USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > History of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Pt. 1 > Part 66
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371
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
At that time, and for at least a quarter of a century afterwards, the usual route for travelers to the Monmouth settlements was by sloop across the bay to the Wakake Landing, then by the road to Middletown, from which place the usual way to Shrewsbury was by the road leading through Balm Hollow, by what was afterwards the John Golden farm to Ogden's Corner, by the John Bowne-Crawford farm; then through Mor- risville, past the old Hubbard house; then, turn- ing easterly, over, through or near the Middle- town Episcopal Church farm, and from there to Swimming River,1 at or near the present bridge on Leedsville road, and then the general course of the present road to Tinton Falls, and from thence to Shrewsbury. This road avoided all the steep ravines and high hills to the south of Middletown, and all meadows, bogs and streams, except Swimming River.
In 1682 the Proprietors' Assembly passed " An Act for making and Settling Highways, Passages, Landings, Bridges and Ferries within this Province," and appointing commissioners for the purpose. For Monmouth the commis- sioners were the surveyor-general, Colonel Lewis Morris, Captain John Bowne, Richard Hartshorne, James Hance, Joseph Parker and Lewis Morris, Jr. In 1686, John Throck- morton, John Slocum and Nicholas Brown were appointed commissioners, in place of Colonel Lewis Morris, John Bowne and Joseph Parker. In the next succeeding year the commissioners laid out a number of roads in the county, as shown by the record, which is here given entire,
because of the numerous references to the people then living at various points along the several routes mentioned :
" Records off ye highways in ye counties of Mon- mouth laid outt ye second day of March, Anno Dom. one thousand six hundred and eighty-seven.
"From Shrewsbury Falls to Swimming River Bridge, as the road now lieth, to two white oaks girdled on ye south side of ye same, at John Ruckman's hill ; then by stakes to the barrs near his house, all along ye King's highway, six rods broad2 through Middletown Street, as ye road now lieth, to ye bridge, a little easterly from John Stout's house and into a drift way three rods, following ye old way through ye Poplar Field, and out by James Grover's to the lott that was Jonathan Holmes'; thence following ye cart-way that now is to ye east side of ye lott which belonged to James Ashton ; thence following ye old way laid out by James Grover to the most easterly side of Stephen Arnold's poplar lott; and thence keeping ye old path to William Layton's, and thence up the hill along the path that goes toward Portland Point, and so along that way till it comes to Poor- man's Plain; thence from the head of Poorman's Plain along through said Plain by now mark't trees, till it come to ye way that goes over ye Stony Runn, and so along ye way as it now goes to Richard Davis' most easterly lines, and then to turn down by now mark't trees, to the mouth of * * 3 Creek at * * River, and again from Richard Davis' most easterly lines, as the way now goes, to * * * * Samuel * * * lands. So along Jeremiah Bennett's land as the * * * went, and so through Richard Hartshorne's lands, as the way now goes, to his house; and thence to the most northerly part of Sandy Hook Point.
" A drift way, three rods wide, running from John Stout's bridge, and beginning at the way by William Layton's, as the road now lyeth, to James Grover's Mill, and Mill brook and bog, at ye south of Stephen Arnold's lott, so called as the way now goeth, to ye head of ye old Spring and * * line that parts James Ashton's land and Job Throckmorton's, and so along mark't trees till it comes to Thomas Harbert's Path, and thence, as ye way now goeth, to ye Bay side.
" A Highway, beginning at ye Pond, by Richard Gardner's meadow, and so through Thomas Harbert's path and house, as ye way goeth, to Benjamin Devill's [Deuill's] house, and so through Benjamin Devill's land, by mark't trees, till it comes in the way in Poor- man's Plain to ye grave.
