History of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Pt. 2, Part 11

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co.
Number of Pages: 994

USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > History of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Pt. 2 > Part 11

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EAST FREEHOLD, No. 6. - About a mile nortli- east of Frechold an old school-house formerly stood which was known as " Dutch Lane School- House." It is thought to have been built soon after the Revolution. It was used many years,

and stood on land now owned by Holmes V. M. Dennis. About 1834, William Lane do- nated to Trustees John W. Griggs, John S. Denise and William Campbell about three- quarters of an acre of land at the Corners (now East Freeliold). No school-house was erected upon the site until 1842, wlien the present edi- fice was erected and the old house was aban- doned. The district contains ninety-one pupils.

LOKERSON DISTRICT, No. 8 .- The lot was originally donated for the use of a school, over seventy-five years ago, by Jonathan Strickland, the elder. In 1852 the land was leased for thirty years, the house torn down and the present one erected. The lease expired in 1882, and it was again leased for thirty years. The district now contains sixty-three children of school age.

GEORGIA DISTRICT, No. 9 .- The first school taught in this locality was in about 1796, in a small frame house not far from the present sitc. It was continued until 1808, when a house was erected on the site of the present building. It was used until about 1842, when another was built which served its purpose, and in 1862 was replaced by the present building. It is known also as Pleasant Grove School-House. The district contains sixty pupils.

SILOAM DISTRICT, No. 10 .- The present school-house was erected in 1870, and first oc- cupied in November of that year. A school- house had been standing at the place since 1850, the lot having been purchased from John C. Hendrickson in November of that year, and the house erected on it. It stood till 1870, when, (as above mentioned) it was replaced by the present school-house. The district contains ninety-three pupils.

WEST FREEHOLD DISTRICT, No. 11 .- The school-house at West Freehold is situated on a lot that was donated to trustees about 1818 by Ruloff Schenck. It served its purpose un- til the present building was built on the same site. West Freehold District, contains eighty- eight pupils.

THOMSON'S GROVE DISTRICT, NO. 12 .- The school-house situated near the Mount Holly road, in the southeast part of the township, is known as above. A school-house known as Thomson's was built on the hill between the

510

HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

present house and the Mount Holly road before 1820. In 1824 it was moved to the site of the present building, repaired and used until about 1845, when it was torn down and replaced by a larger building, which served its purpose until about 1870, when the present edifice was erected at a cost of one thousand dollars. The district contains seventy-three children. It lies nearly on the line between Manalapan and Freehold town- ships, and pupils from both townships attend.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

HENRY WILLIAM PARKER is the grandson of William Parker, who spent his life as a farmer in Frechold township. He married Sarah Shepherd, whose children were Jesse, Lewis, Hannah, Edmund, Thomas, Robert, Lydia, James, William and John, all of whom, with the exception of Edmund and Jesse, emigrated with their mother to the West, and became prosperous citizens. Edmund was

Heury Ir Parker

AUMACK DISTRICT, NO. 13 .- The children of Frechold village as early as 1815 attended school at a house that then stood near Cornelius Aumack's, in the northwest part of the town- ship, and which was known as " Aumack's." After a few years this school was discontinued. A lot was then purchased of Holmes Ellis and the present house built upon it. It still retains the name " Aumaek's," and is designated as No. 13. The present number of pupils in the · district is forty-eight.

born in 1806 in Frechold township, where he continued the employment of his father, hav- ing married Sarah, daughter of John T. Smith, of Maualapan township. Their children are John S., Henry William, James S., Alfred M., John S., Rebecca Ann, Mary Elizabeth and Thomas, of whom James S. and Henry William are the only survivors. The latter was born on the 28th of August, 1836, in Freehold town- ship, where he has, during his lifetime, been associated with the employment of a farmer.

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP.

