USA > New Jersey > Union County > Elizabeth > History of Elizabeth, New Jersey : including the early history of Union County > Part 33
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But this favorable prospect was blighted by the decease of the Governor in May, 1746. Unfortunately for the advocates
* Sedgwick's Livingston, pp. 48, 66, 8. Smith's N. York, pp. i., ix .- xvi.
t Anal. Index, p. 277.
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and friends of the Bill, Jonathan Belcher, a famous old Pu- ritan, of Boston, Mass., was entrusted with the executive functions, and entered upon his office as Governor of New- Jersey, in August, 1747. Before the Answer to the Bill could be printed, Gov. Belcher became a resident of this town, and immediately identified himself with the First Presbyterian church and congregation, with which, and its branches in the back country, the defendants in the Bill were nearly all connected. The sympathies of Gov. Belcher, therefore, would, most naturally, be given to the Presbyterian party, for such, in fact, the defendants were. Owing to these or other similar reasons, Gov. Belcher seems not to have adjudicated the case; Alexander, who had the principal management of the Bill, died, April 2, 1756. Murray died, April 2, 1757, before the death of Gov. Belcher. The French War succeeded. Then came the Stamp Act Excitement, fol- lowed by the Revolution. No place was found for the E. Town Bill, and it fell by its own weight. Such was the end of this famous struggle, continued for a whole century, and resulting in the vindication of the original purchasers of the soil, and the defeat of their opponents.
Other matters, in the meantime, engaged the attention of the people, for the moment. JOSEPH BONNEL, Esq., the first Mayor of the Borough, at the close of the winter of 1743, was removed by death. He lived in the neighborhood of Connecticut Farms, where, in the graveyard of the Presby- terian Church, his remains were buried. A monument was erected over his grave with this Inscription :
Who knew him living must lament him dead, Whose corpse beneath this Verdant Turf is laid. Bonnel, in Private Life, in Public Trust, Was Wise and Kind, was Generous and Just. In Virtue's rigid Path unmoved he trod, To Self Impartial, pious to his God. Religion's Patron, and a Patriot True, A general Good, and private blessing too. What Bonnel was, and what his Virtues were, The Resurrection day will best declare.
Joseph Bonnel, Esq., deceased March ye 14, 1747-8, in ye 63d year of his age.
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ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.
He was repeatedly chosen, from 1716 to 1743, to represent the town in the General Assembly. In 1738, he was chosen Speaker, and the same year appointed Second Judge of the Supreme Court.
In 1748, the Lottery mania infected all classes of the com- munity. Not less than eight different schemes, for raising money for public purposes in New Jersey, were advertised in the papers of New York and Philadelphia. Two of them related entirely to this town. The first was called " the Elizabeth-Town Raway Lottery." The object was "To raise a Sum of Money [£1050] for building a Parsonage-House," at Rahway. It consisted "of 1500 Tickets at 14s. each." The prizes were £60, and £40, one each; 3, of £20; 4, of £17; 5, of £10; 10,of £7; 20, of £5; 60, of £2.10. 0, and 200, of £1. 8. 0. It was drawn at Rahway, on Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 2 and 3, 1748, " under the Care and Man- agement of John Ross, Esq., Thomas Clark, Esq., Jonathan Freeman, Elifelet Frazee, Stephen Burrows and Josiah Terrill." *
A similar "Scheme of a Lottery in Turkey, in Elizabeth Town," was advertised, Aug. 8, 1748, "to raise a sum of Money [£152. 5. 0.] for building a Parsonage-House, consist- ing of 1450 Tickets at 14s. each." The highest prize was £30: "The Drawing to commence on or before the first Tuesday in November next, at the House of Benjamin Pettit, Esq; in Turkey, if filled by that Time, under the Care and Management of Messrs. Benjamin Pettit, David Day, Elnathan Cory, John Badgley, Nathaniel Davis and Josiah Broad- well." +
To such an extent was society demoralized by this per- nicious custom, that the Legislature of the Province, near the close of the year, Dec. 16, 1748, passed a stringent act against Lotteries and all other kinds of gambling; prefixing to the Act the following admirable Preamble :
Whereas Lotteries, playing of Cards and Dice, and other Gaming for Lucre of Gain, are become of late frequent and common within this Colony,
* N. Y. Weekly Post Boy, Nos. 273, 4, 8, 268, 290.
t N. Y. Weekly Post Boy, No. 290.
