History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 50

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 50
USA > New Jersey > Essex County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II > Part 50

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).

Having spoken of the connection of Peter and Wil- liam Staniar with the origin of this business, justice demands that mention should be made of how much it- sveces is due to the enterprise of Gasherie De Witt (deceased , whose tact, business foresight and perse verauce gave that start to the business that placed it on the road to success ; and of Cornelius Van Houten, the application of whose skill, ingenuity, experience and perseverance in mechanics, commencing with the origin of this business, in 1847. and continuing to this time, has furnished not only the mechanical skill, but has contributed largely to the intelligent systematic and persevering conducting of the business.

They have at intervals (suggested by the necessity to answer the increasing demand for their produc. tions1 added to their buildings, until their works now cover a very large area, and present a scene of great activity.

JOSIAH RHODES'S MILL .- Probably fifty-seven years ago John Andrews leased a plot off of the east end of the now De Witt Wire-Cloth Manufacturing Com- pany's mill site, and built thereon a factory about tifty by seventy-five feet on the ground, two stories high. He used power derived from a small dam with a raceway leading to it from the mill, and engaged in the manufacture of felt cloth. He son disem- tinned the business here and engaged in the same manufacture on the opposite side of the river, a mile above the village. The building here stoud idle for a short time, and in the spring of 1837 was leased by Josiah Rhodes, who there conducted the Imusiness of dressing skin- of seals, otter, minks, beaver, etc., which business he pursued for some time, then added to it the blowing of fins. After a few years, and about thirty-seven years ago, A. D. Crane being the inventor of a year clock, had carried on its manufa - ture in a small way. The firm was James R. Mills and Co. Soon after a more extensive company was formed known as the Year Check Company The stockholders were James R. Mills, Josiah Rhodes,

Henry K. Cadmus, Abraham V. Speer and others. They based the m Hpe upied os Josiah Rh ales and engaged quite extensively in manufacturing these clocks, and lost several thousand dollars in the bust- ness. They continued the business about two years, when after the failure of this business dosiah Rhodes started a grist-mil, and kept a floor and feed-store there for some years. The mill burned down in 155x. Josiah Rhodes removed to New York, bought a mill there and there diel.

SKIN DRESSING AND SPLITTING .- In the spring of 1536, an Englishman by birth, then fifty years of age, with his wife, came to this country and to Belleville for the purpose of engaging in business. He was a man of intelligence and of large business experience ; was possessed of much practical knowledge in me- chanies, all the result of having conducted an exten- sive business in Eugland as a tanner, dresser and splitter of hides or skins. Though he had recently been unfortunate in business at home he yet had soine means, and came here in the hope of retrieving his fortune. He brought with him two of his for- mer employés having a knowledge of the business, also a pattern of the principal portion of a skin-split- ting machine, of which he said he had been the owner at home. This he called the vibrating bar of the machine. The writer of this article then being an apprentice with his father to the trade of carriage- making, though he had no knowledge of pattern- making, was employed by Mr. Longstaff' to make the remaining portions of a machine for splitting skins. They were made, and the castings procured in Newark, brought in their rough state from there, were by Mr. Longstaff, and the writer chipped, filed, drilled, and otherwise fitted, the required frame made, the machine set up completel.

Sheep-skins in great numbers were split upon this machine between forty-eight and forty-nine years ago. Mr. Longstaff said that the skins put through this machine were the first ever split in this country, and careful inquiry warrants the believing that it is true, and that to Belleville is due the credit of being the place of the beginning of this now ex. tensive branch of business, and to one of its citi- zens the claim of the mechanical production of the machine and of taking part in splitting the first skin. Mr. Longstaff's place of business was on a wharf on the Passaic a short distance south of the Episcopal Church, then owned by the late Michael Sandford.

