USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > History of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Pt. 2 > Part 12
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"June the .29. 1675
" At a legall towne meting it was Agreed upon the maior part then present that Jonathan Holmes John Throgmorton John willson John Smith Thomas whigtloc them or the maior part of them are ehosen for to goe in to the woods about the 30th of this instant for to see and take a vew and consider were aboutes it will be most eonveant for the South west and sutherd parts of midelltowne boundes should Runn and to give there Result
. "Testis Richard Hartshorne Towne clarke."
"July the . 10th. 1675
"Ata legall towne meting it was by the maior part then present demanded of Jonathan Holmes John Throgmorton John Smith John wilson Thomas whitloe there Result eon- cerning the southwest and southerd parts of midelltowne bowndes and there Result was as followeth : viz from the southerdmost part of Richard Hartshorne meadow which was formerly water walles which lyes at the hed almost of wakeake creeke begining at an oke tree marked by the creek side ovre aganest the above sade mcdow and soe along upon a straight line till you com to an oke tree that is marked standes northwest side of Seeperamek [?] from thence upon a straight line to an oke trec that is marked that standes on the southwest side of memtokeameck that is neare the hed of the littell hop river and soe along the river till you come to a chesnut tree marked and from thence to the hed of a swampe that lyes betwene jumping Creeke swampe and the nut swampe and soe along the Run in that swamp in to the new sand Rear
" Testis Riehard Hartshorne Towne Clarke."
A town-meeting, held January 1, 1677, made some change in the bounds thus loosely settled by the agreement of 1675. The latter meeting resolved that " where as by that agreement it was coneluded that the boundes should
1693, approved by Governor Andrew Hamil- ton on the 31st of October in that year. The part of that act which has reference to Middle- town is as follows: "In the County of Mon- mouthi the township of Middletown includes all the land from the mouth of Neversink's River, and runs up said River and Swimming River and Saw-mill Brook to Burlington Path ; thence over to the upper end of William Lawrence's land on Hop River ; thence up the run which divides said Lawrenee and John Jolinston, to the liead thereof; thenee to the lower end of Rich- ard Salter's land on Hop Brook ; thence up the said brook to the head thereof ; tlienee to the meet- ing of Gravel and Watson's Brooks; thence to the licad of Matawan ; thence to the head of Cheese- quakes Creek ; thence down said Creek to the Bay, and thence round along the shore to where it began."
The boundaries above described included not only the territory now embraced in Middletown, but also all that of the present townships of Raritan, Holmdel and Matawan, and a part of that of Atlantie township, ereeted in 1847. The history of that township gives the description of its boundaries, including the territory taken from Middletown to form it. In 1848 the northwestern part of the territory of Middle- town was taken to form the township of Rari- tan, which, at its ereetion, ineluded also all that is now included in Holmdel and Matawan. The deseription of the territory then taken from Middletown (redueing it to its present limits) is given in the history of Raritan township. The present boundaries of Middletown township are: On the north, Sandy Hook Bay; on the east, the Atlantic Ocean,2 Navesink River and Shrewsbury township; ou the south, Navesink River and the townships of Ocean,1 Shrews- bury and Atlantic ; on the west, Sandy Hook Bay2 and the townships of Holmdel and Rari-
run from the litell hop river along the said rever to a chesnuttrec and now by the maior vote coneluded to runne from the chesnut tree by the hopriver along the said hop river in to the swimming Rever and soe in to the new said Rever in to the minne ocean.
"Testis Riehard Hartshorne town clarke."
2 The boundaries given above-viz. : east by the Atlantic Oeean, south by Oecan township and west by Sandy Hook Bay-have reference to the peninsula of Sandy Hook,
520
HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
tau. The principal stream of the township is Navesink River, which flows into Sandy Hook Bay. The upper portion of it is called Swim- ming River, and still higher up it becomes Hop Brook. Into this stream several small tribu- taries flow southwardly through the township. There are also several small streams flowing from the north part of the township into Sandy Hook Bay. Two railway lines pass through the township: viz., the New Jersey Southern, of which the northern terminus is at Port Mon-
· mouth (Shoal Harbor), on Sandy Hook Bay ; and the New York and Long Branch Railroad, which crosses the township in a southeasterly direction from its west line (against Holindel) to the Navesink River, which it erosses at Red Bank. The sea-shore line from Long Branch to Sandy Hook also has its northern terminus within the township jurisdiction of Middletown. The population of this township by the United States census of 1880 was 5059.
