History of Burlington and Mercer counties, New Jersey : with biographical sketches of many of their pioneers and prominent men, Part 96

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 96
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 96

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P. B. Tomlinson, 1849-52, 1856- 57.

Benjamin Van Cleve, 1774-76, 1802. , James C. Flock, 1852-68.

William Phillips, 1777, 1779.

Wesley Dancer, 1853, 1854.

Aaron Van Cleve, 1777.

John Scudder, 1855.

George R. Cook, 1856, 1857.

Henry Cook, 1778-86, 1815. Andrew Johnston, 1778-79.

George S. Pott, 1858-63.

John Phillips, 1778.

Noah Reed, 1858-68.

Andrew Vannoy, 1780.

William Mershon, 1780-83.

David Price, 1780-87.

Edward Engleton, 1780.

John Lanning, 1781-82.

Joh Rossell, 1781-82.

Samuel Hunt, 1783.

Caleb S. Mershon, 1875-77.

Theophilus Phillips, 1784-87, 1789- 90.

Henry Dye, 1875, 1876, 1878, 1879, 1881.

Robert Furman, 1784-86, 1788-90. Joseph Scudder, 1784-86.

Caleb Cliver, 1876, 1880.

Joseph Slack, 1877.

Israel Smith, 1787-90.

Bernard McManus, 1877.

Benjamin Mershon, 1787, 1792,

Joseph HI. Hulfish, 1878-81.

1802.

William Ford, 18,9.

Stepheu Johnes, 1792-1793.

. George Rhein, 1881.

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

Joseph F. Bartine, 1870. Samuel Firth, 1871.

Randall Stulta, 1873. John Tenpine, 1874.

John P. Sendder, 1872, 1877.

Thomas Abbott, 1876, 1881.

tainable was one Jonathan Hunt, who carried on business there during the Revolution, and probably until the final abandonment of the tannery, in 1785.

As early as 1787 Israel Hunt erected a saw-mill on Stony Brook, and about 1800 sold it to Benjamin Titus, who added to it a fulling-mill and cooper- shop and erected a grist-mill. The old mill was torn down about 1820, after having been idle some years. The grist-mill continued in the possession of Mr. Titus until 1845, when his son, David Titus, suc- · ceeded hin, and sold the property to Thomas H. West in 1860. During the next twenty years it had sev- eral successive owners, and in 1880 was purchased by Aaron Reeder, the present proprietor.

The grist-mill now known as Lawrence Mills was built early in the industrial history of the township, as is supposed by some members of the Mount fam- ily, and was long known as Mount's Mills, Thomas Mount having been the earliest known owner. This mill, which is located on Assanpink Creek, on the southern border of the township, has changed hands froni time to time. It was rebuilt about 1870 by John B. Reed, who then owned the property. Dur- ing the past three years Charles Temple & Sons have been the owners and operators. On the same prop- erty is an old saw-mill which has always been owned with the grist-mill and now in connection with it.

The well-known Golden Mill, the property of Mr. J. Golden, is located in the northeast part of the township on Stony Brook.

The Van Kirk distillery was started in 1814 by Foster W. Van Kirk, who, at his death, in 1862, was succeeded by the present proprietor, William Van Kirk.

Villages and Hamlets .- LAWRENCEVILLE is a small but pleasantly situated village, about five miles northeast from Trenton, on the king's road, and about the same distance from Princeton. It was formerly known as Maidenhead, and is noted for its exceptional educational facilities and its old Presby- terian Church, which was the fourth organized in New Jersey. Many of the residents of the village are retired farmers, some of whom are descendants of the pioneer families elsewhere referred to.

