History of Hunterdon and Somerset counties, New Jersey : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 184

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 184
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 184

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The King estate in Bernard township was settled many years before the Revolution, and became during

that eventful period historic ground. The "alarm post" erected by Washington when he had his head- quarters at Morristown was on the old King estate, now owned by David W., John W., and Adrian V. King. The ground on which it was erected and stood till after the war is an elevation commanding an extensive view of the surrounding country. The soldiers of Washington lay many a night in the old honse still standing on the western part of the estate, where the Kings of the second and third generation were born. The main part of the house now occu- pied by David W. King (the old Compton place) was built before the Revolution, and was occupied by sol- diers during the war. John M. King was too young to become a soldier, and did not enter the service.

The Kings and Comptons are related through Phebe Hayden, wife of William King, whose mother was Betsey Compton. William King, father of the subject of this sketch, was a prominent farmer, and a zealous and exemplary member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Mount Horeb. He drew the first stick of timber for the erection of this church in 1824, and was an active member of it till his death. IIe died Oct. 28, 1867, aged seventy-four years, seven months, and ten days. His wife Phebe died Jan. 29, 1876, aged eighty-four years and nine months. They had ten children, one of whom died in infancy. The four brothers, John W., Adrian V., Abraham, and the subject of this sketch, David W. King, all lived in Bernard township.

David W. King's early life was spent on the farm and in attending school, from which he received a good business education. He married for his first wife Adelia Varian, daughter of George W. and sister of Col. Varian, of New York, April 28, 1847. She died Dec. 24, 1848. June 2, 1852, he married Ade- line Erving, who was born in New York, July S, 1830, and is the daughter of John M. Erving, who came from New York on the 1st day of November, 1837, and purchased the place on which Mr. King now resides. He died here after a residence of eigh- teen years, and his remains, with those of his wife, Hannah Erving, rest in the family burying-ground. Ile was born at Bound Brook, was noted as an Aboli- tionist, and was very successful in his business.

Mr. and Mrs. King have two children,-viz., Har- lan Asbury and William King. Mr. King is a self- made man in the best sense of that term, having by his own energy and enterprise acquired a high repu- tation for sagacity and integrity in business and an ample competence for himself and family. ITis large and well-cultivated farm is one of the finest in Som- erset County, and few more desirable homes are to be found in any agricultural section of the country. He is a member of the church at Mount Horeb, with which his father was so long and worthily connected, and is an earnest supporter of the principles of the Republican party.

754

SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

PETER Z. SMITH.

Peter Z. Smith, son of Zackariah Smith, was born in Bernard township, Somerset Co., N. J., Dec. 28, 1808. His father was an early settler on the place where Mr. Smith now resides. It is on the North Branch of the Raritan, not far from Peapack, and noted of late years for the immense gatherings of the Smith de- scendants, who assemble there in annual picnic. Zackariah Smith married Mary Smith, a lady of the same name, but no kin,-a fact which has enabled the subject of this sketch to say, in his humorous way, there could be no question of his title to the name, as his father and mother were both Smiths. Zackariah Smith was a farmer, and one of the most excellent of men. He was a pillar in the Reformed Church of Bedminster, of which he was for many years both deacon and elder. The present saw-mill on the premises was built by him about the year 1800, and a few years later he built the present family resi- dence, having previously lived in a double log house, the remains of which may still be seen on the picnic- ground. Mr. Peter Z. Smith inaugurated the family picnic, with the motto, "In Memory of our Ances- tors," in 1876. It has since been held annually in September, and there have been in attendance at one time more than three thousand relatives, coming from nearly every State in the Union, and some from as far off as California. These occasions are of great inter- est. There have been present to report the proceed- ings as many as nine reporters of New York dailies, besides editors of several local papers.

Mr. Smith is a man of superior character and in- telligence, and possesses a strong family sentiment. He has been twice married. His first wife was Ann McMurtry, to whom he was married in 1835, She is the mother of his four sons,-viz., Isaiah Smith, resid- ing at Miburn, N. J .; Oscar Smith, who lives at Pea- pack ; Daniel Smith, a resident of Newark ; and John D. Smith, who lives on the homestead. Mrs. Smith died in December, 1849, and he married, for his sec- ond wife, Jane, daughter of James Wolfe, of Bed- minster, and widow of the late Peter Miller.

