History of Hunterdon and Somerset counties, New Jersey : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 179

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 179
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 179

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Sticcam Atan Gone

733

BEDMINSTER.

WILLIAM A. VAN DORN.

Jacob Van Dorn, the ancestor of the family in New Jersey, came from Holland with his parents about the year 1660 when a lad ten years of age. They landed on Long Island, where the city of Brook- lyn now stands. Jacob afterwards married a Miss Bennett, and removed to Monmouth Co., N. J. Their family consisted of six sons and four daughters, one of whom was Jacob Van Dorn, Jr., born Jan. 21, 1703. He married Maria Schenck, by whom he had ten children, and after her death, which occurred Oct. 31, 1756, he married for his second wife Rachel Long- street. Aaron, a son of Jacob Van Dorn, Jr., born Sept. 14, 1744, married Geshea Schenck, of Mon- mouth Co., May 9, 1765, and had twelve children, of whom William Aaron Van Dorn, born at Peapack, Somerset Co., N. J., July 26, 1781, was the eighth child. He was one of the most enterprising and highly-esteemed citizens of Somerset County, and belonged to a numerous and influential family, many of whom have since become widely scattered. His father and the older members of the family settled at Peapack, where they purchased a large traet of land, which has since been divided into nine farms. Wil- liam A., at the age of nineteen, left home to see the world and seck his fortune. He went to Pittsburgh, and thence in a " flat-boat" down the Ohio and Mis- sissippi Rivers to Natchez, where he began to raise cotton. He cultivated the growing erop much in the same manner that he did corn, and was quite success- ful, thus doing three-quarters of a century ago what planters are just now learning to do in some parts of the South. At the end of two years, not liking a state of society where difficulties were settled by a resort to the knife or pistol, he returned home.

Peapack was then a little hamlet, with its post-office at New Brunswick, and subsequently at Somerville, until by his influence an office was opened there. With the proceeds of his cotton he began business in a store, and extended it until he had also a large farm, mill, lime-kiln, and other branches of business. Ile took more pleasure in helping his family and friends and the neighborhood than in accumulating property. He became identified with all the improve-

ments of the place. By purchasing various strips of land ho straightened the roads, had bridges built, and set an example to others in draining and clearing the land. He introduced the first threshing-machine in that vicinity, and other implements now so com- mon, though there were many evil predictions con- cerning them.

In public life he was well known, his integrity securing for him continuously some office of trust or honor. Such was the confidence in which he was held that, though always an ardent politician, he was continued through all the changes of party for thirty- five years in the office of justice of the peace and judge of the Common Pleas, and, as an indication of the soundness of his judgment, though an immense

amount of business came before him, his decisions were never set aside nor an appeal taken but in three instances.

He was a man of great firmness and dignity of character ; his habits were temperate, and all his ap- petites and impulses under remarkable control. ITis vigor of body and mind was retained to an advanced age, so that he was able to prosecute improvements at a stage of life when men generally think such work out of the question. When nearly eighty years of age he enlarged his water-power and rebuilt his mill, superintending the getting out of the timber and going upon the roof of the mill to see that the work was well done. He lived to see a dozen years after the work was completed, almost reaching the rare age of ninety years. At his death, June 13, 1871, he was the last of a long-lived family of twelve children, himself and five brothers having reached the average age of seventy-nine.

His life was rigidly moral and upright, and he had been brought up in the strietest manner. Although not connected with any church as a member, he was an earnest supporter of religion, and at one time raised the subscription money for building a Re- formed church in the place; but, owing to some op- position of their pastor at Bedminster, it was not until afterwards that the building which now stands was erected. His views of religion are well summed up in the remark which he made on one occasion : "I may not understand the letter of the Word, but I will take its spirit and try to live according to that."

