History of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Pt. 2, Part 55

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

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Assisted by his sons, the proprietor has been the

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agreeable magistrate of the house, and the successive additions to the property continued in some cases through the dullest years to show its attractiveness. There were originally about fifteen acres in the hotel tract; the first addition was an extensive laundry, and the bachelors' quarters were built in 1875. The next spring hot and cold water baths were opened on the sea-front ; the working department of the house was steadily developed, and it may be said, as an instance of the training obtained in this hotel, that one of the clerks, who consented in an emergency to take the steward's place, has been employed by the Windsor Hotel, New York, during the present year at a salary of six thousand dollars.

The beautiful cottages fronting the house were built in 1880, at which time six acres of ground were added to the tract, at the price of fifty thousand dollars. There are now from twenty to twenty-one acres in the West End area and grounds. In 1881 a line of stores and a post-office were put up. In 1884 the stabling was greatly enlarged, and in 1885 additional cottages have been erected.

The West End Hotel presented a remarkable scene during the autumn when General Garfield was lying near at hand upon the bed of death. The newspaper press of all the United States, desirous of being accommodated, came to the West End Hotel, and Mr. Hildreth consented to keep the honse open and to take care of the correspondents and their families. There were more than one hundred of these corre- spondents at the hotel during that long vigil. There are accommodations at the West End for one thou- sand persons, and the hotel has lodged as many as one thousand and thirty-nine in a single night. In the season it keeps four hundred and fifty employés, of whom nearly two hundred are waiters. The ex- penditures of the establishment sometimes reach two hundred thousand dollars in a season.

Mr. Presbury, long Mr. Hildreth's partner, died in 1883. While conducting this hotel, Mr. Hildreth has held several useful and honorary positions in general life, and was long the president of the Urbana Wine Company, and is a director of the Farragut Fire In- surance Company. During most of his life, Mr. Hil- dretli was a Whig. His intelligence on personal and public events qualifies him for the various ranges of society lie entertains. IIe has a farnr at Flushing, Long Island, and a winter residence in New York City. In 1840 he married Elizabeth P. Washburn, and their children were Charles Allen and Sallie Hildreth (the latter deceased). In 1853 he married Annie L., daughter of Colonel S. H. Mudge, of New Orleans, and their surviving children are Walter E., David M., Jr., Alexander M., Philip R. and Minnie. Mr. Hildreth frequently makes excursions to Europe. He is a little over six feet high, and now, at the age of sixty-four, can laugh as heartily, listen as atten- tentively and talk as impressively as any of the lads from town or country.

CHAPTER XXVII.

WALL TOWNSHIP.

THE township of Wall is situated in the southeast corner of Monmouth County, having for its castern boundary the Atlantic Ocean and for its southern, the county of Ocean. On the west it is bounded by the township of Howell, and on the north by the townships of Atlantic, Shrewsbury and Neptune. Its principal streams are Shark River, which marks its northern boundary against Shrewsbury and Neptune townships, and Manasquan River, which is a part of its southern boundary against Ocean County. The sea-shore railway line, which ex- tends southwardly from Sandy Hook along the coast of Monmouth and Occan Counties, passes through Wall township on its entire oeean- front, from Shark to Manasquan River. An- other line is that of the Farmingdale and Squan Village Railroad (now operated by the Penn- sylvania Railroad Company as a part of its united lines). This road enters Wall from Howell township, and intersects the sea-shore line at Squan village. The population of this township, by the United States eensns of 1880, was three thousand eight hundred and twenty- nine, but has increased largely since that enu- meration.

Wall township (so named in honor of the Hon. Garret D. Wall) was erected from a part of the territory of Howell, by an act passed in 1851. The deseription is as follows:

" All that part of the township of Howell lying within the following boundaries, to wit: Beginning at the sea or ocean in the middle of Shark River In- let, and from thence running up the middle of the main stream thereof, along its general windings, to a place called and known by the name of the Horse Pond, to a certain pine-tree standing by the edge of the brook in said Horse Pond lettered I. P., said to be the beginning of a traet of land returned to Joseph Potter, deceased; thence westerly along the line be- tween the townships of Howell and Atlantic, sixty- one chains ; thence sontherly on a straight line to the mouth of Squancum Brook, where it empties into Manasquan River on the south side thereof; thence from the mouth of the aforesaid Squancum Brook, south three degrees and thirty minutes east, to the north line of Ocean County; thence northerly along

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

said line to Manasquan River, near old Squan Bridge; thence down the middle of said river to the ocean at Manasquan Inlet ; thence northerly along the ocean to the beginning."

