USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > History of Monmouth County, New Jersey, 1664-1920, Volume II > Part 2
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In the centre of the township is the village of Imlaystown, situated on Doctor's creek, with a population of about one hundred and fifty souls. The village takes its name from Samuel Imlay, who purchased in 1727 fifty acres including the mill and thirty-nine acres covered by the mill pond, from Richard Salter, Jr. The mill property passed from the Imlay family to Benjamin Woodward, who opened a store and oper- ated the mill until 1845, when he sold it to Edward T. Hendrickson, who conveyed it to Reuben Hendrickson. The postoffice was established in 1826, Benjamin Woodward postmaster. In 1833 Dr. George F. Fort was postmaster, and the village at that time contained twelve or fifteen dwellings, a grist and saw mill, tannery, tavern, store, wheelwright and smith shop.
The Baptist church of Upper Freehold dates from 1765, but for thirty years previous meetings were held by Baptists in this vicinity. "The first of that way was one, James Ashton, eldest son of James Ash- ton, Baptist minister of Middletown, who came here to Crosswicks, which was then a wild and unsettled place but possessed with the Indians in great abundance." In 1766 forty-seven members of the mother church at Middletown were granted letters of dismission and were recognized as the Crosswicks Baptist church, which name was retained for about seven years, perhaps because a meeting house had been erected at that place in 1751. Among those receiving letters of dismission are the names of Holmes, Vaughan, Farr, Tapscot, Cox, Taylor, Williams, Price, Gor- don, Sexton, Morris, Magee, Mount, Edwards, Walton, Britton, Clayton, Patterson, Stilwell, Borden, Mason, Stelle, Miller and Van Horn. The first pastor was Rev. David Jones, of Revolutionary memory and fame, born in Delaware, a pupil of Rev. Abel Morgan, of Middletown. He was one of the constituent members, and continued in the pastorate until 1775. Succeeding pastors were Revs. W. J. Pitman, John Blackwell, Joseph Stephen, David Labor, and Andrew Harpending. In 1802 the church appears to have been supplied by Rev. John Morgan; from 1803 to 1808 there was a vacancy in the pulpit, and for one to two years of this time the Rev. S. B. Harris was pastor. Rev. John Cooper was next to fill the position, and continued for eight years when the Rev. James M. Challis came to the pastorate in his early manhood, being ordained De- cember 7, 1822. For a period of sixteen years he labored assiduously, receiving into the church on profession two hundred and thirty-eight con- verts. The Rev. Levi G. Beck took the oversight of the church April 1, 1838, remaining five years, when he was succeeded by the Rev. William A. Ray, who continued less than three years. The Rev. Andrew Arm-
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strong was ordained to the pastorate in 1846, and during his five years of service baptized on profession sixty converts. The next pastor, Rev. William J. Nice, remained only three years, and in the fall of 1855 was succeeded by the Rev. Samuel Sproul, who resigned at the end of two years. While he was pastor, a church edifice was erected at Imlaystown and thirty members were added to the church on profession. In the spring of 1858 the Rev. Charles M. Deitz was settled over the congrega- tion, continuing for eight years; during his pastorate the church was en- larged. His successor, Rev. William D. Hires, entered upon his labors April 1, 1857, resigning in the fall of 1878, and succeeded in May, 1879, by Rev. Edward Loux, who remained until the winter of 1881-82. In May, 1882, Rev. David Silver was installed and remained in service until hs death, December 22, 1884. In 1864 the church was greatly enlarged and improved. Within the territory formerly under the care of this church there are now a number of churches, some of which are larger and stronger than the mother church. The Jacobstown church, estab- lished 1785; the Bordentown church, 1821, and the Freehold church, 1831 -are all offshoots of the old church, which united with the Philadelphia Association in 1766, and retained that connection until 1813 and then be- came a member of the New Jersey Baptist Association.
In the year 1790 a few Methodists living in the vicinity of Imlay's Hill, desirous of having a meeting house, met at the house of Samuel Imlay and elected trustees. At the same time Samuel Imlay conveyed to the trustees one acre of land for church purposes. On this lot a church edifice was erected in 1790, known as the Imlay's Hill Methodist Epis- copal Church, which was destroyed by fire in 1807, rebuilt, and used until 1855, when it was replaced by another church building that was dedi- cated December 25, 1855. A chapel was erected in Imlaystown in 1866, and dedicated January 30, 1867.
