USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > History of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Pt. 2 > Part 23
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Joseph Parker, an early settler upon Rumson Neck, came to this county with Peter Parker, John Slocum and Eliakim Wardell about 1667, and with them signed the oath of allegiance. He received a patent for a large tract of land on the upper end of the neck, reaching from river to river .. He was appointed a judge of the court in 1676 and also a deputy to the Assembly. In the minutes of the Assembly of 1683 is a state- ment of matters of difference between the pro- prietors and Couneil on one hand, and Joseph Parker, John Bowne and Richard Hartshorne on the other, relating to the disputes between the first settlers of Monmouth, who claimed their titles under the patent granted by Gov- ernor Nicolls, 1665, and also by purchase from the Indians. He died in 1685 and left his prop- erty to his son Joseph, who was born in 1670, and who married Elizabeth, daughter of Re- membrance Lippincott. They had two children, Joseph and Deborah. Joseph was the father of William Parker, better known as " Rich Billy," who was born in November, 1736, and married Mary White. He lived near Shrewsbury
village, and his vast landed estate made him very wealthy. Many stories are told of his eccen- tricities. He belonged to the Society of Friends, and yet dressed with considerable ostentation, for the buttons on his waistcoat and outer coat were made of silver dollars. He lived during the Revolution, and the following story is told of him :
"Richard Howell, who was a major in the Second Regiment, Continental army, until 1779, and afterwards Governor of New Jersey from 1792 to 1801, was on terms of intimacy with Parker, and one time, when he was in Parker's neighborhood, accepted the hospitalities of his honse. One evening, while he was out, a party of Refugees stopped at Parker's house and de- manded supper. While they were eating, Major Howell, not knowing they were there, entered the room. Parker, with presence of mind, promptly exclaimed : 'Good evening, Diek ! why is thee so late ? I cannot attend to that business to-night. I am engaged with some friends. Call in the morning and I will settle it.' Parker was so self-possessed that the Ref- ugees never suspected that he was talking to an American officer. As to Howell, he took the hint and at once retreated to less dangerous quarters."
" Rich Billy" Parker had several sons, of whom Joseph, born in 1760, settled in Eaton- town and was a merchant there many years. William settled on Rumson, where liis descend- ants still live. His daughter Phoebe became the wife of Thomas White ; Polly, another daughter, married first a Holmes and later a Crawford. Deborah Parker married Benjamin Corlies. Benjamin C. White and Abner Allen were her grandsons.
William Parker, called " Boatman Billy," to distinguish him from "Rich Billy," was a grandson of Peter Parker, who settled at what is now Long Branch, came to Rumson Neck and settled near what was afterwards named Parker- ville, from this family. William had a son William, whosettled on the homestead, where his grandsons now live. Michael Parker, now (December, 1884) more than eighty years of age, is a son of William Parker, Jr.
On the north part of the eastern point of
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
Rumson Neck is a traet of land, now called Black Point. It is a part of the lands that came to the possession of Colonel Lewis Morris, of Tinton Falls, about 1674. On the 15th of April, 1689, he conveyed it to Lewis Morris, a son of his brother Thomas, who lived in Lon- don. The Lewis Morris here mentioned resided there and was a man of influence. He is men- tioned in the old records as " Lewis Morris, of Passage Point," by which name the point went for many years.
At a court held at Middletown in September, 1694, " Lewis Morris, of Passage Point," was indicted for the offense that he, " with several of his negroes, did feloniously take away the hay of William Shattock." The indietment was " re- moved by writ of habeas corpus to the Court at Perth Amboy," and Lewis Morris, of Tinton Manor, became his bondsman. At the next court, held at Shrewsbury, December 25th, the same year, Lewis Morris, of Passage Point, was indicted for striking Nicholas Sarah, of Free- hold. The court ordered him to appear at next court, to be held at Middletown, March 27, 1695. At that term Lewis Morris "did inform the court, how matters were and submitted himself to the bench and was by them dismist." It was not long after this time that he was murdered by negroes (in 1696). At a subsequent term of court it was ordered " that the negroes that are in the gaol for the murdering of Lewis Morris, of Passage Point, shall be conveyed by the sheriff to Pertli Amboy, to attend the Court of Common Right."