Following is a list of chosen freeholders of Wall township from its formation to the pres- ent time :

1851-59. Thomas H. Lafetra. 1860. William H. Craig. 1861-62. Thomas H. Lafetra. 1863-69. John E. Tilton.

1870-76. Samuel M. Gifford.

1877-84. Theodore Field.

As early as 1685 a large area of lands, now of Wall township, bordering the south shore of Wreck Pond, the sea-shore from Wreek Pond southward to the Manasquan and up the north side of the Manasquan nearly to the present site of the Long Bridge, was purchased from the Indians, and afterwards patented from the pro- prietors by a company formed for the purpose, and composed of men who had previously located lands at Shrewsbury and Middletown, then called the "two towns of Navesink." The official doeu- meut issued by the Governor of the province of East New Jersey, granting permission to these land speeulators to make the purchases from the Indians, is as follows :

"By the Governour :

"To all Persons to whom these presents shall come and whom the premises do or may eon- cern: Kuow Ye, That I have Licensed, author- ized and empowered, and by these Presents doe lieense, authorize and empower Richard Harts- horne, John Hance, Judah Allen, Eliakim Wardell, Tobias Hanson, Ephraim Allen, John Woolley, William Woolley, Remembrance Lip- pincott, William Lawrenee, John Williams and Edmund Lafetra, all of Neversinks, in the county of Monmouth, to purchase the native or Indian right to such a quantity of land as they shall see meet, and lying and being at a place called by the Indians Manasquan, provided they exceed not the quantity of two thousand five hundred acres, and that the said purchase-deed be to and in the name of the Lords Proprietors _of this Province, in order that Patents may be made thereof to thie said respective persons of · such parts and pareells thereof as may answer

an agreement this day made between them and the Lords Proprietors.

"Given under the seal of the said Province this ninth day of July, Anno DM. 1685."

Under this authority the Indian right and title was purchased, but prior to that purchase some patents to these lands had been granted.

A tier of lots, that in old records were ealled "Squan Lotts," were laid out along the river and ocean-frout, running inland sixty chains, and varying in width on the river and sca.

In the division of these lands William Law- renee received patents for four traets of land, bearing date January 19, 1692. The northern- most traet of this company's land was taken by him in two lots, described as follows: " All that traet of land situate on the north side of Mana- squan River, in the bounds of Shrewsbury afore- said, eoasting south west and north east, in breadth twelve ehains, and in length, south east and north west, on one side, sixty chains, which, with allowanee, is to remain for sixty acres, bounded on the south west with land formerly of Remembrance Lippincott, on the south east with the sea, on the north west with the high- way and on the north cast with the plain."

The traet below described lies to the north of the one given above, and is irregular in form, viz. : " And also all that traet lying and ad- joining to the above-mentioned traet, containing forty acres, beginning at ye northeast corner of ye land of John Lawrence by the sea, and run- ning northwest six and twenty chains, thence northeast eleven chains to ye Rack (Wreck) Pond; thence east-southeast and half a point more easterly, as ye pond lyes, twenty-four chains to ye sea, and following ye sea to where it be- gan ; the which two tracts of land were eon- veyed to him, the said Jolm Lawrence, by two certain deeds of conveyance from his father, William Lawrence (deceased), relation to them severally being had, as may more fully appear." The deeds from William Lawrence to John, his son, bear date December 22, 1701. The date of patents, with sea or river- front, and also the number of aeres, are given as they lie adjoining each other south from Wil- liam Lawrenee's two traets.

The patent of Remembrance Lippineott, next

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south of Lawrence, bears date February 20, 1685. It is twelve chains wide on the front and contains sixty acres,

Tobias Hanson's patent is dated November 4, 1687. The land lies south of Lippincott's lot and is twelve chains in front and contains sixty acres.

John Hance's tract, next south, was twenty- four chains on the front and contained one hnu- dred and twenty aeres. The patent for this tract is dated November 4, 1687. This prop- erty was afterwards conveyed to John Morton, who conveyed it to Thomas Sherman, and is a part of the Sea Girt property.

The traet next below was twelve chains in width and contained sixty acres. This lot be- longed to William Lawrence, and was embraced in the patent of 1692.

Richard Hartshorne's land was next south of Lawrence's and was twenty-four chains in front and contained one hundred and twenty acres. This patent bears date January 18, 1685.

