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 99
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 99
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Spafford W. Hutchinson, 1863-70.
Charles MI. Potter, 1871-72.
Charles A. Miller, 1873, 1879.
J. J. Whittington, 1877. Frank M. Harker, 1878. E. B. Yard, 1880-81.
ASSESSORS.
George H. Yard, 1860. William Robbins, 1-61-63.
: Joseph W. Yard, 1875-76. Jolin B. Yard, 1880-81.
John M. Allen, 1864-67. James McGallaird, 1868-70, 1877- 79.
COLLECTORS.
Reuben Hendrickson, 1860-62. - George R. Robbins, 1867-74. John R. Cubberley, 1875-81.
CONSTABLES.
D. Lining, 1800. Job Silvers, laGi. Randall Sprouls, 1862. Sanitel A. Pancoast, 1863-64. Lewis Steward, 1>65-66.
. MI. Ayres, 1866.
John McCabe, 1867-68, 1870. Fredrick Miller, 1809.
Jolin W. Tindall, 1871, 1881.
Villages and Hamlets .- WINDSOR is a hamlet on the Amboy Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, in the northeast part of the township, and was formerly known as Centreville. Its population is about one hundred and fifty.
The first merchant there was Samuel Embley ; Miss T. Voorhees was the next. Barelay Perrine was an early merchant. Israel Baldwin began trading there in 1862, and has continued to the present. John B. ; Perrine opened a store in 1865, and traded there a number of years. Bowne & Malsbury began business a year or two later, but did not long continue it. George R. Robbins was a merchant there a year or two. Elias T. Daneer traded from 1873 to some time in the follow- ing year. About this time a store was opened by John N. Carhart, who closed it a year or two after- wards. About 1874, Everett & Co. opened a store, but were succeeded in a year or two by Lane & Co., who are yet in business. The store oceupied by Is- rael Baldwin was erected by William T. Mills in 1848.
The first blacksmith at Windsor was George A. Cole, who built a shop there in 1845. He has had several successors. The present "smithy" is oper- ated by Daniel Kavanaugh.
In 1845, Henry Vandewater opened a wheelwright- shop. He had successors, the last of whom was John McDonald.
The Windsor Hotel was built in 1832 by William McKnight, and Samuel Embley was its first oeeu- pant. It has several times changed owners and land- lords, and is now the property of Samuel Eldridge, and kept by Charles Tindall.
The post-office was established about 1846, with Barelay Perrine-as postmaster. Edward Van Hise has been postmaster sinee 1861.
Windsor now contains one chureh, a grist-mill, a harness-shop, a blacksmith-shop, two stores, and a hotel and a number of dwellings.
NEWTOWN STATION .- This hamlet contains one store, a wheelwright-shop, a blacksmith-shop, a hotel, a chapel, a hay-pressing establishment, and about one hundred inhabitants. It is a station on the Amboy Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad, on the road from Bordentown to Hightstown, and the Allentown road, and is located near the western boundary of the township. It is known also as Robbinsville, the name of the post-office, given in honor of Hon. G. R. Rob- bins. Years ago the locality was sometimes referred to as " Hungry Hill," from the faet that it is on ele- vated ground, which was then the abiding-place of some people who were unable to provide to persons traveling through there such necessary articles of food . as were sometimes required. The present name was given it in 1844, at a meeting of the inhabitants held for the purpose of taking measures to forever separate the hamlet and its old uncomplimentary appellation.
The first merchant in the place was I. C. Voorhees, who began business in 1810. Several years later he
Enoch Flock, 1870-76.
John B. Yard, 1871-74.
Jasper Allen, 1871-72. Asher Quigley, 1873-74.
Spafford W. Hutchinson, 1875-76. John MeCabe, 1875. John R. Cubberley, 1875. John McDonald, 1876. George R. Busby, 1876-78. Benjamin Hulse, 1877-78. Frank M. Harker, 1877. Augustus Ayers, 1877, 1879. . Randall R. Silvers, 1878-80. Jasper IIutchinson, 1878, 1880-81. William Walling, 1879.