THE MANUFACTORY OF MORDANTS FOR DYEING and setting colors in silks, cottons, woolen- and other fabrics was first established here by John Eastwood, a man of more than usnal business foresight and energy. On his arrival in this country from ling- 1.cnn, in 1847, the business at first was not large. It was located on a portion of the land- now owned by the De Witt Wire-Cloth Company. Eastwood conducted the business with mode rate success until las7, when the establishment burned down, and he then purchased

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

the pres al site of his works in the northerly part of known. Many years ago the firm of Hinton & Moure, the village, being a tract of seven or eight acres, w'b a frontage of several hundred feet on Passaic River Here he built factories on a much larger scale, to which he has added buildings from time to time, and in prove l and increased the capacity of his machinery and appliances to meet the growing de- mand for his products, until he now has the largest works of the kind in the I'nited States, and employs about sixty men ; uses an average of sixty thou and cords of wood annually, which he receives, with other supplies, by vessels coming direct to his wharf. His products are also shipped by boats to all accessible points, and by railroad all over the manu- facturing portions of this country. The grounds upon which these works are built comprise eight or nine neres, having a water-front of several hundred feet. By the vigorous and judicious conduct of the business he has amassed a fortune, and occupies a stately man- sion with tastefully arranged surroundings.

THE RIVERSIDE RUBBER-WORKS were established in 187> in Newark, under the name of the Eagle Rubber-Works, by James Hardman, Jr., and J. A. Reed. They soon after removed the business to Belleville, and located on the east side of Main Street, on a wharf formerly the property of Henry K. C'admis, and occupied a building used prior to that time as the cotton-waste works, conducted succes- sively by James Murphy and one sylvester. In 1878, J. A. Read retired from the business, and it was continued by James Hardman, Jr. The business increasing rapidly, in 1882 the works were enlarged by the construction of a three-story brick building of considerable size, adding at the same time other building- and further increasing the facilities by putting in a very One forless engine of sixty horse- power. The name of the works at the time of this enlargement was changed to the Riverside Rubber- Works. There are also on the grounds a machine- shop with the most approved tools and machinery of the day. This firm started six years ago with a capital of seven hundred dollars, nearly all of which was absorbed in tools and fixtures, manufactured small articles, known as stationery supplies, as pencil tips, erasers, etc. Now the works presents a scene of activity; the capital is forty thousand dollars, thirty-five hand- are employed, and the variety of goods manufactured has been largely increased.

The firm now has an office in New York, under the m: nagement of Il. J. Yatman. George Quayle is superintendent of the works.

PAINT-MIL. - The mill site now known as the l'aint-Mill is the first below the mill site of Hen- dricks' Lower Mill, or Soho. It has a forty-horse water power. The first use of this power is believed to have been for a anull-mill, eighty years ago or more. Soon after this period it is known to have been used for a grist-mill, conducted by William Holmes, who was afterwards a merchant here and prominently

dealers in white lead, purchased this site, improved the dam, and built thereon substantial stone buildings, the front of which was close upon the line of the road, and extended probably one hundred and fifty feet along its line. It was two stories high. Here they conducted a successful business in the manufacture of white lead for many years, receiving frequently two or three boat-loads in succession of pig-lead, brightis and other supplies, and in turn shipping the white Icad to New York, often from fifty to seventy-five tons at a time. The manufacturing was under the superintendence of John Grice, afterwards his son, John T. Grice. Mr. Hinton died, and the business was for some years carried on by Gen. James 4. Moore, who for fifty years resided opposite the mill, and died there, at an advanced age, fifteen or eighteen years ago. During his business years John Armor, his brother-in-law, was his book-keeper. A stock company was formed, with George Campbell, of Brooklyn, as principal stockholder and manager, under whose management, commencing probably forty live years ago, the business was greatly enlarged, the old mill was added to and many other buildings erected. They quadrupled their business and often shipped hundreds of tons of the product of the factory in a single weck. After conducting the business several years they discontinued it. The premises and power were unused for a few years and finally burned down, probably twenty years ago. The property was purchased by Hendricks Brothers, and now belongs to them.

BUTTON MANU FACTORY. - The firm of Gibbs, Gardner & Co., organized about fifty years ago, was composed of John Gibbs, John Gardner and others. They procured a building on the premises occupied by Stephens, Thomas & Fuller, and engaged in the manufacture of brass buttons, of a kind much used in that day, and without which no respectable voat was complete. They employed many hands and turned out large quantities of these buttons The co- partners named were mechanics of more than ordinary skill in many branches, notably that of die-sinking. They continued business here for some years. John Gardner removed to Newark, where he will be re- membered as a resident in Mulberry Street, ucar C'entre, where he conducted business as a manufacturer of many small articles. John Gibbs remained here for many years, and engaged in various branches of business. Ile conducted the business of blacksmithing on quite a large scale, succeeding David Buck, who died while engaged in this business more than forty years ago. Besides the ordinary business of smithing, he forged many tons of iron annually into the re- quired shapes for furnishing vessels, built by Cornelius C. Joralemon, who at this time, as well as earlier and later, was building some of the finest coasting-vessels afloat, some of them as large as six hundred tous burden. Mr. Gibbs also owned and ran a line of

BELLEVILLE TOWNSHIP'.

stages from here to Newark, and also from here to New York Ile afterward moved to Brooklyn, where be conducted an extensive manufactory in metals. und where he is now hving.

