USA > New Jersey > Hudson County > Jersey City > History of Jersey City, N.J. : a record of its early settlement and corporate progress, sketches of the towns and cities that were absorbed in the growth of the present municipality, its business, finance, manufactures and form of government, with some notice of the men who built the city > Part 3
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HISTORY OF JERSEY CITY.
Col. Durkie remained in command of the patriot force at Paulus Hook for a short time after New York was captured and Gen. Washington visited the post a number of times to rec- onnoitre while he had his headquarters at Harlem. The British could not allow the fort to remain in American hands, and Gen. Mereer, realizing that fact, had removed the stores and withdrawn the troops except a small guard. On September 23d, in the afternoon, the British fleet began a cannonade on the batteries from the river and half an hour later landed a force from the ships and twenty boat-loads of troops from New York. They achieved a barren vic- tory. They got nothing but the dismantled fort. The Americans retreated to Bergen, with their outpost at Prior's mill, which stood on the hillside just above where Academy Street is now. The British at once began to strengthen the works on Paulus Hook and established a small post on the western edge of the upland near the present corner of Wayne and Monmouth streets. This post was called Fort Putnam, and on one occasion a British sentry was killed there by a shot from Prior's mill. The last remnant of the hill on which the fort stood was removed last year.
On October 4th Washington had his headquarters in Bergen and was beginning his retreat to the other side of the Delaware. He evacuated Bergen on the 5th, carrying away everything in the shape of military stores. Gen. Greene left 168 officers and men to watch the enemy. These men were posted at Bergen and other points on the west side of the Hudson. On Novem- ber 20th Fort Lee was evacuated, and Bergen was left to the undisputed possession of the British. Col. Abe Van Buskirk, a notorious Tory of Saddle River, was placed in command of Paulus Hook. The fort in Bayonne was also occupied and its name changed to Fort Delancey in honor of a New York Tory. Both places were gar- risoned by Tory volun- teers. They were very zealous in murdering and robbing their old neighbors. The region now included in Hudson County was raided with great frequency by B:it- ish and Tory foraging parties, and by Ameri- cans bent on reprisals. PRIOR'S MILL.
The British decided to ordinary high tide boats could pass over the marsh and even over the road or causeway that con- nected Paulus Hook with the mainland. An elevated foot path had been made parallel to the road. to allow pedestrians to pass at all conditions of the tide. This was known as Howe's bridge. A tidal creek extended from what is now the corner of Morris and Van Vorst streets to the east side of Warren, thence westerly on the line of York Street to a point near Van Vorst Street, thence northerly until it crossed Newark Avenue. This creek had been enlarged and a ditch cut across from the line of York Street to the centre of the block between Grand and Sussex, 125 feet west of Warren. The ditch and creek were about twenty feet wide and deep enough for ordinary boats to pass. The British cut a ditch from a point on the river near what is now the roadbed of the Pennsylvania Railroad, fifty feet west of Greene Street, to the main ditch on the line of Warren Street. A drawbridge was built over this ditch on Newark Avenue, and on the easterly side of the bridge an abatis was built provided with a strong barred gate. This was the only approach by land. A strong line of abatis was built along the westerly side of the upland from Morris Street to Newark Avenue, and easterly to the river bank at Greene and Montgomery streets. Three block houses were huilt. One on the upland near where Post's building is now on Mont- gomery Street, one near the corner of what is now Warren and Essex streets, and the third near the corner of Washington and Montgomery streets. An oblong earthwork fort crossed Grand Street foo feet west of Greene Street. This fort had three guns, two twelve-pounders and one eighteen-pounder, and the magazine. Southwest of this, on a hill thirty feet above the present grade on Sussex Street, 100 feet cast of Washington, there was a circular redoubt sur- rounded by an abatis. Along the southerly side of the upland on the line of Essex Street, and
make Paulus Hook a part of the defences of New York, as well as the gateway to the interior. It was naturally a strong position. Harsimus Cove on the north, the Hudson River on the east, and Communipaw Cove on the south, gave it deep water on three sides. On the west the tide ebbed and flowed over the salt marsh. At
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HISTORY OF JERSEY CITY.
the present site of the sugar house, there was a row of four earthworks to prevent a landing being made from the cove on the south. The water supply was obtained from a spring about midway between Grand and Sussex streets, on the lots now occupied by St. Matthew's and the Dutch Reformed Church buildings. A burying-ground was established on the west side of Washington Street between Sussex and Morris. When Washington Street was graded many bones were dug up. These were collected by Mr. George Dummer, and buried in a hogshead at the intersection of Morris and Washington streets.