511

His youth was varied by labor and attendance at the publie schools of the township, after which his energies were devoted to the culti- vation of the homestead, which his brother eventually inherited, and the subject of this biography purchased a farm opposite and in the same township. He was, on the 8th of October, 1867, married to Mary E., daugliter of James A. Reid, of Manalapan township. Their children are Sarah S., Lydia R., James A., John R., Clarence H., Cornelius B. and

tional Bank. Mr. Parker was a trustee and is still a cheerful and liberal contributor to the support of the Presbyterian Church of Freehold, where his family worships.

HORATIO ELY .- The Elys first settled in New England in the seventeenth century, a branch of which family emigrated to New Jersey and prob- ably located in Mercer County. John Ely, the great-grandfather, purchased in the above county an extensive traet of land, upon which he placed

Horatio Ely

Nellie W. Mr. Parker, though interested, is | his sons, seven in number. Joshua, who resided not active in the field of polities. He has, on a farm now ineluded in both Monmouth and Mercer Counties, married Ann Chamberlain, whose children were sons, John J. and Joseph, and daughters, Rebecca (Mrs. Matthew Rue) and Phebe (Mrs. John McKnight). John J. Ely was born April 7, 1778, and died January 11, 1852. IIe married Aehsah, daughter of William Mount, whose birth oceurred February 2, 1780, and her death October 13, 1846. Their child- ren are Ann, born in 1801 ; Joshua, in 1804; however, held various township offices, includ- ing that of trustee of schools. His warm interest in the cause of education prompted him to great activity in the purchase and reor- ganization of the Young Ladies' Seminary of Freehold, of which institution he is one of the trustees and a liberal supporter. He was formerly connected with, but has now resigned the position of director of the Freehold Na-

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

William M., in 1806; Rebecca M., in 1808; William M., in 1810; Horatio, March 26, 1812; Joseph, in 1814; John W., in 1818; Henry D., in 1820 ; Thomas C., in 1822 ; and Adaline, in 1825. Mr. Ely was an active and representative Whig in politics, having been twice elected sheriff of his county, and filled a term as member from his district to the State Legislature. He first located as a farmer in Freehold township, and later removed to Holm- del, where his death occurred. He enjoyed a

distinguished reputation for integrity and elevated moral character. In his religious con- vietions he was a Baptist, and worshiped with that denomination during his lifetime. His son Horatio was born on the farm he now occu- pies, in the vicinity of which his earliest in- struction was received, after which he became a pupil of the Lennox Academy, at Lennox, Mass. Choosing the life of an agriculturalist, he returned to the homestead, and for a series of years managed the farm for his father. On the 3d of December, 1834, he was married to Helena, daughter of William I. Conover, of Manalapan. Their children are Jane C., born in 1835 (Mrs. Jolın H. Denise) ; Achsah, in 1837, deceased ; John J., in 1839 ; Helen, in 1841 (Mrs. Luther R. Smith) ; Adaline, in 1843 (Mrs. Luther Smith), deceased ; Anna R., in 1845 (Mrs. L. Abrahams) ; Horatio, Jr., de- ceased ; Horatio, Jr., in 1849, deceased ; Wil- liam I., in 1851 ; Mary H., in 1853, deceased ; Emma C., in 1855, deceased ; Catherine E., in 1857, deeeased ; and Charles H., in 1859. Some years after his marriage Mr. Ely purchased the homestead farm, which he has since ocenpied and cultivated. His political sentiments have been always either strongly Whig or Republi- can. He was elected by his party sheriff of the county in 1837, and has occasionally filled offices in the township. He was formerly a director of the Freehold Banking Company, and now fills the same office in connection with the Mommouth County Fire Insurance Company. He for some years acted as trustee of the Peddie Institute, located at Hightstown, N. J., and was formerly president of the Freehold and Smithburg Turnpike Company. He is also a . member of the Monmouth County Agricultural

Society. A strong Baptist in his religious faith, he is a member of the Freehold Baptist Church, in which he fills the office of deacon.

