History of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Pt. 2, Part 59

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

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" The Upper Congregation," thus providing the parsonage with a house of worship, wood- lot and incomes, which, for a hundred years, made it possible to obtain and support with ease an able ministry, none would suppose to be the same place and people which the sketch of First Middletown, in 1867, refers to, in the statement that a honse built on Bray's lot, in 1808, was a " preaching-station." With more propriety was the village of Middletown "a preaching-sta- tion," visited by the pastors for one hundred years, on alternate Sabbaths. The church was equally identified with both places in every par- ticular of worship, ordinances and business meetings. The Middletown Church was not that body which met in the village of Middle- town, but that which held its assemblies in the township from which it was named.

Of the pastors who have died within the bounds of the church, Abel Morgan and Thomas Roberts and D. B. Stout were buried at Middle- town, and Samuel Morgan and Benjamin Ben- net were buried at and near Holmdel. Samuel Morgan, after his resignation, lived and died (1794) about a mile from the Upper Meeting- house. Mr. Bennet died October 8, 1840.

So far as ean be learned, the locality of tho-e who were added to the church under Samuel Morgan's ministry, excepting the additions from Long Branch, a large proportion were in the vieinities of his residence. Of the nineteen received by Mr. Elliot, fifteen were baptized at " The Upper House." Thirty were added during Mr. King's oversight, of whom twenty- two were baptized at " the Upper House." The growth of the church within the limits of " The Upper Congregation " was very marked down to 1826, when Pastor Roberts removed to hi- own home, in " The Lower Congregation."

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HOLMDEL TOWNSHIP.

Before 1834, increase of population and of the Eleanor Van Brackle, Stephen Van Brackle, Marcy Worrel, Rachel Andrews, Catharine Coo- vert, Jane Stillwagon, Martha Chacy, Mary Johnson, Achsa Ely, Margaret Sutton, Sarah Holmes, Elizabeth Cottrell, Mary Longstreet, Catharine Carhart, Rhoda Schanek, Eliza Cook, Elizabeth Taylor, Edmund H. Tice, Jane Tice, Mary Tilton, Rebecca Worrel, Eleanor Holmes, Catharine Stoughtenborough, Richard Carhart, Hannah Holmes, Dianah Longstreet, Altha congregations, and the demand for more min- isterial labor in the bounds of the church, had led to the enquiry, How to meet the increasing claims of the field ? A separation into two bands was an unwelcome subject. The break- ing of ties that had been entwining for one hun- dred and fifty years was to some unendurable. The fearful saw ruin in separation. It was doubtful to the pastor if the time. had come when two churches could be sustained and oc- | Tilton, Mary George, Elizabeth Beers, Aaron cupy the field as well as the undivided body. Conover, Jernsha Tice, Hagar Longstreet, Farnar Ely. Mr. Hires continued pastor ten years, preaching at Keyport, Matawan and Marlbo- rough, laying foundations for the churches since formed in these places, also occupying other points in the vicinity. He resigned in August, 1846. Discussion ripened into action in the fall of 1834, when an invitation was sent to Rev. D. B. Stout, settled at Lambertville, to visit the church, with the view of becoming joint pastor with Mr. Roberts. He came. The way was not yet fully prepared, and he returned home. In 1840 the house of worship was modern- ized; the lofty pulpit and sounding-board and gallery, up under the eaves, eame down. The square pews gave place to slips. Early in 1836 the church sent a request to Rev. William D. Hires, residing at South Tren- ton, to visit them. Having done so in due time, he accepted their call to a joint pastorate with Mr. Roberts.

After six months it was agreed to divide into two bands,-" The Lower Congregation " wor- shiping in " The Lower House," in the vil- lage of Middletown, retaining the name and or- ganization of the original body ; "The Upper Congregation," taking the title of "Second Middletown," was recognized as an independent church, September 1, 1836, by a council con- sisting of Pastors Roberts and Hires, of Middletown, C. J. Hopkins, of Freehold, and J. M. Challis, of Upper Freeholdl.

Mr. Roberts remained with " The Lower Congregation," in the midst of which he lived. Mr. Hires retained the oversight of " The Upper," amid which he resided, receiving the same salary as had been paid by the whole body to Mr. Roberts.

