History of Hunterdon and Somerset counties, New Jersey : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 100

Author: Snell, James P; Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1170


USA > New Jersey > Somerset County > History of Hunterdon and Somerset counties, New Jersey : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 100
USA > New Jersey > Hunterdon County > History of Hunterdon and Somerset counties, New Jersey : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 100


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).


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" Independence" burying-ground, in School Dis- triet No. 37, adjoining the school lot, is a small ground, well cared for, and inclosed with a neat and substantial wall. It has but few graves.


SOCIETIES AND CORPORATIONS.


"The Kingwood Vigilant Society" was organized at the house of Samuel Slater, Jan. 17, 1835. The ob- ject of the society was to guard against the operations of horse-thieves, who had been depredating quite ex- tensively during 1833 and 1834; the large number of horses stolen, and not recovered, aroused the people to adopt means of self-protection.


This society had an average membership of fifty, and continued in existence for thirty-six years, when the funds were divided and the organization dis- banded.


"The Kingwood Temperance Society" was formed on Christmas evening in 1846, with the following officers : President, Daniel B. Rittenhouse ; Vice-Pres-


idents, Amos Marcelius and Joseph Dalrymple; Sec- retary, Rev. Stacy W. Hilliard. In 1853 the dele- gates to the State temperance convention were John V. Thatcher, Joseph Kugler, Samuel · Hartpence, Pierson R. Niece, Francis R. Lee ; alternates, Wilson Bray, Hiram Bennett, Henry Housel, and William H. Slater.


MASONIC.


Though Kingwood cannot boast of a single secret organization at the present day, yet she may claim to have founded the first Masonic lodge in this part of the State, and especially in the county of Hunter- don. Its meetings were held for a number of years at the log house of Gen. Daniel Bray, about three- quarters of a mile north of the Kingwood Methodist Episcopal church.


It was chartered as "Unity Lodge, No. 7, F. and A. M." It was first represented in the Grand Lodge June 23, 1788. In that year Daniel Bird was Wor- shipful Master; Jonathan Wolverton, Senior War- den ; Daniel Bray, Junior Warden. The minutes of this old pioneer lodge, from Jan. 22, 1788, to Feb. 11, 1802, are in the possession of Joseph H. Hough, Grand Secretary, Trenton, and they show that the lodge met in different places in Hunterdon County, to suit the convenience of the members. One of the meetings was held at Pennington. The first "return" now existing of this lodge to the grand body is dated Jan. 11, 1791, and contains the names of 25 members ; at that date the sessions were held at James Hart's tavern, in Kingwood.


POINT PLEASANT DELAWARE BRIDGE COMPANY.


In 1853 the commissioners named in the act to in- corporate the above-named company proceeded to build a bridge across the river Delaware from Point Pleasant, in Pennsylvania, to the township of King- wood, iu New Jersey.


The commissioners, all residing in Kingwood ex- cept Hugh Capner, were John Kugler, Hiram Ben- nett, Thomas Lequear, Nathan R. Holt, George Wan- amaker, Thomas V. Roberson, Joseph Hann, Wil- liam D. Shaw, Hugh Capner, Samuel Stewart, Samuel D. Barcroft, William Hann, Jr., Samuel Hartpence, John V. Thatcher, Samuel H. Britton, Reuben Kug- ler, Jonathan Rose, Thomas Skillman, John Emmons, Rev. Amos Marcelius, Samuel Niece, Charles Tom- linson, Isaac R. Srope, Mahlon Emmons, Cyrenius A. Slack, George Arnwine, and John Sine. The bridge was built in 1853, and the Jersey end is located at Point Pleasant.


INDUSTRIAL PURSUITS.


Soon after John Kugler settled in this township, he and his sons put up a small saw-mill at the month of Warford Creek. As the flow was not constant, it became necessary for them to avail themselves of freshets ; they frequently got up in the night and went


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KINGWOOD.


to sawing when a sudden shower came up and filled the stream; they therefore gave it the name of the " Thundergust Saw-Mill."


Just below the mouth of this creek, Mr. Kugler built the first lime-kiln in this part of the country ; he boated his limestone down the Delaware from Durham.