Such are a few of the leading traits of this truly strong and exemplary character. He is remembered as a man of great firmness and self-reliance, and yet he possessed an amiable and generous disposition, was much beloved by his family and friends, and highly esteemed by all who knew him. He married Elsie Sutton, and left at his death two children,- Mary Ann, born 1805, and Ferdinand, born April 17, 1807.

ABRAHAM SMITH.

Abraham Smith was born in Mendham, Morris Co., N. J., Jan. 15, 1830. His father, Jacob Z. Smith, removed to the township of Bernard, where the sub- ject of this sketch was brought up and attended school till the age of fifteen. Ifis father settled on the es- tate of his father, Zackariah Smith, who afterwards divided the property among his children (see biog- raphy of l'eter Z. Smith, of Bernard). At the age of fifteen Abraham Smith went to learn his trade-that of a carriage-maker-with his unele, David B. Logan, at the Lesser Cross-Roads, in Bedminster township. where he served an apprenticeship, with hard and diligent labor, of four years. At the expiration of this period he engaged with David Apgar as journey- man, where he remained two years, and in the mean time, Oct. 27, 1819, he married Ann Daily, daughter

734

SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

of William Daily, of Readington township. The re- sult of this marriage has been four children,-viz.,

ABRAHAM SMITH.

William Anderson Smith, born Nov. 28, 1850; George Logan Smith, born Nov. 20, 1852; Jacob Wesley

Smith, born July 27, 1855; Sarah Ann Elizabeth Smith, born Oct. 1, 1870. Jacob Wesley died Aug. 7, 1855.

Upon leaving David Apgar, Mr. Smith removed to Plainfield, in 1851, where he was for eight years fore- man for the firm of Heath & Dunning, engaged in the manufacture of carriages for the Southern trade. Here he carried on other enterprises, dealing to some extent in real estate, and building and selling two houses, out of which he realized a handsome profit. This was during the growing and rapid period of Plainfield. Hard times coming on in 1857, induced Mr. Smith to leave Plainfield, which he did in the spring of 1859, establishing the shops at Peapack, which he has carried on successfully for the past twenty years. In 1865 he added the undertaking business, which he has since conducted in connection with carriage- and wagon-making.

Mr. Smith, in connection with his uncle, Peter Z. Smith, and others, founded, in 1876, the "Smith Fam- ily and Friends' Reunion," on the grounds of the an- cestral estate in Bernard, near Peapack, which has become one of the most popular institutions of the country, being attended, as it was in 1879, by about ten thousand people. Mr. Smith is vice-president of the association, and has filled that position since its organization in 1876.

His son, William Anderson Smith, married Emma Violet, daughter of Daniel T. Overton, of Yaphank, L. I., Dec. 24, 1875.

BERNARD .*

SITUATION AND BOUNDARIES.

THE township of Bernard is situated in the north- east corner of Somerset County, and is bounded north by Mendham, in Morris County ; east by the Passaic River and Warren township; south by Warren and Bridgewater ; west and southwest by Bedminster and Bridgewater townships.

PHYSICAL FEATURES.

Bernard comprises a superficial area of 41.47 square miles, or 26,541 acres. The principal valleys are those of the Passaic and the Raritan, which bound the township on the east and west, and, with their tributaries, drain its entire surface, with the exception of the extreme point of the southern projection, be-

tween Warren and Bridgewater. Dead River, which forms a portion of the southern boundary, rises in the southwestern part of Bernard and flows in an easterly direction to the Passaic River. Two of its most east- ern tributaries from the south rise near the south- western line of Bernard and flow in courses nearly parallel across the northwestern corner of Warren. The principal tributary from the north is Green Brook, which rises a few miles northeast of Basking Ridge and runs southward, nearly parallel with the Passaic River, and at an average distance of 23 miles from it, and falls into Dead River below Liberty Cor- ner. Basking Ridge, the most famous in the town- ship, lies between this brook and the Passaic, extend- ing southward and terminating in Pleasant Valley. At the north end of the ridge is Penn's Brook, rising near the source of Green Brook and flowing eastward

* By Prof. W. W. Clayton.