Arneytown and Ellisdale are two hamlets situated on the line be- tween Burlington and Monmouth counties, and were first settled by Friends. Arneytown is located on the William Dockwra tract, and de- rives its name from John Arney, a Quaker who purchased land of Ben- jamin Borden in 1705. A monthly meeting house was erected in 1756 and meetings were held regularly for several years. The old burial ground adjoining contains low headstones, evidently put up at a later date than the burials, the earliest date given being in 1796. Among the names appearing are: Bartram, Canfield, Newbold, Curtis, Lawrie, Schooley, Harris, Tilton and Ellis. Ellisdale was early known as Gibbstown, and in 1884 it contained some half dozen dwellings; a Friends' meeting house in its vicinity was an old school-house which was also used by the Friends of Armeytown. A blacksmith shop dated back over fifty years, and a store was started by John Hodgson about 1838. A Methodist church was erected in 1852, which was under the Crosswicks charge. There is at the present time a general store for the convenience of the surrounding com-
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munity. Its nearest railroad station is Davis, on the Camden & Amboy division of the Pennsylvania system.
Hornersville is a small village of less than two hundred population, in the southeast part of the township on Lahaway creek. It is a station on the Camden & Amboy division of the Pennsylvania system. It contained in 1834 several dwellings, a grist and saw mill, also a fulling mill. The grist and saw mill was built before 1800 by Cabot Ivins, and remained in possession of that family for over a half a century. A postoffice was established in 1856, Edward Shreves appointed postmaster. There was in 1830 considerable religious excitement around Hornersville, some of the families embracing the doctrines of the Mormons. A church was erected which was sold later to the Catholics, who finally tore it down. The children of the early Mormons embraced the doctrines of the "Latter Day Saints," which sect resulted from a split in the Mormon church. The people of this branch did not believe in polygamy. Meetings were held in private houses until 1880, when a room was fitted up over a store for worship. The society at this time only numbered about ten members. A few Baptists about 1870 purchased a store building and fitted it up for a chapel.
Cream Ridge, in the southern portion of the township, a station on the Camden & Amboy division of the Pennsylvania railroad between Imlaystown and Hornerstown, is a hamlet with about one hundred popu- lation. A postoffice was established during President Fillmore's ad- ministration, at a corner east of the hamlet, and was named Fillmore, William Jackson appointed postmaster. Upon completion of the rail- road, Cream Ridge became a station and the office was removed to that place. The hamlet also contained a Presbyterian church and several dwellings. In 1858 the Presbyterians in the neighborhood accepted of Daniel Tilton a plot of ground, and a house of worship was erected and for six years the Rev. Dr. Perkins preached on alternate Sabbaths. A church was organized in 1864 with twenty members by the Presby- tery of Burlington, and on August 31st that year Rev. B. H. Withrow was ordained and installed as pastor. He remained five years, and was succeeded by Rev. William G. Cairnes, who dissolved his connection with the church in July, 1876. Rev. E. E. Moran became the next pastor in June, 1877, remaining until June, 1883, when Rev. William J. Hender- son became pastor. His successors have been zealous workers in the church interests.
Davis, just north of Cream Ridge, is a small hamlet of less than a hundred population. At New Sharon, in the northwest corner of the township, on the line of Mercer county, in 1807 William Story estab- lished the manufacture of hats which gave employment to twenty-five or thirty men, which was continued many years and by his sons John and William Story. A tannery was built in 1820 by Jedidiah Middle- ton, which after passing through several ownerships was discontinued.
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About the same time Isaac Wilson built a mill that was afterwards changed to a store. Canton, sometimes called Cabbagetown, is on the line between Upper Freehold and Mercer county, south of New Sharon. In 1834 it contained half dozen dwellings, a wheelwright, smith and joiner shop, and there has not been any material change since.
Prospertown, sometimes called Harrisville, lies in the southern por- tion of the township, on the line between Upper Freehold and Ocean county, the larger portion of the hamlet being situated in Ocean county. The village of Wrightsville was originally a small hamlet, situated north of Imlaystown, at a four corner, in the neighborhood of which a number of families by the name of Wright resided. The original set- tlers were mostly Friends who belonged to the Chesterfield Monthly Meeting at Crosswicks. A meeting house was built in 1738 and used until 1816, when a brick church was erected. In the old graveyard are buried members of the families of Taylor, Combs, Woodward, Wright, Folwell, Potts, Fields, Tantum, Hendrickson, Craft and others. In March, 1833, a Methodist church erected on land of Samuel G. Wright was used for worship for about twelve years and then abandoned.
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CHAPTER XXXVI.
HOWELL.
