USA > New Jersey > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, New Jersey, 1664-1920, Volume II > Part 8
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In colonial days the "Elm Tree Inn" was the best known hotel in Woodbridge. It was located on Rahway avenue, adjoining Mrs. F. G. Tisdall's residence, and took its name from a giant elm tree whose branches extended half way across the avenue, which at that point is quite wide. The building was later occupied as Prof. Stryker's select school, and still later as the college preparatory school of Professor Thomas Harvey Morris, a graduate of Princeton College, an excellent teacher and a Christian gentleman. In common with many others who had the advantage of sitting under his teachings, we reverently and lovingly say : "May he rest in peace." Another prominent hostelry was the "Cross Keys Tavern," on the northwest corner of Main street and Perth Amboy avenue, where Mr. Frank Elias' residence now stands. It was there that Gen. Washington passed the night when on the way from Philadelphia to New York, on the occasion of his first inauguration as President. The old house, changed and remodeled out of all resemblance to its former appearance and converted into a tenement, is still standing on Rahway avenue, in the rear of its former site. The Woodbridge Hotel, at the junction of Rahway avenue and Green street, is the remodeled old "Pike House," in front of which for many years hung a swinging sign bearing a picture of General Zebulon Montgomery Pike, the dis- coverer of Pike's Peak, Colorado, who was killed by the explosion of a magazine at the battle of York (Toronto), Canada, in the War of 1812. In the early days the elections, the township committee, and all public meetings were held there.
Woodbridge produced one Governor of the State, Hon. Joseph Bloomfield, a great friend of Thomas Jefferson, an efficient chief magis- trate and a man of fine executive ability, who served from 1803 to 1812. He was the son of Dr. Moses Bloomfield, who it is thought resided on Freeman street, in the house owned and occupied for many years by the late George C. Hance. The following inscription upon the Doctor's
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monument in the Presbyterian cemetery will give an idea of his promi- nence in and usefulness to the community and the country : "Dr. Moses Bloomfield, 40 years a Physician and Surgeon in this Town; Senior Physician and Surgeon in the Hospitals of the United States; Repre- sentative in the Provincial Congress and the General Assembly; an upright Magistrate, and an elder in the Presbyterian church."
The township has been represented in the State Senate by Adam Lee, Edward Y. Rogers and Amos Robins ; and in the General Assembly by William Edgar, Samuel Edgar, John M. Tufts, Ralph M. Crowell, William C. Alexander, Thompson Edgar, Warren Brown, Joel B. Laing, Simeon W. Phillips, Josephus Shann, Dr. Ellis B. Freeman, Alfred W. Jones, Charles A. Campbell, Edward S. Savge, Ephraim Cutter and J. H. Thayer Martin.
The clays of Woodbridge township have been long and favorably known to manufacturers throughout the country. The prominent fac- tories now engaged in the manufacture of clay products in the township are the following: M. D. Valentine & Brother Company, fire brick ; Mutton Hollow Company, fire brick; Anness & Potter Company, fire brick and fire-proofing material; National Fire-Proofing Company (two plants), and the Didier-March Company, both at Keasbey ; all owning and operating their own clay mines; also, the Federal Terra Cotta Company, at Spa Spring; Abel Hansen's Porcelain Works, at Fords; the Woodbridge Ceramic Company, on the road from Woodbridge to Iselin ; and the C. W. Boynton Sewer and Drain Tile Works, at Sewaren ; these last named obtain their clay from the local mines. Thousands of tons of clay and fire-sand are annually shipped to New York, Phila- delphia, Boston; Akron, Ohio; and other points, the principal miners being Hampton Cutter, James P. Prall and John H. Leisen. All these industries furnish employment to a large number of skilled and unskilled workmen, and add materially to the growth and prosperity of the town- ship. The Steel Works at Avenel is a new and thriving industry, and is steadily increasing its output.
