History of Hunterdon and Somerset counties, New Jersey : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 176

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 176
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 176

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720

SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

There are no records which enable us to determine when the first house of worship was built, but it was probably commenced that same year, or the next at furthest, making its date 1759 or 1760 .* It was built upon land donated by Jacobus Van Dervecr. It was of wood, and stood, facing south, on the ground occu- pied by the present church. The front door was directly opposite the pulpit, and the galleries were in the two ends. It was longer in front than in depth, never painted, but had a board ceiling and pews, and in general appearance resembled the old church at Readington, after which it was probably patterned. It stood until 1816, when it was removed to make way for a new building. The register of baptisms dates from Nov. 15, 1801, when the ministry of John Schureman began. The first infant baptized was Jane, daughter of Peter Lane.

The history of the church is involved in that of the church of Raritan from its first organization, in 1758, to the close of the ministry of Theodorc F. Romeyn. It had a third of the services of Dr. Hardenburgh, as well as of Romeyn, during the period extending to 1787. Then Rev. John Duryea supplied, in connec- tion with the First Church of Raritan, up to 1800.+ But the days of its pupilage were now ended. It had grown into prosperity, and felt the developing ener- gies of mature life. It determined to have a pastor of its own, and John Schureman, a native of New Brunswick and graduate of Queen's College, was called Nov. 13, 1800. He served the church faith- fully for six and a half years,-then went to Mill- stone; he died in 1818, regretted by all who knew him. His dismission is dated May 25, 1807.

In July, 1808, Charles Hardenbergh was called from Warwick, N. Y., and served until May, 1820. He did a great work in Bedminster; a new church was built in 1817 and 1818, a classical school founded, and the cause of education generally encouraged and elevated, Mr. Hardenburgh was succeeded in 1821 by Isaac M. Fisher, who was followed in 1840 by George Schenck ;¿ he was succeeded, in September, 1852, by Rev. William Brush, who served thirteen years, and resigned December, 1865.

Rev. Charles H. Pool was installed in July, 1866,

* About 1758 or 1759 a meeting was called for the purpose of locating the church site. A committee was uppointed to select suitable grounds, and it was also given power to build the church. Jacobus Van Derveer offered to give half of the oak timber, 2 acres, and £50 sterling. Guisbert Sutphin tendered 2 acres, where the Larger Cross-Roads school-house ie now Jucated, half the oak timber for the frame, and £50 sterliog, the timber and money to be given, no matter where the church stood.

t The following record le taken from Liber A, p. 214, county clerk'e office :

" The Church of Bedminster Incorporated Sept. 12, 1791. John Duryea Ministor; John Voorhees, Elder; Cornelius Powelson, Elder; Aaron Van Doren, Elder ; Matthias Lane, Sr., Elder ; Stephen Hunt, Deacon ; Philip T. Van Aredalen, Deacon; Philip HI. Van Aredalen, Deacon.

" Received for record Nov. 14, 1791.

" FRED. J. FRELINGHUYSEN, Clerk."

# The following is the inscription on his tomb: "Sacred to the memory of Rev. George Schenck, born January 27th, 1816, died July 7th, 1852. He was pastor of this church eleven years."

and remained until 1875, when he was succeeded by the Rev. John L. McNair, still in charge.

The church has at present 100 families, 230 com- municants, and a Sunday-school of 170 pupils. There has been raised during the past year for religious and benevolent purposes, $631 ; for congregational, $1370.

THE REFORMED DUTCH CHURCH OF PEAPACK

was organized by a committee appointed Oct. 3, 1848, by the Classis of New Brunswick, at the request of the Rev. George Schenck, of Bedminster, and the people in the village of Peapack, in the lecture-room, built some years previously. There were received 31 from the church of Bedminster ; four from the Presbyterian Church of Lamington, and one from the Congrega- tional Church at Chester. Jacob Tiger, Peter De Mott, Abraham Cortelyou, and Nicholas Tiger, elders, and Henry H. Wyckoff, James S. Todd, John S. Te- tinty, and Jacob A. Clawson, deacons, formed the first Consistory.

