History of Hunterdon and Somerset counties, New Jersey : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 126

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 126
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 126

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located, at Sigler's, Judge P. Sigler, and Michael llaggerty at Clinton,-eight on the soil of the town- ship, and two others deriving cach much of their support from it. A patent having been granted by the Patent Office for distilling spirits from grain early in this century, there were a great many patent dis- tilleries erected in different parts of the country. Luther Calvin, one of our early settlers, had built his grist- and saw-mill a decade or two before; it proved a great convenience to the neighborhood, as there were no mill neeommodations for a great distance aronnd. It was, of course, called Calvin's Mills. Here San- nel Cummings and a Mr. Dolphin, in or about 1812, commenced making rye whisky according to the pat- ent. It was afterwards run by Adam D. Runkle and Samuel Stevenson. This gave importance to the place, which must needs have a better name than either Calvin's or Case's Mills, and, at the suggestion of Henry Careuff, it was named Pattenburg, in honor of the patent distillery.

Much of this liquor was carted to Trenton and Philadelphia, and there sold at from twenty-five to thirty-five eents per gallon. From various causes this business has gone down ; there is not at this time a single distillery in the township. Although there was so much liquor made, yet the people generally were about as temperate in the use of it as those of any other township in the county.

At the time of the birth of this township there were four taverns. One was at Van Syekelville, with a stone in the south-southwest corner of the building marked " D. R. 1763." David Reynolds kept it some time, and afterwards moved into Morris County. A Mr. Buskirk kept it several years in the latter part of the last century, and the Messrs. Van Syckel in this century up to about the middle, when it ceased to be a publie-house. It was for many years very exten- sively patronized by the raftsmen of the Delaware, who, after selling their rafts down the river, would make their way back on foot (there being no stage- lines, railroads, or eanals in those days in this part of the country), carrying with them the proceeds of their adventure. They went in companies and squads of different sizes. They were an honest, free-hearted class of men, good citizens, and generally welcome customers. The house is still in a good state of pres- ervation.

The Bonnell tavern, established in 1767,# was at one time very noted, that and Ringo's being the places for holding the elections, one day in each, in what at that time constituted Amwell township. It was kept by members of the Bonnell family nearly a hundred years, and when the New Jersey turnpike was built, in 1812-13, was one of about forty that ad- ministered to the wants of travelers on that road,-an average of nearly one for every mile from New Bruns- wick to Easton. The signs were generally the like-

· Sco Moll's " First Century of Hunterdon."

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HUNTERDON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

nesses of military or naval heroes, as Perry, Pike, Bainbridge, Jackson, and Lawrence.

Another tavern was one that was built by Cornelius Carhart, along whose lands the New Jersey turnpike ran. It was built of brick, and is sometimes called the Brick Tavern. It was erected in September, 1813, at the time of Com. Perry's victory on Lake Erie, the news of which was received through a courier as the workmen were putting on the last tier of joists, who were so overjoyed at hearing of the victory that when they put up the last pair of rafters and nailed the bush on the peak, as was the custom of the day, and poured some whisky out of a bottle on it, they unani- mously called it Perryville, which name it still re- tains as a post-town. But it has not grown much since that day, only one dwelling and a blacksmith- shop having been added to the tavern. It was a place that for many years (until the time of railroads) en- tertained drovers and droves,-more than any one hotel in all this section of country, thousands of cattle and sheep annually changing hands here. Railroad facilities have in a great measure broken up the traffic.

James Hope for several years kept a tavern on the New Jersey turnpike, close to the bridge that spans the Raritan at Clinton. It had a military sign, and was one of the above-mentioned forty-odd inns. This one was lost by the formation of the town of Clinton.

All knowledge of the origin of the Mechlin tavern seems to be " gone, buried beneath the dusky mantle of obscurity." One Hartpense kept it in the early part of this century. It, no doubt, was built before the Revolution, and, with the "Hickory" tavern, helped to quench the thirst of those who carted iron from Bloomsbury to Pittstown. Its architecture was far in advance of that of any other buildings of the same age in the neighborhood. It was kept by Peter Mechlin, Sr., for forty years, and by his son William twenty years, and then the sign was down at least twelve years before the buildings were all replaced by new ones by William Mechlin. The farm is now conducted by his son Hiram.