On May 14, 1832, Rev. William Granville, pastor of the Rahway Methodist Episcopal Church, called a meeting of the Methodists of Woodbridge in the Strawberry Hill school-house, just below James P. Prall's residence, when a society was formed, with the following trus- tees : Nathan Harned, president; John Valentine, Peter Moore, Thomas Eddy, Samuel Gage and William Noe. On September 8 of the same year, a frame building 35x50 feet was erected on the site of the present parsonage, the circuit of the new church embracing Perth Amboy, Metuchen and New Dover, the pastor being Rev. Isaac N. Felsh. The membership was 30, which in the following year was increased to 101 ; and the membership of the entire territory in the jurisdiction of the parish was 537. Rev. Wm. Hanley succeeded Mr. Felsh and in 1842,
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during the pastorate of Rev. Curtis Talley, a parsonage was built on a lot donated by the late James Valentine, and which is now the resi- dence of J. Wilbur Drake. The corner-stone of the present church was laid on June 2, 1870, and the building dedicated free of debt on May 25th of the following year, at a cost of $30,000. The old church was burned October 3, 1876. In 1882 the present parsonage was erected, and the handsome Sunday school building was added to the church in 1889, at a combined cost of $13,000. Among the earlier pastors were Rev. Dr. Henry A. Buttz, afterward president of Drew Theological Seminary ; Revs. J. H. Dailey, S. B. Rooney, J. H. Runyon, E. M. Grif- fiths, J. D. Dickenson, Enoch Meacham, P. G. Blight, M. L. Gates and others. Among the most prominent men of the church in bygone days and who aided largely in its growth and development, were Samuel Dally, James Valentine, William H. Berry, James Commoss, Samuel E. Ensign, Lewis C. Potter, Josiah D. Drake, Thomas G. Alward, Syl- vester Frazee, William Harned and many others. The present pastor is Rev. Levi B. McMickle. Trustees-Samuel E. Potter, Edward W. Valentine, James J. Livingood, John MacAuslin, Alexander H. Sutton, Edgar Kreutzberg and Dr. I. T. Spencer.
In 1860 Rev. Thomas Quinn, parish priest of Rahway, began to hold religious services in the homes of Patrick Masterson, John Dunn, and in other houses in Woodbridge. Later on, Father Quinn purchased a lot on Main street, and after many difficulties erected thereon a frame building which did duty as a church until the present handsome edifice was built in 1887. The former church has been used continuously as a parish school since that time. Father Quinn was relieved of the Wood- bridge mission in 1863, and it was attached to the Perth Amboy parish and ministered to by Father Cornell until 1865, when the latter left Perth Amboy and Father Quinn was again placed in charge of Perth Amboy and Woodbridge; he also established the Catholic cemetery in the township. In 1871 Rev. Peter L. Connolly, parish priest of Perth Amboy, took charge of the Woodbridge mission until succeeded by Rev. Stephen Bettoni, who became the first resident pastor and remained as such until 1882, when he was succeeded by Rev. James F. Devine, who in turn was succeeded in the year following by Rev. James Walsh, of Long Branch, who built the first rectory. Owing to some difficulties with the people, Father Walsh was removed, and Father Devine, who was very popular, returned to Woodbridge, secured the present rectory, built the new church and a convent for the Sisters in 1887. In 1893 Father Devine was promoted to the more important parish of the Sacred Heart, in New Brunswick, where he died several years ago. He was succeeded in Woodbridge by Rev. Joseph Flanagan, who, after a short pastorate, died here, and was followed by Rev. John J. Griffin, who remained here until his death in 1918. Rev. R. J. O'Farrell, the present
TYPICAL CLAY BANK (ABOVE), AND WELL KNOWN FIRE BRICK FACTORY (BELOW), NEAR WOODBRIDGE
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incumbent, was placed in charge November 6, 1918. When Father Devine announced his intended removal to New Brunswick, nine-tenths of the representative people of the township, irrespective of creed, signed a petition to the Bishop requesting the retention of the reverend gentle- man. During Father Griffin's pastorate the twenty-fifth anniversary of his admission to the priesthood occurred, and the citizens generally commemorated the occasion by tendering him a complimentary recep- tion and banquet in the Woodbridge Athletic Association's club room.
