History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 42

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 42
USA > New Jersey > Essex County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II > Part 42

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 road to the present centre of the town from the Newark settlement undoubtedly bent northeast- ward to pass around " mill brook swamp." It then found it- way past " sun fish pond." over " Watseson Hill" to the Second River, to the plain between that river and the Third River and to lands on the Third River farther north.

In 1675 the east and west line of Aaron Blatchley's land, " by the first branch of ye second river," is a high- way. This is, no doubt, a rough road from the New- ark settlement westward to the lands of Crane, Hun- tinton. Kitchell and Blotchley, in the upper part of the present Montclair. Surveyors are chosen in town-meeting, on Dec. 12, 1681. "to lay out high- ways as far as the Mountains if need be, and Pas- sages to all Lands." An east and west highway lies along the south side of Matthew Camfield's land, "by

A good number of these ancient houses were built the mountain path," next Thomas Huntington, in , of stone, for in 1721 the freestone began to be quar-

160s. A road from the town to the mountain crosses '. Bushie Plain Brook " near a saw-mill in 1712.

These signify. no doubt. the carly road or roads from the settlement to "Newark Mountains," a- Or- ange was at first called.

A road from Stephen Morris' mill. " up the hill." as the lib " will alow." was laid out in 1762. This is, no doubt. the Bay Lane road, and it indicates that the ol I Cranetown roads, from " Isaac Dodd's corner " and from the Caleb Davis house, and the road west- ward on Watseson Plain to the mountains, were already in existence.

EARLY Hot-ES .- We do not know that there was a house built in all this region before 1695. John Baldwin, Sr. in 1670, was to have one extra acre, by vote of the town, added to his "second division of upland " for ' his staying on his place the first sum- mer.' Thi- seems a special indurement for him to remain somewhere on the outlands of the Newark tract, whether within or without the present Bloon- field.

Thomas Davis had " liberty to set up a saw mill"

The first authentic dates of dwelling-houses are two, -the house of David Dodd, afterwards occupied by his son, Amos Dodd, still bearing in the corner-stone the initials of himself and wife, "NOUMI 10, 1719, D. S. D." (Nov. 10, 1719, Daniel Sarah Dodd), the present dwelling-house (1×84) of Chester Gilbert ; and a dwelling-house of Abraham Van Geisen, on the east bank of Third River. near "('anoe Swamp." There was also a "mill lately built " (a grist mill, probably) in 1720 on the Third River, on Capt. John Morris' plantation, and also a dwelling of one Vannevklor, near Toney's Brook, in 1724. Among other aneient houses without authentie dates are the following : the Joseph Davis mansion, opposite the Baptist Church, supposed to have been built before the Revolution ; the Abraham Cadmus house, on Montgomery Street ; the Moses Farrand house, below Watseson Hill, Washington's temporary quarters (now an inglorious unused eider mill, with honorable bullet sears in the old shell); the Thomas Cadmus house, on Washington Street, since known as Wash- ington's headquarters ; the old house far down on Belleville Avenue; the Ephraim Morris house, re- moved some years since from the grounds of Mr. Thomas; and the old Crane houses, in Montelair.

ried for the market. The chimney and the big oven built outside the house indicated the Holland family. Samuel Ward's mill (a woolen mill) was in exist- ence in 1725; and treorge Harrison's saw mill, at Montgomery, either in 1728 or in 1740.

With mills to saw and a mill to grind and a mill to card the wool, and abundance of field-stone or even quarry-stone, the houses multiplied henceforth.

The Revolution and its Traditions .- When the Third Battalion was called for by Congress, and by the State, in 1776, Joseph Bloomfield, then from Bridge- ton, appears as the captain of the Seventh Company.

The larger part of the enlistments from the northern part of Newark were in the militia rather than in the regular service. The following officers from Essex County, in 1777, were quite likely from this territory : Lieutenant Colonels, Jacob Crane, Mathias Ward and Thomas Cadmus; Major, Caleb Dodd; Captains, Amos Dodd, Henry Joralemon, Abraham Speer and Cornelius Speer.