The tract of land (about seven hundred aeres) owned by Lewis Morris, of Passage Point, where he lived, passed to his cousin, Lewis Morris, and in time came to Richard Salter, who, on July 27, 1753, conveyed it to Jolin Salter and John Hartshorne. The latter was a son of Wil- liam Hartshorne, of the Navesink Highlands. Many years later it was in possession of Dr. Eleazer Parmley, who, September 17, 1832, sold it to Seabury Treadwell. The place has now nothing of any importance upon it. The south part of the point is rising ground and is well built up with elegant residences surrounded with finely laid out grounds. It is facing on · the Shrewsbury River and Pleasure Bay, and is
connected with Seabright and the railroad-sta- tion at that place by an iron bridge, which gives the residents (most of whom are business men) easy access to the city. Above, or west of the Salter and Hartshorne tract of seven hundred acres, was the large tract of Richard Salter ; still farther west, and reaching across the neck from river to river, was the Borden tract ; still farther west, and adjoining, was a part of Joseph Wardell's tract, which, about the close of the Revolution, came into the possession of William Bingham, a wealthy merchant of Philadelphia and United States Senator from Pennsylvania. He built an elegant country-seat on an elevated piece of ground commanding a view of the neek, Shrewsbury and Navesink Rivers and the ocean in the distance. His wife was a leader of fashion in Philadelphia, and during the sum- mer season many of the fashionable people of that eity were invited to the hospitalities of his seaside house. The property afterwards passed to Dr. Eleazer Parmley, whose son is still in possession of a part of the estate.
PARKERVILLE (now Little Silver) is situated a little south of the middle of Rumson Neck, and not far from Little Silver Creek. About 1820 the people in the vicinity began to be regularly visited by Methodist ministers who traveled in this vicinity. Meetings were held at the house of Michael Parker and of Mrs. Eras- mus, who lived opposite, where the church now stands. In 1822, Michael Parker gave the lot on which the present store stands for a church ; Mrs. Erasmus donated timber, and, by other contributions from those interested, a meeting- house was built, and called the Embury Metho- dist Episcopal Church. The district at that time was under the charge of the Rev. John Walker and William Lummis. In 1829-30, Rev. John Wollaston was on the circuit. In 1844, Rumson became a separate charge, and was placed under the care of the Rev. William W. Perry, who was the next year at the church of Red Bank. The pastors who have served since 1874 have been W. S. McCowen, 1874; W. Franklin, 1875-77; J. E. Lake, 1878-80; W. A. Massey, 1881-83; S. Townsend, 1884.
In 1866, the church being too small, the
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school-house lot was bought, and in 1868 the present frame meeting-house, thirty-five by sixty feet in size, was erected.
In 1845, Jaeob C. Parker opened a store a short distance east of the present store, which is the old ehureh building. A post-office was established in 1875, with B. F. King, the present postmaster, in charge.
About 1871, Charles Habrough began the business of carriage-making at the place, and built the present shops. He was succeeded, in 1876, by R. B. Campbell, the present owner, who now keeps about eight men constantly employed.
In 1878, J. T. Lovett began setting out a tract of one Inindred acres at Little Silver as a nursery, making a specialty of small fruits. He also lias fifty acres, at Deal Beach, in stoek. During the busy season he has employed a hundred men, and ships his stoek to all parts of the United States.
The Rumson Nurseries were first opened in 1854, on the old Hanee homestead farm, by Asher Hance, and were held by him and his sons until 1879, when the farm was sold to William W. Conover, who continued till 1882, when it eame under the management of Hance & Borden, by whom it is continued, and who now have four tracts under cultivation,-one on the original site, on Rumson Neek road; one at Albert Bor- den's residence, at Little Silver; a peaeh nursery, about half a mile north of Little Silver Depot; and the Riverside nurseries.
nations, was ereeted and dedicated May 1, 1842. Mr. Hunt established a line of steamers- the "Confidence," "Cricket " and "Thomas Hunt "-in 1845. These ran from Port Wash- ington Dock for several years. The "Cricket" was seriously damaged on the bar, and the others were taken off.
A " private" post-office was established at Port Washington in 1845, with Samuel Harvey as postmaster. The mails were brought from Red Bank. The name was afterwards changed to Oceanie, when the office became regular, and Alvin Harvey was appointed postmaster. He was sueeeeded by James Bruce, the present ineumbent.
In 1845 Mr. Hunt ereeted a building near the end of the wharf for --- Hammond, who opened a store ; also, a shoe-shop for Samuel Harvey, who, in 1859, built a store, which he kept many years. The present store was opened about 1859 by John Jeffrey, who kept it five years. It is now kept by Enright Brothers, who also have a store at Seabright. The large hotel, formerly known as the Port Washing- ton Hotel and now as the Oceanie, is kept by Vietor Ligier.
