History of Hunterdon and Somerset counties, New Jersey : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 141

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 141
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 141

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).

It will be noticed that Peter Van Neste mentions that he was commissioner of highways under Governor Hamilton (who was in office in 1694). He was asso- ciated with John Royce and John Tunison. It was enjoined upon them not to change the location of roads without necessity, and to lay out and open new ones where required.

The road up Raritan remained without alteration until about 1718, when it was feneed in by one Jacob Rapeties. No further information is obtained of it until 1764. Difficulties continued to ocenr, and the following action was taken by the board of justices and freeholders of Somerset County. It is found in the record of roads (old book, p. 62), and locates the road definitely through the county. Its various changes of line and distance are given in detail. It is quoted verbatim, except degrees, ehains, and links :

" WHEREAS, It hath beon found by minny years' experience that that part of the Raritan road, so called, on the north side of Raritan RIvor, lending from the North Branch of said river dowo the ante to Bound Brook, hath been subject to sundry disputes and difficulties attending therete, and in order for remedy, whereof application hath been made by the inhabitants of Bridgewater, in Somerset County, to us whose namca nro underwritten and subscribed, being twelve surveyors for roads and highways for the time being, six of us residing in the county of Somer- Bet aforesaid, and being legally chosen for that purpose, and the other six residing in the adjacent county of Hunterdon, and being also legally chosen for that purpose uforesald, that the said rond, being disadvan- tageous to the oner and oners of the lands through the pass, praying that the same may be altered and regulated by us said surveyors nt our discretion, and after publick notice thereof advertised for at least twonty duys, agreeable to the law in such cases inde and provided,-we, the surveyors above cited, having met on the premises for the same purpose, and after hearing the grisvances and allegations of the inhabitants afore- said, do agree, and pursuant to the power and authority givon to us by the law of the province of New Jersey and In discharge of our duty to alter and regulate the said road, we slo determine and herein cortify that the snid rond shall run and be continued as a putdick four-rod rond, as followeth,-viz. : Beginning at the bridge by the mouth of the North Branch of said Raritan River by the foot or east end of said bridge, on the east side of said branch, and from thence to run down wid roml first north eighty-seven degrece aml a half cast . . . to a sign- post of Garret Garrison ; thance south . . . to m hinck-onk-troo; thence north . . . to a white-onk-tree near said John Diggs; thence north ... to Garrot Roeboom's line; thenco north . .. to the llae of land belonging to Jacob Vanostrandth, Esqr .; so continuing onid course north .. . to tho blacksmithshop now belonging to the anid Venostrandth ; thence north . . . to the land of Samuel Staats Cocjman's

576

SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Esqr., and so contioning the said course north . . . to Jonathan Rna- yan'a line, and so continuing to the line of* Cornelins Middagb ; thence north ... tto George Middagh'e line; then north . . . to the gate of the parsonage-land of the Dutch congregation now in the tennre and occupation of the Rev'd Mr. Hardenberge,t and ao coutinning rnuning north . . . to Philip Tunison's line; thence sonth from Fritts' Hotel to Peter'e Brook, so called ; theuce east . . . to the line of Derrick Van Vegh- ten'a ¿ land; thence south . . . to Cornelius Van Horn'a { land; thence ou the same course . . . to a road leading to said Cornelius Van Horn's dwelling-house ; thenca . . . to Middle Brook ; thence north . .. to the house of Benjamin Harria; theuce . . . to the middle of Bound Brook atone bridge. In testimony whereof we, the anrveyors afores'd, have herenuto set our hands, thia thirtyeth day of June, Anno Domini, one thonsand seven hundred and sixty-four, and in the fourth year of His Majestye'a reigu.

" WILLIAM LANE,

" PETEN DUMONT,

" GARRET VOORHEES,

" PETER VAN PELT,

"BENJAMIN TAYLOR,

"SAMUEL BRINTON,

" Surveyors for Somerset.

Surveyors for Hunterdon.

" Recorded the 30th day of June, 1765."