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whereby many Persons have unjustly gained to themselves great Sums of Money from unwary Persons, as well as Children and Servants, tending to the manifest Corruption of Youth, and the Ruin and Impoverishment of many poor Families: And whereas such pernicious Practices and Desire of unlawful Gain may not only give frequent Opportunities to evil-minded Persons to cheat and defraud divers of the honest Inhabitants of this Colony, but may in Time, if not prevented, ruin the Credit thereof, and be a Hindrance to Trade and Industry, and a great Temptation to Vice, Idleness and Immorality, and consequently against the common Good, Welfare and Peace of his Majesty's Government: Wherefore, &c. *
The law, however, was evaded by drawing the lotteries in a neighboring province, though the tickets were sold and purchased in this province.
The celebrated Swedish Naturalist, Prof. Kalm, in his Botanical Explorations of these provinces, visited this part of the country in 1748. On his way from Philadelphia to New York, he tarried here a night and was gone in the morning. He came to New Brunswick, at noon on Saturday, the 29th of October, and proceeded north the same afternoon. After passing the forks of the road, eight miles this side of New Brunswick, at "Fairfield," he says :-
The country now made a charming appearance ; some parts being high', others forming vallies, and all of them well-cultivated. From the hills you had a prospect of houses, farms, gardens, cornfields, forests, lakes, islands, roads, and pastures. In most of the places where we traveled this day the colour of the ground was reddish. I make no doubt, but there were strata of the before-mentioned red limestone under it. Some- times the ground looked very like a cinnabar ore.
WOOD-BRIDGE is a small village in a plain, consisting of a few houses : we stopped here to rest our horses a little. The houses were most of them built of boards ; the walls had a covering of shingles on the outside ; these shingles were round at one end, and all of a length in each row : some of the houses had an Italian roof, but the greatest part had roofs with pediments ; most of them were covered with shingles. In most places we met with wells, and buckets to draw up the water.
ELIZABETH-TOWN is a small town about twenty English miles distant from New Brunswick: we arrived there immediately after sun-setting. Its houses are mostly scattered, but well-built, and generally of boards, with a roof of shingles, and walls covered with the same. There were likewise some stone buildings. A little rivulet passes through the town
* Allinson's Laws of N. J., p. 187.
ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY. 375
from west to east; it is almost reduced to nothing when the water ebbs away, but with the full tide they can bring up small yachts. Here were two fine churches, each of which made a much better appearance than any one in Philadelphia. That belonging to the people of the church of England was built of bricks, had a steeple with bells, and a balustrade round it, from which there was a prospect of the country. The meeting- house of the presbyterians was built of wood, but had both a steeple and bells, and was, like the other houses, covered with shingles. The town house made likewise a good appearance, and had a spire with a bell. The banks of the river were red, from the reddish limestone; both in and about the town were many gardens and orchards; and it might truly be said, that Elizabeth-town was situated in a garden, the ground hereabouts being even and well-cultivated.
At night we took up our lodgings at Elizabeth-town Point, an inn. about two English miles distant from the town, and the last house on this · road belonging to New Jersey. The man who had taken the lease of it, together with that of the ferry near it, told us that he paid a hundred and ten pounds of Pennsylvania currency to the owner.