A company of ladies and gentlemen consisting mainly of former members of the Presbyterian church, assembled at the residence of John White, on Green street, September 30, 1874, and organized a Congregational church and society. The meeting was presided over by James P. Edgar, with George W. Dally acting as secretary, the fol- lowing officers being elected: Deacons-James P. Edgar, Lewis D. Kelly and Daniel S. Voorhees, Jr .; trustees-Edward J. Thompson, C. A. Campbell, John White, G. Frederick Fink, Matthias Vanderveer, Wm. W. Selleck and J. Mattison Melick, treasurer ; George W. Dally, clerk. A certificate of incorporation was filed in the county clerk's office in the name of "The First Congregational Church of Woodbridge." The first religious services were held in Masonic Hall, October 11, 1874, and continued to be held in that place until the church was built. A con- stitution for the church and society and a confession of faith was adopted October 28, 1874, and a council of Congregational churches formally recognized the new church on November 17th. Rev. S. Lee Hillyer was installed as pastor on June 3, 1875, and served as such until his death, November 22, 1877. The church, on the corner of Barron and Grove avenues, was completed and dedicated June 29, 1876, Rev. Dr. George H. Hepworth, of New York, preaching the sermon. A memorial bell was presented to the church by Francis A. Ostrander, of Troy, New York, in memory of his father. In October, 1876, the church was relieved from debt by a bequest of the late Mrs. Jane Doremus, a sister of Thomas Barron, founder of the Public Library. The membership increased from 41 in 1874 to 99 in 1877. Rev. A. R. Shaw was pastor from June 27, 1878. until August 1, 1880, when he was succeeded by Rev. Charles Noble, who resigned in August, 1888, to accept a college professorship in Charles City, Iowa. The following pastors served the church during succeeding years: William H. Hopkins, November 7, 1889-February, 1892; Charles H. McDonald, June 9, 1892-June 30, 1894 ; and Thomas C. Miller, November 6, 1894-April 1, 1901, all graduates of Union Theological Seminary, of New York. Rev. Wm. H. Jackson served from 1901 to 1907, and was succeeded by Rev. Maurice J. Kain, who remained about one year and was followed by his father, Rev. Dr. P. J. Kain, who was pastor until his death in 1913. In the last mentioned year the new parsonage adjoining the church was erected. On Febru-
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ary 14, 1914, Rev. Henry M. Prentiss was installed and served until 1918, when he resigned to take up Y. M. C. A. work. Rev. William V. D. Strong succeeded him on June 10, 1918, and is still in charge. The following are the principal officers: Elders-Daniel S. Voorhees, Ephraim Cutter, Nils Johnson and William H. Voorhees. Trustees- Ernest H. Boynton, C. A. Campbell, Leonard M. Campbell, William H. Voorhees, J. C. Williams, Frank J. Lawson and Henry D. Brewster.
The beautiful High School on Barron avenue was built in 1911. There are, in addition, seven excellent public schools, located as follows : No. I, Central avenue, Woodbridge; Keasbey, Port Reading, Fords, Avenel, Hope Lawn and Iselin, each conducted by an excellent corps of teachers. Prof. John H. Love came here in 1895 as the principal of No. I School, and for the past seventeen years has been the efficient supervising principal of all the schools in the township. There are 83 teachers and 3,000 pupils in the township. Among the chairmen of the Board of Education have been William H. Berry, Howard Valentine, Joseph H. T. Martin, Victor W. Main, Wilson Waring and William Edgar. The present board is as follows : Howard A. Tappen, president ; Melvin H. Clum, vice-president; Everett C. Ensign, secretary ; Charles S. Farrell, Howard R. Valentine, Maurice P. Dunigan, Benjamin B. Walling, Frederick Bohlen and Louis E. Meyer; attendance officer, John Thompson.