Mr. Smith has been from early manhood promi- nent in township affairs, having been elected consta- ble before he was twenty-one, and been in some town- ship office ever since. For many years he followed driving for the market, bringing in large invoices of cattle and sheep from Western New York, -- about one drove a year for twenty years. He followed this part of the time, in addition to his farming and milling interests, making his business life one of remarkable activity, and, in the main, of pecuniary profit, out of which he has realized a comfortable share of this world's goods, and, better than all, has made a repu- tation for honesty and integrity unsurpassed by any among his fellow-citizens. In all public improve- ments, such as roads, schools, churches, etc., he has always taken an active part, though not himself a church-member. Like his ancestors, and most of his

descendants, he has adhered to the Democratic faith, voting regularly that ticket for more than half a cen- tury. About 1837 he was commissioned captain of a company of riflemen in Bedminster, consisting of about eighty men. He was also a clarionet-player on training-days. He held his commission as captain about three years.

JOSEPH ANNIN.

The subject of this brief notice was a man univer- sally esteemed for the high moral tone and excellence of his character. It can be truly said of him, " He was a bright and shining light in the community where he resided," and left an example eminently "worthy of imitation."

Mr. Annin was born on the 9th of September, 1800, and died on the 19th of September, 1877, in the seventy-eighth year of his age. He began life poor, and by economy, enterprise, and strict honesty ac- quired a large property, which he left to his widow and children. During a considerable part of his life he was a lumber-merchant in New York. Twenty- one years ago he settled on the farm in Bernard, near Liberty Corner, still in the possession of the family.

Mr. Annin was twice married, his first wife being Anna Lambertson, by whom a daughter, Ann Eliza, and a son, John, are still living, the former at Bridgeport, Conn., and the latter at Hackensack, N. J. His second wife was Margaret, daughter of John King, an estimable lady, who still survives him and resides at Liberty Corner, N. J. The fruits of this marriage were a son and a daughter,-Josephine, wife of George Lowery, of New York, and Alexander Annin, who resides on the homestead farm, near Liberty Corner.

THOMAS HOLMES.

Thomas Holmes was born in Yorkshire, England, in November, 1807, and was brought up there till he was twenty-one years of age. After attaining his majority, he in 1831 emigrated to America, land- ing in the city of New York. He went thence to Basking Ridge, N. J., where he found employment as a farm-laborer for six months with Martin Winnie, and afterwards engaged with David Ayers as assistant and farmer, with whom he remained four years, up to the time of his marriage. He was married, Aug. 30, 1835, to Dinah Morris, daughter of Griffith and Mar- garet Morris, who emigrated from Pembrokeshire, near Cardigan, Wales, in 1801, and settled on the farm near Liberty Corner now the estate of Mr. and Mrs. Holmes. In 1802, Mr. Morris here purchased two hundred and sixteen acres of land of William Cain, one of the Cain heirs, whose father had ob- tained the land from the assigns of William Penn. Mr. Morris had been married before leaving Wales to Margaret Williams. The children of this marriage

Jefor L Smith

JOSEPH ANNIN.

THOMAS HOLMES.

ـيه

755

BERNARD.

were Mary, Martha, John, William, Nancy, David, Dinah (Mrs. Holmes), John, James, and Timothy. Of this large family, Mrs. Holmes and her brother David (deceased) were the only ones who remained in Bernard township ; the others removed to the West.

Mr. Morris was for twenty-one years before his death afflicted with blindness, and his daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Holmes, remained to man- age the farm and take care of him. Mr. Holmes pur- chased the farm in 1841. It is a beautiful estate, con- sisting of one hundred and eight acres, and is kept in a fine state of cultivation, Mr. Holmes being a sys- tematic and practical farmer of the thoroughgoing English type.

Mr. Morris died in 1843, in the eighty-sixth year of his age, Mrs. Morris having died in February, 1822.

Mr. and Mrs. Holmes are among the substantial and highly-respected people of the township, and have been members of the Millington Baptist Church since its organization, in 1851. They have one son, John Holmes, who lives on a portion of the home- stead and carries on the farm. Ile married Julia, daughter of William Allen, of Bedminster, and has six children.

ISAIAIt SMITH.

Isaiah Smithi was born in Bernardsville, Somerset Co., N. J., Sept. 30, 1836. He was reared on the farm

Spaich Gromit

of his father, Peter Z. Smith, till the age of eighteen, when he entered the store of Benjamin Smith, at

Basking Ridge, as a clerk, where he remained about eight months. During the four years following he served as clerk in the store of Theodore Allen, at Peapack, N. J., and after spending a year in the West and remaining at home a short time, in 1863 he established himself in the grocery business at Irvington, N. J., where he remained till May, 1866. During the years 1866 and 1867 he did business in copartnership with William Petty and Jonathan Allen, having stores at Irvington, Milburn, and Peapack. In 1868 the partnership was dissolved, and Mr. Smith, while conducting the business at Milburn, formed another partnership under which he carried on an additional store at Wilkesbarre, Pa., doing business there till 1872. Since then he has devoted himself to his store in Milburn, and has built up a successful trade.

