History of Hunterdon and Somerset counties, New Jersey : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 186

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 186
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 186

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).

In 1805 the original tract of 400 acres was divided between Jacob and James, the one hundred lying below having been sold. Of the sons of Jacob several moved West, as did Jane, the daughter, who married Charles Brokaw. James married Esther Hankerson, Oct. 4, 1798. They had five sons and four daughters. Tunis and Isabel are living on the old homestead ; Jacob and James are living near, on the same tract ; Mary (Mrs. Abraham Van Nest) is living at North Branch, and Jane (Mrs. George H. Duyckinck) lives at Lamington ; Peter lives at Fairview, Ill .; John lived and died on the homestead.

THIRD INDIAN TITLE.

The date of this title is not known. It, however, embraced the territory of Bedminster, the south line reaching from the intersection of the Lamington River with the west township line almost directly west to the North Branch. The portion of the land between this line and the Lamington River and the North Branch is in the township, and was known as lots Nos. 69 and 63. The former is one of two tracts of land purchased by Campbell and Blackwood, both containing 7600 acres. The other tract, lying in the township of Bridgewater (No. 63), was taken up by George Willocks, June 7, 1701, and contained 60 acres. It was at one time owned by Abraham Ten Eyck, and is now owned by W. Wortman and A. Biggs. On this land, at the junction of the branch

and the Lamington River, were erected the Bromley Mills, later known as Burnt Mills. In Bedminster township will be found an account of the laying out of a road (in 1755) from Andrew Leake's mills to Pluckamin, also in the early settlement of Bromley Bridge and settlers near there. It was owned in 1784 by William McDonald, who sold 254 acres to William Nelson. At a much later day it was owned by Frederick Lane, of Bedminster.

The tract known on the proprietors' map as No. 69, lying in the north part of the township of Branch- burg, was first purchased by Campbell and Black- wood, probably about 1693, as that was the time they purchased the large tract on the opposite side of the Lamington River. In Bergen's "History of the Ber- gen Family," page 347, he says, "Gerardus Beek- man (son of Abraham J.) was baptized Aug. 17, 1653, died 1723, married, Aug. 29, 1677, Magdalen Abeel, of Albany, N. Y., born 1662; was a physician settled at Flatbush, L. I .; a justice of Kings County in 1685; a colonel of militia; member of Colonial Assembly, 1696 and 1699; member and president of the council, and acting Governor, 1709 and 1710; pur- chased some 2200 acres of land about the North Branch of the Raritan and some 600 acres on the Millstone River, N. J., also lands on Pelt's Creek, in Ulster Co., N. Y."

This tract of 2200 acres must have been the one purchased of Campbell and Blackwood, as a part of it is at present in the possession of the family, and has descended from father to son from as far back as can be remembered or as tradition reaches. An old parchment deed was in their possession until a year or two since which bore date under the reign of King George. The property was there described, as well as can be remembered, as commencing at the forks of the Lamington and North Branch, running down the North Branch to what is now the southeast corner of John Beekman's farm, thence across west to the Alle- matunk or Lamington River, thence down the river to a brook below the present residence of J. D. Fields, thence across east to the North Branch.

Some of the sons of Gerardus removed to what is now Franklin township, where they lived and died, leaving descendants. Some part of this large tract was sold early, without doubt, but to whom is not ascertained. About the time of the Revolution a tract of 400 acres was in possession of Henry and John Beekman. Henry lived where John Beekman now lives. Daniel, his brother, lives on a part of the tract. The Hurts, Buxtons, and Tunisons are also within the limits of the tract. James Tunison is living in a stone house that is very old. In 1767, Isaac De Forest owned 118 acres of this tract. Theunis Post purchased land before 1750 situated in the south part of the tract of Campbell and Black- wood, and joined the patents of Dr. John Johnston, and was part of land purchased by Gerardus Beek- man.

* One Conrad Ten Eyck was an Indian trader lo the Saginaw Valley, Mich., about the year 1810, and received compensation from the gov- ernment for damages done him in the war of 1812. Ilis name occurs re- peatedly in the anoals of that section of country. He was probably a branch of the Ten Eyck family who went West about that time.

763

BRANCHBURG.

Theunis Post* (born 1700, died Sept. 8, 1764) was one of the "helpers" of Dominie Theodorus J. Fre- linghuysen, with authority, also, to officiate in his place in his absence.

