History of Hunterdon and Somerset counties, New Jersey : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 209

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 209
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 209

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).

Samnel and Abigail Wikoff had, besides the subject of this notice, the following-named children : Garret, Adrenna, John B., Peter W., Isaac V. C., Maria, Jacob T., William Henry, Matilda, and Samuel L.

Abigail Bembridge, the wife of Samuel Wikoff, was a daughter of John Bembridge, of Hillsborough.

DAVID 0. VOORHEES.

The subject of this notice was born in Blawenburg, Somerset Co., N. J., Aug. 3, 1816. He is a son of

Stekt

David & Voorhees contrées

Okey Voorlices, who was born Aug. 29, 1743, and died May 21, 1819. His wife's name was Allemma Ker- shaw, who was born Aug. 3, 1781, and died March 23, 1863. They had two children,-viz., Peter O., born March 6, 1806, and David O., as stated above. Peter O. married Frances B., daughter of Stephen Stryker, of Harlingen, N. J., by whom he had six children, four of whom are now living (1880), two having died in infancy.

Stephen S., the first son of Peter O., married Se- lina, the daughter of Peter J. Stryker, of Blawenburg. They have two children. Mary Ann married Peter Cortelyou; they have five children.

Mr. Cortleyou and his family are now residing in Sommerset, Kan. David P. married Elizabeth, daugh- ter of John Moore, of Hopewell, Mercer Co., N. J. They have one child. Allemma Voorhees is still single. David O. was married, Dec. 15, 1839, to Rebecca Ann, daughter of Samuel H. and Mary S. Hageman, of Blawenburg, by whom he has one son, Holmes Hage- man Voorhees, born Sept. 9, 1857. Mr. Voorhees has been brought up on a farm and is strictly an agri- culturist ; has received such an education as was usnally acquired at the common town or district schools of his time. He has never taken great inter- est in political affairs ; has been a Whig, and since the Republican party has been the dominant one he has been identified with that. Mr. Voorhees has been a " freeholder" of his township one term ; has been a member of the Reformed Church of Blawenburg about thirty years, holding at different times the principal offices pertaining thereto.

PETER STRYKER STOUT.

Peter Stryker Stout is a lineal descendant of Richard Stout, the general paternal ancestor, probably, of all

PETER STRYKER STOUT.

the families of that name in America. Hc came over to this country from Nottinghamshire, England, some time between 1640 and 1648.

William Stout was the grandfather of Peter Stryker Stout, and married Rachel Carr. They had a family

Laurence Nau der Veer

LAWRENCE VAN DER VEER is the great-great-grandson of Cornelis Jansen Vna der Veer, who arrived in this country from Amsterdam, Holland, in February, 1659, on the good ship "Otter," and was probably the progenitor of all the Van der Veers at present in America. Hle came originally from Hemsflete, in North Holland. On arriving be settled in the vicinity of Fint- bosh, L. I., and afterwards married Gillis do Mandeville. The only one of his children who interests us in this connection, how- ever, is his son, Cornelis Cornelissen, who married and reared a numerous family of sons, who, although their father seems to have lived and died nt Flatbush, themselves possessed more of the spirit of adventure, and sought new homes in New Jersey and elsewhere. Ilis youngest son, Petrus or Peter, bern in 1720, might perhaps be called the immediate progenitor of the branch of tho family with which we have to denl, as he moved from Fintbosh to Montgomery township in 1761, and purchased about six hundred acres of land along the Millstone River and its tributaries, and erected a house which is at present standing elese to the banks of the river, and in tolerably geod repair. From this hease he was taken prisoner by the British on their retreat from Princeton, but succeeded in escaping. Ile married Jane Sehenek, by whom he had the following children : Cornelius, Luke, Garret, Jereminh, Mary, and Catherine. Ilo diod in 1777.