The constituency of the Second Middletown was fifty-three, as follows: John G. Taylor, Lydia Taylor, Sarah Jane Armstrong, Elizabeth S. Taylor, Sophia Taylor, John Chacy, Hannah Smith, Henry Gifford, Susan Conover, Rhoda Pieree, Eleanor Waters, William Sutton, Jane Van Brackle, Mary Jane Thompson, James Carhart, Susan Carhart, Mary Parsons, Mary Posten, William H. Johnson, Ann B. Taylor, i

After the resignation of Mr. Hires the vener- able John Rogers supplied the church until June, 1847, at which time Rev. William J. Niee entered upon the pastorate. Mr. Nice resigned in April, 1851. During his pastorate the house of worship was improved by the addition of a new front and of a steeple, and the steeple having been blown off, was replaced by another. Not less than two thousand dollars was expended for these improvements.

The name of the church was changed, in . 1849, to Holmdel,-that taken by the township set off from Middletown.

Clarence W. Mulford supplied the church for three months, finally yielding to her call to be pastor, in August, 1851. It was evident, ere long, that the hope of his restoration to health must be relinquished. His resignation was ac- eepted October, 1852. In October, 1853, C. E. Wilson became pastor, and filled the office sixteen years. One hundred and seventy-four were baptized by him. Several seasons of re- vival marked his ministry.

James C. Taylor and Henry D. Ely were called to the deaconship in 1860, and John II. Wykoff in 1868.

Deacon John G. Taylor died in 1864, and Deacon James C. Taylor in 1868.

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

The house of worship was enlarged and very materially improved in 1866, costing not less than three thousand dollars.

Mr. Wilson died at his post, November 13, 1869. The church expressed her appreciation of the man by substantial tokens to his bereaved family, and by the erection at his grave of a granite monument, costing four hundred dollars.

In April, 1870, the Rev. T. S. Griffiths be- came pastor. The parsonage was enlarged, the grounds about the buildings improved, a bap- tistery put into the house of worship, and six thousand dollars paid in improvements and canceling the indebtedness of the church.

The Rev. T. S. Griffiths closed his labors here on the 1st of August, 1881, having ae- cepted a call to Cherryville, Hunterdon County, N. J. The Rev. W. W. Case, of Hamilton Square, N. J., was called as pastor in October, 1881, and settled December 1, 1881. In 1882 the old parsonage, which had stood between sixty and seventy years, was torn down, and a new and commodious pasonage, costing betweeu three and four thousand dollars, was erected iu its place. Mr. Case is still pastor of the church. The present deacons are J. J. Taylor, J. H. W yekoff, Morford Taylor, T. C. Ely and W. W. Brown. The present trustees are .J. J. Taylor, Morford Taylor, T. O. Ely, S. C. Bray, Jolin W. Ely, William C. Ely and C. S. Holmes. The present membership is two hundred and four.

THE REFORMED CHURCH OF HOLMDEL Was originally a part of the Old Dutch Reformed Church of the Navesink (now the " Briek Clinreh" of Marlborough) the history of which is referred to as embracing that of this ehureh until the year 1825, when the Classis of Monmouth gave it a separate and distinet or- ganization. The old church had also been known as the Reformed Church of Freehold and Middletown, the present townships of Holmdel and Marlborough (in which the con- gregation principally lived) being then included respectively in the old townships of Middletown and Freehold. In the year 1719 a house of worship, thirty-three by thirty-six feet in size, was erected on a knoll about a mile north from

the village of Holmdel, on the road to Middle- town. The body of the house contained twelve pews, each containing eight seats, which were numbered, so that cach person had his or her number. A gallery was built on three sides. The main entrance was a door on the north side. No deed was obtained for the church lot until April 12, 1823, when Andreas Johnson con- veved it to Daniel Hendrickson and Johannes Polhemus. It was given for the use of the congregation as long as the church should con- tinue. This building was used until 1764, when it was sold and removed, and part of the frame is now in a barn in the neighborhood.

The second church edifice was built while the congregations were under the eare of the Rev. Benjamin Dubois. It was erected on the site of the old church, and was forty feet square, with gables facing north and south. It was shingled on the sides with shingles three feet in length. The interior was lined and eeiled with eedar boards, all unpainted. A large double door, opening outwards, was on the south side, and di- rectly opposite on the north side was the pulpit. An aisle ran through the eentre, with two others parallel, one ou each side. There were fifty pews in all. The building was raised August 21, 1764; the pews were sold November 5, 1773, and brought the sum of three hundred and thirty-one pounds, or eight hundred and eighty-three dollars. The gallery was built in later years

This church edifice was in use until the pres- ent church was erected, in 1838. It was then abandoned, and in 1842 was taken down and the frame used iu the construction of a barn of Mr. John Longstreet. The present church was dedicated June 20, 1838, the Revs. James Otter- son and John C. Van Liew officiating. The pastors who have served the present church, or- ganized in 1825, have been the Rev. Jacob B. T. Beekman (1827 to 1836), and the Rev. William Reiley, who served the church as a supply from the retirement of Mr. Beekman, in 1836, to 1839, when he became the pastor and is still in serviee. The church now has one hundred and ninety-four communicants.

