History of Hunterdon and Somerset counties, New Jersey : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 119

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 119
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 119

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" Rev. George Fisher, Who departed this life May 14, 1846, Aged 78 years 5 months and 10 days.

He obtained remission of sins and nuited himself with tho Methodist Episcopal Church A.D. 1800, and was licensed to preach the gospel A. D. 1810. As n prencher he was eminent for zeal and usefulness, and still more distinguished as a Christian for sanctity of mannor and deep and unaffected piety.

With poverty of spirit blest, Rest happy saint in Jesus rest ; A sinner saved, through grace forgiven, Redeemed from earth to reign in heaven."

PERSONS AND PLACES OF NOTE.

Among the persons of note who have gone out from this township, or lived in it, are Alexander Adams, who formerly resided at New Germantown, but re- moved to New York and died at Morristown, being buried at Bernardsville. He prepared an illustrated Bible, which the Harpers published.

Rev. Mancius Smede Hutton, pastor of the Fair- mount Presbyterian Church from 1828 to 1834, was called from there to the South Dutch Church of New York City, where he remained as pastor till 1875.

Rev. George Enders, of Ohio, a Lutheran minister of prominence, once worked on a farm in Tewksbury township in his early days. Hon. A. A. Clark, of Somerville, a recent member of Congress and promi- nent member of the bar, was brought up there. J. Daggett Hunt, Esq., formerly city solicitor of New York City, was a native of Tewksbury. Stephen B. Ransom, of Jersey City, a lawyer of note, began the practice of law in Tewksbury. James Honeyman, much sought after by the judges and members of the bar in Trenton for his brilliant witticisms and enter- taining good humor, was a hotel-keeper at New Ger- mantown .* His grandson, A. V. D.Honeyman, editor of " Our Home" and The Somerset Gazette, and com- piler of " Laws of New Jersey," was born at New Ger- mantown.

Among the remarkable places is Hell Mountain, a ridge near Mountainville noted for wildeats, of which some have been shot there as late as 1870, and for the evil reputation once had of its inhabitants, who were noted for robberies and State's-prison offenses, -a characteristic now happily passed away. House Rock is a remarkable and famous rock on top of this moun- tain.

A rather remarkable fact pertaining to the locality is the longevity of many of the people. Peter I. Hotlinan is a hale old man of ninety-eight; Joachim Gulick is ninety-six, still vigorous; George Fisher is eighty-five, and very many are still living at a great age.

* Col. R. R. Houeyman In " Our Home," p. 128.

484

HUNTERDON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

INDUSTRIAL PURSUITS.

The main pursuit of this township is agriculture, which is carried to a high degree of success. There are mills at Califon, Pottersville, New Germantown, and Mountainville, and tanneries at New German- town and Fairmount. There are distilleries at Cokes- burg, Fairmount, and Califon.

The distillery at Fairmount has a history worth re- cording. It was built by John Lutz, and proved his ruin in a few years. He and his wife died poor. His administrators sold it to Israel Losey, who began with $2000. In a few years it ruined him, and he became so poor that his son had to pay his board. Albert Proctor purchased it for a trifling sum, and began with a capital of $2000. He soon got to the end of his money, and had to sell. Frederick L. Cook, grandson of John Lutz, bought it. He had $3000, but went through it in a few years and died. His estate was insolvent, and his wife sold the distillery to Henry Fleming, who is now carrying it on with spirit. There was another distillery a quarter of a mile east of it which was carried on for ten or twenty years, till 1849. It was conducted by John C. Moore, but was owned by Henry Miller.

There is a mine of iron ore on O. W. Farley's place, near Cokesburg. It was opened by the English before the Revolution, but the industry stopped by that war. It was reopened by O. W. Farley, nine or ten years ·ago, and driven about a year. From 500 to 600 tons of ore were taken out in one year and sent to Penn- sylvania. There are mines of iron near Califon, on Philip Hann's place ; 200 or 300 tons have been taken out by a Pennsylvania company who have leased the right and are now opening and exploring it. In Nathan Schuyler's farm, and on Peter Bunnell's and Philip P. Hoffman's also, there is an excellent quality of ore. There is also a mine of iron near Fairmount, on Henry Fisher's land. Dr. Mills, of Dover, bought it and took out some. It is yet undeveloped.