A garrison of two hundred men held Paulus Hook, and it was thought to be so secure that they became careless. This carelessness was observed by Capt. Allan McLane, who was in command of a party of observation. He informed Maj. Henry Lee, and suggested an attack on the fort. Maj. Lee, better known as "Light Horse Harry," formed a plan and submitted it to Washington. After its approval Lee made careful arrangements and left Paramus Church with between 400 and 500 men. He left camp at 10:30 o'clock in the morning of Wednesday, August 18, 1779. He marched by way of Weehawken and Hoboken, and thus failed to meet Lient .- Col. Van Buskirk the Tory, who left Panlus Hook by way of Bergen that night at 9 o'clock, with 130 men, to raid the vicinity of Englewood.
The garrison had been reinforced by a captain and forty men from New York to make up for the men taken on the raid. A signal had been agreed upon between Maj. Sutherland, the commandant of the fort, and Gen. Pattison, commanding in New York, by which Sutherland was to fire two cannons and display three lights in case of an attack. Maj. Lee's force moved as rapidly as possible, but it was after 3 o'clock on Thursday morning when they reached New- ark Avenue and Grove Street. The tide was rising and would soon overflow the roadway. No time was to be lost. It was nearing rely on the bayonet. The attack was so impetnons that the garrison was panic stricken. Maj. Suther- land, with twenty-five Hessians, fled to the round redoubt and opened fire on the Americans. This resistance probably deter- mined the hasty retreat. The main magazine was at that time on Washington Street, about 100 feet sonth of what is now the Morris MAJOR LEE. Canal bridge, and below the round half-past three when they reached the corner of Warren Street and Newark Avenue. The guard was either asleep or mistook them for Col. Van Buskirk's men coming back, and it was not until the men plunged into the ditch that their presence or identity was discovered. Then the guards fired and Lee's men, their ammunition destroyed by their ducking, were forced to redoubt. It was not destroyed. Lee's attack was delayed later than he intended, and at 4 o'clock the firing of guns in the British fleet warned him that it was time he was moving. He had made 159 prisoners, and had a dangerous retreat of fourteen miles to make with men exhausted by over sixty-five miles of marching and a sleepless night. They had no ammuni- tion, and were exposed to attack by superior force at many points. His retreat was as success- fully made as the attack had been, and his capture of the fort was one of the most brilliant events of the war. He was congratulated on all hands, and received a medal and the thanks of Congress. Washington made an award of $15,000 to be divided among the men engaged in the affair as a special recognition of their gallantry.
In December, 1779, Gen. Wayne moved down from Tappan and established his headquar- ters at Bergen. He remained nearly a month, but merely to maintain a post of observation. The residents of Bergen and vicinity were in the habit of going to New York to sell farm pro- duce and purchase supplies for their families. This fact became known to the Tories, because permits to cross had to be obtained from Col. Van Buskirk, in command of Paulus Hook. The ferryboats had been impressed for military service, and the residents crossed in skiffs from Communipaw. The Tories made a practice of robbing them on their return. This was such a frequent occurrence that the residents arranged a signal to give warning to the people in the skiffs that the Tories were waiting for them. There was a barn on what is now Phillips Street, a short distance below Communipaw Avenue, which had a door divided in two parts, and it could be seen a long distance from the shore. The upper half was left open as a signal of safety. When it was shut the skiffs landed on Ellis Island and remained until the coast was clear.
Among the residents of Bergen who made a practice of going to New York to sell produce
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HISTORY OF JERSEY CITY.
was Mrs. Tuers, who lived at what is now the corner of Bergen Avenue and Church Street. She, in common with all who went on similar errands, put up at "Black Sam's" hotel in New York. Sam was a patriot, and knew that Mrs. Tuers was reliable. Under a pledge of secrecy he told her that he had heard British officers, who frequented his hotel, talking about a con- spiracy in the American camp. When she canie home she told her brother, the grandfather of the present Mr. C. C. Van Reipen. He went to Hack- ensack and told General Wayne, who sent word to Washington. Wayne of- fered to reward Mr. Van Reipen with money, but the sturdy old patriot refused to accept it, saying : " I do not serve my country for money, but if I am cap- tured I would like Gen. Washington to protect me." That report gave Washington the clue to Benedict Arnold's treach- ery, which was discovered a few days later. The Tuers mansion was torn SURPRISE OF PAULUS HOOK, AUGUST 19, 1779. (From an old cut.) down last year to clear the site for the new armory.