The nucleus of this village seems to have been the old church where the early settlers for many miles around worshiped, and in whose graveyard the bones of most of them found their last resting-place. It is recorded that the first county court of Hunterdon County was held at Maidenhead, on the second Tues- day of June, 1714. The magistrates present were John Bainbridge, Jacob Bellerjeau, Philip Phillips, William Green, John Holcomb, Samuel Green, and one other, nearly all of whom were residents of this township. And in 1715 the first civil trial in Hunter- dou County was held at Maidenhead. In the records of the Court of Sessions in Hunterdon County there is an entry as follows: "June 5th, 1716, proclama-

Industrial History .-- A primitive industrial en- terprise in Lawrence was an old tannery, which was established at a very early date on the farm of Capt. F. W. Vankirk, in what is now Rosedale school district. The earliest operator of whom any knowledge is ob- i tion made, and the court adjourned to the meeting- - 55

Joseph Smith, 1794-97, 1800-2. John Lanning, 1798-1805. Israel Stevens, 1803-10.

John Brearley, 1804-12.

Edward Laning, 1806-28. Theophilus Phillips, 1811-32. Richard M. Green, 1813-29. Charles Reed, 1829-32, 1837-40. . Charles Reeder, 1830.

Charles S. Hunt, 1864-72. Stephen J. Flock, 1869-73. James M. Hendrickson. 1869-72.

S. B. Green, 1873-75, 1880. William Campbell, 1873. John G. Clark, 1874, 1878. Richard P. Stults, 1874.

Daniel Agnew, 1788.

Joseph Scudder. 1787-92. Samuel Cook, 1793-99. Henry Mershon, 1800-7. Enoch Johnson. 1808-15. William Smith, 1819.

William J. Hart, 1861-62.

852

HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

house in Maidenhead in half an hour. God save the king." The early prominence of the Presbyterian

the time practically unarmed, their muskets having been put in the front of the wagon for conveyance, Chureh led to the frequent meeting of the Synods of . and Adjt. Phillips decided to take advantage of this New York and New Jersey, and of the Presbytery of New Brunswick, at Maidenhead, far back in the last century. faet, and capture the team and wagon and their convoy. He instructed the negro in the part he was to take in the daring adventure he had planned, and both remained concealed in the stable till the wagon was direetly opposite. Then with loud shouts the two patriots rushed out upon the unsuspecting Brit- ons, the negro seizing the wheel-horse by the bridle and presenting his gun at the head of its startled rider, while Phillips quickly possessed himself of the soldiers' muskets, and emptied their pans, rendering them useless as fire-arms. Then interposing himself between them and their owners, so that the latter could not use them clubbed in their defense, with a gun direeted at the nearest soldier, he demanded the surrender of the guard in a manner that brooked

From time immemorial there has been a tavern in the village. John Moore is supposed to have been the builder and first keeper. He died inany years ago, and subsequent owners have been Roswell Howe, : the Misses Van Cleve, Wesley Morris, James B. Du- mont, John Taylor, and perhaps others. The keepers have been many. James Risdon is the present one.

When the British held possession of Trenton and Princeton, this village was on the common thorough- fare between those places. On one occasion the old tavern was the scene of an exciting and memorable adventure. Many of the able-bodied male residents were with Washington in Pennsylvania. The people , ueither parley nor delay. With his four prisoners- living along the king's road had retired to the hills of-war guarded by the negro, with such attention as he could himself give them, Adjt. Phillips drove the team across the country, avoiding the highways, and crossing the Delaware at a ferry some distance above Trenton, delivered his prize to Washington's army. This exploit being reported by the officer of the day to Geu. Washington, the latter gave orders that Phillips should be brought before him. Wheu : the adjutant appeared, Washington complimented him upon his bravery, and directed him to take the in the township of Hopewell, leaving their homes uneared for, exeept as some of them ventured back under cover of the darkness, or when they had reason to think their presenee would be unobserved by the enemy, to see if their domiciles had been opened or disturbed. One day one of the Hunts returned to visit his residenee (a stone house, nearly opposite Van Cleve's), having a servant with him, who kept watch by the roadside to give notice of the approach of any of the enemy. Soon after he entered the best horse of the team as his share of the prize. house he was startled by a ery from the colored man, which was all too well known in those days, - "The Hessians are coming !"'