Christian Fisher opened a mine of black lead near Fairmount, but has not yet fully developed it. There is a quarry of pudding-stone marble near New Ger- mantown, but it is used for burning into lime.

MILITARY.

Some of the early inhabitants of this township served in the Revolution, among them Christopher Philhower, son of the first settler of that name. John Mehelm, one of the members of the Provincial Con- gress of New Jersey, and a member of the Committee of Safety, was a prominent patriot of the Revolution. See sketch in chapter upon "Prominent Men of Som- erset County."

In the early part of the war of 1861, Tewksbury township raised Co. A, Thirty-first Regiment New Jersey Volunteers, at New Germantown, of which R. R. Honeyman was captain; he afterwards became major, then lieutenant-colonel, and ultimately colonel.

At a special town-mecting held at New German-

town Aug. 3, 1864, it was ordered that $300 should be paid to every drafted man or every man who should put in a substitute in the three years' draft, and $200 to those for one year's service. It was first arranged to raise this money by a $25 tax on every man liable to the draft, but was afterwards ordered, in a meeting held in New Germantown, Sept. 2, 1864, to be refunded and the whole to be raised by tax.

Under the proclamation calling for 300,000 men, a special town-meeting was held, also at New Ger- mantown, Jan. 2, 1865, and resolutions passed giving to every man who should enlist or put in a substitute the sum of $500.

At a special town-meeting, May 26, 1864, held at New Germantown, by order of the committee, it was ordered that twenty-three drafted men should be paid $300 each, and that all future drafted men should be paid the same as soon as mustered into the service.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

ROBERT CRAIG.

Moses Craig, the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, emigrated from the North of Ireland and settled in Bedminster, Somerset Co., with the Presbyterian colony which formed the original church at Lamington, about 1730. The place of his settle- ment was on the farm now owned by Simon Hageman. The records of the Lamington congregation show that he was a pew-holder in 1754.

He bought the homestead farm in Tewksbury of Jacob Van Derveer, as per deed bearing date May 2, 1757, and, for love and affection for his son Robert, conveyed the same to him by deed bearing date Dec. 11, 1759. He died July 31, 1777, in the seventy-fifth year of his age.

Robert Craig, the grandfather, was born Nov. 15, 1734, and married his first wife, Anna, Feb. 7, 1756. She was born Dec. 3, 1731, and died Feb. 24, 1777, leaving several children. He married his second wife, Elizabeth Taylor, of Monmouth County, by whom he had five children, four sons and one daughter. She died Aug. 6, 1830. One of the sons, William, born in March, 1785, was the father of the subject of this notice, and was thirteen years and seven months old when his father died, Oct. 6, 1797. He and his brother Joseph bought out the other heirs when they . became of age, and, in 1822, William bought Joseph's interest, and transmitted the estate by will to his son Robert, the present occupant, he paying his sisters a legacy. Thus the estate has been in the family over one hundred and twenty-three years.

William Craig, the father, was singular in respect to his eyes and hair, being very near-sighted, and his hair being white and very stiff. His complexion or skin had the same white appearance. He was of

Robert Graig

Samuel Weather

485

TEWKSBURY.

medium stature, quick, stirring, and enterprising, a skillful and shrewd manager, and successful in his undertakings. He was particularly averse to being put forward in any conspienous position, and never could be persuaded to accept an office in his township. He devoted his energies to business, and accumulated considerable property for the chance he had and the times in which he lived. He was modest in his pro- fession, and his religion consisted more of sober, earnest conviction than of emotion or sentiment.