Adjoining Hartshorne was the land of Judah Allen, also twenty-four chains on the front and containing one hundred and twenty acres. This tract was patented February 16, 1685.

Next sonth was a tract patented by Joseph West in right of Eliakim Wardell, patent dated July 13, 1686 ; six chains on the front and con- taining thirty acres.

Joseph Lawrence, son of William Lawrence, patented, October 7, 1695, in right of William Woolley, a lot six chains on the front, containing thirty acres. William Woolley sold his right to Joseph Lawrence, September 23, 1691.

John Williams, one of the company, sold his right, September 26, 1694, to John West, who received his patent dated October 7, 1695. This land lay south of Joseph Lawrence. It was six chains on the front and contained thirty acres.

Next south, a patent for sixty acres of land, twelve chains on the front, was granted March 22, 1687, to Frances Lafetra, widow of Edumind Lafetra. Jannary 25, 1688, " Frances Lafetra, late wife of Edmund Lafetra, Dee1., of Shrews- bury," conveyed the property " to John West, her son, of Shrewsbury." This tract was on the point from the river to the sea, as the boun- daries indicate.

Ephraim Allen's tract lay next south. It was patented August 15, 1686, and contained sixty aeres; twelve chains on the front.

A tract of thirty acres, six chains on the front, next south, was conveyed to John Hance, and embraced in his patent of November 4, 1687. Next was a tract of thirty acres, six chains on the front, which was embraced in Joseph West's patent of July 13, 1686.

William Lawrence's patent of January 19, 1692, embraced the tract of land next west, containing one hundred and eighty acres, being thirty-six chains on the river-front. This tract he afterwards conveyed to his two sons, Joseph (the east half) and John (the west half). The latter was conveyed to Thomas Ellison, Richard Longstreet and Samuel Osborne.

The last and most westerly tract, lying on Manasqnan River, and embraced in Richard Hartshorne's patent of January 18, 1685, was forty-two chains on the river-front and con- tained two hundred and ten acres,

April 6, 1692, Edward Woolley conveyed to John Leonard, of Shrewsbury, "all that tract of upland and meadow sitnate, lying and being in ye county of Monmouth, lying on ye north side of Manasquan River, adjoining lands of John Hants [Hance] on the sonth, Edmund Lafetra on the north, by the river on the south- east, and northwest by the highway." This tract, containing sixty acres, was probably one that was patented to John Woolley, who was one of the company, though his name does not appear in the list of lots assigned.

In 1763 the freeholders of the county changed the route of a road then called the "Old Squan road," which ran from Long Branch to the Man- asquan. On the 28th of January, 1768, a petition for a road from Tom's River Bridge to the Man- asquan was granted by the freeholders, and the road was built. There is nothing to show that the " Old Squan Bridge " over the Manasquan was in existence before that date, and it was doubtless built soon afterwards, to connect the roads above mentioned. It was in nse during the Revolution, and a bridge has been main- tained there from that time. A school-house was erected near the bridge about 1825. On June 28, 1857, the citizens met at the school-

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

house and organized a Free Church and elected trustees for the purpose of erecting a house of worship. A lot was purchased of William Gifford and a house built, which is still used. Services were held monthly by the Methodist Protestants, and the church is now under the charge of the Rev. J. K. Freed.

Allenwood is a station on the railroad near the Old Squan Bridge. A post-office was es- tablished there several years ago, with David Allen as postmaster. He was succeeded in 1883 by William Lafetra, who now holds the office.

.The " Loug Bridge " over the Manasquan was originally built about 1816, and the first mail-route through this section passed over it. It was rebuilt abont 1830. The first post-of- fice in this part of the present township was established at this place February 25, 1819. Samuel F. Allen was the postmaster. The Os- bornes were large owuers of land in this section.

MANASQUAN is the most important village of Wall township, located in the southcast corner, near the Manasquan River and the sea, and at the junction of the sea-coast line of railway with the road running thence to Farmingdale, Freehold and Jamesburg.

In the year 1815 the site of the present vil- lage of Manasquan was heavily timbered, ex- cept a small clearing, where the Osborne House now stands. Here, soon afterwards, a tavern- house was built, and in 1818 the mail-route was established from Freehold to Tuckerton, by way of what is now Manasquan. Timothy J. Bloom- field, who had previously kept a store farther inland, came to this tavern, and was keeping it in 1825. By that time a few dwellings and other buildings had clustered round the tavern, and the landlord, Bloomfield, named the settle- ment "Squan Village." In the same year Dr. Jolin Morford settled at Squan as a physician, and remained there in practice until his death, in 1839.

