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 82
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 82
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* Historical Dlecourse, Rev. G. S. Mott, pp. 9, 10.
"Sacred to the memory of
Ruth, the wife of Wm Bennet, William Bennet, who departed this life April 11, 1808, in the 65th year of his age.
who departed this life Mar. 29, 1798, in the 55th year of his age.
Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching .- Luke, xii. chapt., 37th verse.
In life how peaceful moved this happy pair! How blest in death, released from mortal care! Ye angels, o'er their dust your vigils keep: Calm be their slumbers, undisturbed their sleep. And ye who tread in solemn silence near,
Repress the sigh, restrain the swelling tear;
No more to wound shall earthly sorrows fly : Eternal bliss awaits them in the sky."
The stone erected to the "memory of WILLIAM MAXWELL, Esq., councillor-at-law. Acqualege, ne- cessitas, sortitur, insignes et imos," contains neither date of birth nor that of death.
In the Maxwell plot are also the graves of John W. Maxwell, who died April 3, 1848, aged twenty-five years and one month, and of Naomi, daughter of John W. and Hannah Maxwell, who died June 10, 1848.
"Here lieth the remains of Joseph Hankinson, Junt, son of Joseph & Hannah Hankinson, who departed this life August 10th, 1800, in the 22ª year of his age."
In this churchyard also repose the bodies of Mary, daughter of Rev. W. B. Sloan (died May 14, 1836), and others of his family; Neal Hart, who died in 1837, in his fifty-ninth year ; Naucy, wife of George Johnson and daughter of John and Hannah Kuglar, born in 1800, died in 1830; Martin Johnson, who died Sept. 7, 1828, aged seventy-five years, and his wife, Anna, who died much earlier,-Feb. 5, 1812- aged fifty-three years, four months, and seventeen days.
" Here lieth the body of ELEANOR SMITH, wife of Jafper Smith, of Am- well, Esqr, and daughter of Col. Ryerfon, of Reading-Town : who died Novr 22, 1766, in the 26 Year of her age.
" To preferve the memory and in honor of a virtnons and good wife this stone was erected."
Three graves side by side, and three large hori- zontal slabs of equal size, mark the place of interment of Alexander, Joseph, and Catharine Bonnell. The inscription on one is :
"The grave of JOSEPH BONNELL, ESQUIRE, Counsellor-at-Law, who died Oct. 13th, A.D. 1823, aged 30 years. " They who knew him need no monumental eulogy. They who knew him not would view as living vanity the posthumous efforts of the Tablet."
The other two inscriptions inform us that
" Alexander Bonnell, born Jan. 31, 1768 ; died Ang. 1819."
"Catharine, relict of Alex. Bonnell, born Jan. 12, 1770, died May 25, 1854."
Another states that Charles Bonnell died March 24, . 1830, aged thirty-four years.
323
RARITAN.
"In memory of GABRIEL Horr, who died Jan. 29, 1830, In the 76th year of his age. " Farowell my Friends & Childron dear I am not deul but sleeping here."
" Ann, wife of Gubrlol Hoff, died April 11, 1857, aged 78 years."
" Jano Kennedy, widow of Daniel Roading, died July 30, 1810, aged 70 years, 6 months, and 13 days."
" Levl R., son of Cornelius and Elizabeth Aun Vorhis, diod May 4, I845."
" In memory of Thomas Capnor, a native of Leicestershire, England, Emigrated to morion In tho your 1787, died September 7th 1832, aged 63 yours."
" Mary, relict of Thomas Capoor, who died Feb. 28, 1856, in the 80th year of her age."
" Ilopy Henry, wife of Joseph Henderson, Nov. 27, 18-10, aged 62 years." " Christloa Capner, wife of Poter Nevins, and daughter of Hugh and Matilda Cupner, diedl Dec. 12, 1865, aged 34 years."
In this " city of the dead" the Reading family are largely represented. Some of the inscriptions we give, in brief,-viz. :
" Daniol Reading, died Apr. 9, 1834, aged 71 years, 2 months, and 4 days."
" Ann Reading, born Jan. 29, 1777 ; died Apr. 17, 1861."