1 It is said that this name was given it because a certain traveler, who attempted to cross it during a spring freshet, found himself obliged to swim his horse to reach the other side. A bridge was built across this stream more than two centuries ago, as is shown by the following entry found in Book A of Monmouth Deeds, viz. :
"Att a Court of Sessions held at Shrewsbury, at ye house of Nicholas Browne, ye 2d, 3d, 4th of September, 1679. Present, Capt. John Bowne, Mr. Joseph Parker, Justices of the Peace ; Mr. Richard Gibbons, Mr. Jonathan Holmes, Assistants. . This Court also directs the
bridge over Swimming River to be made new, at equal charge of the towns of Middletown and Shrewsbury and Tinton Manor ; and appoint, as overseers, Richard Gard- ner, of Tinton Manor; James Grover, Jr., of Middletown ; and John Slocum, of Shrewsbury." This shows that a bridge had been built across this stream at a time early enough for it to have become old and out of repair in 1679. |
? " The front foundation walls of the tavern on one side, and the front foundation walls of Dr. Taylor's house on the other side; mark the original bounds of the road. These, and the corner of Charles Dubois' lot, are now the only landmarks to fix it."-Hon. G. C. Beekman.
3These omissions are where the words are illegible in the record.
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372
HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
" And beginning att Thomas Morford's, on Nave- sinks River, going along as the way now goes, to the Middletown road, by John Stout's Bridge.
" And beginning at the king's highway in Middle- town by the Indian [Path ?] thirtie chains in length, the breadth of the way * * Rod, lying betwixt Rich- ard Hartshorne's lott and Sarah Reape's, and thence as the way now goes, a drift path to William Comp- ton's.
" It is a king's highway from James Grover's to the mouth of Waykick Creek, as the way now goeth, being six rods wide. It is a drift way from Thomas Whit- lock's, as the way now lyes, to the King's highway in Middletown, and a passage for people over Waykick meadow to cart their hay, as the way now lieth, into the King's highway.
" And beginning att the King's highway in Middle- town, by the Prisson, on the west by Robert Hamil- ton's lott, and east by Mary Pedler's or Thomas Cox's lott, in length * * chains and in breadth eighteen rods, and thence a drift way to Swimming River Bridge, as the way lyeth,1 it beginning in ye north side of ye Prisson, running northerly two chains broad and twenty chains long, bounded west by Robert Hamil- ton's, east by Samuel Spicer's; and it is to be noted that these three highways above-mentioned are not to be hemed in. First, that six rods broad and thirteen chains long, lying betwixt Richard Hartshorne's land and Sarah Reape's, their lott. The second, that of eighteen rods broad and thirteen chains long, bounded west by Robert Hamilton's lott and east by Thomas Cox, lying from the Prisson south. And the third, eight rods broad and twenty chains long, bounded west by Robert Hamilton's and east by Samuel Spicer's, running from the highway over against the Prisson north. And it is to be noted that from ye King's highway east of the Leonard's, a drift way is to go to ye Leonard's Saw-mill, and thence as the cartway goeth to Peter Tilton's cartway to Hop River, round- ing the bank as the cartway goeth, and so westward of William Leeds' new house, and so along, as the old way now goeth, to the King's highway.
"And Burlington Path, being the King's highway from Crosswicks Creek, by George Keith's Plantation, to John Hampton's, as ye way now goeth, and so to the Leonard's [Saw-mill], and thence to the Falls, as the way now goeth ; but it is to be made more straight at the Leonard's and some other places betwixt that and the Falls.
" And from John Hampton's plantation, the path being the King's highway, is to go as the path now goeth to Hop River, at the usual crossing westerly of William Lawrence's field, and so northerly by mark't trees through John Bray's land, and Eleazer Cottrell's, till it comes to a gullie, and thence along the said gullie bounding the said Cottrell's, and thence by
mark't trees, to goe betwixt Eleazer Cottrell's and Jonathan Holmes', their bound lines that bound be- twixt them, and so to the brook of Cheeseman's, and thence crossing the brook at the usual place, by mark't trees betwixt Cheeseman's and Morford's land, till it comes to the old path to Middletown.