The first election of freeholders in Middle- town was held in March, 1710, at the house of M. Depny. The Board of Freeholders was created by an act, passed in that year, requiring the building and repairing of court-houses and jails in the several counties, and providing for the raising of moneys for that purpose. The act authorized the inhabitants of each town and precinct to assemble on the second Tuesday of March, yearly, and choose two freeholders for the ensuing year ; which said frecholders, together with all the justices of the peace of each county, or any three of them (one whereof being of the quorum), should meet together and ap- point assessors and collectors, to assess the in- habitants and collect the taxes. In case any town or precinct should negleet to elect free- holders, the justices were authorized to appoint them. The board thus constituted continued to have the care and charge of the county business until the year 1798, when an aet was passed incorporating the Board of Freeholders to act alone and independent of the justices, and with
the powers and functions which that board has since exercised.
Following is a list of chosen freeholders of Middletown township from the time when that body became an independent board to the present, viz. :
1799-1804. Tobias Polhemus.
1800-12. John Stillwell.
1805-10. Garret Stillwell.
1827-42. Daniel Holmes.
1832-42. Edmund Burrows.
1843-44. Hendrick Wikoff.
1843-47. William W. Bennett.
1845-47. James Patterson.
1848. Richard A. Leonard.
1848. William Griggs.
1849-55. James Patterson.
1849. John Hopping.
1850. William Griggs.
1856. Daniel Herbert.
1857-59. Elias W. Conover.
1860. Joseph G. Mount.
1861. Andrew Brower.
1862. Joseph Conover. 1863. Andrew Brower.
1864-69. William B. Hendrickson.
1870-72. Samuel H. Patterson.
1873. Thomas S. Field.
1874-75. William T. Conover.
1876. John West.
1877-78. George W. Crawford.
1879-80. Derrick G. Campbell,
1881-84. William H. Thompson.
Old Middletown village, situated in the west- ern part of the township, is the point where the first settlements were made within its pres- ent limits by the Monmouth patentees and their associates, as has already been mentioned some- what in detail elsewhere in this history.
The Monmouth patent was granted by Gov- ernor Richard Nicolls in 1665, and some of the settlers had even a few months before that time located on some of its lands, under an Indian purchase, but it was not until 1677 that Mid- dletown was laid out as a village, as is shown by the original records of the township which are now in possession of Edward Hartshorne, and from which the following extracts referring to the laying out and to the "out lots" adja- eent, are made, viz. :
" December 30, 1667 .- The lotts of Middletown all layd out being numbered thirty-six : begining at the west end upon the south side with number one and
which, though in possession of the United States govern- ment, is still, for township purposes, a part of Middletown. The southern boundary of this territory is a line across the neck, three-fourths of a mile below the Highland Sta- tion, at the drawbridge across the Navesink River.
2
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521
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP.
ending at the west end north side with number one and ending at the west end north side with no. thirty- six. . . The south side
John Rucman: Num: 1 Job Throckmorton . . 22
Edward Tartte
2
James Ashton . 23
John Wilson . 3 John Throckmorton . 24
Walter Wall . 4 William Goulding . . 25
John Smith . 5 William Reape. . 26
Richard Stoutt . 6 Edward Smith . 27
Richard Gibbins 7
John Bowne . . 28
Thomas Cox .
8
Beniamen Burden . . 29
Jonathan Hulmes . 9
Samuell Spicer . . 30
George Mount . . . 10
William Lawrence . . 31
William Chesman . . 11
Danell Estall . . . . 32
Robert Jones
.33
Samuel Holeman. . . 13
Thomas Whitlock
. 34
Richard Sadler.
.
. 35
James Grover .
.36
Steven Arnold . . 17
Ded Mc Bot
Samuell Spicer . .18
John Stout . 19
[Torn off ]
Obadiah Hulmes .
. 20
Beniamen Deuell. . . 21
" December 31, 1667 .- It is ordered and Agreed unto that James Grover shall take a survay of the land that is to bee laid outt and to lay it out in to lotts: and likewise Richard Stoutt and James Ashton are chosen to asist him in doing of the same.