The blue-inarble stone which marks his grave at North Branch bears this inscription :

"Hier loyt hot Ligham Van Teunis Post overleden den 8 September, anno domini 1764, en dat In het 641 year synes ouderdoms."

He owned 450 acres of land on the west side of the North Braneh. The northeasterly corner of this farm was "39 chains on a straight line below the meeting of Allemitunk and Pepack branches of the said North Branch." Of this land he soldl 109 aeres to William Cock and Gershom Vanderbergh, and 42 acres to Andrew Leake. The remainder of this prop- erty fell to the possession of his son Peter.

Theunis Post's daughter Annetje (who was bap- tized April 7, 1735) died unmarried at about forty years of age. Conrad Ten Eyck (who at the time of her death was a captain in the Revolutionary army, and afterwards became a minister) transacted her business for her. He was a relative.

Theunis Post's daughter Catharyntje (baptized Nov. 6, 1736) is still called "Catrine Post" at the time of her father's death. Nevertheless, she received as her share of the estate household furniture, farming utensils, and stock to the amount of £227 18. 10d.

In this amount are included "one negro named Ham, valued at £70;" "one negro named Isaae, valued at £30;" and "one uegro girl named Bette, valued at £10."

The widow's share of the movable estate consisted of household furniture, including one Dutch Bible and four large books, valued at £5; a parcel of small books, valued at £1 10s .; and one negro girl, £35; amounting in all to £102 198. 5d.

Theunis Post's son Peter (one of the executors) as- sumed the debts of his father's estate, and received property from the estate to the full amount thereof, being £360 148. 7d. In this account are reckoned "one negro named Sam, £70; one negro named Jane, £60; one negro wench named Sawr,t £30."

Peter also charges himself with the cattle and sheep which died during the winter after his father's death, £13 78 .; the labor of the negroes for six months, £15; that of the horses, £7; and the vendue notes, amounting to £33 128. This was doubtless all right, yet the issue was very disastrous for him. His father had owed £150 to David Clarkson, of New York. Peter gave his bond for this amount, was un- able to pay it when due, at the end of the year 1735, and subjected himself thus to unpleasant letters from his creditor. Tho interest was at 8 per cent., and the whole amount had only been reduced to £108 14». when he mortgaged his 299 acres for that amount,

April 20, 1768. Things grew worse and worse with him until, by what his deseendants still regard as the "intrigues" of his ereditor, joined with the deprecia- tion of the Continental currency, he was reduced from affluence to poverty. He died in 1793, "in cold weather," and the sandstone monument with the brief inscription, "Grave of P. P., 1793," in contrast with that of his father, near by, illustrates the differ- ence of their worldly fortunes. Peter married Mar- garet Ten Eyck, and had four children :

1. Mary, born Sept. 29, 1770, married Luke Covert (who had been a fifer in the Revolutionary war) and had seven children, to all of whom except the last they gave double names, as follows : Jemima William- son (born 1787), Nelly Sutphin, Margaret Ten Eyck, Post, Ann Stull, Cornelius Post, and Craton (born Aug. 17, 1812 ; died Sept. 7, 1814).

2. Hannah, born July 8, 1782; married Joseph Brokaw.

3. Theunis, a blacksmith, whose grandson, Peter Post, is a much-respected inhabitant of Seneca Co., N. Y.

4. Cornelius, who was born Dec. 24, 1784, and died Feb. 24, 1870. Ile was left an orphan at nine years of age, but his sister Mary cared for him until he was old enough to learn the tanner's trade. At twenty-one he went on horseback to "the lake country," where he met and married (Dec. 10, 1810) Christina, only daughter of Abraham and Hannah De Mott, who died Jan. 29, 1873. ITis tannery, at Ovid, N. Y., brought him wealth, and his worth brought him influ- enec. The beautiful home in which he lived sur- rounded by his seven sons and daughters stands almost within a stone's throw of the spot where he first found work in that then "wild West." Four of his chiklren still survive, one of them, Mrs. Mary Post Caywood, a granddaughter of Peter Post, being the appreciative possessor of the ancestral documents from which most of this information has been de- rived.

ORGANIZATION OF THE TOWNSHIP.

The territory embraced in this township belonged to Bridgewater from the organization of the latter township, in 1749, to 1845. The names of many of its early residents will be found in the civil list of that township. Its residents were many of them con- nected with the Revolutionary army, notably Capt. Jacob Ten Eyck, a list of the members of whose company will be found in the Bridgewater military list, page 687.