('AL100- WORKS -This site was first occupied by Bennett as a grist-mill many years ago. The front of the dan was then two hundred feet west of the front of the present dam. It was made of logs, and the road at that time ran across lands now oreu- pied by the extension of the dam, the raceway from which ran down the sontherly sideof the brook, as it has ever since There was a mill, probably about one hundred feet long by thirty feet in width, standing close upon the line of the road, opposite the od stone house now standing for the northerly side of Mill Street, two hundred and fifty feet west of Washington Avenue. This was the house in which the miller resided. The mill was frame and covered with shingleson the sides and ends, as well as the roof, with three doors in the road side of the same. The water wheel was in its sontherly side, and the water by which it was driven was taken from the raceway on the southerly side of the brook, and carried across the same on an elevated trestle-work by means of a Hume or conduit resting upon a frame-work of considerable height, several feet wider at the base than at the flume. The water having reached the mill. fell upon an overshot wheel of considerable height, and gave quite extensive power. This was not only a country, but a merchant mill. C'apt. Bennett, the then propri- etor, with his family, lived in the residence me re lately owned and occupied by George and Jonathan Bird, and also here owned a farm of several acres, bein_ a part of the mill land There was used, in connec- tion with this mill, a store-house standing on the

with the history of the Episcopal Church. Capt. Bennett conducted this mill for some years, and was succeeded in its ownership by Capt Stout. After his purchase he exten 1 d the dam from its original log front, and built its present front of stone, thus increas- ing the power. Hetook down the mill described, and operated by Bennett, and built a new mill directly south of the first-named, and on the south side of the brook.

This building formed a part of the easterly chud of what was afterwards the calico works. He also owned the lands before referred to, and occupied the house previously occupied by Bennett, using the store- home spoken of on the river for the storage of grain. He carried on quite an extensive business in milling for several years this being exclusively a merchant mill. He built a smaller mill west of the first described, which was used as a country mill. The building spoken of was built by William Benson, who afterwards married u Miss King lle resided here the remainder of his days, and brought up a large family. He was known as a good mechanic or millwright, and had charge a large portion of his

after-life of a prist-ball I ated on the opposite side of the road from the dam.

This Ins -named mill having remained idk was taken down. Th promises on which Stout built his mill, with all the land- and water-power, including the dwelling-house occupied by him, was sold to the Dagh Printing Company and they built on this site. about sixty years ago, a stone factory of several hundred feet in length, a building of perul'arly fine appearance for a factory. It had a cut-store front of several hundred feet in extent, with alternate exten- sions and recesses. 'The east end of this factory was also previously the east end of Stout's mill. This factory was created by the company as a bleaching and calico-printing establishment. They carried on a very extensive business, and employed more than one hundred hands, and conducted the business for some years, but finally failed about fifty years ago.

Raney was, during these years, a stockholder and superintendent. John Trusler was manager. After their failure Andrew Gray and one Right afterwards successively conducted this business, Caleb Duxbury being manager. Some time afterwards the premises were purchased by George Bird and George and Jonathan Bird conducted these works and continued the business for many years successfully. the rge Bird acquiring a competency. Soon after his death Jona- than Bird succeeded to the business for a time when the premises were sold to a stock company, of which John Eastwood, of Belleville, was one. They put in large quantities of expensive machinery, as it was said the old was out of date.

A Mr. Pattison was manager and John Eastwood general superintendent. Owing mainly to disagree- ments in the company, they did business but a very banks of the Passaic, and fully described in connection short time. The machinery was soon sold and re- moved. The mill then remained idle for a time and was purchased by Moore & Secly with the intention of starting an extensive hat manufactory. They pro- ceeded to fit it up for that purpose, and while so en- gaged it burnt down and was never rebuilt.

