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 173
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 173
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No records of roads are obtainable in the township, they having been burned, as before stated. The high- ways from Bound Brook to Peapack and from Lam- ington to the "Great Road" appear to have been the earliest opened. In an old book of record in the county clerk's office we find that, Sept. 18, 1744, a road was ordered opened which began "at a four-rod road that leads from Bound Brook betwixt the moun- tain at a black-oak tree standing at ye mouth of William McDaniels' lane"; it ran "down the hill by the salt ponds" and past McDaniels' Mills till it in- tersected Peapack Road. The tract of land purchased by William McDaniels was situated at what is now known as Kline's Mills. The boys of forty years ago well remember the "Old Bridge Hole" as a famous fishing-place, and the ruins of an old bridge is re- membered by many as being opposite the honse of George Stevens. The conrse of the old road has been changed somewhat.
A road was laid out from the township line at the Demond bridge, cast of Lesser Cross-Roads, westerly through Larger Cross-Roads to the " High Road" from "Lamington to Piscataqua" in October, 1746.
Aug. 19, 1755, a petition was presented to the sur- veyors to lay out a " four-rod road from Mr. Andrew Leake's mill to Pluckamin town."*
There were many other roads laid and re-laid in the early days, t but the above mentioned are the most prominent. The reader is also referred to the chapter on early roads in the general history of this county.
** See p. 33, old record of roads, clerk's office, Somerville.
+ See pp. 8, 10, 21, 22, 33, 66, etc., old road book, clerk's office, Somer- ville.
709
BEDMINSTER.
TAVERNS.
The oldest tavern in the township of Bedminster was doubtless that of Jacob Eoff, at Pluckamin ; tra- dition gives the date of its erection as 1750. He kept the tavern through the momentons scenes of the Rev- olution, and Pluckamin, although to-day off from main lines of travel and an unimportant place, was in that time a centre of interest. A committee of the Council of Safety met at the old tavern, and many of the prominent men of the country were in the habit of gathering there. The idea has obtained from arti- eles heretofore published that Christian Eoff' kept the tavern at that time, but, as he was not born till 1762, it is not likely he was landlord at thirteen years of age." Ile was an inveterate joker, and many are the stories related of him.t The site of the old tavern is where the house of Joseph Nevius now stands in Pluckamin. It was diseontinned as a tavern and oe- eupied by Cornelius Eoff, a brother of Christian Eoff, as a residence. A tavern was built on the site of the present one, and kept by Christian Eoff for many years, and when the old tavern (sometimes called the " Barracks," from its being a long, low building) was torn down, the present tavern building was ereeted by James Herriot. Christian Eoff had great influence with the court officials; his friend across the way failed to obtain a license, and the house was never used for that purpose.
John Sutphen kept one of the taverns at Larger Cross-Roads during the war, and was a spy for Wash- ington. When the army was on the way to the South, a short time before the capture of Cornwallis, the officers and statl' dined here. While Gens. Knox, Wayne, Maxwell, and others gave way to pleasantry over their wine, Washington remained silent and thoughtful at the head of the table. Lucy Smith has told Peter Sutphen that her grandmother, Sarah Phoenix Sutphen, the landlady, watched him taking bread-crumbs between his thumb and finger and grinding them to powder in his abstractedness, his restless fingers keeping motion to the workings of his brain, that then and there was organizing the glorious victory which shortly followed.
The American wagon-master kept his horses in Sutphen's stable. To get into the enemy's camp and find out their plans Sutphen played the horse-thief. In concert with the wagon-master, they got Simon, a negro of Gisbert Sutphen, to break open the stable- door and assist in taking the horses to a thicket, where they were hid for three days, the men in the American camp being told they had been stolen. The negro, who afterwards told the story, said that he carried them hay in the darkness of night for fear of being discovered. Sutphen, watching his oppor- tunity, took the horses to the British, soll them, got
into their camp, and obtained on the sly the informa- tion he wanted. Many other similar stories are told of the cunning inventions of this man to learn the movements of the enemy.# Township elections were held at this tavern.