ST. CATHARINE'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CON-

821

HOLMDEL TOWNSHIP.

GREGATION was formed at Morrisville in 1878. In 1879 a church building, twenty-five by scv- enty feet in size, was erected on the road from Holmdel to Morrisville. It was dedicated by Archbishop Corrigan, November 25, 1879. At the time of organization the church was under the care of Father M. L. Glennan, who re- mained until June 1, 1883, when he was suc- ceeded by Father J. J. O'Connor.

SCHOOLS OF HOLMDEL .- The township con- tains six school districts and five hundred and ninety-three children of school age. The value of the school property is five thousand seven hundred dollars.

Holmdel School District, No. 53, embraces a section of the township in which there were schools taught before the recollection of any now living. In 1820, Daniel Holmes kept a store in the old Academy building. It was afterwards used again for a school, and was fi- nally destroyed by fire in 1837. It stood op- posite the residence of James Hiers. The prin- cipal in its later days was John Jenkins.

A spring from which water was used for the school is under an old beech-tree now standing in the yard of Mrs. Eliza Crane. Under the tree and around the spring was a favorite gath- ering-place of the children in play hours.

On the 12th of October, 1841, the school trustees of Holmdel District purchased of Holmes Van Mater the present school lot, and erected thereon the school-house which is still in use. The district at present contains one hundred and thirty-three children.

A classical school, opened at Holmdel by David Thomson, held its first session Septem- ber 12, 1854. It was continued but a few years.

Holland School District, No. 54, embraces parts of Holmdel and Middletown townships. In 1841 the Hon. William H. Hendrickson built a school-house on his land, on the dividing line between the two townships. The same house is still in use for the school. The dis- triet contains sixty-one children of school age.

was built about 1855. It has since been re- paired and refurnished, and is still in nse. The district now has eighty-five children of school age. The Foxtown school-house was on land of Garret Hendrickson; was built about 1837 and abandoned in 1855. An old school-house which stood near the Marlborough line, on land now owned by George Schenck, was abandoned about 1840.

Centreville School District, No. 56, contains one hundred and thirty-two children of school age. Before 1825 a school-honse was erected on the property now owned by John Huff. Peter Vanderhoof and - Kelly were among the first teachers. About 1840 a lot was pur- chased of Gershom D. Walling, and the present house was erected on it. Among the first teachers in this house were Miss Bacon and Miss Martha Huff (now Mrs. Ryder). This house was used until 1883, when it was rebuilt.

Morrisville School District, No. 57, is men- tioned in the superintendent's report as of Holin- del township, although the school-house is sit- nated in Middletown at Scott's Corners, or Mor- risville, as it is now called. As early as 1824 a small meeting-house stood on a half-acre of land now owned by Miss Ann Ryan. This house was used by a Methodist Church society, and owned by them. On the 28th of March, 1845, John B. Crawford, Samuel H. Smith and David II. Bennett, trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church, sold the house and lot to Samuel Car- hart, William Murphy, R. D. Walling and Wil- liam Hoff, school trustees. School was taught there a year or two after the purchase. Then the house was moved to the Corners, on the pres- ent lot, and used until 1876, when the present school-house was built. The distriet now con- tains one hundred and six children of school age.

Oak Grove School District, No. 58, contains seventy-six children of school age. A school has been maintained in the section many years. The house now used has recently been repaired and refurnished.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

Crawford School District, No. 55, was formed at the abandonment of the Red Hill and Fox- DANIEL HOLMES .- John S. Holmes, the town school-houses. The present school-house i father of the subject of this biographical sketch,

822

HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

was a resident of Holmdel, now Middletown township, where his death occurred on the 15th of August, 1821. He early began his career as a merchant, but later removed to the farm now owned by his grandson, Joseph H. Holmes, where he followed successfully for many years the vocation of an agriculturalist. He married Sarah Hendrickson, whose death occurred August 28, 1824. Their children are Mary (wife of Albert Van Brunt), John H., Catherine (wife of Daniel H. Ellis), Emma (married to

death of his father, in 1821, he returned to the farm owned by the latter in Holmdel (now Mid- dletown) township, and became interested in the labors attending its cultivation. Mr. Holmes was, on the 15th of November, 1813, married to Rhoda, daughter of Chrineyonce Van Mater, of Middletown township. To this union were born children,-Huldah (February 23, 1815),. married to Joseph Holmes Longstreet, whose children are Rhoda H. and Lydia Anna; Cath- erine (June 9, 1817), wife of John W. Ely,