David W. Cubberley, 1870-71.
Charles R. Burke, 1869-70. Israel Baldwin, 1871-74.
John M. Mansbury, 1863-66.
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WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
was succeeded by Richard Waddy. and he, three or four years later, by R. Yard & Brother. At the ex- piration of a year the firm was changed to Yard & Applegate. J. C. & Joseph Yard succeeded Yard & Applegate, and were succceded by J. W. Yard about 1868. E. B. Yard has occupied the store sinec 1872.
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The post-office was established about 1850. I. Clark
Voorhees was the first postmaster. His successors have been Richard Waddy, George H. Yard, John C. Yard, Joseph W. Yard, and E. B. Yard, the present incumbent, commissioned in 1877.
In 1843, Benjamin Reed opened the first wheel- wright-shop. The first and present blacksmiths are J. S. Yard & Son, who are also the present wheel- wrights.
The first hotel was the "Cross-Keys House." It was an old house half a century ago, and the uames of the builder and early occupants are not now known. The last to do the honors of the establishment was Elijah Davis. This old inn was torn down about a dozen years ago. The Railroad House was erected by William Tindall in 1844, and was first kept by G. W. Davison, who occupied it three years. The pres- ent owner and occupant is E. A. Tindall.
Pomyea & Brother set up a hay-press at Newtown in 1879, and have been succeeded in business by Pom- yea & Mount.
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SHARON is a hamlet on the York road, partly in Washington and partly in Monmouth County, con- taining about twenty dwellings, a blacksmith's shop, a wheelwright's shop, two stores, and a church. For- merly several manufacturing enterprises of more or less importance were located there.
Abner Hall, who kept a store on the Mercer County side of the road as early as 1812, was the pioneer merchant. Several different persons. the names of most of whom cannot now be recalled, have traded there since. Two stores are now kept, one of them by James M. Danar, the other by Lucy Decline ..
The first blacksmith at Sharou was as early as 1800. The present blacksmith-shop is owned by J. D. Hall, and occupied by George Gill.
An early wheelwright was William Pullen. H. F. Pareut now carries on a wheelwright's business in a shop rented of J. D. Hall.
NEW CANTON .- This is a hamlet at the southern In writing of the several manufactures at Sharon it extremity of the township, partially on the south side . has been thought best to mention those of them that of the York road, and in Monmouth County. It was formerly known by the uneuphonious name of Cab- bagetown, and consists of eight dwellings.
Industrial Pursuits. - GRIST-MILLS. - James Hutchinson erected the Hutelrinson grist-mill on Miry Run, north of Newtown, about 1785. This mill has ever since been owned in the family, and is now the property of James I. Hutchinson.
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Amos Hutchinson, a relative of Amos Hutchinson. their builder.
In 1820, Jonathan Hutchinson crected a grist-mill on Cat-Tail Creek, which was operated by a man named Silvers until he was succeeded by John Hutech- inson. Later the mill changed owners several times, and in 1857 was purchased by David Carson. It was burned in 1SS0.
Another grist-mill was built in 1820 at Sharon by Isaac Wilson, who did a milling business for some years, and then converted the building into a store. which was kept there for some years, when the struc- ture was torn down.
THE MANUFACTURE OF SHOES .- About 1800, Jo- seph Taylor began the manufacture of shoes at Sharon, on the Mercer County side of the road. After some years he sold out to Abner Hall, who continued the business some years.
John Brown established a shoe-factory at Sharon in 1832, and did a more or less extensive business for some time.
THE MANUFACTURE OF HATS .- In 1807, William Story established a hat-factory at Sharon, on the Mon- mouth side of the county line, at times employing as many as twenty men in the manufacture of fur and woolen hats .. His successors were his son, William Story, Jr., and John Story. This enterprise was long ago abandoned.