RANDOLPH'S OR KENNEDY'S MILL. - The history of this mill site, from the mest ancient knowledge we can gain in reference to it, is as follows: It was the most westerly on Second River, this side of the line dividing what was known as Second River from Bloomfield, the dam of which is now in Bloomfield and the mill in Belleville townshij ..

About eighty years ago there was located here a saw-mill. Soon after this period the proprietor, a Mr. Mix, engaged in sawing mahogany for cabinet- makers' use, the logs being brought from san Du- mingo. Mix was succeeded by John Miller a few years later, why continued the business, and was fol- lowed by - Van Dyck, nearly seventy years ago, who, owning the site, established there a chocolate- mill, the bean being shipped to him from New York. This business be conducted quite spiritedly for a time, when he discontinued it, and after n short interval

890-1

HISTORY OF ESSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

was suce wled by his son er a very short period. About sixty years ago Hugh F. Randolph, a man fa- vorally recollected for his kind-heartedness and gen- eral consideration of others, one of whose descend- ants is now a prominent citizen of Bloomfieldl and president of the Morris Canal Company, purchased this mill site and re-establishel the business of ma- hoga y-rawing. The business was successfully con- dicted by Mr. Randolph for a number of years on quit a arge scale. He sold out to Mr. Gwinn. Ile built additions to and greatly enlarged the mill, fitted it up as a paper-mill, and let it to William Frame, a mer chant of Bloomfield, afterwards sheriff of Essex C'anty, who carried on the business of paper-making there for some years. Mr. Gwinn built another paper-mill on the same site, and conducted it by the use of stenui, thus being the owner of two paper-mills. running one of them himself, while he also conducted the business of manufacturing chemicals. He pur- chased an acre of land opposite his chemical-works. built a fine residence, artistically laid out and beauti- fed the grounds, aud lived there for a number of years, conducting his various enterprises. After his death John Kennedy purchased the mills, and for several years carried on the business of paper-making quite extensively in the use of both mills.

Finally the mills burned down, and the site and power were purchased by J. Hunt Adams who tructed thereon a spacious structure and put in expen sive machinery. About twenty years ago this proved we-we're sfil, and the property was used a short tique as a file-factory, and subsequently as a smelting- works oor refinery. Still later it was occupied by James B. Hervey as a laundry, who there employed many hands and conducted quite an extensive busi- ness. The entire premises were sold a few years ago t, Mam Soith, of New York, who now owns it. The establishment is now occupied by the Charles T. White Chemical Company, who commenced business about a year ago. Newman White and Edward E. Milke compose the company.

LAMPS, ETC -William Stephens and William Dongherty, engaged in the lamp business, commenced op rations as manufacturers of brass lamps and spit- toons on the premises of Mr. stephen-' father-in-law, James Hornblower, a short listance south of the Dutch Reformed Church, and on the river side of the road. To this business they added that of making tin-ware. Tli- LAn. med enterprise was hought out by James Bron , who, with his brother William, also did some- thing at the former (the making of lumps) in their Shop In William Street. James Brown removed the bu ness from here to his stere in Main Street, where he has continued making tinware, and added to it the stove business, which he has followed to this time.

LAUNI RY. The laundrying of new shirts is here conduct I en a quite extensive seal by George T. C'estbolt. His buildings cover a large area, are of brick, substantiu in their character and- well

arranged. The power employed is steam, and the water used obtained from the Jersey City Water- Works. This laundry was established twenty-two years ago by James B. Hervey. It is the largest and most complete establishment of the kind in this country. Employs two hundred hands, seventy-five of whom are Chinamen. From sixty to seventy thousand dollars are here paid out annually as wages. It is now conducted in a most systematic and energetic manner. Large consignments of goods are shipped to and from the factory daily by teams belonging to the proprietor.

QUARRIES .- Among the many industries and re- sources of Belleville, notably from a very early period in the history of Second River (now Belleville) the quarrying of brown stone and its shipment to market has been one of considerable extent. Quarries were opened a century ago near Hendricks' works, from which large quantities of stone were taken and shipped to New York and elsewhere, as not only the ancient brown stone fronts of New York, but also the more beautiful of recent date, give decided evidence. It is also said that a large portion of the stone in the fortifications in and about New York were taken from these quarries. The quarrying and shipment of this stone at this period was one of the largest indus- tries of this locality, thousands of tons being quarried and shipped each year from these and the North Belleville quarries. Among those who have conducted these quarries from time to time are Cornelius Thomas, Win. Il. Harris, Abraham Joralemon, Alex. Philip, Messrs. Baldwin & Pattison, John D. 1. Robinson.

