History of Hunterdon and Somerset counties, New Jersey : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 162

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 162
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 162

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The Great Road crossed Peter's Brook nearly half- way between the present railroad-bridge and the turn- pike-bridge at the second bend in that stream, and entered what is now the village of Somerville near where Leonard Bunn's house now stands, then fol- lowed the line of Main Street to the Tunison Tavern, passed north of the old court-house, south of the brick church, north of the buildings on Main Street, and joined the line of the present road a little distance west of "the gate of the parsonage lands," near the junction of the Raritan road and North Branch road.

In 1797, John Hardenburgh purchased of the heirs of Philip Tunison 100 acres of land east of Bridge Street, and reaching to Peter's Brook. In 1799, by reason of some financial difficulty, this tract was sold at anction, and was purchased for $6000 by "The Somerset House Company." The stock was divided into ten shares, and taken as follows: George C. Maxwell, of Flemington, 2; James Van Derveer, 2; Peter D. Vroom, 2; Thomas Grout, 1; Moses Scott, 1; Andrew Howell, 1; John Meldrum, 1. The prop- erty included the "stable lot" on the south side of the Great Road. The tavern was kept by John Mel- drum after the purchase, and on June 19, 1799, the auction sale of the old court-house lot and jail lot was held at the house of "John Meldrum's Somerset House," as per advertisement of May 9, 1799, in the Guardian of New Brunswick. The house company sold several lots, and May 26, 1807, the remainder- 90 acres-was purchased by John Van Nest. The following is a description of the property, as taken from the records in the clerk's office in Somerville:

" Beginning at a stake or stone, heing the northwesterly corner of church lot, und standing in the line of lande now or lately belonging to Jacob R. Hardenburgh; thence running along the said line north 15º east 75 chains and 95 links to a heap of stones and locust-tree for a corner; thence south 79º and 30' cast Il chains to a stake for a corner ; thence along Tunison's line south 17º and 30' west 77 chains and 25 linke to the northwesterly corner of the original tavern lot ; thence nlong the samo south 55° and 45' east 3 chalne und 58 links to a stake for a corner;

thence continning along the seid lot south 17º and 50' west 4 chnine and 65 links to the middle of the Great Road ; thence along the same south 55° and 45' east 2 chains nnd 58 links to the corner of Rosencrantz lot ; thence along the aume south 70° and 10' west 4 chnins and 88 links to a stake for a corner; theoce northi 64° and 30' west 8 chains 75 links to the southwestorly corner of the stable lot ; thence nlong the same north 17º and 50' east 5 chains and 50 links to the middle of the aforesaid Great Road; thence along the same south 63º and 10' east 4S links to the corner of the court-house lot; thence along the same north 17º aod 50' east 4 chnins and 42 links; thence continning along the said conrt-house lot north 70° and 30' west 2 chaius and 98 lioks to the northeasterly corner of the said church lot; thence along the same north 57º and 30' west 3 chains and SI links to the beginning,-containing 79 acres, be the same more or less. Also a certain lot or parcel of land situate, lying, und heing in the township, county, and State aforesaid, at a small distance from the premises above described, which in a certain deed given and executed by John Hardenburgh, Esq., late sheriff of the said county, to John Bryan, bearing date Feb. 8, 1797, for the same ie thus described : Beginning at the northwesterly corner of a lot of land formerly purchased by Philip Tunison from Titus De Witt; from thence running as the line of said Tunison runs south 38º east 11 chains and 90 links to u maple-tree stand- ing on the westerly side of Peter's Brook, marked on three sides; thence np along said brook, and bending on the sume the several courses thereof, till it comes to a black-oak tree and birch-tree, both marked on the side of said brook, and being also a corner of the said l'hilip Tunison's land; thence along his line north 3$14° west 8 chains and 9 links to a stone planted for a coruer ; thence south 43º west 8 chains and 50 links; thence sontlı 8° west 83 links to the place of beginning,-containing 11 acres three- quarters, and one-tenth of an acre,-bonnded southerly and northeasterly by the said Peter's Brook, und northerly, westerly, and southerly by lands late belonging to the said Philip Tunison, now deceased, always reserving and excepting out of the last parcel of land a certain lot on which the old gnol, now the dwelling-place of Philip Herder, stande, being 2 chains in length on a course north 38º and 15' east, and 1 chain and 19 linke in breadth on a course south 51º and 45' east."