Robert Craig was born March 10, 1815, on the homestead farm, where he has always lived and pur- sued the occupation of an agrienlturist. He is a Democrat in polities, and has held several local town- ship offices, having been a member of the committee, and treasurer during the war, when much money had to be handled in paying for volunteers. In all this he acquitted himself with credit and satisfaction to his fellow-citizens. He has served on the township com- mittee most of the time for the last twenty years.

He married, Jan. 9, 1840, Elizabeth, daughter of Richard HI. Field, of Lamington, N. J. They have had nine children,-four sons and five daughters,-to wit : William, married Mary W. Dawes, and resides on part of the homestead; Richard F., married Alice L. Welch, daughter of David Welch, deceased ; Sarah E., wife of Henry M. Kline, of Clinton, N. J .; Ger- trude P., wife of David Denham, of High Bridge township, near Clinton; Henry F., married Mary Wyckoff, formerly of Lamington, now of Kansas; Mary L., wife of William Dunham, of Pottersville, N. J. ; the others, Margaret V., Anna B., and Robert, are single and reside at home.

SAMUEL W. SALTER.

His grandfather, John Salter, came from West- chester County, N. Y., and settled in Pequanock town- ship, Morris Co., N. J. The deed for the place bears date July 13, 1764. It was given by David Ransford to " John Salter, Sr., of Westchester County, N. Y." He had probably removed there from Connecticut previously. He was a Friend or Quaker in his re- ligions affiliations; married Sarah Charlotte Weis- senfelt, and had one son and four daughters,-viz., John C., Susan, Elizabeth, Charlotte, and Sarah. Elizabeth married a Cook, and Charlotte an Ellery, of New York. Jolin Salter, Sr., died about 1806.

Jolin C. Salter, father of our subject, was born Jan. 2, 1779, and died April 25, 1847. He married Benlah Wills, of Mendham, Morris Co., Aug. 7, 1800. She was born March 26, 1778, and died Nov. 3, 1835. John C. Salter removed from Morris County to Tewksbury in 1808, and settled on the present home- stead, which was given by Samuel Wills to his daugh-

ter Beulah, and purchased of Elijalı Dunliam, the deed bearing date Nov. 11, 1778. This estate has been in the family ever since.

The children of John C. and Beulah Salter were Naney, born May 31, 1801, married Lewis Young, of Clarksville, N. J., Feb. 26, 1834; Samuel W., born Sept. 14, 1802, married, first, Sophia Z. Sayre, of Madison, Morris Co., June 16, 1836. She died June 26, 1845. He married for liis second wife Hannah M., sister of his first wife, July 28, 1846. She died Oct. 28, 1868. He died Nov. 26, 1872, in the seventy- first year of his age. The children of Samuel W. Salter were George E.,-the successor of his father on the homestead farm,-born June 19, 1837 ; Beulah W., born March 22, 1839, died Nov. 22, 1853; and Martha M, born Ang. 24, 1842, died March 20, 1843.

Samuel W. Salter was a merchant in early life, and kept store at Fairmount, Hunterdon Co., the place of his residence. He was a prominent man in his neigh- borhood and active in every good work, both in be- half of the church and other public interests ; was for many years a justice of the peace, and was a commis- sioned officer in the militia. He was highly esteemed for his uprightness of character, his genial and kindly disposition, and his exemplary life. He had a rich vein of wit and humor, and many racy and amusing anecdotes told by him are still remembered and re- lated by the old people. His faculty for amusing children was great, and he was the life and soul of every social gathering.

He was a member of the Fairmount Presbyterian Church for many years, and in 1851, when the new church edifice was built, he raised and collected the subscription, amounting to about three thousand dol- lars.

Ilis son, George E. Salter, is his successor on the homestead, and, in addition to his farming, carries on a store, in partnership with his father-in-law, at Unionville, Morris Co. He has recently given a lot of three acres of land to the Fairmount Presbyterian Church for a cemetery, and takes an interest in having it properly improved during his lifetime. He was married, first, Oct. 11, 1864, to Alletta MI., of Liberty Corner, Somerset Co., N. J. She died May 11, 1866, leaving no issue. He married, second, Maggie A. Pitney, of Chester, Morris Co., Jan. 20, 1869. The chikiren by this marriage have been as follows : Liz- zie S., born Feb. 24, 1871, died April 26, 1872; Louis P., born April 12, 1874; Annetta W., born Jan. 6, 1880.