In 1797 another tavern was kept, across the road, by .John Finley, in 1798-99 by Jacob Hoppock, and in 1800 by John D. Van Duyn ; later it was kept by Joseph Stevens. The Sutphen tavern stood on the site of the present residence of David Dunham, the Finley tavern where Zachariah Flommerfelt now lives. No tavern has been kept at the Larger Cross- Roads for over forty years. John Melick kept a tavern at Lesser Cross-Roads ; his first license was granted in 1786. He remained as late as 1801, and was suc- ceeded by Capt. William Fulkerson (a noted cavalry officer from Virginia), who remained at this place till 1814.
The tavern has had many landlords from that time. It is now kept by George Beavers. A tavern was also kept at Lamington in an early day, of which but little is known except that after the Sunday services the people usually gathered there and partook of cake and beer.
TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.
No positive evidence of the date of organization of the township can be obtained, as the books and papers, together with the charter, were burned about 1845 in the fire that destroyed the residence of Aaron Longstreet, of Lamington, then township clerk. There is no doubt but that the charter was from the king and bore date about the same time as that of the township of Bridgewater, which was in 1749. The subscription-list which is found in the history of St. Paul's Lutheran Church bears date " Bedminster- town, December ye 7th, 1756. ... For building a church in Bedminstertown," and contains many of the family names of Bedminster at that time.
An election was held in 1797 at the tavern-house of Jolin Finley, innkeeper, at the Larger Cross-Roads, at the same place in 1798-99, then kept by Jacob Hoppock, and in 1800, then the house of John D. Van Duyn.
The civil list of the township is here given from 1845 (the date of the earliest existing records) to the present time :
TOWN CLERKS.
1815-16, Aaron Longstreet; 1547-45, Benjamin R. Honnell; 1849-50, William J. Todl; 1851-52, Frederick ff. Konnedy; 1853, Henry loneyman ; 1854-35, David MI. Todd ; 1856-61, William P. Sutphin ; 1862-63, William 11. Todd ; 1866-66, William P. Sntphin ; 1-67, David M. Todd: 1868, William P. Sutphin ; 1869-73, Wilbur F. Wilson ; 1.74, David MI. Sutphin ; 1875, C. B. Messlor; 1>70-79, Erastua Rau- dall ; 1850, George II. Logan.
CHOSEN FREEHOLDERS.
1815, ilenry Slonn, Derrick Lane; 1846-47, Stephen 11. Sutphin, Samuel l'ottor ; 1-48-49, David G. Schomp, William Wortman : 1850-51, Ben- jamin I. Honneli, l'eter J. Lano ; 1×52-33, Corneilus M. Wyckoff;
# Many interesting rominisconces were gathered in 1870 by Jacob Magill, of tho Newark Journal, some of which are hore reproduced.
* In The record of tavern licenses in the county clerk's office, Christian Hoff's name first nppours as having been granted in the April term, 1791.
+ Soo A. W. MeDowell's article in "Our Home," 1573.
710
SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
1854-55, William J. Todd; 1856-57, Benjamin R. Honnell ; 1858-59, William J. Todd ; 1860-61, Chambers D. Tunison ; 1862-63, Samuel Potter; 1864-65, Benjamin R. Honnell; 1866-67, Cornelius S. Sut- phin; 1868-69, Morris M. Crater; 1870-73, Benjamin R. Honnell ; 1874-75, Peter J. Lane; 1876-77, Peter S. Tiger; 1878-79, Austin Clark; 1880, Isaac Voorhees.
TOWN COMMITTEE.