John Van Nest sold 48 acres of the northwest part of this land, July 29th the same year, to Dr. Jonathan F. Morris ; also half an acre adjoining the church lot on the north, and November 12th of the same year sold to William Mnir a portion east of the court- house lot ; on April 1, 1809, sold to Ferdinand Van Derveer five lots of land for $5500. The first was the lot, containing about 1} acres, on which he afterwards built, now owned and occupied by Miss Mary Van Derveer. Judge Van Derveer was a native of this county, and had been in the mercantile business in Cooperstown, N. Y. He returned to this place and built the large brick house on Main Street. This was his residence until his death, and here his daughters, Mrs. Dumont Frelinghuysen, Mrs. William L. Day- ton, Mrs. Isaiah N. Dilts, and Miss Mary Van Der- veer, were born. The second lot adjoined Dauiel Latourette; the third was in rear of church lot, and contained 22 acres; the fourth was east, on Peter's Brook ; the fifth was north of the turnpike.

Isaac Davis, July 23, 1799, purchased of John Whitenach, on the south side of the Great Road, a lot west of the "stable lot." In that year he erected the honse at present occupied by Mrs. Dr. H. H. Van Derveer. Philip Herder occupied it during the latter part of 1799 for a tavern, when he purchased the jail lot and jail of Hendrick Van Arsdalen, May 3, 1800, and fitted up the jail for a tavern. It was afterwards kept by Thomas Arrowsmith, Jacob Wyckoff, and last by " Bill" De Camp, about 1850, when its history as a public institution ceased. It was owned by David

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Van Syekle, who paid $2600 to Abel Stuart to build the east end. It is now the property of William Ross. Isaac Davis sold the house ereeted in 1799 by Isaac Davis ; it was sold by him to Jacob R. Hardenburgh, May 1, 1800. Mr. Hardenburgh purchased, at the same time, the old court-house lot, where for many years Joseph Van Derveer had a shop for repairing clocks.

Daniel Latourette purchased the court-house of Isaae Davis (who bought the property of the county), removed the timbers across the street, and built a store-honse where Honeyman Brothers now are. He kept store in this building until 1817, when William J. Hedges purchased the property and carried on business many years. Daniel Latourette bought the residence of Jacob R. Hardenburgh, adjoining his store property, Nov. 21, 1803. He owned the prop- erty to the corner of Bridge Street. A large farm was on the site of the County Hotel, which was after- wards rebuilt and made into a dwelling by Mr. La- tourette, and about 1805 or 1806 into a hotel, and kept by Richard Hall. Its changes have been numerous. It is now kept by A. Moore.

Maj. Richard Tunison's residence was where Wil- liam Ross, Jr., now resides. Philip Tunison, a son of the Philip who owned a part of this traet at an earlier day, was a cabinet-maker, and built a shop on Main Street, west from the Philip Herder tavern (old jail). A tin-shop was subsequently kept by a MIr. Iligh in the building next west. A dwelling had been erected by Samuel Ilall opposite to and a little east of the old log jail. Ile also had a tan-yard in operation there. John Bryan purchased in 1797 a lot east of the log jail and on the same side of the street, where he lived. John Van Nest, who pur- chased the property of the Somerset House Company, lived on the south side of the Great Road ; his was the last house between the village and Peter's Brook. This property was purchased the same year the New Jersey turnpike was laid through Somerville, when the road was straightened and brought to its present course.

Tunison's tavern was later owned by Alexander Me- Calla, of Philadelphia. May I, 1823, he sold the property to John Torbert, whose executors in 1847 sold to Jacob Fritts. It is handed down by tradition that the houso afterwards kept by John Meklrum on the site of the post-office was the tavern known as the Somerset House, but the Somerset House Company did not own any land west of Bridge Street.

At this time but little was done in the way of im- provements west of Bridge Street. Jacob R. Harden- burgh had owned the most of the ground west to the Frelinghuysen Jot. The different purchases in 1765, 1768, and 1771 covered nearly all the property west of Bridge Street on which the village of Somerville stands. A portion of it had been sold, but not for building purposes. The ground for the Somerville academy was purchased in 1802 and the building

erected. Judge Williamson now resides where it stood.