The corner-stone of the church edifice was laid, July 10, 1849, amid a large concourse of people, and addresses were made by Revs. J. W. Chambers, Dr. Messler, J. K. Campbell, and George Schenck. The Rev. J. F. Morris, Messrs. Williamson, Stoutenbergh, Johnson, and Oakley were present, with the pastor of the church, the Rev. William Anderson. Jan. 15, 1850, the church was dedicated. The pulpit was oc- cupied by Rev. Messrs. J. K. Campbell, George Schenck, D. D. Demarest, and J. M. Knox. The pas- tor presided, Rev. J. K. Campbell offered the prayer, Rev. D. D. Demarest preached the sermon, Rev. Geo. Schenck offered the dedicatory prayer, and Rev. J. M. Knox the concluding prayer. Rev. William An- derson served from its organization until 1856, and was succeeded in 1857 by Rev. Henry P. Thompson.

In 1872 the church was enlarged at a cost of $4500, and reopened November 21st of that year. After a few months' occupancy it was burned, June 5, 1873. The church immediately proceeded to erect a new edifice ; services were held in the lecture-room during the interim. The structure, with furniture, cost $13,000. A bell was soon afterwards obtained for $500. The dedication took place Jan. 8, 1874, the prayer being offered by the Rev. H. P. Thompson, the recent pastor, and the sermon by the Rev. Dr. Edgar Easton. The Rev. James Le Fevre, Charles H. Pool, and the Rev. Mr. Mead, of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Peapack, assisted. In the spring of 1874 a call was extended to the Rev. Charles T. Anderson. He accepted, and was installed June 17th, same year. Mr. Anderson is still in charge of the congre- gation .¿ The church has 124 families, 194 communi- cants. During the past ycar $106.50 has been raised for religious and benevolent purposes, and $1439.19 for congregational. A Sunday-school having 125 pupils is connected with the church.

¿ Ile is a native of Pennsylvania, a graduate of the College of New Jersey and Princeton Seminary, and was ordained in May, 1873, by the Presbytery of Philadelphia.

721

BEDMINSTER.

THE REFORMED CHURCH OF POTTERSVILLE .*

action was filed in the clerk's office in Somerville in The inhabitants of Pottersville had no church ' April of the same year. Subscriptions were obtained, within a convenient distance, and Sering Potter, the ' and an edifice ereeted in 1839. This building an- proprietor of the mills to which the village owes its swered all purposes until about 1859, when it was remodeled and enlarged to its present capacity. . 1 parsonage lot and land for a cemetery were purchased, and a parsonage erected. This church is in the same charge with that at Chester ; the united membership is 154. The pastors who have presided are nearly as follows : Abraham Gearhart, Edward Hance, William A. Perry, Richard Van Horn, Peter D. Day, Abram Owen, Charles E. Hill, Charles La Rue, John S. Coit, Jonathan B. Heward, Thomas T. Campfield, David Walters, Thomas Rawlings, Abram l'aliner, Jacob P. Fort, Samuel Morris, Edward M. Griffiths, W. H. Haggerty, Joshua Mead, James H. Runyan, James N. Keyes, and Isaac Thomas, present incumbent. existence, felt the deprivation to which all were sub- jected, and with his sons and others moved in the matter of organizing a church. The first meeting was held in the district school-house, Oct. 9, 1865. 1 memorial, dated Oct. 10, 1865, was presented to Classis at their stated autumnal session in the Third church of Raritan. The petition was granted, and a com- mittee consisting of Rev. P. M. Doolittle, Rev. Dr. A. Messler, Rev. William Brush, Rev. H. P. Thomp- son, and the elder Isaac Crater and Zachariah L. Smith, were appointed to perfect the organization. The committee met in the school-house at Potters- ville, Nov. 2, 1865. A sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. Messler ; certificates of church membership TIIE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF PLUCKAMINT were presented from 27 individuals, embracing 9 from the Presbyterian Church, 7 from the Reformed Church, 6 from the Methodist Church, 3 from the Congrega- tional Church, and 2 from the Lutheran Church. The first Consistory was composed of Sering Potter, Thomas Fritts, and Martin Rhinehart, elders, and Joseph Emmons, Alexander MeDougal, and Edmund P. Potter, deacons. Supplies were appointed by the Classis, and religious services were thenceforth regu- larly held in the school-house.