THE OLD MIDDLETON TANNERY .- Jedediah Mid- dleton erected suitable buildings and established a tannery at Sharon as early as 1820, in the Monmouth County part of the settlement. This enterprise soon came into the management of Daniel Bowman, who conducted it until 1840, when it passed into the hands of Alfred Conover, and was owned by him thirty-five years, when the buildings were purchased aud removed by J. D. Hall.
BRICK MANUFACTURE .- In 1844, Barclay Perrine began the manufacture of brick at Windsor, and con- tinued that industry for some years.
LESS IMPORTANT ENTERPRISES .- Besides those mentioned above, there have been numerous less im- portant industrial enterprises, such as those carried on in shops by mechanics of different kiuds, some of which are referred to elsewhere.
were located in that part of the hamlet Isiug in Mon- mouth County as fully as those north of the road, as all contributed alike, according to their impor- tance, to the growth and prosperity of the southern part of the township.
Educational .- There is nothing to distinguish the educational history of Washington from that of other similar townships iu this section of the State. It has not been ascertained that it contains any special claim upon the historian, whose manifest duty will
At Windsor, Amos Hutchinson built a grist-mill and a saw-mill about 1817, which were operated by his sons Jonathan and Isaac Hutchinson till 1827, i have been performed when he has stated that the when they were purchased by the present owner, earliest schools within the borders of the township
866
HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
were instituted and supported by private contribu- tions, and that the "pay-school" system prevailed until the school law of the State of New Jersey went . into effect, adding some data concerning the number and status of the schools of the present time.
Washington is divided into six school districts, which are named and numbered as follows : Robbins- ville District, No. 44; Union District, No. 45; Page's Corner District, No. 46; Sharon District, No. 47; Allen District, No. 48; and Windsor District, No. 49.
According to the annual report of the State Board of Education for the school year ending Aug. 31, 1880, the statistics of the schools in the several dis- tricts werc as follows .
ROBBINSVILLE DISTRICT .- Amount of apportion- ment from State appropriation, $301.54; amount of apportionment from surplus revenue, 828.40; total amount received from all sources for public school purposes, $329.94; value of school property, $200; whole number of children between five and cighteen years of age in the district, 85; number enrolled on the school register, 60 ; estimated number of children who have attended no school, 26; number of teach- ers employed, and at what monthly salary, 1 female at $28.33.
UNION DISTRICT .- Amount of apportionment from State appropriation, 8277.47 ; amount of apportion- ment from surplus revenue, $22.53; total amount re- ceived from all sources, $300; value of school prop- erty, $1000; number of children in the district of the school age, 68; number enrolled on the school regis- ter, 56; estimated number who attended no school, 12; number of teachers employed, and at what monthly salary, 1 male at $28.
PAGE'S CORNER DISTRICT .- Amount of appor- tionment from State appropriation, 8278.39; amount of apportionment from surplus revenue, $21.61 ; total amount received from all sources, $300; value.of school property, 81000; number of children in the district of the school age, 70; number enrolled on the school register, 57; estimated number who attend no school, 13; number of teachers employed, and at what monthly salary, 1 female at $28.50.
SHARON DISTRICT .- Amount of apportionment from State appropriation, $279.94; amount of appor- tionment from surplus revenue, $20.06 ; total amount received from all sources, $300 ; value of school prop- erty, $800; number of children in the district of the . school age, 67; number enrolled on the school reg- ister, 58; estimated number who attend no school, 5; number of teachers employed, and at what monthly salary, 1 female at $31.50.
ALLEN DISTRICT. -- Amount of apportionment froin State appropriation, $282.40; amount of appor- tionment from surplus revenuc, $17.60 ; total amount received from all sources, $300 ; value of school prop- erty, $1000; number of children in the district of the school age, 68; number enrolled on the school register, 41; estimated number attending private
schools, 5 ; estimated number who attended no school, 22; number of teachers employed, and at what salary, 1 female at $26.58.
