History of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Pt. 2, Part 63

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

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After several years spent in voyaging, Freneau was again engaged in aetive literary employment in 1791, as editor of the Daily Advertiser, a jour- nal printed in New York, the superintendence of which he soon exchanged for that of the National Gazette, at Philadelphia, the first number of which appeared under luis direction in October the same year. He was employed at the same time by Jef ferson, the Secretary of State,-the seat of gov- ernment being then at Philadelphia,-as translat- ing clerk in the State Department, with a salary of two hundred and fifty dollars a year. It was a time of great political excitement, when the newly- framed Constitution, not yet fully established in its working, was exposed to the fierec criticism of its adversaries, while popular opinion was greatly excited by the rising tumult of ideas generated in

the French Revolution. In this strife of parties Freneau was an active partisan of the new French ideas, was a supporter of Genet, the minister who sought to entangle the country in the great European struggle, and, as might be expected, was an unsparing assailant of the poliey of Washing- ton, whose character he had heretofore eulogized. Washington was annoyed, and Hamilton attacked Jefferson for his official support of the troublesome editor. Jefferson replied that he had befriended Freneau as a man of genius; but that he had never written for his paper. Is is unquestionably true, however, that Freneau's political writings at this time had Jefferson's warmest sympathy.

In 1793 the Gazette ceased to exist, and in the fall of that year, or in the following spring, Freneau came to Mount Pleasant, where he took up his residence, and where he soon afterwards issued proposals for the publication of " a Mon- mouth Newspaper." One, at least, of those " pro- posals " is still in existenee. It is printed in small piea type on a sheet of common paper, eight by thirteen inehes in size, and dated " Mount Pleas- ant, July 4, 1794." It opens with a statement that-

" A number of the inhabitants of Freehold, Middle- town and the neighboring townships in the county of Monmouth having intimated their opinion that a weekly newspaper, printed in said county, might find a considerable cireulation and favorable reception from the publie, the subseriber has been induced to draw up and publish the following proposals, in order to de- termine whether a number of names will offer suffi- eient, by the commencement of the publication, to defray the expenses ineident to the same." The paper was to be ealled " The Monmouth Gazette and East Jer- sey Intelligencer," to be published every Tuesday morn- ing, at the rate of $1.50 per annum, one-half in advance and the remainder at the end of the year. After-pay- ments at the end of every six months, "in eash or country prodnee." The publication was to be eom- menced as soon as five hundred subseribers were obtained, and the papers were to be forwarded in packages, "by a stated Post-Rider, to Middletown Point, Holmes' Mill, Middletown, Shrewsbury, Colt's Neek, Monmouth Conrt-House, Walton's Mills, Eng- lishtown and Major Conover's Mills." The paper was to contain "the freshest foreign and domestic intelli- gence, with the proceedings of Congress during the session, a summary of the proceedings of the Legisla- tre of the State of New Jersey, and the laws enacted from time to time by the Federal Government." The first number was to be issued on the first Tuesday in October next following

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Nothing is found to show that the Monmouth Gazette was ever published as proposed, but in the following spring Frencau commenced the publica- tion of the first newspaper ever issued in Mon- mouth County, viz : The New Jersey Chronicle, published at Mount Pleasant, near Middletown Point. The first number was issued May 2, 1795, and continued weekly for a year, when it suspended for lack of support. " This Chronicle was quite a curious affair. It was printed by the author, Philip Freneau himself, who had mustered a med- ley of types for the purpose. The first number was of the humble dimensions of eight small quarto pages of seven inches by eight. This spirited little paper was soon enlarged, but, typographically, at least, it always appeared of a somewhat sickly con- stitution."

In the same year, from his press at Mount Pleas- ant, he issued a volume entitled " Poems written between the years 1768 and 1794, by Philip Fre- neau, of New Jersey." There are other editions of his pocms, but this one is so rare that it is highly prized by antiquarians. In a catalogue of a London bookseller it was advertised for sale; price, £3 10s. The last copy heard of for sale in this country was one in a Washington antiquarian book-store, for which the dealer asked some forty odd dollars, and finally got down to thirty-five dollars for a small octavo volume of four hundred and fifty-six pages.