"Elizabeth HI. Reading, daughter of Joseph and Eleanor Rouding, died Oct. 19, 1828."
" Joseph, son of James N. and Surah C. A. Reading, died Jan. 29, 1815, agod 8 months."
" Daniel K. Rending, born Feb. 1, 1801; died Nov. 23, 1835."
" Robert K. Reading, born June 20, 1700; died Dec. 13, 1853."
" Alexander Rending, died Dec. 5, 1820, aged 62 years."
" Mary Rending, died May 4, 1825, æt. 53 yours."
" Elizabeth Rending, diod Muy 9, 1821, aged 47 years."
" Eliza Reading, diod Sept. 16, 1818."
"John Reid Reading, died Apr. 30, 1821."
" Daniel It. Reading, born Dec. 17, 1796; died Dec. 25, 1868."
The following is the inscription upon the monument of Major Boeman :
" Ininbort Boeman, Major 15th Reg't N. J. Vols., Fell in the Battle of Cedar Creek, V'n., At the head of his command mencting col. of the 10th New Jersey, October 19th, 1864, In the 32nd year of his ago."
" With permission of the family, this monument is orected by a few personal friends of the Departed, ns a token of their love and gratitude, und to transmit to postority a grateful remembrance of the patriotisni and self-sacrificing devotion minulfested by him in the darkest and most trying hours of perll to his country."
From the Baptist churchyard are taken the follow- ing :
" John T. Blackwell, died Ang. 4, 1831, aged 69 years."
" Ashor Higgins, died Doc. 10, 1823, aged 36 years."
" William Bishop, died July 21, 1842, nged 68 years, 4 months, nod 20 days."
" Abraham Quick, dieil Sept. 2, 1823."
" Henry Gulick, died Ang. 9, 1854, In hla 82d year."
" John Drittain, dod Sopt, 15, 1814, aged 77 years, 10 days."
" Jacob Francis, diod July 26, 1836, ngud 81 years."
" Mary Ann Bullis, wife of Gabriel W. Allor, dod Ang. 1, 1811."
The Roman Catholic cemetery, on Bonnell Street, in the western part of the village, was purchased in 1865 and established as the burial-ground of that de-
nomination. Being of so recent a date, but few inter- ments have been made.
PROSPECT HILL CEMETERY.
This cemetery is owned by " Prospect Hill Ceme- tery Association of Flemington," incorporated April 13, 1870, by William P. Emery, Charles Bartles, John C. Hopewell, Judiah Higgins, and Abraham V. Van Fleet, with a capital stock of $20,000, divided into 400 shares. Its officers at organization were: Presi- dent, Charles Bartles ; Secretary and Treasurer, C. C. Dunham ; Directors, the five corporators above named, and David Van Fleet, C. C. Dunham. They have served, with exception of Joseph H. Iliggins as di- rector in place of Abram Van Fleet, until the present (1880). William P. Emery is superintendent.
The grounds embrace two tracts, purchased of Daniel Suydam and Mrs. Elizabeth Kee, and aggregate a frac- tion less than 18 acres, upon Mullen Hill, lying to the northward of Capner Street. The first plot soll was to John Grabow. The first interment was the body of Dr. J. A. Gray. A large share of the burials have been of bodies removed from the old village church- yards, as is shown by some of the inscriptions upon tablets erected over their remains.
INDUSTRIES.
The pursuits of the people of this township, outside of the village of Flemington, are now, and have been from the first, agricultural. With the culture of the cereals is combined dairying to a considerable extent. Large quantities of milk particularly are shipped daily from Flemington to the New York market.
There are also several grist- and flouring-mills in different parts of the township, some of which date from before the Revolution. Such an one was that on Jonathan Higgins' place, near Ringos, and run by many succeeding generations of the family until about seven years ago.
A bone-mill located on the Neshanie, near Copper Hill, and a saw- and grist-mill in the same neighbor- hood, are owned by William Hill.
Kershow's mill, on the South Branch, is the most prominent of the existing grist-mills of the township.