The corner-stone of the church edifice was laid May 22, 1866, it being finished and dedicated Dee. 26, 1866. The cost was 88552.28. The call of the first pastor, Thomas W. Jones, a licentiate from the seminary at New Brunswick, bears date May 31, 1867. Hle resigned and removed to Amsterdam, N. Y., in 1870. The call of the second pastor, Vernon B. Car- roll, is dated May 25, 1871. He was also a licentiate from the seminary at New Brunswick. He remained until about 1875, and was succeeded by the Rev. Wil- liam H[. Hoffman, who is still the pastor. The church . includes 82 families, with 126 members. The Sunday- school numbers 120 scholars. The amount raised during the past year for congregational purposes was $600; for religious and benevolent, $33.67.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF PEAPACK.

Early in 1838 that portion of the Methodists in the neighborhood of Peapack united in an organization as above named. April 4, 1838, a plot of land con- taining half an acre was donated by John Philhower as a site for an edifice. A meeting was held at the house of James Melick, March 27, 1839, for the pur- pose of electing trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church Society who were intending to build a house of worship in Peapack. Rev. Abraham Gearhart wax chosen chairman, Robert A. Craig secretary. The following persons were chosen : James Melick, Robert A. Craig, John Philhower, Tunis Cole, Philip D. Lawrence, Peter Howe, William Greendike. This

is an offshoot from the Reformed Church of Bedmin- ster. The inhabitants of this vicinity, having long desired more convenient church privileges, at length regularly petitioned the Classis of New Brunswick, in whose bounds they were, to organize them into a Reformed Dutch Church. Their petition, with 81 names, was presented to the Classis at Griggstown, in October, 1850. It met with opposition, and a com- mittee was appointed to visit the ground and try to arrange the matter. At a subsequent meeting of the Classis, at New Brunswick, in November, 1850, the committee reported, and no satisfactory arrangement having been made, the people of Plnekamin, through their commissioners, renewed their application for organization. The matter was postponed until the April meeting of Classis. The people, however, having constitutionally obtained a special meeting of Classis at Branchville, in February, 1851, to consider the matter, again renewed their application, but the Classis declined taking up the subject ; whereupon the application was finally withdrawn.

Having already determined that if their efforts failed they would seek to be organized as a Presbyte- rian Church, they appeared through their commis- sioners before a meeting of the Presbytery of Eliza- bethtown, Feb. 25, 1851, and petition d to be organ- ized into a Presbyterian Church. The Presbytery, after much deliberation, resolved to grant their peti- tion, and appointed a committee consisting of Revs. W. W. Blauvelt, Williamson, and James T. English, and Elders Benjamin McDowell and William Annin, to organize a Presbyterian Church in the village of Pluckamin on the second Tuesday of March. On the day appointed, after suitable preparatory services, 39 persons were received on certificate from other churches. Four of these were unanimously elected ruling elders. On the same day a board of seven trus- tres was elected, and the organization of the church completed. No deacons were appointed. Before any

t By Rov. Samuel Parry.

* From " Memorial Notes," Dr. A. Messler.

722

SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

organization had been obtained or application for a separate organization made, decided measures had been taken for building a house of worship, and large and liberal subscriptions had been made by the people for that purpose. Here it may not be unin- teresting to record the fact that nearly one hundred years before the organization of this church the Ger- man Lutherans had erected a church edifice on the same piece of ground. This property was purchased by the trustees of the Presbyterian Church. They also bought an adjoining lot with a small church on it, erected by the Methodists in 1832, and also a small strip adjoining that. On this lot, having removed the Methodist building (which is now our neat and commodious public school-house) the people assem- bled July 8, 1851, to lay the corner-stone of their church edifice. A brief statement of the history of the church was read by Rev. William A. McDowell, D.D., who then proceeded to lay the corner-stone.