In 1845 a petition of the inhabitants of Bridgewater township living west of the North and South Branches of the Raritan was presented to the Legislature of New Jersey, praying that the territory described therein be set off' as a separate township. In accord- ance with the request set forth, an act passed the Sen-

* The skotch of this family, contributed by Rev. J. n. Thompson.

+ Pronounced Sor, an abbreviation for Sierte (pronounced Sor-chy), the Dalch diminutive for Sarah.

[ Her father was the only brother of Calbarine De Molt, who married Abrahamı Post. (Soo p. 488.)

764

SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

ate and Assembly, and was approved April 5th in that year, as follows:

"SEO. 1. All that part of the township of Bridgewater, in the county of Somerset, contained within the following bounda-that is to say, he- ginniog on the corner of lande of Abraham C. Van Doren and William I. Voorhees, in the line between Hunterdon and Somerset, and running from thence down the South Branch of Raritan River and the line of Hillsborough township, the several courses thereof, to the junction of the North and South Branches thereof; thence up the North Branch to the Lamington River; thence up tbe Lamington River to the line ba- tween Hunterdon and Somerset; thence along said line, the several courses theraof (southerly), to the place of beginning-shall be, and here- by is, set off from the township of Bridgewater, in the county of Somerset, and made a new township, to be called and known by the name of ' The Township of Branchburg ;' provided that this act shall not take effect and be in force until from and after the second Monday of April next.

"SEC. 2. Provided that the inhabitants ba constituted a body politic and corporate in law, and entitled to all the rights, privileges, and advan- tages, and subject to the same regulations, government, and liabilities, as the inhabitants of other townships in the county of Somerset are or may be entitled or subjected to by the existing laws of the State.

" SEC. 3. Provided that the first town-meeting should be held at the bonse of Isaac H. Hall on the day appointed by law for holding annual town-meetings in the other townships in the county of Somerset.

"SEC. 4. Provided that the town committeea of Bridgewater and Branch- burg meet on Monday next after the annual town-meetings, at the inn lately occupied by David Sanderson, at Somerville, and there allot and divide between the townships all propertiea and moneya on hand and dua proportionately."

In accordance with the provisions of the act, a town-meeting was held at the house of Isaac H. Hall. A copy of the proceedings is here given :

" April 14, 1845."

" At a meeting of the inhabitants of the township of Branchburg, held this day at the house of Isaac H. Hall, for the purpose of electing officers for the ensuing year, the following were elected, viz .: Peter Van Nuys, Moderator; Andrew A. Ten Eyck, Town Clerk ; Peter Van Nuye, Assessor; Samuel Hall, Collector: Aaron J. Anten, Hanry Ammerman, Tunia Myers, Frederick D. Brokaw, and John W. Hall, Town Committee; Jamea Hageman and John P. Van Doren,* Chosen Freeholders ; Andrew A. Ten Eyck, Jacob Ten Eyck, and Thomas I. Hall, School Committee; Peter Flag, Peter Q. Brokaw, Surveyors of the Highwaye; Iaaac Dumont, Andrew A. Ten Eyck, Lawia L. Nevine, Com- missioners of Appeal ; John Little, Samuel Hall, Overseers of the Poor; Abraham I. Van Doren, Andrew Fleming, Justices of the Peace."

At this first meeting, by vote, money was appropri- ated for various purposes, as follows : $400 for repair- ing highways; $50 for common schools; $50 for schooling poor children; and $200 for the support of the poor.

On the 21st day of April (it being the Monday after town-meeting) the town committees of Bridgewater and Branchburg met to devise means to settle accounts between the townships. John W. Wortman and John ' J. Todd were selected to represent Bridgewater, Aaron J. Anten and John W. Hall, Branchburg. On the 26th of April a meeting was held by these represen- tatives, and after due consideration the accounts were arranged by the agreement on the part of the com- mittee representing Bridgewater to pay to the town- ship of Branchburg $250.

The following is a list of the names of the free- holders, township clerks, town committees, school committees, superintendents of schools, surveyors of highways, commissioners of appeals, and overseers of

the poor, from the organization of the township to the present time, as far as can be ascertained from the township records :

FREEHOLDERS.