George Taylor), Eleanor (wife of Charles Has- "brook) and Daniel. The last-named son was born on the 27th of December, 1792, at Baptisttown (now Holmdel), and spent his early years at the home of his parents. His father was at this time engaged in the business of a country mer- chant, in which he proved an invaluable assist- ant. He received his education at the neigh- boring school, and on the removal of the family to Matawan, in the same county, he embarked for three years in mercantile pursuits. On the

whose children are Daniel H., Eugene and John M .; John S. (September 2, 1819), who died March 2, 1820; Sarah (April 16, 1821), who died September 15, 1822; Joseph H., elsewhere mentioned in this volume ; Maria Louisa (May 2, 1826), wife of Ely Conover; Sarah (January 13, 1829), wife of Rulotf P. Smock, whose children are Daniel H., Peter V. D. and Catherine H. Mr. Holmes, in connection with his farming enterprises, was also engaged in business pursuits at Hohndel for many years.

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HOLMDEL TOWNSHIP.

His political sympathies were with the Demo- cratic party, whose principles he advocated with untiring zeal during a long and active life. This party, in recognition of his services, sev- eral times elected him to the State Legislature, as also to the office of sheriff of Monmouth County for one term. He was a member of the convention to revise the constitution of the State, and prominently mentioned as the nominee for Congressional honors. He was largely identified with township and county

ter of John and Ellen Bennet Schenck, whose children were Obadiah I., born December 5, 1807 ; Jolin Schenck, born December 13, 1809; Sarah Ann (wife of Daniel D. Briggs), born February 1, 1812; Mary (wife of Benjamin Briggs), born January 2, 1814; and Daniel, born August 5, 1816. The birth of Obadiah I. Stillwell occurred on the homestead, at Beth- any. Here he received, at the public school of the precinet, a rudimentary education,-all that was conveniently attainable at that date-and

Obadiah I Stillwell

matters, and exercised a marked influence on the [ soon after decided upon a self-supporting trade, business and public interests of the portion of the State where he resided. His death occurred October 27, 1851, in his fifty-ninth year, and that of his wife on the 20th of January, 1838, in her forty-sixth year.

by which he might render himself independent of such vicissitudes as a changing fortune might bring. He chose that of a carpenter, became master of the craft, and returning again to the farm, engaged in its varied pursuits. The prop- erty was eventually purchased by him and con- OBADIAH I. STILLWELL .- John O. Stillwell, the father of the subject of this biographical sketch resided in Bethany, Raritan township, tinned to be his residence until 1859, when the attractive site now the residence of his daughter was purchased and became his home. He was, Monmouth County. He married Mary, dangh- " on the 20th of April, 1853, married to Miss

824

HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Mary Jane, daughter of John Longstreet, of Holmdel, their children being a daughter, Mary Elizabeth, and a son, John L., whose death occurred March 29, 1881. Mr. Stillwell was a man of modest demeanor, devoted to his chosen business occupations, and indifferent to the ex- citements attending public life. As a conse- quence, though in politics a firm Democrat, lie avoided active participation in the political events of the time, and invariably declined office. He was an attendant upon the services of the Reformed (Dutch) Church of Holmdel. The death of Mr. Stillwell occurred on the 2d of October, 1873.

JOHN S. LONGSTREET .- The progenitor in America of the Longstreet family was Direk Stoffelse Langestraat, who was twice married. He had four sons,-Stoffle, Adrian, Richard and Samuel-and one daughter, Classje. Adrian, of this number, was baptized in 1677, and died in 1728. He married, in 1707, Christina Janse, and liad children,-Jolin, Derick, Stoffle, Kat- renske, Neeltje, Winnifred, Maria and Aarianche. From one of these sons is descended the grand- father of John S. Longstreet, who married Williampe Hendrickson, and had a son, John, who was united in marriage to Elizabeth Stou- tenburgh. Their children were Hendrick, John S., Catherine, Anna (Mrs. John S. Crocheron), Williampe (Mrs. Henry Stoutenburgh), Mary J. (Mrs. O. I. Stillwell), William, Caroline L., Aaron, Elizabeth (Mrs. Thomas Ely) and one who died in youth. John S. Longstreet was born December 5, 1815, on the homestead at Holindel, where his early opportunities for instruction were obtained, after which additional advan- tages were enjoyed in Massachusetts. Determin- ing to make farming the business of his life, he at once entered upon the various responsibilities incident to the cultivation of the home farm. He was, on the 19th of October, 1843, married to Eleanor, daughter of Garret D. and Jane Hen- drickson, of Marlborough. Mrs. Longstreet's deatlı occurred February 28, 1844, and he was again married, June 26, 1849, to Sarah S. Heu- drickson, sister of his first wife, whose children are Eleanor H., Jane A. (Mrs. William T. Hendrickson), Elizabeth (Mrs. John S. Hen-