"The lotts that are in the Poplar feild and mount- any feild are numbered as followith begiuing at the west end upon the south side
Richard Sadler 1
Steven Arnold . . . 26 William Reape 2
William Golding . . 27 John Rucman . 3 William Lawrence . . 28 Thomas Whitlocke . 4
Daniel Estall . 29 John Stoutt . 5 These lots have a private
Obadiah Hulmes 6
cartway : runs thereon Jonathan Hulmes 7
James Ashton 8
from the west end to the east end: wch way is two John Bowne 9 rods : broad: running Beniamen Deuell . . 10 Edward Smith .. . 11
east : northeast nearest : the lotts turning froin the said way south and by east : and one the north side: north by west: other two lotts lie at the south- east corner of the poplar ffeild: and other 5 lotts : arc by choncsis supus Run. William Laiton . . . 30
Anthony Page . 31
Walter Wall . 32
John Smith . 33
Edward Tartt . 34
Robert Joncs . 35
Job Throckmorton . . 36
" January 6th, 1667.1-At a court holden in the towne of Middleton consisting of Richard Gibbins : Consta- ble: william Lawrence Jonathan Hulmes: overseers It is ordered That all fences shall bee made sufficient by the 15th of April next uppon the penalty of 6 pence a rod that shall bee found detective : it is like- wise to bee understood that all fences shall be foure ffoot and 3 inches high at the least. It is like- wise ordered That noe person whatsoever shall fell timber uppon any man's land that is laid out yet every man that hath ffalln any timber that is in any man's lott hath liberty to take it away in three months Ordered That if any one shall ffell timber uppon the common and shall lett it alye three monts it shall bee lawfull ffor any one to make use of it: provided it bce neither Hewed nor cloven Overseers for the ffences John Wilson and Thomas Cocks are chosen overseers of the fence for this yeare
" Testis James Grover Town Clerke."
" December : 16: 1668 This agreement made with the overseers of this towne and James Grover, concerning the laing out of the meadows: that is: that the sd James is to lay all the meadows out into lotts bee- tweene this and the first of June next, and the said James Grover is to have three sufficient men to goe along with him : till the worke bee fully done, and James Grover is to have for every acre that is layd out, one pound of good merchantable blade tobacco: it is to bee understood that the meadows that are to bee laid out are onely such that the towne shall thinke ffitt. Signed by James Grover."
" December 25: 1669 In a legall towne meeting: it was ordered by the maior vote that the lotte in the poplar feild belonging to Thomas Cox shall bec made good with 6 acres of good upland wch addition was made by the Judgement of William Lawrence and Steven Arnold and this to bee made before any other land be laid out.
"The whole quantity of upland of the lott : num- ber : 16: was this day by the present Posesor : viz : James Grover: Senior : surrendred to the towne: the towne upon the surrender at the request of the said James did grant the full quantity of upland of a towne lott to lye one the southward side of the mill streame begining at the southward end of the mill damme and soe running 40 Rods up the hill : and soe (in length) towards the river (to make up the whole complement of upland,
" Testis Edw Tartt, Town Clearke."
" April 4th 1670 The Constable and Overseers with the assistance of the towne Deputies Considering a nessesity of the recording of lands to prevent future disturbance wch may arise by meanes of land markes beeing gone or defaced doe hereby order : that an ex-
1 Old style is here used. The real date, according to the present style, should be January 6, 1668.
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Richard Stoutt . . . 12 Samuell Holeman . . 13 William Compton . . 14 James Grover, senior . 15
Samuell Spicer . . .16 Richard Gibbins . . . 17 John Throckmorton . 18 George Mount . . 19 John Wilson . 20
Thomas Cocks . 21 William Chesman . . 22 Beniamen Burden . . 23 Samuell Spicer . . . 24 James Grover, junior . 25
Anthony Page . . 12
William Laiton . . 14 William Compton . . 15 James Grover . 16
522
HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
act record shall bee taken of every particular parcell of land belonging to the inhabitants of this towne by the Towne clearke : both the length : breadth : and number of acres : the forme and manner how it lies as exactly as may bee : and the same to bee recorded: and the clearke to receive eight pence for every such piece of land soe recorded."
" April 9th 1670 In a legall towne meeting it was this day ordered and agreed upon : that the way wch was formerly layd out by James Grover thorow the mountany feild and Poplar ffeild shall bee enlarged with the allowance of two pole of the bredth of every mans lott ffronting the said high way to make the sayd way full six pole in breadth : and it is likewise ordered that James Ashton and Jonathan Hulmes shall bee Imployed to treat with John bowne about changing of the lott number (14) for the like enlarment."
"Testis : Edw : Tartt : Town Clearke."
"Enlargement of the way wch was the length of some lots viz : number: 12: and number : 13: these above said to Joyne with James Grover for the doing of the same.
"It was likewise ordered and agreed upon : that for as much as the lott in the poplar feild (number 23) considering the badnes of it being throwne up to make good some other lotts : wch said lott did formerly be- long to Beniamin Burden : in consideration of wch liberty was this day granted to the said Beniamin to take up the full quantity of 9 acres of upland any where on the common: with in the town shipp pro- vided that the said Beniamin takes it up without the limitts of the Town : beyond the utmost extent of a 160 Rods.
