History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 149

Author: Shaw, William H
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: [United States :]
Number of Pages: 830

USA > New Jersey > Hudson County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II > Part 149
USA > New Jersey > Essex County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II > Part 149

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The other park, if less a centre of attraction than the Schuetzen, still has its many allurements. Located on elevated ground, and made by the late Adolph Meckert as charming as good taste could make it, the resort has been extensively appreciated legion of picnic-parties may be said to avail them- selves of this pleasant resort. The Helvetia Rifle Club met here twenty years ago, and Rock C'ellar has many a refreshing event notched among its chronicles not easily to be effaced. The park is provided with its shooting-gallery, a platform of ample dimensions and a commodious hall, the surroundings having rural features. William JI Steinbrenner has done the honors as the host at this establishment many years.

Private Libraries .- Someone says. "The man of genius dwells with men and with nature; the man of talent in his study , but the clever man dances here, there, and everywhere. like a butterfly in a hurri-

1 the art approved March 25, 1873, special police powers were given a

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HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

ane." An American poetess. referring to her hbrary, those at West Hobokeu and at Guttenberg are the remarks,-

" This is my world, my angel-guar ed shrine, Which I have made touttit my heart's great need

Only an enumeration of the local libraries, with an approximate estimate of the volumes, is allowed under : press tre for chronicling space. Besides two, those of Charles Siedh of and Xavier Stoppel (in the German and ancient languages). the more notable private libraries here have been those of Issachar Cozzeus, 700 volumes ; Charles Downer. 600 volumes ; W. V. V. Mabon, 900 volumes; James S. Parsons 600 vo]- noes; A. 11. Ryder, 1100 volumes ; W. P. Wright, 1700 volumes.

Churches. By a publication issued more than half a century ago, we learn of one whose conversation here was declared to be "truly spiritual and sweet, "- one who was considered among the good, that in his day and sphere adorned the doctrine of grace, want- ing not the notable mark of a saint of God. He is said to have possessed remarkable modesty and neck- ness and genuine excellency. Oll inhabitants recog- nize at once a reference to Bradley Randall, who resided here from the spring of 1811 till the autumn of 1825, his death occurring October 25th of the latter vear, aged thirty-seven. Randall was upou the com- mittee having charge of building the lecture-room, a convenient, cozy, cheerful-looking structure, many years in service at New Durham. The edifice was used mainly for church and Sabbath-school " for the space of a decade or two. It served afterwards for a district school-house.

The churches now within the township are those of four denominations, -the Grove Church, at New Dur- bam: Baptist, at New Durham : Methodist, at Bull's Ferry ; Church of the Sacred Heart, Bull's Ferry ; Reformed Church at Secanens. The latter, organized in 1553, is without an edifice. The corner-stone of the Reformed Church at New Durham was laid on Tuesday, March 30, 1847. The edifice, since called Grove Church, was dedicated September 1st, same year, and is located west side of Bergenwood Avenue, upon the hill-slope east of the site of the old lecture- room at New Durham. A consistory room and a parsonage were created subsequently, the latter being completed during the summer of 1850. The com- mittee delegated to make the purchase of grounds comprised Ebenezer Deas and John Morgan, who had an interview with the land-owner, Mr. Zabriskie. The result was a procuring for church purposes of the four or five acres covered by a grove of forest-trees, William V. V. Mabon, D.D., served this congregation from Oct. 6, 1846, till a year or so ago, when he was chosen a professor in Rutgers l'ol- legr. Dr. Mabon contributed his zeal in the establishment of this church's missions, of which

more prominent. At this church. won the evening of the 11th of November. 1883, there were held, in commemoration of the four hundredth birthday of Martin Luther, the following order of service :

1, Organ Voluntary, George Egbert , 2. Selection by the chair ; 3, Invocation, by Rev. Mr. Jones of the Baptist Church, I'mion Ilill ; 4, Hymn No. 1 "Our "od our help, ' (the congregation joinel in th . sing- ing) , 5 Ap_le st reed, "tiloria " (all united in repeating) ; 6, Scripture Lesson, P'satlus ", " Let the words of my mouth, " by the choir : 7. . id- dress, by Rev. William H. Scudder, of Grove Church, New Durham : 8, Address by Rev. Mr. Crawford, of the Methodist Church, Union Ilill ; 9. Hymn No. 2, " Blow ye the trumpet' the congregation joined in the singing) ; 10, Address by Rev. Mr Justin, of the tier umun Reformed Church, Union Hill ; 11, Address, in German, by Rev. E. P. Luippold. uf the German Methodist ( burch, I nion Hill . 12, Prayer, in German, by Rev. F Siovers, of the German Baptist Church, I'mon Hill , 13, Luther's Hymn, No 3, " A Mighty Fortress," " Ein feste burg" (the con, rega- gation joined in the singing) : 14, Address by Rey E N. Harding, of the Baptist Church, New Durham , 15, Hymn No. 4. "MI hail the power," (the congregation joined in the singing ; 16, Prayer by Rev. Alexander Shaw, of the Reformed Church at Guttenburg : 17, Doxology, okl Hun- dred, " Praise God from whom alt blessings flow ; " Is, Lord's Prayer by ministers and congregation : 19, Benediction : 20. Postlude, by George Egbert.