In 1853 he was one of the firm of Brannin, Bailey & Co., at the same place. In 1878 the present building was erected. Another early merchant was Benjamin D. Pearce, previously a school-teacher, who opened a store here, in 1839, at the place where now is the store of Errickson & Wainwright. He also carried on a lumber business in a small way.

Dr. Robert Laird, in a communication having reference to the condition of this place in early years, says,-

" Within the recollection of the writer, Squan, as it is now called, was known is Crab Town, the name having its origin from an old man named Hays, who came from Freehold to the shore for fish, clams and crabs. When, once, his wagon was loaded with these commodities, some of the boys helped drink his Jersey lightning and upset his wagon, and covered the streets or roads with crabs, which circumstance caused every one to exclaim-Crab Town ! This name was retained until it was changed to Squan village. At this time the village consisted of a public-house kept by Peter Bailey, a small store kept by Jacob Curtis, and three or four dwelling-houses,-the residences of Benjamin Pearce, Sr., William McKnight and the Curtis family. Elder John S. Newman, assisted by Matthias Barkalow and Taber Chadwick, of Red Bank, used to hold serviee in the old school-houses and at private residences. There were no post-offices, A mail-boy came once a week from Freehold to Tom's River, by way of Squan Bridge, and the vener- able Samuel F. Allen was postmaster at that place."

Gordon's "Gazetteer " of 1834 says of Squan, evidently referring to a large extent of country extending to the coast: "It is much frequented for sea-bathing, and comfortable accommoda- tions are found at the farm-houses, of which there are several where boarders are received."

In 1830, or about that year, there were but thirty-six houses between Wreck Pond and what was then called New Squan Bridge (now Middle Bridge), this being about three and a half miles along the coast and river, and two and a half miles from the sea. About 1835 the people who owned the land between what is now the Middle Bridge and Wreck Pond were Abram Osborne, Hendriek Longstreet, 'Squire Derrick Longstreet, Derrick Longstreet, Jr., Samuel Longstreet, David Curtis, James Morris, Benjamin Pearce, John Longstreet (who owned

The first store in the village was kept by . Lewis Pearce, and in May, 1837, Osborne Cur- tis began the mercantile business on the corner . where now is the store of Curtis & Conover. i where Manasquan village now is and New-

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berry's Pond), William Newberry, Thomas Sherman and William Parmeter.

The Osborne House was built on the site of the okl Bloomfield tavern by Forman Osborne, and was opened in July, 1867, by his son, Frank Osborne. It is now kept by T. Z. Zim- merman.

The Hunsinger Honse was built in 1881, and is now kept by D. I. Hunsinger.

About 1840 a school-house was built (about a hundred yards from the present one), which was used until the present two-story brick build- ing was completed, in 1881, at a cost of six thousand dollars.

The Independent Methodists had been hold- ing religious worship in private dwellings and in school-houses in this neighborhood for several years prior to 1842. On the 19th of February in that year several of the congregation met at the house of Asher Pearce, near the store of Lawrence Newberry, and elected the follow- ing-named trustees of Manasquan Church : Abram Osborne, Lawrence Newberry and Eben- ezer Allen. The society was incorporated June 18th following. There was no church edifice in the village at this time, but in the same year the citizens united in erecting the. Free Church, on the high ground in the northwest part of the village. In this the Methodists, Presbyterians and Baptists held meetings. The ground was donated by Nesbit Mount, and was deeded to the trustees of the Independent Methodist Church. Matthias Barrielo, John S. Newman, Ralph Thomson, Taber Chadwick, Clark New- man and John Reynolds were preachers to this congregation from 1835 to 1850, at which time this denomination merged into the Methodist Protestant Church, and conveyed the property to the trustees of that church, since which time the following ministers have served them, viz .: Samuel Hill, E. D. Stultz, William B. Van Leer, Joshna Burch, J. W. Laughlin, E. D. Stultz, H. Bradford, A. J. Apgar, E. D. Stultz, and L. D. Stultz, who is the present pastor. The church building was remodeled in 1874.

In 1876 a large tract of land adjoining the Methodist Protestant Church was purchased and laid out as Atlantic Cemetery, which is the

. burial-ground of the village.

