USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > History of Monmouth County, New Jersey, 1664-1920, Volume II > Part 4
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that Fishing Point lot No. 8 might be purchased for the purpose of building a dock, had come there to buy it, that it might remain un- improved and thus leave Middletown Point without a commercial rival on Raritan bay. To circumvent this effort, several Keyport men bought the lot, and a Dock and Improvement Company with Leonard Walling, Joseph and John S. Taylor, Davis S. Bray, John and James Hopping, and Isaac K. Lippincott as incorporators, was formed. The property secured to the company amounted to over 200 acres, and in 1830 a dock was constructed on the site of the later Keyport dock. In the spring of 1831 the town received the name of Keyport, and one year after the sloop "New Jersey," 50 tons burden, was built on Compton's creek and chartered to run to and from New York, under command of James Hop- ping. In a few years a number of vessels followed which ran from Key- port to New York, carrying market supplies and produce, which had begun to come in from the interior for shipment. From that time the shipping business from Middletown Point began to decline, and finally ceased altogether.
In February, 1830, a highway was laid out from Middletown vil- lage and Mount Pleasant, and to the new settlement then known as "Fishing Point Lot." The following year a tavern-house was built; and at about this time, the old Kearney homestead was purchased by Isaac K. Lippincott, who in 1833 erected the first store; and the same year Nimrod Bedle and Lewis Morris built dwelling-houses, the village hav- ing been plotted in April, 1830, and May 22nd, 1832, the Dock and Improvement Company divided sixteen of the twenty-four lots amongst the individual members of the company. Keyport in 1834 is described as having a good landing, two taverns, three stores, and twelve or fifteen dwellings. Three years later the statement is made there were then twenty houses and about one hundred population. Two years later Keyport contained seventy dwellings, two stores, a public house, two wharves, ten or twelve mechanic shops, besides other buildings. In 1839 the old Keyport Company sold its docks and business to Oliver Vanderbilt, of Castleton, Staten Island, for $7,000; and the steamboat "Wave," Captain Joseph Stoney, commenced making regular trips to New York, and a stage line was established to carry passengers to Free- hold. Stages were already running to Long Branch. In 1851 the Key- port Dock Company was incorporated, the docks were rebuilt and the stramer "Minnie Cornell" began daily trips to New York, carrying pas- sengers and freight. The Atlantic Hotel was built in 1832; the land- lords have been Primrose Hopping, Tobias Hendrickson, Tunis J. Ten Eyck, John L. Doty and Joseph J. Reeves; it was destroyed by fire in 1877. In 1840, William Jaques built the Pavilion Hotel and conducted it until his death in 1849. The property later passed to Elisha Thomp- son; it was destroyed by fire in 1851, and rebuilt by D. L. F. Schenck; it was known as "Raritan Inn." The Mansion House was built by George
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Bridge, Highland Beach. Clay Pit Creek- Broad Street, Keyport Broadway, Keyport
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Davison, of Burlington; was burned in 1877, and rebuilt; it is now managed by Miss Lake, who succeeded her father many years ago. The first grist mill was built in 1856 by Andrew McDowell. Leonard Walling was the earliest postmaster, being appointed March 12th, 1833.
The Raritan Guards, a military organization, was formed at Keys- port in the fall of 1861, with twenty-two members, the majority of whom volunteered for service in the War of the Rebellion and formed the nucleus of Company B, 29th Regiment New Jersey Volunteers. On their return from the seat of war, June 24th, 1863, they were tendered a public reception. In the railroad riots of 1877 the company proceeded to Phillipsburg, New Jersey, where they remained until the restoration of order among the railroad employes. The members devoted the pay received for this service to a fund for building an armory, which was raised by subscriptions to $3,000, besides $1,000 in timber given by the farmers in the vicinity. The armory was built and completed at a cost of $7,000, and was ready for occupancy in 1879. The building is fifty-two by one-hundred feet in size, with a drill room fifty-two by eighty-six feet, and eighteen feet in height.
Keyport on the night of September 1st, 1877, was visited by a fire which destroyed the greater portion of the business district and which ravaged unchecked until the arrival of a fire engine and company from Matawan, Keyport being destitute of fire apparatus. This dire calamity, which destroyed two hotels, one church and twenty-five other buildings, made thirty families homeless, causing a total loss of $200,000, led to the formation of the Keyport Hook and Ladder Company, which was incor- porated February 27th, 1878.