In 1797 Freneau edited and aided in printing and publishing, in New York, a miscellaneous periodical entitled The Time-Piece und Literary Companion It was printed in quarto form and appeared three times a week. In 1799 he pub- lished in Philadelphia a thin octavo volume of " Letters on Various Subjects, etc.," under the nom de plume of " Robert Slender, A. M." For some years after this there is found no particular account of his occupation, but it appears that he still resided in New Jersey, penning occasional verses on topics suggested by the day. In 1809 he published the fourth collection of his writings, en- titled "Poems published during the American Revolution."

In the poem which Freneau wrote during his visit to the West Indies, and entitled "Beauties of Santa Cruz" (before mentioned), he records his detestation of negro slavery, and the same is found,

pictured still more vividly, in his poen addressed "To Sir Toby, a sugar-planter in the interior parts of Jamaica."

In another poem "On Emigration to America, and Peopling the Western Country," published in his volume of 1795, Freneau comcs nearer home, in the declaration of his opinions on this subject, when he writes, --

" O come the time and haste the day When man shall man no longer crush,

When reason shall enforce her sway, Nor these fair regions raise our blush, Where still the African complains, And mourns his yet unbroken chains."

In after-life, when the poet himself, under the mild system of Northern servitude, became the owner of slaves in New Jersey, he uniformly treated them with kindness, manumitted them in advance of the Emancipation Act in the State, and supported on the farin those of them who were not able to take care of themselves. One of these was an an- cient "mammy," who lived some years after the death of her former master, and who was ever ready with the boast that she had once opened the door for General Washington, who had spoken a kind word or two to her on that occasion, though there is little probability that there was any truth in the tale, as there is nothing to show that Wash- ington was ever any nearer to Mount Pleasant than the Monmouth battle-field.

Philip Freneau lived to commemorate the inci- dents of the second war with Great Britain, in 1812. He wrote various poems celebrating the naval ac- tions of Hull, Porter, Macdonough and others: His traditionary hatred of England survives in these and other compositions which he published in New York, in 1815, in two small volumes, entitled "A Collection of Poems on American Affairs and a variety of other subjects, &c." A distinguished writer says, in reviewing this volume : " He depiets land battles and naval fights with much animation and gay coloring ; and being himself an old son of Neptune, he is never at a loss for appropriate cir- cumstance and expressive dietion when the scene lies at sea." After witnessing and chronicling in his verse the conflicts of two wars, Freneau had yet many years of life before him. They were mostly passed in retirement at Mount Pleasant, and later

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at his residence, near Freehold. He occasionally visited New York, keeping up acquaintance with the leaders of the Democratic party. His appear- ance and conversation at this time has been graphi- cally described by the late Dr. John W. Francis, in whom the genius and history of Freneau excited the warmest interest, and which was published in the "Cyclopedia of American Literature."

" I had, (says Dr. Francis), when very young, read the poetry of Freneau, and as we instinctively become attached to the writers who first captivate our imagi- -nations, it was with much zest that I formed a per- sonal acquaintance with the Revolutionary bard. He was at that time about seventy-six years old, when he first introduced himself to me in iny library. I gave him an earnest welcome. He was somewhat below the ordinary height; in person thin, yet muscular ; with a firm step, though a little inclined to stoop; his countenance wore traces of care, yet lightened with intelligence as he spoke; he was mild in enunciation, neither rapid nor slow, but clear, distinct and em- phatic. His forehead was rather beyond the medium elevation ; his eyes a dark gray, occupying a socket deeper than common ; his hair must have once been beautiful; it was now thinned and of an iron gray. He was free of all ambitious displays; his habitual expressiou was pensive. His dress might have passed for that of a farmer. New York, the city of his birth, was his most interesting theme; his collegiate career with Madison, next. His story of many of his occa- sional poenis was quite romantic. As he had at com- mand types and a printing-press, wheu an incident of moment in the Revolution occurred, he would retire for composition, or find shelter uuder the shade of some tree, indite his lyrics, repair to the press, set up his types and issue his productions. There was no difficulty in versification with him. I told him what I had heard Jeffrey, the Scotch reviewer, say of his writings, that the time would arrive when his poetry, like that of Hudibras, woukl command a commentator like Grey. It is remarkable how tenaciously Frencau preserved the acquisitions of his early classical studies, notwithstanding he liad for many years, in the after- portion of his life, beeu occupied in pursuits so en- tirely alien to books. There is no portrait of the pa- triot Freneau; he always firmly declined the painter's art and would brook no 'counterfeit presentmeut.'"