Hunt hurried out, and the two mounted their horses, and spurred rapidly towards the tavern, the Hessians in hot pursuit. In the tavern were three or four minute-men, who, hearing the sounds of the raec, ran out, and brought their guns to bear upon the ap- proaching Hessians, shooting the foremost as they advanced and dispersing the others, who rode off to- wards Princeton. The Hessian who had been shot soon died, and his body was buried in a wood belong- ing to Col. Joseph Phillips, northwest of the road, where, tradition says, the superstitious in the neigh- borhood, especially of the African raee, often imag- ined they saw his spirit, in uniform, stock and knap- sack, for many years afterwards.

Adjt. Phillips was noted for his enterprise and his desperate daring on the field and elsewhere during the struggle for independence. He was promoted to be a major before the eiose of the war. Afterwards he was elected high sheriff of Hunterdon County, and died during his term of office. He was remarkable for his military bearing, and his brilliant conversa- tional powers and pleasing address.

In the "New Jersey Historieal Collections," pub- lished in 1844, appears the following :

"When the British troops were passing through Lawrenceville, after Washington's retreat through the Jerseys, a party of Hessians entered the dwelling of Jacob Keen, who was a strong Whig. His wife, a woman of great courage and resolution, had locked up her silver in a bureau. Upon their entering she despatched one of her children in search of an officer. She stood before her bureau with the keys in her hand. They demanded in their own language that she should open the drawers. She pretended not to understand their object, and they, much enraged, were in the act of breaking open the drawers with the butts of their muskets when an officer entered with the child, and the men re- treated."

Elias Phillips, then adjutant of his regiment, in company with a slave visited his home, late the resi- dence of Dr. George White, deceased, but slept in a The narrator of the above aneedote was at the time but six years old, and was secreted in an oven during the parley between Mrs. Keen (her mother) and the soldiers, and was residing in Trenton as late as 1842. stable near the present residenee of Rev. Dr. Hamill. They arose early in the morning, and discovered a wagon, drawn by a four-horse team, descending Hen- drickson's hill, a little southwest of the village, and, The first store in Lawrenceville was opened by Ralph Shreve in 1821 or 1822. A few years later as it came nearer, they noted the fact that it belonged to the enemy, and was loaded with hospital supplies, Shreve sold out to Henry Brearley, who removed the then much needed by the British, in charge of a guard building to the place on the northwest side of the of three soldiers, walking in the rear of the wagon, a , king's road, where it yet stands, occupied as a resi- fourth riding the wheel-horse. The soldiers were at | dence by Henry S. Clendenning. Here Brearley

853

LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP.

traded about ten years, removing thence to a dwell- ing opposite Rev. Dr. Hamill's residence, which he remodeled for mercantile purposes and occupied about a decade, latterly with a partner under the firm- name of Brearley & Pearson. Pearson & Hart suc- ceeded Brearley & Pearson, removing the business to the store now occupied by N. Higgins Furman, which they built about 1850. About 1858 Pearson & Hart were succeeded by MeGalliard & Hughes, who in 1861 disposed of the business to David Ver- bright. A year or two later Verbright went out of business, and the store was closed until the firm of Brearley & Furman opened it in 1868. N. Higgins Furman succeeded that firm in 1874.

A store was kept in a building on the east side of the road now occupied as a wheelwright-shop by Henry and Charles Van Cleve for many years up to ; 1859, when Charles Van Cleve, the surviving brother, died. In the same building George A. Atchley kept a store from 1866 to 1871.

The village now contains one general store, kept by N. Higgins Furman, a temperance hotel, kept by Henry Risdon, the wheelwright-shop of H. T. Bender, a Presbyterian Church, a school-house, a number of attractive and substantial dwellings, the Lawrenceville Classical and Commercial High School.

The post-office is in charge of N. Higgins Furman, who was commissioned as postmaster in 1874.