Feb. 3, 1852, the church was dedicated. Sixteen more persons were received into the church by certifi- cate, 1 on profession, Sept 20, 1851, and 1 April 10, 1852; 11 more were received by certificate, and 14 on profession, making a total of 81 members with which to begin the second year. There have been received up to November, 1880, 559 members, of whom 195 who have not removed their certificates are still living. The number of resident members last re- ported to Presbytery, April 1, 1880, is 160. The largest number of communicants received in any one year since the beginning was in 1870, during Mr. Carter's ministry, when 79 were received, 63 on pro- fession. The total number of infants baptized is 287.

The pastors of this church and the time of their pastorates have been : Rev. James Petrie, 1852 to Oc- tober 1856; Rev. F. F. Cornell, DD.,* January, 1857, to January, 1863; Rev. Thomas Carter, May, 1863, to November, 1872; Rev. Samuel Parry, April 30, 1873. The list of elders is as follows: John Van Zandt, Francis Hastings, Peter Garretson, t John Coll- yer, ¿ ordained second Tuesday of March, 1851; Elias Brown,¿ Abraham Powelson, ordained March 5, 1854 ; John McCullough, John S. Felmley, || Jacob V. D. Powelson, ordained Feb. 22, 1857; Charles Suydam, Jacob T. Wortman, John C. Bergen, [ Paul V. Tuni- son, ordained March 3, 1861.

June 14, 1873, the plan of term service in the elder- ship was unanimously adopted. Three elders are an- nually elected to serve for the term of two years. Since then the following elders have been elected and installed into office : James G. Kline, Abraham V. Wortman, William L. Lyon, June 29, 1872; Philip I. Van Arsdale, Abraham Powelson, Jacob T. Wort- man, March 29, 1874; John McCullough, James G.

Kline, William L. Lyon, April 4, 1875; T. V. Van Arsdale, J. V. D. Powelson, Jacob T. Wortman, April 2, 1876; James Brown, Daniel S. Doty, Abraham Powelson, April 1, 1877 ; J. V. D. Powelson, Jacob T. Wortman, T. V. Van Arsdalen, April 7, 1878; Daniel S. Doty, William L. Lyon, Abraham V. Wortman, April 6, 1879; Abraham Powelson, Jacob V. D. Pow- elson, Jacob T. Wortman, April 4, 1880.

Organizations that had a brief existence were the Methodist Church at Pluckamin, Baptist at Larger Cross-Roads, and Christian Association at Peapack. Jeremiah Conover obtained permission in 1831 to erect a Methodist church building on the lot owned by St. Paul's Lutheran Church. He was the only member who lived in the village. Preaching was occasional, members were few, and no minister was ever settled over the church. About 1850 the building was sold, and it is now used as a school-house.

A Baptist Society was organized at Larger Cross- Roads, and a church edifice erected about 1850. Preaching was held by missionary labors only. This church was afterwards occasionally used by the Meth- odists; it finally fell into disuse, and was sold, taken down, and removed to Chester, Morris Co. The Bap- tists for a short time after the close of the church of the "Christian Society" at Peapack used that build- ing. The Rev. William Shrope received a call in 1850, and commenced his labors April 1, 1850, and remained a year or two. Since that time no stated preaching has been held in the township by that denomination. May 10, 1853, Pethuel Mason, of the Baptist Church of Somerville, was appointed by the Association to visit the Bedminster Baptist Church. He reported that "he found them much embarrassed in pecuniary matters, house closed, no preaching, and in a very unfavorable state."