The township committee is composed of the following : At large, and president of the board, Howard R. Valentine; First Ward-Arthur A. Deter and John E. Finn; Second Ward-William D. Hoy and Albert Larsen ; Third Ward-Benjamin C. Baldwin and George S. Lufbarry ; clerk, Andrew J. Keyes ; counsel, J. H. Thayer Martin ; treasurer of the township, T. Wesley Liddle; collector, Arthur E. Berry ; assessor, B. Joseph Dunigan ; recorder, Martin J. Ashley ; chief of police, Patrick W. Murphy : road supervisor, William Coffey ; building inspector, John F. Dooley ; trustees of Free School Land-Jonas H. Coddington, president ; William Cutter, vice-president; William A. Gilham, secretary ; Everett C. Ensign, Peter Greiner and Albert Hirner; overseer of the poor, William A. Gilham; township physician, Dr. Ira T. Spencer ; board of health, the assessor, town physician and the members of the township committee ; inspector, Lewis E. Potter.
The following fraternal and benevolent societies have a large mem- bership and hold regular meetings in the town: Americus Lodge, No. 83, Free and Accepted Masons, instituted in 1868; Hobart Lodge, No. 270, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; Euclid Lodge, No. 153, Knights of Pythias; Woodbridge Council, Knights of Columbus; Woodbridge Council. No. 1743, Royal Arcanum ; Woodbridge Council, No. 12, and Bavaria Council, No. 352, Catholic Benevolent Legion ; Anchor Council, No. 40, Junior Order of United American Mechanics; Ancient Order
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of Hibernians; Foresters of America and Union German Benevolent Association.
In 1919, owing to there being but one member surviving, Past Com- mander John M. Sutton, William C. Berry Post, Grand Army of the Republic, was disbanded, Mr. Sutton affiliating with Major Dandy Post, of Perth Amboy. Papiack Tribe, Improved Order of Red Men, was also disbanded in the same year.
The First National Bank of Woodbridge was incorporated June 12, 1906, and commenced business August 1Ith of the same year, in the handsome building erected on the northwest corner of Main and Fulton streets, with a capital stock of $25,000, and the following board of direc- tors : William T. Ames, president ; William L. Harned, cashier ; C. W. Boynton, David A. Brown, C. A. Campbell, Thomas F. Dunigan, H. R. Groves, B. W. Hoagland, Charles S. Farrell, M. Irving Demarest, R. M. Kellogg, Albert W. King, J. H. Thayer Martin, Clarence M. Liddle and H. N. Randall. The present officers and directors are : William T. Ames, president ; Thomas F. Dunigan and David A. Brown, vice-presi- dents; William L. Harned, cashier; and W. Leon Harned, assistant cashier ; the directors are: William T. Ames, Edwin A. Ames, Arthur G. Brown, D. A. Brown, S. Barron Brewster, C. A. Campbell, M. I. Demarest, Thomas F. Dunigan, B. W. Hoagland, W. L. Harned and J. H. Thayer Martin. The bank has a Savings Department, 3 per cent. interest being paid ; travelers' checks, payable in all parts of the world, are issued ; and safe deposit boxes are rented for $3 per year. Banking hours, 9 a. m. to 3 p. m .; Friday evenings, 7 to 8 o'clock ; Saturdays, 9 a. m. to 12 noon.
The Woodbridge Building and Loan Association was organized May 31, 1910, and is in a very prosperous condition. The officers are : President, James E. Berry ; vice-president, John F. Ryan; secretary, Maurice P. Dunigan; treasurer, Gustave 'Blaum; directors-Paul P. Olbrick, J. Edward Harned, Leonard M. Campbell, George F. Brewster, Gorham L. Boynton, Frank Elias, James P. Gerity, J. K. Jensen and James Utassy. Counsel, J. H. Thayer Martin. The office is in the Bank building, corner of Main and Fulton streets.
In 1838, when Mercer county was created, a considerable portion - of this township, on a part of which Princeton is situated, was set off as a part of the new county ; and again, in 1857, another portion of the land was allotted to the new county of Union. In 1870 Raritan township was formed, the territory being taken in equal parts from Woodbridge and Piscataway townships. Prior to this, all of Lower Rahway (the part lying south of the Rahway river), belonged to Woodbridge, and the people of that locality, and also of Metuchen, Bonhamtown and neighboring localities, came to the old "Pike House," in Woodbridge, to cast their vote at the elections. In 1906 the borough of Roosevelt
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was formed, which took another portion of the township, six square miles ; and yet, with all the cutting and carving that has been done for the past eighty-two years, Woodbridge is still a large and prosperous township.