Garret Van der Veer, tho father of our subject, was born en the old hemestend in 1776. lle married Mary Merlett, and died in 1837, leaving eight children,-to wit, Eliza Ann, John Reeve, Lloyd, Peter Van Dyke, Lawrence, Martin Schenck, Mary, and Luther.

Garret Van der Veer was an agriculturist, an netive and con- sistent member of the Reformed Church, and n man of more than ordinary intolligence and ability, though possessing only the ad- vantages of a common-school eduention. llo was frequently called upon by tho citizens of the town to settle their necounts, writo deeds and other legal documents.

Lawrence Van der Veer, of whom this sketch is written. wns born on the Van der Veer estate in Montgomery, Semerset Co.,

.N. J., Nev. 3, 1815, and has ever since resided there. Ilis opportunities for education were those enly of the common schools. Like his progenitors he hns pursued the occupation of a farmer. IIns been identified with the Reformed Church ginee 1813, filling the offices ef deacen and elder for several terms, superintendent of the Sondny-sebool, and town super- intendent of public schools. He was formerly nn Old-Line Whig, and continued soch till the organization of the Repub- lican party, sinco when he has taken an active part in promoting the interests of the latter.

Mr. Van der Veer has improved the old homestead where he lives by erecting a fine large residence in 1866, and other ne- companying buildings upon the plnee. The home is called " Brookside," being near the Millstone River and Beden's Brook, the Intter of which flows through the farm near the house, and is n beautiful and never-failing strenm. The resi- dence stands on a fine large lawn, and the buildings nre sur- rounded by stately forest trees and evergreens, making it ono of the most picturesque and desirable homes in the country.

Mr. Van der Veer married, Mareb 13, 1844, Rachel Lnbagh, daughter of the Rev. Peter Labagh, D.D., by whom he had two children,-Marin Inbagh Van der Veer, born March 19, 1845. and Peter Lnbngh Van der Veer, born Sept. 30, 1816. Maria married llenry W. longland ; they have one child, -Lawrence I'an der Veer Hoagland. Peter L. is n graduate of Itutgers College, New Jersey, and has spent some time at the universities of Berlin and Göttingen, Germany. He is at the present time (1880) practicing law in the city of New York.

Rev. Peter Lnbngh, D.D., father of Mrs. Lawrenceo Van der Veer, was born in Benver Street, New York, Nov. 10, 1773. Ile was an eminent minister of the Reformed Church, ono of the founders of the Somerset County Bible Society, and a faith- ful missionary and pastor for more than half a century. Ilo died Det. 25, 1858, at the age eighty- four years."

* Sre " Life of tlev. Veter Labagh, I.D.," by Rev John A. Todd, puty lished in 1860.

COL. HENRY DURYEE, the subject of this memoir, was of French origin, his great-grand- father, Joost Duryee, having come from France to this country some time anterior to 1753, as in that year he purchased of Abram Van Horn three hundred and sixty-four and a half acres of land, situated in the then "Eastern Division of the Province of New Jersey," now known as Montgomery township, Somerset Co., N. J., for which he paid "one thousand and fifty-eight pounds, current money of the Colony of New York." The original deed of said pur- chase is now in the possession of Alexander D. Duryee, the present owner of the estate. No further record is to be had at this time of this paternal ancestor of the families in America bearing his name more than that he died leav- ing one son named George, who was twice married and left two sons,-to wit, William and George. William married Anna Emmens Berrien, who had one son, Henry, born May 18, 1786, the subject of this sketch. He mar- ried, Oct. 15, 1809, Sarah, daughter of Abram Williamson, of Hunterdon Co., N. J., of which nnion were born nine children,-viz., William R. S., Ann Elizabeth, Catharine Williamson, Mary Davis, Abram Williamson, Henry Ber-

rien, Sarah Emma, Augustus Taylor, and Alex- ander Davis, six of whom are still living (1880).

Col. Duryee spent the most of his days upon the old homestead in Montgomery township where he was born, pursuing the occupation of an agriculturist. His educational advantages were only those afforded by the common schools.