Oct. 30th. We were ready to proceed on our journey at sun-rising. Near the inn where we had passed the night, we were to cross a river, and we were brought over, together with our horses, in a wretched half- rotten ferry. The country was low on both sides of the river, and con- sisted of meadows. But there was no other hay to be got, than such as commonly grows in swampy grounds; for as the tide comes up in this river, these low plains were sometimes overflowed when the water was high. The people hereabouts are said to be troubled in summer with immense swarms of gnats or musquetoes, which sting them and their cattle. This was ascribed to the low swampy meadows, on which these insects deposit their eggs, which are afterwards hatched by the heat .*
An exciting incident occurred in 1750, which deeply stirred the growing, though yet latent, hostility to British domination. It is best related in the words of the weekly chronicler of that period :-
N. York, June 11, 1750 .- Thursday last [7th] as Col. William Rickets of Elizabeth Town, with his Wife and Family were going home from this City in his own Boat, accompanied by some of his Friends, they unfor- tunately left the Burgee flying at their Mast Head ; and on their coming abreast of his Majesty's Ship Greyhound, then lying in the North River, a Gun was fired from on board her; but they not apprehending it to be at them, took no Notice of it, on which a second directly followed ; and the Shot passing through the Boat's Mainsail, struck a young Woman, Nurse
* Peter Kalm's Travels in North Am., I. 1S1-3.
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to one of Col. Ricket's Children, in the Head, and killed her on the Spot ; she had the Child in her Arms, which happily received no Hurt. The Boat on this immediately put back to this City. And the Coroner's In- quest being summon'd, and Evidences on both Sides examin'd, they brought it in Wilful Murder. *
The name of the nurse was Elizabeth Stibben ; it turned out, that "she expired a few hours afterwards." The Grey- hound was a Ship of War, under the command of Capt. Robert Roddam, a son-in-law of George Clinton, Governor of the Province of New York. The Captain was on shore at the time, having left the vessel in charge of Lieut. John How, by whom the swivel gun was pointed. The gun was fired by James Park, the Gunner's Mate. Col. Wm. Rickets was the son of Capt. Wm. Rickets, decd, of New York. Clin- . ton speaks of him, as "a hot headed rash young man :" in other words, probably, a young man of spirit, little inclined to bow down to the British officials of the day, and, like a multitude of other such young Americans, exceedingly galled by the lordly exactions of their imported rulers. Clinton says, that he had passed the Greyhound the day before with- out lowering his pendant, and, before leaving the city wharf, on his return, had declared that he would do it again in spite of the man-of-war. The affair took place "between Nutten [Governor's] Island and the great Battery."
The democratic party, of which Chief Justice Delancy was the head, took advantage of the sad event, to bring the ad- ministration into disrepute, and awaken popular indignation against the despotism by which the people were oppressed. Delancy imprisoned the Gunner's Mate for Murder; and a Habeas Corpus, demanded by Capt. Roddam, was refused by Bradley, the Attorney General. Lieut. How was sent " home" for trial, while Parks was kept in prison at New York, as late as July 27th. How his case terminated does not appear. The indignation and excitement of Ricketts' townsmen, of course, was intense. Much of it was smoth- ered, only to break forth, in due time, with greatly-increased power.t
* N. Y. Weekly Post Boy, No. 386.
t N. Y. Col. Docmts., VI. 571-6; 583-6. N. J. Hist. Soc. Coll. IV. 64.
377
ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.
GOV. JONATHAN BELCHER.