Howell township, named in honor of Richard Howell, who was gov- ernor when it was created, is one of the southern tier of townships of Monmouth county, with the following boundaries: On the north by Atlantic township; east by Wall township, south by Ocean township, and west by Ocean and Freehold townships. The Manasquan river flows southwardly through the central portion of the township, where it re- ceives the waters of several tributaries, the principal one being the Min- gamahone brook, which flows nearly south and enters the main stream at the east line of the township. The north branch of Metedeconk creek flows through the township along its southwestern border, leaving it at its southeastern corner and passing into Ocean county, where it unites with the main stream and empties into Barnegat bay. The James- burg & Freehold Agricultural railroad, now operated by the Pennsyl- vania Railroad Company, traverses the township from northwest to southeast, and the New Jersey Southern railroad, now a part of the lines of the Central Railroad of New Jersey, enters the township in its northeast corner and passes through it in a southwesterly course; the two roads cross each other at Farmingdale.
The township, formed from Shrewsbury township, was erected Feb- ruary 23, 1801, the Act reciting the following meters and bounds:
All that part of Shrewsbury township beginning at the main sea, or ocean, in the middle of Shark River Inlet, and from thence running up the main stream thereof, up along the several windings, to a place called the Horse Pound; from thence from a certain pine tree standing by the edge of the brook in the Horse Pound, lettered I. P., said to be the be- ginning of a tract of land surveyed and returned for Joseph Potts (de- ceased), on a straight line to the head-spring of Mingamahone branch, at the foot of Manahomy hill, near the Widow Harvey's house; from thence on a straight line to the most southerly corner of a tract of land belonging to Rev. Simon Pyle, called the Mill Tract; from thence along said Pyle's southerly bound lines till it meets the easterly bound lines of Freehold township; from thence along said line southerly until it meets the northerly bound line of Dover township; from thence easterly along the line of said township until it comes to the main ocean; and from thence northerly along the same to the place of beginning.
The Horse Pound was so called, tradition says, because the In- dians rounded up the horses and cattle of the early settlers, running at large in the woods, distinguished as to their ownership by certain marks or brands which were recorded in the township records, and drove them into a corral enclosed by a brush fence. At the opening of the corral
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was a bog, and the horses and cattle were driven onward until they reached the bog, where they sunk into the mire and were easily taken by the Indians.
The township was reduced to its present limits by the erection of Wall township from that part lying between Shark river and the line of Ocean county. In 1830 Manasquan, Squankum and Howell Furnace were post towns, and the population was 4,141. In 1832 there were eleven stores, ten saw mills, five grist mills, four carding machines, two fulling mills, twenty-six tan-vats, two distilleries, and a furnace within the township's limits.
Farmingdale, as its name would indicate, is situated in the centre of a fertile farming district. Hay, corn, potatoes, tomatoes and fruit are largely raised and find a ready market in the nearby cities. It is the principal town of Howell township, lying in the eastern part, on the Mingamahone brook, eight miles from Freehold and ten from Asbury Park.
Previous to the Revolution and until about 1815, the village was known as Marsh's Bog, and afterward as Upper Squankum, which name was given to the post office when it was established in 1819. During the Revolutionary war Thomas Borden kept a tavern on Main street, which was subsequently conducted by James Parker and Hugh Bond. William Little had a tavern and blacksmith shop on the road from the village to Freehold from 1815 to 1855. Henry Remsen was the first merchant, and was followed by Halsted Wainright, Joseph and William Goodenough and Jacob Lutz. The American Hotel was built upon the completion of the railroad in 1868. In 1864 William H. Vann erected a foundry and operated it until 1870, when he disposed of it to Lafetra and Van Note.
Upper Squankum in 1834 contained two taverns, two stores, and ten or twelve dwellings. The name of Farmingdale was adopted April 1, 1854. The history of Methodism dates back in this section of the coun- try to 1844, when there was no church edifice, but in that year a parson- age was purchased for the preacher of the circuit. The parsonage is described as being in the village of Upper Squankum, and in 1848 a lot was purchased and the corner-stone of a church building was laid the following year. The building was finished and dedicated in 1850, remodeled in 1866 and reopened January 1, 1867. The church has al- ways maintained a flourishing condition, the congregation having been in charge of many noted Methodist divines.
The Presbyterian church at Farmingdale was organized December 29, 1870, by the Monmouth Presbytery. The church at its organization consisted of Gilbert Davison and ten ladies who were members of vari- ous churches. The Rev. E. J. Pierce, who had lately returned from a missionary field in Africa, was installed as first pastor. The church building was thirty-six by fifty-five feet, and was erected at a cost of
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$3,000, and dedicated August 21, 1873. The society at first increased rapidly in numbers, but owing to removals, gradually grew less; the church was destroyed by fire and never rebuilt.
