USA > New Jersey > Middlesex County > History of Middlesex County, New Jersey, 1664-1920, Volume II > Part 9
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PISCATAWAY TOWNSHIP
Many farms, in early days, had plots of ground set apart as a family burial ground. The Runyons, Dunns, Tingleys and Boices burial grounds date back to the first settlement. The Waterville Cemetery, at old Samptown, is one of the oldest cemeteries, and kept in excellent condition.
John Dunn was a member of the Provincial Congress in 1775-6. In 1844 the title of the Upper House of the Legislature was changed to the Senate. Samuel Fitz Randolph, Benjamin Manning, Ephraim Mar- tin and James T. Dunn were members of that body. Among the mem- bers of the General Assembly have been: Alexander and David Dunn, George Boice, James and Lewis Randolph, David Vail, Elias and Albert L. Runyon, George Molleson, John D. Field, Samuel Stelle, Abram and Israel Coriell and Joseph C. Letson.
One of the oldest schools in the township occupied the site of what is now known as the Whittier school in Dunellen. The earliest record of it is 1800, when Ransom Downs, a New England peddler, was the teacher. The school house was rebuilt in 1841, and in 1875 a fine brick building, of two stories, was erected. The New Brooklyn (South Plain- field) school was among the first established, and James Fullerton, who lived in the Short Hills, near Plainfield, is said to have taught here, and in other portions of the county. Neil Campbell, who is buried in the old Presbyterian cemetery at Metuchen, was also one of the teachers. There was an old school in what was known as Fieldville, on the road from New Market to the Raritan Landing, and among the teachers appear the names of Field, Coriell, Brokaw, Smith and others, familiar in the olden days throughout the township.
The first Seventh Day Baptist church in this country originated at Newport, Rhode Island, and the first Sabbath keeper was Stephen Mumford, who came from England as a missionary forty-four years after the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers. He contended that the Ten Com- mandments, as they were delivered from Mt. Sinai, were moral and im- mutable, and that it was the anti-Christian power, which thought to change times and laws, that changed the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week. About 1700, Edmund Dunham, one of the first settlers of the township, reproved a person for laboring on Sunday. On being asked for his authority from the Scriptures, he became satisfied while searching for such authority, that the seventh day is the only Sabbath in the Bible, and he began so to observe it. Soon others followed his example and in 1707 a Seventh Day Baptist church was organized in the township, with about seventeen members. Edmund Dunham was chosen Elder. Previous to that, we learn from the first record on the church book, Mr. Dunham had been sent by the church to Westerly, Rhode Island, for ordination, which he received from Elder William Gibson, September 8, 1705. Benjamin Martin was
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chosen Deacon in the following December. It is impossible, at this date, to tell how many members this church had, from the manner in which the records were kept. The following family names appear on the records, members of which were connected with the church prior to 1722:
Martin, Doty, Dunn, Cummins, Fitz Randolph, Dunham, Davis, Krith, Smalley, Hull, Lennox, Chandler, Pyatt, Noble, Woodin, Lee, Alger, Sutton and Drake. Edmund Dunham died in March 1734. in his seventy-third year, and is supposed to have been buried in the old burying ground, adjoining the church, but no monument marks the spot. During his lifetime the services were held in private houses; but in 1736 the first house of worship was built, about a mile from the village of New Market. On March 10, 1777, the pastor, Elder Jonathan Dunham, son of Edmund, died, aged 83 years. The second meeting house was built on the site of the former one in 1802, by Jonathan Len- nox, and the old building given to Elder McLaferty to use as a barn. In 1836 the present church was built near New Market, and abont a mile and one-half from the original location. It is 38x51 feet, with large galleries, cost about $3,600 and was dedicated in February, 1837. In the following year 56 members were dismissed to a Plainfield church, reduc- ing the church to a membership of about 140. The church has, at the present writing, fifty active members. The pastors, as far as we have been able to secure their names, in addition to the Dunhams, father and son, are: Elders, Nathan Rogers, Henry McLaferty, Gideon Woodin, William B. Maxon, Walter B. Gillette, Halsey H. Baker, Lester C. Rogers, Lewis A. Platt, L. E. Livermore, Henry Jordan, Herbert Polan and Willard D. Burdick, who came to the parish about two years ago.
The Baptist church was constituted in 1852 by a number of members from the Stelton, Plainfield and South Plainfield churches. It is a large and solid frame building on the main street from Dunellen to New Market. The following have been the pastors : Revs. William D. Hires, George W. Clark, Isaac N. Hill, Everett Jones, Revs. Levi, Osborn and Grinnell, and the present incumbent, Rev. D. Heyliger.