WILLIAM E. CONOVER .- Peter Conover was boru February 16, 1726, and his wife, Anne, on the 30th of December, 1727. Their son, Lewis Conover, the grandfather of the sub- ject of this biographieal sketch, who was a resident of Shrewsbury, and later of Free- hold township, was active during the Revolu- tionary War as bearer of dispatches to General Washington at the battle of Monmonth. He married a Miss Seott, whose children were Ebenezer, Joseph, Hannalı (Mrs Joseph Rue), Ellen (Mrs. David C. Perrine), Deborah (Mrs. James Patterson), Helena (Mrs. Jacob Pitten- ger) and Ann (Mrs. William Jackson). Eben- ezer Conover, a native of Monmouth County, resided during his lifetime upon property now owued by his sons in Freehold township. He married Mary, daughter of Ockey Lefferson, whose children were four sous-William E., James S., Arthur L. and John B .- and four daughters-Sarah (Mrs. Nathan H. Jackson), Rachel (Mrs. A. Conrow), Jane (Mrs. Levi S. Sutphen) and Mary A. (Mrs. Aaron Sut- phen). William E. Conover was born on the 14th of October, 1815, in the township of Freehold, and has been during his lifetime associated with the employment of a farmer. He received in youth a substantial education, and rendered invaluable assistance to his father in his routine of farming. In February, 1838, he was married to Charlotte C., daughter of Jacob Baker, of the present township of Mana- lapan. Their children are Charles H., of Flint, Mich .; Ebenezer, whose death was the result of an accident ; Jaeob B., of Manalapan town- ship; James M., of Frechold township; Na- than J., a civil engineer ; Mary J .; Elizabeth V., wife of Jolin L. Maney, of Brooklyn ; Anne ; and Frances, wife of William Segoine, Mr. Conover having determined to follow the pursuit of agriculture, on his marriage pur- chased a portion of the homestead farm, made it lis residence and still cultivates its productive aeres. He has been, as a business man, enter- prising and sagacious ; as a citizen, public-

513

FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP.

spirited and liberal. His politics have been and are in harmony with the principles of the Demo- cracy, though aside from his connection with the township committee he has held no office. He is the leading spirit of the Freehold and How- ell Turnpike Company, of which he is secretary, treasurer, and superintendent. Mr. Conover is in religion identified with the Reformed (Dutch) Church of Freehold, in which he has served both as clder and deacon.

Thompson, daughter of William Campbell, of Freehold township, their children being Wil- liam Henry (born March 13, 1849, who died February 12, 1881, leaving two children,- Mabel W. and William Howell), John Schenck (now a farmer in Oregon, whose birth occurred January 19, 1851), Fred. W. (born .August 10, 1859, a student in the Medical Department of Columbia College, New York, who died May 31, 1884) and Irwin Demarest (whose birth occurred August 2, 1867, and his death

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WILLIAM THOMPSON DENISE, the grandson of Daniel Denise and the son of John S. Denise, was born July 12, 1824, in Freehold township, and received such educational advantages as were obtainable at the school near his home and at the academny in Freehold, where he remained one year. Having determined to make agricul- ture the work of his life, he returned to the farm, and until twenty-four years of age assisted his father in its cultivation. He was, on the 27th of January, 1848, married to Miss Jane 83

March 26, 1870). Mr. Denise, in 1849, re- moved to and for thirteen years cultivated a farm in Freehold township, owned by his father, after which he purchased the homestead and re- sided upon it during the remainder of his life. He confined his labors to the general routine of farming, engaged in no new departures in the science of agriculture, but keeping pace with new inventions and mechanical devices for lightening the labor of the husbandman. His excellent judgment and enterprise at once en-