The following officers are without date of enlist- ment : James Joralemon, (wounded afterwards at

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP.

Springfield,) John Kidney, Josiah Pierson, Samuel Pierson, Thomas Seigler, Isaac Smith, Henry Speer. Jonas Ward; Jesse Baldwin at first onsign, then lieutenant, then quartermaster, then quartermaster in the regular army; Second Lieutenants, John and Joseph Crane and James Spear ; Sergeants, Obadiah Crane, Joseph Crowell, Sammel Jones, who lost a log in Newark in 1782; Musicians, Benjamin and David I. t'rane.

There are among the privates from the county thirty Baldwins, among them Daniel, David, Ichabod, Israel, Jabez, Jesse, Jonathan, Matthias, Lewis, Silas, Simson and Zophar , fourteen Balls, among them Dan- iel and Joseph ; four Cadmuses, Henry, Isaac, John and Peter, twenty-nine Cranes, among them Aaron, Amos, Elias, Erael, James, John, Mathias, Moses, Nathanael and Phineas ; eight Davises, among them John Jonathan Joseph and Peter; twenty-www Denbels, among them Abiel, Abijah, David, Ebenezer, Isaac John, Joseph, Moses, Parmenas, Thomas, Tim- othy and U'zal; Thomas Doremus; three Franciscos, Anthony, John and Peter: right Freelands and three Vreelands : four Freemans ; Garrabrant Garrabrants and two others of the name ; fifteen Harrisons; four Jacobuses ; three Joralemons, one of them Halmock ; five Kings, among them Nury ; six Kingslands; David and Davis Morris; seven Ogdens, among them Jolm ; thirteen Osborns, Osbornes and Osburns; Richard Powelson , Isaac and Peter Riker; six Spears and Spiers: eleven Taylors ; two Van Houtens; live Van- Riker-, among them Cornelius, Gerrit and Morris; four Van Winkles; John and Levi Vincent ; and seventeen Wards, among them Bethuel, Caleb, Caleb, Jr., Jacob, Joseph. Nathaniel, Samuel, Timothy and Zebina.

A large share of these persons whose names are se- lected from the rosters were from this outlying part of Newark. They took their place, some as minute- men, some in the regular troops and many as militia, ready for an emergency, such as they were called to fare in the battle of Springhield.

The Declaration of Independence, it is said, was first read in this region at the school-house on Watsessing Jill.

There were two campaigns of the Revolution which touched this region,-the retreat of Washington through New Jersey in 1776, and the attempts of the British on Washington's position at Morristown through Connecticut Farms and Springfield, in 1780.

When, after the battle on Long Island, in Septem- ber, 1776, Washington's army retreated across the Hud- son to Arquackanouck, and then fell down to Newark. Newark as a township is no doubt meant. The army in rapid retreat marched, no doubt, on parallel roads, and the old road over Watsessing Hill and Plain was probably one of these roads. The tradition is that when Washington came to the Joseph Davis house he found it occupied by Gen. Knox aud sick soldiers, and refused to displace them in order to

make it his quarters. It is quite likely that he went on over the hill, and took temporary quarters at the Mores Farrand house. When the army swept on to Newark village, and a detachment moved through Orange, both portions of the army pursued by the enemy, the people fled over the mountains and into Stone House Plains.

The two pastors of the people, Dr. Alexander Mar- Whorter and Rev. Jedediah Chapman were zealous patriots, and were compelled to Hee: Dr. Mac Whor- ter in the council of Washington. The posts on the mountain erest were filled with watchmen, the rear of the mountain with refugees. The whole region was ravaged for plunder. The Hessians swept through Watseson and East Orange. When the reaction came, on Washington's return through Trenton, Princeton and Monmouth to Morristown, the people returned to their desolated fields and plundered houses. " Whiskey Lane" still remains as the name given to one of the roads where whiskey was seized by a British company, or where whiskey itself seized the raiders.