1845, Aaron Longstreet, Abraham A. Ten Eyck, William J. Todd, Cor- nelius W. Schomp, Peter Garretson; 1846, James J. Todd, Adam Reger, David Apgar, Peter Latourette, Peter Garretson : 1847, Jantes J. Todd, Adam Reger, David Apgar, Peter Latourette, Jolın D. Kline; 1848, David W. Dillicker, John D. Kline, Morris P. Crater, William Ten Eyck, Cornelins W. Schomp; 1849, Morris P. Crater, John D. Wortman, Peter Melick, William Ten Eyck, Corneline W. Schomp; 1850, John D. Wortman, Peter Melick, Frederick II. Kennedy, Nich- olas Tiger, Aaron Longstreet ; 1851, A. A. Ten Eyck, Samuel Potter, Frederick H. Kennedy, Nicholas Tiger, Aaron Longstreet ; 1852, Frederick H. Kennedy, Aaron Longstreet, Abraham A. Ten Eyck ; 1853, William J. Todd, Cornelins W. Schomp, Samnel Potter; 1854, David W. Dellicker, Cornelius W. Schomp, Samuel Potter ; 1855, David W. Dellicker, Abraham A. Ten Eyck, Arthur V. P. Snt- phin; 1856, Cornelins M. Wyckoff, Abraham A. Ten Eyck, Arthur V. P. Sutphin ; 1857, Arthur V. P. Sntphin, William J. Todd, Abra- ham A. Ten Eyck ; 1858, Arthur V. P. Sutphin, Peter Honeyman, Daniel C. Powelson ; 1859, Arthur V. P. Sutphin, George Lawshe, Peter Honeyman; 1860, Cornelius W. Schomp, Barnabas H. Horton, George Lawshe; 1861, Cornelius W. Schomp, Barnabas H. Horton, Theodore Allen; 1862, Benjamin R. Honnell, Lewis Van Doren, The- odore Allen; 1863, Benjamin R. Honnell, Lewis Van Doren, William S. Potter; 1864-65, William C. Potter, Cornelius S. Sutphin, Barnabas H. Horton ; 1866, Benjamin R. Honnell, Theodore Allen, Peter S. Tiger ; 1867, Benjamin R. Honnell, Peter S. Tiger, William S. Pot- ter; 1868, Cornelins W. Schomp, Benjamin R. Honnell, Horace Van Derbeck ; 1869, Horace A. Van Derbeck, Philip M. Crater, William P. Sntphin; 1870-72, Horace A. Van Derbeck, Philip M. Crater, David M. Todd; 1873-74, David M. Todd, John Poole, George P. Vroom ; 1875, Theodore Allen, John Poole, George P. Vroom ; 1876, Benjamin R. Honnell, Horace A. Van Derbeck, Charles L. Layton ; 1877, Austin Clark, David B. Melick, Benjamin R. Honnell; 1878, Elias Philhower, John Rodman, Isaac Voorhees, George W. Mullen, David R. Melick : 1879, George W. Mullen, John Rodman, Isaac Voorhees, George P. Vroom; 1880, Peter S. Tiger, John Rodman, Ralph Davenport.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
1850, Elias D. Lawrence, Jacob Losey; 1875, David M. Todd, Horace A. Van Derbeck, John M. Brown; 1880, Horaco A. Van Derbeck, David M. Todd.
SURVEYORS OF HIGHWAYS.
1845, John Wortman, Jr., David Dunham ; 1846, William J. Van Doren, Samuel Sloan; 1847, William Wortman, Marten Latourette; 1848- 49, John Tiger, Derrick Lane; 1850, Jonathan F. Van Deventer, Simon J. Vleet; 185I, Peter Garretson, Simon J. Vleet; 1852, Wil- liam Wortman, Simon J. Vleet; 1863, William Wortman, Aaron Longstreet ; 1854, John Wortman, Jr., Jolin M. Wyckoff; 1855-57, John Wortman, Jr., John B. Demand; 1858, Jolin B. Denmund, C. S. Sloan ; 1859-60, John W. Demund, Andrew J. Gnlick ; 1861-62, John Wortman, Simon J. Vleet ; 1863-67, Jacob V. D. Powelson, Austen Clark : 1868-71, Jacob V. D. Powelson, Potor F. Hill ; 1872-73, Jacob V. D. Powelson, John G. Schomp; 1874-75, Jacob V. D. Powelson, Charles L. Lnyton ; 1876-78, Joseph D. Nevius, Cornelius M. Wyck- off; 1879, Joseph D. Nevins, Nathan Compton; 1880, Amoe O. Sut- phin, Robert R. Nevius.
ASSESSORS.
1845, Ralph Davenport; 1846-47, David Dunham ; 1848-49, Semuel Sloan ; 1850, Jolın Vau Derveer; 1851-52, David W. Dellicker; 1853-54, Poter Kline; 1855-61, Ralph Davenport; 1862-63, W. P. Sutpliin ; 1864-66, Ralph Davenport ; 1867-68, John G. Schomp; 1869-72, Jacob Kline; 1873-75, Ilorace A. Vanderbeck ; 1876-78, John G. Schomp; 1879-80, William P. Sntphin.
COLLECTORS.