"Testis Edw Tartt Town Clearke."
"ffebruary : 11: 1671 .- In a legall towne meeting : Ordered The whole quantity of the upland of the lott number: 14: was this day by the present possessor Viz: John Browne: surrendred to the towne: at the second division of land lying about the poplar feild : the towne : upon the surrender (at the request of the said John :) did grant to the said John : Bowne the lott number (15:) of the same division of land : for- merly surrendred to the towne by James Grover sen- ior.
"Testis Edw : Tartt."
Six of the Middletown lots, which were laid out as mentioned in the proceeding, and which, in 1699, were owned by Richard Hartshorne, are now embraced in the farm of Dr. Edward Taylor. They were designated as home lots, and contained, respectively, sixteen, ten, thirty- two, sixteen, twenty and sixteen acres, and all were described as bounded ou the north by the highway. The original owners of them were . Samuel Spicer, Jonathan Holmes, William
Cheeseman, William Bowne, Stephen Arnold and William Laiton. Fifty aeres of other land adjoining James Grover were also owned by him at that time on that side of the King's high- way. These lots came to Richard Hartshorne, and were sold by him, Deeember 4, 1699, to William Wilkins. One of the sixteen-acre lots contained the reservation of six rods of ground in the northeast corner for a burying-place.
In the year 1670, and for some time after- wards, during the continuance of the bloody Indian atroeities in New England, which cul- minated in the general hostilities known as King Philip's War, and ended only with the death of that savage chieftain, the alarm conse- quent upon those hostilities spread through New York and New Jersey, and was so great in Monmouth and Middlesex Counties that forts or bloek-houses were built at several points for shelter and defense against savage attaeks, the fear of which for a time kept the inhabitants in constant dread and alarm,1 though it was afterwards found that there had never been any occasion for such fears, and that the Indians in this region had never entertained any hostile intentions towards their white neighbors.
One of these block-houses was built in Mid- dletown village, on the site of the present Episco- pal Church. This block-house was used as a jail after the alarm was over. The first jail of
1 The following, from the old Middletown record, shows something of the alarm which was felt at that time as to danger from Indians :
"SEPTEMBER : 17 : 1670.
" The Constable and Overseers with the assistance of the Towne Deputies for the present preservation and safe- guard of the Towne doe hereby order and Enact that if any person or persons shall sell or trade any kind of amunition to any Indian or Indians within the liberties of this towne : he or they soe doing shall be liable to pay the forfeiture of five pounds for every such defalt : wch (after due process made) shall be forthwith levied upon his estate: the one halfc to the informer the other halfe to bee disposed of at the discretion of the court : and this order to stand forcible till further order.
" Testis Edward Tartt, Town Clearke.
" Ordered
"upon Rumors and reports of the Indians Rising in armes : that a watch shall be kept in the towne consisting of six men in one night : and for every defect of not watching by any in the list shall forfeit ten shillings." The night watch was continued in Middletown during the continu- ance of the Indian alarm.
1
523
MIDDLETOWN TOWNSHIP.
the county was built on the same site in 1684 and used until 1715. Four negrocs-Jeremy, Tom, Mingo and Cæsar -- were tried for murder, and executed at this place. Mingo was con- vieted May 29, 1700, and sentenced "to be hung by the neck at the jail in Middletown ;" Tom was executed in 1698; Jeremy, for the murder of Lewis Morris of Passage Point (now Black Point, in Shrewsbury), was hung in 1696 ; and Cæsar was hung in 1691 for the murder of Mary Wright.
It is said that these negroes were hung in the wide road in front of the jail on the old block-house site, in Middletown. There is also a tradition that the negro executions took place on the high hill north of the village, a little distance west of the present residence of Charles I. Hendrickson, and on land now owned by Mrs. Dr. Edward Taylor. Which of these statements is correct cannot now be determined. The sentences of two of the negro culprits were that the right hand should be cut off and burned before them ; they were then to be hung until dead, and their bodies burned to ashes.
