History of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Pt. 2, Part 39

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 39

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The fruit and vegetable eanning factory of H. S. Evans, situated near the depot, was estab- lished in the spring of 1883. All kinds of fruits and vegetables are eanned in tin and glass. As many as one hundred hands are some- times employed in the fruit season.

The shirt-factory of E. T. Danser was started in 1882. It employs thirty to forty hands. The building is forty by one hundred and ten feet in dimensions.

BLACK'S MILLS post village is a small set- tlement or hamlet in the southern part of the township, on the Manalapan and Freehold turn- pike road.

How long prior to 1823 there was a grist-

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

mill at the locality now called Black's Mills is not known, but in that year a mill was owned there by Thomas and John Black, of Burling- ton, N. J. On the 26th of January, the next year (1824), they purchased the water-power of Manapalan River of Jonathan Forman, and soon after purchased other rights. The mill was enlarged and a saw-mill added, and both were run by them for many years. During this time a tavern was opened there and kept by .one Nailor. The mills passed to Esek Harts- horne, who (April 1, 1841) sold them to Simon Abrahams, who was then keeping the tavern. From Abrahams it passed, in December, 1847, to Thomas and John Black, who, on the 1st of April, 1859, sold the property to the present owner, Charles H. Snyder, who had previously run the mill for several years. The tavern was kept, after Abrahams, by Joseph I. Thompson. After the purchase of the mill by Mr. Snyder, and the building of his new house, the old tavern-house was moved up the hill and on the opposite side of the street, and has since been used for various purposes. The grist-mill has been enlarged and improved, and is now four stories in height and contains machinery for making flour by the roller process, with a capa- city of seventy-five barrels of flour in twenty- four hours. The water-power of the Manala- pan River is used, and also an engine of forty- horse power as an auxiliary.

In 1840, James Lloyd established a store at the Mills. Later, he removed to Freehold, but returned to Black's Mills Corners, where he built a store and kept several years. John I. McDowell, about 1844, also built a store at the Corners, on the site of the present store, and kept it several years. It has been kept sinee 1856 by S. W. Reed, who has acted as assistant postmaster from that time. The post-office was established June 1, 1856, and Charles S. Jewell was appointed postmaster. He was succeeded by James Van Brackle, L. P. Clay -. ton and T. D. Probasco, the present ineum- bent.

A Methodist Church was organized at Black's Mills about 1823, and a church builing erected, which was also used as a school-house. On the `28th of August, 1846, John Imlay, Wesley Gill

and James Connelly, trustees of the chureli, sold the property to James Reed.

MANALAPANVILLE village, or, more properly, hamlet, lies on the Manalapan and Freeliold turnpike road, and on the township line of Manalapan and Millstone. A hotel was opened here fifty or sixty years ago. It passed, in 1859, from the estate of James H. Clayton to Jacob C. Clayton; later, to Vincent W. Mount, who, in 1873, sold to L. G. Davison, the present owner. A post-office was established a few years ago, and the postmasters liave been David Baird, N. W. Morris and D. A. Vanderveer. John Hunt opened a store about twenty years ago, which is now kept by J. B. Davison.

Near this place, in Millstone, is the Manala- pan Presbyterian Church, Manalapan School- house and Bergen Mills.

AFRICA is a hamlet situated on the west line of the township. It was settled by a number of colored people prior to 1840. An African Methodist Episcopal Church was organized, and later a church edifice was erected. The society was incorporated August 9, 1843. The church still maintains its organization, and is well sus- tained by the colored people in the vicinity.

MILLS AND MANUFACTORIES .- On the west line of the township of Manalapan, a mile north from Smithburg, stands a woolen-factory that was built over fifty years ago by William Preston. In 1844 it was in possession of Asher Smith, at which time it had a pair of carding- machines and fifty spindles.

The mill was doing custom-work only, and manufactured eloths and blankets. It was de- stroyed by fire in 1846, and soon after was bought by George J. Miller and rebuilt. After a few years it was sold at public sale, and pur- chased by Asher Smith, by whom the business was continued until 1862, when it was rented by Robert S. Blain, who purchased it in 1866, and is the present owner.

On Wemrock Brook, near where the Manal- apan and Freehold turnpike crosses it, a dis- tillery was built by Elisha Combs before 1805. The distillery is still continued by James A. Per-

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MANALAPAN TOWNSHIP.

rine, who, in 1866, erected at the same place a grist-mill. It is known as Perrine's Milis.