The parsonage was erected in 1751, and is now owned by Joshua Doughty. The Wallace House was built in 1797. The old house known as the Doty honse is still standing, near the depot. A little house built by Isaac Vactor, a tailor, was opposite the aead- emy. These houses, the John Ilardenburgh house, now Dumont Frelinghuysen's, and the academy were about the only buildings west of Bridge Street in 1803. Soon after that the progress of improvement was westward. Job Van Arsdale a little later built a small two-story house and a blacksmith-shop where John W. Gaston kept a saddlery and harness-shop. Abel Stuart built a house next. This house was subsequently enlarged and fitted up for a hotel ; John Meldrum was the first landlord. It was afterwards kept by Daniel Sargeant, who came to Somerville about 1815 and purchased the property of one Middagh. It was afterwards kept by Charles Toms, and while unoccupied was burned down on a Christmas night, but in what year is not ascertained. The old pump is still in use, and stands west of J. Van Epp's honse. A grand festi- val of the Masonic fraternity was held at Somerville, and at the conclusion of the ceremonies dinner was provided for the brethren at this hotel. This was the festival of St. John the Evangelist. The occa- sion was an invitation of Solomon's Lodge, No. 1, to the Rev. John S. Vredenburgh to preach a sermon before the lodge. The officers were Dr. William Me- Kissaek, Master; Andrew Geddes, Senior Warden; and James Herring, Junior Warden. The sermon was delivered in the Dutch church (that being the only one in the village at the time) .*

March 2, 1807, John Davenport purchased of Jacob R. Hardenburgh a tract of 109 aeres (being part of a tract left in trust by Rev. Jacob R. Hardenburgh for the children of John Hardenburgh) fronting on Main Street (then the New Jersey turnpike), bounded cast by the cast line of the store of D. D. Craig, west by the west line of Dr. Troutman's Jot, and running back towards the mountain. Mr. Davenport built the house now owned by John Bergen, and lived there until he removed to Pluckamin, about 1809. He was a hatter, and carried on the business at this place while here. At the time of his removal 105.4 acres of the tract were divided into lots, the rest having been sold.

William Johnson, of New York, became interested with Mr. Davenport in the disposition of the lots by lottery. A map was made and filed in the elerk's office, and 460 tickets at $10 each were issued, each entitling the holder to a lot of nearly a quarter of an arre. These tickets were all sold, but only about a hundred of the deeds were recorded, they all having been signed in blank by Mr. Davenport, bearing date Oct. 25, 1809. The larger portion of the tickets having been sold in New York, many of the deeds were never

* A sketch of Solomon's lodge, No. 1, will be found In the history of tho township of Bedminster.

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demanded. The farm-house of Mr. Davenport was the first prize. This was owned several years by Mrs. Mary Howe, and was sold by her to Peter Vreden- burgh, April 3, 1817. The number of prizes unclaimed for many years left the title to considerable of the land in a very uncertain condition. The "Lottery Field" had become the rendezvous for colored people from all parts of the State, and the disreputable characters that gathered there rendered the place a blot upon the village. Meetings were held to consult upon a means of improving its condition, and a bill was drawn and passed by the Legislature which author- ized the board of commissioners of Somerville to pur- chase the "Lottery Field," provided they made the amount of purchase-money out of the resale of the whole or any part of said premises. They accord- ingly purchased the right, title, and interest of Dav- enport's heirs in the property, for $1600.

Before the sale to the commissioners, Samuel W. Davenport, an executor of the estate, inaugurated among the colored people living on the place a series of meetings caleulated to inspire them with a desire for improvement. Many of them joined heartily in the movement. Lectures were delivered by Wendell Phillips, Fred Douglas, Dr. George Cheever, and others. The funds obtained and collections raised among themselves ($2800) were expended in the erection of a school-house. These efforts had their effect, and are still felt in the community.

In 1809, Peter Dumont built a house opposite Fritts' Hotel, and George McDonald, adjoining east, very soon after built the house which became known as the Governor Vroom house. George McDonald opened a law-office there.

A blacksmith- and wheelwright-shop stood on the corner where the Ten Eyck house stands. The clerk's office was built abont 1810, west of the court-house, that building having been erected in 1798. Some time after the opening of the New Jersey turnpike, in 1807, a long low tavern-building was erected at the junction of the two roads, where Eugene Doughty now lives. It stood there until 1848, when it was purchased by Albert Cammann and removed west to the seminary building, where it still stands.

In 1809 the thoroughfare which is now Bridge Street was laid out and opened, the river being crossed at or near the present bridge by a ford. Prior to this the road or path ran along the river for a short distance and in the rear of Mr. Dumont Frelinghuysen's house, and came out on Main Street at Somerset Hall, by Isaac Auten's house. The old chain-bridge over the river was built about 1814, and is said to have cost about $23,000. The pier now in use for the covered bridge was built for the chain-bridge. The bridge was in use until January, 1821, when the north end went down with a crash. It was decided to build a new one, and the present covered bridge was erceted in the summer and fall of 1821.