The winter of 1779-80 was unusually severe, and the Hudson River was frozen over. Wood became very scarce in New York, and fuel became so dear that the British commandant limited the price that could be charged to four pounds sterling per cord. The Tories organized wood- chopping parties and stole the timber from the west side of the river. They built a block- house at Bergen and Woodlawn avenues and a small earthwork on the east side of Caledonia Park, near Academy Street, to protect themselves while cutting wood. A number of skir- mishes occurred between the Americans and the woodchoppers, but none within Jersey City territory.
On August 24, 1780, Gen. Lafayette marched from near Fort Lee to Bergen, which he reached at 1 o'clock in the morning. Col. Stuart's regiment was thrown out as a skirmish line toward Paulus Hook. In the morning the troops were marched to the brow of the hill east of Bergen in full view of the enemy. Their point of observation was on Waldo Aventie between Henry Street and Magnolia Avenne, around a large tree known to the old settlers as the "oude boom," and to the people living here during the first half of this cen- tury as "The King of the Woods." The tree was cut down December 20, 1871.
The sketch given herewith was made by Alexander MeLean in 1858, and gives a fair idea of the historic old tree and the appear- ance of the first roadway graded on the hill- side prior to consolidation.
During Lafayette's stay in Bergen he sent infantry as far as Bergen Point on foraging "THE KING OF THE WOODS." expeditions. He made his headquarters at Hartman Van Wagenen's house on Academy Street, west of Bergen Square, and there, late in August, he entertained Gen. Washington. They dined in the orehard back of the house under an apple tree. This tree was blown down in a gale on September 3, 1821. When Lafayette
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HISTORY OF JERSEY CITY.
visited this country in 1824 he passed through Bergen on Thursday, September 24th, and was met by the entire population at the Five Corners. He was presented with a handsome cane made from the wood of that apple tree. It was mounted with gold and bore this inscription : "Shaded the hero and his friend Washington in 1779 ; presented by the Corporation of Bergen in 1824." The presentation speech was made by Dominie Cornelison, whose grave is on Vroom Street near Tuers Avenue.
The Tories and patriots continued to forage in the vicinity of Bergen, but the British had no foothold in New Jersey, except Paulus Hook. The block-house at Bull's Ferry, which had been the scene of active skirmishing, was abandoned by the woodchoppers in November, 1780.
THE OLD TUERS HOMESTEAD.
The Tories who had been in it transferred their energies to the Bayonne section. They occupied Fort Delancey and stole a great deal of wood in that section. Garret Vreeland, who owned timber on the land now covered by the New York Bay Cemetery, went to the commissary department and obtained an order to save his standing timber. It was obeyed in the letter, but not in the spirit, for much of the timber was girdled and spoiled.
Fort Delancey was abandoned in September, 1782. The quarters were burned, and on October 5th the Tories and renegades, who had harassed the people for years, were shipped to Nova Scotia. The removal of the Tories put an end to the petty robberies and cowardly murders, but the British troops continued to send foraging expeditions from the fort at Panlns Hook until November 22, 1783, when it, too, was evacnated. Two days later New York was given up by the British and the war was over.
CHAPTER IV.
INCORPORATION OF THE ASSOCIATES OF THE JERSEY COMPANY-PURCHASE OF PAULUS HOOK- RIVAL TOWNS OF VAN VORST AND HOBOKEN-THE FOUNDERS OF THE FUTURE CITY-THEIR EFFORTS TO BUILD A CITY-THE PROPRIETARY GOVERNMENT-IT WAS A FAILURE.
ROM the time that Henry Hudson received gifts of fruits and vegetables until the end of the colonial period, nearly two centuries later, the future possibilities of the land on the west side of the river were not recognized. The marshes were looked upon as worthless and the upland was valued only for timber and agriculture. The whole history from 1609 until the revolutionary period might be relegated to the antiquaries so far as it concerns the city that has grown up where Paulusen lived in a log hut and " trafficked with the Indians."
In looking back along the path of time for the germ of the present city, that June day in 1764, when the ferry was established, stands out as the dividing line between the sandhills and the city. No shadow of the coming event was visible to the men who directed those puny ferryboats. They were simply breadwinners, engaged in their daily toil. Their enterprise
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Road to Berg!