The aversion of Freneau to sitting for his por- trait, noticed by Dr. Francis, was one of his peculiarities, for which it is not easy to suggest a sufficient explanation. But whatever the motive, he resolutely declined to have his portrait painted. He was once waited upon by the artist Rembrandt Peale, with a request for this purpose, by a body of gentlemen in Philadelphia; but he was inexor-

able on the subject. On another occasion, the elder Jarvis, with a view of securing his likeness, was smuggled into a corner of the room at a din- ner-party at Dr. Hosack's, to which the poet had been invited; but the latter detected the design and arrested its accomplishment. In later years however, after the poet's death, a portrait of him was painted from recollection, which was pro- nounced satisfactory by several surviving members of his family, who remembered his personal appear- ance.

In the collection of Freneau's poems published in 1809 is found the list of subscribers which he procured for it, headed by the names of James Madison, then President, and Thomas Jefferson ; and in Monmouth County there were the following subscribers, viz .: Middletown: Jehu Patterson, Esq., Captain Hendrick Hendrickson, James Mott, Esq., Colonel Jarrett Stillwell, Captain Isaac Van Dorn, Captain Denise Hendrickson, Brigadier-General Richard Poole. Middletown Point: Cornelius P. Vanderhoof, Esq., Dr. William Reynolds, Captain John Hall. Near Middletown Point : Jolin Van Pelt, merchant, Peter Johnson, William Walton. Allentown : Richard Stout, merchant. Freehold ; John Quay, Esq., Mr. David Cook. Monmouth : Hon. James Cox. The most recent volume of liis poems was published in 1865 by W. J. Middleton, New York, with an introductory memoir by Evert A. Duyckinek, from which are taken many of the facts in the foregoing outline of his life.

In the last years of his life Mr. Freneau was not a resident of Mount Pleasant, but lived about two miles below the village of Frechold, where he owned and occupied a house now the property of A. J. Buck. There he lived until he had nearly completed his eightieth year. He lost his life, December 18, 1833, " by exposure and cold while going on foot, in the night during a snow-storm, to his residence, near Freehold." The circumstances of his deathi were related in the Monmouth Inquirer of December 15th, as follows :

" Mr. Freneau was in the village; and started, toward evening, to go home, about two miles. In attempting to go across, he appears to have got lost and mired in a bog meadow, where his corpse was discovered yester- day morning. Captain Frenean was a stanch Whig in the time of the Revolution, a good soldier and a warni patriot. The productions of his pen animated his countrymen in the darkest days of'76, and the

HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

846

effusions of his muse cheered the desponding soldier as he fought the battles of freedom."

Philip Frencau left a family of four daughters, all of whom were living in 1865. The mother of Horatio Seymour, of New York, (Mary, daughter of General Jonathan Forman), was a niece of Mrs. Philip Freneau, the wife of the poet. The Fre- neaus, through the second marriage of the poet's mother, were connceted with the Kearney family of New Jersey. Philip Freneau married, at about the age of thirty, Miss Eleanor Forman, daughter of Samuel Forman. General Jonathan Forman and Denise Forman, who were much engaged in military affairs in the State during the Revolution, were her brothers. David Forman was her cousin. This lady, who shared her husband's tal- ent for poetry, corresponding with him for several years before their marriage in versc, was of marked character and intelligence. She was de- votedly attached to the Episcopal Church, which the family attended, having left the French Church in the lifetime of the poet's father. Mrs. Freneau survived her husband seventeen years, retaining in her latter days many of the most in- teresting memories of the Revolution. She died September 1, 1850, and her remains lie with those of her husband, in the family burial-ground at Mount Pleasant. A monument to the poet's mem- ory has since been erccted on the spot.

The house in which Philip Freneau lived at Mount Pleasant is still standing (having been re- modeled in later years), and is now owned by the estate of Thomas Ryer. The poet's grave is about fifty yards in the rear of the house.

Thomas I. Bedle, who came to Mount Pleasant in 1827, says there were at that time about thirty houses, including Mount Pleasant and Middletown Point. Peter Johnson had kept the tavern many years, and was succeeded by his son William, who was the landlord at that time. It is not kept as a tavern at present. The old sign-board bears the name of William H. Conover, who was the last landlord.