THE BAPTIST CHURCH AT NEW DURHAM was dedi- cated June 1. 1856, Rev. II. C. Fish, of Newark, deliver- ing the dedicatory sermon. A great deal of energy was displayed by Rev. Joseph Perry in bringing this edifice to completion. Anterior to the occupaney of this church building the congregation worshiped in a small lecture-room located south side of the okl Secaucus road, a little west of the Bergen turnpike. The two-story brick school-house of District No. 3 at present occupies that site, the frame-building having been sold and removed.

THE METHODIST CHURCH at Bull's Ferry was erected upon land Jonated by John G. Seaton, one of the veterans of the war of 1812. An itin- erant system governs the ecclesiastical arrange- ments in vogue here, and old residents name many exhorters and clergymen who othiciated here during the four or five decades just elapsed. Few alterations occurred in this church since it was erected. It is a frame building, located south side of Bull's Ferry road, a short distance cast of Bergen Line Avenue.

CHURCH OF THE SACRED HEART .- The corner-stone of this church was laid in 1872. It is a frame edi- lice built upon the hill-slope, a little way west of the River road, not far from the county line. Rev. Francis ('Neill has officiated here since June, 1880, the same pastor serving the congregation of St. Joseph's, Guttenburg, and occupying a dwelling con- fignous to the latter church.

Recent Progress .- The pressure of events arising out of operations conducted by the West Shore Rail- way Company make a lively chapter in this town- ship. Where, a year or so ago, agriculture was pursued in a quiet way, the track is laid and the locomotives move many times a day to and fro. 1 round-house has been erected, machine-shops are in operation, and a counting-room is established and a

The veneralde E. Deas allodes to a habit of accompanying his child- ren from his dwelling at Deus Point to the Sundayschool here

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UNION TOWNSHIP

station put up, where but a brief period since one merely noted the or linary household arrangements. with the domestic and social customs of the times.

CHAPTER ALVIII.

UNION TOWNSHIP!

V.t. the territory included within this township was a portion of the region early known as Bergen woods. Eleven separate localities are particularly mentioned in the preamble of the act to create the county of Hudson ; yet no allusion is made to this region. Ou a reference, it a society report for 1553, to what is now termed North Hudson, no localities at that time famil iar here, are noticed.

An act approved Feb. 28, 1561, dividing North Bergen into three separate townships, gave existence to the township of Union. I'nder subsequent acts the town of Union and the town of Guttenberg were set off from this township, making present boundaries: the north line, south line of Guttenberg; the south line north line of the town of Union ; west line Dal- lestown or Bergenwood road, and the east lim, the Hudson River. The second section of the act of Jail sets forth original bounds and is the primary source of the name given this township.

Besides a compact settlement styled West New York, the localities here familiarly known as Brow- er's Point, Oak Cliff, Weehawken ferry vicinity, the upper part of Dalleytown and the Quarry Grounds | Falco's pond are all within this township. The latter grounds are commons on which thirty cows were seen grazing on the morning of May 21, 1884. Hor-es and goats here roam at large with the domestic fowls. Here and there is a verdant slope or grassy knoll, upon which appears the floweret and herbage common in this lati- tode, and in its season, the wild thyme. Quarrytan and the block dealer are, however, working vast changes here, and the rock pit, pool and piles of stone chips show their fields of industry.

Early History. - At the early points marking his- torical aspects and events this region abounds in forest and river seenes and incidents. Without going farther than the memory of some old people here extends, the materials are ample in descriptive features.

Upon the river and its margin are spectacles and prospects varied from theuse of to-day ; and over the land, whether valley or hill top, the diversity is as broad. One can senrcely realize that a change so radical has occurred ; we have merely to look at the region as it was by attending to those who can de-

scribe it, and then take its appearance as it presenta isell at the present peril

The region was noted for gigante trees One is apt to stare when the dimensions of some of these trees are given. Vast quantities of the tunher and the lumber taken from the forest- growing at one period pro were used in ship building.