1846, James Hageman, Isaac Hall; 1847-49, Aaron J. Auten, Frederick D. Brokaw; 1850, Frederick D. Brokaw, Peter Q. Brokaw; 1851, Samuel Hall, Peter Q. Brokaw ; 1852, Isaac H. Hall ; 1853-58, Henry Ammerman ; 1859, Jacob Kershaw; 1860-62, Abraham P. Tunison; 1863-66, John Vosseller; 1867, Sylvester Robine; 1868-70, Joseph Reed ; 1871, Samuel B. Little; 1872, Joseph Reed; 1873, John V. Stillwell; 1874-76, Corneline Dumont; 1876-80, Hugh Gaston.

TOWNSHIP CLERKS.

1846-49, Gilbert Sutphia; 1850-52, Andrew Hageman ; 1853-55, Corne- lina T. Cox; 1856, Corneline J. Brokaw; 1857-63, Ralph Van Pelt ; 1864, Sylvester Robins; 1865, Joseph B. Smith; 1866-75, Aaron J. Auten; 1876-80, Peter Dumont.

COLLECTORS.

1846-47, Peter Van Nuys; 1848-52, Henry Ammerman ; 1853-63, Fred- erick D. Brokaw; 1864, William N. Adair; 1865-76, Frederick D. Brokaw; 1877-80, John B. D. Myers.

TOWN COMMITTEE.

1846, Aaron J. Auten, Henry Ammerman, Tunia D. Myers, Frederick D. Brokaw, John W. Hall; 1847, Syrenne T. Stryker, H. Ammerman, T. D. Myers, J. P. Voorhees, Jasper Berger ; 1848, Syreque Stryker, Abraham A. Ammerman, Tunie D. Myers, John P. Voorhees, Jasper Berger; 1849-50, Bergen B. Smith, A. A. Ammerman, T. D. Myers, J. P. Voorhees, Jasper Berger ; 1851, Isaac Dumont, A. A. Ammer- man, William B. Higgins, John P. Voorhees, John Vosseller; 1862, William B. Higgine, John Vosaeller, Andrew A. Ten Eyck, Jr .; 1854- 55, John P. Voorhees, Tunis D. Myers, Edwin B. Laver; 1856-58, A. A. Ammerman, William B. Higgins, E. B. Lever; 1859, David K. Craig, Joseph Thompson, John P. Voorhees; 1860, David K. Craig, Gilbert L. Kershaw, John P. Voorhees; 1861, Samuel B. Little, Gil- bert L. Kershaw, John P. Voorhees ; 1862-63, Samuel B. Little, Gil- bert L. Kershaw, David K. Craig; 1864, Samuel B. Little, Gilbert L. Kershaw, John Runyon; 1865, Samuel B. Little, Abraham Van Nest, Joseph Thompson; 1866-67, Samuel B. Little, Joseph Reed, Joseph Thompson; 1868-70, Cornelina N. Dumont, Jobn V. Williame, Jacob E. Hall; 1871-72, Cornelius N. Dumont, William H. Ammerman, Alexander B. Brokaw ; 1873, Cornelins N. Dumont, William H. Am- merman, Peter P. Dilts; 1874, J. Depue Field, William H. Ammer- man, Joseph Brokaw; 1875, J. Depne Field, Jolin A. Demun, Alex- ander B. Brokaw; 1876, Aaron J. Auten, John A. Demun, Alexander B. Brokaw ; 1877, Aaron J. Auten, Jolin A. Demun, Henry Field, John Dally, Garrot T. Quick ; 1878, Aaron J. Auten, Petar L. Kline, Henry Field, John Dally, Garret T. Quick ; 1879, Aaron J. Auten, John Dally, John Voorhees; 1880, Aaron J. Auten, John Voorhees, F. D. Brokaw.

SCHOOL COMMITTEE.

1846, Samuel Little, Abraham A. Ammerinan, Thomas I. Hall.

SUPERINTENDENTS OF COMMON SCHOOLS.

1847-49, Andrew Fleming; 1850-53, George W. Vroom; 1854-68, John Cox ; 1869-66, Thaodore Voaseller.

SURVEYORS OF THE HIGHWAYS.