One other road having more than a local importance remains to be noticed. This is the old Middlebush road. A considerable part of this road had been es- tablished by custom and use probably as early as 1690, but, so far as I have been able to discover, it was first laid out by authority in 1712, at which time it was also greatly extended. The record describing this road is as follows :

" Pursuant to an act of Assembly instituted for regulating highways, and for appointing and confirming highway commissioners:

"Beginning at Innion's Ferry ; theuce running ye neareat course to a hrook known by ye name of Salt Pond Brook ; thence along or as near ye path as it now goeth till it comes to Derrick Jones's Honse; theuce upon a atraight conrsa to John Wilson's shop ; T thence directly ye moat convenient way as can be had to Capt. Harrison's Mill ;** thence along ye new cartway to Justice Leonard's; thence along ye old roadft till it comes near Stony Brook, so crossing ye said brook about three or fonr chaina below ye old road, so turning up to ye old road again, and so to ye Province Line. The said conntry road is to be four roda in breadth. Witness onr handa this 6th day of Jnue, 1712.

". ANDREW BIRD, JOHN HARRISON, " THOMAS YEATES, MICHAEL VAN VEOHTIE."

This road then ran from Inian's Ferry westerly to Middlebush, and probably to Millstone, from whence it ran southwesterly to Rocky Hill, and from thence to Harrison's Mill, on the great road near Kingston ; thence it ran alongside the great or upper road-now approaching to, now receding from, and sometimes in- tersecting it-to Stony Brook and the province line.##

Mr. Deshler says that from 1705 to 1713 he has " dis- covered records of thirty-five roads which were viewed, opened, and established within the limits of Middle- sex County alone." At that time the territory now Somerset County was in certain respects within the jurisdiction of Middlesex County. The precise time of the laying out of the road from Bound Brook to Black River, which is mentioned in early deeds as the " Pea-

pack Road," is not known. It was certainly before the record of roads was commenced, in 1733, as given below. The road also from "Lamington Meeting- House to Piscataway" was laid out before this time. It joined the Peapack road before that road united with the "Great Road up the Raritan."

The records of the justices and freeholders of Som- erset County are not found prior to 1772. At a meet- ing of the justices and freeholders, July 22, 1775, an order was given to James Hude (deputy clerk of the county) to "purchase a book for to copy the return of the roads in, and likewise to copy the returns of sun- dry roads that are entered in the justices' and free- holders' book, which was begun in the year 1727 or thereabouts." The records of roads in the clerk's office of the county are in an old book in which the first date is Feb. 25, 1773. It contains a record of one hundred and forty-five roads either laid or relaid from 1733 to 1776, and this is without doubt trans- cribed from the justices' and freeholders' records, as indicated above. From this book are given a few of the roads :

" NEW JERSEY, ss. SOMERSET,

" Memorandum, February 25th, Anno Domini 1733 .- There layed out by us named commissioners for ye laying out of highwaya for said county, at ye request of ye inhabitants of Somerset County, beginning at a four- rodd road laying croas the river at ye Widdow Beakman'a comeuly called or uonede hy the Millstone River; from thence running threw ya middle of aaid Millatone down said river under ye bridges until it goes down to ye mouth of said Millstone River, four rodda wide.

" True Coppy from ya Recorded thia 17th day of March, 1736-7. " BARRENT STRICKER,

"EDWARD GRIOOS, " CORNELIUS SUYDAM, " PETER VAN NEST.

" R. L. HOOPER,

" Clerk."

The next one recorded is dated April 16, 1735, and laid out "from Basking Ridge to ye west of ye bridge on the norwest branch of Dead River." Another record, dated April 17, 1740, recites, "That applica- tion has been made to us, ye surveyors of highways of the county of Somerset, to lay out a road from Rocky Hill to Kingston, beginning at a road already laid out from New Brunswick to Prince Ton," and join- ing "the main road as ye path now runs that leads from New Brunswick to Trenton." Nov. 14, 1741, a record is made " concerning a rode through one Rena- ersen's land, which was found inconvenient," and was relaid part of the way along the road to the mill, and from thence along the line of Plumstead land to the river, and along the river to the " place as is formerly yoused to - River, over against Six-Mile Run, four rods wide, and with ye previser that ye oald rode shall be yoused for the space of one month, and then be void."

