Treas. The lodge was in a flourishing condition until the out- break of the Rebellion, after which it decreased in membership, and not much interest was taken in it Neither insane persons nor those affected with con- tagious diseases are under any circumstances admitted. until 1870, although meetings were held at stated periods, which were slimly attended. In 1870 the ;; Serious accident cases are received without charge, if brought within twenty-four hours after the reception of the injury. Such cases, however, as may be able to defray the expenses of their treatment are required to do so.
Pay patients, before admission, are required to pay two weeks' board in advance, and assure its prompt payment thereafter at the close of each week.
Charity patients are always cheerfully received. When they are without relations or friends the hos- pital provides for them, and in case of death inters them decently.
This institution is doing a noble, charitable work, which highly commends itself to all who wish to be instrumental in ameliorating human suffering. Many of those who are now so carefully cared for would, if left to the charity of the world, want the comforts so necessary in case of siekness.
PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY .- The Hamilton Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, No. 79, was organized at Ham- ilton Square, Aug. 10, 1874, and has a membership of This institution is in charge of the following officers and medical and surgical staff: Consulting Surgeon, sixty. The present officers are William Clarke, Mas- ter; David McGilliard, Overseer; David Lee, Chap- . John Woolverton, M.D. ; Consulting Physician, Cor-
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