Daniel Sergeant, soon after he retired from the

hotel upon the post-office site, built the brick house where Mrs. Jacob S. Rockafellow now lives. He also built the wooden building east, and commenced the manufacture of boots and shoes for the wholesale trade, employing from twelve to fifteen men. In selling his goods he traveled with a wagon as far as New Brunswick, Lambertville, and Philadelphia.

April 13, 1801, Joseph Doty purchased of Garret Terhune 54,56 acres of land lying west of Bridge Street, south of Main Street, and east of the land of the Rev. John Duryea, then the old parsonage lot, a section 40 feet square being reserved for a burial- place. The north part of this farm he plotted, and between 1807 and 1810 sold lots along the Main Street to William Skillman, Richard Compton, Gar- ret Tunison, James Carpenter, Isaae Auten, Abraham Stryker, John Hardeastle, John Garmo, and Linus High. After Mr. Doty's death it passed into other hands, and March 31, 1823, Col. Isaac Southard pur- chased of Albert Cox 463 acres,-all that remained of the farm Mr. Doty had purchased. In 1832 the lot was sold for the Methodist Church, in 1834 one was sold to the Second Reformed Church, and in January, 1835, the first lot was sold to Barney Mulford. This was the lot on which Miss Kate Dunn now lives.

The property west of the "Lottery Field," north of Main Street, had been purchased by Dr. Swan with the old parsonage property and the Hardenburgh property. In 1810, Dr. Swan sold the land below Main Street to Dr. Peter I. Stryker, and moved to. the house now standing east of Adair's store, on Main Street. This old building was opened about. 1836 as the Drovers' and Farmers' Hotel. It was first kept by John Linn, afterwards by Van Cleef, Hoag- land, Isaac Apgar, and last by John Mehan .* Farther west the land was owned by Dickinson Miller. John Whitenack, who owned south of Main and east of Bridge Street, sold off a number of lots on Main Street, east of the "stable lot," from 1799 to 1808 or 1809. He sold to Daniel Latourette fourteen acres on July 6, 1804, in the rear of Main Street, south of the first tier of lots. Latourette sold to William J. Hedges, in February, 1816, the store and house prop- erty. The land west of Bridge Street and to the line of the " Lottery Field" was in possession of Jacob R. Hardenburgh in 1805, except the academy lot and a few lots along the north side of Main Street.

In 1829 the only kinds of business that were adver- tised were as follows: At the office of the Somerset Messenger were kept books of all kinds, wrapping- and writing-paper, Swaim's Vermifuge, Butler's Veg- etable Indian Specific, waterproof blacking, etc. Wil- liam Wagoner kept an assortment of saddles, bridles, etc., in charge of William H. Gatzmer, at the office of the Somerset Messenger. John Argue had a new arrange- ment for the Somerville and New Brunswick coach for " persons wishing to take the fast line for Phila-

" Mr. Mehan died Feb. 7, 1881.

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delphia, the Princeton and Trenton coaches, or the stage for New Hope." J. J. Moore had just received a new assortment of dry goods, hardware, crockery, and groceries. Ilenry V. Dchart kept a cabinet-shop opposite Mr. Samuel Brant, and Peter Ten Eyck sold dry goods, groceries, etc., "in the store lately occupied by Tunis I. Ten Eyck."

A military event of considerable interest in the village of Somerville was the parade of the Somerset brigade and its march to the division muster-ground at Freehold in 1829, a notice of which is given in the Somerset Messenger in August of that year, to which the reader is referred.

In 1836, Joshua Doughty purchased what was then known as the Stryker farm, and, later, property on the north side of the street. In 1838 he erceted the brick building now occupied by William Koeler, the baker, which was the first brick store on the street. The completion of the railroad in 1842 to Somerville, as the Elizabethtown and Somerville Road, did much to facilitate the growth of the village. Many years later the road was continued to Easton, and finally consolidated into the New Jersey Central Railroad. The first station-agent at Somerville was Bernard Stearns, with James Kreusen as assistant. The latter is the present incumbent.

The first school-house known to exist in what is now the village of Somerville was in the rear of the First Reformed church, and is supposed to have been built about 1790. Who the first teachers were is not known. The school was merged into the academy in 1802, and from that time until its close, in 1855, an English department was kept. The children of the village were educated at this school and the schools held at private residences, one of which was taught by Miss Phoebe Studdiford, on what is now High Street; another by Miss Annie Auten, on South Street near Bridge. Later, Mrs. Nottingham taught about two years. She was suc- ceeded by Mrs. Bonnell, of Morristown, who taught until the organization of the Young Ladies' Institute, in 1849. In 1856 the present brick edifice was erected on High Street at a cost of $5000.