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

abled him to take rank among the most sue- cessful farmers of the county. He was a mem- ber of the Monmouth County Agricultural Society and of the Monmouth Grange, No. 92. Mr. Denise was a Republican in his political convietions, but gave little attention to the pub- lic issues of the day further than was indicated by the casting of his ballot. He was more largely identified with the moral and religious projects in the county, and was at various times

mouth County, was a soldier of the Revolution- ary War, on whose head a price of fifty guincas was fixed by the British. He married a Miss Denise, whose children were Garret, John, Wil- liam, La Fayette, Daniel, Tunis, Denise, Hen- drick, David, Jane (Mrs. Aaron Lane), Polly (Mrs. John Whitlock) and Katy (Mrs. Joseph Combs). Tunis, also a native of Monmouth County, resided in the present Manalapan town- ship, where he was a man of mueh enterprise,

M. J. Denise.

both elder and deaeon in the Second Reformed Church of Freehold, of which he was an active and liberal member.

The death of Mr. Denise oeeurred on the 6th of June, 1862.

TUNIS V. SCHENCK .- The genealogy of the Sehenek family, being elsewhere given in the sketch of Rev. Garret S. Sehenek, need not be repeated here.

John Schenck, a farmer and native of Mon-

managing at one time a farm, running a saw- mill and being engaged in manufacturing. He married Ollie, daughter of David Van Derveer, whose children were Maria, (Mrs. Gilbert Lane), Katy (Mrs. Peter Smock), Sarah (Mrs. William Robinson), Jane (Mrs. Samuel Craig), David, Ruloff and Tunis V., of whom but two survive. Tunis V., the youngest of this number and the subject of this biographi- cal sketeh, was born on the 20th of February, 1807, in Marlboro', then Freehold township,

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FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP.

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and spent his boyhood at the home of his ma- ternal grandfather, David Van Derveer, remov- ing with him, at the age of twelve years, to his residence, in the township of Freeliold. His education was derived from schools near his home, one at Lawrenceville, N. J., after which he acquired a knowledge of farming. Being more fortunate than most lads, he, at the age of seventeen, inherited the property now owned by him, and for many years cultivated the land; but as advancing years rendered hard labor irksome,

his party, nor sought the rewards of office, his own interests having engaged all his time and attention. His religious association has been with the Reformed (Dutch) Church of Freehold. The death of Mrs. Schenck occurred July 12, 1848.

HENRY WIKOFF, now one of the oldest citi- zens, and one of the most substantial farmers of Freehold township, in which he has had his resi- dence for three-quarters of a century, is a lineal

Junio A Schenck

rented the farm, reserving an interest in the an- descendant of Cornelius Wikoff (or Wykoff), who came from Holland in the year 1636, on the ship "King David" (Captain D. De Vries, master), and settled on Long Island, where he died, and where his son, Peter Claussen Wikoff, lies buried under the pulpit of the Reformed Church at Flatlands, L. I. His descendants re- moved from Long Island to Monmouth County, N. J. Among them, four or five generations down from Cornelius Wikoff, the first ancestor nual revenue from the crops. Mr. Schenck was, on the 31st of May, 1827, married to Mary Ann, daughter of Richard S. Hartshorne, of the same township and county. The children of this marriage are Elizabeth A., Susannah U. (de -! ceased), M. Jane, Hannah H., (Mrs. John W. H. Conover), Lucy W. and Eleanor (Mrs. D. Arthur Van Derveer). A Democrat in his polit- ical predilections, Mr. Schenck has never been actively identified with the working phalanx of | in America, was Garret Wikoff, whose place of

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

residence was in what is now the township of Marlborough, a little west of Marlborongh vil- lage. Two of his sons, Peter and Samuel Wikoff, settled on farms near Imlaystown. Their half-brother, Auke Wikoff, was a lieuten- ant-colonel in the army of General Washington, and Peter Wikoff was one of the guides to the commander-in-chief at the battle of Monmouth. Samuel, brother of Peter, was the father of Jacob Wikoff, whose son Henry is the particn- lar subject of this biography.