BAKER'S BASIN .- This hamlet had its beginning. in the hotel built in 1806 by Benjamin Baker, who was an extensive land-owner there, and gave his name to the locality. After the construction of the Delaware and Raritan Canal, Baker had a " basin" there, where boats were loaded with lumber and country produce, for many years, until the wharf was removed. From this circumstance the settlement which grew up there many successive keepers. the last of whom was Ben- jamin P. Baker. In 1870 the building was purchased by Benjamin Pidcock, who converted it into a dwell- ing, and has since occupied it as such.

came to be known as Baker's Basin. The tavern had ! length. It is now owned and kept by Israel H.

The first merchant at Baker's Basin was E. B. Parvin, who opened a store about 1836. He was succeeded by Gideon Hutchinson in 1839, and he by Twining & Girton in 1843, Charles Twining then becoming the owner of the store. This firm was succeeded by Jo- seph H. Shepard, and Shepard by John Hafner in 1881. The present owner of the building is William Updike. A coal-yard has from the first been kept in connection with this store.

About 1860 a large shed, which had been built by E. B. Parvin for the shelter of mules employed on the canal, was converted into a hay depot by Gideon Hutchinson, who erected a hay-press therein, and sold out the establishment to Charles Twining, whose i successors were Joseph Shepard and William Updike. The business was abandoned a few years ago.

At Baker's Basin a grange was organized in 1875, with the following charter members : Benjamin Sat-

terthwaite, Isaac B. Baker, Elias Welling, Levi Reed, William Welling, Franklin Dyc, Charles Smith, Mrs. Elias Welling, Mrs. A. E. Ogden, and Mrs. Isaac B. Baker. The following were the first officers: Master, Benjamin Satterthwaite; Overseer, Elias Welling ; Lecturer, Franklin Dye; Chaplain, James R. Cad- well; Seerctary, Isaac B. Baker; Treasurer, William Welling ; Steward, Robert Blackwell ; Gate-keeper, Charles Smith. The officers in March, 1882, were as follows : Overseer, Robert Johnston; Lecturer, Frank- lin Dye; Chaplain, Isaac B. Baker ; Secretary, Thomas B. Decoe ; Treasurer, Wilson Snoak ; Steward, Charles Baker ; Gate-keeper, John Mortimore. The present membership of the grange is seventy. Meetings are held in Granger's Hall, erected in 1875.

Baker's Basin contains one store, a Methodist Epis- copal Church, a grange hall, a school-house, a coal- yard, and ten dwellings.

LAWRENCE STATION, in the southern part of the township, is a station on the Pennsylvania Railroad, and consists of a store and coal-yard, a post-office and a depot, a hay-pressing establishment and two dwell- ings.

The local merchant and coal dealer is Vincent Perrine, who began business in 1878. He had no predecessors.

E. C. Seely is the station agent and postmaster.

The hay-pressing business was begun a few years ago by Stephen Flock. The establishment is now owned by Vincent Perrine and operated by Benjamin Pidcock.

PRINCESSVILLE, on the Princeton turnpike, in the eastern part of the township, is the locality of a pub- lic-house known as the " Red Tavern." It was built many years ago, and its accommodations were in- creased afterwards by the addition of some feet to its Pearson.

Formerly there was a Methodist Episcopal Church at Princessville, which has been removed to Baker's Basin. The churchyard by the roadside marks its former location.

LEWISVILLE .- This is a cluster of houses in the central part of the township, on a narrow road lead- ing from the road running northwest from Baker's Basin to the Princeton turnpike, and was so called in honor of the former proprietor of considerable land there.

FRANKLIN CORNERS, on the Princeton turnpike, at its crossing with the road leading from Baker's Basin in the direction of Pennington, contains a blacksmith and wheelwright's shop and several dwellings.

Jonathan Brearley built a public-house there about 1808, and kept it until his death, many years after- ward. It was later kept by his widow, Martha B. Hutchinson, until about 1832. when the building was purchased by Theodore L. Hill, who converted it into a dwelling.

