USA > New Jersey > Union County > Elizabeth > History of Elizabeth, New Jersey : including the early history of Union County > Part 20
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We have good brick earth, and stone for building at Amboy and else- where, the countrie Farme houses are built very cheap, a carpenter, with a man's own servants, builds the house, they have all materials for nothing except Nails ; their Chimnies are of stones ; they make their own Ploughs and Carts for the most part, only the Iron work is very dear. The poorer sort set up a house of two or three Rooms themselves after this manner. The walls are of cloven Timber, about 8 or 10 inches broad, like planks set on end to the ground, and the other nailed to the raising, which they plaister within ; they build a Barn after the same manner, and tliese cost not above 5 lib a piece; and then to work they go, 2 or 3 men in one year will clear 50 acres, in some places 60, and in some more. They sow Corn the first year, and afterwards maintain themselves ; and the encrease of Corn, Cows, Horses, Hogs and Sheep comes to the Landlord. Several Merchants of New York have left their several Plantations there, to come to East Jersey ; 2 or 3 join together, bring 12, 15 or 20 servants and one Overseer, which cost them nothing for the first year, except some shoes, Stockings, and shirts ; I have been to see these Plantations; and find they make a great encrease by them, maintain their Families at New York with all provisions, sell a great deal yearly, and for Servants our English peo- ple are far better Husbandmen than the New England men ; the Servants work not so much by a third as they do in England, and I think feed much better, for they have Beef, Pork, Bacon, Pudding, Milk, Butter and good Beer; and Cyder for drink. When they are out of their time, they have land for themselves, and generally turn Farmers for themselves. Servants wages are not under 2 shil. a day beside victuals. There is one inan since I came here sold his Plantation for £1500 lib. the whole was 1600 or 1800 acres, whereof only 120 acres were cleared, upon which he had a house, Garden and Orchard, and Barn planted ; I know several men who lett cleared Land at 6 shil 8 pennies to 10 shil. the acre yearlie rent, which is a good encouragement for sending over servants to plant.
IIe urges the Proprietors to send over more people, which would " encourage others to take up Land, and bring all the division that hath been here to an end, for these men seeing that they shall be ballanced are already more complyant than they were." *
* Scot's Model, pp. 166-171.
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The confident calculations of Lawrie, in respect to the people of this town, were far from being fulfilled. The land about the town was in the possession of the old families and held by the old Indian purchase. The new comers, in order to obtain a freehold in the town, were under the necessity of buying land thus held and transferred. They, too, therefore, became interested in upholding these titles and defending these claims.
Still another letter is extant, evidently from the pen of Lawrie, but signed conjointly by David Barclay, (a brother of the Governor,) and Arthur Forbes, (brother to a Scotch Lord,) and himself, dated March 29, 1684. It repeats much of what is said above, and adds other particulars :
Many of those who have settled here upwards of sixteen years, have lived upon the product of the Land They cleared the first two years after they came, (and cleared none since), which produced not only Corn to maintain their own Families, but to sell every year, and the increase of their Bestial, whereof they have good store of several sorts, Cows, Oxen, Horses, Sheep and Swine, yields them other provisions and to sell besides ; yet there be some more Industrious among them who have continued clearing and Improving Land, and these have got Estates, and would not sell their Plantations for several hundred pounds.
They build not only of Wood, but also of Stone and Brick, yet most of Countrey Houses are built of Wood, only Trees split and set up an end on the ground, and coverings to their Houses are mostly shingles made of Oak, Chesnut and Cedar wood, which makes a very neat Covering, yet there are some houses covered after the Dutch manner with pantikles. The Towns are all settled upon Rivers, where Vessels of 30 or 40 Tuns may come up to their doors, and the out plantations generally upon some Brooks or Rivulets which are as plenty here as in our own Countrey, and curious clear water, and in many places are good spring wells; but in the Towns every man for the most part has a well digged by his own hand.
There be People of several sorts of Religion, but few very Zealous. The People being mostly New England men, doe mostly incline to their way, and in every Town there is a meeting house where they worship publickly every Week : They have no publick Law in the Countrey for maintaining public Teachers, but the Towns that have them make way within them- selves to maintain them. We know none that hath a settled Preacher that follows no other Imployment, save one Town Newark.