Farmingdale was incorporated as a borough under Chapter 186 of the laws of 1903. The boundaries are described as all that portion of Howell township beginning at the point where the southerly side of the road to Glendola intersects the easterly side of the road from Farm- ingdale to Lakewood, thence easterly along the southerly side of the road to Glendola to Mingamahone brook thence northerly following the course of said brook to the north boundary line of the property of Rebecca E. McGill, thence westerly along the north boundary of property of said Rebecca E. McGill to Marsh Bog brook, thence southerly following the course of the said brook to the westerly line of the right way of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, thence southerly along said westerly line of said right of way of Pennsylvania Railroad Company to the south boundary line of the property of William F. Demme, thence easterly along the south boundary of said property to the easterly side of said road from Farmingdale to Lakewood, thence northerly along the easter- ly side of said road to the place of beginning. These boundaries were approved by the Secretary of State on May 15, 1893. Edward Imlay was elected mayor, receiving 92 of the 97 votes on the voting list. The borough has a population of about five hundred souls. The mercantile business is carried on by several excellent stores; there is a manufacture of drumheads, also of catsups, etc., a national bank, two hotels, and a number of handsome residences.
Lower Squankum, two miles from Farmingdale, lies in the south- eastern part of the township, on Manasquan river. The first building there is any record of in its immediate vicinity was a Friends' meeting house, that was built on the banks of the river during the early days of the Revolution. The lot consisting of three-quarters of an acre, hav- ing been purchased February 21, 1778, from Patterson Cook by George Parker, Obadiah Williams, Obadiah Tilton, Britton White, Benjamin Corlies and Peter Corlies, as trustees of the Friends' Meeting. The old building has long since passed away, but there is still evidence of the old burial place. On the opposite side of the river from the Friends' meeting house in 1820 one Lloyd was the owner of a grist mill which passed through several succeeding ownerships. The population of the village is about two hundred and fifty, and its business interests are con- fined to a garage and several groceries.
West Farms, on the Manasquan river, formerly known as New Bar- gaintown, is located in the center of the township. In 1834 it contained a grist mill which was built in 1830, some half dozen dwellings, and was surrounded by a pine forest. In the building of the dam across the river to secure power for the mill, marl was discovered. The marl dis- trict began in the stream which forms the head of Squan river; a little
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above Lower Squankum and on both banks of the river for a distance of six miles good marl was found convenient of access. There were also beds of marl in Mingamahone brook and in the main branch of Shark river. This discovery of marl enhanced the value of the farms of the township from five dollars to one hundred dollars an acre, thus placing those land-owners who were land poor in affluent circumstances. The Squankum Marl Company incorporated March 26, 1863, with a capital of $30,000, operated largely in this section of the country.
Blue Ball, which derives its name from a tavern erected there about 1800, is described in 1834 as containing a tavern, a store started about 1827 by John Hall and Ebenezer Scott, a Presbyterian and a Methodist church, with about ten or twelve dwellings. A postoffice was established some time after, John Hall being the first postmaster. This small vil- lage is situated on the western line of Howell township, about three and a half miles south of Freehold. A short distance north of the hamlet at the time of the Revolution was Richmond's mill, where Colonel Daniel Morgan lay with his famous corps of riflemen awaiting orders to take part in the battle of Monmouth. Blue Ball has been known by several names; at one time as Turkey, but of late date as Adelphia, and is situ- ated on the western border line of the township, two miles from Howell, and has a population of 450 inhabitants.
The Bethesda Methodist church is the oldest of that denomination in the county, organized about 1780. About three miles from Freehold, and being the only Methodist church in that vicinity, it was for many years known as "the Methodist Church of Monmouth." Of Methodism in Revolutionary days the records are of a very meagre character. Pre- vious to 1774 the whole State was included in one circuit, supplied by two preachers. In the above year two circuits were formed-Trenton and Greenwich, with only two preachers, one of whom was William Waters, the first native-born Methodist itinerant in America. In 1779 there were but 140 Methodists reported in the State. The exact date of the building at Blue Ball is not known. Judge Joseph Murphy, of Freehold, born in 1797, said that the only building in this section for public worship owned by the Methodists was at Blue Ball. The Meth- odists from all the country round, from Bethany, Keyport and Cheese- quakes on the east to Bennett's on the west, came there to worship. Among the preachers in early times he remembered Colonel Thomas Morrell, (an officer in the Continental army, and wounded at German- town and Long Island), Thomas Neal, David Bartine, Thomas Stewart, Joseph Holdich, Isaac Winner, John K. Shaw, Daniel Fidler, Edward Page, Joseph Lybrand, Charles Pitman, and Anthony Atwood. The next church was formed at Long Branch, the church being built at what was afterward called Mechanicsville. The third society was organized at Chapel Hill, in Middletown township. The present church was built in 1850, on the opposite side of the road from the old church, in the old
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cemetery lot. The corner-stone was laid June 7, 1849, and the church dedicated April 11, 1850.