The borough of Keyport was erected in 1908 from a part of Rari- tan township, and has since been governed under that form of govern- ment. The religious life of the borough is represented by seven churches.
Soon after the plotting of the village, Nimrod Beale, one of the original settlers, as previously noted, being an earnest Methodist, in- duced Father Staurt, a missionary of that denomination, to hold services at his house, which was the first sermon ever heard in Keyport. A Sun- day school was established with twenty pupils in 1835; and in the same year, a class was organized and trustees of the church elected. It was soon afterwards decided to build a church, the society having previously worshipped on alternate Sundays with the Baptists in the school house. A lot on Church street having been donated by the Keyport Company, an edifice was erected thirty-five by forty-five feet in size, and in March, 1841, the Rev. John Spear was appointed in charge of the district. The parish then embraced Harmony, Chapel Hill, High Point, Chanceville (now New Monmouth), Bethany and Keyport. The first church build- ing was used until 1856, when the present one, which was remodeled in 1902, on the corner of Osborn and Cross streets, was constructed. The
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society is known as the Calvary Methodist Episcopal Church, and the present pastor is the Rev. A. C. Brady.
The First Baptist Church of Keyport came into existence when the Rev. Frederick Ketchum, of Burlington, New Jersey, a resident of Key- port, held a series of meetings in a grove and the school house, at which a number were converted to that faith. An application was made to the Mother Church to establish a branch, which request was refused, and at a council held August 5th, 1840, seven persons presented letters of dis- mission from the First Baptist Church of Middletown, two from the Second Baptist Church of Middletown (now Holmdel), and two from the Baptist Church of Elmira, New York. The same being approved, a regular Baptist church was organized under the name of the Third Baptist Church of Middletown. On the day 'of organization, twelve persons were baptized. In September that year the Rev. Jackson Smith was appointed missionary over the congregation. In the year of their organization they united with the Central New Jersey Association; in three years a change was made to the Eastern Association, and in 1872, they became a member of the Trenton Association. The Rev. William V. Wilson was ordained pastor May 12th, 1841; during the first year of his pastorate a house of worship was built, and the name of the church in 1850 was changed to its present title. In August, 1853, Mr. Wilson resigned, and there was no settled pastor until July, 1854, when Rev. John Q. Adams entered upon his labors; his resignation, however, took place in September, 1855. In July, 1856, Rev. F. A. Slater became pastor, and active measures were then taken to build a new church edifice; the corner-stone of the present church was laid, but the building was not completed and dedicated during Mr. Slater's ministry, as he resigned in 1862, and was succeeded by the Rev. A. P. Graves, who was pastor a little over ten years. The next pastor, Rev. F. T. Cailchopper, served four years; and in April, 1870, the Rev. J. K. Manning accepted the charge of the society, continuing for thirteen years, being succeeded by the Rev. S. K. Dexter, who was installed December 4th, 1883. Since his resignation the pulpit has been filled by able ministers, Rev. A. W. Hand being at present in charge of the society.
The Reformed Church of Keyport was organized with thirteen mem- bers, April 28th, 1847, by a committee of the Classis of New Brunswick. At the same time the Rev. Nathan F. Chapman was ordained to the ministry and commissioned to take charge of the congregation. This small nucleus of a church was gathered and begun by the Rev. A. C. Millspaugh, of Middletown, who for several years prior had held Sab- bath services in private houses, attended by a small company actuated by the principles of a common faith. From this humble origin a per- manent organization was effected, and the first meeting of the consistory was held May 18th, 1847, when trustees were chosen of the Protestant Reformed Dutch Church of Keyport. A site for an erection of a church
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was secured in the rear of the village on what was known as the Osborn estate, bounded on the north and south by Warren and Elizabeth streets; and on the east and west by Osborn and Division streets. The corner-stone of a church edifice was laid early in 1848; and in May, 1851, the building was completed; the dedication took place before a numerous audience June 27th, 1851. The successor of Rev. Nathan F. Chapman, on January 1st, 1851, was Rev. John Minor, who served as pastor only a few months, when he in turn gave way to Rev. Jeremiah Searle, who served from December 1st, 1851, to November, 1853. The following spring, Rev. Dr. Lockwood was installed and was pastor for fifteen years, when Rev. A. A. Zabriskie became his successor, and was suc- ceeded in October, 1873, by Rev. E. Mead. The church, though re- moved from the central portion of the borough, enjoys a degree of popularity and maintains a substantial membership. The society, at the present time is in charge of Rev. F. T. B. Reynolds.