Jan. 28, 1744, application was made to the survey- ors to lay out a "two-rod road from the bridge at Mr. Bairefoot Brinson's, on the west side of Millstone

* J. M. Mana. t Caleb Miller.

Į J. Doughty. ¿ C. J. Willson. " Islaud Farm,

" Another record says that John Wilson lived npon Rocky llill.

** Thia mill was on Millstone River, at the point near whore It crosaes the upper road near Kingston.

++ That is, the upper rond.

# Deshler's " Early Roads of Now Jersoy."

SAMUEL BARNHARDT, BENEW DUNHAM,

HENERY TRAPHAGEN,

ANDREW EMAUS,

ABRAHAM PRALL,

RICHARD HOLCOMDE,

¿¿ Mount for knoum.

577

EARLY ROADS AND BRIDGES IN SOMERSET COUNTY.

River," to "ye main road leading from Maidenhead to ye bridge over Millstone River at ye old mill, May' Harrison's." A four-rod road was laid out Feb. 15, 1744, " beginning from ye main road leading from Rocky Hill to New Brunswick, passing Griggstown Mill, over the bridge over Millstone River at Christo- topher Hoagland's, and past Wm. Beard's, Barnet Ha- geman's, Samuel Baker's, and Daniel Spader's to the main road to the court-house of Somerset, to be opened by the first week in October next." Oct. 3, 1745, a road was laid out from Peapaek to Lamington meeting-house, and Nov. 12, 1747, one from Peter Schenck's mill to the Middlebush road. In Septem- ber, 1748, application having been made for a road to be laid out " from the bridge at Christopher Hoag- land's to ye Great Road," the surveyors met and established the road as requested. Its course is as follows :

" From the bridge to Gerardus Beekman's land, along the road to Luke Yourhees *; then upon the top of a bank to where a rond enters the low- land : along the foot of the bank to Isaac Skillman's land ; nlong Skill- man land two rods upon the upland to John Skillman's; along J. Skill- man's land to Beodow'a Ilrook; up the. brook to Its forks; then upon Rulif Covenhoven's land to the upland ; then, as the road runs, to the top of ye bank of a steep gully which enters into the brook below ye fulling-mill; thence across the field above the gully to a line between Adrian Beekman and Christopher Beekman ; thence along the line to Robert Lettice Hooper's land; then on the road to James Van Horn's land ; thence across to ye Great Road."

On page 69, old book, is a record dated Aug. 6, 1764. The surveyors were called to relay the road leading from New Brunswick, on the south side of the Raritan River, to the mouth of Millstone River :

" Beginning at the county line where it tuches Raritan River, near Mr. Hude's southeast corner In New Brunswick ; thence nlong the south side of Raritan River to Voorhees' MIIl; over the mill-dam, through the late Joseph Mount's land and Voorhees' land till It comes to the said river; up the river to within three chains of George Anderson's house ; by his house, with a gradual sweep towards the river till within four chains of the deceased Evert Van Syckle's land; thence one rod and a half on the brow of the hill, and up the river till it come to a brook run- ning through John Mortwell's land, and over the brook to the present fording.place ; then southward from the river, and running up the river till it comes to the mouth of the Millstone."

In August of the next year a four-rod road was laid out " from the Millstone Bridge, at the court-house," to tho mouth of the Millstone River. On Dec. 23, 1767, a road was established leading "from Jacob Van Derveer's, Esq., to My Lord Stirling's white gate, in as direct a line as the ground will admit of." It began at the middle of the road which leads from Black River to Bound Brook. Early roads in the different townships will be found described in the township historics.