The Protestant Episcopal Church af the Holy Innocents purchased the building they now occupy, near the Baptist church, from the Metho- dists in 1872, and it was consecrated by Bishop Odenheimer in 1881. Rev. Arthur Phelps, the acting rector, resides in Bound Brook. The membership is quite small.
The village of New Market, in its early settlement, was known as "Quibbletown," and in Gordon's "Gazetteer of New Jersey," he speaks of it by that name, and also of its being called New Market in 1834 It is about seven miles north of New Brunswick, on the left bank of Cedar creek, as it was formerly called, and has a postoffice, school, store, grist mill, hotel, and about 125 dwellings. The Lehigh Valley railroad passes through the centre of the village.
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South Plainfield, a hamlet formerly known as New Brooklyn, is on the Lehigh Valley railroad, and about two miles from Plainfield. It has a school house, postoffice, store, and about 25 or 30 dwellings.
The following are the township officials : George W. Coriell, assessor ; William Hamilton, collector; Abram J. Nelson, president; Henry J. Manning and Walter G. Dunn, town committee; Charles S. Day, clerk ; Dr. W. J. Nelson. physician ; Rene P. V. Von Minden, counsel ; Cornelius J. McCarthy, chief of police.
CHAPTER XXX. NORTH BRUNSWICK, EAST BRUNSWICK AND SOUTH BRUNSWICK TOWNSHIPS.
North Brunswick was among the first townships organized after the formation of Middlesex county and the permanent establishment of the local government of the same. The township was formerly em- braced within the borders of the older township of Piscataway, and early in the nineteenth century was referred to in township records of North Brunswick as the "North Ward of New Brunswick;" but since 1803 it has universally been mentioned by its present title. Until 1860, New Brunswick was within the township limits of North Brunswick, and the town meetings were generally held there. By an act of the Assembly approved February 28, 1860, New Brunswick was separated from North Brunswick, and a large portion of the township set off to form a part of East Brunswick township, then erected. North Bruns- wick, as originally surveyed, contained 23,000 acres; but by the land set off, as above mentioned, its dimensions were reduced to 8,256 acres. It is bounded north by New Brunswick, east by East Brunswick, south by South Brunswick, and west by Franklin township, Somerset county. The surface is level, and much of it under a good state of cultivation, Lawrence brook and its tributaries, and One-Mile run providing excel- lent drainage. The first named stream is very important, having its source in South Brunswick township, flowing northeasterly, separating North from East Brunswick, and empties into the Raritan at the eastern extremity of New Brunswick. The Pennsylvania railroad crosses the township from near its northern to its southern border.
One of the oldest families is that of Voorhees (originally known as Van Voorhees), emigrating from Holland in 1660, settling first in Long Island and coming to New Brunswick at a very early date. Jaques Van Liew, Nicholas Bodine (from whom Bodine's Corners takes its name), and Frederick Oucalt were early residents. Jeromous and Cornelius Vanderbilt lived near Milltown at first, and then removed to New Brunswick. John Ryder lived along Lawrence brook, in the north- western part of the township. He bought 144 acres from Cornelius Longfield, once owned by Thomas Lawrence, and it passed to his heirs. Christian and Simeon Van Nortwick also lived along Lawrence brook. Martin Stevenson, Cornelius Tunison and James Bennit were settlers considerably earlier than 1800. Cornelius De Hart purchased 210 acres from the Indians, which he was afterward compelled to repurchase from the Proprietors. Rev. Dr. Ira Condict, fourth pastor of the New Bruns- wick First Reformed church, removed to a farm near Milltown in 1798.
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The names of Harle Farmer, Thomas Letson, Jacob I. Bergen, Enos Ayres, Peter Gordon, Nicholas Booraem, James Connet, Isaac J. Wil- liamson, Peter O. Buckalew, Thomas Vanderveer, Richard Snedeker, David P. Messeroll and others figure in the early records of the town- ship.