"And from Middletown, a King's highway is to goe by the side of John Ruckman's hill,2 as aforesaid, to old Richard Stout's, as the way now lieth, and from thence, to the Widow Bound's, and so along, as the way now lieth, to the head of Cheesequakes,3 and thence to the ferry over against Perth Amboy.
"And a way is to goe from Shrewsbury Falls, as the way now goeth, to Richard Stout's, the younger, his plantation.
" And from the crossing of Hop River at Burling- ton Path, a way is to goe as it now goeth by mark't trees, to John Reid's, and thence, as the way goeth, to the King's highway betwixt Middletown and Cheese- quakes.
"And a drift way is to goe from a marked tree, a black oak standing by Burlington pathway, on the east side, betwixt John Hampton and Hop River, on a ridge of land by mark't trees (the which ridge lieth betwixt the heads and branches of Hop River, east- erly, and South River westerly), into the King's high- way at Wickatoung,+ by mark't trees till it comes to a black oak by the south side of the highway, marked on four sides; thence by mark't trees to the east side of Baker's fence at Wickatoung, and along the hill by the old way that goeth to the landing-place at Matte- awan Creek, on the south side.
In 1693 the commissioners laid out a large number of roads (principally King's highways), of which the records show the following returns :
"Road laid out *
* From the King's High- way that crosseth the brook-the bounds betwixt John Slocum and his brother Nathaniel. The breadth of the way lying eastward the King's Highway is to run by the east side of the brook, the breadth of the Highway lying easterly, to a mark't tree at the head of the brook, and then crossing the Highway to the head of Thomas Huett's land, the breadth of the highway running westerly, then to a white oak mark't, that is Henry Chamberlin's southwesterly corner Tree, that is on the King's Highway; thence along the King's highway formerly laid out to a white oak tree mark't, standing by the Whale Pond Brook. And from Thomas Eaton's southeast corner to a black oak mark't, the King's Highway to run, as the road lyeth,
1 Road from Middletown to Nut Swamp.
2 Residence of the late Rev. J. Ten Broeck Beekman is on the hill here named.
3 This was the road from Middletown to Holland, and thence by the residence of the late William H. Crawford, to Cheesequakes, now Jacksonville.
4 Wicatunk, near the present village of Marlborough.
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INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
to the Whale Pond Bridge, as Sam. White's way goes to his House; the highway to run over his brook, westerly of his house; then to the Highway running southerly of his house to Horse Pound, standing by the sea, by his Little Water Pond; and it is to be noted that the people of Dale [Deal] are to have a passage-way through Francis Jeffrey's land and John Tucker's land to their meadows. And a King's Highway is to run from Adam Channelhouse, his house, to the Whale Pond Bridge. And from John Williams' said corner to a white oak, being his most northerly and westerly corner, a King's Highway to run, as John Williams' line runs, to Nathaniel Comock's south and westerly corner; thence to the King's highway that goes to Whale Pond Bridge, the breadth of the highway lying westerly. And from Henry Chamberlin's south and westerly corner, the King's Highway to run, as his line runs, to the sea, the breadth of the highway being southerly.
"And beginning at a mark't tree, a white oak, at the King's highway westerly of Thomas Eaton's Mill; thence running by mark't trees, as the way now goes, to the Falls of Shrewsbury, to a small red oak mark't, lying northeast of Coll. Morris' house, the breadth of the way lying southerly. And from Nich- olas Browne's said northwesterly corner, the King's Highway, by mark't trees to Edmund Laffetra's north and westerly corner; thence running by new mark't trees to the Falls, to the small red oak aforesaid, the breadth of the highway all lying northerly.
"It is to be noted that a King's Highway runs be- twixt John Lippincott's great lot and Judah Allen to Navesincks River, and another King's highway to run from the King's highway that goes through Shrewsbury Town, betwixt Bryan Blackman and Peter Parker, to Navesincks River. And another King's highway, running along by William Stout's line, to Glassmaker's Landing, the breadth of the highway lying westerly. And another King's high- way, to run betwixt Robert West and Stephen West to the King's Highway that runs through Shrewsbury Neck. ' And another King's Highway to run to James Grover's Landing, beginning at a little walnut tree mark't, that goes through the town on Coll. Morris' land."