The New Jersey Turnpike Company was incor- porated in 1806, and the road was completed in 1809, That part of it in Hunterdon and Warren Counties was surrendered to the several townships by the com- pany in 1838, as has been already mentioned. The line of road through the county of Somerset, the most of the way from Bound Brook to Somerville, was a

little north of the old "Great Road." The old route was straight, and at the end of the old parsonage lane, in the village of Somerville, it left the great road and ran northwesterly through North Branch and Branch- burg on to Easton.

Sept. 4, 1809, just before its completion, the follow- ing petition was presented to the board of freeholders of Somerset County :

"Tho New Jersey Turnpike Company, by Andrew Howell, request to be informed whether the board will relinquish to them the North Branch bridge, at llaylis Mill, on condition that the said company shall keep the Bald bridge in good repair at their own expense until the sald company shall erect a new one."

It was resolved that the bridge be relinquished to the company on the conditions proposed by them.

A bridge was erected over Peter's Brook, as shown by this action of the board of freeholders :

" May 9, 1810 .- WHEREAS, The bridge over Peter's Brook near this place has become almost useless by the erection of a bridge over the samo stream by the turnpike company ; therefore

"Resolved, That Thomas Talmage be anthorized to remove the sald bridge and place the same over the sald l'eter's Brook on the new road leading from the court-house towards the mountain."

Upon the completion of the road two toll-gates were erected, one being at Middlebrook, about one hundred and fifty feet east of the residence of John Herbert. The keepers were John Van Nostrand, David T. Talmage, William Tucker, Jacob White- head, and Andrew H. Naylor. The other gate was near North Branch.

The road was continued for many years, but its affairs were not prosperous. The indebtedness of the company had not been extinguished nor any dividend paid to its stockholders until 1841, or later,-over thirty years after it was opened. The collection of toll was finally abandoned, and March 30, 1869, all the rights, titles, and interests in that part of the road through the townships of Bridgewater and Franklin were conveyed to those townships.

EARLY BRIDGES.

The first bridge of any importance within the limits of the county of Somerset was that on the North Branch of the Raritan, a little north of the junction, where crossed by the " Road up Raritan."

The first item concerning bridges is in the old book of record of roads in Somerset County, page 1, and is found in a record of a road established Feb. 25, 1733. This passage occurs :

" Running threu ye middle of sald Millstone, down enid river under yo bridges uutill it goes down to ye mouth of sald Millstone River."

This is a curious statement, but is probably the road on the east side of the river. Numerous bridges are mentioned in this old record.

In 1728* an act passed the Assembly as follows :

" And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That as soon na may be convenient after the publication of this act there shall be a bridge built over the lennd Brook In the most commodious place on the north-

· Acts of General Assembly of New Jersey from 1703-76, p. 168, Nevill.

578

SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

east side of the road, as it lies from Piscataway, in the county of Middle- sex, up Raritan River ; which bridge shall be built, rebuilt, and amended at the equal expense of the county of Middlesex aforesaid and the two upper precincts of the county of Somerset."

The bridge was not built until after 1731, for in that year an act was passed supplementary to the act of 1728, reciting that difficulty of some kind had arisen, and providing pains and penalties for all per- sons who refuse to perform the duty enjoined upon them.

In 1762* an act passed the General Assembly "to empower the managers of the Bound Brook bridge, in the county of Somerset, to raise by lottery a sum of money for rebuilding and completing the said bridge." In 1771f an act was passed to empower certain persons therein named to raise a sum of money by subscription or taxation to rebuild and keep in repair the bridge over Raritan River near Bound Brook, known by the name of Queen's Bridge. May 12, 1773, at a meeting of the justices and free- holders of the county of Somerset, "Jeremiah Field, one of the managers of Queen's Bridge over Raritan, brought in an account of £349 17s. 7d., light money, due to the managers of said bridge for the work done. The account was rejected by the whole board, except Peter Perrine, Esq." Two years later (1775) an act passed the Assembly of the Statet "for raising the sum of £357 14s. 11d., proclamation money, on the inhabitants of the county of Somerset Couuty, for repaying certain persons therein named the money they have advanced in rebuilding Queen's Bridge."