At the battles of Connecticut Farms and of Spring- field, in 1780, the militia of the whole region seized firelock and sword. The captains, the major, the lieutenant-colonel from this region were among them ; and Washington was delighted with the patriotism and bravery of the people. He was just then on the march from Morristown to the Hudson, but he moved slowly, and was temporarily in Bloomfield, at the Thomas Cadmus and the Stephen Fordham houses.

The Hollanders were patriots equally with the Puri- tans, ay the names of the officers have shown. The adventure of Capt. John Kidney, Capt. Henry Jorale- mon, Jacob Garlon and Hammock Joralemon shows them in the raids which shot back and forth across the marshes and the sound. The story is that with fleet horses and a common wood-sled, on a wild win- try night, they crossed the marshes to Bergen, pro- ceeded to a school-house where British officers and sol- diers were making merry, surrounded and took the house, with their mighty force of four, muffled and se- cured an ollicer and a refugee, regained the meadows before the alarm-gun fired, took the prisoners to the Morristown jail, and returned the heroes of the day among their old neighbors.

The Later History from the time of the Revolution. - Patriotism, education and religion were the passions of the Puritans. Each of these passions took form in unusually hold expression in Bloomfield. The " Common," the parading-ground of citizen soldiers, was spacious and central. It was laid in front of the church lot, which was already occupied with material for the new edifice. The academy, which soon fol- lowed the church, was a massive edifice for a rural community in the early century. It included in its plan of education, in connection with neighboring pastors, missionary and theological training, and sent many young men into the ministry. It was the cul-

864

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

mination of the excellent common schools long before established and of the catechetical instruction of the Puritans.

The stone church, far larger than their present need, with foundations and walls wisely laid for suc- cessive enlargement and for modern adornment, was the concrete symbol of their value of religion.

The Presbyterian Church was identified with the tury opened with the new pastor.

name of the town and with the larger body of the people. The Reformed Dutch Church at Stone House Plains was identified with only a section of the town.

The church at Newark village became the First Presbyterian Church of Newark in 1755. The church at Newark Mountains became the Second Presbyterian Church in Newark in 1783, afterwards. the First Pres- byterian Church of Orange. The Bloomfieldl Church became the Third Presbyterian Church of Newark ; the congregation organized in 1794, the civil society in 1796 aud the ceclesiastieal body in 1798.

According to the proportion of members taken from the two okler churches. abont two-thirds of the people had attended previously the Orange Church and about one-third the Newark Village Church.

Services had also been held a long time in the little school-house near the church site, and for some six years in the Joseph Davis house. The Rev. Jedediah Chapman, of Orange, the last elergyman of the vicinity who wore the three-cornered cocked hat as the badge of the ministry, catechised the children at the school-house.

No doubt the building of the new edifice was stimu- lated by the erection of neighboring churches after the Revolutionary war. Churches had been built at Elizabeth in 1785, at Newark in 1790, at Springfield in 1791, at Caldwell in 1795-96.

A parchment subscription in October, 1796, contains fitty-nine names with five subscriptions of one hun- dred pounds each and other subscriptions all the way down to one pound. The Ballwins, Cranes, Dodds, Morrises, Wards, Balls, and Davises constituted about three-fifths of the population in the Puritan part of the town at that time. The Vineents, Cadmuses, ('o'kefairs, Uriances and Garrabrants were the prin- cipal Holland names among the Puritans. The sum of the parchment subscription in 1796 was £1615 48., or $4038.

The second subscription, in 1798, "for the use of the meeting-house " amounted to £737 128., or $1841. It was a large enterprise, and there was little wealth. All were workmen, -Samnel Laurence Ward was the architect, and Josiah James, of Newark, also superin- tendent of construction ; Aury King, chief mason, associated with Henry Cadmus and Henry King. The managers of the building were Simeon Baldwin, Nathaniel Crane and Joseph Davis. The trustees in 1797 were Samuel Ward. Ephraim Morris, Oliver ('rane and Joseph Davis.