Hickory (tavern), when first built, was of logs and was in this township, but when rebuilt by Mr. Peter Van Syckel, early in the present century, it was placed on the west side of the line, in Alexandria. In its early days it was called the " Half-way House," and was much patronized by the teamsters who carted iron from Bloomsbury to Pittstown. (It is said to have derived its name, not from any hickory that grew there, but from the scarcity of it. It is on the dividing line of the water-shed. The water from the shed as it then was went from the one side to the Delaware, and from the other to the Raritan.) In after-years it was famous for its balls and dances. Some years since Garret Conover purchased the prop- erty and took down the sign and sheds, and it is now a productive farm.

The tavern in Van Syckelville was built in 1763, and, as the Union Iron-Works were at this time under

headway, it is very probable that the Mechlin and the "Hickory" were erected about the same time.

There was a tavern for several years at Midvale, on the property now owned by the Easton and Amboy Railroad Company. The present house is in good condition, though built early in this century ; it has not been used for a tavern for fifty years. The old one stood near where is now Andrew Van Syckel's store, and was on the road as it ran at that time from New Hampton to Trenton.

John Crawford, in his stone house, built in 1765, near the Bethlehem Presbyterian church, for several years kept both store and tavern ; the house is in good condition still.

During the building of the Easton aud Amboy Rail- road Lewis Humphrey built a commodious tavern in Pattenburg, now occupied by William Sinclair. This and the Perryville one, now kept by William Mettler, late of Milford, are the present taverns.

Early in this century Aaron Van Syckel, Sr., pur- chased a large farm, and, in addition to the tavern, erected a store-house thereon, where for about forty years was kept by himself and son, and later by his grandson, one of the best stores in the county.

At that time (1827-28) a store was opened and kept at Pattenburg by John and Andrew Race. Several have kept there since,-viz, David Bowman, William P. Smith, Jacob Apgar, Srope & Roberts (in 1855), Ira Anderson, Edward Dolton, John Conover, Mar- tenis & Weaver, Martenis, Barker & Brother, George Barker,-and on the building of the railroad Peter B. Srope opened a store and established a coal-yard, the store being now kept by Srope & Maxwell. In 1846, Peter B. Srope, then living at what is now called Norton, built a store-house which is now in the hands of Messrs. Gano.

At Midvale Peter Stires erected a store-house on the completion of the railroad, now occupied by Andrew Van Syckel.

CIVIL HISTORY.

The township of Union took its stand among the townships of the county of Hunterdon, April 11, 1853, by holding its first town-meeting at Perryville, at the house of Henry Rockafellow,* who kept the tavern at that time. The township officers have been as follows :

MODERATORS.

1853-55, A. W. Dunham ; 1856-58, Oliver Huffman ; 1859-65, George W. Rea ; 1866, Sylvester Taylor; 1867-68, George W. Rea; 1869-70, Syl- vester Taylor; 1871, George W. Roa; 1872, Joseph Van Syckol; 1873- 80, Goorge W. Rea.

TOWN CLERKS.

1853-69, John II. Case ; 1869-75, Asher S. Ilonsel, Esq. ; 1875-76, George B. Srope ; 1876-78, Josoph S. Taylor; 1878 to the present time, Alfred Cook. - JUDGES OF ELECTION.

1853-55, Jolın Carhart; 1855-59, Peter Mochling; 1860-65, George W. Rea ; 1866-67, Peter R. Williamsen ; 1868-69, Mahlen Swarer; 1870- 73, George W. Rea ; 1874-80, Cornelius B. Sheets.

" Every subsequent town-meeting has been held in the same place.

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UNION.

SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

1853-57, 1802-64, John Blane; 1865, William Bonnell; 1866, Enoch Alel. [For Chosen Frecholders see page 264 of this work.] TOWN COMMITTEE.

1853, William Maxwell, Peter Molich, Putor Bodine, Joseph Taylor, John Blane; 1851, William Maxwell, William B. Labaw, Joseph Taylor, Jolin Worthington, John Blaue; 1855, John H. Roberts, William B. Labaw, Jos. Taylor, John Worthington, Oliver 11. Huffman; 1856, Georgo W. Rea, Holloway Honsel, Joseph Taylor, William Egbert, Oliver IT. Huffman ; 1857-58, John P. Lair, William Bounell, Joseph Taylor, William Egbert, Abraham IT. Honsel ; 1859, William Max- well, William Egbort, Abraham II. Honsol, John P. Lair, William Boanell ; 1860, William Maxwell, William Egbort, Joseph Taylor, John P. Lair, William Bonnell; 1861, Ashor S. Honeel, William Egbert, Joseph Taylor, John F. Lalr, William Bonnell ; 1862-63, Hiram Hnffinan, Josoph Taylor, William Bonnell, William Taylor, Mahlon Swarer; 1864, Hiram Ilnffman, William Bonnell, Wil- liam M. Taylor, Joseph Taylor, Joseph Vao Syckel ; 1865, Hiram Hoffman, A. S. Housel, John P. Fair, Joseph Taylor, Joseph Van Syckel: 1866, Clement Bonnell, A. S. Housel, John P. Lair, Joseph Taylor, William Mechlin; 1867, Clemont Bonnell, A. S. Honsel, John P. Lair, George Young, Joseph Taylor ; 1868, Clomont Bonnell, A. S. Honsel, John P. Lair, Sylvester Taylor, Joseph Taylor; 1860, G. G. Lunger, A. S. Honsel, John P. Lair, Sylvestor Taylor, Joseph Taylor ; 1870-71, G. G. Lungor, Clement HI. Bonnell, John P. Lair, Goorge W. Ron, Joseph Van Syckol ; 1872-73, G. G. Lungor, Clement Bonnell, Joseph Gano, Georgo W. Ren, Joseph Van Syckel; 1874, G. G. Lungor, Gardner Honsel, O. H. Bonnoll, Joseph Van Syckel, Jos. Gano; 1875, G. G. Langer, Joseph Van Syckel, Gardner Housol, O. V. Ilall; 1876-77, Samuel II. Smith, G. G. Lunger, C. E. Barker, W. Dunham, S. C. Hawk ; 1878, G. G. Lunger, Samuel Il. Smith, Charles E. Barker, P. B. Srope, Joseph Van Syckel ; 1879-80, Jos. 11. Exton, Silas C. Hawk, C. W. Carhart.

ASSESSORS.

1853-55, Nathan Wyckoff; 1856-60, John Worthington ; 1861, Ira C. AB- doraon; 1802, Luther Opdycke; 1863, A. W. Dunham ;* 1863-70, Enoch Abel; 1880, Wholston Stockton.

COLLECTORS.

1863, Thomas J. Stires ; 1854-55, George W. Rea ; 1856-58, Holloway II. Smith ; 1859, Aaron Groff; 1860-61, David W. Stires; 1862-65, Geo. W. Boa; 1866-68, Nicholas Sine; 1869-71, John S. Shafer ; 1872-74, Georgo L, Gano; 1875-77, Jolin S. Shafor ; 1878, Euoch Williamson ; 1879-80, Samuel H. Smith.

SURVEYORS OF HIGHWAYS.