1845, Morria P. Crater; 1816, Cornelius W. Schomp; 1847-48, Moses Craig; 1849-50, David W. Dollicker; 1851-52, John G. Schomp; 1853, Elias D. Lawrence; 1854, Peter Honeyman ; 1855-50, Sumnel
Potter; 1857-58, John G. Schomp; 1859-60, Theodore Allen; 1861- 62, Amos T. Foster; 1863, Nicholas P. Todd; 1864-65, Theodore Allen ; 1866-79, Amos T. Foster; 1880, Theodore Allen.
A list of the votes taken Oct. 10 and 11, 1797, at the house of John Finley, innkeeper, at the Cross-Roads in Bedminster, for council, assembly, sheriff, and coro- ners :
John Mehelm, Abraham Metaney, Giddean Lyon, Jesse Skillinger, Mat- thias Lane, Daniel Avan, Aaron Melick, Garret Voorhees, William McEwen, Esq., John Wortman, Robert Chapman, John Logan, John Demund, Robert Henry, Guisbert Sutphin, Thomas Stout, Esq., John Whelch, David Dunam, Hnghi Gaston, Hugh Barkley, William Van Dorn, Matthias Lane, Sr., John Henry, Peter Lane, Samuel Dunam, Daniel Grandin, Esq., Henry Stone, Alfred Hared, Morris Lane, Cor- nelius Van Nest, William Perrine, Aaron Van Dorn, Martin Hines, Capt. Samuel Potter, William McDonald, Jr., Job Lane, William Wolf, Philip Van Arsdale, James Wolf, Col. William Todd, Thomas King, Matthew Lane, Gilbert Lane, Ilngh Macinre, Thomas Whalen, Matthew McDowell. John McWilms, Cornelins Sidam, Maj. J. Henry, John Van Voorhees, Meahan Powelson, John King, Andrew Vosselar, John McBride, Capt. John Todd, Isaac Van Dorn, Matthew Lane, Jr., Simon Hagaman, Abraham Brown, James Van Derveer, David Cochran, Henry Stevens, William Dowe, Thonins Willett, John Berry, Albert Johnston, Sylvenus Young, John Sidam, James Kelly, Richard McDonald, Abraham Scank, John Honeman, Jr., William Smith, Abraham I. Voorhees, John Steal, James Van Dyke, William Willett, Robert Robertson, William Aiken, Marten Bonn, John A. Hagaman, Enoch Hunt, John Barkley, Jacob Van Nostrant, Christ- ian Eoff, Nicholas Arrowsmith, Esq., Benjamin Babcock, John Teeple, Jonathan Sntfin, Morris Bird, Cornelins Poweleon, Rev. William Boyd, William Heury, Daniel Henry, John Vleet, John Arvin, Gerome Van Nest, John Teeple, Sr., Richard Boman, John Hagamam, Isaiah Sharp, David Bird, Hendrick Field, Johannes Voorhees, Robert Aaron, John Missenor, William Arvin, Cristofer Misner, Dr. William McKissac, George Todd, Samuel Perry, John Barkley, Jacob Vande- venter, John Bird, Gnisbert Van Dorn, Edde Demund, Mical Auble, Joseph Annin, Esq., Robert Blair, Esq., Samnel Boylan, Albert Nevius, Peter Sutfin, John Finley, John Todd, William McClure, Levi Sutton, David Misner, John Bryan, Esq.
The vote cast in the township at the above election was 152; in 1800, 192; 1809, 154.
The following is taken from the assessment-roll of 1787, and gives the names of persons living in the township, the number of acres owned by each, and the amount of tax paid, in pounds, shillings, and pence :
£
Robert Allen, 212 acree.
3
8. 11
d. 8
John Allen, 60 acres.
0
9
7
Robert Allen, Jr., 107 acres.
1
6
4
Nicholas Arrowsmith, 76 ncres. 3
2 1
William Auble, 80 acres. 15 3
1
11 10 3
Hugh Barclay, 262 acres
7
1
2
17
6
4
12
0
5 16
D
0
John Bryan, 22t acres ..
Philip Bright, 140 acres ..
Hngh Bailey, 90 acres.
1
10
6
Luke Bellows, 30 acres.
0
18
Martin Bunn, 206 acres
4
0
I
Robert Chapman, 150 neres.
John Chapman, 60 acres
Peter Colsho, 142 acres. John Coats, 32 acres ...
William Coats, 33 acree.
1
0
1
Henry Cass, 103 acres ..