By an act of Legislature approved March 23, 1866, School District No. 5, Somerville (old district), was authorized to elect a board of education. In 1876 the school-building was enlarged at a cost of $4000. The county was divided into districts under the new law in 1867, and Somerville became District No. 28.

About 1807 an effort was made to establish a pub- lie library. Liberal contributions were obtained, and a committee appointed to make a selection of books. The library was kept in the store of Daniel Latour- ette, opposite the court-house, and in the Messenger otlice. It was sustained until after 1829.

From that time till 1871 no successful movement was made towards a public library. F. Lyman was then instrumental in procuring the names of 250 per- sons to unite and form an association, known as the

People's Reading-Room and Library. Oct. 1, 1871, the association was organized by the election of .1. A. Clark, President ; J. S. Knox, M.D., Vice-President ; J. T. Conklin, Treasurer; William E. Johnson, Sec- retary ; F. Lyman, Librarian. Annual dues were placed at one dollar, and with the funds books were purchased. The society has at present 938 volumes and a reading-room well supplied with periodicals and leading papers of the day. The principal officers for 1880 were S. C. Blackwell, President ; Hugh Gas- ton, Viec-President ; Secretary, G. L. Loomis ; Libra- rian, Bessie B. Smith.

POST-OFFICE.

The following is a list of the postmasters of Somer- ville, with their date of appointments, from 1822 (when the post-office was established) to the present time :

Ang. 12, 1822, Ferdinand Van Derveer; Dec. 22, 1824, Wm. J. Iledges; June 21, 1841, Theodore D. Dumont ; March 3, 18-13, Wm. G. Steele; April 27, 1849, Alexander Wilson ; April 6, 1853, John W. Van Ars- dale; May 28, 1861,* Culver Barcalow ; April 15, 1871, Daniel Porter March 27, 1877, Emmu J. Porter.

WATER-SUPPLY.

The charter for the "Somerville Aqueduct Com- pany" was obtained Nov. 18, 1807, for the purpose of supplying the village of Somerville with pure water. A large spring on the mountain, north of the village, was used as a supply. Pine logs were laid to conduct the water to the village, and a pen-stock was placed at the tavern now occupied by Jacob A. Fritts. The head of water was about on a level with the ball on the spire of the First church, and the weight of the column was so great that breaks were often occurring; and it was finally abandoned. An effort was then made to procure good water by boring. A well situ- ated in the yard of Ferdinand Van Derveer was se- lected, and a boring of nearly 200 feet was made, but finally abandoned, and no effort has since been made.

The history of the religious organizations, secret societies, cemeteries, ete., of Somerville, will be found uuder their department headings on following pages.

BOUND BROOK.

The cluster of dwellings and business places at Bound Brook was but a straggling village from its earliest history until about 1834 or 1835. It has the honor of being the oldest village in the township or the county. The brook east of the village was the bounding-line of lands granted to the people who set- tled Amboy and its vicinity. The name "Bound Brook" occurs as early as 1660; hence it came to be accepted for the locality. For many years a consid- erable distance round about on both sides of the river was known by this name, the village of Bloomingdale bearing the appellation South Bound Brook. At the beginning of the present century the old "Swift-sure" line of stages passed through this place, leaving New- ark at G A.M., passing through Elizabeth, Bound

* July 23, 1868, became presidential.

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Brook, Somerville, and reaching Philadelphia the next evening. In 1829 the Somerville and Brunswick Union Coach Line ran through Bound Brook, con- necting with the steamer "Trenton"; this line was owned by John Argue. The Swift-sure Line of mod- ern time also passed through here. The opening of the Delaware Canal, in 1836, gave an impetus to Bound Brook, which was increased by the completion of the Central Railroad to that place in 1839. Boats commenced to run from New Brunswick to Bound Brook in 1836; William Tappan was the first to pay toll on this part of the canal.

The post-office was established about 1803; Joseph Mollison was the first postmaster. His successors were John H. Voorhees, Israel S. Tucker, Jeremiah R. Field, Hiram Bush, and the present incumbent, Benjamin F. Littell.

A hotel was kept here before the Revolution, and was known in later years as the Frelinghuysen House, by Peter Harpending; one at Middlebrook in 1798 by John Van Duyn; in 1802, by Dr. Ten Eyck. William Harris built the Middlebrook Hotel, which was kept by Israel Harris in 1815. Bound Brook Hotel stands on the site of George Cossart's house; he was one of the three who purchased, in 1700, the tract where the village now stands.

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History of Hunterdon and Somerset counties, New Jersey : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 162

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