The richest Planters have not above 8 or 10 Servants; they will have some of them, 1 Dozen of Cows, yea some 20 or 30; 8 or 10 Oxen, horses more than they know themselves, for they keep breading Mares, and keep
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no more horses at home than they have occasion to work; The rest they let run in the wood both Winter and Summer, and take them as they have occasion to use them. Swine they have in great flocks in the wood, and Sheep in flocks also, but they let them not run in the woods for fear of being destroyed by wolves. Their profit arises from the Improvement of their Land, and Increase of their Bestial.
Every house in the Town hath a Lott of 4 Acres lying to it: so that every one building upon his own Lott makes the town Irregular and seat- tering. Their streets are laid out too large, and the Sheep in the Towns are mostly maintained in them: They are so large that they need not trouble to pave them.
There is no Ships belonging to this Province particularly, or built here, save one which Samuel Groome built here the last summer, which stands yet in the Stocks (a stop being put to it by his death). There is conveniency enough to build ships. The Ships in this part trade mostly to the West Indian Islands, and some to Newfound Land, where the Provisions of this Countrey vends.
There are but few Indian Natives in this countrey. Their strength is inconsiderable, they live in the Woods, and have small towns in some places for up in the Countrey. They plant a little Indian Corn, shoot Deer, and other wild Beasts and Fowls for their food .*
These letters are invaluable for their details of the early state of the town and neighboring country, and of the man- ners and customs of that period, particularly in the matter of livelihood. They are preserved in a work published at Edinburgh, in 1685, entitled, "The Model of the Govern- ment of the Province of East-New-Jersey in America ; " written by GEORGE SCOT, of Pitlochie ; who, having suffered greatly for his religion, embarked, with his wife, two chil- dren, and a large company of emigrants, at Leith, Sept. 5, 1685, for America ; but both he and his family died on the passage.t
From other letters contained in the same volume, several other particulars, illustrative of the state of the town and neighborhood may be learned .. Peter Watson, one of David Barclay's servants, but withal an intelligent man, writes, Aug. 20, 1684,-
There are here very good Religious People, they go under the name of
* Scot's Model, pp. 173-183.
t Whitehead's l'. Amboy, pp. 24-31. Reprinted in the Appendix to Whitehead's E. Jer- sey, pp. 239-333. A copy of the original is in the Library of the N. J. IIis. Soc., at Newark.
15
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Independants but are most like to the Presbyterians, only they will not receive every one to their Society; we have great need of good and Faithful Ministers ; we have none within all the Province of East-Jersey, except one who is Preacher in Newark; there were one or two Preach- ers more in the Province, but they are dead, and now the people they meet together every Sabbath day and Read and Pray, and sing Psalms in their Meeting houses. This Country is very well settled with People, most part of the first Settlers came out of New England, very kind and loving people, kinder than in Scotland or England; And for the Indian Natives, they are not troublesome any way to any of us, if we do them no harm, but are a very kind and loving people ; the men do nothing but hunt, and the women they plant corn, and work at home; they come and trade among the Christians with skins or Venison, or Corn, or Pork. And in the summer time, they and their Wives come down the Rivers in their Canoes, which they make themselves of a great tree, like a little Boat, and there they Fish and take Oysters.
Charles Gordon, writing from Amboy, March 5, 1684, says,
The highest designe of the old Buckskin Planters is to acquire a piece of monie to drink in the change house. I am just now drinking to one one of them, our Countreyman, who was sent away by Cromwell to New England ; a slave from Dunbar, Living now in Woodbridge Like a Scots Laird, wishes his Countreymen and Native Soyle very well, though he never intends to see it.
David Mudie wrote, March 9, 1684,-
This Winter hath been exceeding hard and sharpe, the like not seen by those who have lived 20 or 30 years in it.
Robert Fullerton, one of the Proprietors, Jan. 7, 168$, says,-
As to the number and nature of these Quit-renters, they are about 2 or 300 Families, some civill and Discreet, others rude and Malcontent with the late Purchassers, and need something of austerity to make them complaisant. We have at present sharp frosts, and a good deall of Snow, three dayes of vitrifying frosts this winter, had not its match for cold these 16 years by gone, as the Inhabitants do inform us.
Charles Gordon, March 7, 1684, also says,-
This hath been the hardest Winter that was almost since ever there were English here; The sound betwixt Jersey and Staten Island was frozen in January that carts and horses went upon it; betwixt Martenmas and Christmas flying showers of snow with clear moderate frosts; in
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January deep snow and most bitter frosts which ever I found ; about the 20 of January, the snow went off insensibly, and about 3 weeks in Feb- rnary it was almost like Summer in Scotland ; the end of February and beginning of March for the most part rain and wind.