2
John Cline, 200 acres ...
1
10
8
Joseph Doren, 200 acres.
2
9
4
Peter Dicker, 58 ucres ...
1
Jolin Demont, 286 acres,
6
8
5
Jolın Dikins (Duyckinek), 200 neres.
3
7
1
Christian Eoff, 196 neros,
Thomas Elston, 122 neres.
3
0 0
10
Abraham Emmons, 200 neres,
4 15
10
8
Christian Filomely, 100 acres 13 2
1
10 6
2 10
Abraham Brown, 10 acres.
0 14
4
2 I
13 2
6
5
4
1
·
0
5 I
Jolin Barclay, 110 acres.
Robert Blair, 202 acres ..
Thomas Barry, Esq., 215 acres ..
Rev. William Boyd, 103 acres.
4
2
Morris Bird, 60 acres,
2 15
Robert Barclay, 200 acres.
5
2
5
10
7
711
BEDMINSTER.
Jacob Filomely, 90 acres.
1
16
5
John Barclay ..
1
0
John llagaman .. 10 0
Ingh Gaston, 300 arres,
19
1
John Boylau.
4
0
Aaron Huff
0
Robert Gaston, Esq., 20 acres.
3
9
.1
Ebenezer Berry.
0
7
0 Adam Huir .. 15 0
Daniel Henry, 213 neres,
5
7
3
John Berry
0
10
0 Samuel Jonas ....
0
17 7
James Henry, 140 acres.
12
5
حبـ
Benjamin Babcock
0
0 John Lane,
1
B 0
Alford Heriot, 132 neres,
3
16
8
Moses Craig.
7
4 Robert Little
9
10
Simon Hagaman, 200 acres ..
5
1-4
G
Widow Castner.
1
O
0 Abraham Lawrence
0
18 7
Adrian Hagaman, 200 acres.
4
4
4
Benjamin Corouton
0
15
=
Elisha Lawrence
0
8
Widlow Hunt, 82 acrea ..
3
Jacob Kotf.
2
5
11 Gabriel Timbroek. 0
15
0
Stephen Hunt, 82 neres ..
1
10 2
Cornelius Eoff.
0
17
7 Aaron Lane.
0
15
0
James Henth, 277 acres.
5
0
7
0
15
0 Danlel Meallck. . 0
10
0
Thomas King, 243 neres.
B
10
8
Joseph Gaston.
18
11 Joseph McMortry 0
George King, 60 ueres,
William Gaston
0
15
1 John MeComes.
0
Nathan King, 90 nerey ...
7
William Heury ...
0
10
0 Albert Johnsm.
0 10
Garret Lane, 197 Acres ....
4
8
2
John Perry.
0
15
0 Samuel Blair
0
Cornellna Lane, 125 neres.
11
Daniel Somer.
0
10
0 Poter Bockover
12
Matthias Lano, Jr., 306 neres
8
4
3
3
0
0
John Todd
0
10
3
Ebenezer Perry.
7
John Linn, 150 acres.
3
8
Widow Van Derveer.
16
3
John Doughty
0
1.1
7
Joseph Linn, 150 nores ..
2
11
Court Voorheca.
0
10
0 Matthias Demunt.
0
12
Matthias Lane, 120 acres.
3
5
Ralph Van Houten ... 0
7
11 Chris. Van Deventer ....
0
William Logan, 76 acres.
15
7
Susanunh Lake, 30 acres.
11
G
Puter Low, 282 neres,
2
.1
Mra. Lufterty, 174 acres ..
1
15 8 16
: - 1 0
Richard McDonald, 170 acres.
13
William McEwen, 136 acres.
3
15
9
John McDnwel, 120 acres ..
2
11
Matthew McDowel, 200 acres,
7
15
1
Anron Meallek, 200 acres ....
12
1
James Mullen, 132 acres.
11
John Menlick, 97 neres.
3
1
11
*
1
Petor Nevins, 160 acres ...
4
1
11
John Powelson, 100 acres ..
3
0 10
Cornelius Powolson, 210 aerea
7 10
Mannah Powelson, 50 acres .. Nathaniel Portor, 81 acres ...
0 11
Ralph Phenix. 250 acres ..
0
Abraham Powelson, 235 acres
4
9
Henry Powołson, 165 neres.
19
Samuel Pottor, 75 acres ...