WINDSOR DISTRICT .- Amount of apportionment from State appropriation, 8373.66 ; amount of appor- tionment from surplus revenuc, 835.19; total amount received from all sources, 8408.85; value of school property, 81200; number of children in the district of the school age, 118 ; number enrolled on the school register, 70; estimated number attending private schools, 2; estimated number who attended no school. 46 ; number of teachers employed, and at what salary, 1 male at 842.
The Methodist Church of Sharon .- At Sharou is a Methodist Episcopal Society, which forms part of the Allentown (Monmouthi County) charge.
Considerably prior to 1800 services were held by Methodists in an old log house which stood ou the farin formerly owned by Isaac Wilson. In 1812, Isaac Embley deeded a lot to the Methodist organ- ization, upon which a church was built that year, in which services were held until 1869.
In 1869 the old church was rebuilt, and in Novem- ber of that year it was dedicated by Rev. D. W. Bar- tine, D.D., of Trenton. It is a wooden structure, standing in the south part of the hamlet.
The present trustees of the Sharon Methodist Epis- copal Church are William Rue and J. D. Hall. The steward is James M. Dancer. The pastor is Rev. Mr. Green, of Allentown.
The Methodist Church of Windsor .- At Wind- sor Methodist services were first held in the school- house, near the Hutchinson grist-mill. A society was organized in 1839. Among the early members were William C. Lutes, Emeline Dancer, Christian Dancer, and Enoch Knowles.
A small church was built in 1839 and dedicated by Rev. Charles Pitman. In 1865 it was replaced by the present brick and wood building, thirty feet by forty, in the centre of the village, which was erected under the supervision of a building committee, con- sisting of George A. Cole, D. M. Brown, and J. P. Brown, and which, with the parsonage, is valued at five thousand five hundred dollars.
In 1858, Windsor was constituted a separate charge, and James Cook, C. C. Johnson, Enoch Knowles, Amos Hutchinson, Asher Hankinson, George A. Cole, and David Gordon were chosen trustees.
The first regular pastor was Rev. Richard Thorne. IIis successors have been Revs. Edward H. Durell. 1860; Joseph G. Crater, 1863; J. P. Connolly, 1864 : E. Waters, 1865; T. C. Carman, 1867 ; H. M. Shinp, 1870; J. H. Michacl, 1871; D. Moore, 1873; F. Rob- bins, 1875; J. A. Dilks, 1877; Joseph Ashbrook, 1879; and William Franklin, the present pastor, 1880.
The present trustees arc George 1. Cole, James P. Brown. Elias T. Dancer, Edward T. Van Hise, Jomm M. Malsbury, William H. Rue, and David M. Brown. The stewards are David MI. Brown, George A. Cole,
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DAVID W. CUBBERLEY.
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WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.
James P. Brown, William H. Rue, G. H. Franklin, Ilward T. Van Hise, Elias T. Dancer. and E. K. Cole.
The membership of this church is one hundred.
The Newtown Union Chapel .- During the past fifty or sixty years, perhaps during a longer period, religious services have been held by preachers of various denominations at Newtown. Prior to 1876 such services had been held mostly in the district school-house.
The people of the vicinity had long felt the want of a commodious and well-appointed house of worship in their midst, and a few years ago efforts were made to secure a fund for the erection of such a building. The leading citizens subscribed liberally, and when the success of the project was assured, Rev. J. R. Schenck, who had been active in the movement, Harrison Yard, Edward Davis, and Elijah Wall were chosen a building committee, and under their super- vision a neat and amply large wooden chapel was built, in 1876, upon land donated for the purpose by William Tindall.
This house is free for the use of all Protestant de
nominations, and regular weekly services are held by . until his death, April 11, 1881, having been deacon clergymen from Hamilton Square and Allentown (Monmouth County).