CLIFFWOOD is situated in the northern part of Matawan township, at Matavan Point, where, about twenty-five years ago, Henry L. Clark pur- chased a tract of high land on which he laid out a

village plat, erected a large hotel, built a dock and chartered a steamboat to make trips to and from the place ; but all efforts failed to create a village or establish trade at that point, as was expected.

THE CLIFFWOOD METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH building was erected in 1854. The ser. vices held in it have from the first been under charge of the Methodist Church at Matawan.

SCHOOLS .- The first mention or knowledge of a school-house within the limits of this township is found in a record of a road dated March 24, 1761. The road passed "through Mount Pleasant to Middletown Point Landing, near the school-house on said Point." Exactly where this school-house stood it is impossible to determine. Before this time a Presbyterian Church organization was formed, a house erected and a burial-ground laid out on the site of what is yet known as the old cemetery. Asbury Fountain attended school in an old house that stood, in 1815, on the northeast corner of the burial-lot. This site may have been the location of the old house of 1761. The school- house Mr. Fountain attended was in use (with repairs) until about 1850, when it was rebuilt and used until the present school-house was erected, a short distance away, on the side of the old burying- ground. This district is No. 46, and is known as Mount Pleasant District. It now contains one hundred and sixty-six children of school age. Joseph W. Dunlap was a teacher in the old house about 1840, and was followed by Van Brackle.

About 1833 an effort was made to establish a school near the centre of the village of Matawan. It was in operation in the spring of 1834, and called Middletown Point Academy. The success of this little school caused greater interest to be taken, and on the 16th of August, 1834, a meeting was held in the bank-office and a subscription was started to erect a suitable building. it was re- solved that the property of the academy be di- vided into twenty-two shares, at fifty dollars each, which were taken by cleven persons, viz .:- Wil- liam Little, Francis P. Simpson, George S. Wood- hull, Holmes Van Mater, D. L. F. Sehenck, John C. Whitlock, Joseph P. Conover, William Cooley, Asbury Fountain, Joseph Ellis and Elihu Baker.

On the 6th of September, 1834, it was decided to build a school-house 44 x 26 feet, two stories in

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MATAWAN TOWNSHIP.

height. The present district school-house, No. 47, stands on the lot then purchased, and it is the building then erected. Contract was made, Octo- ber 11th, in that year, with T. D. Simpson to com- plete the building for one thousand and twenty dollars. A meeting of the stockholders was held February 5, 1835, to organize and elect trustees. William S. Cooley was selected as principal, and the first term began April 27, 1835. He taught until July 21, 1836, when he was dismissed, and August 1st following, Philetus Phillips was engaged , to take charge of the academy, a position he held until January 1, 1844. He had as assistants Mrs. Phillips, Miss Louisa Cox, teacher of French, and Miss Hannah J. Cox, as teacher of music. He was succeeded by William Parker. From the first the principals paid to the stockholders one dollar per pupil as rent for the building. The furniture of the school-room was the property of the principal. About 1845 the school began to receive public money. It was, however, continued under the care of the stockholders until 1851, when it was leased to the district, then under the .care of George W. Bell.

Up to this time the scholars of the village who were not attending the Academy were attending the school at the old graveyard. The Academy was still continued under J. W. Schermerhorn as principal. In 1857 the stockholders purchased a lot on the opposite side of the street, subscribed two thousand dollars and erected a part of the present Institute building, and the Academy was opened with much better facilities and advantages. In 1859, Henry Sabin became principal. During his stay a paper called the Monthly Offering was published each month by the pupils. It was then called the Collegiate Institute of Middletown Point. Mr. Sabin remained principal until after 1862, when - Howard became his successor, and in 1872, J. H. Hamilton became principal and remained two years. On September 10, 1874, . Charles Jacobus, the present principal, took charge of the Glenwood Institute (a name given by Pro- fessor Howard). Under Mr. Jacobus the build- ing has been enlarged to its present dimensions and capacity. The names of the faculty and . board of trustecs are here given, viz. :

Faculty for 1884-85: Charles Jacobus, A.M., .(principal), Latin, Greek, physics; Carrie A. Bee-

gle, music, French ; Albert H. Wilson, English, mathematics and book-keeping ; Julia A. Kuech, history, German ; Helen V. Nathans, primary department. Board of Trustecs: Daniel B. Strong, William L. Terhune, Henry W. Johnson, Edward Black, William Spader, Rens. W. Dayton. Offi- cers: Daniel B. Strong, president ; Henry W. Jolinson, secretary and treasurer.