On the South Branch of Raritan, about two and a half miles from Flemington, a fulling-mill was carried on in the early part of this century by Daniel D. Wil- liams. About 1826 (possibly carlier) it was repaired and run by Levi M. Metler. His advertisement in the Hunterdon Gazette of 1826 states that he has " been engaged in the manufacture of woolen cloths for a number of years," and that the mill was " late the property of William Conover." Fifty years ago (1830) Jacob Voorhees had a cabinet-shop two miles east of Flemington, at the "cross - roads," near the Voorhees school-house.
MATTERS OF SPECIAL NOTE.
" At the opening of the Revolution, near the Presbyterian church stoud a long, low, frame building, beginning a few feet in front of John Copner's lawn-fence and extending a few fret south of the north end of
324
HUNTERDON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
his dwelling. For many years it was a store* famous in all these parts. . . In this store-honse a quantity of muskets was placed by the Conti- Dentals. When the British occupied Trenton they were informed of this fact, and sent 500 cavalry for the purpose of seizing these arms. They arrived early in the morning, and found in the main street a man with a cart, whom they pressed into their service. The chests in which the guns were packed were taken ont of the building and put into the cart, and the whole troop hastened away. But when they reached Tattersall's Lane, where the tile-kiln now is, they became alarmed, and concluded it would be better to destroy the muskets thao attempt to carry them away, 60 they broke the guns by striking them upon the posts of the fence. In the mean time Capt. John Schenck had collected a band of men and secreted them in a piece of woods between Copper Hill and Larison's. As the horsemen filed through this they were fired upon. Capt. Geary, the commander of the British, ordered his troops to halt and face the spot wheoce the firing proceeded, when he was almost instantly shot through the head. His men wheeled and fled. "This resistance probably saved the village and neighborhood from other raids. This captain- afterwards Col. Schenck-was a brave officer ; he was in nearly all the important battles of New Jersey."+
A company of American soldiers were quartered one winter during the Revolution near the Presby- terian church. The Baptist church was also occupied as barracks by the Americans.
Barber, in his "Historical Collections of New Jersey," says that during the war of the Revolution a detachment of the American army encamped on Gray's Hill near the village, and Washington had his headquarters at the residence of Col. Stewart, then a commissary.
Among those who figured conspicuously in the Revolution was Col. Hugh Runyon, a bold and fear- less officer, " full of energy amid scenes of danger ;" Joseph Capner, ancestor of the Capners in Fleming- ton, married one of his daughters. Col. Charles Stewart, for many years a resident of this township, was commander of the First Regiment of minute-men in this State; was afterwards promoted to colonel of the line, and commissioned by Congress in 1776 as commissary-general, serving on Washington's staff until the close of the war. The sons of Adam Bellis were active participants in the Revolutionary struggle on the battle-fields of Trenton, Monmouth, etc. Thomas Gearhart, who outlived most of his fellow- comrades, was as witty as brave, and he, as well as John Howe, was buried in the Presbyterian church- yard in Flemington.
Raritan township during the late Rebellion raised large sums of money and furnished her full share of men,-in fact, fully sustained her reputation for loy- alty to the Union.
The last public celebration of Independence Day in Flemington was in 1860. The exercises were held in the old apple-orchard on the farm of John H. Capner, the orator of the day heing a Rev. Mr. Lewers, of Milford. E. R. Bullock, Esq., read the Declaration of Independence. This occasion is also memorable for the fire that then occurred. In the afternoon Mr. Capner's large barn, situated near Main Street, was entirely consumed, with its contents, including two
horses, while an intoxicated man asleep in the barn barely escaped with his life. A strong north wind carried a shower of sparks over the town, which, fall- ing thickly upon the roofs of many houses, promised a general conflagation. The result, no doubt, would have been serious but for the rain which fell in torrents.
FLEMINGTON VILLAGE.
This beautiful village is situated very nearly in the geographical centre of Raritan township, of which, and contiguous territory, it is the leading business and commercial mart, being also the seat of justice for the county. The location here of the court-house and county buildings has greatly fostered the growth of the village. It is about equidistant from Reaville, Barley Sheaf, Copper Hill, and Klinesville, within a radius of three miles. Flemington is located about a mile south of the South Branch of the Raritan River, 11 miles northeast from Lambertville, 9 south from Clinton, 10} east from Frenchtown, and about 14 (in a straight line) west from Somerville.