About the year 1-20, Benjamin Westervelt bought seventeen acres of land from bien. Ives, who had purchased the land for the heavy timber upon it. Considerabb white cak grew there ; it was rut an ] rafted down to the East River.

The heavy timber and undergrowth were very thick. " The region was a wilderness when I was a hoy," deelites an old resident " The big ran wi 1 in those days ; the common way in the autumn was to hun them with dogs. My father-in-law one fall killed five bandsome bugs ; they never had a mouthful except what they got out of the woods, So dense was the forest that I often got lost when going out gun- ning The cows had bells, or you never could have found them."

The heavier logs were hewn, and many were got my on the river. Saw-pits were serviceable here and there. A great deal of wood was out by the card and taken to the city, where it served as fiel 1; those days the folks did not think of coal, the use of wood as fuel being general all over this region. An elderly dame says, . When we first came here, more than thirty six years ago, neighbors were far apart It was all woods then, and there was scarcely a man from here to Bergen that hadn't something to de with wood-chopping."

In effort was started to establish a saw-mill at The enterprise, like the mill at >wal- low Barn, dwindled, and it would be a tedious labeer to elucidate the scheme. The locality is now in the occupancy of la Sargent, mentioned elsewhere .

The woods and thickets herein named had their attractions, The kiskatom, the mocha, the butternut. the chestnut, were here in abun lance. Will rasp- berries (the blackraps) and blackberries were, in their seasons, also plentiful. Granu is spoken of by old settlers. "Out all might for a conn," bad ore a- sonally the significant announcement that there was zeil shown in hunting D'aplaints were made now and again that erons were destroying the corn crop -. Rabbits and squirrels were numer os according to all accounts ; and, as for the feathered tribes, munificent narratives show sumptuous fire on game by carly resi- dents about the area now covered by Union township. One would think nothing of shooting two and three high-olders at a shot off'a dogwood tree. These birds, with robins and wild pigeons, were plentiful in Dickie's woods and about Price's property. " I have known," is the remark of an old resident " the gun- nets to shoot five or six dozen robins in a short time ; I have myself shot twenty-eight or twenty nine wild pigeons before breakfast."

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HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

The river region was a resort, too, for game; Michael Carley, who died in his eighty-second year, about twenty-two years ago, had a taste for the sport of gunning and made it a source of profit. His sons were excellent hunters, too, and more than one gained a great reputation for skill in this direction. The Carley boys had their hunting-dogs well trained, and okdl inhabitants are accustomed to mention their ex- ploits in woodcraft. "My brothers," says one of the two daughters of the veteran, now living within Union jigeons and robins; basketfuls of these birds were sohl by them in the city market. Father was more partial to the river. I've seen him with a white cap upon his head, with gun in hand, walk down to his little white duck boat, get in and paddle quietly to within gun-shot of these water-fowl. He used to fetch plenty of ducks home. The pillows and beds in our house were made of duck feathers, and they made beautiful beds. Occasionally," the daughter adds, " he had the luck to get a wild goose."

township, "were fond of gunning on the land for | lished from the foot of Forty-second Street to the

As the axe of the woodman completed its work. and river and harbor and dock improvements ad- vanced and extended, other scenes are witnessed where these exploits transpired.

Old and New Ferry .- Thirty years have elapsed since the first steps were taken to establish what has been long recognized as the Forty-second Street ferry. In the first flush of the enterprise no litth. consternation was evinced on observing the following article in the columns of a metropolitan paper. The delieate thrust, so adroitly executed, merits attention at this period. Like the enterprise of Fulton, the invention of Morse and a million other adventurers, it is always seen that no proposition comes up leading to risk and outlay without some criticising comment intended to discourage the measure. The New York Evening Express of April 6, 1852, says,-