735

BERNARD.

into the Passaie River. The streams named and a few other small brooks are all that flow into the Pas- saic on the eastern side of the township.

Mine Brook is quite an important stream. It rises in the northern part of the township, near the Morris county line, and, passing southward through a chain of small lakes at Bernardsville, keeps thence a general southwest course till it enters the North Branch of the Raritan, on the western boundary of the township. This brook affords in its course several fine mill-sites, which are well improved. As a general rule, the val- leys and ridges which form the most interesting topo- graphical features of the township follow the courses of the streams we have described. In many places the hills are rounded and isolated from the general ridges, and of a structure entirely different, geologi- cally speaking. The lesser hills throughout the township are composed of transported materials, the drift of the glacial epoch, while the mountains, such as Mine Mountain, the mountains about Bernards- ville, and the crests of the principal ridges, belong to the trap formation.

We quote from Professor Cook's " Geology of New Jersey": "South of the village of Basking Ridge trap outerops in the bill on the road to Liberty Corner, and also on the road to Millington Church. This may be a part of the Long Hill range. The interval between these onterops is low, and indicates only shale. Denuding forces may have swept away the intermediate trap and left this strange and anomalous hill; or this may be the end of the range which curves round from Long Hill, ent off, however, by Harrison's Brook. West of Harrison's Brook the trap extends almost to the Liberty Corner and Bernardsville road, but none appears west of that limit. Northward, a ledge of it is seen in the brook cast of T. Holmes', near a road leading to Basking Ridge."

The soils of the township are generally productive, being well adapted to wheat and grass, and no por- tion of the country exhibits a finer succession of well- cultivated farms.

In this township is the Janes Mine (magnetic iron ore), situated on the southwest end of Mine Moun- tain, on the property of Bishop Janes. It is an old mine, but has never been much worked, and is partly filled with earth. This mine is interesting as being located on the extreme border of the gneiss.

There is also a mine opened on another point of the same mountain, on the farm now owned by Mr. Ed- muustone. Ore was taken from this mine about six years ago.

LAND GRANTS AND TITLES.

In 1701 the Governor and proprietors of East Jer- sey, then residing in England, being desirous of ex- tinguishing the Indian title to lands and extending settlements in their province, appointed John Harri- son agent for that purpose. Harrison made large purchases from the Indians and their chief's in the

Passaic Valley, and, among others, about 3000 acres in what is now the township of Bernard, embracing the eastern portion of the township between the Pas- saic River on the east and Green Brook on the west. The tract extended from Dead River on the south to Penn's Brook on the north, and from the name of the purchaser and its peculiar shape was long known and familiarly spoken of as "Harrison's Neck." The deed to this land, obtained from Nowenoik, an Indian chief, bears date June 24, 1717. Harrison must have been living at that time on Rocky Hill, as he is called in the deed "John Harrison, of Rockie Hill."

Harrison's Indian deed is believed to be the oldest in the township. Ile purchased the 3000 acres, more or less, for a consideration of $50, and the validity of his title appears to have been ever after recognized. It was probably confirmed by the proprietors in con- sideration of the services of Harrison, as Indian deeds were not usually accepted as valid, they having only a possessory right, and no title to the land in fee simple.

However this may be, after the death of Harrison his son Benjamin sold the whole purchase to Daniel Ilollingshead and George Risarick, who again sold half their interest to Col. John Parker, of Amboy, and James Alexander, of New York.

Harrison must have died, and the property passed through Hollingshead and Risarick to Parker and Alexander as early as 1720, for in that year Parker and Alexander sold a portion of the southeast corner of their purchase to Cornelius Brees, of Staten Island. The four proprietors had the lands regularly surveyed in 1727, and laid out into farms of from one hundred and fifty to two hundred aeres each. These were drawn by ballot by the four joint owners at the spring term of the Supreme Court for 1728, held at Perth Amboy. The respective proprietors were then left to dispose of their lots on their own terms.