THE MANASQUAN BAPTIST CHURCH was the first one in the Trenton Association which was organized in the present century, and thus stands number four in age of the churches which have thus far come into that body, it having been constituted October 20, 1804, as the First Baptist Church of Howell,' which township then embraced the present territory of Wall. For a number of years there was but one person in the community who represented the Baptist faith, and that was Elizabeth Havens. She was a member of the Baptist Church at Hopewell. For ten years she heard but few sermons preached, and these were by Elder John Lafferty (or MeLafferty) and An- drew Harpending. "In the summer of 1801 it pleased God to awaken Samuel and Anner Havens." Upon the solicitation of Mrs. Elizabeth Havens, and her step-son, Samuel Havens, who made a journey to Hightstown for the purpose of visiting Ekler Peter Wil- son, he was induced to come and hold a service in this neighborhood, and on the 9th day of December, 1801, he preached a sermon at the house of John Havens, Jr. Samuel Ha- vens seems to have been the first person bap- tized ; this took place in April, 1802. Soon after this, as appears from the church-book, " John Havens and Anner, his wife, and Sarah, wife of Samuel Havens, were also baptized." From this time Mr. Wilson visited them about once a month, and the Lord crowned his labors with success, until the number and situa- tion called for the constitution of the church." The constituent members (thirty-seven in num- ber) were Elizabeth Havens, John Havens, Sr., Richard Freeman, Mary Freeman, John Ha-

1 The following is found in the county records at Free- hold referring the election of the first trustees ;

"The First Baptist Church in the township of Howell, County of Monmouth, State of New Jersey, met on Thurs- day, the 17th of December, agrecable to advertisement. at the house of John Havens, Senior, in said township, for the purpose of choosing Trustees for said church, at which time and place the following persons were unani- mously chosen in trust of the temporalities of said church. whereunto we have sent our hand and seals the day and year above written. John Havens, Senior. David Lewis, John Davison, Samuel Havens, John Havens, Williamn Brown and William Brand."

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

vens, Jr., Lydia Longstreet, Samuel Havens, Hannah Freeman, Eliza Havens, Polly Long- street, Uriah Brown, Nelly Longstreet, Themas Havens, Jane Havens, Joseph Vanmote, Catha- rine Longstreet, Abraham Stout, Anner Havens, Ann Woolley, Lydia Hults, Elizabeth Em- mons, Elizabeth Stout, Blessing Brand, Joel Brand, Ruth Brand, Sarah Poland, Silas A. Blackman, Jacob Havens, Lydia Havens, Cath- arine Brown, Sarah Havens, Ann Havens, Mary Truax, John Davidson, Sarah Davidson, Joanna Johnson, Elizabeth Havens.

The Rev. Peter Wilson, of Hightstown, and the Rev. William White, of Philadelphia, were present and assisted in the constitution of the church.

The first minister who labored in this field in a regular way was the Rev. William Bishop. He was born in England in 1749 or 1750; was ordained to the gospel ministry in his native land, and emigrated to this country in 1794. He first settled in the Lackawanna Valley, Lu- zerne County, Pa. ; afterwards removed to Hope- well, N. J., from which place he came to settle with the Manasquan Church in 1807. He returned to Pennsylvania in 1812, and died near Abington, in that State, in the year 1816.

The Rev. John Cooper, then of Upper Free- hold, commenced ministerial labor here, De- cember 7, 1812, and served once a month some ten or eleven years. From 1823 to 1829 the Rev. John Bloomer was the pastor or stated supply. He came from New York State, and returned thither upon leaving Squan. Au- gust 22, 1830, the Rev. William Clark began to supply the church half the time, and con- tinued one year. The Rev. David P. Purdon entered upon the pastorate May 1, 1834, and was ordained by the Revs. G. S. Webb and M. J. Rheese, on the 19th of August following. Elder Boozer served the church eight or nine months after Mr. Purdon left, in 1841.

The next minister was the Rev. Charles Cox, Sr., who commenced his labors with this people June 21, 1842. Mr. Cox's services, as has been the case with most of the pastors of this church, were divided between Squan and Kettle Creek. A revival attended his ministry in both places, and during the winter of 1842-43 fifty-nine

persons were baptized into the fellowship of these churches,-forty-eightat Squan and eleven at Kettle Creek. After a pastorate of nearly two years, Mr. Cox went to Kingwood to take the oversight of the church there. The Rev. Allen J. Hires began to supply them the fol- lowing Lord's Day. This he continued to do about five months, and was followed by the Rev. William F. Brown, in November of the same year (1844). Ile remained ten months. Next, the Rev. J. M. Carpenter spent a few months here as a transient supply.

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History of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Pt. 2, Part 55

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