Gen. Bloomfield made a visit in 1797 in recog-

nition of the honor donc him in giving his name to the town, was publicly welcomed by the people, and contributed one hundred and forty dollars to help on the building. Mrs. Bloomfield presented a pulpit Bible and psalm-book. The services began in the edifice in 1799, before the windows were in or the Hours were laid, and the first Sunday of the new con

The building has since been twice enlarged. Fit- teen feet were added in length in 1853, and a hand- some transept Sunday-school room was completed in 1883.

The original elders and deacons in 1798 were Simeon Baldwin, Ephraim Morris, Isaac Dodd and Joseph Crane; the original membership, eighty- three persons.

The succession of pastors has been Rev. Abel Jackson, 1800-10; Rev. Cyrus Gilder-leeve, 1812-18; Rev. Gideon N. Judd, D. D., 1820-34; Rev. Ebenezer Seymour, 1834-7: Rev. George Duthiekl, D.D., 1×47-51; Rev. James M. Sherwood, 1852-58; Rev. Ellis J. Newlin, D.D., 1859-63; Rev. Charles E. Knox, D.D., 1864-73; Rev. Henry W. Ballantine, 1877-84.

The Reformed Church .- The Holland people in the northern part of the town were no loubt con- nected with the neighboring Dutch congregations at a day quite as early as the Puritans of the town with their own. The Dutch Churches were on the west at Horseneck, on the north at Totowa, on the northeast at Argnackanonek, and on the southeast at Second River. While such men as Bertholf, at Acquacka- nonek and Second River, were abounding in apostolie missionary journeys, and the learned and humble- minded Meyer was at Totowa and Horseneck, and their associates or successors, Coens, Van Sanvoord, Hoeghoort, Marinus, Leydt and Schoonmaker were caring for the Holland people all the way down to 1794. the Holland farmers of the Franklin, Stone House Plain and Speertown neighborhoods found attractive churches and pastors at hand. Their natural affinity was at Acquackanouck and Second River. However early the school-house was creeted, there was the preacher in an occasional service in the Dutch tongue and later in the English. It is probable that Stone House Plains was first a regular preaching- station under the Rev. Peter Stryker, who came to Second River in 1794. Under him the Reformed Church at Stone House Plain was organized in 1801. The first church edifice was erected in 1802. The pre- sent edifice, built of freestone and ten feet longer than the first, was built on the oldl site in 1857, the spire completed in 1860-61. The Rev. Mr. Stryker served both churches for some years. The Rev. Staats Van Sanvoord seems to have succeeded him as pastor of the two churches, and the two churches continued together until 1826. The succeeding pastors have been Rev. John G. Tarbell, 1827-28; Rev. Alexan- der G. Hillman, 1836-41; Rev. Eben S. Hammond,

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BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP

1×12-14, Rev. William Thompson, 1845 1; Rev. Robert & Quinn, 1547-49; Rev. John S. Leiddell, 1-19 50 . Rev. John Wiseman, 1851-52; Rev. Peter Tallage, 1553-65. During his pastorate the new church organized at Franklin in 1855 was for a time under his car . Rev. Benjamin .I. Stateser, 1866-72 . Rev John Kershaw, 1873->2; Rev. William G E. 1.000.

A good number of the Holland people, such as the (admis, Joralemon and Kidney families, residing among the l'art in population, were also connecte ! with the church at Second River.

Other Churches. The Presbyterian Church of West bloomfield, a colony from the Bloomfield Church in 1838, the Methodist Episcopal Church in that part of the town, St. Luke's Church ant the Church of the Immaculate Conception, which have their early history as a portion of Bloomfield, ar placed in the history of Monteliir.

The Reformed & hurch, the Episcopal Church, the Meth rest Church, the Roman Catholic Church of Second River, and the Reformed Church of Franklin, although all originating in the original territory, either of the Newark colony or of Bloomfield, have their place in the history of Belleville.