The Lafayette or Matchett Mills site has been occupied by a mill nearly, if not quite, a hun- dred years. It was for many years, and up to 1844, owned by William Abrams, in which year it passed to Cornelius Mateliett and Wood- hull Johnson, who were in possession nineteen years. In 1877, Peter Jernce, the present owner, came into possession.

Taylor's Mill is situated on the Tepahemus Brook, and the place is a very old mill-site. It has had many owners, among whom were Nathaniel Rue, Charles Higgins and Joseph Lutes, the last of whom sold to Joseph R. Taylor, who, in 1877, rebuilt the mill. The roller process of flouring is now used, and its capacity is fifty barrels in twenty-four hours. In addition to the water-power, a twenty-horse power engine is used.

The grist-mill now owned by James S. Parker, on the main head branch of Manalapan River, was built about 1835, by one Nesbit. Prior to that time it was a saw-mill, owned by David Van Schoick.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

JOHN RUE PERRINE .- Mr. Perrine enjoys the reputation of being in the foremost rank among those representatives of that branch of industry which enables Monmouth County to take a leading place among the agricultural counties of the United States. His paternal grandfather, John Perrine, was a Revolution- ary soldier. His father, Major John Perrine, Jr., who served ereditably as an officer in the War of 1812, was born July 22, 1782, in Mon- mouth County, where he cultivated a productive farm. He married Sarah, daughter of Allison Ely, whose children were Allison E., Barclay, Eleanor (Mrs. William T. Mills, of Brooklyn), John Rue, Lewis, Sarah Ann (Mrs. JJohn T. ! Mills), James A. and Achsah (who died in youth). Jolm Rue Perrine was born JJanuary 27, 1812, at Bergen's Mills, Millstone township, and received at home thorough instruction in the rudimentary English branches. At the age

of sixteen he removed to Manalapan township and engaged in the superintendence of his father's business, consisting chiefly of a farm and an ex- tensive distillery. The latter, in 1837, pur- chased additional lands in Manalapan township, and in 1841, the farm on which the subject of this biographical sketeli resides. Here he has since been engaged in farming. To say that Mr. Perrine is simply a farmer conveys but little idea of his agricultural undertakings, of the judgment and foresight indicated in his varied operations, and the success which has made his name a synonym for the most advanced and im- proved methods in his department of labor. Mr. Perrine was, on the 10th of March, 1842, married to Jane, daughter of William Van Dorn and Catharine Polhemus, of Marlboro' township. Their children are William Van Dorn, Catharine Polhemus, John, and Mary Patterson, of whom Catharine Polhemus is the only survivor. The death of Mrs. Perrine oc- curred on the 28th of August, 1877. A Demo- erat in his political proclivities, Mr. Perrine has declined all offices other than those connected with his township, which a praiseworthy degree of publie spirit impelled him to accept. He has been identified with many important enter- prises and wields an extended influence in con- neetion with the business interests of the com- munity. Mr. Perrine was educated in the faith of the Presbyterian Church, to which he still adheres.

GARRET B. CONOVER .- The great-grand- father of Mr. Conover was William, who had among his children a son Benjamin, whose children were three sons-William, Garret B. and Joseph-and several daughters. Garret B., the grandfather of the subject of this biogra- phy, for whom he was named, was born in Freehold township, where he was an industri- ous farmer. He married Lydia, daughter of Peter Forman, of Manalapan township, whose children were Benjamin G., Eleanor, Katy, Lena, Mary and Alice.

Benjamin G., of this number, was born in 1788, in Freehold township, and spent his life in the county of his birth. He married Elea- nor, daughter of James Herbert, Esq., who

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

resided near Englishtown. Their children are James M., born in 1809; Garret B., October 24, 1811 ; Elizabeth (Mrs. Joseph Preston), in 1813; Peter F., in 1815; William, in 1817 ; Daniel, in 1820; and Lydia (Mrs. Joseph John- son), in 1826. The birth of Garret B. occurred in Upper Freehold, though his youth was prin- cipally passed in Freehold and Raritan town- ships. He attended such schools as were to be found at Englishtown and Freehold, and having removed to his present farm, assisted

married Teresa, daughter of James I. Reid, of Manalapan (then Freehold) township. Their children are James, born in 1838 (deceased) ; Sarah Ellen (Mrs. James Craig), in 1839, who has one child ; Catharine (Mrs. L. D. Bugbec), in 1841, who has two children; Jane Ann, in 1843 ; William, married to Elizabeth Rue, who has four children ; Sidney (deceased) ; and Gar- ret B., Jr., married to Adaline Duncan, who has four children. Mr. Conover was never active in politics. Though of Democratie ante-