Jan. 11, 1838, a meeting was held at the house of Moses Craig, in Peapack, and the following trustees elected : Abraham Wortman, Philip D. Lawrence, . Stephen Rush, David Apgar, Moses Craig, John Je- roleman, and Hugh Runyan, Jr. These persons cer- tified that they had taken upon themselves the name of "Free Christian Society." A stone church was erected on the west side of the Main Street, and ser- vices were conducted by the Rev. Moses Cummings, Austin Craig, and others for a year or two, then discontinued. The building was afterwards used for services by the Baptists for a time, and these also were discontinued. The building is still standing, occupied as a store and dwelling.

BURIAL-PLACES. THE LAMINGTON CHURCHYARD

is doubtless the oldest cemetery in the township. The land was decded to the Presbyterian Church of Lam- ington in March, 1743, by James Alexander and Daniel D. Dunstar, who were the original purchasers of a large tract where Lamington now stands. The

Died Aug. 7, 1875.

Died Nov. 24, 1851, aged fifty-four.

# Died Jan. 5, 1865, aged eighty-three.

¿ Died Feb. 5, 1857, aged seventy-five.

[ Died May 1, 1860, aged forty-three.

f Died March 15, 1804.

723

BEDMINSTER.

church, however, was built before this time, and burials had been made in the grounds. The first of which any record is extant was that of Hephzibah, wife of William Jones, who died in 1740. Elizabeth, wife of Isaac Ross, is recorded as having died June 2, 1741, aged twenty-nine. The following names and dates are given as among the many found there: Elizabeth, wife of William Hamlin, July 4, 1746, aged thirty-three; Ann, wife of Richard Porter, Sept. 7, 1747, thirty-one; Bryan Lefferty, Esq., 1749, sixty- four; John Craig, May 23, 1753, sixty-five; Hugh Gaston, Sr., Dec. 23, 1772, eighty-five; Hugh Gaston, Jr., June 25, 1808, seventy-five; Moses Craig, July 31, 1775, seventy-five; Dr. Aaron Craig, Ang. 31, 1785, thirty-seven; Robert Craig, 1797, sixty-three; Samuel Barelay, January, 1750; William Ker and Catharine, his wife, 1777; Ephraim McDowell, March 2, 1762, seventy-four. One inscription reads :

" Ilore lles what could die of Capt. Thomas Weir, of the Bucks County militla, who departed this life 26th Jun'y, 1777, aged 35 years."

Capt. John McCarter, Oct. 14, 1777, sixty - three, and Margaret, his wife, 1769, forty-five; Michael D. Henry, "counselor-at-law in the city of New York," May 2, 1799, thirty-nine; David Henry, January, 1783, fifty-five; John Lefferty, 1776, thirty-five; Eliza- beth, his wife, and daughter of the Rev. Thomas Jones, 1772, twenty-six; Catharine, wife of Maj. Richard McDonald, July 23, 1813, seventy-nine.

The families of Linn, Porter, Mckinstry, Trap- hagen, Henry, and many others are buried here. Here also, side by side, each covered by a broad marble slab, lie the remains of two of the former pastors of the church,-the Rev. James McCrea and the Rev. Jeremiah Ilalsey. A little way to the north- east rests another, the Rev. William Boyd.

The inseriptions are here given :

" Here lies the Body of the Rev. James McCrea, who departed this life May the 10th, 1769, in tho 59th year of his ngo.

" To ronso tho sleeping sianor's fears Thy mouth did faithfully proclaim The Terrors dire from Stunl'e Mount In Great Jehovah's awful name.

" With werping eyes and melting heart Thy Master's love thou didst declaro, With Gospel cords to draw the Soul Christ's sweet and gracious calls to hear.

" A Friend sincere, of generous mind, A husband kindl, and parent good, A minister of fervent zeal, To bring the people home to God.

" And, having trud thy Master's path, Tho cross la past, the crown is won, Tho fight is fought, and by Christ's blood And Spirit thon hast overcome."

" Here lies the Body of the Rev. Jeremiah Halsey, who was for some years Eldest Tutor in the College of New Jersey, and afterwards Pastor of the church ; nud departed this life 2nd Oct., 1780, aged nearly 17 years.

" The Friend, the Scholar, Christina and Divine, Tho faithful Pastor and the Husband Kind, Tho Honest lover of both church and Stato Did all in thee unite and make thee great.