Soon after settling in Jersey he built himself a Dur- ham boat, and we learn he did a great deal of repair- ing of boats at the landing below the rifts, near the lime-kiln. Joseph Rodman, who for many years car- ried on boat-building at Bull's Island, was brought up by Mr. Kugler, and from him acquired his knowledge of the trade.


At an early day the old Kingwood store, near where Samuel Lewis' wagon-house now stands, was the grand centre of trade for a wide region of country extending from Lambertville and Flemington on the south and east, and some distance north, there being no store at Frenchtown, Baptisttown, or Quakertown. The articles of trade were somewhat different from those of the present day. The extensive forests abounding with large numbers of shell-bark hickory- trees, which produced annually large quantities of nuts, families would gather as many as thirty bushels of a season. Every one owning a tract of land would have a piece sown to flax, and farmers have been known to work out 400 pounds or more of a season. Nearly all salable articles were disposed of at the Kingwood store. A portion was carried to the Philadelphia market, wagons and Durham boats affording the only means of transportation.


Jacob Kugler lived a part of his life in Chester Co., Pa., then moved to Everittstown, N. J., and from there to Tumble Station, where he spent the re- mainder of his life. Samuel Rambo owned a lot of land there, and built the stone dwelling burned a few years ago. Jacob Kugler bought this of Samuel, and they together built a saw-mill at Tumble in 1807. In 1817, Kugler built the grist-mill. The wheels of these mills were turned by the waters of the Delaware. as an undershot paddle-wheel was used till about 1837, when two reacting water-wheels were put in by Mr. Kugler's sons. This was probably the only mill run by the waters of the Delaware between Easton and Trenton. These mills were burned on the night of Feb. 3, 1853, the night before the first locomotive came to Frenchtown. They were owned by Samuel Hartpence and Hiram Deats.


The upper mill at Milltown was built by John Suyder in 1755. The mill of Mr. Kugler became an important one, as there was no lack of water, while the other mills in the township were often idle on ae- count of low water.


The first tannery built along the river in Kingwood township was operated by Joshua Stout, on the creek above Bull's Island. Much of the leather tanned here went to the neighborhood to be used for blacksmiths' bellows, horse-collars, and leather aprons.


PHYSICIANS.


In 1824 or 1825, Israel L. Coriell came from Bask- ing Ridge to Milltown, and was one of the most prom- inent young physicians in the county in his day. lle was killed by being thrown from his sulky in August, 1829.


William R. Hand was a native of Somerset County. Hle located at Barbertown, where he practiced till 1870, when he removed to Virginia, where he died.


George Campbell, a Scotchman, located here Aug. 15, 1758, and commeneed the practice of his profes- sion near Frenchtown. He died in August, 1818, and was buried in the graveyard of the Kingwood Presby- terian church.


Charles M. Lee, who died in Baptisttown in 1875, was a native of that place. John Leavitt located in Baptisttown in 1855, where he died in 1876.


PROMINENT MEN OF KINGWOOD.


JOHN RUNK, son of Samuel Runk, who lived and died at Milltown, one mile southwest of Kingwood Ilotel, was a merchant at Kingwood, but a miller by profession, and about the time he arrived at the age of twenty-one he married a Miss Tenbrook. He first entered publie life as a member of the board of chosen freeholders in 1825. In 1830 he was the un- successful Federal candidate for sheriff, but in 1836 was elected and served three years. In 1844 he was elected member of Congress, but failed of election in the next campaign for the same office. In 1850, Mr. Runk was the candidate of the Whig party of New Jersey for Governor, but was defeated. He was one of the Presidential electors in 1848, and cast his vote for Gen. Zachary Taylor. He removed to Lambertville, when he retired from political life, ex- cept holding the office of director of the board of chosen freeholders. In early life he united with the Masonic fraternity, and remained an honored mem- ber while he lived. He died at Lambertville, Sept. 22, 1872, aged eighty-two.