Garret B honour

for some years in its cultivation. On the oeca- sion of his father's death he assumed the man- agement of the property, with the care of his mother and the younger children devolving upon him; though but twenty-two years of age, this responsible charge was met with a courage and cheerful spirit worthy of all praise. In 1835 he rented a farm iu Manalapan town- ship, to which he removed with the family, and afterwards purchased. In September, 1836, he

cedents he has been either an Old-Line Whig or a Republican, but not especially interested in questions of public policy. He has, however, been deeply interested in all that pertains to the cause of religion, and has been for twenty years an elder in Old Tennent Church, to which he has Leen a liberal contributor, and foremost in every enterprise involving its welfare. His prominence in all church-work has led to his being often eho- sen as delegate to the meetings of the Presbytery.

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MANALAPAN TOWNSHIP.

THE DU BOIS FAMILY .- This is not intended Normandy. It begins the genealogy with Geof- froi du Bois, describing him as a knight ban- neret under William the Conqueror, whom he accompanied to the conquest of England, in 1066. It is carried on in seventeen generations in the eldest male line (all of whom are desig- nated as Seigneurs and Chevaliers) to 1648. There is not the space to enter more fully into their history in France. The date of the birth of Christien (Christian) Du Bois, the father of as a record of all the descendants of Louis Du Bois (the common ancestor, who was a French Huguenot refugee, and came to America in 1660) and Jacques Du Bois, who was supposed to have been his brother, and came to this country in 1675, as the family has become too numer- ous to make such an undertaking practicable; neitlier does it purpose to introduce at length the generation now upon the stage. The family have two genealogical records, from which | Louis, is not known, as the records of Wicres

. -

Fleury DuBois

a few notes are taken. The name Du Bois is | were almost illegible from age, bad ink and composed of two French words, signifying " of the forest." It was used as an ancient family surname both in Artois and Normandy, before William the First, King of England, left his native shores, and has remained unchanged to the present day. In the heraldie records pre- served in the Royal Library of Paris, under the head of " du Bois," it is expressly said that the family of that name is one of the oldest of the noble families of the bailiwiek of Contentin, in tion, and was married to Catharine Blanshan,

mutilation, the names of those who would not recant their faith being often intentionally erased. The baptismal dates of three of his children could be distinguished (18th June, 1622, 13th November, 1625, and 27th October," 1626), but not their names. Louis Du Bois was born at Wieres, near Lille, the chief town of Artois, in Northern France, October 27, 1626 .- He fled to Holland to escape religious persecu-

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

or Blanjean, October 10, 1655, at Mannheim, Germany, his wife being the daughter of a burgher of that place. Two sons were there born to them. They then emigrated to America, sacrificing everything to secure peace of mindand liberty of conscience, and first stopping at Hur- ley, then three miles from Kingston, N. Y., afterwards moving to New Paltz, N. Y. On their arrival Lonis Du Bois is said to have rev- erently opened the old French Bible and read . the Twenty-third Psalm, after which lie led the

sketch being descended from Louis, the third child, who married Margaret Jansen on the 22d of May, 1720. He doubtless emigrated soon after their marriage, to West Jersey, where he acquired landed property amounting to one thousand and ninety-one acres.

Of their eleven children, Benjamin, next to the youngest son (the grandfather of the present Benjamin), was born March 30, 1739, and mar- ried Phoebe Denise. For sixty-three years he was pastor of the Frechold and Middletown Re-

Livingston Dubois

assembled colony in a prayer of thanksgiving and supplication. One of the first efforts of the Huguenot band was to build a church (a rude af- fair of logs) upon the lot now occupied by the stately edifice of the First Reformed Church of Kingston, founded by Hasbronek, Du Bois and Lefevre. The children of Louis Du Bois were ten in number. The Du Boises of Monmouth County are descended through the third son, Jacob, his wife having been Geritje Gerritsen. . They had. eleven children, the subject of this

formed Churches. The dominie left ten eltil- dren, five of whom emigrated to Franklin, Ohio. Tunis Du Bois, his son, was born February 23, 1773 ; his first wife was Sarah Van Derveer, their children being four in number. His second wife was Sarah Smock, of whose seven chil- dren five sons and one danghter are now living, and settled in Mommonth County. The spirit of the old Huguenot, Louis, who left his native land for conscience' sake, seems, in some measure, to have descended to his posterity. In Penn-

MANALAPAN TOWNSHIP.