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PAULUS HOOK AND VAN VORST
had many vicissitudes. It was taxed more than it would bear. It was stamped out under the iron heel of war, and for a quarter of a century had produced but one house in Paulus Hook, but it directed the current of travel. The river checked the current as carbon stays electricity, and in time there were men who saw the light and recognized auroral flashes from beyond the horizon of futurity.
After the war closed the ferry was resumed and the farming days on Paulus Hook came to an end. The resumption of business caused an increase of travel and the number of stage coaches rose to twenty a day arriving and departing from the tavern at the foot of Grand Street, and the rental of the ferry, paid to the city of New York, was $2, 125 per annum. Enter- prising men of means were not wanting to embrace the opportunities that were offered.
The land lying east of Bergen Hill, hetween Hoboken and Communipaw Cove, was divided between the Van Vorst estate, which included Paulus Hook and a large tract forming nearly the northern half of the area known in colonial times as the Duke's Farm. This northern
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HISTORY OF JERSEY CITY.
section had conflicting claimants, but they all combined to sell the land to John B. Coles, of New York. The purchase price was $34,285.75, out of which the town of Bergen received $14,285.75 for its title to the land under its original grant, in which this territory was a part of the common land. The deed bears date of Feb. 4, 1804, thus making Coles the pioneer in the new life that was then beginning to appear. Coles was a public-spirited man of large means. He was born on Long Island Dec. 31, 1760, and was in his forty-fourth year when he engaged in this enterprise. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Benjamin Underhill, Sept. 22, 1781. He remained a resident of New York, where he was a prom- inent flour merchant, and lived on State Street. He was an alderman from the first ward eight years and served as a State senator. He died Jan. 2, 1827, and was buried in Trinity churchyard.
Coles had his purchase surveyed and laid out in city blocks, with streets at right angles. There were 294 blocks, all but four of which contained thirty-two lots, each twenty-five by one hundred feet.
While Coles had been treating with the numerous interests concerned in the West India Company's or
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Duke's farm, Anthony Dey, a successful young lawyer of New York, had been negotiating with Cor- nelius Van Vorst for the purchase of Paulus Hook and its ferry privilege. He did not succeed in buying the land, but he secured an agreement, on February 22, 1804, by which he was to get possession of the land and ferry for a per- petual annuity of six thou- sand Spanish milled dol- lars. This lease was to be secured by an irredeemable mortgage. Thus within eighteen days of each other two movements were be- gun which had important bearings on the history of
the future city. The activity of these pro- gressive men stimu- lated John Stevens, of Hoboken, to an active rivalry which bred competition that still remains as a legacy long after its origina- tors have joined the silent majority. Ho- boken was part of the territory secured from the West India Com- pany by Pauw, and it passed into the Com- pany's hands when Pauw surrendered his land and his title of Patroon. Hendrick Cornelissen Van Vorst, eldest son of Pauw's Commissary at Harsimus, occupied it under a lease until his death in 1639. In 1640 it was leased to Aert Teunissen Van Putten for twelve years, but Van Putten was killed and the farm and brewery which he had built were destroyed by the Indians in 1643. The next owner was Nicola Varlett. His widow married Nicholas Bayard, a man of means, who built a mansion on Castle Point. It remained in that family's possession until 1784. William Bayard, the owner of that time, was a pronounced patriot at the beginning
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HISTORY OF JERSEY CITY.
of the troubles with England, but became scared when the British occupied New York, He was as active as a Tory as he had previously been as a patriot. His estate was confiscated by the government and sold, on March 16, 1784, to John Stevens. He made no effort to found a city on his purchase until attention was attracted to the two settlements south of him. The newspapers of the day spoke very favorably of the plans to found towns on the west side of the river, and Stevens evidently resolved to benefit by the work done by his neighbors. Each settle- ment had ferry privileges, and each apparently had an even start. Stevens made more haste than the others, and he offered lots for sale at auction, at the Tontine Coffee House, on March 20, 1804. He got ahead of his competitors at that time, but his haste did not avail. The efforts put forth simultaneously for the three embryo towns served to enlighten everybody in relation to what was going on and the possibilities of the future for the west side of the Hudson. The efforts of Dey and Coles were carried on in a friendly spirit, and their sections rapidly distanced the colonial settlements at Bergen and other points in the county. Paulus Hook took the lead in this progressive movement and became the point to which the others gravitated. Thus the history of the Dey purchase became the history of the city.