At the close of the year 1751, Gov. Belcher became a resi- dent of this town. He had been appointed Governor of New Jersey, in 1747, to succeed Gov. Morris. He arrived, in the Scarboro' man of war, at New York, Aug. S, 1747, an old man, in the 66th year of his age, having been born, at Cambridge, Mass., Jan. 8, 168}. He was the son of Andr :w Belcher, (a Boston merchant, and a gentleman of great wealth), and graduated at Harvard College in 1699, second on the roll. He married, at Piscataway, N. H., Jan. 4, 1705, " Mrs. Mary Partridge, daughter of L. Gov. Wm. Part- ridge." He became, at an early day, an active member of the church, and ever, through life, honored his profession. He spent six years abroad, was admitted to court, and was treated with great respect by the best society. On his return, he engaged in merchandise. He visited England again, in 1729 ; and, Nov. 29, was appointed Governor of Mass. and New Hampshire. He returned in Aug. 1730, and continued in office until 1741, when he was superseded. On the occasion of the visit of Whitefield to Boston in 1741, he openly and warmly espoused the cause of that eminent preacher, and became his personal friend and correspondent .. He went abroad again, in 1744, to vindicate himself, at Court, from the aspersions of his opposers, reinstated him- self in the royal favor, and returned as Governor of N. Jersey."
He published his commission at Perth Amboy, Aug. 10, 1747, met the Legislature, at Burlington, Aug. 20, and soon after became a resident of that place-living, at first, with Richard Smith, the Quaker, and, after Dec. 4th, in his own house. While he was delighted with the air, soil, and situa- tion, he was much tried with the moral and religious state of the people. He described it, as " a land flowing with milk and honey," but the people had no relish for virtue and true religion ; " they pay little regard to the Sabbath,"-according
* Allen's Biog. Dict.
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to the Quaker tenets-" the men journey-the women divert -the children play in the streets without reproof-these are the most uncouth and unpleasant things of my present con- dition." He occasionally went to the Quaker meeting and Episcopal worship, " and at other times officiated as priest in his own house." Having a coach and four, he proposed to drive down (20 miles) to Philadelphia, and spend " the Lord's Day often there, with his friend Mr. Tennent ; "-Rev. Gilbert Tennent, with whom he became acquainted, in 1741, at Boston, and who, at this time, was pastor of a Presb. church in Philadelphia .*
His wife had died before he went abroad, in 1744; and, while in England, he became acquainted with a lady to whom he offered himself in marriage. She came over to this coun- try, about Sept. 1, 1748, and was married to him on the 8th, at Philadelphia. While in attendance on the Commence- ment of the College of New Jersey, at Newark, September 26, 1750, he was afflicted with paralysis; from the effects of which he suffered during the remainder of his life. He says, July 3, 1752, that "for eighteen months he had not been able to hold a pen." +
Finding that Burlington air did not agree with him, he made arrangements to remove to this town. A house was prepared for his residence, in Jersey st., (occupied in later years by Dr. Davis), and his wife, with her daughter, came on, March 19, 1751, to examine it. To Mayor Samuel Wood- ruff, who took a great interest in his removal, he wrote, April 11, that Mrs. Belcher approved of the house, and desired to have it made as commodious as possible. His removal, how- ever, was delayed until the following autumn.}
That the anticipated event excited a considerable sensation appears from a letter, written, Aug. 28, 1751, by Capt. Jona- than Hampton, of this town, to James Alexander, at New York :-
Our Prime Minister has sent two boats to Burlington for Governor Belcher's Goods-when he Comes We Expect every thing will be Done
* Anal. Index, pp. 207, 11, 18, 24, 5. + Ibid. p. 294.
# Ibid., pp.[268, 9, 281, 3, 4. 7. Murray's,Notes, p. 71.
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ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.