When the bridge at Raritan Landing was first built is not definitely known. In 1772 there was an act passed by the General Assembly "for raising the sum of £450, proclamation money, on the inhabitants of the counties of Somerset and Middlesex, to be ap- plied to the completing the bridge over Raritan River at the landing,"¿ and May 13th of the same year, at a meeting of the justices and freeholders of Somerset County, it was voted "that Hillsborough shall pay £10 proc., Bridgewater £13 proc., and Bedminster to pay £7 proc. towards repairing the Raritan bridge; and it is voted that Capt. Coonrad Ten Eyck and Matthias Ten Eyck and Col. McDonald be appointed managers of the same." May 12, 1773, Jacques Voorhees, Alexander McEver, and Capt. Coonrad Ten Eyck were appointed a committee, by the board of justices and freeholders of the county of Somerset, to inspect the accounts of the managers of the Raritan Landing bridge. This committee reported in De- cember, 1774, that the accounts were examined and were as follows: "Matthew Ten Eyck, £289 58. 5d., proc .; Coonrad Ten Eyck, £177 78. 10d., proc." The accounts were allowed, and the board then allowed Jacques Voorhees " 12s. Gd., proc.," interest for money advanced towards building Raritan bridge, Matthew

Ten Eyck six pounds for extraordinary trouble in paying out the money to the workmen at Raritan bridge, Coonrad Ten Eyck four pounds five shillings and seven pence for like services. Orders were given for these amounts.

"The board ordered the thanks of the board to Matthew Ten Eyck and Coonrad Teo Eyck for their good management in building the bridge over the Raritan ; which was given accordingly."

In the same year an act was passed by the Assem- bly "to raise the sum of £122 14s. 3d., proe., on the inhabitants of the counties of Middlesex and Somer- set, to be paid by the several collectors of the town- ships to John Duykink and Charles Sudam in full of their account for building and completing the bridge over the Raritan River at the Landing."

May 31, 1774, the surveyors of the highways of the county of Somerset were called to view the bridge over the Raritan at Van Veghten's. They agreed to build stone pillars and replace old timbers with new ones. Matthew and Coonrad Ten Eyck were appointed managers, and five hundred pounds was ordered to be raised for the work. | Aug. 28, 1777, the justices and freeholders were called to meet at the house of Elias Van Derveer to examine the bridge over the North Branch, and ordered that a new one be built where the former stood ; Gisbert Sutfin and Elias Van Der- veer were to be the managers. July 29, 1779, the board of justices and freeholders ordered a bridge built over the river at Abraham Van Nest's mills, at the expense of the county, and the sum of twelve hundred pounds was allowed for building the same.

May 10, 1797, the following persons were chosen by the board of justices and freeholders as managers or the several bridges named for the ensuing year :

Abraham Nevius for the Landing bridge; Joseph Black, Bound Brook ; George McDonald, Middle Brook ; George Van Neste, Raritan ; Israel Harris, Harris; Peter Probasco, Millstone ; Arch'd Mercer, Mercer's; John Baird, Griggstown ; Frederick Cruser, Rocky Hill; Henry H. Scheack, New Shannick ; Abraham Ten Eyck, North and South Braoch; Andrew S. Ten Eyck, North Branch ; Isaac Van Doren, Bromley; Joseph Annin, McDonald's and Van Derveer; Jacob Van Doren, Armstrong; Samuel Johnson, Sharp's; Col. Rickey, Rickey's, and White's; Peter Davison, Davison's; David Ayres, Doty's Mill; David Smalley, Luddle's.