Mr. Smith married, Dec. 26, 1862, Elizabeth, daugh- ter of Watson C. Allen, of Peapack, and has two children,-viz., Minnie M., born May 26, 1868, and Lizzie, born Dec. 10, 1872.

Since the organization of the "Smith Family and Friends' Reunion" in 1876, he has been president of that popular association, and has from time to time held responsible offices in the township where he resides.

ItON. JOHN HI. ANDERSON.

The late John Hill Anderson, judge of the Court of Common Pleas, was born at Bernardsville, Somer- set Co., N. J., on the estate of his ancestors, Dec. 28, 1813. He was of Scotch descent, and possessed the sturdy moral characteristics of that race, coupled with great geniality of temper and strong and abiding attachment to friends. He was the second son and fifth child of George and Mary (Ifill) Anderson, and was brought up on the home farm, receiving but a limited education in the common schools. He pos- sessed a mind, however, of no common order, and for many years exerted an influence second to no other citizen of the township in which he resided. The Somerset Messenger expressed the universal sentiment of the community in the notice of his death, which occurred May 7, 1873, from which we take the follow- ing extract :

"No one acquainted with Judge Anderson can help feeling a pang of regret-and to many, very many, of our county, sincere sorrow-at the death of this esti- mable man. Judge Anderson was a native of the county, of Bernard township, always having lived at Bernardsville, and hekl many important positions : commencing with justice of the peace, member of the lower branch of the Legislature two years, surrogate of the county five years, immediately following with the judgeship of the Court of Common Pleas, contin- uing two or three years, and before the expiration of his judicial term elected State senator, which posi- tion he filled the three years following. During all of these years, however, he was not only devoting

756

SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

himself to his official duties, but at all times busily engaged in assisting the people of his township in re- lation to the management of their affairs, settling es- tates, guardian for infants, etc., so that he was in the full sense of the term a public man whose loss will be keenly felt and deeply deplored.

" Through his instrumentality the West Line Rail- road was built, and for a time he was director as well as president of the road. His life was therefore a busy one, and in the trusts confided to his care he was always found faithful and true. The kindly and good advice given by him to his friends always had a beneficial effect, and many there are who thank him and will always hold his memory in the most pro- found remembrance. . .

" By his thrift he had acquired quite an estate, and, although he might not be considered a wealthy man, was in a good financial condition.

"Politically, Judge Anderson was a thorough par- tisan, but always candid and just, and known to every one where he stood and what his opinions were upon the different issues presented, always having respect for and according the right to others to have their

opinions, yet maintaining his own in such a way as to cause his opponents to admire him and give him credit for being an honest man. . . .

"In his death the whole township of Bernard has met with a severe loss which time alone can efface, and the county one of its most respected and best citi- zens."

Judge Anderson was a brother of ex-Sheriff Ander- son, of Mendham, and of James Anderson, Esq., of Morristown. He was honest and upright in all his dealings, charitable towards all classes and conditions of mankind, and constantly endeavoring to be useful to those with whom his life of business or benevo- lence brought him in contact.

Mrs. Anderson, who survives him, was a daughter of James M. Lewis, of Bernard township, and a most estimable lady. He left two sons and two daughters. His eldest son, Lieut. George S. Anderson, is a grad- uate of West Point Military Academy, and holds the position in that institution of instructor in cavalry tactics. He served six years in the army on the West- ern frontier. The second son; John Lewis Anderson, lives with his mother on the homestead.

BRANCHBURG .*

GEOGRAPHICAL.

BRANCHBURG township is located centrally on the western border of the county of Somerset. It is bounded on the west by the county of Hunterdon; on the north by Bedminster township; on the east by Bridgewater and Hillsborough; and on the south by the township of Hillsborough. The principal water-courses are the Lamington River on the northi, that divides the township from Bedminster; the North Branch of the Raritan on the east, from Bridgewater; the South Branch on the east and south, from Hills- borongh. Three small streams, named respectively Campbell's Run, Chambers' Brook, and Hollands Brook, run their course southeasterly and join the branches of the Raritan, Chambers' Brook uniting with the North Branch of the Raritan at the North Branch Depot, Hollands Brook uniting with the South Branch a short distance south of its junction with the North Branch, and Campbell's or Pleasant Run near where the Easton and Amboy Railroad crosses the South Branch.