Wo hope to Regione of the purest Love Thy Soul Is gone to dwell with God above, Where perfect holy growing Life nad Light Doth over fill the miud with fresh delight."

"In momory of the Rev. W'm. Boyd, who died May 17th, 1810, fu the 49th year of his ago.

" By his death society has lost an invaluable member, religivo one of its brightest ornaments and most amiable oxatuples. His genius was masterly and his literature extensivo. llis judgment was strong and ponetrating, his taste correct, his style nervous and elegant. In the pul- pit he was a model, in the judicaturo of the church distinguished by his accuracy and procision. As a companion interesting, as u husband affec- tionato, and as a parent indulgent.

" After a life devoted to his Master's sorvico he rested from his Inbors Inmented most by those who best knew his work."

THE CEMETERY AT BEDMINSTER.

The land for the church and cemetery at this place was donated by Jacobus or Jacob Van Derveer. The first burial in the plot was that of his own wife, Phebe Ditmars, who died Sept. 11, 1759, aged fifty-three. Her grave is in the southeast corner of the yard, and is the only one of any member of the family buried in this part of the grounds, her husband having ex- changed lots with Guisbert Sutphin soon after her death. East of the church lie buried side by side Guisbert Sutphin and his wife, Areantje; he died Nov. 16, 1796, aged seventy-six ; she died May 31, 1788, aged sixty-eight. Around them are several of their descendants. Near the northeast corner of the church rests Robert Blair, Esq., who died Feb. S, ISIM, aged fifty-one; Sarah, wife of Peter Wortman, and daughter of John Van Nest, who died in 1771, aged thirty ; Margaret, the wife of Richard MeDonald, Aug. 16, 1773, aged thirty-six; Margaret, wife of Stephen Hunt, Sept. 2, 1769. In 1763, Rachel Long- street, the wife of William Van Doren, was buried in this part of the ground. Directly west of the church are the graves of the Van Derveers. An incident con- neeted with this portion of the ground is worthy of a place here :

" Jacob Van Derveer had a daughter who became insane and died. Though this old man lind given every inch of ground for the church and burying-ground, so strong were the superstitions of some of the church elders that, on account of her Infirmity, they actually rofused him the right of burying his unfortunate child within the joclosure, and he was compelled to make her gravo ontalde the fenco. Afterwards, while the army lay encamped in the vicinity, Gea. Kaox lost an lufaut daughter, and, as ho was a New England man and hell to Congregational doc- trines, tho samo prejulices which excluded Jacob Van Derveer's daugh- ter a burial-place refused the right of sepulture to the child of this brave officer who had bred his breast to thousands of bullets and was one of the best heroes of the war. His amiable wife was with him, and their tears fell thick and fast as the thought came up that the Jersey & Il which the battle-scarred soldier came to defend refused their little ono a grave. Old Jacob Van Derveer's honest check blushed scarlet with shame for his church aud congregation. Hlo took the veteran by the houd oud led him to a little corner of his own land, close by the west shle of the church nad right at the entrance-gate, near where his own daughter lay ontelde the fence, and sald, with a chuking voice, 'Gen'mal Knox, this Is my ground; bury your chikl here." So there tho Httlo one was Indl; and a few days since we brushed the autumn leaves way and rend ou a broad marblo tablet level with the earth :

"' l'ader this atone are deposited the remains of Julia Knox, an infant who died the 2d day of July, 1479. Sho was the daughter of lleury and Lucy Know, of Boston, In New England.'

" After this, Jacob Van Derveer made the church a present of this ground, and the fence was removed, so as to bring lu the grave of his

724

SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

child and that of Gen. Knox. This strange conduct on the part of these church officers is not easily accounted for, as the Dutch Church was al- ways proverbially liberal iu its ideas, and the congregations of the Dutch Churches of New Jersey generally treated those of other denominations with great neighborly kindness and consideration."*

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History of Hunterdon and Somerset counties, New Jersey : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 176

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