It is a remarkable peculiarity of the Salter family that, back as far as the generations can be traced, there has been but one son in each family, and each has been a justice of the peace, with the exception of the present George E. Salter, who declined the office.

READINGTON.

SITUATION, AREA, BOUNDARIES.

THIS township, one of the largest and most im- portant in the county, has an area of nearly 45 square miles, and contains 28,602 acres. Its situation is upon the eastern side of the county. It is of very irregular shape, and has but few straight lines in its boundaries. Branchburg township, in Somerset County, bounds it on the east, and Bedminster, in the same county, upon the northeast; on the north Tewksbury joins with saw-like outlines; westward lies the more re- cent-formed township of Clinton; while upon the south and southwest Raritan township is separated ·from it by the South Branch.

LEADING PHYSICAL FEATURES.

The stream rising on the east side of the Cushetunk Mountains, and flowing south of east across this town- ship, is generally called (and so named on the maps) Holland's Brook, as if after a man named Holland. In the ancient documents it is universally given as " Hollands," or " Hollants," meaning Hollandish, the significance of which is apparent, Hollanders having been the first settlers in this section. Possibly, also, there may be in it some allusion to the primary meaning of the words,-viz., "muddy" or " marshy land."

Campbell's Brook (now Pleasant Run) was un- doubtedly so named after John Campbell, the pro- prietor of the lands at its mouth, which he purchased in 1685 .* Chamber's (sometimes called Smith's) Brook and Rockaway Creek are in the north part of the township. The latter empties into the Laming- ton River, which was formerly known as the " Ala- matong," or Alamatunk, and forms a part of the north line of the township.

Other streams are Leslie's Brook, so called from being the south line of William Leslie's land, and Van Fleet's Brook, which empties into the South Branch below Three Bridges.

The mountain elevations of Readington are only the detached spurs of the Cushetunk Mountains,- namely, Round, and Pickel's Mountain.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

Readington was divided into four proprietory rights, Joseph Kirkbride taking the southeast part, Col. Daniel Coxe, of Philadelphia, the southwest (he having purchased it of Thomas Williams in London in 1705), Budd & Logan the northwest, and

George Willocks, of Perth Amboy, the northeast. In 1712, Coxe had his lands surveyed, and in 1720 the survey was recorded in Burlington. Kirkbride sold, in 1712, 500 acres to Emanuel Van Etta, adjoin- ing the Somerset county line and extending from the Centreville school-house to Jacob Todd's present resi- dence, having previously sold 2000 acres lying west of the Van Etta purchase to Daniel Seabring and Jerome VanNEst. On this tract, near Campbell's Brook, was an Indian village in the early day. When the Indians sold their rights to these lands, they still held as their reservation the farms now owned by Backus Hoagland and John S. Craig. Abr. Stull owned the farms now belonging to Peter D. Schomp and H. Hageman; the latter afterwards sold to Isaac Aray, a descendant of "Aray Van Geena," a negro from Guinea.

Hollanders, either direct from the mother-country or descendants of those who had settled on Long Is- land, were the first to locate in the early part of the eighteenth century. Some of these families are still represented in this vicinity. The first actual settlers of the township, so far as known, were Adrian Lane and Emanuel Van Etta, the former at Readington village, and the latter southwest of Centreville, on the farm where George D. Schomp now resides. Lane settled about 1700, and Van Etta a few years later. The Lowes settled soon after in the southeastern part of the township. Other settlers from 1710 to 1720 were Stull, Lott, Biggs, Schomps, Smith, Van Horn, Wyckoff, Cole, Klein, Jennings, Stevens, Johnson, Hoagland, Fisher, Probasco, Schenck, and Voorhees, several of whom came from Long Island.