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None of the roads embraced in the above return of 1693 were opened at that time nor for several years afterwards. In 1694 the As- sembly appointed the following-named commis- sioners of highways for Monmouth County : Lewis Morris (of Tinton), Lewis Morris (of Pas- sage Point), John Hance, John Stout, Nicholas Brown, William Lawrence, Sr., Benjamin Bor- den, John Slocum, Richard Hartshorne and Thomas Boel; these being in addition to the
members of the highway board in every county of the province. In 1705 the following roads were laid out by the Monmouth commissioners, and returned on the 27th of September in that year, viz .:
" A Highway, beginning below John Leonard, at the Landing known by the name of Cherry Tree Landing; thence along the south side of the house, as the road goes, to Remembrance Lippincott's cor- ner, of his fence; thence upon a straight line to the Pear Tree in William Worth's field; thence on the north side of the Pear Tree to the Brook; thence along the south side of the highway at the south end of Richard Lippincott's corner ; thence, as the road lies, to Francis Borden's corner tree by the highway (ye tree to stand in ye middle of ye Road); thence upon a straight line to the Brook by Bickley's; thence as the road lies to the corner of William Asten's or- chard; thence to a white oak tree standing a little to the eastward of John Lippincott's, Jr. ; thence, as the Path is, to the old Road; thence along the Road to the corner of Joseph Parker's land; thence turning the corner up the path, as the old road did lye, to the corner of Nicholas Brown's fence by the Meeting- House; thence as the road now lyes to near Wood- mancy's house, to go the most direct and convenient way to the place where Lewis Morris made a bridge on the Fall run a little above the Landing known by the name of the Fall Landing ; so over that place the most direct and convenient way, along the north side of the said Lewis Morris' cleared field to a place called Little Falls, in the old way to Freehold 1 and Amboy, and thence the most direct and convenient way to the north corner of Morris' wheat field, and thence along the north side of said field the most direct way to Hoping Bridge; thence to Peter Tilton's ; thence along the new mark't trees on Stony Brook to the old road; thence along the mark't trees on the south side of the path till they come into the path again; thence by Job Throckmorton's; thence as the road lyes to Combs' Brook ; thence as the road lyes to the gully between Thomas Forman's and the Scoole House ; thence, as the old road was laid out, to David Clayton's gully by his fence ; thence [illegible] road within his fence so into the path ; then along the old road as it was laid out that bound the tract of land, till it comes to Coales' Path; thence along the ridge between the two paths to Coales' Bridge ; thence along the new mark't trees to the same path to a black oak tree mark't on two sides ; thence turning out on the north side of the road, running along the new mark't trees till it comes to Holman's road, against
1 The "Freehold " here meant was " Old Freehold," a little village marked on the map of 1769, as standing on or very near the site of the present village of Holmdel, Governor and the surveyor-general, who were | and nearly on a direct line from Tinton Falls to Amboy.
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374
HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
Thomas Estill's ; so along the road till it comes to a black oak tree mark't on two sides; thence turning out on the south side of the path, along the new mark't trees till it comes to Moses Robbin's corner tree, standing under Cunny Hillside ; thence running along Cunny Hillside; thence along the new mark't trees till it comes to Robert Hutcheson's corner tree ; thence to two white oaks mark't on both sides, stand- ing in the Post Road, and all roads to be four rods in breadth.