1853, Joseph Taylor, John Srope ; 1854-68, John Srope, Joseph Taylor; 1859, Geo. W. Ren, Asher S. Honsel ; 1860-62, Geo. W. Ren, Asher S. Hlousel ; 1863-64, Geo. W. Ren, Peter HI. Anderson; 1865, G. W. Iton, Isaac K. Domott ; 1866-67, Goo. W. Ron, Clomont Bonnoll ; 1868, Sylvester Taylor, Clemont Bonnell; 1860-70, Sylvester Taylor, Mahlon Swarer ; 1871-74, Sylvestor Taylor, Win. Maxwell ; 1875, Enoch Williamson, Enoch Abel; 1876-77, Wm. Sinclair, Enoch Wil- Hanson ; 1878, David Dalrymple, John Q. Clickinger ; 1879, Wm. 11. Gardner, David Dalrymple ; 1880, George Rinehart, Peter Stires.

COMMISSIONERS OF APPEALS.

1853-54, Thomas Mochling, Cornelius H. Sheeta, Wm. Maxwell ; 1855, Cornelius B. Sheets, Thomas Mochlin, A. S. Housel; 1856-68, Itobe- son Rockhill, Wm. Egbert, A. S. Housel; 1859-62. Franc K. Demott, Wm. Eghort, Asher S. Honsel ; 1863-67, Morris Rodoubongh, Peter R. Williamson, Ashor Hlousel; 1868, Clement Bonnell, Peter R. Wil- liamson, Asher S. Housel; 1860-70, Isaac Iluffman, Peter I. Wil- lintneon, Ashor S. Houeel ; 1871-73, Jos. Onno, I'cter li. Williamson, Asher S. Hlousol ; 1874, Henry Juhuson, Jos. Gano, Asher S. Hlousol ; 1875, Daniel Saunders, George L. Buse ; 1876, Henry Johnson, George L. Boss, Poter H. Andorson ; 1877-80, Georgo 1 .. Boss, Henry John- son, O. W. Carhart.

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.'

1835, Daniel Stires; 1814, W'm. Egbert ; 1850, Robeson Rockhill, Ashor S. Ilousel; 1855, Robeson Rockhill, Willlam Egbert ; 1860, Jacob

* Until his death, 13th of July, 1863.

t Enoch Clifford was first justice, serving for many years.

Stirce, William Egbert; 1865, Enoch Abel, William Egbert; 1870, Enoch Abel, Peter IT. Anderson ; 1875, Enoch Abel, SIatthlas 3IcCrea; 1880, Enoch Abel, John Williamson (did not comply).

OVERSEERS OF ROADS AND APPROPRIATIONS.

1853 .- Nicholas Sino, Jacob Apgar, Adrian Kinnoy, Joseph Boss, Edward A. Rockhill, William Maxwell, Petor HI. Anderson, Joseph Ev- erett, John R. Larison, and Edgar Lance. Appropriation, $525. 1854,-Nicholus Sine, Jacob P. Apgar, Adrian Kinney, George Gulick, Joseph Taylor, Isaac Kels, Petor II. Anderson, Joesph Everett, John It. Larison, Nathan Wyckoff. Appropriation, $525.

1855 .- Nicholas Sine, Adrian Kinney, Joseph Taylor, Henry Maxwell, Henry Johnson, Peter II. Anderson, Isaac Kels, Joseph Everett, Joseph Von Syckel, Gardner Housel. Appropriation, $577.

1856 .- Adrian KInnoy, Nicholas Sine, Isaac Kels, Henry Johnson, Wil- liam Martin, John Larison, Henry Maxwell, Joseph Taylor, Gardner Housel, James S. Kels. Appropriation, $593.

1857 .- James S. Kels, Wesley Bird, Joseph Taylor, John Tiger, Isaac Kels, Jolın Srope, Nicholas Sine, Jucob Leshor, Henry Johnson, Jacob Fine. Appropriation, $593.

1858 .- John Tiger, John Cooley, Samnel Bonnell, Wesley Bird, Malilon Swaror, Nicholas Sino, George W. Ren, Henry Rockafellow, Wil- liam C. Young, Jolsn Sropo. Appropriation, 8593.

1850 .- Elisha Weene, John II. Cooley, John Tiger, Nicholas Sine, Joseph Taylor, Henry Rockafellow, Samuel Bonnell, James Stockton, Wesley Bird, William Young. Appropriation, $600.