in our favour but I pray the Lord may Send his heabus Corpus and Dis- charge our Borough of such a heavy Load of (Honour) (as our People Call it) to have a Numerous Train of Bostonians whineing, Praying, & Cant- ing, Continually about our Streets, from Such evils (Deliver us)
I hope I shall not be caried by Sheriff Hetfield before Governor . Belcher for not answering, &c .*
Gov. Belcher writes, Sept. 10, 1751, that "Mr. Hatfield is come hither by Mr. Woodruff's request, to assist in getting my House Furniture to Elizabeth Town, and wants a sloop of about 30 or 40 tuns to complete the matter." Again, Sept. 12,-that he "is engaged in putting his clothing and furniture on board of three small sloops to take them round to Elizabethtown." On the 19th, he writes to Mr. Samuel Woodruff, that the men, " with the coach and the cows, and the three sloops, with what they have on board," were " to leave to-day," and that his daughter (Mrs. Elizabeth Teale) " would soon be in Elizabethtown to assist in unpacking." She left Burlington on the 23d. In a subsequent letter to Mr. Woodruff, Oct. 17th, he says, " I regret to learn that one of the vessels, laden with the effects, has carried the small pox to Elizabethtown," and expresses the hope that it may not spread.+
In a letter of Oct. 7th, he says, that he would "be 70 years old the next 8th January," and that he commonly drank " besides water and small beer, about half a bottle of old Madeira a day." And again, Nov. 4th, that he had arrived at Elizabethtown on the 1st instant, "heart whole, tho' money-less." At a later date, Ap. 11, 1752, he says, -" For you must know if I indulge my taste in any one thing more than another, it is in malt drink." Subse- quently, May 30th, he asks Mr. Samuel Woodruff, who had a vessel going to Madeira, "to import for his own use three pipes of the best Madeira wine, and a quarter cask of Malmsey."
The removal of the seat of government to this town was deemed an event of too much consequence not to be appro- priately noticed. A respectful Address was prepared by the
* Rutherford Mss. t Anal. Index, pp. 277, 8, 9, 81.
$ Ibid, pp. 279, 291, 290, 8.
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Corporation, and presented to the Governor on his arrival, Nov. 1, 1751, signed by
John Stites, John Radley,
. John Chandler, Thomas Clark,
Samuel Woodruff, John Halsted .*
Stephen Crane, Robert Ogden,
Previous to his being afflicted with paralysis, Gov. Belcher " possessed uncommon gracefulness of person and dignity of deportment." While Governor of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, " his style of living was elegant and splendid," and he was distinguished for hospitality. As his fortune had been impaired by his profuseness, it was not in his power to maintain as much style here as at Boston, and the growing infirmities of age made it still more impracticable. But the urbanity of his demeanor never forsook him; and, while he lived, it was his delight to extend the benefits of his large- hearted hospitality as widely as possible. None, however, were so welcome to his home as the pious and godly. A sincere and devout Christian himself, he gathered about him, and welcomed to his board mostly such as were of like sym- pathies with himself. The passing missionary, the traveling preacher, the pious visitor, were sure of a hearty reception at his comfortable home. The incomparable Whitefield writes, to Lady Huntington, from "Elizabeth-Town (New-Jer- sey), Sept. 30, 1754,"-
I am now at Governor Belcher's, who sends your Ladyship the most cordial respects. His outward man decays, but his inward man seems to be renewed day by day. I think he ripens for heaven apace. (To another correspondent, he says,-) I write this from Governor Belcher's, who is indeed singularly good, and whose latter end greatly increases as to spirituals. Oh that this may be my happy lot ! t
President Edwards, also, describing a journey that he took, in September, 1752, into New Jersey, says,-
I had considerable opportunity to converse with Governour Belcher ; and was several times at his house at Elizabethtown. He labours under many of the infirmities of age, but savours much of a spirit of religion, and seems very desirous of doing all the good he can, while he lives.#
* New York Weekly Post Boy, No. 462.
+ Allen's Biog. Dict. Whitefield's Works, III. 103, 5.
# Edwards' Works, I. 510.
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ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.