He was a man of more than ordinary intel- ligence and ability, and was often called upon by the citizens of his township to look after their business interests, to write deeds, administer estates, etc., etc. He was an active, efficient, and consistent member of the Reformed Church for many years, filling the offices at different times of deacon and elder. In politics he was a Whig till after the organization of the Republican party, when he affiliated with the latter, and took quite an active part in the interests of the domi- nant political party; though he never sought office, he was appointed to several minor positions in his township.

Col. Duryee, like some of his kinsmen, took a great interest in military affairs, and for many years was an able and efficient officer of the State militia. He died July 27, 1870, honored and lamented by all who knew him.

851

WARREN.

of nine children,-five sons and four daughters. One of the sons, John W., married, in 1813, Eliza Conover, of which union were born four children,-to wit, James Nelson, Peter Stryker, Jane, and Ura.

Peter Stryker Stout, subject of this sketch, is the second son of John W., and was born Feb. 4, 1824. He married, in 1850, Caroline D. Bergen, daughter of John C. Bergen, of Mercer Co., N. J., by whom he has two children, John B. and Anna. John B. married Hannah Etta Putney, daughter of William Putney. Hannah E. married Abram V. D. Dilts; they have one child, Carrie Stout Dilts. Mr. Stout was brought up on a farm, receiving such an educa- tion only as he could obtain at the common schools of his district. Politically he was formerly an "Old-

Line Whig," but upon the disorganization of that party he affiliated with the Democratie party, though never taking a very active part in political affairs.

Hle has been an active and worthy member of the Reformed Church for about twenty years, and has filled some of the principal offices connected there- with. He is a plain, unassuming gentleman, who by a life of industry and strict integrity has secured for himself the respect and friendship of all who know him. His pleasant homestead and farin is situated partly in Hillsborough and partly in Montgomery townships, the residence and accompanying buildings being in Ilillsborough. It is near the Bound Brook and Delaware Railroad, about one mile west of Van Aken Station.

WARREN.

SITUATION AND BOUNDARIES.

THE township of Warren is situated in the east part of Somerset County, and is bounded north by the Passaic and Dead Rivers, which separate it from Pas- saie township, in Morris County, and from Bernard, in Somerset; cast by New Providence, in Union County ; southeast by North Plainfield; southwest and west by Bridgewater and Bernard townships, of which it originally formed a part. The act for the erection of the township, passed March 5, 1806, de- fines its limits as follows :

" All that part of the townships of Bridgewater and Bernard lying within the following boundaries-to wit : Beginving ut Pisale River, at the corner of Somerset and Essex Counties ; thence up said river to Dead Rtvor, on the line between Somerset and Morris; thence up Dead River to the bridge over the same, near the house of Thomas Gaultry ; thence on the road southorly 230 chains, to Bridgewater line, nud along the Butno, as it runs on the top of the Second Mountain, to the brook below Auron Coon's mill; thenco down snid brook 70 chains, to the east branch of Middle Brook, to Moses Higgs' saw-mill pond; thenco south 48° eust 100 chalus to Bound Brook ; thence up the same on the line of Somerset nud Midillesox, and Somerset and Essex, to the hend of Groon Brook ; thenco north 180º west 125 chains to the pluce of beginning- shall be, and the same is hereby, set off from the townships of Bridge- water and Bernard, and the samo is hereby established n separate town- ship, to be called by the name of ' Tho Township of Warron.'"+

The above description applies to the township be- fore North Plainfield was taken off in 1872.

PHYSICAL FEATURES.

The township of Warren comprises an area of 32.26 square miles, or 20,646 neres. The surface is generally quite hilly, rough, and broken in places, but contains several fine agricultural valleys of con- siderable extent. The southeast boundary of the

township, separating it from North Plainfield, runs along the summit of the First Mountain,-a contin- uous ridge which rises at Pluckamin, in Somerset County, and extends 43 miles eastward, terminating near Siccomac. This mountain has an east-southeast trend for 7 miles to the gorge at Middle Brook; it then continues in an east-northeast course through the townships of Warren and North Plainfield to Milburn, a distance of 16 miles, where it is intersected by a valley 1} miles in width. From Milburn to Paterson, where it is broken by the valley of the Passaic River, its course is a little east of north, and beyond Paterson, after gradually attaining its usual height, it curves slightly to the west towards the highland.