1800 .- Elisha Weene, Joseph Taylor, William C. Young, Nicholas Sine, Joseph Maxwell, Asher S. Hlousel, John Tiger, Lewis Young, Whitfield Carhart, Henry Rocknfellow. Appropriation, $615.

18GI .- Josoph Taylor, John Tiger, Nicholas Sino, Whitfield Carhart, Lewis Young, Ashor S. Honsel, Elisha Weeno, Johnson Ilumi- mer, Thomas Bowlsby, William Martin, Henry Rockafellow. Appropriation, $620.

1862 .- Joseph Taylor, John Tiger, Nicholas Sinc, C. W. Carhart, Lowis Young, William Bellis, Elisha Weene, Johnson Ilummer, Hiram Huffman, Peter Il. Anderson, Henry Rockafellow. Appropria- fion, $640.

1863 .- Elishin Weene, Johnson linmmer, C. W. Carhart, William Bellis, Nathan Wyckoff, Nicholas Sine, Joseph Taylor, James S. Kels, Lewis Young, Hiram Huffmann, Peter H. Anderson. Appropri- ntion, $6-10.

1864 .- Wesley Ilird, Nicholas Sino, Henry Johnson, Lewis Young, Cor- nelius Tunison, Elisha Weene, llonry Maxwell, Joseph Taylor, William Mechling, Godfrey Lott, John Blanc, Hiram Huffman. Appropriation, $794.

1865 .- Wesley Bird, Henry Johnson, Elisha Woone, C. B. Sheete, Godfrey Lott, Joseph Gano, Cornelins Tunison, Henry Maxwell, William Mochlin, Thomas Warnor. Appropriation, $765.

1866 .- Henry Johnson, Henry Maxwell, Thomas Warner, John H. Cooley, John Conover, Juseph Carhart, Joseph Taylor, Christopher Srope, James S. Kels, Cornelius Tunison. Appropriation, $780. 1867 .- Cornelius Tunison, John Butler, Henry Johnson, Thomas Warner, Clement II. Bonnell, John Conover, Peter Hoppock, C. B. Sheets, Christopher Srope, John II. Cooley. Appropriation, $320.

I 868 .- George L. Gano, G. G. Lunger, A. II. Honsel, John Conover, Cor- neline Tunleon, Jacoli P. Apgar, Lambert H, Smith, C. H. Bon- nell, C. B. Sheets, Ilenry Rockafellow, John P. Lair. Appro- priation, $030.

1869 .- Henry Hoppock, Henry Johnson, Jumes W. Stockton, G. G. Lunger, John P. Lair, Joseph Guno, Cornelius Tunison, Willlam 1. Cole, George L. Gano, Cornelius B. Sheets, Willlam Mech- ling. Appropriation, $1021.

1870 .- Wesley Bird, William Sinclulr, George L. Gano, John H. Cooley, John P. Lair, Joseph Gano, John R. Williamson, Silas C. Hawk, William Cole, William Taylor, Henry Johnson, Cornelius B. Sheets. Appropriation, $1021.

1871 .- Lewis Humphrey, William Sinclair, Joseph Gano, Henry Johnson, Poter It. Williamson, William MI. Taylor, Cornelius B. Shocts, William Storr, Wesley Bird, John II. Cooley, William Cole, Silna Hawk. Appropriation, $1000.

1872 .- William Sinclair, Cornellun R. Sheets, Joseph Van Syckel, Charles Sine, Joseph Gano, Jolin 11. Cooley, William 11. Cole, Silas C. Hawk, George W. Ren, Henry Johnson, Clement Bonnell, Syl- vester Taylor, Isaac Huffman. Appropriation, $1010.

1873 .- W'm. Sinclair, Lambert K. Smith, Wm. Il. Cole, Henry Everett George I., Gano, Corn. It. Sheets, George W. Rea, Henry John-

514

HUNTERDON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

BOD, John H. Cooley, Joseph Gano, Joseph Van Syckel, Syl- vester Taylor, Edward Melick, Appropriation, $1016.