James Alexander, father of William Alexander (Lord Stirling), seems to have drawn what has since been known as the "Stirling Property." He was also associated with John Budd, of Philadelphia, in lands which extended north into Morris County .*

From the Elizabethtown bill in chancery are given the following titles of what is now Bernard township:

" Northwest part faken up by Dunstar and Alexander and Budd and Alexander. Tho land west of Passaic River, east of the North Branch, and north of Dead Hiver, and south of Penn's Brook was divided loto six- teen lots, and this plot is known na Harrison's Purchaso.

" No. 97, John Parker, March 28, 172x, 147 acres in Harrison's Neck, John Ayere' place.

" No. 100, George Ricarick, March 28, 1728, 18418 acres between Dead River and Peun Brook.

" No. 121, James Alexander, Sopl. 17, 1741, 785188 acres In six tracts in Ilarrison's Neck.

" N 99, Jatues Alexander, March 28, 1728, 27228 acres on east side of North Branch of Dead Hiver.

" No. 103, Daniel Hollinshead, Jono 18, 1720, 132[ acres on the North Branch of Dead Hiver.

" No. 111. John Parker, July 10, 1731, 100 acres In Harrison's Nock.

· Xlesslor's History of Somerset County, p. 29.

736

SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

"No. 105, John Parker, Feb. 27, 1730, 832 acres joining Sutton's in Har- rison's Purchase.

"No. 106, John Parker, Sept. 29, 1730, 159 acres of Harrison's Purchase, joins John Brown's.

" No. 142, James Alexander, July 10, 1744, 6515 acres at Basking Ridge.

"No. 109, John Parker, Nov. 4, 1729, 9826 acres on Dead River, begins at Moses Ayers' corner.

"No. 76, John Campbell, 200 acres on Dead River, 120 chaine up from Passaick.

" No. 117, Nathaniel Rolph, March 28, 1740, 83 acres on Harrison Pur- cbase.

" West and north of the Harrison Purchase mentioned above is tract 82, located by William Penn, June, 1717, of 7500 acres, on Dead and Pas- saic Rivers. This extended north to the county line and along the west and south line of Budd and Alexander and Dunstar and Alexander, and west to tract 119; from thence along the east hase of the range of moun- tains, south of Dead River, and east to Mordecai Brook.

"Tract 119, hordering on Peapack or North Brauch, was taken up on 1st of June, 1740, by Alexander and Dunstar and contained 1240 acres."

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

Settlements were made in this township soon after John Harrison made his purchase of the Indians, 1717-1720. In the latter year Cornelius Brees, of Staten Island, bought land of James Alexander, “on the east side of the north branch of Dead River, at the southwest corner of the Parker and Alexander purchase, said land being now in the occupation of James Pitney." Pitney was therefore in the country as early as 1720, and we do not know how much earlier. He was one of that class known as "Squat- ters," who pitch their cabins in the wilderness, irre- spective of any legal title to the land they occupy.

The lands in this section were very desirable, and no doubt quite a number were induced to squat upon them before any titles could be obtained. Several complaints against "squatters" are found about this time. In 1729, a few years later, Alexander directs his agent, Daniel Shoemaker, to dispossess certain parties then occupying his land, and give the right of possession to others. It was not long, however, before a class of actual purchasers of the soil came in, with means and enterprise to make the wilderness blossom in a few years, and laid the foundation of that thrift and prosperity and that sturdy and excellent social and moral order, which has ever characterized the people of this region.