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH of Port Wash- ington was organized by the Presbytery of Mon- mouth in April, 1861, and was constituted of members from Red Bank and Shrewsbury Churches. Theehureh building that was ereeted in 1842 was placed in their charge, and they have sinee oeeupied it. The chapel, which was built in 1880, at Seabright, is placed in charge of this church. The pastors and their terms of serviee are here given,-Alfred B. King, Oeto- ber 22, 1861, to July 1, 1862; Alexander Clement, November 17, 1865, to March 14, 1868; James McFarlane, April 30, 1868, to April 23, 1871 ; Charles S. Newhall (supply), June 20, 1874; S. B. Dodd, to 1881; Samuel Miller, 1882 to 1883 ; W. S. Knipe, 1883 to 1884.
THE VILLAGE OF OCEANIC lies on the north side of Rnmson Neek and on the Navesink River, a mile or two above Blaek Point. In 1840, Martinus Bergen owned a large tract of land on the neek, and in that year sold one hundred aeres to Thomas Hunt, of Long Island. At that time there was a farm-house on the place,-the same now oeeupied by Augus- tus Ligier as a hotel. About a mile below this farm the Friends of Rumson Neek had, a year or two previous, built a pier for their own ben -. THE GOODWILL METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH was organized in 1875 and erected the Goodwill Chapel in that year. It is mider the care of the church at Seabright. efit, which was destroyed in 1845. Mr. Hunt then built a pier and a hotel, which last was named Port Washington Hotel. One or two houses were erceted prior to this time, and ST. GEORGE EPISCOPAL CHURCH stands on a church, which was for the use of all denomi- | the corner of Bellevue Avenue and the Ridge 38
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
road. It is a stone structure, built in 1874 by the summer residents on the neck. The first rector was the Rev. William Borden, who was succeeded by the Rev. William O. Embray. The church at Fair Haven and at Little Silver are both under the charge of this church.
ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, on Little Silver, was originally a mission of Trinity Church, of Red Bank. In 1878 the present edifice was erected. The church has about forty members.
FAIR HAVEN is located on the north side of Rumson Neck and on the Navesink River mid- way between Oceanic and Red Bank. In 1825 the land in the locality was owned by Morris De Hart, Jacob Corlies and Asher Hance. In 1816, Jeremiah Chandler, a boatman, bought an acre of land on the coast and ereeted a two- story house on the site of what is now Van Tine's Hotel. The first store was kept by John Covert about 1825. Christopher Doughty opened a grocery about 1833 (where Benjamin Doughty now lives), and later moved to where James Scott now keeps a boarding-house. About 1850, Peter Snyder opened a store where George Hendrickson now keeps. A wharf had been built about 1850, which was much enlarged in 1857, and the Fair Haven Dock Company was incorporated February 5, 1866, with the follow- ing corporators : Charles Doughty, Edward Bennett, Forman Smith, Benjamin B. Hance, Cornelius Hendrickson, Denyse Hendrickson, Abraham Trafford, George De H. Gillespie and others. This company had been running steamboats to their dock, and at this time addi- tional boats were put on the route, some of which were running to Red Bank, touching at this point. They were the " Highland Light," " James Christopher," " Alice Price," " Mc- Lean," " Nelly White " and the "Sea Bird." This last-named boat was built in 1865, par- tially burned in 1869 ; rebuilt and is still on the line, making regular trips to New York.
A post-office was established about 1876, with Edmund Trafford postmaster, who at that time kept a store at the place. He has been suc- ceeded by Henry C. Dennis, Edmund Trafford .and the present incumbent, William V. Bennett.
The Chandler dwelling-house was enlarged by John Van Tine about twenty years ago and opened as a hotel, which he still keeps. The Atlantic Hotel has been built within the past few years.
THE METHODIST PROTESTANTS organized a congregation at this place in 1854 and erected a church edifice, which is still standing and in use. The foundation of a new church, thirty-five by sixty feet, is already laid, and the building is expected to be ready for occupancy during 1885. After the completion of the new church the old building will be used as a chapel and for a Sunday-school room. Among the pastors who have served the church are the Revs. - Van Leer, James Cassell, E. C. Stultz, - Heirs, - Bailey, Jacob Freed and Jacob Leupie, who is the present pastor.
THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZION CHURCH was built many years ago on the Port Washington road, east of Fair Haven. It was destroyed by fire on Sunday, February 9, 1873, and the congregation removed to Red Bank, where the society built a house of wor- ship.
THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL BETHEL CHURCH was organized in this place about 1860, and built a chapel. In 1882 the congregation were assisted in building by Gen- eral Clinton B. Fiske, who, at a cost of three thousand dollars, erected the Fiske Chapel, at the west side of the village. It was dedicated August 20, 1882. The Rev. J. T. Rex was then pastor. In the same year, and adjoining the Fiske Chapel, a school-house for colored children was built, and dedicated November 18, 1882.
An Episcopal Church was commenced just west of the village in 1884, the corner-stone being laid on Monday, November 3d, of that year. It is under the care of St. George Epis- copal Church of Rumson Neck.
The township of Shrewsbury embraces seven school districts, which contain eighteen hundred and sixteen registered scholars, and have school property valued at forty-one thousand six hun- dred dollars.
In what is now Oceanic District, No. 72, the first school-house was built about 1849. It was
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in the woods near the residence of Dr. E. Parm- Jey, and was used until the present frame two- story house was built, in 1880. The district now contains two hundred and ten children of school age.
In Fair Haven District, No. 73, the present frame two-story school-house was built in 1878. The first house in this locality stood on the Rumson road, where it is now joined by Buena Vista Avenue, and near the old Presbyterian graveyard. It was used as the school-house for the people of the Neck, and was discontinued many years ago. J. H. Chandler, of Fair Haven, attended school there in 1821. John S. Borden, Nathaniel Clark, Samuel Crane and Joseph Wardell were teachers in this old house.
In 1841 a school-house was ereeted in Fair Haven, and Forman Smith was the first teacher. It was used until the present sehool-house was built. The district now contains two hundred and sixty-eight children of school age.
Parkerville District, No. 74, now embraces what was formerly two districts, which were united in 1882. About 1848, Mrs. Blanche, a teacher at the " Phalanx," moved to Little Sil- ver, where Dr. John Hall now resides, and built on her own land a school-house, in which she taught sehool several years. In 1852 a school- house was erected on the corner opposite Cap- tain Mulliner's residenee, which was used until the districts were united, in 1882, when the house was sold.
The old school-house mentioned in Fair Haven District was the school-place of the children of this locality until after 1828, soon after which a school was kept in the house of Michael Parker ; was taught by his son Wil- liam and his daughter Jane. Abont 1840 the residents united in erecting a school-house on the site of the present church, which stood until 1865, when it was sold and the present frame two-story house was built. The distriet now contains one hundred and fifty-eight children of school age.
Red Bank District, No. 75, is mentioned more fully in the history of the town of Red Bank.
Shrewsbury District, No. 77, includes the okdl ·village of Shrewsbury, where the first schools in
the township were taught. The Friends, Pres- byterians and Episcopalians all had churches in the village before 1720. As was the case in those days, the school was an adjunct of the ehureli, and the different denominations each had their sehools.1
It is known that in 1793-94 a school was taught in the old Presbyterian Church by a Mr. MeGregory, and later by -- Dunleavy. In 1810, Jacob Holmes, Robert White, Benjamin White and Dr. Samuel Tenbrook erected a school-house, by permission, upon the northeast corner of the Christ Church lot. Among the teachers from 1820 were Samuel Crain (from Vermont), Joseph Wardell, Seth Lippincott (in 1827, "28, '29 and several years later in his own house). The school-house was bought by the Rev. Harry Finch, who taught a school there for several years, and also used it for a Sunday- school. He had as assistant, George H. Sickles, now of Middletown. Upon the erection of a district, many years ago, the Rev. Harry Finch, Dr. John P. Lewis and Dr. Edward W. Allen were the first trustees. A house was rented for several years which now stands on the estate of Delafield Smith. A school-house was built about 1837-38 by several persons (mostly Pres- byterians), and kept by Mr. George Woodward as a private school ten or twelve years. The building was then rented by the district for several years. About 1876, Mr. Edward Cor-
1 The earliest positive knowledge on the subject is gained from the journal of the Rev. Thomas Thompson, who was a missionary to this county between the years 1745 and 1750. After a visit to Manasquan, he says,-
" As people were desirous of having a schoolmaster, and spoke of making up among themselves a competency for one, 1 proposed it to Mr. Christopher Robert Reynolds, the society's schoolmaster at Shrewsbury ; and those parts being within that township, it was not inconsistent with his appointment. He was willing to go and set up school there, and accordingly went down and taught a year, em- ploying his diligence to good effect.
"But his employers living so far asunder that they could not send their children to school all at one place, he was obliged to be often shifting and to go from one house to another, which was such a fatigue and labor to him, being in years and an infirm man, that he was not able to con- tinue it, and returned to Shrewsbury, his former station."