WILSON BRAY was a merchant at Baptisttown, also a farmer, and lived on the farm occupied by Wilson B. Kline, once known as the " poor-house farm." In 1830, Mr. Bray was elected sheriff of this county, and served one term ; then settled on the farm at the King- wood Methodist Episcopal church, and was subse- quently elected a member of the General Assembly, serving two years. After this he became an earnest advocate of temperance, and in 1847 was elected pres- ident of the "Kingwood Temperance Society." He was a safe political leader, and a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In November, 1850, while on a visit to his brother in Philadelphia, he was taken suddenly ill, and died in a short time.


EDWARD WELSTED Was a practical surveyor and conveyancer. He was a member of Kingwood town- ship committee, 1818-25, and subsequently a justice of the pence. He was elected sheriff in 1821, and served three years.


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HUNTERDON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.


SAMUEL H. BRITTON, born in Kingwood town- ship, about a mile and a half east of south from Baptisttown, entered public life as a constable, which office he held a number of years, then township clerk, chosen freeholder (two years), a member of the As- sembly, and several years a justice of the peace. He was also an auctioneer. He was possessed of good business qualifications. He died in Frenchtown, Sept. 7, 1860, aged sixty-one.


REV. AMOS MARCELIUS resided at Milltown. He was a local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was a faithful and zealous worker for the Master's kingdom. His education was somewhat limited, but he was at one time a politician of some note, and was appointed by the Legislature a com- missioner of deeds for Kingwood township. He died April 17, 1870, aged sixty-seven.


ISAAC R. SROPE came to Kingwood about 1835, and subsequently became member of the township committee, township assessor for a number of years, chosen freeholder for four years, member of the As- sembly five years, judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and acted as administrator, executor, and commissioner in the settling of estates. He died in 1862.


GABRIEL HOFF was born two years previous to the declaration of independence. He was town clerk of Kingwood township . in 1802, was a Presi- dential elector, elected sheriff of Hunterdon County in 1824, and served three years. In 1829 he was elected a member of the Assembly. He died Jan. 30, 1830, aged fifty-six.


AMPLIUS B. CHAMBERLIN, born in Connecticut in 1807, came to this township when nineteen, aud stopped with Samuel Hudnit, near Locktown. He taught school at Locktown for five years, and was subsequently honored with several offices of profit and trust, one of which was the unexpired term of Joseph Besson, who died in 1849. He was sheriff of Hunterdon County in 1844 for three years, and at the close of the term removed to Kingwood, where he afterwards lived. He was clerk of the State Senate for two years, besides holding a number of township offices. He died May 9, 1879. His first wife was Miss Elizabeth Myers, and his second (who survives him) was Mrs. Amy Rittenhouse.


HON. GEORGE OPDYKE, ex-mayor of New York City, was born in Kingwood, obtained a fair educa- tion, and for a few terms was employed as a district school-teacher. When he arrived to the estate of manhood he was a Democrat in politics, but was op- posed to slavery, and was a delegate to the Free-Soil Convention held at Buffalo in 1848. His first busi- ness enterprise was keeping a clothing-store in Cleve- land, Ohio, but he soon moved to New Orleans, La. About 1832 he went to New York, and in 1850 began the importation of dry-goods, which he continued till 1867, when he engaged in the banking business, and up to the panic of 1873 met with notable success.


It was with some difficulty that his banking-house weathered the storm of reverses at that time, but he came through, and was afterwards very successful in business. In 1856 he was elected a member of the New York Legislature. He took a prominent part in the election of Abraham Lincoln, and in 1862 was elected mayor of New York. During the draft-riots of 1863 numerous attempts were made to assassinate him, but he remained at his post of duty, and finally, with the aid of United States troops, he quelled the uprising. From that time to his death, which oc- curred in 1880, he was prominently identified with the business interests of the country. He left a for- tune of $1,500,000.


Besides the prominent men already mentioned of whom Kingwood can boast, there were William and John Scott, Hon. Eli Moore, William Runk, John Barcroft, John Wanamaker, of Philadelphia, Dr. Bethel, and others.


MILITARY.


THE LOCKTOWN VOLUNTEERS.