A Presbyterian church was in existence at Lower Turkey, (now Fairfield) in 1828, when a church edifice was erected, the Rev. William Woodhull being in charge of the congregation. Services were discon- tinued in 1840, the building was sold, and used for some time as a barn. An act of the legislature was obtained giving the right to the people to decide to which denomination the church lot should pass. The vote gave it to the Baptists, and the First Baptist Church of Howell was organized November 10, 1859, by twenty-eight members of the Baptist church of Freehold, residing in and contiguous to Fairfield. The church was properly organized September 7, 1860, by a council of Baptist ministers and laymen, and Rev. Henry Westcott became the first pastor. The old dilapidated Presbyterian meeting house which was fast falling into ruins was torn down, and the newly organized society erected on the premises a neat and commodious building which was dedicated August 14, 1861. A lot was purchased in April, 1884, adjoining the church, and on it a parsonage was erected.
Bethel and Jerseyville are small hamlets; the former is located in the southwest part of the township, where a small Methodist church was built in 1866, there being also a few dwellings and a couple of stores. Jerseyville, in the northwest corner of Howell township, was prior to 1854 known as Green Cove, the name being changed at that time by vote of the inhabitants. The Methodists of the vicinity first worshipped in a school house erected in 1849, but in the fall of 1869 a cornerstone was laid for a Methodist church edifice and on its completion a society was organized. The cost of the building was $4,240; the church was dedicated January 19, 1872, and placed under the charge of the neigh- boring churches of the denomination. Jerseyville has a population of about fifty souls, and is three miles from Freehold, its mercantile trade being limited to a few groceries.
Mon .- 28
CHAPTER XXXVII.
MILLSTONE
Millstone is on the northwest border of the county, and is bounded in that direction by Middlesex and Mercer counties; on the northeast by Manalapan township; on the southeast by Freehold township and Ocean county; and on the south and southwest by Upper Freehold town- ship. Assanpink creek forms a part of the boundary between the town- ship and Upper Freehold. Rocky brook flows northwesterly into Mer- cer and Middlesex counties, and finally enters Millstone river. Lahaway creek flows into Upper Freehold where it joins the main stream of Cross- wicks creek. There is no railway in the township.
By an act of the legislature passed February 28, 1884, the town- ship was erected from portions of Freehold, Upper Freehold, and Mon- roe (Middlesex county) townships, with the following description:
Beginning in the middle of the Mount Holly road, near Asher Smith's tavern, (Smithville), and where the road to Preston's factory strikes the same in Freehold; thence running along the middle of the road leading from Smith's tavern to Hannah Clayton's Inn, to where the public roads cross near said Inn (Manalapanville) ; thence following the middle of the public road northerly to a point opposite the dwelling- house of William Osborn; thence northerly 29 degrees west to the line between Monmouth and Middlesex counties; thence westerly in a direct line through Monroe township, Middlesex county, to the bridge over Mill brook in the public road near Daniel D. Reed's dwelling; thence down the middle of Mill brook till it reaches the line between Middlesex and Mercer counties, at or near the head of Peter Wikoff's mill pond; thence southerly following said county line to the Monmouth county line; thence southwesterly along the Monmouth county line to the bridge over Assan- pink and the York road; thence up the said easterly till it strikes the bridge on the land of Joseph L. Ely, son of Isaac Ely, deceased, in the middle of the new road leading from Hightstown to Britton's tavern, sometimes called the Stone tavern; thence southerly in a direct line to a point in the public road one rod west of Britton's tavern; thence run- ning as the needle now points, south 6 degrees 30 minutes east over Sugar Loaf, to the Ivanhoe, or north branch of Lahaway creek; thence up the middle of said Ivanhoe to its head, at a spring near the late resi- dence of Isaac Carr, deceased; thence a due east course to the Mt. Holly road; and thence northeasterly along the middle of the Mt. Holly road to the place of beginning.
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