" We have had went to usu egy of a bill, passed by the New Jersey Jeg- inlature at its last ression, and signed by the Governor of the 25th ultimo. Incorporating the Weehawken Ferry Company The corporation consists of William Cooper, Rodman M. Price, David Allerton, Francis Price. Elijah Ward, Dudiey S. Gregory, Barney Bertium, Pavid Biddan, Lorenzo W Elder The art empowers them to establish a ferry between motor suitable point or points in the city of New York and a point north of Deas' Polut, in the county of Hudson, with power to build boats, wharves, pier Imlkheads. It is also enacted that the capital of said company shall be half a million of dollars, divided into shares of fifty dollars each, certificates of such shares to be defined personal property. Other provisions customary in aute of this character an formally made. The ast in to continue in fun . for thirty years, but unless the company within five years from its passage shall have estaldsched a ferry and have the same in up- eration so as to accommodate the inhabitants the art shall be vod. Weare not read up in the details of this new enterprise, but it strikes us that if the object of the new company is limited to the accommodation of the inhaldiants, they will have a very easy task to perform, for about the only lah ditante one finde at Weehawken just ins are some venerabile ok and elin-troom, As it is presumed they don't intend to emigrate to New York, the question is very generally asked, Where is the patronage t come from that Is to offert the pregenel outlay of half a million of dollar

In June of the saine year, under suburban improve- ments, the same journal remarks :

" Nowhere in the neighborhood of New York has improvement been more rapid, or in better consonance with good taste, than along the Hud- NOTI River on the Jersey shore, north of lloboken."

Books of subscription for the stock of the Weehaw- ken Ferry Company were opened at the Otto Cottage, in Hoboken, May 9, 1853. A prospectus setting forth the natural advantages of the regions, with other facts, had been extensively circulated. The New York Common Council, by resolution, approved by the mayor July 9, 1856, directed that a ferry be estab- New Jersey shore, and authorized the comptroller to advertise and issue a lease of the ferry privileges for a term of ten years. Under this resolution, Comp- troller Flagg sold the lease to Francis Price, Aug. 19, 1856, at the bid of fifty dollars per year for the ten years, and steps were taken to make the ferry enter- prise effective.

The original officers of the company were: President and Treasurer, William Cooper; Executive Committee, Francis Price and Louis Becker. with Secretary, William W. Niles. As a board of nine directors appears the persons already named and Garrett H. Stryker, Jr., Rodman M. Price, Gen. Elijah Ward, Barney Bertram and Dudley S. Gregory. The slips, houses, boats and other adjuncts necessary to a ferry were yet to be provided, and the ferry got in operation in 1859. The current receipts for the month of August, 1865 were 83131; and the same month of the following year 82955. In September of 1866 they were $3247. In February, 1867, the gross receipts footed up $2007, and in March, 82230. For July and August, 1869, they showed a total of $5790.

A considerable area of real estate was purchased by Judge Price, the pioneer adventurer in ferry matters, from Anthony Endlow, John Ludlow, William Gor- mot. Mead and others. Price occupied a cottage on the peak of the hill, at a locality termed the Cedars, from a plentifulness of that species of trees upon the premises. He erected of stone a land-office, and he- gan an edifice designed for a sumptuous dwelling, which afterwards became a saloon, the mansion never reaching completion. £ Quarry operation and the work performed by a steam stone-crusher in that vicinity effected many alterations. After vacating the homestead, the place passed through various mutations, the cottage being burned down ; and the stone of which the new mansion was built was put into an outward shape and utilized for other pur- poses.

The ferry was managed during several years by Nathaniel Dole, and passed afterwards into the posses- sion of the Midland Railroad Company, a corporation that has consigned it to what is now popularly known as the West Shore Company. The new ferry at the tunnel entrance serves the car passengers con- veniently, while the obl ferry at this writing affords grenter facilities to the inhabitants of this locality

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I NION TOWNSHIP ..

passing their business hours in the city. The old ferry company at one period had a boat that served as a cattle-boat, vast numbers of cattle being conveyed to the city by this ferry. The stock-yard company conducted business for a few years just north of the ferry landing. The Belgian blocks manufactured by the thousand, the bulk of which have come off the ferry company's grounds, are taken by tous over this ferry to the metropolis.

Road Improvements. - The - wild section of the Bergenwood road hes on the west of this township. and the assessment was reviewed S .pt. 29, 1575. The following is a report of work done by the contractors, and amount assessed for same :

Retaining wail, 395 cul vants, at &. - 1 Drain, near station 79, one third of cost Brain No. 2, 129 feet, at & Ml Bruin No. 6, 11 fort, 8 , 1x1 Rick excavation, 11,11 .44 cubi yards, at 2. al

Garth excavat' n, "Joe. 1. moi yaris, nl $ .4.

" Excavation & were mainly at pointsmonth of entran v to Fisher Venue. opposite land of Louis Sargent, Ex ale at a Iality med late

culu yard and ups and were completed as rock excavation .

" Rr je Ifully malett 1

"JAMES GARDNER. " ANTHONY H. KYDER "(r. L., SVEATH

"Ang. 30. 1855.