Hill was the first blacksmith at "the Corners,'?

854

HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

opening a shop about 1832, and continuing in busi- ness until 1852, when he was succeeded by R. J. of their classes. Richards, the present blacksmith and wheelwright. Jacob Hutchinson formerly had a blacksmith shop there a few years.

Educational History .-- There is nothing of es- pecial interest in the history of the public schools of Lawrence. The township passed through the era of "pay-schools" and select schools to that of the pub- lic-school system of the State of New Jersey, under the operation of which it is divided into five school districts, known as Briek District, No. 21 ; Grove Dis- triet, No. 22; Clarksville District. No. 23; Ceutral District, No. 24; and Rosedale District, No. 25.

LAWRENCEVILLE CLASSICAL AND COMMERCIAL HIGH SCHOOL,-The Lawrenceville Classical and Commercial High School had its origin in the year 1810, in an effort of Rev. Isaac V. Brown. D.D., to establish a classical school in Lawrenceville, N. J. The village was highly eligible for such an institu- tion, on account of its retirement, healthfulness, and good neighborhood, its proximity to Trenton and Princeton, and to the great thoroughfare between our largest eities. The effort proved successful. The number of pupils, at first small, soon increased, suit- able buildings were erected, and in the year 1827 there was a further enlargement.

In the year 1832, Alex. H. Phillips was united with Dr. Brown as principal, and soon after took the sole (lireetion of the school.

In November, 1837, Messrs. H. and S. M. Hamill became associated as principals, and two years after- ward the institution came under their exclusive eon- trol. Subsequently the proprietorship of the institu- tion vested in Dr. S. M. Hamill. The plan and course of studies was enlarged, various additions made to the buildings, the grounds extended and beautified, and the institution in every way made more convenient and attractive.

During the whole period of seventy-two years the school has been under the control of only three pro- prietors and four principals. It has gathered its patronage from every part of our widely-extended eonntry. Pupils have been drawn to it from almost every State in the Union, from South America, the West India Islands, the Cherokec and Choctaw Na- tions, from Great Britain, from Canada, from India and Japan.

Among those who have been connected with this school will be found many ministers of the gospel, Governors of States, judges of national and State eourts, members of national and State Legislatures, journalists, engineers, bankers, and merchants, who have been largely successful, and have risen to dis- tinction. Many, too, have been admitted to West Point, the United States Naval Academy, and have distinguished themselves in the service of their eoun- try. A. large number have been admitted to more than twenty of the leading colleges of the country,

and in many instances have taken the highest honors

A distinguished professor in one of our New Eng- land colleges remarked that he "had watched this in- stitution for nearly forty years, and he knew no school of its class that had maintained its ground as well."

On Thursday, Sept. 27, 1860, the semi-centennial anniversary of the High School took place. The alumni assembled and organized by appointing Dr. E. L. Welling temporary chairman, and Rev. R. Hamill Nassau secretary. A permanent organization was afterward effected by electing Governor Olden, president ; Samuel D. Gross, M.D., LL.D., E. W. Scudder, Esq., vice-presidents ; and Rev. A. P. De-' Veuve, secretary. Interesting addresses were made by Dr. Gross, Dr. Brown, Rev. A. D. White, and others. At ten o'clock the usual cominencement ex- ercises took place. At one o'clock the alumni and others, to the number of more than two hundred (in- cluding the Governor and chancellor of New Jersey, with a number of ladies), dined together in the school- room. Numerous sentiments were offered and short responses made by Rev. Dr. Brown, Dr. Gross, Rev. Dr. Stcel, Col. Montgomery, J. C. Green, Esq., E. W. Scudder, Esq., and others. In the afternoon, on re- assembling in the church, a historical paper was read by Rev. Samuel M. Hamill, D.D., and the semi- centennial address was delivered by Hon. Henry W. Green, LL. D., chancellor of New Jersey. The whole exercises were exceedingly interesting, and the audiences large.