This company, composed chiefly of members from Kingwood township, was organized Aug. 7, 1858. The election for officers resulted as follows : Captain, John Bellis; first lieutenant, Edward M. Heath; second lieutenant, Martin V. B. Rittenhouse ; third lieuten- ant, Francis Rittenhouse; orderly sergeant, Andrew B. Everitt; second sergeant, Peter W. Lair; drum- mer, Joel Heath. This company made their first appearance in public at Frenchtown with the Third Regiment of the Hunterdon Brigade, June 13, 1859.


Sept. 10, 1859, a splendid flag was procured, and on that day the first annual target-practice was held at Locktown. A silver medal bearing on the obverse the inscription, "Presented to the Locktown Volun- teers by Eli Britton," and on the reverse, "Sept. 10, 1859," was given to Joel Heath for good marksman- ship. At the second practice (1860) the medal was awarded to Wilson M. Rittenhouse; at the third, in 1861, again to Joel Heath. In 1862, Peter W. Lair, Theodore Sutton, Uriah Sutton, Izer Rake, John R. Hardon, William Hardon, Henry Hardon, and sev- eral others of this company enlisted, and in 1864 the company was disbanded and the arms and equipments returned to the State arsenal.


BAPTISTTOWN CAVALRY.


The second troop of cavalry in this township was formed at Baptisttown, with the above name, July 23, 1859, with the following officers: Captain, William Eick; first lieutenant, Asa Rittenhouse; second lieu- tenant, Israel S. Curtis ; cornet, Asa B. Hockenbury ; hugler, John Taylor, Jr. ; orderly sergeant, Moses K. Everitt. The company was formed of the best young men of the township, but was unable to keep up its or- ganization after the breaking out of the Rebellion, on account of a large number of its members enlisting.


Healey Bellis


403


KINGWOOD.


THE BAPTISTTOWN RIFLE COMPANY


was formed April 25, 1861. The first officers were: Captain, William Roberts; first lieutenant, Charles A. Roberson; second lieutenant, Jacob B. Dalrym- ple; drummer, William J. Rounsavell ; orderly ser- geant, Jesse Dalrymple. This company also was broken up by its members enlisting during the Re- bellion. There is at present no military organization in the township.


The following is a list of those who volunteered from this township, as nine months' men, in the United States service, in 1862 :


Hugh M. Robinson, Holcombe Hyde, Elijah Robinson, Jeremiah Case, Samuel Van Normu, Isaiah M. Parker, John Prall, Martin Hyde, Jereuslah W. Opdyko, John B. Mason, Thomas R. Lako, Joseph L. Lair, Horace A. Wambargo, Jesse Dalrymple, John Taylor, Sylvester Sowders, Roed Myers, Geo. McFerne, Edward Housel, James Korr, Sanford Lefever, John C. Opdyke, Charles M. Loo, Jolin R. Slater, James W. Hawk, James Ashcroft.


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.


WESLEY BELLIS.


Wesley Bellis was born in the township of Alexan- dria, Hunterdon Co., N. J., on the 1st of December, 1822. His great-grandfather, Barnet Bellis, is be- lieved to have come from Germany. He was born Aug. 20, 1756. His grandfather, John Bellis, Sr., was an early settler in the township of Alexandria, having removed there from Old Amwell. He married Eliz- abeth Holcombe, a descendant of John Holcombe, the first settler of that name in Amwell, near Lam- bertville, and had nine children,-Barnet, Charlotte, Eleanor, Samuel, Rebecca, Phoebe, Uriel, Isaac, and John. He died Jan. 26, 1829, aged seventy-three years. His wife, Elizabeth, died June 4, 1843, aged eighty-five years.


Their youngest son, John Bellis, father of our sub- ject, was born March 7, 1779; married, Feb. 2, 1822, Elizabeth Roberson, of Kingwood. She was the daughter of Francis and Mary Roberson, and was born March 7, 1777. The children of John and Eliz- abeth Bellis were Wesley, the subject of this sketch, born as above ; Mary, born Dec. 2, 182-t, married Wil- liam Bodine, a farmer near Stockton, N. J .; John, born Jan. 8, 1828, married, first, Amy M., daughter of Andrew B. Rittenhouse, Nov. 27, 1853 ; married, see- ond, Rachel Ann, daughter of James Rittenhouse, Oct. 17, 1863.