The Wyckoffs, Van Horns, Covenhovens, Roelif- . sons, Johnsons, Traphagens, Van Dorens, and Ten Eycks settled in that part of Readington known as White House; at Pleasant Run the Devores, Schomps, Biggs, and Coles located. The three last-named fam- ilies came from Long Island in 1712. Between Cen- treville and Three Bridges, Adrian Aten was one of the first settlers, about 1725.

Frederick Van Fleet came from Esopus, N. Y., in 1725, and bought lands of Van Etta, his homestead being the residence of the late C. W. Van Fleet. He soon after became owner of a large tract at what later was known as Van Fleet's Corner. His son, Thomas, the great-grandfather of the present vice- chancellor, became the owner of a valuable tract of two hundred acres, a part of which is now owned by his great-grandson, John J. Van Fleet. John's father,

* Ilistorical Notes of Judge Thompson.

486

487

READINGTON.

John T. Van Fleet, known as "Old Collector," was born and died on the same property at the age of ninety-three. His son-in-law, Peter Schomp, is now the owner of the homestead, south of the residence of John J. Van Fleet, between Centreville and Three Bridges, Col. Abraham Van Fleet, father of the vice- chancellor, is remembered by many as one of the brightest young men of Readington. He died at the early age of thirty-five.

Of the Devore family no representative is now found in the township.

David Schomp (whose father and grandfather bore the same given name) now owns and lives on the old Schomp homestead. A part of the old house is still standing. The "old colonel," remembered by some yet living, was a captain in the secret service of Washington, and before his death received a pension from the government. He carried dispatches from Washington, at Valley Forge, to his officers at Ticon- deroga, cte .*

Mr. Biggs, with his wife and one child, located be- fore 1720 at the point since known as Pleasant Run Hotel. His pioneer log hut was superseded in 1745 by a commodious (and for those days stately) man- sion, torn down about 1850. "Blind George," son of George Biggs, was remarkable for his acuteness of hearing. Ile could travel for miles on any road he had ever been over, without getting lost, and tell just where he was at any point along the route. Esq. Thompson tells of some instances, of which he was personally cognizant, fully corroborating this, as on one occasion he was a pilot after dark for a party whose eyes were equal to any.

Tunis Cole came from Bergen County to Somerset about 1700. After residing there several years he moved westward, in order to procure more land for his several sons. In 1727, Tunis purchased 400 acres of the Coxe tract, upon which he resided until his death, in 1760. He left four sons,-Benjamin, David, Ezekiel, and Isaiah. The lands passed to Benjamin, and after his death to his brother Isaiah, whose executors sold, in 1767, the lands north of the brook to George Biggs, the father of " Blind George." A part of it is now owned by Abraham Smith, on which is the "old stone house," just east of the Flem- ington road.

The farm of Isaiah Cole, south of Campbell's Brook, was divided between his two sons, Soyce and Abraham ; the former sold his share, and removed to Peapack. David Cole, Sr., son of Tunis, died 1798, having shortly previous executed his will and ap- pointed Rev. Peter Studdiford and Peter Schomp his executors, devising two-thirds of his real estate to his son David, and the remainder to his daughter Mar- garet. David, known as " captain of the Grenadiers" (a company which did effective service in the Revo-

Intion and kept up its organization for some years after), sold the old homestead to his Uncle Ezekiel in 1800 and removed to the "lake country," where he died at an advanced age. David, the third, died some fifteen years or so since, leaving five sons and several daughters.

Ezekiel Cole, one of the four sons of Tunis the elder, was without doubt the most prominent man in the township in his time. Ile was justice of the peace and judge of the courts during the Revolution. Some of his dockets are now in the possession of Hon. Jo- seph Thompson. His wife was Lena Shipman. He was buried in the graveyard of the Readington church.t

The Coles married into the families of Voorhees, Higgins, Hoffman, Lowe, Wyckoff, Schomp, Van Sickle, etc.