1846-49, Peter Flag, Poter Q. Brokaw; 1860, Andrew Fleming, Isaac Hall; 1861-62, Simon Nevius, Peter Flag; 1853, John P. Voorheea, Simon Nevius; 1854-55, John P. Voorhees, Petor Q. Brokaw; 1866- 58, John P. Voorheea, William P. Barkman ; 1859, Cyrenue T. Stry- ker, John P. Voorheea ; 1860-62, William Wortman, Corneline O. Williameon ; 1863-64, Daniel Ammerman, Thomas Van Neat ; 1866- 66, Daniel Ammerman, Joseph Reed ; 1867, Aaron J. Auten, Joseph Reed; 1868-70, Aaron J. Auten, Jacob E. Hall ; 1871, William H. Ammorman, Alex. B. Brokaw ; 1872, William H. Ammerman, Henry Schenck ; 1873, Samuel B. Little, Henry Schenck ; 1874-76, Henry Schenck, Peter Dumont; 1880, Henry Bacon, John V. Williams.

OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.

1846, Jacob Voaseller ; 1848-49, Abraham Tunison; 1860-52, Henry Am- merman, Isaac II. Hall ; 1853-54, Frederick D. Brokaw, Isaae H. Hall ; 1856-66, Isaac H. Hall; 1867, Fredorick D. Brokaw ; 1868-80, Isaac II. Hall.

* Jolin W. Hall was elected one of the town committee Sept. 4, 1845, In place of John Van Doren, deceased.

765

BRANCHBURG.

EARLY ROADS.

Soon after the "Great Road" was laid out from Piscataqua to the North Branch, in 1686, a road was established from the termination of that road to the Delaware River across what is now Branchburg town- ship. The "Old York Road" branched off from this about a mile west of the North Branch. No record of any road is obtained from that time till 1748. Tho following copy of a record is taken from the "Old Book," page 15, record of roads, now in the county clerk's office in Somerville :

" Application being made by some of the freeholders and inhabitants of the South Branch of the Raritan to yo Commissioners of the County of Somerset and a Petition from them to na sunt complaining of their In- conveniencea of coming to mill and market, Wo, the under written per- sons as Commissioners of aald county of Somerset, do hereby lay out a road according to their request, as follows,-viz. : Beginning at ye foard called ' Cornelius Van Campen's Riding Place,' along the line of Ram Van Derbeck and l'eter Quick to a two rød road, a rodd on said Van Derbeek and a rodd on said Quick's Lund, until it comes to the corner of Andreas Ton Eyck, and so nlong ye Line of Ton Eyck and Van Derbeck a rodd on each side to the old road. Thence nlong yo old roud to ye Mills, an opon rond from the pince of beginning to sald Mills, and from said mills we do lay out a four roid roud as followeth from the Milla as the rond laya: now to Ten Eyck's line, thence along the linuk as the rond goeth Two rod on the Bank and two rod below the Bank across the point to Ton Eyck'a corner tree at the RIvor, opposite the North Branch, and so across yo main rivor to yo grent Rond. In witness whereof wo have hereunto Hot our hande this aovontoonth day of September, 1748.

" FREDERICK VAN LAVER,

CORNELIUS VAN CAMPEN,

" WILLIAM TITSORT,

HENDRICK PITTENSER,

" ALEXANDER VAN NEST,

REYCK SUDAM.

" The under written Ram Van Derhoek do hereby promise to grant on npen rond, as far as it aportaineth to mo, from Van Campen'e Riding Place to tha Milla, and do heroby bind my hoirs and assigne to the performance of thie; in witness whereof I have hereunto set my bond this 17th Day of September, 1748.

" RAM VAN DERDEEK.

" Witness present,

" WILLIAM TITSORT,

" VOLKERT Dow."

On the 22d day of March, 1759, a two-rod road was laid out, beginning from the main road leading from Van Horne's Mill, near the east corner of Mr. Leslie's cleared field, across the brook along the edge of a hill and up the hollow upon a small run, up the hill and upon the bank, "and as straight as can be to the corner of Dr. Sackett's land and Peter Wortman ; thence as the line goes between Dr. Sackett's, Peter Demund, and Tunis Post till it meets the main road leading from Leake's Mill to the North Branch." This road was relaid May 30th, the same year, and its course changed to run "by the south side of Peter Wortman's meadow to a white-oak tree ; thence with a straight course through lands of Dr. Sackett to the corner of Tunis Post's garden ; thence along the south side of Tunis Post's garden to the main road leading from Leake's Mill to the North Branch."

Few roads were laid in the township from this time till about 1820.

CHURCHES AND CEMETERIES.