Its boundaries are thus described :
"Beginning at the Arch bridge, bear Richard Emmans'; thence run- ning dne sonth to the public road leading from Flemington to John C. Merrill's; thence io a straight line to the southeast corner of George Hanson'e lot, near Thomas Hartpence's; thence due west to Thomas Ed- mondson's line; thence north along said Edmondson's line to Charles Bartles' line; thence along said Bartles' line north to the public road leading from Flemington to Sergeantsville; thence in a straight line to the west end of Bonnell street; thence in a straight line to the south- west corner of Mrs. Kee's land; thence along Mrs. Kee's land to the northwest corder thereof; thence in a straight line to the creek north of Samuel Johnson's house; thence down the said creek, the sev- eral courses thereof, to the place of beginning."}
By the foregoing description it will be seen that the town is somewhat irregular in shape, and that its eastern line is the only one pursuing a straight, un- deviating course, its northern line, the Bushkill Creek, being tortuous in the extreme.
Flemington is a little more than a mile in width, and about a mile and one-third long, embracing an area of one and a half square miles. Its population, according to the recently completed census of 1880, is 1748,-an increase of 336 over that of 1870.
The title to the lands of this village, as well as to a vast area beyond, was originally held by Daniel Coxe and William Penn, two of the proprietaries of the West Jersey Company. The north portion of the village was in Coxe's tract,¿ the south part in Penn's, the dividing line between the two tracts being from east to west, passing by the lamp-post now standing in front of the Presbyterian church. A high stone just over the brook, beyond Kershow's mill, is where this line touched the South Branch. To make their title the more secure, the proprietors purchased the
* This storo was kept in connection with a mill, on the sito of John Rockafellow's ofill.
+ Dr. Mott's Ilist. Diec., pp. 17, 18.
# Ao Act for the Improvement of Flemington, approved March 14, 1870.
¿ Commonly called the Mount Carmel tract, embracing 4170 acres.
325
FLEMINGTON VILLAGE.
lands of the Indians, the deeds for which bear date of 1703. This land was first surveyed in 1712. The Penn's estate tract embraced 5000 acres .*
NATURAL FEATURES.
Flemington lies in one of the most beautiful of the many valleys of the Raritan and its tributaries. For many miles south and cast the surface is undulating with hills on the north and south. From Mount Carmel, on the west, a beautiful view of the village and its vicinage is afforded. In this valley is the county-town of llunterdon. The principal portion of the village lies upon nearly level ground and upon what is called "Main Street," which runs north and south. Parallel to it are Spring, Broad, and Stover Streets on the cast, and New and Brown, on the west ; while the cast-and-west streets are named Church, Williams, Lyceum, and Capner, and Penn Avenue. Bonnell and Minet Streets start near the centre of the village and run diagonally, south of west. Wyc- koff Avenue runs castward from Branch Street, and the latter, from the Presbyterian church to the Bush- kill, in a nearly northeast direction. At the junction of Penn Avenue and Main and Branch Streets, also, comes in the "Clinton" road, from the northwest. The Bushkill Creek bounds the village on the north, and is the only stream worthy of mention within its limits. The soil is of the red shale, underlying which is the "Old Red Sandstone."
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
From the carliest deeds it appears that the first purchase of land in this section was in 1731, when Daniel Coxe sold 210 acres to William Johnson, who two months later sold about one-fourth-563 acres- to David Chambers, then of Philadelphia. This was conveyed in 1748 to Henry M. Mullen, from whom " Mullen Hill" derives its name. This passed in 1756 to John Wood, and in 1761 to Thomas Lowrey.
Samuel Johnson, son of the William above named, was another purchaser of the Coxe tract in 1754. 1Fc bought 105 acres, and the next year sold 4 acres to William B. Potter, who, June 11, 1756, sold the same to Samuel Fleming, the recognized pioneer settler of the village.