Michael Cole was an early resident and large land- owner, but no relation to the Tunis Cole family. He settled on the cast side of Round Mountain, where now is the farm of John B. Sharp. He died Oct. 19, 1827, aged ninety-eight.

Evart Bergen purchased, in 1737, a tract of over 300 aeres in the north part of the township. He was a descendant of the famous Bergen family of Long Island. John Bergen inherited his father's farm, near White House, and died June 26, 1828. His son, Evart, who took the farm at his death, was born in 1771, and married Ann Van Deursen. Their children were William, died in 1861 ; Ann, married John, son of Rev. Abram Messler ; James ; Maria, widow of James Park ; Aletta, wife of James E. Bergen, of Ricefield; Staats, at New Germantown ; George, unmarried ; and Jane, died in 1826.4

John Henry Schmidt, the founder of the family, came to America from Holland in 1743, landed at New York, and without delay settled at Stanton, Hunter- don County. Here he remained until his death, in 1776. Ile was a farmer by occupation. A year or so after he settled in Jersey he married Christina Hassel. a German girl living in the vicinity. The pair had seventeen children,-nine sons and eight daughters, -named respectively Christopher, Martin, John, An- drew, Joseph, Isaac, Peter, Jacob, Zachariah, Charity, Laney, Catharine, Elizabeth, Mary, Rebecca, Sarah, and Christina. All married and had families of chil- dren ranging from three to thirteen.

In the time of the Revolution Caspar Berger kept the hotel at Readington village. He became a large landholder on the north side of Holland's Brook, and also owner of the mill now owned by Wm. Fitch. He had four sons-John, Jasper, Aaron, and Peter -and three or more daughters. John at an early day moved to Seneca Co., N. Y .; Jasper died, leaving two sons and six daughters ; Peter moved with his fam- ily to Ohio, and died there; Aaron, who lived and died

* Ilis nephew, Maj. Henry G. Schomp, was among the volunteers lo put down tho Whisky lusurrection. His grandson (son of Robert) was a soldier in the Rebellion from Illinois, and fell at Fort Donelson.

t Tunis, the last survivor of Esq. Cole's family, diod io 1863, aged orer fourscore years.

* " Traditions of our Ancestors," 1870.

488

HUNTERDON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

on a part of the homestead farm adjoining the Read- ington church, left one son, John S., and one daugh- ter. Jasper's daughters are all living in Readington township or vicinity. The only child of John S., a daughter named Ann, became the wife of Dr. Thomas Johnson, residing at Readington. Caspar's daughters married into the Ten Eyck, Lane, and Van Fleet families.

Balthazar Pickel* purchased land of the Budd & Logan tract prior to 1729, the exact date not being known. It lay next to that of Paulus De Witt, at the foot of Cushetunk (Pickel's) Mountain. He was a native of Hamburg, Germany, and is said to have been a brother of Frederick, who settled on Fox Hill, and Conrad, who located near Everittstown. " Bal- thus" located first on the Ridge, on the place now occupied by Jacob Hyler, but soon sold this, and pur- chased 1000 acres to the westward of his former loca- tion. There his descendants for five or six generations have lived. He was buried in the Zion Churcht grave- yard, New Germantown.

Near by lies the body of Charity, his wife, who died in 1761. Two of the sons of the late Baltus A. Pickel, who died Oct. 10, 1871, in the eighty-eighth year of his age, reside on a part of the original pur- chase of their ancestor, in Readington; a grandson occupies a part of the old Van Horn estate, with the old stone house located thereon. A sugar-bowl of solid silver, marked "B. + P., 1771," was presented to Mrs. Adrian H. Pickel by the late Baltus A. Pickel just before his death, when this interesting relic was precisely one hundred years old. An earthen fruit-dish of curious workmanship, bearing date of June 1, 1806, and said to have been made at a pottery which used to exist on the premises, is care- fully preserved as a memento of the past; also an old-fashioned oaken arm-chair, in good state of 'pres- ervation.#

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History of Hunterdon and Somerset counties, New Jersey : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 119

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

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