There is no church edifice within the limits of the township. The house of worship of the North Branch congregation is on the east side of the North Branch

of the Raritan River, and many of its members live in Branchburg. The Neshanie church is on the south side of the South Branch of the Raritan, but its con- gregation is largely composed of members living in this township. On the west are the meeting-houses of the White House and Readington Churches.

The cemetery at North Branch is on the old Ten Eyck farm, and was for many years used as a family burial-place. About the year 1830 a plot of about one acre of land was sold to the congregation of the North Branch Church, including the old burial-ground. It is inclosed by a thorn hedge. Here "the rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep." The following are the names of some of the persons buried here : Jacob Ten Eyck, born 1693, died Oct. 26, 1753; Jemima, his wife, died Aug. 4, 1792, aged ninety-two years; Jacob (son of Jacob), born Ang. 26, 1738, died Nov. 7, 1794, aged sixty-one years; Margaret, his wife, born Dec. 20, 1733, diedl Feb. 15, 1820, aged eighty-six years ; Rynear Van Nest, died April 15, 1784, aged eighty- six years; Jannetje Rappelye, his wife, died Jan. 15, 1792, aged eighty-four years; Teunis Post, died Sept. 10, 1764, aged sixty-four years ; John Van Nostrand and his wife Margaret; Rev. Rynier Van Nest, diedl July 9, 1813, aged seventy-four years; Ann, his wife, died 1858, aged eighty-four years.

Another burial-place, older than the preceding, is located on the old Van Kampen tract, now owned by Peter Van Camp. This plot is also inclosed with a thorn hedge. Several of the early stones are common slate. The earliest record is " Anno 1728." The in- seription is written in Low Dutch. The following are some of initials, names, and dates found in the inclo- sure: "Anno 1746, C. P.," " A. L.," "1. L.," "R. L.," "Il. S., A.D. 1773," "C. S., A.D. 1777," " I. II., A.D. 1786," " M. L., A.D. 1798," "I. V. C., A.D. 1799," " L. V. C., A.D. 1782," "C. V. C., A.D. 1786," "C. Van Camp," "T. V. C.," "C. V. C.," "Sacred to the memory of Magdalen, wife of John llall and daugh- ter of Isaac and Sarah Goveneor, died Aug. 12, 1773, aged seventy-two years;" John Hall, died Oct. 29, 1766, aged sixty-three; Rebekah Hall, first wife or William Hall, died March 6. 1799, aged titty-tive; Catharine, second wife of William Hall, died July 12, 1799, aged sixty-three ; William Hall, died Aug. 31, 1819, aged seventy-four ; Denise Stryker, died March 12, 1777, aged fifty-seven ; Lanah Hoagland, wife of Denise Stryker, died Jan. 2, 1792, aged sixty-seven ; Richard Hall, died Feb. 26, 1801, aged fifty-nine; Jane Vroom, his wife, died Dec. 4, 1843, aged eighty- six; Joseph Stevens, died June 26, 1811, aged sev- enty-five; Abraham Quick, died June 27, 1819, aged fifty-three; Catharine Quick, died May 3, 1818, aged eighty-two; Christopher Stryker, died June 27, 1826, aged seventy ; Judith, his wife, died Nov. 20, 1530, aged seventy-one; John Simonson, died June 20, 1804, aged sixty-one; Elizabeth II., his wife, died Dec. 29, 1831.

A burial-place of the Van Nest family, near Van

766

SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Derveer's mills, was used as early as 1740. Dur- ing the Revolution about twenty soldiers who died with the smallpox were buried in a row on the east side. The line of graves is now plowed up, and is just outside of the fence.

SCHOOLS.

The earliest record pertaining to schools in the township is found in the following copy of a paper now in the possession of Tunis Ten Eyek, and is evi- dence that at that early day schools were taught in the neighborhood :

" At a meeting of the Proprietors of the School House held yesterday, the expense of erecting and finishing the said School house was calcu- lated, when it was found to amount to about thirty pounds. But the proprietors being generously disposed to make no account of the timber or a great part of their labour, if they can only collect as much money from those which has not assisted at the building as will defray the ex- pense of boards, nails, the making of the shingles, etc., have agreed to the following sums to he paid in wheat or money within two months after date, which, if complied with on the part of the subscribers, it shall Inti- tle them to a right in the School House in as full and ample a manner as if they had assisted at the building of it.

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 186

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