The military rolls and war activities of Woodbridge township are epitomized in the Appendix Chapter.
Piscataway Township-Piscataway and Woodbridge townships were settled about the same time-1665; but the latter was incorporated in 1669, and the former not until 1798. The township is about eight miles long and six wide, and is bounded north by the city of Plainfield, Union county, east by Raritan township, south by Raritan river and west by North Plainfield, Somerset county. A small portion of the township was taken for the formation of Raritan township in 1870, and of Plain- field township in 1847. Piscataway was the name of an Indian tribe in Maine, and also of a river on the boundary line of Maine and New Hamp- shire. It is recorded that Hugh Dunn, Hopewell and Benjamin Hull, Charles and John Gilman, Robert Dennis, John Smith and John Martin, who came from Piscataqua, were granted Dec. 18, 1666, the right as Associates, and they conferred upon the township the name of the place whence they came ; and it was known as Piscataqua for a consider- able period after its settlement.
The earliest authentic history, gathered from the public records, states that the large tract of land on the east side of the Raritan river, which comprises the townships of Woodbridge, Piscataway and Eliza- bethtown, was bought from the Indians in 1664, the purchasers being John Bailey, Daniel Denton, Luke Watson and others, who obtained a patent from Governor Nicolls, who acted under the Duke of York, afterward James II., of England. The names of the first settlers on record, commencing in 1665 and continuing to 1689, were the Gilmans, Blackwells, Blackfords, Dunns, Drakes, Titsworths, Hulls, Martins, Langstaffs, Dennis, Dunhams, Fitz Randolphs, Fields, Mannings, Coriells, Boices, Runyons, Giles, Garretsons, Wilsons, Daytons, Cod- dingtons, Smalleys, Clarkes, Dotys (Doughty), La Flowers (Laforges), Higgins, Fords, Suttons, Mownes, Smiths, Brinleys, Davis', Grubbs, Slaters (Slaughter), Chandlers, Pridmores, Hands, Hendricks, Wolfs, Hansworths, Pounds, Mollesons, Bonhams, McDaniels, and others. Some of these remained but for a short time. The earliest records of the township are dated June 25, 1675.
Many of the original purchasers of land are still represented by their descendants. The annals of the Field family in this country date hack to 1638, when the original ancester came from England with Roger Williams and settled in Newport, R. I. John Field came to New Jersey and located on a tract of 1,055 acres, lying between Bound Brook and New Brunswick, along the Raritan river, in Piscataway township. In
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1774 Michael Field was a delegate to the convention at New Brunswick to consult concerning the points of difference between Great Britain and the Colonies. One of the family was a lieutenant in the First Regi- ment of Middlesex county, and another lost his life at the battle of Monmouth. Michael left a legacy, before 1800, to establish a free school at Bound Brook. Hopewell and Benjamin Hull were prominent residents in 1682, holding township offices and owners of large tracts of land. The former died in 1693. Henry, or Hendrick, Garretson, was of Dutch descent and came to this country in 1658 on the vessel, the "Gilded Beaver." The first of the Mannings in the records is Jeffrey in 1683. His granddaughter married Robert Blackwell, one of the early settlers in East Jersey. In 1874 Alexander Manning was a chosen freeholder and held other responsible offices. John Smalley is named as a freeholder and owner of herds of horses and cattle in 1691 ; the family came from Newport, R. I., about 1668, and are mentioned as among the first organizers of the Seventh Day Baptist church in 1720. John Martin was one of the founders of the township and came from Dover, N. H. The family is still well represented in this vicinity. The Gilman family owned land near where the Landing Bridge crosses the Raritan river. Daniel, David, Luke, Edmund, Nehemiah and Jere- miah are the first names of the Dunham family, who came from Piscat ?- qua, Maine, or Dover, N. H., where they landed from the ship "James," in 1630 or 1632. Edmund was the first pastor of the Seventh Day Bap- tist church, a sketch of which will be found further on. John Fitz Randolph is first recorded as a freeholder in 1683, owning a large amount of land. The family was prominent in civil and military affairs in this and other townships. In 1749 David was chosen freeholder and Joseph held the same office for four years. Capt. Samuel was a town officer and served in the militia in 1780. Malachi was town clerk in 1765. Edward Slater was a freeholder in 1683, and the first clerk of the county courts. Vincent Rugnion (Runyon) was a French Huguenot and is mentioned in 1683, when he had allotted to him 154 acres on the Raritan river. Mather Giles was among the first settlers, and owned farms near Ambrose brook in 1699. Benjamin Clarke and Daniel McDaniel are spoken of in 1683 as owning lands at Samptown, near South Plainfield, and operated a sawmill. Hezekiah Bonham was located near the Green brook. William Clawson was a freeholder in 1690. The family came from Staten Island, and Capt. John was in the Jersey brigade at Albany, New York, in May, 1776. The Boice family were of French extraction, and probably settled in this township about 1720, on land near the River road; John and George are recorded as soldiers in the Revolutionary War. The Koriells (Coriells) were among the earliest settlers. The Daytons came from Southampton, Long Island, in 1686.