The maternal grandparents died as follows : Thomas Roberson, Dec. 12, 1837, aged seventy-six years ; Mary Roberson, Aug. 26, 1845, aged eighty-one years.


The parents died as follows : John Bellis, Dee. 29, 1827, aged thirty years, nine months, and twenty-two days; Elizabeth Bellis, Nov. 27, 1837, aged thirty- three years, three months, and four days.


Wesley Bellis was brought up on the homestead


farm of his grandfather Roberson, to which his mother removed after the death of his father, which occurred when he was five years of age. His mother died when he was at the age of fifteen, and he worked two summers in succession as an employé, attending school in winter as he had opportunity. ITis grand- father's estate consisted of about three hundred and fifty acres, which was divided soon after his death, and Mr. Bellis, at the age of twenty-one, purchased the homestead farm, embracing one hundred and twenty-two acres. le has greatly improved the es- tate, having built upon it, in 1879, a fine residence and other buildings. On the 10th of February, 1844, he married Rachel Thatcher, daughter of John V. and Charlotte Thatcher, of Kingwood township, who was born Aug. 24, 1822. The fruit of this union has been five children, as follows : Mary Elizabeth, born June 14, 1845, married Wesley Hawks, and lives near Locktown, in Delaware township; Charlotte, born Jan. 4, 1847, died Feb. 19, 1856; Martin F., born Sept. 6, 1849, married Violette Rittenhouse, Dec. 10, 1873, and resides in Flemington ; Emma Jane, born Aug. 6, 1852, died Jan. 11, 1856; infant son, born May 14, 1855, died May 15, 1855. Rachel, wife of Wesley Bellis, diedl May 16, 1855.


He married his second wife, Mary Catherine Stryker, of Kingwood, Jan. 2, 1858. She was born in Franklin township, near Quakertown. The chil- dren of this marriage are Rachel J., born Oct. 15, 1858; Francis S., born April 20, 1860; Catharine R., born May 15, 1863; Laura May, born Feb. 5, 1867 ; Thurston Roy, born Aug. 20, 1872; Simeon O., born March 7, 1877; Lydia, born Aug. 7, 1880.


Mr. Bellis has always adhered to the Democratic faith of his fathers, and has taken some active part in politics. He has been elected to till several others of trust in his township, such as freeholder, assessor, collector, and member of the township committee. In the fall of 1874 he was elected sheriff of the county for one year under the old constitution, and under the revised constitution was re-elected for a term of three years, thus holling the office four consecutive years, and discharging its duties with credit and sat- isfaction.


JOHN KUGLER.


Ilis great-grandfather, Juhn Kugler, came from Germany when about fourteen years of age, and sub- sequently purchased land in Kingwood township, Hunterdon County, on which he settled. He owned the property at one time on which George W. Kugler now resides. It was in the possession of John Kugler, Jr., and descended from him to the late Samuel Kug- ler, who died there in September, 1879, and the estate was purchased of the executors by the present occu- pant. The first John Kugler had three sons, John, Joseph, and Jacob; John and Jacob settled in King- wood on the original estate, and the Inst-mentioned


404


HUNTERDON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.


owned mills known as Kugler's Mills, at what is now Tumble Station, on the Belvidere Delaware Railroad.


John Kugler, Jr., or the second of the name, mar- ried Hannah Snyder, and had three sons and seven daughters ; his oldest son, John, was the father of the subject of this sketch; was born on the old home-


RF


JOHN KUGLER.


stead in Kingwood township in 1798 ; married Eliza, daughter of Jonathan Rittenhouse, of Kingwood, and had nine children, seven sons and two daughters, six of whom are living,-viz., John, the subject of this notice; Jonathan, a farmer, residing in Alexandria township; Oliver, farmer, of Raritan township; Har- riet, unmarried; Wilson, farmer, residing in King- wood; and George W., farmer, of Gloucester Co., N. J.