Many of the carly settlers were of Irish nativity. William Johnson, Thomas Lowrey, and Samuel Flem- ing came from Ireland. Others were of Scotch, English, or German descent. Among them may be named Philip Kase (Case), Joseph Smith, James Farrar, George Alexander, Robert Burgess, John Haviland, Thomas Hunt, William Noreross, and Dr. George Creed. Some of these were without the limits of Flemington as now constituted, but in the carly days the " Flemings' settlement" covered a consider- able territory. (For a sketch of William Johnson
and his descendants, see the chapter on the " Bench and Bar" in this work.)
In 1756 Samuel Fleming purchased land. Ile brought with him from Ireland a boy, Thomas Low- rey, who afterwards married his daughter Esther, and became a prominent man, acquiring possession of sev- eral properties in the village.# Fleming and Lowrey and his wife were devoted patriots during the Revoln- tion. The old house where Fleming lived, and the first in the village, is still standing. It is the second house on the north side of Academy Street, and was recently occupied by Charles Miller. Fleming kept a tavern there. As in time other houses were erected the place was called "Flemings," and finally Flem- ington. Samuel Southard afterwards purchased and occupied this house,¿ until he built the one on Main Street, now owned and occupied by Alexander Wurts, E-q.
Esther (Fleming) Lowrey, one of the pioneer women of this settlement, "was remarkable for her amiable and generous qualities, and was a practical and intelligent woman. Coming from Ireland when a child, she retained much of the richness of the brogue, especially when excited. Fleming and Low- rey were both strong Whigs, and Esther particularly earnest in the cause of the Revolution. It is related that one morning, about daybreak, news came to the village that the American army had met with a serious disaster. Esther's patriotic blood was stirred to a rage at the news, and, rushing to the chamber door, she called out in her strongest native accent, " Thomas, get up and mount the ould mare, and ride as fast as yez can and find out if the dom lie is thrue."Il
Fleming seems to have been unfortunate in his purchases and sales of lands and in his business specu- lations. Buying from year to year so embarrassed him financially that finally he was sold out to pay his obli- gations, Dr. George Creed buying at auction his dwelling-house."
Lowrey was as successful as Fleming was unfortu- nate. Hle was a shrewd man, and became rich and influential. He was one of the founders of the Am- well Baptist Church in 1765, was a member of the Provincial Congress in 1775 from Hunterdon, licuten- ant-colonel in the Third Hunterdon Regiment in 1776, later was colonel, ** and after the war a member of the State Legislature. In 1785 he sold his prop- erty in Flemington and vicinitytt and removed to Frenchtown, where he purchased large tracts of land. erected mills, founded Frenchtown, and built up Mil-
* " First Century of Hunterdon County."
+ So uamed from its running to the obl copper-miur west of the vil- Ingo.
$ Without doubt the first purchase Lowrey made was 650 square feet, In 175s, on which the storehouse was sulwoqueutly bullt, in which he engaged in merchandising.
¿ Dr. Motta' Hist. Pl&c., 1876.
Traditions of our Ancestors, chap. xl.
F Dr. Moit's Hist'l Discourse, p. 9.
** Minutes of Provincial Congress and Council of Safety, 1745-76, pp. 170, 181, 237, 165.
++ It; was at this time that Robert Burgess purchased 10715 acres of Low rey, for £.00, " bard money."
326
HUNTERDON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
ford, which latter was for a time called Lowerytown. He died at Frenchtown in 1809.
In 1767, Thomas Lowrey owned two lots, lying south of what is now Penn Avenue, extending east from the road to Trenton (now Main Street) 20 chains, and south on the Trenton road 3 chains 68 links, amount- ing to between 6 and 7 acres. The northwest quarter part of the west lot he purchased of J. Anthony.
The next lot south was owned by Jasper Smith, contained 3 acres and 10 chains in depth. Next south lay the lot of William Pearson, of same shape and area as Jasper Smith's. Then came five narrow lots, all of equal depth (10 chains), and each containing an acre. The second and third from the north were owned by William Disher and Jacob Mallison re- spectively. Below these lay the 8-acre lot of Joseph Hudnett, being 8 chains fronting on the Trenton road, and extending back (east) 10 chains.