The first records of the township are contained in a book devoted to the preservation of the minutes of the successive town meetings, the first entry being dated December 23-24, 1800, and is a record of the elec- tion of five men as Representatives in Congress for the State of New Jersey, in the North Ward of New Brunswick, the successful candidates being Franklin Davenport, Aaron Ogden, James H. Imlay, Peter D. Vroom and William Cox, who received an average majority of 300 votes over their competitors, John Condit, William Helms, Henry Southard, Ebenezer Elmer and James Mott. The earliest town meeting recorded occurred on the second Monday in April, 1801, when the fol- lowing principal officers were chosen: Abraham Schuyler, president ; Jacob Dunham, town clerk; Elijah Phillips, assessor; Wm. Tenbrook, collector and overseer of the poor; Abraham Schuyler, James Schure- man, James Bennit, Abraham Blauvelt and William Lawson, town com- mittee; John Neilson and Benjamin Taylor, chosen freeholders. The first formal provision for the poor was made in 1802, when it was ordered that $200 be raised "for the use of the poor," and that a house be rented and the poor of the township be maintained in said house and employed in such useful labor as might be deemed advantageous. In 1817 a farm of 139 acres on George's road was purchased from Jacob Klady for $6,992, a building erected, fences and other improvements made on "the poorhouse farm," and provision made for the employ- ment of a suitable superintendent for the institution. In the settlement of the accounts between North and East Brunswick townships and the city of New Brunswick, after the division of North Brunswick in 1860, the poor-house farm, which had been established and main- tained at the expense of the taxpayers of the whole township of North Brunswick, as previously bounded, were allotted to New Brunswick, and have since been managed at the expense and for the benefit of that city.
The early schoolhouses were built by subscription, and the teachers paid by those who were able to do so. The first reference in the town- ship records relative to the provision for the education of those who were unable to pay for the same was made in 1827, when it was ordered that $500 be raised for the education of the poor children of the town- ship. In 1829 the first school committee was elected, consisting of Staats Van Deursen, Lewis D. Hardenbergh, Peter Dayton, James Gable and Isaac Brower. The only time the names of school trustees appear in the minutes was in 1843, when the following were serving: Pete: P.
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NORTH BRUNSWICK TOWNSHIP
Runyon, George G. Nevius, J. Whitnach, John Christopher, Richard De Mott, J. H. Outcalt, H. Cock, Benjamin L. Smith, H. H. Booraem, J. Vandeventer, Peter L. Buckalew, Matthew Gilliland, J. Combs, Abra- ham Rappleyea, R. D. Applegate, F. Stults, Stephen Smith, J. L. Pierson and Cornelius W. Tunison. School committeemen were not elected until after 1846. In 1847, Dr. Henry B. Poal was appointed the first township superintendent of schools. The "free school" system was adopted in 1851. There are two schools in the township; at Red Lion, Miss Alice D. Cox, teacher ; and at Livingston Park, Miss Mamie Tracey, teacher. Miss Bessie M. Schoenly is the supervising principal.
A grist mill was built at a very early day where Milltown is now situated, on the North Brunswick side of Lawrence brook, and about three-quarters of a mile from the borough. Early in 1800 it was owned by Jacob I. Bergen, and the place was known as Bergen's Mills. The water power was first utilized as early as 1750 to operate a saw mill and grist mill, which stood within the area afterward occupied by Parson's Brookford Snuff Mills. A fulling mill was also erected, and when the domestic carding of wool ceased the building was converted into a snuff mill and as such was operated by Matthew Edgerton from 1839 to 1856. In 1851 the whole plant was destroyed by fire and the old saw mill and grist mill forever disappeared. The snuff mill was rebuilt in 1852 and the manufacture of snuff continued by Mr. Edgerton until 1856, when he sold the mill to William G. Parsons, who enlarged and improved the property from time to time, and manufactured a num- ber of varieties of snuff, mainly Scotch, Maccaboy, Lundy Foot and French rappee. After Mr. Parson's death, his son, James M., continued the business, until he, too, passed away.
During the latter part of 1700 a tannery was operated near what was known as Voorhees Station, on the branch railway to Millstone. It afterward became the property of J. V. D. Christopher, and contained twenty-eight vats, where harness, shoe and upper leather were manu- factured. Nursery stock is propagated to a considerable extent, and a number of wheelwright, blacksmith and mechanics shops are to be found in various localities. The farms are in a thrifty condition, the roads well kept and the houses of a substantial character.
The George's Road Baptist Church was the first religious edifice in this locality. Before any church organization was formed, Rev. John B. Case labored there as a missionary. Revs. G. S. Webb, Randolph Martin and Robert Lyle frequently preached, and those who were bap- tized were received into that church. At a meeting held at the house of John Bennett, January 30, 1843, articles of faith, a church covenant and the name of the church, were agreed upon, which, three days later, were recognized by a council from the following churches: First New Brunswick, Independent Bethel, at Washington (South River), Hights-
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town, Penn's Neck, Nottingham Square, Piscataway, and Jacksonville, South Amboy. Thirty-three members were enrolled, the following families being represented: Messeroll, De Hart, Provost, Suydam, Buckelew, Creamer, Drake, Thompson, Bound, Sperling, Bennett and Hendricks. The first church was dedicated March 17, 1847, the pastor being Rev. David P. Perdun, who succeeded Rev. Mr. Case, resigned. Subsequent pastors were Revs. B. Stelle, Morgan Cox, Charles Cordo, Christian Brinckerhoff and Louis Silleck.