The Reformel Church at Franklin sprang out of a preaching-station at which the preaching was sup- plie | from 184000, 1855 by the pastors both of Stone Honge Plain and Belleville.

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH of Bloom- tild was originally on the second River circuit Services were held at first in the house of Mrs. Naomi Cock fair, above the Morris neighborhood. A small stone church was created there in 1529, Rev. Man- ning Porer and Rev. Benjamin Collins officiating is carh pastors. Rev. Mr. Wiggins and Rev. Isaac Winnerw reon the circuit in 1828 and 1-30, the circuit induding Belleville, Bloomfield, Cedar Grove, Cald- well, Orange, etc. James Wilde and his son, Henry Wilde, whose woolen manufacturing and print-works were in West Bloomfield added, with their English Wesleyan workmen, a strong force to the Methodist Flores, so that a church was created In 1536 between the two villages. From this central location two parts went out, one to Bloomfield and the other to Wist Bloomfield. The & wiety in the " Coit neighborhood " meanwhile had become a "class." The Coit stone building was taken down, and usel in 1553 in the erection of the present edifice on the park in Bloom- field. This edifice was enlarged and adorned in ISSI, and a new Sindav-school room added in 1883-84 Prominent among their many pastors have been R .v. 1. R. Snyder, 1858-54; Rev. Sylvester I. Oplyke, 1538-59; Rev. Joseph R. Adams, 1-65-07; Rev. Stacy W. Hillard, 1868-70; Rev. Stephen J. Baldwin, D. D. 1871; Rev. Henry Spellmeyer, D. D., 1872-74; Rev. Edson W. Burr, 1875-77; Rev. Warren W Hong- land, 1578 79; Rev. Richard Harcourt, 1881; and Rev Daniel R. Lowrie, 1882-84.

THE WATSENSING MI THOLIST CHURCH IS ant off- shoot from this church, and was organized in Is, 2.

A PRIMITIVE METHODET CHAPEL Was ereced en the "old road" from Bloomfield to Newark in 19330. It was a weak organization, and was after several years disban led. The building became private prop- erty.

THE BAPTIST CHURCH WAS organized in a private house in 1951 The society ecured and relitt d the old Franklin school-house in 1952, where their first preaching services were held. Their public recogni- tion as a church took place in the lecture-room of the Presbyterian Church on Feb. 13, 1552. Their house of worship, built of brick, at the junction ot Franklin and Washington Streets, at a cast of eight thousand dollar, was opened in 1853. Their five pastor- have been the Rev. John D. Meeson, 1952-59 ; Rev. James Il. Pratt, 1-23-38; the Rev. Henry F Smith, D D., Jis-fin; the Rev. William F Stubbert. D.D., 100- 1875, and the Rev. E. D. Simoes, from 1-76.

THE GERMAN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH received strength and nurture from the pastor of the l'reiste- rian Church, the Rev. James M. Sherwood. It was or- wanized by him on Jan 1, 1855, and worship ed in the lecture-room of the old church for some ten years. Their first stated supply of the pulpit was the ssdp r- teur, Charles H. Th berath, who continuethis services through the year 1858. Rev. Christian Wisner, while still an older of the church and a theologie. student. was his successor, and was the first regular pastor from 1×64 to 1867. Their second pastor, from 156, why was also an elder in the church, is the Rev John M. Ensslin Their church edifice was dedicated on July 1. 1sin ; it was built at a cost of five thousand three hundred dollars, and a parsonage at a cost of three thousand dollars is in process of erection, in 1954.

THE FIRST FREE- WILL BAPTIST CHURCH of BI Om- field had its origin in a Bible class under Mr. Volney Elliott in Is57-58 The organization was completed on July 7, 1858, in the vacant Prin tive Methodist Chapel on the old road to Newark. It has not it- tained a pul lie edifice nor a settled pastor, but de- votional services have been held for some years ast private houses.