From his first coming into the province, he proved himself the staunch friend of education and religion. To the infant College of New Jersey, he not only gave a new Charter with enlarged privileges, but used the whole weight of his personal and official influence in behalf of its endowment and perma- nent establishment. After his removal to this town, at the request "of a great number of" the members of the First Presbyterian Congregation, a Charter of Incorporation was granted them, by the Governor, August 22, 1753, appointing Stephen Crane, Cornelius Hatfield, Jonathan Dayton, Isaac Woodruff, Matthias Baldwin,* Moses Ogden, and Benjamin Winans, the first Trustees of the Congregation, with power "to erect and repair Public Buildings for the Worship of God and the Use of the Ministry, and School-Houses & Alms- Houses, & Suitably to Support the Ministry & the Poor of their Church : and to do & perform, other Acts of Piety & Charity ;" a boon, which was so long and persistly denied, by the Royal Governors, to the First Presbyterian Congre- gation of the City of New York. +
Through the favor of Governor Belcher, also, on application of " divers of the Inhabitants and Freemen " of the Borough and Town, an Act was passed, June 21, 1754, by the General Assembly at Perth Amboy, "to enable the Mayor, Recorder, Aldermen and Common Council-men of the free Borough and Town of Elizabeth, to build a Poorhouse, Workhouse and House of Correction, within the said Borough ; and to make Rules, Orders and Ordinances for the governing of the same ; and to repair the Gaols of the said Borough ; . . . to the Intent the Poor of the said Borough may be better employed and maintained ; poor Children educated and brought up in an
* Mr. Baldwin was the son of Jonathan, and the grandson of John Baldwin, of Newark. His father died, when he was but seven years of age. Ile was born in 1719, married Mary, a daughter of Alderman John Ross of this town, and thus became a resident here. His only sister, Joanna, married Isaac Nuttman, who, also, removed to this town, where he died. Nov., 1749, leaving three children : John, Phebe, and Sarah. His wife survived him. He died July 1, 1759, leaving his wife, and several children. The late Matthias W. Baldwin, of Phila- delphia, so memorable both for his wealth and munificence, was his grandson. The sto. e that marks the resting-place of his remains is inscribed with the following Epitaph : " Ile was a good Neighbour; | a generous Friend ; | an earnest promoter of the | PUBLIC GOOD ; | A Kind Father, a tender Husband, | In short he was | A CHRISTIAN. | PASSENGER\ Imitate him, & be for ever | HAPPY. |
t Murray's Notes, pp. 62-9
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honest and industrious Way ; as also for setting to work and punishing all Vagrants, Vagabonds, Pilferers, and all idle and disorderly Persons, Servants and Slaves within the said Borough ; ... for the Encouragement of Honesty and In- dustry, and suppressing of Vice and Immorality, and better Government of said Borough .*
During the excitement and alarm consequent on Braddock's defeat, July 9, 1755, and the consternation created by the Indian outrages on the western borders of New-Jersey, Gov. Belcher did all in his power to rouse the province in defence of their habitations. The Nineteenth General Assembly, on account of his growing infirmities, held their second session, Feb. 24, 1755, and their six subsequent sessions, during the next two years, in this town,-giving the town peculiar prominence, at the time, in provincial affairs. The principal legislation of the period had respect to the arming of the militia, and making provision for their support while in active duty against the French and the savage tribes of the interior. Of the armed force, sent out of the province on this service, a full proportion went forth from this town.t
A letter from this town, July 28, 1756, gives the following information :
This Day was published here, by Order of his Excellency the Governor, His Majesty's Declaration of War against the French King; at which was present his Excellency the Governor, attended by the Mayor and Corpora- tion of this Borough, together with five Companies of Foot, and two Troops of Horse, who on the Occasion fired three handsome Vollies. #
Governor Belcher did not long survive these agitations. He departed this life, at his home in this town, on Wednes- day, Aug. 31, 1757, in the 76th year of his age. As Mr. Kettletas, the youthful ininister of the congregation had not yet been ordained, and doubtless felt incompetent for the service, President Burr was called upon to preach the Governor's funeral sermon. A vast congregation assembled in the Presbyterian Church, on Lord's Day, Sept. 4, when Mr. Burr (just 20 days before his own decease) preached from Dan. xii : 13,-" But go thou thy way till the end be, for
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