St. Mary's Protestant Episcopal Church had for its first house of worship the old Baptist church, which was purchased in 1864. This building was totally destroyed in the great fire of September 21st, 1877. The corner-stone of the present church was laid April 26th, 1878, and the edifice was first used for divine service July 1st, 1878. The present rector is Rev. George H. Brewien.
The Presbyterian church was organized October 10th, 1878; the first regular pastor was Rev. John C. Elliot, who preached his initial ser- mon May 8th, 1880. The present church was dedicated June 10th, 1880, the congregation at the present time being in charge of the Rev. William Serviss.
The Roman Catholics organized a parish, known as the St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Congregation at Keyport before 1854, and purchased two acres of land between Matawan and Keyport. Here a small brick church thirty by fifty feet in size was erected, to which at different times additions were made. The corner-stone of the present brick church was laid June 27th, 1879. It was completed in the summer and fall of 1880, and dedicated November 1st that year. The cost of the structure was $22,000. The old brick church was left standing in the rear of the new edifice and used for a parochial school. The brick parsonage was. erected in 1877. The parish has a large number of communicants; and there is also attached to the church an extensive burial-ground. Father John Kelly was in charge of the parish for over twenty years, when he was removed to St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church of South Amboy, where he died after a long pastorate. He was succeeded in 1876 by Father McGovern, who remained only a year and was succeeded by Father Garret A. Spierings. The present pastor, Rev. Michael C. O'Don- nell, has had charge of the parish for the past thirteen years.
Mechanicsville was formerly a small village in the southeast corner of Keyport, but is now a part of the borough. In 1843 it consisted of Mon .- 29
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one dwelling house. The following year, Thomas Carhart, a carriage builder, erected a shop, which was afterwards developed into an exten- sive business in that line, employing a number of mechanics, from which the place derived its name. In 1885 the village consisted of the brick shop built by Thomas Carhart, two stores, a carriage shop, blacksmith's shop, and St. John's Methodist Episcopal Church, which is the succes- sor of the old Bethany Church Society which was organized not far from the year 1800 at a place known as Bethany, in the south part of Rari- tan township and near the line of Holmdel. The first members were of the families of Murphy, Carhart, Bedle, Hoff, Polin and others. Meet- ings were first held in Squire Thomas Murphy's house. A lot of land was purchased in 1820, containing a one-quarter of an acre on which was erected the Bethany Church. From this church sprang the churches of Keyport, Matawan, Clifford, Granville, Harmony and others; and it was sometimes called Dorsettown Church. The building in 1870 was removed to Mechanicsville and placed on a lot donated by Andrew Polin, and was dedicated January 1st, 1871. The first pastor of the Bethany church, Rev. Bartholomew Weed, was present at the dedication. The present pastor is the Rev. Abram L. Izard.
Keyport of the present day has a population of over 4,000 souls, and is a station on the Atlantic division of the Central railroad of New Jer- sey, also connected by a trolley line with Matawan. It has efficient fire and police departments; its streets well paved, and under traffic direc- tion. An excellent system of graded schools is liberally supported. The first school house was built in'1832, on a lot situated on Church street, this was used until 1856, when the increase of the village demanded greater facilities and a lot was purchased on the corner of Bowne street and Mott avenue, the corner-stone of the building being laid August 3rd, 1871; the building was completed in the spring of 1872, and was dedicated with great ceremony March 28th that year. The structure is in the form of a cross, three stories in height, with a capacity of one thousand scholars, entailing a cost of grounds, buildings and furniture of nearly $6,000. Other school buildings have been erected as needs de- manded. Among the early schools was the Wheeler's Academy which was opened in 1843 and continued until 1862. Holmes' Academy was opened in 1857 in the building corner of First and Church streets, and was continued over a score and half years by George W. Holmes and his daughter.
The principal fraternal and benevolent orders are represented by large local lodges. Caesarea Lodge No. 64, Free and Accepted Masons, was chartered January 18th, 1865, and was instituted with twenty-three members. Prior to the formation of this lodge a warrant had been granted by the Grand Lodge of New Jersey to fourteen persons to or- ganize Alpha Lodge in Keyport. The lodge was organized under this dispensation and continued until January 4th, 1865, when the warrant
KEYPORT View of the Bay --- Stand Pipe -St. Mary's Home -- Oyster House and Creek
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was surrendered, the members joining Caesarea Lodge, No. 64. Delta Chapter, No. 14, Royal Arch Masons, was instituted October 5th, 1865. The constituent members were from Hiram Chapter No. 1 of Red Bank.