James Johnstone, March 9, 168;, says,-
. Quakers are not numerous : Wolves are so far from troubling men, that if a man should lay a Glove upon a Carcass or their prey, they will yell, but not come nigh it. You cannot come nigh a rattle-Snake, but they will rattle with their taile, whereby a man is advertised either to kill them or go by them ; they frequently charm the Squirrels, or other little Beasts off the tops of the Trees unto their mouth, and that without touching them with their teeth ; which if they did, they would poison themselves. There is a Flee by the Salt Marshes most troublesome in Summer, but is not in the up-lands .*
The publication of these letters, together with a detailed statement of the capacities and prospects of East-Jersey, was not without effect. " A great many inhabitants of Scotland emigrated to East Jersey, and enriched American society with a valuable accession of virtue refined by adversity, and of picty invigorated by persecution." "Is it strange," says Bancroft, after a recital of their cruel wrongs, "that many Scottish Presbyterians of virtue, education, and courage, blending a love of popular liberty with religious enthusiasm, came to East New Jersey in such numbers as to give to the rising commonwealth a character which a century and a half has not effaced ?" A portion of this increase found their way into this town, especially into the interior section. The settlement known as " Scotch Plains," then included in the territory of this town, derived its name from these settlers.t
It had been recommended, by the Proprietors, to Lawrie, " to use all means of gentleness and tenderness with the peo- ple," "not standing much with them upon small matters." So far as can be gathered from existing documents, the Gov- ernor fully complied with the recommendation. He seems to have cultivated a good understanding with his fellow- townsmen, and was so well pleased with his residence here, that, notwithstanding the desire expressed by the Proprietors
* Scot's Model, pp. 199-200, 224-5, 203, 248, 253, 262-3.
t Grahame's U. States, I. 484. Bancroft's U. States, II. 414.
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that he should make the new town of Perth his capital, he continued to reside here until his death, respected and honored of all .*
It is even affirmed of him, that, so far from troubling the settlers about their Indian title, on his coming into the coun- try, " he asked old Isaac Whitehead and Capt. John Baker (divers others of the principal men of Eliz. Town being present), how they held their Lands; who answered him by Nicholl's Grant and an Indian Purchase ; " and that then he asked them to shew him the Bounds of their Lands so pur- chased and granted, " saying he had a Mind to make a Pur- chase of some Lands lying Westward of their Purchase." It is further said, that Stephen Osborn was sent by the town to call the Indian Sagamores together to mark out the bounds, with whom Lawrie and others had a conference at the house of Capt. John Baker; also, that a few days afterwards, Rich- ard Clarke, Jr., Capt. John Baker, Jonas Wood, Stephen Osborn, Joseph Meeker, and Joseph Wilson, with two lads, Richard Baker and John Cromwell (who went to see the woods), set out with the Indian Wewanapo (cousin of one of the Sagamores that sold the land originally), to mark the western bounds of the town.
Instructed by the old Indian Chief, they went, "on or about the 16th day of July, 1684, to a Plain back of Piscata- way, to a marked tree with some stones about it and a stake by the tree," and thence " forward towards the Green River, near where it comes out of the mountain, and lodged by the river-side that night ; and the next day they made a circle or compass along the foot of the mountain, by the directions of the Indian, till they came to the Minisink Path, and then came down to Eliz. Town." It was affirmed, however, that it was confessed by the Indian chief, that this compass in- cluded only a part of the town lands.
In this conference, it is said, that " Capt. Baker was the Dutch interpreter, and an Indian interpreted the Indian lan- guage into Dutch to said Capt. Baker, who again interpreted into English." It is also said, that an Indian who had been
* Leaming and Spicer, pp. 171, 4.
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at sea, and knew the use of the compass, was of the explor- ing party.
This transaction, however, became the source of a serious litigation. Baker was charged with having prevailed on the Indians to include a much larger tract within the bounds than the town had originally purchased ; and so with having contravened the Act of Feb. 1683, forbidding private purchases from the Indians ; on which charge he was indicted, Aug. 12, 1684, and, on the 28th, was tried, found guilty, fined £10, and bound to good behaviour for a year.