Burial-Places .- In the early days graves were made, in some instances, on the farms which formed the homestead- of the families bereaved. Residents in the eastern parts of the township have long buried their dead in the old cemeteries at Hightstown and Milford, in East Windsor. From an early date inter- ments of persons who have died in the southern part have taken place at Allentown, Monmouth Co.
The only regular burying-ground in Washington is that in the Methodist churchyard at Windsor. An association controlling it has been duly incorporated. Its president is George A. Cole, its secretary, D. M. Brown, and its treasurer, J. P. Brown. The board of managers consists of these gentlemen and William H. Rue.
The cemetery has been laid out in lots and other- wise improved.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
DAVID W. CUBBERLEY.
Thomas Cubberley, of English origin, settled on two thousand acres of land in South Brunswick, Mid- dlesex Co., N. J., having taken it up during the , Hutchinson, of Washington township.
reign of King George. He had two children, Wil- liam and Mary, and died before the Revolutionary war. Mary married William Tindall, resided in West Windsor, and had children, -William, John, Amos, Israel, Maynard, Theodocia, and Elizabeth. William, born Oct. 1, 1749, resided in what is now Washington township, Mercer County, had a farm:, and operated a saw-mill on the old homestead near him.
His wife, Elizabeth Tindall, lived to the age of ninety-seven years, seven months, and three days, and bore him eleven children, viz .: Anna, born in 1771, wife of David Richardson, and resided in a Western State: Jesse; Elizabeth, married John Hutchinson, and resided West; Amy, wife of Ezekiel Hutchinson. resided West; Sarah, wife of Joseph Story, resided in South Brunswick ; Bathsheba ; Mary, wife of Cornelius Voorhies, and resided in South Brunswick ; Achsah became the wife of Sam- nel Hutchinson, and resided in Hunterdon County ; Elijah and Theodocia, twins, the latter the wife of Joseph Ivins, removed to Ohio; the former married Elizabeth Voorhies, and resided near the old home- stead; and David W. Cubberley, subject of this sketch, the youngest child, born Sept. 19, 1792, was a man of good intellect, and acquired much knowl- edge.
He was a member of the Hamilton Square Baptist Church for thirty years, but upon the division of that body joined the Hopewell Baptist Church in 1864, where he remained a worthy and honored member for twenty-five years, and having taken an active part in religious work as a speaker and singer. He was justice of the peace for ten years, a member of the township committee, and for thirty years a school trustec. He was a man of sterling qualities, and es- teemed by his fellow-eltizens. His wife Mary, daugh- ter of Coert and Ann Voorhies, whom he married Jan. 20, 1813, died May 7, 1828, and bore him the foi- lowing children : Ezekiel died young; Mary Ann, wife of Daniel B. Coleman, resides in Trenton ; Voor- hies married Sarah Ann Allen, resided in Washing- ton township, and died April 1, 1843; Elizabeth, wife . of Enos Bown, of Trenton : Lemuel died young. Jis second wife, Rebecca, daughter of Samuel Allen, whom he married Sept. 20, 1828, an " estimable Chris- tiau woman," survives in 1882, in her eighty-third year, and has borne him children .- John Randolph Cubberley, now living on the old homestead, married Mary, daughter of Henry E. Perrine, of South Brans- wick, and has one child, Rebecca. He is a member of the Hopewell Baptist Church, and is serving his eighth consecutive year as collector of his township. The other children of David W. Cubberley and Re- becca Allen are Catharine P., wife of William T. Ivine, of Hamilton Square : Theodocia died young; and Saralı Ann, who became the wife of Foreman
EDMUND BAKER YARD.