Obediah Ayers, son of John Ayers, who settled on the Millstone, in 1717, is mentioned as having lands in the east part of the township in 1727. It is thought that the senior Ayers never moved here, but purchased the desirable lands for his children. It appears that John Ayers owned land at Basking Ridge; for on the 8th of February, 1731, he conveyed the land (one and a half acres) on which were the meeting-house and burying-ground to his son, Obediah Ayers, Mordecai McKenne, James Pitney, George Pack, Samuel Rolfe, Daniel Morrice, and Thomas Riggs. It appears from this that James Pitney remained in this viciniy and became a frecholder, notwithstanding his first habita- tion was sold from under him to Brees; and was one of the trustees to whom the church lot was deeded in 1731.

From this time forward settlers multiplied rapidly in the township. About 1732 came the Cauldwell, Carle, Cooper, Boyle, and McEowen families to Long Hill; the Annin family to Liberty Corner (formerly called Annin's Corner); and to other parts of the same general neighborhood, the Riggs, Conklin, Al- ward, McCollum, Dayton, Doty, Boylan, Heath, Hall, Lindsley, Rickey, Lewis, Anderson, and Hand fami- lies, into the particulars of whose history we have not space to enter, but all of whom became numerous and influential. Among these patriarchal ancestors were John Annin, great-grandfather of the late Wil- liam Annin; Solomon Boyle, great-grandfather of Augustus A. Boyle, residing until recently on the an- cestral farm ; John Hall, great-grandfather of Samuel Hall, lately removed from the township; William Conklin, great-grandfather of Isaac Conklin, lately deceased; Henry Alward, great-grandfather of the late Jonathan Alward; Daniel Cooper, great grand- father of William and Alexander Cooper ; Jacob Carle, grandfather of the late Daniel Carle; Daniel Heath, grandfather of Mrs. Barclay Dunham; and John MeCollum, believed to have been the great- grandfather of A. B. McCollum. He died April 18, 1760, at the venerable age of one hundred and three years.

Another family worthy of particular mention was that of Alexander Kirkpatrick, who settled at Mine Brook in 1736, on the farm lately owned by Henry Baird. The Kirkpatricks belonged to a noble family in Scotland .* Alexander, the ancestor of the family in this country, was born at Watties Neach, Dum- friesshire, Scotland. He removed with his family to Belfast, Ireland, after the birth of his son David, about the year 1725. In the spring of 1736 he em- barked at Belfast for America, and after a stormy voyage of thirteen weeks, landed at New Castle, Del. Passing through Philadelphia, they wandered up through the State of New Jersey (which was then partially settled, till they reached Bound Brook, and thence went over the mountains to the place which they selected for a habitation. There being no roads in the country, they followed an Indian path through the wilderness.

When they came to a spring of water at the side of what has since been called "Mine Brook," there they settled down, built a log house and went to work. The spot was well chosen, about two miles west of the present site of Basking Ridge. It embraced the southern slope of Round Mountain, in a well timbered region, with unfailing springs of pure water, the rich meadow-land through which Mine Brook runs with a sufficient fall of water for a mill-seat, and with these material advantages, a charming, picturesque view of the adjacent region. The spring of water is still there, marking the site of the original log house, and until within a few years could be seen the remains of

* See Kirkpatrick Memorial, published 1867.

737

BERNARD.

the apple-trees planted by Alexander Kirkpatrick and his sons. This improvement many of the early pro- prietary leases required. In a lease of 137 acres (which it may be remarked was a minor portion of what the family eventually obtained by title in fee simple) granted Nov. 23, 1747, to Alexander Kirk- patrick, he agreeing " to plant an orchard of at least one apple-tree for every 3 acres, and in case this lease shall continue beyond three years, then (to) plant one apple-tree for every 6 acres, all regular in one orchard, and to keep up the number planted and to keep the orchard in good fence."

" Alexander Kirkpatrick died at Mine Brook June 3, 1758, mentioning in his will, which was executed 'in articulo mortis,' his wife Elizabeth, his sons An- drew, David, and Alexander, his son-in-law Duncan MeEowen, his youngest daughter Mary, and his grandson Alexander."