Although conspicuous ponds appear within this township, there are no prominent bridges. The Ber- gen Line Avenue is a nearly central highway within this township. To improve this road, steps were taken in 1971, beginning by a petition from the following Jine-owners asking for the passage of a legislative act :

Maluchi l'aunun. Henry Criem. Frederick Krul er Juhn Pahl. MI hael P. Watla.4

Daniel & Rooney Fred. Hohmann. Mi hael Forlong

Thomas l'indre

George Hues. Henry I'llrich. William Elliot.

i hristopher Waul Georg . Fisher.

The desire of the inhabitants set forth by the poti- tioners met with only temporary opposition. The prospect of having a more easy comint nication with Bergen County and of having a substantial avenue with a width of eighty feet was ton attractive, espe- cially where the roads had been so neglected as they had been in this latitude. The act approved April 4. 1872, contained fourteen sections ; the ficihty for progress seemed to smile upon the measure ; and, although many changes occurred in the working foret of the commissioners, the purpose gained accomplish- ment within reasonable time. An assessment was confirmed by the commissioners Dec. 10, la51. The commissioners in service at that date were John Reid. George D' Schinzel and Stephen Quale.

Prominent Business Interests. - Conspicuous here Jooms up the ice trafhe, ag industry covering a little

over one derade. In the present year there are five labli-hments. Meckert, 4; Schontt, 4, Dobbs, 2; Welke, 2; Peter, 4. The figures de mate the number com owner has of reach use, the fourth and ith ar bien I west of Bull's Ferry road, the third et of Bergen Line Avenue, and the first and spend cast of the Bergenwou I road. ADwert Littlefichl Lega 1 the Ins news in [7] priser, he was stime quently pined by one Fios and afterwards In John A Boss. Ther tris vere Friet in th termi of operate n, and Files gained the bamess hobling it for a year or more Meckert took possession in Insenter 1-7", and continue .

HERMANN MELKERT was born in Faxen Chermany, Ont. 2. 1.46, came to this country September 1570. lle married, Feb. 15, 1-72, Rosamond Algaier a res- ident of this township and a native of New York City. The ice business is the ml. emvern of his

The florist business has been conducted many years upon the old Falen Place, where Mr. Sargent propa- gutes the rose. His operation are mainly confined to the overal varieties of this flower. In some seasons he joins to that line the making up of bou- quets for the city market. Sim ar burgess is con- ducted by Mr. John Collins, upon the premises lo- cated north of Pierce Avenue and east of Bergenword road. On the latter road, Henry Steiger conducta a thriving Imusiness in pot and out Howers having two hot-houses in operation. I began in May, 1ss1.

Early Residents. Among the earliest settlers here was John Muller, who is a native of Baden, born May 6, 1828. Remaining in New York City the space of three years after his arrival in this country, in 1:46, he then pricesled to the city of Buffalo; again came to New York ; married, in 1855, Eliza- beth Bischoff, also a native of Germany, and settled bere in 1557. Ile remarks that when he made this locality his home there were here " plenty of game and a great many trees." The roadways were few and rough. A fost-path led from the lower end et Dalleytown, wherethere ent Bergen Line impr wewent begins, and came over to Kager's, on the Bergenwood road, near the present Fierce Avenue. Muller sin added to his bakery commodities sufting a grocery, and progressed in business.

The cottage of Charles Schultz was early a rendez- tous for the local gossips about West New York. Charles was an early settler, visited California and his native Germany during In- residence here; and most of the neighbors had a good social footing with the citizen of esmupolitan habi - and ideas.

Schultz's tiorden is well tended, and his attention has been directed recently to improving real estate.

Theandere Rostow, jobber in seed, leaf an I spanish tobacco, took up his residence here in losti er Jour. Ristow was born in Prussia, April 12, 1912 ; come to this country in Jis, and married here his present wife, who was alo a native of Prussi 1 He began the

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HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY

busines now engaging his attention in July, 188. He erected the buildings on the premises where he lives in 1867, and has since erected a block ofeleven dwellings east side of Maarkens Street.

Metha Grimm, relict of Henry Grimm, has a con- spicuous store on the west side of Bergen Line Avenue. just north of Dalleytown. Her late husband, who died in 1-77. showed eagerness to second all efforts ensuring local improvements.

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History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 149

Author: Shaw, William H Publication date: 1884 Publisher: [United States :] Number of Pages: 830

Author: Shaw, William H
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: [United States :]
Number of Pages: 830