The district used the old Academy building under the lease until 1873. On July 2d in that year the district was authorized to raise two thousand dollars to purchase the lot and building, which was done; since which time school has been taught there. The district now contains one hun- dred and eighty-three children of school age.

In March, 1839, a boarding-school was opened at Middletown Point by the Misses Walton, which was continued a few years.

On the 7th of August, 1850, a lot was purchased in the lower part of the town, on which was crected the Lower Point School-house, now known as District No. 48. This district contains two hun- dred and twenty-nine pupils.

The Cliffwood School District, No. 45, situated in the north part of the township, contains one hundred and eighteen children of school age. The school-house was erected before 1825, and stood on the opposite side of the brook from the present Cliffwood station. In 1854 it was moved to its present location, and about 1874 an upper story was added.

That portion of the township lying next to Holmdel is a part of Oak Grove District, No. 58. The school-house is in Holmdel. The district contains seventy-six pupils.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

THOMAS W. THORNE is the son of John Thorne, born April 10, 1790, who resided on the Thorne homestead, below Keyport. He married Elizabeth Walling, whose birth occurred Septem- ber 11, 1790. Their children were William Henry, born in 1813; Thomas W., November 1, 1814; John L., in 1816; Ann, in 1818; Elijah, in 1821; Mary, in 1823; Joseph W., in 1825; Garret, in 1827; Elizabeth, in 1830; Ann and Elijah, who died in youtlı.

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Thomas W., the second son in order of birth , spent his childhood upon the homestead farm, near Keyport, receiving only such education as was obtainable in the neighborhood, and when a youth, entered the store of Mr. Leonard Walling as clerk. He subsequently transferred his services to Keyport, and from thence to Holmdel, where he was for many years engaged in the mercantile business. He had various partners, one of whom was his brother Joseph, though much of the time he conducted the business alone. Mr. Thorne

was elected without solicitation to various offices of trust, and filled them with fidelity and accept- ance. For many years he was superintendent of the Keyport and Matawan Gas-Light Company, having removed to the latter place in April, 1872, and secretary of the Holmdel Cemetery Company from its first ineeption. He was also a member of the Monmouth County Agricultural Society. He was often solieited to fill such offices of trust as executor, administrator and trustee, and his opin- ion was received with respect in questions requir-

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married, on the 1st of October, 1844, Miss Marga- | ing arbitration. In his religious convictions Mr. ret S., daughter of Jonathan I. Holmes, of Holin- Thorne was a Baptist, and a member and trustee of the Baptist Church at Matawan, whose interests he was foremost in promoting. His death occurred June 7, 1882, in his sixty-eigth year. del. Their children were two sons-Jonathan H. and John Edgar, deceased-and two daughters, Eleanor S. and Ann Eliza. The death of Mrs. Thorne occurred December 20, 1855. Mr. Thorne was a man of modest demeanor, but uni- AARON LONGSTREET .- The genealogy of the Longstreet family is given in the biographical sketch of Jonathan Longstreet, Esq., who resides upon the homestead. Aaron Longstreet was boru versally esteemed as an honored and upright citi- zen. He was a strong Democrat in his political sympathies, and greatly interested in the success of the principles which his party maintained. He I on the 17th of August, 1805, at the family home

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MATAWAN TOWNSHIP.

in Holmdel, where he remained until his nine- in his native township. In 1842 Matawan be- eame his residence, where he beeamne interested in the lumber business in eonneetion with Sidney Bray, and was also for some time engaged in mercantile pursuits. He continued this aetive life until 1880, the date of his praetieal retirement from business ventures. Mr. Longstreet has, sinee his removal to Matawan, been identified with its leading publie enterprises. He is a director of the teenth year, meanwhile combining study at sehool in the latter village with the varied duties of & farmer's son. He then removed to Middle- town Point (now Matawan), and engaged for two years as elerk, subsequently returning again to the homestead. In eonneetion with Daniel Holmes, he enibarked in store-keeping at Holmdel, and continued this business eonneetion for eight years. He was, on the 29th of January, 1839, | Farmers' and Merehants' Bank of Matawan. In

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History of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Pt. 2, Part 63

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