Jacob Wikoff, second son of Samuel and Ger- trude, was born on his father's farm, near Im- laystown, March 29, 1765. His wife was Alice Green (daughter of William and Ann Green), who was born December 15, 1772. The chiil- dren of Jacob and Alice Wikoff were William, Ann, Samuel, Henry, Garret, Jacob, Gertrude, John, Joshna Bennett, and Ezekiel. The eldest son, William, lived in Middletown township, where he died abont 1870, and where his widow is still living, eighty-five years old. The sec-

The children of Samuel and Gertrude Wikoff, were six in number, viz., -- Garret (who lived and died at Griggstown, Somerset County, N. J.), Jacob (father of Henry), Samuel (who removed from Upper Freehold to Ohio, where he died), Olive (who married Jolin Hendrick- son, of Upper Freehold), Catharine (who mar- ried William Croxson, and lived near Allen- town) and Mary (who married Thomas Saxton, who lived in Upper Freehold township, near New Egypt).

ond son, Samuel, lived and died on his father's homestead farm in Freehold township. Gar- ret, now eighty years of age, is living near Galesburg, Knox County, Ill. ; Jacob died at his father's home aged about eighteen years ; John is now living near Galesburg, Ill., seventy-eight years of age; Joshua Bennett Wikoff never married, and died at the Wikoff homestead about 1855 ; Ezekiel removed to Knox County, Ill., where he died, and where his widow and chil- dren still reside ; Ann married Daniel Denise,

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FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP.

of Freehold township, and died in 1831 ; Ger- trude was born April 9, 1809, married John Hallowell, December 20, 1838, and died June 7, 1841.

Henry Wikoff, son of Jacob and Alice (Green) Wikoff, was born in Upper Freehold township, August 25, 1802. In 1810 he removed with his parents to a farm which his father had pur- chased in Freehold township, about two miles from the court-house, on the old Colt's Neek road. On this homestead farm, where his par- ents passed the remainder of their lives, Henry Wikoff lived for more than twenty years. On the 13th of January, 1831, he was married to Emaline West, and then settled on a farm of one hundred and thirty acres on the Colt's Neck road, one mile east of Freehold, which he had purchased in 1830, and which has now been his home for fifty-four years. After a married life of forty-one years, his wife died at their home, April 10, 1872. She was a daughter of Elisha and Rachel West, born August 20, 1810, on lier father's farm, near Long Branch, where she re- sided until her marriage. The farm is now owned by John Hoey.

The children of Henry and Emaline (West) Wikoff have been William Henry (born July 21, 1833, and now living in the town of Free- hold), John W. (born May 23, 1835, and died September 17, 1838), Jacob S. (born December 12, 1837, and died August 27, 1838) and Charles Edward Wikoff (born November 19, 1843, and now living on the homestead farm of his father).

Henry Wikoff has been from early manhood a member of St. Peter's Episcopal Church, of Freehold, and Mrs. Wikoff was also a member of the same church until her death. When they first settled on their farm, in 1831, they occupied a small house, which is a part of Mr. Wikoff's present residenee, it having been sub- sequently enlarged and remodeled. Besides this farm of one hundred and thirty acres, Mr. Wi- koff now owns the two hundred acre farm which was his father's homestead, situated about two miles from Freehold. He has always been a farmer, and has followed no other vocation. Politically, he has always opposed the Demo- cratic party, never failing to vote the Whig or

Republican ticket. He has, ' Swever, never sought or wished for public position, and has hield none, except such township offiees as no good citizen feels justified in declining when called on to serve in them.

William Henry Wikoff, eldest son of Henry and Emaline Wikoff, was married, in December, 1857, to Margaretta, daughter of Garret P. Con- over; of Matawan. They are both members of the Presbyterian Church of the town of Free- hold, which is their place of residence. Their children are two sons, Henry and Frederick.