The earliest interments were made in the old graveyard now in- cluded in Van Liew cemetery, and in the ancient burying ground at Three-Mile run. The earliest legible inscription in the old portion of Van Liew cemetery is in Holland Dutch and reads as follows : "Johannes Martinus Van Harlingen was born January 1I, 1684, at West Brook in Holland, and died October 23, 1728, at Lawrence Brook." The Van Liew Cemetery Association was incorporated in 1861, with Dennis Vanderbilt, Henry H. Booraem, Philip Kuhlthau, Ross Drake and Peter Stevenson as officers. It contains about five acres, and in it are buried many members of the Van Liew, Van Harlingen, Voorhees, Bodine, Buckelew, Vanderbilt, Meseroll and other old families of the township. Elmwood is the largest and most beautiful cemetery in this locality, containing about forty acres, and situated in the northern border of the township, not far from the other cemetery. It is the property of an association and nominally succeeded the Cedar Lawn Association, incor- porated in 1868, with Dr. Henry R. Baldwin, Dr. A. D. Newell, Henry L. Janeway, Johnson Letson, Levi D. Jarrard, Simon Van Wickle, Lucius P. Porter and others as stockholders.
The Red Lion Tavern on George's road, and about in the centre of the township, was built more than a century and a half ago, and was the scene of many public meetings and celebrations. The Black Horse Inn, also on George's road and near the southeastern boundary of the township, was about 1800 a well-known hostelry. Bodine's Corners is a neighborhood, in the northern part of the township, and named from pioneers who settled there. Three-Mile run designates a hamlet near Franklin township, Somerset county, and owes its name to a stream at that place. Six-Mile Run is another neighborhood, on the county line farther south.
The following are the principal township officials: E. Irving Mes- eroll, assessor; Isaac V. Williamson, collector and treasurer; Alfred Yorston, chairman : Frank G. Hart and Isaiah Vandewater, town com- mittee; Louis E. Phillips, clerk; Edward W. Suydam, James H. and Thomas W. Buckelew, James Pulda, Alfred Yorston, Isaiah Vande- water, Peter R. Van Sickle, Prof. Henry Miller, and Isaac V. William- son, custodian, Board of Education ; Irving Hoagland, counsel; and Dr. Ferd. E. Riva, physician.
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EAST BRUNSWICK TOWNSHIP
East Brunswick Township-This township was created in 1860, from a portion of North Brunswick and Monroe townships, and is situated nearly in the centre of the county. The boundaries are: On the north by New Brunswick and the Raritan river; on the east by South river and the borough of South River; on the southeast by South river and the boroughs of Spotswood and Helmetta ; on the south by Monroe and South Brunswick townships; and on west and northwest by South Brunswick township and Lawrence Brook. The township, as may be seen, is very irregular in form, and has, including the boroughs of South River and Spotswood, 13,130 acres. At the present writing the village of Old Bridge has applied to the Legislature for a borough charter.
In 1720, Hartshorne Willett, grandson of Sir Thomas Willett, baro- net, of England, settled on the west bank of South river, directly in front of where the borough of South River is located, and the place was known as Willettstown until about 1784, when Abraham Barkelew, a pioneer and great admirer of General Washington, renamed the settle- ment in his honor. The postoffice was first established under the name of Washington, and was so called until it became necessary to change the name on account of a postoffice of the same title in Warren county, and then the present name of South River was adopted by authority of the Postoffice Department. In the list of those who first came to the settlement appear the names of Messler, Obert, Norman, Kleine, Vree- land, Van Deventer, Serviss, Ackerman, Booraem, Ogden, Letts, Tuni- son, Van Arsdalen, Combs, Bissett, Martin, Conover, Whitehead, Dun- ham and Hardenbrook; also Peterson, Stults, Gordon, Hager, Ricketts, King, Walker, Manahan, De Voe, Frazer, Sheppard, Price and many others. Shortly before the Revolutionary War, John Bissett and James and Leonard Appleby, of Monmouth county, located in the little colony. John Crommelin lived on the creek that bears his name.