drickson), Hattie HI. and Garret. Mr. Long- street, on his marriage, became by purchase the owner of a portion of the homestead, on which his family still resides. Here he was, during his lifetime, interested in the varied pursnits of an agriculturist, through precluded by feeble health from an active career. His political sen- timents were strongly in favor of Democratic government, though not in any sense a politician nor an office-seeker. In matters of business his opinion was deferred to and his serviees often sought as guardian, executor and counselor. He was identified with the Holmdel and Keyport Turnpike Company as its president. Mr. Long- street was a man of kindly nature, affectionate and tender in his home relations, charitable to the needy, and liberal in his support of the church and all projeets tending to advance the cause of morality. His death oceurred December 1, 1884, and his burial on his sixty-ninth birthday. His son Garret now cultivates the farm.

JOSEPH H. HOLMES, the grandson of John S. Holmes and Sarah Hendrickson, and the son of Daniel Holmes (an extended sketch of whom appears elsewhere) and his wife, Rhoda Van Mater, was born on the 28th of July, 1824, on the homestead which is his present residence. Here the earlier years of his life were spent, his studies, which were begnn at the publie school of the neighborhood, having been con- tinned at Lawrenceville, N. J., under Rev. Samuel Hammill, D.D., and concluded at Len- ox, Mass. On his return, at the age of seven- teen, he assumed charge of the farm, and was thius engaged for a period of eight years. He was married, on the 19th of September, 1848, to Ann, daughter of James G. Crawford, of Raritan township. Their children are Carrie C., wife of Asher S. Ely; Jolin S., married to Annie, daughter of James Lake; Daniel, of Colorado, and Lizzie, deceased. Mr. Holmes, ou his marriage, made Barrentowu, Atlantic township, his residence, but on the expiration of the second year returned to the homestead farm. This valuable property, which has been for four generations in the family, became his own by inheritance and purchase. By his judicious management its fertile fields have been rendered

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825

HOLMDEL TOWNSHIP.

still more productive, until it ranks in its an- nual yield second to none in the county. Mr. Holmes has devoted much attention to the breeding of fine horses, his experience and su- perior facilities having rendered his farm a favorite rendezvous for turfmen who desire stabling and the careful handling of their blooded stock. He is also largely engaged in the fur- nishing of supplies to turfmen and horsemen. A Democrat in politics, Mr. Holmes is not an active partisan nor a worker in the party ranks. He is identified with the business interests of the county as director of the Middletown Point Bank of Matawan, as also director and former treasurer of the Holmdel Fire Insurance Com- pany and a former director of the Monmouth County Agricultural Society, of which he is still a member and a zealous promoter of its aims and interests.

CHRINEYONCE S. HOLMES .- The progenitor of the Holmes family in Monmouth County was Rev. Obadiah Holmes, born in 1606, and mar- ried in 1636, who, on his emigration, in 1638, settled in Boston, and later in Rhode Island, where he was one of the pioneers in the Baptist faith. His death occurred in 1682. Though not for any length of time a resident of Mon- mouth County, he made frequent visits, aided in the organization of the first Baptist Church in the county and was a considerable purchaser of land within its boundaries. His two sons- Obadiah and Jonathan-came to America with their father, the latter of whom remained, settled in Monmouth County and was elected to official position in 1667. In the direct line of descent was Samuel, born about 1720, the great-grand- father of the subject of this biographical sketch and a resident of Hohndel township, who mar- ried, in 1745, Mary, grand daughter of Penelope Stout. Among his sons was Joseph, who resided on the farm now owned by Chrineyonce.S. Holmes, where he, in 1805, erected thedwelling at present occupied by the latter. Joseph Holmes married Nellie, daughter of John Schenck, of Holmdel (then Middletown) township, whose children were Jonathan, Elisha, John, Nellie and Mary (Mrs. Hendrick Longstreet). Jona-

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History of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Pt. 2, Part 59

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