The men who took an active part in founding the city were Van. Vorst, who owned the land when the idea was put in a tangible form ; Anthony Dey, who negotiated the transfer, and Richard Varick and Jacob Radcliffe, who were jointly interested with Dey in the enterprise. Their position and character, as well as their part as founders of the city, makes them worthy of special mention.
Cornelius Van Vorst was born in the Van Vorst homestead on Henderson Street. He was of the fifth generation in descent from the Cornelis Van Vorst who was a superintendent for the Dutch West India Company, and in the fourth from the Ide Van Vorst who was cap- tured by the Indians and ransomed at Tappan in 1643, the first boy born and married in New Netherlands. Cornelius was born November 25, 1728. He was known as "Faddy," and was at the time the revolutionary war broke out reputed VAN VORST HOMESTEAD. to be the wealthiest man in the county. He was 36 years old when he established the ferry from Paulus Hook. He was fond of fun and good horses and a practical joker. He took strong ground against the stamp act and other impositions which led to the war. At a meeting held in Hackensack, June 25, 1774, he was appointed to correspond with the other counties to arrange for an election of delegates to a Congress of Delegates of the American Colonies. On June 29th he was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the Bergen battalion by the Provincial Con- gress. When the British took Paulus Hook, his honse fronting on Harsimus Cove was taken possession of by cavalry officers, and he and his family forced to live in the kitchen. A part of that kitchen is still standing and forms part of the house at the corner of Fourth and Henderson streets. Cornelius died September 30, 1818. His descendants still reside in this city.
Anthony Dey was born in Preakness in 1776. He was descended from Theunis Dey who owned a farm fronting 300 feet on Broadway and 800 feet on the Hudson River. His lane is now Dey Street, New York. His son, Dirck Dey, bought a farm of 800 acres at Singack, Bergen County. Dirck's son Theunis built a stone mansion at Preakness which was twice used as headquarters by Washington, and is still standing. Theunis became colonel of the Bergen county militia. Richard, his son, was major in the same regiment. Anthony, his son born in the family mansion, was graduated at Columbia College, studied law with Col. Varick, his uncle by marriage, and was a successful lawyer. He was twenty-eight years old when he became one of the founders of Jersey City. At one time he owned much of the Hackensack meadow and all of the site of Harrison township opposite Newark. He was many years a director of the New Jersey Railroad Company. He died in 1859, in his eighty-third year, leaving one son, James R., who also left one son, Richard Varick Dey, now a resident of Pasadena, California.
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HISTORY OF JERSEY CITY.
Jacob Radcliffe was born at Rhinebeck, April 20, 1764, graduated at Princeton, 1783, studied law with Atty,-Gen. Egbert Benson of New York, and was admitted to the bar in 1786. He was a member of the New York Assembly, 1794-95 ; assistant attorney-general, 1796; justice Supreme Court, 1798 to 1804, when he resigned. He was twice mayor of New York, 1810-15, and a member of the Constitutional Convention, 1821. He died on May 30, 1841.
Richard Varick was born in Hackensack in 1753, admitted to the bar in 1774, and appointed military secretary-general in June, 1775, with the rank of captain. In February, 1776, Congress appointed him deputy-commander-general of Musters for the Northern army, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He was present at the battle of Stillwater and Saratoga. After Burgoyne's surrender Varick became aid-de-camp to Arnold at West Point. Soon after Arnold's treason Varick became a member of Washington's military family, serving as military secretary. After the British evacuated New York, Varick was appointed recorder of the city and held the office until 1778. The following year he became attorney- ยท general of New York State. He was subse- quently for twelve years mayor of New York, and was presi- dent of the Cincinnati for nearly thirty years. He died in Jersey City, July 30, 1831, and has numerous descendants still residents of the city he helped tofound.
Thus it will be seen that the founders of the city were men of mark in their time and worthy to be held in remembrance.
both small buildings. One was the tavern then occupied by Maj. David Hunt, and two large stables connect- ed with it, and the other was a small shanty erected by John Mur- phy, the first Irishman who lived in the city. He kept an eating- house, and his sign was odd enough to attract attention. It was in- scribed : "Oygh-stors for Sale Hear." His wife aided him in pre- viding cheaper meals than could be obtained at the tavern. Besides these buildings and the ferry house there was a small store near the ferry, three small sta- bles adjoining it on the south side of the street,
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