The first land granted by the township was to Jodiah Higgins, two Mid-27
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acres, laid out by John Langstaff, Benjamin Hull and Godfrey Manning, dated January 1, 1682, and signed by Lieut. Edward Slater, town clerk. A book, over 250 years old, is filled with the "ear marks" of cattle. At that day there were no inclosures for stock, and horses, cattle and swine fed at will upon hundreds of acres, and each owner's name and car marks were recorded to prevent mistakes that might arise in identifying the stock.
A committee was appointed in 1689 to confer with Hopewell Hull concerning the completion of the Town House, and if he refused to finish it that the committee be empowered to employ help to do the work. In 1693 Capt. Francis Drake, Thomas F. Randolph, Benjamin Hull, Isaac Smalley and Edward Slater were elected Select Men to man- age the town affairs. In 1786, March 14, the first record appears of the appointment of a committee of accounts, which in three or four years after was styled the Town Committee. The first three were Dr. Free- man, William Tinbrook (Ten Broeck), and Jacob Martin. The first additional officers were: Edward Slater, town clerk; John Gilman and Edward Slater, assessors; George Drake, collector; James Manning and William Hodgson, chosen freeholders; John Royce, justice of the peace ; Hopewell Hull and John Gilman, deputies to the General Assem- bly. In 1732 fifteen pounds sterling were ordered to be raised for the relief of the poor. A pair of stocks were ordered, to be kept in the usual place, from which it is to be inferred that they had previously been in use. There was an excise tax on tavern-keepers in 1742, and the following landlords paid the license fee: John Hull, Joseph Michiel, Elijah Dunham, George Vroom, Aaron Boorum, James Gilman, Hugl: and John Dunn, Joseph Drake, Samuel Moores, Joseph Wood, John Pound and Thomas Fitz Randolph.
The inhabitants were very patriotic during the Revolution. In the roster of Continental troops we find the names of Micajah Dunn, lieutenant-colonel; John Dunn and Samuel Randolph, majors; Thomp- son Stelle, Hugh Dunn and Jacob Van Deventer, captains; Jere. Field. lieutenant, and Benjamin and Richard Field, William French, David, Benjamin and Nathaniel Martin; James Bishop, John Langstaff, Robert Kip; Daniel, Benjamin and Jere. Dunn ; Hendrick Smock, John Shippey. Peter Schenck, Henry Fouratt, Andrew and David Manning, Charles Suydam, Richard Merrill, John Smalley, Joseph Stelle, Henry Sutton, Jonathan Sharp, Simon Van Nortwick, James Woodin, Samuel Walker, Thomas Webster and Samuel Whitehead. The British troops occupied Piscataway, Woodbridge, Bonhamtown, Six Mile and Middlebush from December 2, 1776, till June 22nd of the following year. On the last named day they retreated, by way of Piscataway, to Perth Amboy, burning many houses and barns, and robbing the people in the course of their march.
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