1874 .- George L. Gano, Daniel Bellis, Lambert K. Smith, Jacob A. Leigh, Henry Johnson, Henry Maxwell, Sylvester Taylor, George G. Lunger, Wm. Sinclair, Wm. C. ¿ Young, John Q. Clickinger, Joseph Gano, Henry Everett. Appropriation, $1010.

1875 .- Wm. H. Cole, C. B. Melick, G. G. Lunger, Henry Maxwell, John H. Cooley, Christ. Srope, Joseph H. Exton, Wm. W. Bird, Syl- vester Taylor, John Q. Clickinger, Henry Hoppock, Charles Line. Appropriation, $1016.

1876,-C. B. Melick, Asher Smith, George L. Boss, G. G. Lunger, John Q. Clickinger, D. W. Stires, John H. Cooley, William Cole, Heury Johnson, Joseph Extou, Henry A. Hoppock, Peter Hummer, Wesley Bird. Appropriation, $1015.

1877 .- Wm. Gardner, Wmn. Cole, Wesley Bird, G. G. Lunger, Peter H. Anderson, D. W. Stires, Peter Hummer, John Smith, Peter Y. Young, George L. Boss, C. B. Melick, Sylvester Hyde, C. B. Sheete. Appropriation, $1015.

1878 .- Wm. Gardner, Nathan Conover, Wesley Bird, G. G. Lunger, John H. Opdycke, David W. Stires, Peter Hummer, Henry Everett, Wm. Mechling, George L. Boss, C. B. Melick, Sylvester Hyde, Corn. B. Sheets. Appropriation, $080.

1879 .- Wm. H. Gardner, Nathan Conover, Aaron Van Syckel, Joseph H. Painter, Joseph B. Carhart, David W. Stires, Peter Hummer, Henry Everett, David Dalrymple, Charles Emery, C. B. Melick, Sylvester Hyde, C. B. Sheets. Appropriation, $980.

1SS0 .- Overseers not recorded.

These overseers have had charge of all the public roads in this township, and also of the bordering roads. The whole may be estimated at forty-five miles, and may be described, as to situation, as follows :

No. 1, from Ilickory, via Pattenburg, to the New Jersey turnpike ; No. 2, from Hickory, at Pittstown road, to Pattenburg; No. 3, from G. W. Rea's corner to the Baptist church, and extending to township's north line ; No. 4, from Mechling's tavern to Hensfoot and Perryville ; No. 5, a branch from John Cooley's to Midvale; No. 6, from Tbonias Mechling's, via Cook's Cross-Roads, to the road from Pittstown to Clin- ton ; No. 7, Dew road from Pittstown to Midvale; No. 8, the old great highway from the north part of the State to Burlington ; No. 9, see No. 6; No. 10, from Bethlehem Church to Midvale; No. 11, from Bethlehem Church to Bonnell's Corner ; No. 12, the late New Jersey turnpike from Bounell's west to Bethlehem township-line;# No. 13, from Boonell'e Corner, via old road, to the turupike at Sever's Cor- ner: No. 14, from corner of town of Clinton to the eight square school-house ; No. 15, from the eight-square school-honse to the north and east township lines ; No. 16, from McClenahan's corner, via Van Syckelville, and thence to Pattenburg.

These roads give ingress and egress to nearly every farm and lot of land in the township.

The State Legislature enacted April 5, 1865:

"That all that part of Union township lying and being to the right hand, or east and south, of the following line, shall be and constitute henceforth part of the town of Clinton,-namely, beginning at a stake standing in the line between the townships of Franklin and Union, in late New Jersey turnpike road, at the place where the public road lead- ing from Boonell's tavern to the Union intersects said turnpike road, and ruooing thence along the line of said road leading to the Union in a northerly direction to a stake in said road, a corner to lands of A. W. Dunham, deceased, and in a line of land late of Godfrey Case, deceased ; thence running along lands of said Dunham and said Case dne east to the southwest corner of lands of William S. Wyckoff; thence in a north- erly direction along the western line of lands of said Wyckoff to the line of lands of Garret Conover; thence in an easterly direction along the north line of said Wyckoff's lands to the township line between the townships of Union and Clinton."