In 1800 Washington did not contain more than six houses. Reden Wood and Elias Doughty had a store and dock during the War of 1812, and carried government goods to New York, via South river. Owing to the embargo at that time, quantities of goods were brought overland to the village, and carried thence to New York by water. In 1823 Vincent Barkelew opened a store on Main street, near the river. In the same year Samuel Gorden, of South Amboy, a prominent boat- man, located in the town and constructed a canal, authorized by the Legislature, from South river to the Raritan, to improve the navigation to New York. He also opened a road from the town to Cranbury village. His son Samuel built the first brick house in the town in 1825. About this time the postoffice was established by Frederick A. Kleine in a small building near the place where Theodore Willett's brick yard was afterward located. From 1825 to 1855 the peach trade was an
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important industry, and it was not unusual to see six or more sloops and schooners leaving daily for New York, laden with the fruit. Later on steamboats were used for transportation, until the trade began to decline owing to failing crops. Jonathan Booraem began building sloops and schooners in 1824 for river navigation, and later on, large coasting vessels. The yard continued in operation, conducted by his descendants for over fifty years. These industries caused an increase in population, and in 1834 the town had forty dwellings, three stores, six docks and two taverns. Before the railways came, the village occupied an excellent position on the most direct route from New York to Philadelphia. In 1823 a steamboat route was established between New York and the village, whence a regular line of stages, with facilities for freight, conveyed passengers to the Delaware river, at Bordentown. This line was superseded by the Camden & Amboy railroad, then com- pleted as far as Hightstown, about 1830.
The Old School Baptist Church of Washington (on Main street, South River borough), is the oldest place of worship in the township, the deed conveying the ground upon which it stands being dated 1805, and it is believed that the church was erected previous to that year. It is a plain frame building, the porch supported by square pillars, and with no attempt at exterior ornamentation. The list of "constituent members" in the record book of 1805 contains the following names : Samuel, Martha and Sarah Willett; Abraham, Stephen, Ruth and Sarah Barkelew; Peter and Mary Obert; Jacob and John Stults; Catharine and Sarah Dunham; Joseph and Phebe Cheeseman ; Ephraim and Sarah Roff; Anthony and Linda Collins; James Hommann, Martha Mager, Martha Hooper, Charles Gilmore, Mary Van Sykle, L. M. Bowman, Catharine Craven, Mary Cotrall, Martha Davis, Anna Johnson, Samuel Pitney, Catharine Prooste, Linda Brown, Rebecca Owens, Ann Dean, Francis Letts, Jennie Van Cart, Rebecca James, and "Oliver, a man of color." As usual in such cases, the women are in the majority. Rev. Peter Wilson was the first pastor. Rev. James C. Goble ministered in 1824, 1839 and 1851. "Elder" Wilson Housel served for over thirty years, and is well remembered by many at the present time. Rev. John M. Fenton, of Philadelphia, preaches there monthly ; but there has been no settled pastor for many years.
By an Act of the Legislature approved February 28, 1860, all those parts of the townships of North Brunswick and Monroe hereinafter described are hereby set off and established as East Brunswick town- ship, viz :
Beginning at the mouth of Lawrence brook, where it falls into the Raritan river; thence southwesterly up the said Lawrence brook to where Ireland's brook falls into the said Lawrence brook and the line of South Brunswick township; thence southeasterly up said Ireland's brook and line of South Brunswick to the line of Monroe township;
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thence southwesterly along the township line of South Brunswick and Monroe to the line known as Bass' patent line; thence southerly and easterly along said Bass' patent to Manalapan river ; thence northeasterly down said river to the mouth of the stream that drains the Burnt Mead- ows; thence up the stream aforesaid to Slab Bridge; thence a due east course to Matchaponix river, and the line of South Amboy ; thence north- erly down Matchaponix and South rivers to the mouth of latter at Raritan river : and thence northwesterly up Raritan river to the mouth of Lawrence brook, the place of beginning.
The first town meeting was held April 9, 1860, at the hotel of Mrs. Van Cleef, in Spotswood village, with Stephen Martin as moderator, and Henry Gordon, clerk. The following township officers were elected : B. Frank Lloyd, judge of election; Stephen Smith, assessor; S. H. Barkelew, collector ; Henry Gordon, clerk; Andrew Snowhill and James C. Stout, chosen freeholders; A. Vandeventer, school superintendent ; Leonard Appleby, R. S. Herbert, Garret I. Snedeker, Furman Smith and John Griggs, township committee; Richard Serviss, overseer of poor ; Lewis W. Spencer and Jere. Rappelyea, surveyors of highways; James Appleby, James Bissett and George Lane, commissioners of appeal. Among former chosen freeholders have been General L. L. F. Appleby, J. Biddle Herbert, Daniel B. Martin, James Bissett (director for many years), Charles P. and Isaac N. Blew and Abial Price.
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