Edmund Baker Yard was born in Washington township, Mercer Co., N. J., Oct. 31. 1852. His father, James MI. Yard, born in 1:25, married, in 1:51, Mary E., daughter of William T. Flock, of _11- lentown, who bore him children,-Susie A., died young; Annie M., wife of Charles B. Fields; Wil-
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868
HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
liam F., deceased ; Susic E .; and Edmund Baker Yard, who is the eldest and subject of this sketch. James M. Yard was one of the founders of the Bap- tist Church at Allentown, of which he and his wife were members, and of which he was a deacon until his death, in December, 1878. He was a farmer and took an active part in local publie matters. John Yard, grandfather of Edmund Baker Yard, resided in East Windsor township at the time of his death. He was the first postmaster of Yardville, which took its name from him. His wife, Susan Wall, bore him six children, who grew to maturity: Joseph W., George H., James M., Annic, wife of John L. White, John C., aud Harrison.
Edmund Baker Yard received his education at the common school and at the Peddie Institute, Hights- town. On March 4, 1877, he married Clara B., daugh- ter of David Howell, of Dolington, Pa., and has one child, Ella B. The same year he succeeded to the mercantile business of his uncle, Joseph W. Yard, at Newtown, N. J., which he has carried on since. He is postmaster at Newtown, a member of the First Baptist Church of Allentown, a member of its board of trus- tees, and is serving his third year as township clerk.
CHAPTER LXXII.
WEST WINDSOR TOWNSHIP.
Situation and Boundaries. - West Windsor is centrally located on the eastern border of the county, and is bounded on the north by Princeton township, on the east by South Brunswick and Cranbury town- ships (Middlesex County) and East Windsor, on the south by Washington, and on the west by Hamilton and Lawrence.
Descriptive .- This township is nine miles long, and has an average width of five miles. The soil is very fertile and well cultivated, yielding grain and grass in abundant crops.
Northerly and easterly the township is drained by Stony Brook and the Millstone River respectively, which flow together at its northeastern extremity. Bear Creek flows in a northerly course through a part of the eastern portion of the township, emptying into the Millstone River at the township line. The south- western part is drained by Assunpink Creek. In the north part is Bear Swamp, formerly a large tract of marsh land, which is being gradually reclaimed by a system of under-drainage. Duck Pond Run and other brooks have their sources within the township limits, and flow into some of the various streams above mentioned. Bear Creek furnishes a water- power which has long turned the machinery of a grist-mill in the eastern part of the township.
The Delaware and Raritan Canal traverses the northern portion of the township in a course parallel
with Stony Brook. The railroad from Jersey City to Camden formerly crossed the township on nearly the same line, but the track was relaid a little less than twenty years ago farther south, and is now known as the Trenton Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad. At Princeton Junction, in the northern part, the Princeton Branch Railroad forms a junction with the line just mentioned, and trains to and from Princeton here connect with the principal passenger trains for New York and Philadelphia.
Settlement .- The earliest settlements in the town- ship of West Windsor were made at Penn's Neck and at Dutch Neck. Which is entitled to rauk as the earliest it is now impossible to determine.
The first settlers at Penn's Neck were the Schenck and Conover 1 families. They came from Monmouth County. The Christian name of the original Schenck there was Garret. The name of the head of the Con- over family of settlers was John. The two families were related by the marriage of William Conover with a woman of the Schenck family.
The joint purchase of Garret Schenck and John Kovenhoven from Penn in 1737 was quite extensive, containing six thousand five hundred acres, and cov- ering all the territory from the Millstone to the " Dutch Pond," in the northwesteru part of the town- ship, bounded north and south by Stony Brook and Bear Swamp.2
Along the old straight turnpike which traverses this tract east and west Schenck and Conover settled their sons alternately, so that from the eastern to the western limit of the purchase there formerly lived Scheneks and Conovers on farms which alternated on each side of the road, like the red and white squares on a cliecker-board. This region was called Penn's Neck.
The most of this land remained in the possession of Schencks aud Conovers up to about half a century ago. It is now all owned by new-comers, and the farms on the tract are among the best in that part of the township.
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