This took from Union a mill onee famed for making flaxseed oil, a tavern, the extensive limestone-quar- ries and lime-kilns, and about twenty dwellings.

April 13, 1863, $5600 was raised to pay volunteers for the war. Feb. 7, 1864, the committee paid $28,- 354.75 for the same purpose. April 11, 1864, raised $7000 to pay war bonds. The township war debt has all been paid.

POST-OFFICES, TOWNS, AND HAMLETS.

Van Syckel post-office is the earliest establishment of the kind of which any account can be found. It supplied mneh of the township with mail facilities from very early in the present century up to the time the Central Railroad caused a change in many of the offiees in the county.

Perryville was made a post-town in 1818, and was supplied by stages, two lines sometimes running on the road (the New Jersey turnpike) at the same time. The New Jersey turnpike became one of the great thoroughfares from the East to the West through the State, and so continued until the building of the New Jersey Central Railroad, sinee which time Perryville has been supplied with mail three times a week- Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday-by a mail-messen- ger from Annandale and Clinton. The delivery has been for the last five years at Midvale. Elijah R. Robeson has been postmaster during that time.

Pattenburg became a post-town in or about 1857, with three mails a week,-Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday,-with Ira Anderson for postmaster in 1862. Henry Aiken followed, and May 30, 1863, the office passed into the hands of Andrew Streeter, who still continues.

Since 1878 the mail has been daily supplied by mail-messenger Jacob Blain from West End, for- merly Bethlehem. The village has about forty dwell- ings and 250 inhabitants. It has a Methodist Episeo- pal church, a large stone sehool-house, a grist-mill, a steam saw-mill, two stores, a blacksmith-shop and wheelwright-shop, a milliner-shop, a boot-and-shoe- shop, a tavern, and a eoal-yard.

Norton became a post-town in 1877, with a mail three times a week,-Tuesday, Thursday, and Satur- day,-supplied by the Pattenburg messenger. Con- rad W. Gano is postmaster. It took its name from the ruins of the Norton Furnace, which stands about a quarter of a mile north. How the furnace got the name is uneertain,-most likely after some proprietor. A map published in 1777 shows it.

Pittstown derived its name from the great English statesman William Pitt. That part of it lying within this township was the residence of the earliest physi- eians. Here, on a gentle elevation, about midway be- tweeu the houses of Frederick A. Potts and Wil- liam P. Rockhill, a short distance from the road, stood the mansion and office occupied by Dr. John Hanna, which he sold to Dr. John Roekliill, April 17, 1873, who settled here in 1848, and is believed to have been the first regular physician in the county. Here, too, in a log house on the west side of the brook where it crosses the road at William P. Rockhill's, lived Con-

* The company owning this road in 1837 gave up its chartered rights to the townships through which it ran.

515

UNION.

stantine O'Neill, a blacksmith, a vestryman in St. . butchered by savages belonging to Burgoyne's army. Thomas' Episcopal Church, in Alexandria, prior to 1764.

In 1731, Edward Rockhill is quoted as being of the township of Bethlehem ; he owned two tracts of land (846 acres) in this vicinity. He was the father of Dr. John Rockhill, who was the father of Robeson Rock- hill and Edward Rockhill, both lately deceased. This Edward Rockhill was father of the present Capt. Wil- liam P. Rockhill, his children being the sixth genera- tion on the same land. The elder Edward Rockhill died here about 1748. James Parker was his excentor, and sold land under the will in 1749.

PHYSICIANS.

Dr. John Blane settled in Perryville in April, 1831, and has remained there to the present time (1881) ; Dr. N. B. Boileau in 1868, and is still practicing there. [See sketches of the above on pages 224 and 524 of this work.]

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History of Hunterdon and Somerset counties, New Jersey : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 126

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