CHRIST CHURCH was established as a mission of the Episcopal Church in 1558, the Rev. Samuel A. Clark and the Rev. Henry B. Sherman acting for the executive committee of the Prote tant Fp- opal Society in the State of New Jersey. The first ser- vices were conducted by the Rev. Mr Sherman in Union Hall. The Rev. Henry B. Barstow officiated until the Rev. Henry Marsh was appointed the stated missionary.

The church was organized as a parish on Det. 4. 155%. A lot for a church edifice was at first purchase al on the turnpike, but the site on Liberty Street on which the church now stands was deemed more de- sirable. The church edifire was erected during the , winter of 1800-61 at a cost of two thousand five hun-

$66

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Ited dollars. It has since been enlarged and in proved, and a reetory and a school building have been added. The following have been the rectors : the Rev. Henry Marsh, 1855-63; Rev. Charles Ritter, 1883-64; Rev. W. A. Maybin, 1864-65; Rev. Albert Z. Gray, D.D., now dean of Racine College, Wiscon- sin, 1865-68; Rev. W. H. Carter, D.D., LL. D., 1869; Rev. Mr. Martin Amstout ; Rev. T. J. Danner, 1872- 76; Rev. William G. Farrington, D.D., from 1877. During the reetorate of the Rev. Dr. Carter two mis- sion organizations were begun, one in Watsessing and the other in the Franklin district of Belleville.

Sr. PAUL'S CHURCH, at Watsessing, had its origin in a weekly service established in 1869. A chapel was soon built, and the organization was rer- ognized as a mission of Christ Church in January, 1870. In 1875 the chapel building was removed to D.xhil Street, just over the town line, and the church became St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal Church of East Orange. The church became independent of its mission relation in 1876, and called its first rector on May 11, 1-76. The rectors have been Rey. Wil- liam White Wilson, 1876-80; Rev. Daniel 1. Ed- wards. from 1880.

THE WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH is a colony of the original Presbyterian Church. It was organized in the old church in January, 1870. The ' brick building, located on the recent addition, and tirst preaching service was held in the academy building on July 11, 1869, and worship was continued there and in Euclcian Hall until the next sum- The only person of whom we have definite knowl- edge as connected with the schools before 1790 was the boy Stephen Dodd, then cleven years of age, who went to school on Watsessing Ilill, or, asit then proba- bly began to be called, the Franklin School-house. mer. The chapel was during that time in process of erection on the church lot at the corner of Franklin and Fremont Streets, the old church assisting the new in the ercetion. The edifice was dedicated and the first pastor installed in September. The two pas- tors have been the Rev. Duncan Kennedy, D.D .. 1870-51 ; Rev. Samuel W. Duffield, from 1881.

THE CHURCH OF THE SACRED HEART is a colony of the t'hurch of the Immaculate Conception of Mont- clair. The Montelair parish had previously included in its rare all the Roman C'atholies from Caldwell to Watsessing. The Bloomfield parish was organized on July 1, 1-78, under the supervision of Rev. J. M. Vardiello, the present and only priest. The corner- stone was laid July 28, 1878, and the church was for- mally dedicated. on November 17th of that year. The church has a handsome parochial school build- ing, constructed of stone, trimmed with briek, and a priest's residence.

Schools and Education .- The history of schools and of education may be divided into three periods.

1. The early school period before the erretion of the academy.

The shoot and the church were in close union among the Hollanders. We may believe, therefore, that the establishment of a Dutch thurch at Second River in 1827 was either accompanied or soon fol- lowed by a school.

The Puritan settlements from 1719 onwards no .

4 ubt developed some form of instruction outside the incipient schools of Newark village.

The oldest tradition, however, does not point to a school-house earlier than 1740. The memory of the Cranetown people places their first school-house in that year.

The first authentic record is in the foundation-stone of the Watsessing Hill School-house, which an- nounces its first construction in 1758, and its addition on the vast end in 1782. Both parts were built of stone. It remained standing till 1852, when it made place for the house of Mr. Jay L. Adams.1

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History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 42

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