697

sylvania, three have been known as ministers of the gospel ; in New Jersey, one ; in New York, at least two; and in Ohio, one.

Henry Du Bois, son of Tunis D. Du Bois and his wife, Sarah Smock, was born April 4, 1808, in Frechold township, upon the farm where the years of his childhood were spent. After receiving, at the publie sehool, instrue- tion in the English branches, he began farming with his father, and continued thus employed until twenty-four years of age. He was, on the | the Monmouth County Agricultural Society.

Mary E. Thompson ; and Maggie A. Mr. Du Bois, on the oceasion of his first marriage, pur- chased the farm in Manalapan township which is his present residence. Here he has always been engaged in agricultural pursuits, though impaired health has precluded active labor. He was formerly interested in local polities, as a Dem- ocrat, and for many years filled the office of eom- missioner of appeals, as also school trustee of the township. He has been for years a member of

Benjamin Dubais

18th of April, 1832, married to Margaret, | Mr. Du Bois has, during his aetive life, been a daughter of Peter Conover, of Matawan. Their man of much industry, and is ranked among the most prosperous farmers of his township. He is a member of the Reformed (Duteh) Church of Freehold, in which he was formerly both elder and deacon. children are Peter C. (deceased), married to Anna Virginia Corson ; Sarah M. (deceased) ; Mary C. (Mrs. Lafayette G. Schenck); John R., married to Anna D. Spader; Tunis D., mar- ried to Sarah E. Smock. Mrs. Du Bois died Benjamin Du Bois, the second son of Tunis D. and Sarah Smock Dubois, a resident of Manalapan township, was born May 10, 1810, and on the 1st of February, 1832, was married to Helena Wikoff. He is a successful farmer July 13, 1848, and he married again, on the 12th of February, 1851, Ursula P., danghter of Christian Probasco, of Atlantic township. . Their children are Jacob V. N., married to

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

in Manalapan township and among its most representative citizens.

Livingston Du Bois, the youngest brother of Henry and Benjamin Du Bois, also of Manala- pan township, was born April 18, 1827, on the homestead in Marlboro', now occupied by Tunis V. Du Bois, where in childhood he attended the district school, and until twenty-five years of age gave his attention to the labor connected with the cultivation of his father's land. He was married, December 6, 1854, to Mary T., daughter of George Hunt, of Manalapan town- ship, the ceremony having occurred in the resi- dence at present occupied by him. Their children are William H., John Henry (married, March 4, 1884, to Anna V. Conover), George L., Joseph Ely, Wilson G. (deceased), Anna H. and Frank B. Mr. Du Bois after his marriage resided for one year at the home of his father- in-law, and at the expiration of this period pur- chased a farm in Manalapan township, which he cultivated for twelve years. He then became the owner, by purchase, of the Hunt homestead, on which he now resides. A Democrat in his political faith, he has declined office other than frequent service as member of the township committee of Manalapan. This office-a very onerous and responsible one during the late' civil war-entailed great responsi- bility in the filling of the township quota and the securing of substitutes. Mr. Du Bois' activity and zeal on this occasion elicited from his fellow-townsmen much praise. He is identified by membership with the Mon- mouth County Agricultural Society. In reli- gion he is a Baptist, and connected as a member with the Freehold Baptist Church, of which he has been at various times a trustee.

CHAPTER XXIV.

RARITAN TOWNSHIP AND THE TOWN OF KEYPORT.

RARITAN is the northernmost township of Monmouth County, having Raritan Bay as its northern boundary. On the east it is bounded 'by the township of Middletown, on the south

by Holindel and on the west and north west by Matawan township and creek and by Raritan Bay. Several small streams flow north wardly through the township into Raritan Bay, the principal of which are Wakake, Chingarora and Lupatcong Creeks, the last two named cn- tering the bay at the town of Keyport. The New York and Long Branch Railroad crosses the southwest corner of the township, and the Freehold and Keyport Railroad enters the last- named town from Matawan. The population of Raritan township by the United States een- sus of 1880 was three thousand eight hundred and ninety-one,-this including the town of Keyport.