A list of the bridges in Somerset County in 1805, taken from the record of freeholders of that year, is given below :

Raritan, Lythoff's, Swan's, Sharp's, Davison's, Alward's, Bayard's, Two leading to fall-mill over Green Brook, Third over Indian Grave Creek, Miller's, Annin's, Baird's, Townsley, Dumont's, Rock Brook, Browsetown, Manoing's, Landiog and Mile Run, Cuckold's aod Mid- dle Brook, Millstone and Peace Brook, Griggstowo, Rocky Hill, Shannick, Bush, North Branch, Bromley, McDonald's, Van Derveer's, Rickey's, Dotey's, Little's, Phillips', Kirkpatrick's, or Pumpkin Patch Brook, Bound Brook, Dirck's Brook, White's, Arrowsmith's, Plain- field, Green Brook, at Samuel and John Vail's, Two southern over Indian Grave Creek, near William Kain's, Covenhoven's, Ludlow's, Van Doren's, Annin's, Coryell's, Goltry's, Peter's Brook, Holland Brook, Blue', Stites', Six-Mile Run, Widow Voorhees', Vao Nord wick's.

| This was the bridge over which the troops passed that were with Col. Simcoe after they had burned the church and were on their way to the court-house. Washington crossed this bridge with his army after the battle of Princeton, Jao. 3, 1777.

# Colonial Laws of New Jersey, 1703-76, p. 24.

+ Ibld., p. 46.

# Ibid., p. 21.

¿ Ibid., p. 55.

579

THE BENCH AND BAR OF SOMERSET COUNTY.

CHAPTER VI.

THE BENCH AND BAR OF SOMERSET COUNTY.

The Bar of Somerset County eminent for Genina, Learning, and l'a- triotism-Reminiscences-Names of the Bar from 1769 to 1800-List of the Present Ilar-Sketches of William Paterson, Peter D. Vroom, Samuel L. Southard, William L. Dayton, John M. Mano, William Griffith, the Frelinghuysens, Juddges Kirkpatrick, Nevins, etc. ; and Hugh M. Gaston, Alvah A. Clark, John Schomp, and many others of the Present Bar of the County.

SOMERSET COUNTY is justly entitled to a large share of the honor which has mantled the bar of this State. Judge Bushrod Washington often remarked that the bar of New Jersey was not excelled in elo- quence or learning by any in the Union. This enco- mium is equally true of its bench, and, among the honored personages embraced in both bench and bar, very many of the most eminent in the profession have been residents of or born in Somerset County. This is high praise, but merited. What a brilliant constellation of genius, learning, and patriotism is presented by the names of William Paterson, Peter D. Vroom, and Samuel L. Southard, lawyers and gov- ernors! what a bright galaxy of judicial merit is brought to mind by the names of Judges William Griffith, Andrew Kirkpatrick, George H. Brown, John M. Berrien, James S. Nevius, Isaac N. Black- ford, and many others! And of equal lustre is the array of legal talent which shines with the names and memories of Richard Stockton, Henry Southard, Frederick and Theodore Frelinghuysen, Abraham O. Zabriskie, and a host of such. The list is too full for any extended mention.

To the able papers of the late Ralph Voorhees we are indebted for the following reminiscences :

" A half-century ago the officers of the court were, as I remember, Andrew Kirkpatrick, Chief Justice ; Samuel Swan, Clerk ; John Freling- huysen, Surrogate ; Martin Schenck, Sheriff; nud the lawyers of Somer- set, Jacob II. Hardenbergh, George McDonald, Bichard Stockton, Joseph W. Scott, Samuel L. Southard, Peter D. Vroom, Theodore, John, and Frederick Frelinghuysou, and Thomas A. Hartwell.

" At one of the terms of the court, Southnrd, after having put forth all his ability and skill to convict a man for horse-stealing,-a part of the sentence for which was thirty-nine lashes at the whipping-post,- mude, immediately after the pronouncing of that sontenco by the court, A most powerful appeal in behalf of the conviet for the commutation of the whipping. lle urged that, from the minuly appearance of tho pris- oner, the public exhibition would only produce an unfavorable effect lu the community. Ilis appeal was granted.

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History of Hunterdon and Somerset counties, New Jersey : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 141

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