Soon after the settlement of Middletown measures were taken to build a grist-mill. Coneerning tlie site of the mill built at that time even tradition is silent ; and nothing is known as to its location, but it is supposed to have stood on the stream that passes a little to the south of the King's highway, and near the toll-house. If it was located there, the stream must have had a much greater volume of water at that time than at present. Reference to the building of this mill is found in the old town- ship records, as follows :
" Aprill: 21: 1668 it is mutually agreed by the maior partt of the inhabitants this day assembled to gether in a legall towne meeting: that the ffull and whole agitation about a mill building bee wholly refferred to Richard Gibbins: Richard Stoutt : Wil- liam Lawrence and Jonathan Hulmes wholly to agi- tate with Robert Jones : concerning giving and taking land as all, soe in disposing the townes former grant to the said Jones as first 3 hundred gilders in Seawan : 2d the drawing of the whole mass of timber pertain- ing to his house and mill : 3d and the use of a towne share of land keeping his mill in repaier for the townes use: 4th and ten acres of upland adioyning to the mill 5th : and Helpe to raise the worke when it is framed : 6th and the twelfe bushell tolle: all wch
is granted to the above sayd Jones in consideration of his building a mill and keeping her in repayre for the townes use at the place commonly called and knowne by the natives of the countrey Choncis sepus. . . . "Testis Edward Tartt deputed clerke for that pres- ent."
" Aprill 23 In a legall towne meeting the maior part beeing present the 4 inen viz: Richard Gibbins: Richard Stoutt : William Lawrence and Jonathan Hulmes (to whom the full and whole agitation in the townes be halfe was comitted to agitate with Robert Jones a bout a mill building this day reported to the towne what they had acted with the said Jones the towne upon this report: (owning their actings) did unanimously agree: and further ordered: That all such engagements as have passed under their hands in the towne be halfe to the said Jones shall bee made good by the whole towne.
"Testis Edw : Tartt deputed clerk for that present."
" July 22 1668 The lott number 33 with all the appur- tenances and priviledges thereunto belonging: to- gether with ten acres of upland adjacent to the mill : both wch are given and granted unto Robert Jones of New Yorke his heires successors or assignes for ever: together with the water streame whereon the mill shall bee sett: for him the said Jones: to have and to hold as his ffree owne land of inheritance: with all and singular priviledges as any of this towne can or may Inioy by any purchase: gift: or grant whatsoever : allwaies provided: that the abovesaid Robert Jones his heires : successors : or assignes doe build : and maintaine a good sufficient mill : and that the above said Jones his heires: successors : or as- signes is hereby engaged nott to sell: or give any partt or parsell of the above said land ffrom the mill but that it bee kept intire to it.
'Testis James Grover Towne Clerk."
The "Towne Mill" was built by Robert Jones. In December, 1669, it was in possession of James Grover, as is shown by the following from the township reeord :
" December : 25: 1669 In a legall towne meeting: the maior partt beeing present : This day : James Gro- ver requested of the [town] an inlargement of land to the mill promising to performne the conditions ffol- lowing
"Viz : 1 : to manntaine the mill in good repaire to grind the corne for the inhabitants of middleton . . .. " 2 : to grinde the townes corne before any from other townes if demanded
"3 : to grinde the townes corne for the twelfe bush- ell : tolle :
"4th : to make as good meale for the townes people as is usually made withiu this province or within the goverment of New Yorke : provided the corne bee in
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524
HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
good condition to make good meale and having water sufficient : .
"5th to keepe the enlargement of lands : granted : and nott to dispose of ony partt : or parsell . . .
"6th to bee bound both him : and his heires for the perfourmance of the above named conditions In con- sideration of the perfourmance of the above sd condi- tions the use of 30 acres of upland was by the maior vote : (onely Jonathan Hulmes dissenting) granted to the present posesor of the mill : (James Grover) run- ning 70 rods along by the Runne and soe in bredth up into the woods : toghether with the quantity of two acres of low ground lying upon the northward side of the mill pond
"Testis : Edw : Tartt Town Clearke."
By reference to the account of " lotts laid out," it will be seen that John Rucman (Ruckman) had No. 1 of " Home Lotts" and Lot No. 3 of the "out lots" or " Poplar field lots." The lots are now occupied by Edwin Beekman and Ezra Osborne; the latter place still bears the name of " Ruckman's Hill."
John Ruekman, Sr., was a great hunter. In his lot was the Cocowder Spring, a favorite stopping-place for the Indians and still famed for its excellent water. He was buried at the foot of the hill northeast of the spring. The property passed to John Taylor, sheriff of the county, in 1760. He built the Mansion House, now owned by Edwin Beekman. Joseph Tay- lor, his son, settled upon Ruckman Hill, where, in 1814, he built the house now occupied by his daughter, Mrs. Ezra Osborne. On the 10th of June, 1792, John Taylor sold ninety-six aeres, embracing the Taylor mansion (now Beekman's), to George Crawford, then a merchant in Mid- dletown. The old house was remodeled in 1845, retaining, however, many of its old distinetive features. In 1833 a daughter of George Craw- ford married the Rev. Jacob T. B. Beekman, - « who soon after removed to the house, and whose son still owns it.
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