John Kugler, the subject of this notice, was born near Kingwood Methodist church in the township of Kingwood, Hunterdon Co., N. J., Aug. 23, 1823. His early life was spent chiefly in Alexandria town- ship, where he received a common-school education, and was bred to the occupation of a farmer, which he has followed through life. When at the age of eight- een he was thrown upon his own resources, and made a successful start in life by his own exertions. He is now one of the substantial, forehanded farmers of the county.


In 1848 he married his first wife, Mary, daughter of Isaac G. Schomp, of Raritan township, by whom he had six children, two sons and four daughters, four of whom, one son and three daughters, are living. Mrs. Kugler died in 1863. In 1865 he married, for his second wife, Mary Elizabeth, daughter of Mahlon Thatcher, of Kingwood. Four children living are the fruit of this marriage, one son and three daugh- ters.


In politics Mr. Kugler is a Democrat, and has takeu an active part in behalf of the principles of his party. He has held most of the responsible offices in his township; has been freeholder several years, member of the township committee, judge of elections, etc. He has frequently been a delegate to county, congres- sional, and State conventions of his party. In the fall of 1869 he was elected to represent the First As- sembly District of the county in the Legislature, and served acceptably in that body in the winter of 1870-71.


THE MATHEW FAMILY.


Five generations have passed since the first of this family, William, emigrated from Wales and settled near what is now Mount Airy. He was the great- great-grandfather of Daniel M., of Frenchtown. William had six sons and three daughters. Of the sons, Henry removed to New York, William settled in Pennsylvania, Joseph in Warren County, near Washington, Jessie and Pierson resided in the south part of this county, and Jeremiah, the youngest, married Kesiah Allen, settled near Mount Pleasant, and had five sons and seven daughters; one of the sons, William, married Mary Bigler, and had Jere- miah, John, Joseph, and Elizabeth. The latter (now Mrs. John Wene) lives near Asbury. John married Elizabeth, a sister of the late ex-Mayor Opdyke, of New York. Joseph is living at Everittstown. Jere- miah married Syhilla Butterfoss, and had John H., Daniel M., and Holloway. Daniel M. married Maggie Hull, and resides at Frenchtown. Daniel M., after graduating with honors, taught school in this county for twelve consecutive years, and was the first to in- troduce a Latin grammar into a public school in this part of the county. He has been a preacher in the local ranks of the Methodist Episcopal denomination for twenty-five years. His preserved published communi- cations on various subjects make a good-sized volume, and to him we are indebted for much valuable infor- mation to be found in this volume.


FRENCHTOWN BOROUGH.


FORTY years ago there was no bridge across the Delaware at this place, and vehicles and stock had to be taken across in a ferrying flat propelled by setting- poles. How long there had been a ferry here before the bridge was built is not known, but it is certain that Burgoyne's army, as prisoners of war, were here ferried over the Delaware.


Fifty years ago there was no grain-mart near Frenchtown. The corn was earted in wagons across the country to New Brunswick, requiring two days to make the trip. Perhaps a large part of it was taken down the Delaware in Durham boats.


The mail at an early day was carried on horseback from Trenton up through Kingwood, a branch of the route extending to this village, crossing the river in a bateau to the Erwinna post-office. William Roat, a great-uncle of John L. Tomlinson, carried the mail from Trenton. Letters were then transported at rates corresponding to the distance, ranging from six and a quarter to twenty-five cents. In those days there were neither envelopes nor postage-stamps.


The first post-office in Frenchtown was established in or about 1839, where Ven & Everts kept store, and one of them was made postmaster. Afterwards it was changed to L. MI. Prevost's store,-the " Big Gun,"- then down to Dr. Hough's drug-store, with Bryan Hough as deputy postmaster. After that W. W. Hedges was postmaster at the same place until 1861, when Bryan Hough received the appointment, and in 1865 moved the office to Hough & Smith's shoe-store, where it was kept until 1867. Oliver Worman was the next inenmbent, with the office in his store (now Brink's hardware-store) ; from thence he took it to the brick store next to the depot in 1869, about which time Philip G. Reading took charge of it, and kept it in Worman's store. In 1869, C. B. Higgins, the pres- ent postmaster, was appointed, and moved it to its present location.




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