Belleville Fire Department.1-Forty years ago the people of Belleville were sufficient'y alive to the im- portance of protecting their property against the ravages of fire, and were guarded to a certain extent by a primitive style of fire-engine, which the boys de- lighted to call the "Coffee-Mill." It was a huge box on wheels, with long handles working on a crank on either side. Each handle was manned by six men, and when a dozen firemen got full speed upon this . rotary engine a considerable stream of water was thrown provided the supply from the wells or cisterns held out. The " Coffee- Mill " fell into deeny, and during its latter days a more modern engine was put into use. This apparatus was kept in a building near the Dutch Reformed Church, and a few of the present receding generation look back with pleasure upon the days when they "ran with the machine." This engine fell to pieces, and was succeeded by a hook-and-ladder truck about twenty-five years ago. For many years this truck did service, but it also rusted out, rotted and became a wreck, and for a long time Belleville was without any appliances for the extinguishing of fires.

On the 23d of June, 1852, the present department was organized by the appointment, by the fire com- missioners, of twelve men to each hose company. The

1 By leary Farmer

BELLEVILLE TOWNSHIP'

companies were named respectively the Valley Hose Company and the Eastwood Have Company, Each has a "jumper" and about seven hundred and fifty feet of hose, and is manned by about twenty five active members.

The Valley Hose is stationed in John street. The foreman i- John Hughes: Assistant, John Hawley. The Eastwoods are on William Street, near Washing. ton Avenue. Foreman, John Smith ; Assistant, John Lawrence.

Both of these companies have next two-story houses, built by the town at a cost of six hundred dollar- each. The room in the upper story is large and suitable for meetings of the company. The Valley Company have put two hundred and fifty dollars' worth of furniture in this room, and have suspended a locomotive tire over the house for the purpose of giving alarm signals.

The Belleville department is controlled primarily by it- Board of Fire Commissioners, composed as follows: James Hardman, Jr., John H. Eastword. Arthur E. San lford, John Oshorn, A H. Oshorn. The chief engineer is John Osborn, and his assistant Arthur E. Sandford.

The expenses of the department are paid for by a tax upon the property within the linuts of the fire district. This district extools from the Second I River to East- wood's factory, ar I from the l'assie wester y six hundred feet from Main Street, or nearly to the rail- road track. also six hundred feet north arol south of William Street. The district includes all the populous territory of the township; and the line of hydrants supplying water from the high-service reservoir of the Newark Aqueduct Board, with a pre sure of seventy- two pounds to the square inch, dispenses entirely with the need of fire-engines.

The departrient has a relief fund for the benefit of sick or disabled firemen, their walows or orphans. The fund is judiciously managed by a board of three trustees, and has now over six hundred dollar- in the treasury.

Societies in Belleville '- BELLEVU LE LONGE. No. 108, F. AND A. M., was instituted Jan. 20, 1870. Its elarter members were Daniel M. Skinner, M.D. S. V. U Van Rensselaer, Hugh Holmes, The ore M. The officers in Isst were C. N. Voogd, N. G .: G. F. Taylor, V. G. ; William W. Stephens, S .; 1. 1'. Baker, P. S. ; W. H. Morgan, Treas. ; Edward Voogd, W. ; Charles Van Leuven, R. S. ; Idin Clear- man, I.S. ; Chester Du Puy, R. S. V. C. Daniel .1. Zelitt, L. S. V. 1 ; Charle- Heiman, I. O. There are thirty-five members of the lodge, and it- regular tweet- Ward, John F. Wisschu-en, John C Hoyd, William V. Dean, John H, Osborn and Lueids D. Baldwin. Its first officers were Daniel M. Skinner, W.M .; S. V. C Van Rensselaer, S. W. ; Ilugh Holmes, J W. : John HI. Osborn, Se. ; John F Wisschusen, Trua. ; Theodore M. Ward, S. D .; W. V. Dean, J. D. : and Robert S. Osborn, of Varick Lodge, Jersey City, lings are held every Monday evening in Masonic Tyler.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 50

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