Lawrie is also said to have bought, Oct. 30, 1684, of the Indians Seweckroneck, Mindowaskein, Canundus and We- wonapee, a large tract about Green Brook and the Blue Hills, supposed to be to the West of the E. Town Purchase; on which several of the most considerable Scotch immigrants presently were located with their imported Presbyterian servants of humbler condition. This purchase served greatly to complicate, in after days, the question of land titles ; a portion of the territory thus acquired, if not the whole of it, lying within what were subsequently claimed as the bounds of the original purchase of 1664, and therefore distributed by allotment to the Associates, their heirs, or assigns .*
Lawrie, before leaving London, had been instructed "to take possession of the house belonging to the Proprietors, with the orchards and grounds belonging thereto; " an order being at the same time sent to Thomas Rudyard to put Law- rie " in possession thereof; and we desire thee," said the In- structions, " to clear all the frivolous pretences of Widow Cartright thereto." What was the issue of this demand does not fully appear. Her marriage to Col. Townley occurred shortly after.+
On the enlargement of the Council, Nov. 26, 1684, Henry Lyon was associated with Benjamin Price, as a proper repre- sentative of this town. On the 28th, John Woodruff, Sent, was appointed High Sheriff of Essex Co. +
In the course of the winter, or spring, following, Lawrie
* E. T. Bill, pp. 54-7, 113-6. t Leaming and Spicer, p. 177.
+ E. J. Records, C. So, 7.
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received instructions from the Proprietors, dated Nov. 13, 1684, requiring that the new town of Perth Amboy be hence- forth regarded as the capital of the Province ; that the Court of Common Right, if possible, be always held there; "and that all other necessary Courts, as also the Assembly (when called) do sit there ; and particularly the Deputy Governor, for the time being, do inhabit there, and convene his Council in the said town of Perth." *
Notwithstanding this order, Lawrie continued to reside in this town during his continuance in office and until his death. So that no Assembly having been convened during 1684 and 5, this town remained the virtual capital almost to the close of his administration.
In May, 1685, tidings were received of the death, Feb. 6, 1684, of Charles II., and of the peaceful accession of the Duke of York, James II., to the throne. The news created a profound sensation here, as well as elsewhere throughout the Colonies. James was an avowed Papist. The Puritan population hated Popery with perfect hatred, and dreaded greatly the influence of a Papal Sovereign, especially one so unscrupulous as James ;- " a libertine without love, a devotee without spirituality, an advocate of toleration without a sense of the natural right to freedom of conscience,-in him the muscular force prevailed over the intellectual ; " so that " he floated between the sensuality of indulgence and the sensual- ity of superstition." +
Dongan, the Governor of New York, a Papist also, had kept up the agitation, begun by Andros, respecting the union of the two Colonies under one head,-a project that now was likely to be effectively prosecuted. This state of alarm con- tinned to the end of Lawrie's rule, and tended to promote peace between him and the people.
A difficulty sprang up about this time between this town and Newark, as appears from a vote of the latter town, March 9, 1684, when certain persons were " chosen as a Committee to treat with Elizabeth Town about the Bounds, and to issue
* Leaming and Spicer, p. 199.
t Bancroft's U. States, II. 408.
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it with them if they can; "-a vote renewed, April 5th, 1686, and Jan. 24, 1684 .*
A General Assembly being needed, it was called, obedient to instructions, to meet at " Amboy Perth," Ap. 6, 1686; and from this time Amboy became the seat of government for the Province. The Court of Common Right, the Supreme Court of the Province, was ordered, by Act of Assembly, to be held semi-annually at Amboy, on the pretence that it was "more conveniently situated, and near the centre of the Province, and the most encouraging place for trade and traffick by sea and land, which will occasion great concourse of people : " an expectation yet remaining to be fulfilled.+
The Quaker Rule had now continued about four years, long enough to give it a fair trial. The Proprietors had been at great expense in sending over colonists and all manner of necessary material for the planting of towns and the culti- vation of the soil, but had been greatly disappointed in the results. The Indian titles had not been surrendered, the rents came in slowly, and the prospect of regular dividends was quite unpromising. It was intimated that Lawrie, as well as Rudyard, was more intent on securing the best lands for himself, than on promoting the interests of the Proprie- tors. A change is agreed upon. A new Deputy must be appointed-not, however, a Quaker. A large proportion of the present Proprietors are Presbyterians-and these had sent over a considerable number of Colonists of like faith. The old Puritan settlers would greatly prefer a Presbyterian to an Episcopalian like Carteret, or a Quaker, as Lawrie was -as Rudyard had been. Lord Neill Campbell receives the appointment.+
* Newark Town Records, pp. 97, 9, 100.