1 12
Isanc Potter, 75 acres.
1 13
Gulabert Sutfin, 338 acres,
7
17 8 7
8 10 4
John Sntfin, 80 acres.
3
John Smily, 11 acres
16
Henry Sloan, 370 acres
1.1
G
Martin Stino, 300 acrea.
G
5
6
Amoa Suthu, 150 acres.
2
12 13 1
11 1
Jonathan Sutton, 150 neres.
8
George Todd, 200 acres.
8 3
William Todd, 170 acres.
5
2
13
8
John Teeple, 50 acres.
2
4
Peter Teeple, 40 acres
0
David Traphagen, 100 acres.
3
John Taylor, Hi acres.
14
1G
11
0
1
1
3 11
10
0
6
Matthew Webb, 19 AcreA.
1
9
Cornelins Van Nest, 119 acres,
15
Ifenry Van Arsinlen, 20 acres ..
0
7
Abraham V. Voorhees. 156 acres.
2
Willian V. Kirk, 228 Acres.
William SI. Van Arsdalen, 50 acrea
James Van Dike, 35 acres.
Abraham Van Nest, 127 acres.
12 3 14
9
John Wortman, 246 neroa.
10 1
5 5
John Whaton, 120 neres, ..
1
0
Willhun Willett, 10 ueres.
10
0
WIHlum Willwon, 119 Arres.
3
Peter Inne, 150 nerrs
3
14
Christian Misener, 170 acres, 9
Ezekiel Sharp, 90 Acres .. 10
Jacob Van Darn, 80 acres ...
10
S
Gniabert Van Dorn, 75 acres
1
19
0
Abraham Tundson, 50 acres
1
0
8
William Chrovor, 115 acres, 14
Andre Bird, 25 acres ... 0
13 10
The following are the names of persons who paid taxes on other than real estate, with amount of tax :
PLUCKAMIN.
The land upon which the village is located is with- in the territory deseribed as being purchased of the proprietors of East New Jersey by Dr. Lewis John- ston and Mary Johnston (afterwards Mrs. James Alexander). Later, Jacob Eoff purchased a large traet embracing the present site, and east to the top of "Pigtown Mountain."
In 1756 the stone church (St. Paul's Lutheran) was built, and the subscription-list contains the names of 151 persons who contributed, many of whom were from adjoining towns, notably Fisher, Van Norden, Anderson, and others from Bound Brook. Jacob Eoff donated the land, and headed the list with £20.
A cluster of dwellings soon gathered and other in- terests sprang up. John Teeple opened a blacksmith- shop in what is now the upper part of the village. The Lafferty House was built the same year with the church. Col. William McDonald's mill, east from the bridge erossing Chambers' Brook, was ereeted before 1749. William MeDaniels' mill was before 1744 on the spot now occupied by Kline's Mills.
The name Pluekamin has been the subject of wide conjecture. Tradition points to a colony of French living here before the settlement of the Scotch or German, and giving the locality the name Plaque- mine, from plaqueminier, meaning, in French, the " date-plum," or persimmon-tree, which latter trees grew here in abundance. This is without doubt the real origin of the name Plickamin, though another story is related to the effect that the landlord of the place was in the habit of going up and down the street inviting the people to come into his house and partake of his liquor, and for so doing he was called Pluck-'em-in. The fame of the landlord and the tavern grew from his hospitality and good cheer, and the locality became known as Pluckamin. This last version was doubtless an after-thought,-an invention of some lounger who spent hours by the tavern-fire in incubating the pun on the original French name.
0 John Sanders.
0
G
0
Joseph Hendrick. 0
10
0 John McWilliams.
16
Peter Nevins, Jr. 0
15
0 Cornelius Doren ....
0
6
0
George V. Voorhis. 0
0
10
0 Benjamin Remer.
G
140
Matthias Lane, Sr., 200 acres.
5
Levy Sotton.
0
10
Hugh Gaston
10
Samoel Taylor.
0
15
David Bird
10
0
Daniel Lawrence, 156 acres.
50
7 10
2
Peter Van Vleet.
0
10
0 Jolın Dale, Jr.
0
10 10 1
Matthew Lane, 100 acres.
18 3
William McDowel, 106 ncrea ...
7
William Me Kissick, 50 acres. Christian Novius, 208 acres.