With the exception of the seven lots above men- tioned, all the remaining land on the east of Main Street, embracing both "front" and "back" lots, and extending from the old store-house* to the Baptist meeting-house lot, on the New Brunswick road,-in other words from the Presbyterian church to the Baptist church,-was divided April 24, 1767, be- tween Thomas Lowrey, Joseph Morris (for William Morris' heir), James Eddy, Christopher Marshall, and Gershom Lee, so that each had a little more than 14 acres as his individual share.
"The following is a true copy of an original Draft & Notes thereon, in my possession, supposed to have been made 24 April, 1767.
(Signed)
"N. SAXTON."
Ola road from Howell's Ferry to Raritan.
'Tnos 1, OwFCV heuchi ef ycs
S CHAINS
10 c.
16.47
Anthony: 1n. Thes. Lowrey
Thomas Lowrey.
5 hought of company
3a., 2 q.,28 rods.
20,2g .. 28r. sochams
10 chains.
Jasper Smith. 3 a.
Thomas Lowrey
Thos. Lowrey. 28a.3q. 36 rods
William Pearson
3 ct.
S & LOWrey.
4.27
T. Lowrey-
W Morris,
8 chains.
Joseph Hudnett.
Gchains Jolinks z
Wm. Morris' heir. Nº 2. No.12 betongs tolhuis, & 3.1q 20R Trout Lotts.
12.20
.8 a.
6 Ch.SOLinks.
James Eddy. Nº 3 9a.,39 ,16R.
30 la 20p.
James Eddy. (No 3)
4 a 19.20Rods
Christ" Marshall Nº 4. 90.3q .; 16 R.
25 a.
W-6-E
4 alq 20rods
Gershom Lee J
(No 5)
Sch 11 tinks
Gershom Lee. No5.
Meeting House
4a.Jq20r
9a, 3q .. 16 R.
10 400
To New Brunswick ->
PLAN OF FLEMINGTON, 1767.
* At the junction of the old road from Howell's Ferry (now obsolete) with the Trenton road,-that is, near where the Presbyterian church stande.
" A Plan of several lotts of ground in Amwell as divided the 24 of April 1767 between Thomas Lowrey, Joseph Morris for William Morris's heir, James Eddy, Christopher Marshall & Gershom Lee, with their sev- eral names wrote on each division as they are numbered beginning front No. 1 to 5, containing upwards of 14 acres to each Lott.
(Indorsed) " Date of release, 2d June, 1767."
Gershom Lee deeded to Thomas Lowrey, Dec. 10, 1769, a tract of 21 acres, 32 perches (part of 533} acres purchased by John Reading as part of 3333 acres of Daniel, John, and William Coxe, in 1745), and sold by his heirs to Gershom Lee, March 16, 1768. Joseph Taylor and Robert Dods were wit- nesses to this indenture.
After the Revolution, Col. (afterwards Gen.) Charles Stewart, who rendered important service to the Amer- ican cause from the very commencement of the strug- gle, removed from Landsdown to Flemington, taking up his residence in a house near that of John C. Hopewell, Esq., and owning a large farm extending to Coxe's Hill. There he lived until his death, June 24, 1800, at the age of seventy-one .; He was buried in the old Presbyterian churchyard at Bethlehem. A long epitaph is inscribed upon his tombstone, which was written by his life-long friend, Chief-Justice Smith, of Trenton, in these words :
"He was an early and decided friend to the American Revolution and bore the important office of Commissary-General of Issues to universal acceptance.
His friendships were fervid and lasting, and commanded both his purse and his services.
His hospitality was extensive and bonntifnl; The friend and the stranger were almost compelled to come in."
His granddaughter, Mrs. Bower, after the war, received marked attention, in Philadelphia, from Mrs. Washington. His daughter, Martha, married Robert Wilson, a young Irishman of education, who came to this country and volunteered in the Conti- nental army soon after the battle of Lexington. He was wounded and taken prisoner at the battle of Ger- mantown. Capt. Wilson died in Hackettstown, in 1779, at the early age of twenty-eight. Mrs. Wilson was distinguished for beauty and for a brilliant and cultured mind .;
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