Charles Edward, youngest son of Henry Wi- koff and his wife, Emaline West, was married, November 29, 1864, to Sarah Anne Forman, daugliter of Richard Throckmorton Forman, and granddaughter of the celebrated Dr. Sam- uel Forman, on whose estate, near Freehold, she was born and reared. Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Wikoff are members of the Presbyterian Church of Freehold. They have had two chil- dren,-Frank Forman Wikoff (born September 28, 1865, and now living with his parents at the homestead) and George Henry Wikoff (born September 26, 1877, and died January 1, 1880).

SIDNEY THOMPSON .- Joseph Thompson, the grandfather of Sidney Thompson, who was of English descent, and born December 11, 1743, was a prosperous farmer in the present township of Manalapan, Monmouth County. He married Sarah, daughter of Peter and Leah Conover, who was born December 22, 1744, and had children,- Thomas, whose birth occurred August 13, 1767; Peter, born April 12, 1769 ; Elias, July 11, 1771; Joseph, November 27, 1774 ; John, September 29, 1776 ; William I., March 19, 1779 ; Lewis, January 31, 1783; Cornelius, August 3, 1785 ; and Charles, July 18, 1788. William I. Thompson married Margaret, daughter of Denise Denise, who was born March 24, 1775. Their children are Catha- rine, born April 1, 1800, married to John S. Denise ; Denise, born September 23, 1802; Joseph C., October 23, 1804 ; Cornelia, October 3, 1806, married to David Buek ; Sidney, De- cember 7, 1808 ; William, March 6, 1816. The death of William I. Thompson occurred Mareh

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

25, 1843, and that of wife July 5, 1856. Sid- ney, their third son, was born in Upper Free- hold township, Monmouth County, and received his education first at the schools of the neigh- borhood, and later at Princeton, where he devoted three years to study, but, returning in feeble health, engaged for the time in no active employment. In 1843, on his recovery, he assisted in the cultivation of his father's farm, and in 1846 purchased his present home in Freehold township, where he has since been

formerly an Old Line Whig in politics, and on the organization of the Republican party found its platform in accord with his opinions. He has refused office, though for ten years justice of the peace of his township, during which period he amicably settled all disputes between his townsmen and never encouraged litigation. He was formerly connected by men- bership with the old Tennent Church, but now worships at the Reformed Church of Freehold, and has been a member of its consistory.

Sidney Thompson

devoted to the labor of an agriculturist. He was married, on the 10th of December, 1856, to Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Hendrickson, of Upper Freehold township, their children being Mary Ellen, born June 24, 1858, married to J. Vannest Du Bois, of Manal- apan township ; William Denise, born No- vember 11, 1859, and residing with his father ; and Eliza H., born December 8, 1860, who died August 10, 1861. Mr. Thompson was

CHAPTER XVII.

MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP.

MIDDLETOWN is one of the three original town- ships of Monmouth County, the others being Shrewsbury and Freehold. The first settle- ments in the county were made within the orig- inal limits of Middletown, by five families (two of which were those of John Bowne and Rich- ard Stout), who came in the year 1664, about

519

MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP.

one year before the first settlements were made in Shrewsbury, and nearly twenty years before the township of Freehold received its first settlers. During all that period Middletown and Shrews- bury were called the " Two Towns of Navesink." Of the early settlements made in these two townships under authority of the Monmouth patent, granted by Governor Rieliard Nicolls, an extended account has already been given in the chapter on Early Settlements and Land Titles.

The original division of Monmouth County into townships was made by an act ' passed in

1 Prior to this (in 1675) the boundaries of Middletown had been vaguely described and (as was then supposed ) established ; but this was done merely by a " town-meet- ing" held under authority of the "Monmouth Patent," an authority which was afterwards entirely ignored and dis- avowed by the proprietary government of New Jersey. The record of this action in the matter of establishing the boundaries of Middletown, is here given verbatim ;

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History of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Pt. 2, Part 11

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885 Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co. Number of Pages: 994

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia : R.T. Peck & Co.
Number of Pages: 994