3 14 9
3
0
Albert Nevins, 188 acres.
5 1
3
14 12 13 5
99516 1 8
Guisbert Suttin, Jr., 105 acrea ...
0
Samuel Todd, 100 neres.
2
1 8
John Todd, 80 acres,
19 15 11
- 3
Christopher Van Deventer, 30 acres. John Voorhees, 156 nere8 ...
lans Voorheca, 180 acres ...
12 11 7
Philip Van Aredalen, 64 Acres
3 3
2 2 8
3 5
5 19 1
0101005 0
Willlam Wolf. 70 acres.
3 1
Petor Wortmann, 260 acres.
10 3
1 Joseph Golden, NO uerra 18
09330 3
5
9
5
Jobes Compton.
0 18
11 Jacob Lawrence
0
10
Robert Hetiry, 200 acres.
d.
£
d.
£
10 9
1
1 9
8
10
2 12
0
0 8
Blotch Van Nest.
15
VILLAGES AND HAMLETS.
9
William Smith, 20 acres ...
James Van Derveer, 665 acrea.
Jacob Van Doren, 210 acres.
Aaron Von Dorn, 121 ncres.
Jacob Wolf, 142 acres ..
Andrew Wortmann, 52 nores
0
0
Jacob Fulkerson ...
712
SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
The first record extant of the name Pluckamin is in a road record, Aug. 19, 1755. The first store of which any knowledge is obtained was kept by John Boylan, in the house now occupied by his daughter, Mrs. Sarah Parker. He came to Pluckamin twenty years prior to the Revolution, and had stores at Veal- town, Liberty Corners, Pluckamin, and Van Derveer's mills. One of the day-books of the Van Derveer mill store is in possession of Samuel W. Davenport, of Somerville, and shows the line of purchase of the people of that time. Some of the prices are here given, the currency being in pounds, shillings, and pence. Rum was the staple in liquors, and sold for 5s. 6d. per gallon ; molasses, 2s. 6d. ; sngar, 8d. per lb. ; tea, 5s .; coffee, 1s. 9d .; butter, 18 .; nails, 11d. ; red broadcloth, £1 7s. per yard ; calico, 5s. 3d. ; corn, 4s. 6d. per bushel. In this day-book John Teeple is men- tioned as tapster ; John Van Horn, tailor. Mr. Boylan was an extensive manufacturer of potash, that heing then an important article of commerce. He purchased 150 acres on the north side of the village, which is still known as the Boylan farm, and where he is said to have entertained Washington in some of his visits to Pluckamin. On the border of the woods, not far from his house, a level spot was cleared for dancing pur- poses and used by the artillery brigade while in quar- ters at this place. This land was sold previous to 1787, as Boylan's name appears in the assessment of that year as paying tax only on personal property. Mrs. Boylan lived to be ninety-five, having been a widow for fifty years. They are both buried in the cemetery at Basking Ridge.
Squire William McEown was also a merchant in Pluckamin during the Revolution. He was a com- missary for the army, and purchased flour in Hun- terdon County of Col. John Mehelm, at the mills now known as Hall's Mills. The flour was loaded on a large wagon, and, drawn by four yoke of oxen, was conveyed to Pluckamin and Morristown. He married Jemima, daughter of Col. John Mehelm (who settled in Pluckamin after the war and lived there while surrogate of Hunterdon and Somerset Counties, and died Oct. 6, 1809, aged seventy-six). Squire McEown's store was in the building now occu- pied by James Brown, Sr. He owned 136 acres of land adjoining in 1787. His only daughter married Squire Elias Brown; James Mehelm Brown is a de- scendant. Squire McEown died March 10, 1817, in the house where he lived and kept store. He was aged sixty-one.
The following in reference to this store is related by Dr. A. McDowell :
" At one time the British cavalry, after a defeat of our army, made a raid upon the village, took possession of the store, and carried away all the boots, shoes, clothing, teas, etc. . . . At that time several honses were plundered. Mrs. McEown took up her floor, concealed her feather-beds and other valuables under it, and replaced the carpet. Old Mr. Eoff's fences and rails were hurnt. Peter Lane's father was appointed to col- lect all the pewter plates and dishes, which were much in use in those days, and deposit them at certain recognized places,-viz., Pinckamin and Larger Cross-Roads. They were theu melted into bullets to shoot
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