"Another highway beginning at the Falls River Bridge above the landing aforesaid; then in the most direct and most convenient way to the old Swimming River bridge in the road to Middleton; thence, as the road went, to Jumping Brook; thence to Crooked Run as the road formerly went to Nutswamp; thence to Mordecai Gibbons', his fence; thence along the fence, by the path as it now is, to the middle of the road, and so along the path, as it now goes, to Poriaca, the most convenient way over; thence, as the road now lies, till it comes to Moses Lippett's new wheat field; thence across the field to the fence at the head of the gully, so along to a small walnut tree standing in Wilkins' wheat field, so to the road down the hill and over the brook along as the path now goes to the corner of Wilkins' fence, so up the line between Wil- kins and Hartshorne (the line to be in the middle of the road) till it comes over the gully ; thence all into the highway; so along Wilkins' fence till it comes into the street, which is to remain four rods wide."
March 21, 1705-6. "Record of a highway from Middletown to ye county line towards Amboy: Be- ginning at James Grover's; thence along Waycake path to a red oak marked; thence to the brook called Cochowdes Brook to a marked tree; thence to William Hendricks' Mill; thence to the bottom of James Dorsett's bog; thence to Benet's old house; thence to Wigwam Point; thence to Freehold Bridge by ye
Rocks; thence the most convenient way to the bot- tom of Mohwhingson bog; thence to ye brook at the Pound, so direct to the Point where the Indian Path went, down below Thomas Smith's; thence crossing ye brook so to Amboy Path; thence ye directest and best way to the County line.
" ELISHA LAWRENCE, "JOHN HEBRON, "OBADIAH BOWNE, "Commissioners."
"A Record of a driftway by Thomas Boels, March yº 14th, 1705-6 .- Layd out a driftway in Freehold, beginning at Samuel Redford's fence by the highway, then running as ye mark't trees goes cross ye lots of Augustus Gordon and Thomas Boell, allowing to said Boell two gates upon ye said way, to ye head of a gully upon ye north side of ye said Boell's lot; thence cross a branch of Holman's Bog to the bridge that lays by Looechyell's lot, so cross Looechyell's lot as .
y" way goes through the brook by Thomas Boell's
Barn, so along ye path to Stone Hill, and to Thomas Hankinson's land, along as the road goes, till it comes where ye old road went into ye field; thence where the old road went till it comes out of the field at the head of the Spring by Hankinson's house; thence as the road now goes, till it comes to Amboy road, allowing swinging gates upon this road, which are not to be hung within ye space of ten years, but to lye open."
"April 2, 1706 .- Then laid out a highway of three rods, beginning at Wm. Hendrick's mill, thence, as direct as sircumstances will admit of, to Cowder's Brook,1 where Walter Wall's path went over; thence over along the path till it comes to Ruckman's path that goes to Waycake; thence cross the bog that comes from John Smith; thence direct, crossing a brook to Stout's Bridge, so over ye swamp; thence along ye mark't trees to Raile Bridge ; thence direct cross ye corner of John Jobs' field to a dead white oak tree standing between ye fence and ye brook ; thence along ye old marked trees till it comes to the path that goes to John Jobs' from John Bowne's ; thence along the marked trees till it comes to ye path ; thence along ye path till it comes to ye fence of Samuel Culver's; so, cross the corner of Samuel Culver's field, to the Brook that parts Culver's land from Hartshorne's land. Also another road from the mouth of James Bowne's Creek ; thence along ye marked trees and path, as it now goes, till it comes to Henry Mashes [Marsh's]; thence along ye path till it comes to ye Brook below John Stout's, to be two rods wide. Also another road from Waycake along ye new path till it runs to ye path that goes to John Smith's; thence direct to the bog that comes from John Smith's where ye path comes from * * * bridge. To be two rods wide.
" OBADIAH BOWNE, " ELISHA LAWRENCE, " BENJAMIN BORDEN, " Commissioners. "Entered April 29, Anno Dom. 1706."