The township has no marked features, its surface being slightly undulating, and in many places com- paratively level. It embraces an arca of 19.74 square

miles, or 12,634 acres of land, and contains a popula- tion of 1316 inhabitants and 154 farms.

INDIAN TITLES AND THEIR SETTLEMENTS. FIRST TITLE.

The land along the Raritan below the junction had been mostly sold before the "Proprietors" bought the Indian titles to land west of the junction of the branches of the Raritan. The following, from the " Elizabethtown Bill of Chancery," is a synopsis of the deed conveying the south part of the land now occu- pied by Branchburg, and embraced what were after- wards known as lots 22, 14, 15, 12, and 13, and which will be described hereafter :

" That Pawarone and Wermines, Indians, by their Deed bearing date the ninth day of October, 1685, for the consideration of sundry Goods therein mentioned, did sell unto the Lords Proprietors of Esst Jersey a tract of land beginning npon Hollands Brook aforesaid, and running up the South branch of the Raritan; as by the original Deed."

Just one month later (Nov. 9, 1685) the land em- braced in this tract was divided into five tracts, each bounded on the east by the South Branch and con- veyed by the proprietors as follows: No. 13, being the extreme south part and bounded on the south and east by the South Branch of the Raritan, con- taining 375 acres, was sold to Jolin Dobie. Adjoining this tract on the north, a plot of 1874 acres, known as

* By Austin N. Hungerford.

Edwardo Vul

THE subject of this sketeh is a descendant in the fourth generation from Samuel and Abigail Vail, of Westchester, N. Y. ITis great-grand- father was John Vail, the oldest son of Samuel and Abigail Vail, who was twice married, and reared a large family. The children of John Vail by his first wife (Margaret Laing) were Samuel, John, Daniel, Isaac, David, Jacob, Abraham, and Benjamin ; and those by his second wife (Mary Laing) were Joseph and Christiana, who died single. The children by the first wife all married and had large families, whose descendants are numerous and widely scattered.

John Vail, the son of John, and grandfather of Edward Vail, married Catharine Fitz-Ran- dolph, and had children : Margaret, Edward, Isaac, Amos, Phebe, Nathan, and Joel. The last named married Catharine K. Miller, and had children : Alexander, Mary Ann, Edward (the subject of our notice), Christopher, Thomas, Phebe, Margaret, Richard, Benijah, Catharine, and John.

Joel Vail lived at Green Brook, and was a hatter by occupation, and also a farmer and merchant. Edward, the subject of this notice, was born at Green Brook, Sept. 26, 1808, and was brought up there at the hatter's trade with his father. He followed that occupation, together with farming, till about the time of his marriage. He married, Dec. 2, 1845, Ann Vail, a name which she has never changed, being a daughter of James, son of Isaac Vail. They have had no children. Mrs. Vail was born and brought up at Long Hill, in the vicinity of where she now resides.

After his marriage, in 1845, Mr. Vail set- tled on his present place, being the inheritance of his wife, where he has ever since resided and followed the pursuit of agriculture. He was brought up in the doctrines of the Hicksite Quakers, with which he still stands identified, though not a regular attendant at any meeting of that order. He is noted for his strict in- tegrity and moral worth, and is held in high esteem as a man and a citizen.

757

BRANCHBURG.

No. 12, was conveyed to John Campbell (son of Lord Neill Campbell). Next above was No. 15, a tract of 750 acres, which was conveyed to Andrew Hamilton. Adjoining on the north was a large tract known as No. 14, containing 1000 acres, sold to John Drummond. Lot 22, adjoining Drummond, and north butting on Hollands Brook, contained 500 aeres, which was sold to Andrew Hamilton, April 25, 1687.

The lower or southern tract in this first Indian title is known on the old map as No. 13. It was purchased by John Dobie on the 9th of October, 1680, and con- tained 375 acres. In 1719 the line between East and West Jersey was readjusted, and the plot is called "Dobie's plantation." It is not known at what date a transfer was made, but about 1785 the property was in possession of Christianus I. Van Doren, of Mill- stone. The property at his death passed to his sons, Jolin C. and Abraham C., the former owning 100 aeres in the northern part. The southern part, 245 acres, that descended to Abraham C., is now in the possession of John S. Ammerman. John C. had three sons,-Christianus I., John P., and Abram I., all dead. Abram C. had three daughters,-Aletta and Phebe, unmarried, and Julia, who married Mr. Black- well and lives in Mercer Co., N. J.