Besides the two great depressions at Milburn and Paterson, there are also gaps or notches through which the waters of the valleys intervening between it and the Second Mountain make their way to the ocean. Middle Brook, north of Bound Brook, Story Brook, near Plainfield, and Green Brook, at Scotch Plains, occupy these gaps. The prominent and char- acteristic feature of this mountain is the great differ- ence between its inner and outer slopes. That towards the Second Mountain is gentle, while that towards the plains is steep and in many places precipitous.

Parallel to this First Mountain is the inner range known locally as the Second Mountain. It is sepa- rated from the former by a long and narrow valley bearing the name of Washington Valley, Vernon Valley, etc. This range is longer than the First Mountain, being prolonged on the southwest beyond Pluckamin to Bernardsville, and on the northeast its curve is extended quite to the gneiss of Ramapo

* Hly Prof. W. W. Clayton.

+ Digest of the Laws of Now Jersey, p. 527.

Số2

SOMERSET COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Mountain. Excepting the gap at Little Falls, there are no breaks in this range, although it is in places much lower than the average altitude. The height of this range in Warren township is about 500 feet above tide-water, and 400 above the red sandstone country at Plainfield. Both of the mountains are rough and rocky, and consequently most of their surface is covered with timber. Washington Valley is probably as good an agricultural section as is to be found in the township. Lying between the Second Mountain and Stony Hill is another valley, of higher elevation and less extent, which also contains good farming-lands.

The whole township is well watered. Through Washington Valley flows the east branch of Middle Brook, uniting with another branch running through Doekwatch Hollow, near the southwestern boundary of the township. This branch of Middle Brook is fed by springs and rivulets running from both sides of the valley. Stony Brook, rising in Washington Valley, passes through a deep gorge in the First Mountain and joins Green Brook near the city of Plainfield, affording in its passage several mill-sites, which are well improved. Pumpkin-Patch Braneh runs through the second valley and empties into the Passaic River, and Pound Brook flows north into Dead River. Both take their rise at Coontown. Several freestone quarries have formerly been worked in the township, yielding a beautiful and fine quality of building-stone, but at present they are discontinued.

The original traets of land purchased in Warren township were as follows: The east portion of the William Penn tract lay in the northwest part of the town. East of the Penn traet and east of Mordecai Brook and south of Passaic River were then small lots, as follows : No. 108, taken up by Ephraim Dun- ham, March 1, 1730, 100 aeres "joining Penn's, & 20 chs on Passaic River ;" Nos. 130, 131, by Peter Run- yan, June 16, 1743, 30 acres, and 25 acres "on south side of Pasaick, at the first brook above Dockwra's upper corner of his 3000 ;" No. 49, William Dockwra, May 20, 1690, "3000 acres on south side of Pasaiek, begins at his lowest corner."

A tier of lots between the First and Second Moun- tains, as follows : 104, to the west, was taken by Daniel Hollinshead, March 25, 1727, 393 acres "between 1st & 2d mountains, at Elisha Parker's ;" 96, same date, to John Parker, 165 acres, between Hollinshead and Hamilton; 90, to John Hamilton, same date, 500 aeres between First and Second Mountains .*

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

Settlements were made at a considerable period be- fore the Revolution, though the exact date of any one of them cannot now be ascertained. The court-house, with the deeds and records of Somerset County, was destroyed by fire during the Revolution, and the means of ascertaining and establishing many valuable

facts was consequently lost. Mr. Jacob Manning, of Plainfield, born in 1799, is authority for saying that the earliest settlements in the township were made near the Passaic River and in Washington Valley, on account of the little value which the pioneers attached to the land on the plains.