Raritan township (taken from the territory of Middletown) was erected in 1848 with the fol- lowing described boundaries, viz. :

"Beginning at Tanner's Landing, on the shore of Raritan Bay; thence running southerly along the new road, near Thomas Arrowsmith's, to the road leading from the village of Middletown to Keyport; thence along the road by Daniel D. Hendrickson's to the corner of John P. Luyster's and William H. Hendrickson's land; thence westerly to the road run- ning by Hendrick V. Lnyster's ; thence along the said road to the road leading from Middletown to Holm- del; thence along the road by John Golden to the corner of lands of Ann Ogborn, deceased; thence following the road through Morrisville to the road leading from Holmdel to Leedsville; thence southerly to the Atlantic township line between the lands of Josepli Conover and Aaron Van Mater; thence along the line of said Atlantic township in a westerly direction to the line of Frechold township; thence following the line between Freehold and Middletown townships to the line between the counties of Mon- mouth and Middlesex; thence down the said county line to Raritan Bay; thence along the shore of said Bay to the place of beginning."

In 1857 a large portion of the territory of Raritan was taken to form the new townships of Matawan and Holmdel, ereeted by an act passed in that year. In the histories of those town- ships the boundaries are given of the territory thus taken from Raritan. The following is a list of chosen freeholders of Raritan township from its creetion to the present time:

1848-50. Thomas Arrowsmith.

1848-52. William H. Hendrickson. 1853-56. Jonathan I. Holmes. 1857. Henry H. Seabrook.

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RARITAN TOWNSHIP.

1858-60. John Cottrell. 1861-62. Richard B. Walling. 1863. John Cottrell. 1864. Christian D. Emmons.

1865-66. Thomas S. R. Brown. 1867-69. Eusebius M. Walling. 1870. John M. Sproul.

1871-72. John Brittan.

1873. Theodore Aumack.

. 1874-76. Thomas S. R. Brown. 1877-78. Theodore Aumack. 1879-81. William C. Smith. 1882-83. Sidney Walling.

1884. George M. Britton.

The territory in Raritan and Middletown townships, extending along the bay from what is now Port Monmouth westward to Union City, was known as Wakake, or Weikec, and was first settled by Richard Hartshorne, who came to this country from London in September, 1669. His first purchase was at Wakake, where he settled, and from which place he mentioned himself as "Richard Hartshorne, of Weikec.". It is evident that he lived there as early as May 24, 1670, as at that time he made a purchase which is recorded in the town-book of Middle- town as follows :

" May 24, 1670: Memorandum Richard Hartshorne and John Hawes gave order the 27 off ffebruary to have this following writing Recorded . . . Viz .: Know all men by these presents : that I John Hawes now resident in the Towne of Middleton: in the province of New Jearsy : doe acknowledge to have sould unto Riehard Hartshorne : now living in Wei- kee house in the afforesaid province : my house and lands : toghether with three or four acres of meadow for the summe of three hundred and fifty gilders : in part of wch I doe acknowledge to have received of the above said Richard Hartshorne : two hundred and twenty gilders : and further I the afforesaid John Hawes doe engage myselfe to make the above said house sufficient : by the last of Aprill next ensuing the date hereof : that is to say : I John Hawes am to daube the house within and without: and to make the chimney : and one Outlett : and to lay the floores (the above sd Richard Hartshorne finding boards and nailes and allsoe shells to make lime for the doing of the above said worke): and further I the aforesaid John Hawes am to make a cellar under the out lett : and allsoe one window in the house with foure lights : wherein I am to make shutts to the lower lights: all wch I doe engage myselfe to perfourme by the time above said: and in case of non perfourmance: to forfeit to the afforesaid Richard one hundred gilders: ' and further the afforesaid Richard Hartshorne doth

engage to pay unto mee John Hawes or to my As- signees one hundred and thirty gilders: when the afforesaid work is done : and further it is agreed be- tweene both parties: that I John Hawes shall enjoy the afforesaid land: soe long as his wife liveth: in ease it bee desired: and in ease the afforesaid John Hawes shall bee putt out of the house: wherein hee now liveth : then hee is to live in the house that hee hath now sould: during the time that his wife liveth : in ease it bee desired : and after her decease the above said Riehard Hartshorne is to enjoy the afforesaid house and land: both hee : and his heires forever : This agreement betweene both of us above written is : that the afforesaid John Hawes am to leave the house in as good condition: as it shall bee in: when it is finished acording to agreement: and likewise the fence that is now about the ground all wch is agreed unto : both by John Hawes and his wife whereunto they have sett-[their hands and seals]."

The John Hawes here mentioned, lived at Wakake, as is shown by the action of a town- meeting held shortly after, in reference to giv- ing him title to certain lands "in Weikec Neck." Before this purchase (May 9th, in the same year) it was ordered and agreed at a town meeting that " the land which now borders about Weikec necke shall be laid out into thirty-five lots." 1

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History of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Pt. 2, Part 39

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