Chingarora Lodge, No. 110, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was instituted with twenty-eight members, March 17th, 1853, and con- tinued its meetings until January 21st, 1856, when it disbanded. Bay- side Lodge, No. 193, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was instituted August 23rd, 1883, with fifteen members, and is still in existence.
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CHAPTER XL.
MANALAPAN
Manalapan is one of the border townships, adjoining Middlesex county, which forms its entire northwestern boundary. On the north- east it is bounded by Marlboro township, on the east and southeast by Marlboro and Freehold townships, and on the southwest by Millstone township. Manalapan and Matchaponix creeks, Memrock brook and several other small streams flow northwardly through the township into Middlesex county, where they mingle their waters with those of South river, the southern branch of the Raritan. The only railway is the Freehold & Jamesburg railroad, which passes through it in a north- westerly and southeasterly direction. Manalapan in the Indian tongue signifies "good land." The township was taken from Freehold town- ship in 1848 with metes and bounds as follows:
Beginning at Asher Smith's tavern, at the southeast corner of Mill- stone township, in the road leading from Mount Holly to Freehold and running thence along the middle of said road northwardly to the mouth of the road leading to Black's Mills; thence in a northerly course to a stone planted in the middle of the road leading from Englishtown to Freehold, said stone being the corner of the farms now owned by Will- iam F. Sutphin and John E. Gordon; thence northerly 40 degrees and 30 seconds east till it strikes the line of Marlboro township; thence along the southerly line of Marlboro until it strikes the boundary line be- tween Monmouth and Middlesex counties; thence following said bound- ary line southerly to the northeast corner of Millstone township; and thence along the southern boundary of said township to the place of beginning.
The first settlement was made by the Scotch, who coming into the the county as early as 1685 located at first along the Middlesex county border, in the present townships of Matawan and Marlboro and spread rapidly thence to the southwest through what was then Freehold and is now Manalapan township. Black's Mills was a small village on the southern part of the Manalapan and Freehold turnpike, where in 1823 Thomas and John Black of Burlington operated a grist mill, and in the following year purchased the water of Manalapan creek from Jonathan Forman and also added a saw mill. Years after the grist mill was great- ly enlarged and improved steam was introduced, and the mill attained a capacity of 75 barrels of flour in twenty-four hours.
Old Tennent Church is the most celebrated and historic house of religious worship in Monmouth county, and probably in the whole State, because of its Revolutionary associations and the ability and devoted piety of clergymen who spent the greater part of their lives in pious
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labor within its ancient walls. It is situated about three miles north- west of Freehold and two miles southeast of Englishtown. The old church, now nearly one hundred and seventy years old, is the successor of an older church built on the same site before the birth of George Washington, and which was in turn the successor of the still more ancient "Scots' Meeting-House," which however did not occupy the same site but stood several miles further north in what was the township of Freehold but is now that of Marlboro, where the place was marked for many years by the evidences of the old "Scots' Burying-ground," though the last vestiges of the old meeting-house had disappeared many years before the birth of any now living. That church was erected in 1692, and the first of the churches built on the "White Hill," (where the Ten- nent church stands) was erected under a charter granted by King George II. in 1727, was finished in 1730, and dedicated April 18, 1731. The present church was built in 1752, and the first services held early in 1753.
The Old Scots' Meeting-House was built by emigrants from Scot- land who sailed for this country on the ship "Caledonia" in 1685. After a tempestuous and painful voyage they landed at Perth Amboy, and though they had first intended to settle further south, determined to remain in this State. Many of them settled in Monmouth county, and, being faithful adherents of the Church of Scotland, soon formed a church organization, "which was the first one established with the Gos- pel ministry in East Jersey, south of the Raritan river." The exact date of the organization has not been ascertained; but the meeting-house as heretofore mentioned was built in 1692. It was styled the "Presby- terian Congregation of Freehold," which township at that time em- braced the site of the church and that of the two succeeding edifices. In December, 1705, "at ye request of Mr. John Craig, Walter Ker, Wm. Rennel and Patrick Imlay, in behalf of themselves and their Brethren, protestants, dissenters of freehold called Presbiterions that their Public Meeting-house may be recorded," it was recorded as follows: "The Meeting-house for Religious Worship, belonging to the Protestant dis- senters, called ye Presbyterians of the Town of Freehold, in ye County of Monmouth, in ye Province of New Jersey, is situate, built, lying and being at and upon a piece of rising ground or little hill, commonly known and called by the name of Free Hill, in said town."