Joseph and Henry Allen were among the first set- tlers, and came from England over two hundred years ago. Henry settled on Long Island, and Joseph came to Washington Valley, in Warren township, then a wilderness. He settled on the run, about 600 yards from where his great-grandson, William Allen, now resides at the age of seventy-six. William Allen was boru within half a mile of his present residence, in 1805, and has never been 50 miles from home during his long life. He is the grandson of Joseph Allen, son of the first Joseph, and a son of William Allen, who was born on the homestead in February, 1766, and was a carpenter and farmer by occupation. He married Nancy Marshall and reared a family of seven chil- dren, of whom William was the youngest, and is the sole survivor. He married Huldah Cole, daughter of Amos Cole, of Scotch Plains, and had five children,- all deceased,-George, William, Marsh, Nancy, and Elizabeth. The brothers and sisters of Mr. Allen were Marsh, Elizabeth, Sarah, Mary, Jane, and Jo- seph. Marsh lived and died in what is now North Plainfield. Elizabeth married Hon. David D. Smal- ley, a prominent farmer of Warren township, which he represented in the Legislature of the State.

David Allen, eleventh son of David, Jr., married Susan Townley, and was an early resident of Wash- ington Valley. He had children,-Aaron, who mar- ried Maria, daughter of Thomas Stead, and had So- phia Elizabeth ; Sarah Anne, who married Israel, son of Moses Moore, Feb. 21, 1849, and had David Allen ; Elias, who married Elizabeth C. Spencer, daughter of James L. Spencer, Feb. 28, 1849, and had Cornelia ; David, John, and Mary. In the Allen burying- ground, the oldest in the township, rest the remains of many of the old pioneers and their descendants.

Anthony Badgley was an early settler. He was the third son of Anthony, the third son of James Badgley, who came to the Valley between the First and Second Mountains in 1736-37, where he had surveyed to him by the Elizabethtown surveyor a tract of 400 aeres lying above Blue Brook, and extending sonth to the top of the First Mountain. The descendants were very numerons, and some of them settled in Warren township. Hence we find Alfred Badgley holding office in the township in 1849.

George Brown, son of Andrew, lived on Stony Hill, where John W. Ifand afterwards resided. His wife's name was Elizabeth Martin, of Woodbridge. She died Aug. 6, 1777, aged twenty-five, and he afterwards married a Wood, sister of Samuel, of Dayton, and of Esther, the wife of Jonathan Totten. His children were Thompson, whose name oceurs frequently in the town records; Noah, who died at about twenty-two;

* Elizabethtown bill In chancery.

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WARREN.

Elizabeth, who married Lewis Badgley and removed to Paterson. Thompson Brown married Patty, daugh- ter of Andrew Wade, of Morris County. He removed to Westfield, and owned there a large distillery. Ile left his wife and children there and went to Ohio, where his daughter Mary afterwards married John Keith. His son, Andrew Wade, married a daughter of Jesse V. Douglas and moved to Sayer's Bridge, in Springfield township.

William Cole lived on the north side of Green Brook. Ilis wife was Betsey Dennis, and had six children. William, his oldest son, married Elizabeth, daughter of William Williamson, of Plainfield, and had eight children. He was a surveyor and school- master, and was known as " Master Cole." He lived where his father did, and left numerous descendants, among whom have been a number of men of some prominence.

children, among whom were Joseph and Benjamin, . Coddington, and his second wife Hannah Titus, widow

Mulford Cory, the oldest child of Rev. Benjamin, lived on a place near Union village. He had seven twin-brothers, who entered Princeton College together and graduated in the same class. They studied the- ology, were licensed on the same day to preach, in 1834, were both ordained at the same session of the Presbytery, in April, 1835,-Joseph over the church at New Vernon, Morris Co., and Benjamin over that at l'erth Amboy, Middlesex Co.