A similar meeting of the aluinni was held in 1865, which was numerously attended. The same organi- zation was continued, and officers reappointed. Con- gratulatory resolutions were also adopted on the con- tinued prosperity of the school.

In 1870 the sixtieth anniversary was numerously attended. The alumni association met and enjoyed a pleasant festive occasion. Speeches were made and resolutions of congratulation adopted. The sexten- nial address was delivered by the Hon. Edward W. Scudder, of the Supreme Court of New Jersey. Judge Seudder was elected president of the association, and Charles W. Nassau, Esq., of New York, and J. W. Davis appointed secretaries.

REV. SAMUEL M. HAMILL, D.D., was born in Nor- ristown, Pa., and was the son of the late Robert Hamill, a leading merchant of that place, whose an- cestors were Scotch-Irish. Mr. Robert Hamill came to America, with many other young Protestant Irish- men, from the county of Antrim, in 1797. He mar- ried Isabella Todd, daughter of Andrew Todd, a Rev- olutionary patriot, who at the age of nineteen or twenty was in the battles of Germantown, Trenton, Princeton, and Monmouth. Col. Todd resided at the Trappe, Montgomery Co., Pa., near the spot where his father, who had also come from Ireland, had settled about the middle of the last century.

It was the ambition of Mr. Hamill to give his chil-

of Us Mcamills

835

LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP.

dren the best opportunities of education. All his sons, Hugh, Samuel, and Robert, were sent to college, Hugh having graduated at Rutgers, N. J., and Samuel and Robert at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, each taking a high grade in his elass. The subject of this sketch went through his preparatory course at the ! Academy at Norristown, and under the tuition of Rev. Dr. Junkin, at Germantown and Easton, having also spent a year in the study of mathematics aud philosophy with the late Allen W. Carson, a noted mathematician of Plymouth, Montgomery Co., Pa.

Before his graduation, in 1834, he was selected, at the recommendation of Rev. Dr. Bionn, president of Jeffersou College, Pennsylvania, for the position of teacher of the Latin and Greek languages in the High Sehooi at Lawrenceville, N. J., which position he filled with great aeeeptanee for a period of three years. Among his pupils during this time were ex-Governor Joel Parker, the late Charles Seribner, the distin- guished publisher of New York, Hon. Edward W. Scudder, of the Supreme beneh of New Jersey, and others. In connection with his brother Hugh, who was associated with him for many years, he sueeeeded Professor A. H. Phillips in the charge of the High School. In 1839 he purchased the High School prop- erty, and became the proprietor as well as principal of the institution. The inerease in the number of tions, and at different periods the buildings werc en- larged, as were also the grounds by new purehases, and the course of studies advaneed to incet the de- mand of the times. As a natural result the patronage of the school covered a wider field, and became not only seleet, but reliable. Few schools in the eouutry have been more favored in the character of their pa- trons.

students soon required more extended aecommoda- : those who trained them. The doetor has frequently

Dr. Hamill's deep interest in the general subject of education indueed him at different periods to take an active part in movements for its advaneement. He attended the great conventions held years ago at Trenton, presided over by the late Judge Robeson, and served as chairman of the Committee on Resolu- tions. These popular meetings resulted in the ap- pointment of a State superintendent of schools, and subsequently in the establishment of the State Normal School for the training of teachers.

He has on various occasions been invited to meet committees of the Legislature for the purpose of giving expression to his views on matters connected with the school laws of the State.

Dr. Hamill took great interest in the cause of the country at the time of the Rebellion. By his private influenee, public addresses and resolutions, he gave utterance to many vigoroas sentiments in favor of the Union. He drew up and offered the resolutions that were adopted at a large mass meeting held at Pen- nington during the war. When a draft was threat- ened, he was waited upon by several gentlemen who desired his opinion on the question of the hour. He

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History of Burlington and Mercer counties, New Jersey : with biographical sketches of many of their pioneers and prominent men, Part 96

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