# Leaming and Spieer, pp. 211, 2.
t Leaming and Spicer, pp. 283, 293.
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CHAPTER XII.
A. D. 1686-1702.
Lord Campbell, Dep. Gov. - And. Hamilton, Dep. Gov. - French War-Rates - Annexation to New York and New England, under Gov. Andros - Revolu- tion of 1688 - Political Agitations - Leisler in power at N. Y. - Jacobite Party at E. T. - Interregnum - Death of Rob. Barclay -Col. Hamilton, Gov. - Legislature - Appointments -Bounds of the Town -Lawsuit of Fullerton vs. Jones -Nicolls' Grant sustained - Notice of Wm. Nicoll, Esq. - Associates in 1695, and 1699 - Administration of Basse, Bowne and Hamilton - Tumults at Newark and E. T. - New Allotment of Lands - List of Surveys - Notices of New Settlers - End of the Proprietary Gov- ernment.
THE history of the town has thus far been, to a considerable extent, identified with the history of the province. As the place of the Governor's residence, and of the meetings of the General Assembly, it exerted a powerful influence over pub- lic affairs. Gradually, however, as it ceased to be the pro- vincial metropolis, and the patronage of the Proprietary gov- ernment was withdrawn, and expended on their favorite project, the establishment of a great commercial mart at the mouth of the Raritan, it lost, in part, its paramount influ- ence, and its prominence in the provincial history. Some years, however, elapsed before Amboy became a desirable place of residence, and the comfortable government-house in this town, erected by Carteret, held out superior attractions, and was at least occasionally occupied by the representatives of the Proprietors.
Lord Neill Campbell was the brother of that "excellent and truly great and good man," Archibald Campbell, Earl of Argyle, who, in defence of the Church of Scotland, and in dread of the restoration of Popery by the cruel and intolerant
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James II., had adhered to the Duke of Monmouth, taken up arms against the government, and, having been taken prisoner, was beheaded, June 30, 1685, at the Market-cross of Edinburgh. "So high did the tide run at this time against this noble and excellent family, that the Earl's brother, that excellent person, Lord Neill Campbell, could have no liberty to live at his own house, but was forced to go in the hazard of his life to America, and leave his lady and family behind him." His son, Archibald, however, who had been, Aug. 1, 1685, condemned to death for treason-which sentence was commuted, Aug.18th, to banishment,-accompanied his father, and a large company of servants, to this Province, of which he became an influential resident.
Lord Neill, like his noble brother, was " heartily averse from prelacy and popery," and thoroughly a Presbyterian in his principles. He found a refuge and hearty welcome here, among his countrymen and fellow Proprietors. He arrived in the autumn of 1686, and, for a season, at least, became a resident of this town, and, probably, a guest of Gov. Lawrie. His commission, as Deputy Governor, was received about the 1st of Oct., 1686, and published on the 5th, at which time he took the oath of office. The town was represented in the Council, appointed on the 18th, by Gov. Lawrie, and Richard Townley. The latter had come over in 1683, with Francis Howard, Lord Effingham, Governor of Virginia, whence, in 1684, he found his way to this Province, and became a resi- dent, and soon, by his marriage with Mrs. Carteret, and other- wise, an influential citizen of this town, where his posterity still continue to reside. Mr. Townley was made Captain of the Train bands of this town, Dec. 10, 1686 .*
James II., having tried to the fullest extent the policy of persecution, was now gravitating towards toleration, in order to the restoration of Popery. Lord Neill must have become aware of it, many months before the Declaration of Indulg- ence, Ap. 4, 1687. He had not sought the post to which he had been appointed, and so relinquished it as soon as it was
* Woodrow's Chh. of Scotland, IV. 43, 311, 820. Whitehead's E J., p. 117, and Amboy, pp. 21-3. E. J. Records, C., 115.
.
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possible for him in safety to rejoin his loved ones at home. Capt. Andrew Hamilton, of Amboy, who had come over in the autumn of 1684 (having previously been a merchant in Edinburgh), and had been one of Lord Neill's Council, was left in charge of the government, in March, 1687, and Gov. Campbell returned from exile to his home and estates in Scotland .*
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