"There were, and are still, several branches of the Cory family in this township and contiguous territory. Daniel, who lived on the north side of Long Hill (New Providence township ), was an elder in the Pres- byterian Church of New Providence, and died on June 26, 1815, aged eighty-two. He left a large fam- ily of children, from whom numerous descendants have sprung. Daniel Cory, of Warren township, is the son of John Cory, who resided on the same farm. John Cory was born March 5, 1762, on Long Island. His first wife was Martha Berry, born in Rockaway, Morris Co., in 1767 ; married Jan. 26, 1784; died April 30, 1799. His second wife was Phebe Ruckman (mother of Daniel Cory), born July 11, 1785; mar- ried to John Cory, June 29, 1800. John Cory died July 16, 1831; Phebe ( Ruckman) died Oct. 18, 1875. Children : Daniel, born June 17, 1808; Lot, born June 10, 1813, died May 16, 1814; Jonathan, born June 13, 1815, an attorney and counselor-at-law in San Jose, Ill. Daniel married Rachel Willet, Dec. 3, 1831 ; she was born Nov. 15, 1808. Their children and grandchildren are Matilda, born Der. 3, 1832, married Samuel Titus, Nov. 5. 1853 (children, An- nette Titus, born Dec. 24, 1854; Isaac Titus, Oct. 18, 1857 ; Edwin F. Titus, March 29, 1859) ; John, born May 24, 1831, married Mary French, Sept. 5, 1863 (children, Ella M., born Nov. 20, 1866; Mary Emma, July 30, 1868; Nettie L., Nov. 15, 1872; Maggie R .. Jan. 28, 1875) ; Phebe E., born Dec. 20, 1835, married Jacob Adams (children, Daniel C., born Nov. 20, 1865; Rachel F., April 14, 1867, died May 16, 1877;

Mary, Aug. 28, 1868) ; Hannah W., born June 10, 1838, died Sept. 21, 1860; Preston C., born March 1, 1840, died March 25, 1871; Edwin F., born Dec. 13, 1841, died Nov. 11, 1866; Eugene, born Jan. 24, 1544, died March 24, 1844; Thomas W., born April 1, 1845, died May 4, 1845; Rachel, born July 14, 1×46, died April 23, 1863; Zachary Taylor, born March 4, 1849, died March 21, 1873.

Both Daniel and his brother, Jonathan Cory, were members of the Legislature from Somerset County.

Enos Mundy came from Middlesex County and set- tled in Washington Valley about 1800. He had chil- dren,-David, Lewis, Fanny, Peter, Margaret, Cath- arine, and Isaac, in the order named. Lewis, Fanny, and Catharine are still living. Lewis married Mary Swazey, of Chester, Morris Co., and lived at Mount Bethel, on the farm now occupied by his son, Ira. He had children,-Ira, Simeon, Catharine, Mary, Julia Ann, and Sarah. Ira has been twice married, his first wife being Mary, daughter of William B.

of Philip Winans, He has one son by the first mar- riage, Lewis Mundy, who is married and resides in Bernard township. Catharine married Jacob Van Dyke of Bridgewater. Julia Ann married Thomas Coddington, former sheriff of Somerset County. Mary married Jonathan Moore, of Warren township. Sarah married Thomas Hays, now residing in Kentucky. Simeon married Catharine Todd, and is a farmer in Bernard township ; he has a family of six children.

Benjamin, Archibald, and John Coddington settled at Mount Horeb before the Revolution. Their de- seendants have been prominent in the civil affairs of both township and county. The name appears to have been originally spelled Corrington, and may be so found in some of the early records. Archibald married Mary Coon and had children,-Isaiah, Jere- miah, Caty (who married a Campbell), Sarah (Mrs. Bird), Abignil (Mrs. Compton), John (who died at the age of eight), Benjamin, David (born 1797), Israel, William 1., Isaac V., and Archibald. Wil- liam A., Isaac V., and Archibald are still living.

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History of Hunterdon and Somerset counties, New Jersey : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 209

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