Records of the proceedings of the commis- sioners appointed for the laying out of high- ways in Monmouth County in 1708 and the succeeding six years are found as follows :
"September 22d, 1708 .- Then laid out a road two rods wide, beginning att Swimming River Bridge; thence along ye old road on ye northeast side of ye orchard, by ye path to ye house that formerly Wil- liam Hunt dwelt in; thence turning ye corner, as ye road now lies, to ye bridge that now goes over [illegible] River, a road laid out by us beginning in
1 This brook rises among the Middletown hills at Cocowder Spring, which the Indians and early settlers believed to pos- sess medicinal properties, John Ruckman. Sr., settled on and owned the lands around this spring, and there he spent the remainder of his life and was buried near it.
375
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
yª road at Jumping Brook; thence as ye path now goeth to the road by Skank's Hill.
"September ye 22nd, 1708 .- Also a road laid out, of two rods wide, beginning in ye road by James Gro- ver's, in Middletown ; thence along ye road as it goes to Shole Harbour, until it comes to ye; bogge meadow ; thence up ye barren hill, the most direct and conven- ient way along ye way as now marked, along ye east side of Jonathan Ruckman's field till it comes to the old path.
" Laid out a road of two rods wide, beginning in ye road by David Johnston's house; thence along ye path to ye old school-house; thence along the parti- tion line of Holmes (Jonathan) and Cottrell (Eleazar), at ye pathway, in ye pathway marked, to Cheeseman Brook; thence, as ye road now lyes, to Middletown. Given under our hands this 22d day of September, 1708.
" OBADIAH BOWNE, " JOHN LEONARD, " ELISHA LAWRENCE, " Commissioners."
"Also, a road laid out in Freehold, beginning by Richard James', att ye Indian Path, and along ye sª path to ye Pine bridge ; thence, as ye old Indian Path goes, to ye west side of David Stout's field ; thence along ye marked trees to ye division line of ye Prov- ince; to lye and remain of ye breadth of two rods wide, allowing to David Stout one swinging gate, to Marmaduke Horsman one swinging gate, to John Kirby one swinging gate and to Anthony Woodward two swinging gates. Laid out by us this twenty- seventh day of October, Anno Domini 1708.
"OBADIAH BOWNE, " ELISHA LAWRENCE, "Commissioners."
"The highway to run from the rear of Richard Hartshorne's west * * to John Havens' land, * two chains and a half to the southward of his house; thence the most direct course to Rack Pond, above head of ye lott. Also, a driftway to go partly on Richard Stout's land and partly on John Lawrence's land from ye aforesaid highway. Also, a highway from ye highway that goeth along ye rear of Joseph Lawrence's land, as ye way now goeth, to Hockocson Swamp; then to ye line that parts Morris and Thomas Leonard's; thence along ye said line to yª brook; thence down ye brook to ye bridge; from thence to ye place where ye bridge was made over, below ye Saw-mill; thence, as ye way goeth, to William Lawrence's Mill.
"Also, a highway to go from ye rear of Joseph Law- rence's land, where ye other ways meet, as ye way is now marked. Also, a highway from ye way that runs along ye rear of ye lott along ye line that parts Good- body's land and Brindley's land; thence along Brind- ley's line till it comes into ye aforesaid way to go
* * * Also, another highway laid out four rods broad, beginning at ye west side of ye Meeting-House in Shrewsbury, betwixt Judah Allen and Restore Lippincott's lines, as it was formerly laid out to yº North River." Dated March 1, 1709, and signed by Obadiah Bowne, John Leonard, Elisha Lawrence and John Woolley, commissioners.
"This 7th day of May, Anno Dom. 1709, laid out a bye-way for Captain Anderson, Thomas Malt- age, - Mattison, from their plantations, to fall into ye Landing Road. 'Tis to cross Manalapan River at Joseph Allen's old bridge, a little below ye mouth of Clear Brook; ye said way to run from ye Walnut tree to ye point of upland, and is to cross Clear Brook to ye said point at ye maple tree in ye brook, by a fallen old great tree, and so along ye marked trees to Manalapan Brook, where Ben Allen built a bridge ; thence following ye mark't trees until it falls into ye Landing Road before it comes at William Davison's bridge.
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