It is evident from this statement that Mr. Robert Rey- nolds was then teaching in connection with Christ Church Society.
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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.
lies bought ont the stockholders and sold the house. The directors of the district then pur- chased a lot west of the railroad depot, and erected the present frame school-house, thirty by forty feet in size. It has lately been fitted with modern school furniture.
Tinton Falls District, No. 78, contains one hundred and twenty-two children of school age. A lot was donated, in 1810, by Mr. Throck- morton for school purposes ; the consideration was that the donor should have the ashes made in the house. A building was erected upon the lot and nsed until 1872, when the citizens voted two thousand five hundred dollars for a new school-honse. The lot being considered unde- sirable, the trustees purchased a lot near the Methodist Church, on which they built the present house, which was opened January 16, 1873.
Woodlands Distriet, No. 79, embraces terri- tory in both the townships of Shrewsbury and Ocean. The house was built in 1856 on the township line in Shrewsbury. The district now contains fifty-two children of school age.
THE TOWN OF RED BANK.
Red Bank, the most important town in the county of Monmouth, is situated at the head of navigation of the Navesink (otherwise known as Shrewsbury) River, on the south shore of the stream, within the limits of Shrewsbury town- ship. The name of the town was given to it because of the red color of the soil of the river banks at that place.
The lands which now form the site of the town of Red Bank were, in the year 1808, em- braced in the farin of Barnes Smock, who at that time kept a tavern on the point just north of where J. M. Atkins' Union Hotel now stands. The old tavern site is now a part of the Union Hotel property. In 1809 one Boyd kept a store east of Smock's tavern. About three hundred yards cast of this store, and a few years later, Wainwright Brothers had a store on . the old dock in front of John A. Worthley's
property. This store was kept from 1818 to 1821 by Robert Hart, and in the latter year wasowned by Martin Chandler, who kept it until about 1830, when he sold to Joseph Parker.
A dock was built on the site of the present steamboat dock before 1809. The sloop " Fair Trader," owned by Esek White and others, ran from that dock to New York, carrying mar- ket produce. The Smock farm property came into possession of Esek White about 1820. In 1829, Joseph Parker opened a tavern on the hill back of the old dock. The store, tavern and dock were sold, about 1837, to Abram Springsteen, who, about 1845, sold to William Remsen, who built a grist-mill about fifty feet east of the dock. In later years the mill was discontinued and taken down. About 1855, D. W. Hendrickson built a grist-mill on the site of the Merchants' Steamboat Company's wharf. This mill was burned in 1857.
About 1833, Captain John Pintard ran the passenger sloop " Atlas " to the upper doek, where the coal-yards now are. Captain Joseph Parker ran the sloop "Benjamin Stevens" to the lower doek. The sloop " President " had run to the lower dock before the " Benjamin Stevens."
In 1829, Rice Hatsell came here from Rice- ville (now Navesink village), and erected the first store on the hill. It stood on the site of French's liquor-store. At that time an old store-house which had stood on Smock's Point had been moved in front of the old Smock tavern, and in this store building Thomas C. White and Jacob Corlies kept store several years after 1829. An old house, owned by Garret Morford, stood in the rear of the site of Worthley's new brick building, and it is still standing.
After the steamboats began running, a road was built down to the line between Esek White, Martin Chandler and along the line to the Remsen dock. The establishment of steamer lines brought to the place a number of persons, and town-lots were sold rapidly.
In 1829, Charles G. Allen settled at New- man's Springs and built a store and wharf. In 1832 he built the schooner "Catharine Allen," of thirty tous; in 1835 he built the
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" Mary Emma," of seventy tons ; and in 1837, the "Margaret Klotz," of forty-five tons. In 1840 he removed to Red Bank and built a store on the site of Weaver's elothing-store, and kept it till 1846. He also built a dock for sloops and steamers. Thomas Hunt built the steani- boat "Confidence," which ran to this dock until 1850. In 1843, Benjamin Laird kept the old Smoek tavern, then ealled the Steamboat Hotel. He was succeeded in that house by Lewis Speneer, Jolin Magee, William Frazer and others.
In November, 1834, Thomas E. Combs, formerly of West Freehold, who had been in business in Coenties Slip, New York, bought out the store of Riee Hatsell, and, with his brother, Aaron R. Combs, began business. Aaron soon after retired, and Thomas E. eon- tinned business until January 12, 1837, when Henry H. Conover was admitted to partnership with him. On the 1st of January, the next year, Combs retired, and moved to Tinton Falls, where he kept a store many years.
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