The tract north of the Dohie plantation embraced 1874 neres, and was conveyed by the proprietors to John Campbell, a son of Lord Neill Campbell. The purchase was made Nov. 9, 1685; the deed, however, bears date Oct. 6, 1686, nearly a year later. In 1683 or 1684 he had purchased a small plot of land at Bound Brook, where he built a house and lived until he bought at South Branch, when he moved upon the land. Ile had two sons, Archibald and John, and two daughters, one of whom, Jennette, married Tobias Van Norden, of Bound Brook. The section of the traet on which he lived is not known. He died before 1708, as in that year Marion, his widow, and John, his son, conveyed to Thomas Hall, for £350, money of New York, 1150 acres of the traet, it being the upper portion ; the remainder of the tract later was sold to Peter Morrison and Henry Stevens, the southwestern portion having been sold to Morrison and afterwards passed to one Hardenbrook. It is now in possession of Gabriel Carkhuff. The eastern portion, owned by Henry Stevens, was purchased by John Carpenter for his daughter, who married Peter T. Beekman and lived on the place for several years. It was finally sold to Calvin Corle, who is still in pos- session. The property now belonging to Hon. John G. Schenck was in possession of Abram C. Van Doren about 1840.

Thomas Hall, on the 20th of December, 1728, con- veyed to Cornelius Low 230 acres of his land, lying north from the present residence of Peter Van Camp, which afterwards passed to the Stryker family, and is now mostly in the possession of Frederick D. Brokaw. On the 30th of December the same year Thomas Hall made his will, in which he declares that he is

the possessor of 920 acres of land. This he devised to his two sons, John and Richard, they to come into possession after the death or marriage of his wife, Gertje. On the 27th of May, 1734, Gertje, their mother, released all her right, title, and interest in the land to her sons, leading to the presumption that she married. They remained in possession of all the land they inherited for six years. On the 6th of Octo- ber, 1740, Jolın conveyed to Cornelius Van Kampen, of Esopus, Ulster Co., N. Y., for the sum of £672, 240 acres and 60 perches of land in one place, and 6 acres and 20 perches of the meadow-land close to the South Branch, and 92 acres and 32 perches not far from it. In the last-mentioned tract was situated the burying-ground in which some of the family had been buried. This has always been kept as a burial- place, and is now in the limits of the farm of Peter Van Camp, a short distance north of his house. On the same date Richard, the brother of John, also con- veyed to Cornelius Van Kampen 147 acres and 23 perches. This land, 485 acres, remained in the pos- session of Cornelius Van Kampen until his death. By his will, dated April 20, 1794, the land was be- queathed to Thomas, his son, and Cornelius, a grand- son, and son of John, deceased. On the 2d of Decem- ber the same year each released title in the lands of the other. On the 29th of December, 1804, Thomas Van Kampen conveyed to Cornelius Van Kampen 253} acres and 6 acres of meadow-land. This, in ad- dition to his inheritance, made the tract of 485 acres. Cornelius had two sons, Thomas and John; the latter died and left a son (Thomas) and two daughters,- Catharine, who married a Mr, Emmons, and Eliza- beth, who married a Mr. Ludlow.

Thomas, son of Cornelius, married Catharine Van Middlesworth, and had two sons-Tunis and John- (twins) and one daughter,-Jenny,-who married " Abram Smock. Tunis went West and died. John remained on the homestead, which his father conveyed to him April 25, 1827. He married Jane Lane, and had six children, of whom two of the sons are living in the township,-Tunis at Neshanie Station, and Peter on the old homestead.

John and Richard Hall kept a part of the western portion of the tract they inherited. William Hall, a son of John, lived on the farm owned by Gilbert S. Lane and John Ammerman. John W., a son of John, lived where W. N. Hoagland now lives. John W. had four sons,-William, who went West ; Dennis, who removed to North Branch, on part of the Ten Eyck tract, on the farm now owned by J. Perrine (his daughter, Mrs. Lever, lives on part of the farm purchased by her father, Dennis) ; Isaac lives on a tract north of the original tract. Of the daughters, Helena, Aletta (Mrs. Isaac I. Stryker), and Catha- rine (Mrs. Leonard Bunn) live in Somerville.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Hunterdon and Somerset counties, New Jersey : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 184

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