Andrew married Margaret, daughter of Joseph Gaston, and had one son, Alexander, and seven daughters. He inherited the homestead, but not long after the death of his father sold to his brother David and removed to Western Pennsylvania. David mar- ried Mary MeEowen, March 31, 1748, and had four sons and four daughters. His eldest daughter, Eliza- beth, born at Basking Ridge in 1748, married first (in 1769) a Sloan, and was the grandmother of the late William H. Sloan, Esq., of Flemington; she mar- ried, second, John Maxwell, and died at Flemington, Dec. 14, 1829 .* Alexander, born Sept. 3, 1751, died Sept. 24, 1827, was the father of Rev. Jacob Kirk- patrick, D.D., of Ringos. Hugh, the third child, died unmarried, Jan. 9, 1782. Andrew, fourth child, born Feb. 17, 1756, was chief justice of the State of New Jersey. The fifth child was David, born Nov. 1, 1758 ; the sixth, Mary, born Nov. 23, 1761, married Hugh Gaston, of Peapack, and had one son ; married, second, a Todd, and died July 1, 1842. Of the other daughters, Anne and Jennet, the first married Moses Esty, of Morristown, and the last Dickinson Miller, of Somerville.

Andrew Kirkpatrick, t third son of David Kirk- patrick, Esq., and Mary MeEowen, was born at Mine Brook ; he graduated at the College of New Jersey in 1775, while Dr. Witherspoon was president ; studied law and practiced at New Brunswick, where he mar- ried Janc, daughter of Col. John Bayard. Ilis oldest son, Hon. Littleton Kirkpatrick, graduate of New Jersey College in 1815, was a member of Congress from New Jersey. He was married, but had no chil-

dren who survived him. The second son, John Bay- ard Kirkpatrick, Esq., graduate of Queen's, now Rut- gers College, in 1815; was for some time connected with one of the departments at Washington ; died, leaving two sons and two daughters. Of these, Mary Ann married Rev. Samuel B. Howe, D.D., for some time pastor of the First Reformed Protestant Dutch Church of New Brunswick; and Jane married Rev. Jonathan Cogswell, D.D., formerly Professor of Ec- clesiastical History in the East Windsor Theological Seminary, both deceased, leaving one daughter.

Capt. David Kirkpatrick, fourth son of David Kirk- patrick, Esq., was born at Mine Brook, Nov. 1, 1758, and resided there till his death, Dec. 11, 1828. Ho had sons-Walter and Hugh-and daughter Eliza- beth, who married Hon. Andrew B. Cobb, of Parsip- pany. Walter was born April 12, 1795; graduated at College of New Jersey, 1813, and was three years a member of the Legislative Council of New Jersey. He was a fine classical scholar and an amateur of the fine arts. He died Dec. 13, 1841. No children sur- vive him. flugh was born May 31, 1797, died March 11, 1860. He was familiarly known as "Doctor Hugh," having graduated at the College of New Jersey in 1815, and became an excellent and popular physician. He served one term as sheritl' of Somer- set County, and was a man fond of literary pursuits.

Alexander Kirkpatrick, the eldest son of David Kirkpatrick, Esq., married Sarah, daughter of Judge John Carle, of Long Ifill. They had thirteen chil- dren, of whom we have space to give only the names in the order of birth : David, Mary, John, Jacob, Sarah, Elizabeth, Lydia, Anne, Rebecca, Martha, Jane, Alexander, and Robert Finley. Mary married John L. Cross, of Basking Ridge; John married Mary, daughter of David Ayers, and sister of Dr. Ayers, of Liberty Corner; Sarah married William Annin, of Liberty Corner; Elizabeth married Alex- ander Vail, of Bernard township, and after his death, William Gaston, of Basking Ridge; Anne married John Stelle, of Bernard township; Rebecca married Squier Terrell, of Warren township, whose sister was the wife of the youngest son, Robert Finley Kirk- patrick.

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History of Hunterdon and Somerset counties, New Jersey : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 179

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