The first pastor was Rev. John Boyd, who was qualified for the pas- toral office by the court, May 29, 1706. He lived but two years, and was succeeded in 1709 by Rev. Joseph Morgan, who was qualified De- cember 6, 1709, being accompanied by the following, presumably of his congregation, viz: John Lane, John Wikoff, John Sutfin, William Hen- drickson, John Esmuth, William Williams and Avri Marbison. Mr. Morgan served the church for nineteen years and was succeeded in 1730 by Rev. John Tennent, a younger brother of William. On July 30th of that year it was decided to build a church between William Ker's barns
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and Rocky Hill, and one year after the pastor, John Tennent, died, being only in his twenty-sixth year. His brother William was prevailed upon to accept the pastorate and was ordained October 25, 1733. On April 18, 1731, the first service was held in the new meeting-house on White Hill.
Rev. William Tennent, the fourth pastor of the "First Presby- terian Church of Freehold," was born in Ireland, June 5, 1705, and was the second son of Rev. William Tennent, who emigrated to this country, bringing his four sons-Gilbert, William, John and Charles. He located in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, where he founded the "Log College," and where his son William was educated and became proficient in Latin and Greek. To prepare for the ministry, he studied with his brother Gilbert at New Brunswick. By too close application to study, his health failed, and one day while conversing with his brother he fainted and to all appearance died. His physician, who was absent from home at the time, could not believe that Tennent was dead, and the funeral was postponed. At least Gilbert insisted that the funeral should take place without delay. The doctor pleaded for further time, and, while they were arguing, William opened his eyes, groaned, and relapsed into his former condition. Finally he recovered sufficiently to speak, but it was over six weeks before he could leave his bed, and a year elapsed before his complete recovery. He had entirely lost his memory and was obliged to begin with the alphabet and go through his studies as if he had never seen a book. He said afterward that the three days he was in the trance seemed to him as only a few minutes. He felt as if caught by some invisible power and carried up, and away in the distance saw a sight of inexpressible glory, indescribable and beautiful. His first thought was that he had been borne to his heavenly home; but his anguish was unspeakable when his conductor informed him that he must return to earth. Then he gave a groan, opened his eyes, and saw his brother and the doctor. It was twenty-nine years after Mr. Tennent's death before any sketch or memoir of his life appeared in public print, and Elias Boudinot, LL.D., was the first to write his history from material furnished by Dr. Henderson, an elder of the Tennent Church, the manuscript being now in the University Library at Princeton. Dr. Boudinot also published an account of the remarkable trance in the "Evangelical Intelligencer" of Philadelphia.
After Mr. Tennent recovered, he was licensed to preach at Phila- delphia, and finally succeeded his brother John, as mentioned above. Some of the names of the principal families present at his ordination were Craig, Anderson, Watson, Covenhoven, Conover, Kerr, Gordon, Lloyd, Wilson, Henderson, Forman, Crawford, Little, Campbell, Newell, Rhea and English-names which have since been among the most promi- nent in the county. There were great revivals in the church in 1753 and 1757, during which it was the pastor's custom to spend the time between
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services on Sunday in the woods near the church, praying in secret. On one occasion he swooned and fell senseless. The elders found him and assisted him to the church, when he delivered a thrilling and memor- able discourse which he called his "harvest," and was the direct means of converting thirty persons. After faithfully serving the church for more than forty-three years, he died at the old parsonage, after a brief illness, March 8, 1777. His successors have been Rev. Dr. John Wood- hull, 1779-1824; Revs. Job F. Halsey, Robert Roy, Daniel V. McLean, L. H. VanDoren, Donald McLaren, Archibald P. Cobb and George G. Smith. The battle of Monmouth was fought on the parsonage farm of the church, and a cannon ball pierced the roof of the house just over the room used as a study by Mr. Tennent and his successor, Dr. Wood- hull. The good old pastor did not live to see the victory for which he had so long hoped and prayed; but it must have joyed his patriotic soul to know that so many of his people fought so bravely and gave lives so freely to achieve the glorious result.
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