History of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Pt. 2, Part 68

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

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Mr. Buchanon has manifested his public spirit by participating in nearly every move- ment having for its purpose the growth and de- velopment of Asbury Park. In 1874 he was elected to the office of township committee of Ocean township, when Asbury Park was a part thereof, and by re-election served two years. Upon the erection of Neptune township from

Ocean, leaving Asbury Park in the former, he was elected as one of the commissioners of the borough, and by re-election twice, held the office for five years, part of which time he was its chairman, and for four years its treasurer.

He was for seven years trustee of the School Board, during which time the first school build- ings were erected, at a cost of ten thousand dol- lars, and he has sought to advance the educa- tional interests of the place. He is also at pres- ent a member of the Board of Health of Asbury Park, representing in these various offices the suffrages of the Democratic party. He is an aetive Mason, and member of Asbury Lodge, No. 129, of that fraternity, as also of Hiram Chapter, No. 1, Corson Commandery, No. 15, of Knights Templar, and United States Lodge, I. O. O. F., of New York. He is in religion a supporter of all evangelical denominations, though especially in sympathy with the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. Mr. Buchanon was, in 1870, married to Althea S. Collins, a native of Clienango County, N. Y., and a daughter of William Collins, of Monmouth County. Their children are Louisa, William J., Arthur and Bessie.

JOHN S. RIPLEY .- Mr. Ripley is of English extraction, his great-great-grandfather, who was a physician, having been one of the earliest set- tlers in Norwich, Conn. The grandfather of John S. Ripley, a sea-captain, was lost while on a voyage to the West Indies. Among his chil- dren was John, born at Groton, New London County, Com., where many years of his life were spent as a farmer. He married Sally, daughter of George Crary, of North Stonington, Conn., and had children,-John S., Nathan C., George S., Leander H. and Sarah (Mrs. Allen E. Davis). . The birth of John S., of this number, occurred Angust 18, 1834, at Groton, Conn., the period of his youth having been spent at Groton, Preston and Norwich, Conn., respec- tively. After preliminary study at the public school he became a pupil of the Plainfield Acad- emy, and at the age of nineteen entered upon his profession as a teacher, his first experience being in his native State, after which he removed to Monmonth County, N. J. In August, 1862,

N. E. Buchanon

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NEPTUNE TOWNSHIP.

during the late war, Mr. Ripley joined the First relinquished by Mr. Ripley in favor of his part- ner, he having, meanwhile, purchased and re- modeled the present West End Hotel, of which he is now the popular proprietor. This struc- ture, now the largest at that point, has under- gone various improvements, is well equipped, spacious and now ranks as the leading hotel at that attractive seaside resort. Mr. Ripley is one Rhode Island Volunteer Cavalry, and partici- pated with the Army of the Potomac in the en- gagements at Fredericksburg and Chancellors- ville and in various skirmishes. Returning again to civil life, he was, on the 26th of December, 1867, married to Johanna, daughter of Elhanan H. Stout, of Monmouth County, a descendant of Penelope Stout, and granddaughter of El- | of the most energetic and enterprising citizens hanan Stout, son of Judge Stout, of Hopewell, ! of Asbury Park, and has in no small degree en-

DS Ripley

N. J. Their only son is named Eugene S. Mr. couraged the healthy growth of the place. An Ripley, on his marriage, embarked in mercantile influential representative of the Republican party, he has invariably declined all offiees other than those which are closely allied to the pursuits in Norwich, Conn., and, in 1872, re- moved to Asbury Park. Here he purchased lots, and, foreseeing the prosperity that awaited educational interests of the community. He is the development of the place, erected the first connected, as a Free and Accepted Mason, with Asbury Lodge, No. 142. His religious association is with the Reformed ( Duteh) Church of Asbury Park, in which he has been an elder since its organ- hotel, known as the Grand Avenue, of which he became joint proprietor with his brother-in- law, Lybrand Sill. This enterprise, conducted in the most business-like mauner, was finally , ization, and is one of its most liberal supporters.

876

HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

CHAPTER XXXI.

EATONTOWN TOWNSHIP.

THE township of Eatontown was formed from parts of Ocean and Shrewsbury townships by an act passed in 1873, erecting it within the following- named boundaries, viz. :

" Beginning at Cranbury Brook, where it crosses the line of said townships of Ocean and Shrewsbury, and running easterly down said brook or stream, the sev- eral courses thereof, to the Long Branch corporation line, the saw mill now standing upon or over said stream to be considered in the aforesaid township of Ocean, and the Ocean Mills, standing upon or over said stream, to be considered in the township of Eaton- town; thence running along the westerly line of said corporation to the railroad leading from Eatontown to Long Branch ; thence northeasterly to the southeast corner of John E. Pye's land; thence north to the South Shrewsbury River, being the boundary line between said townships of Ocean and Shrewsbury; thence westerly to the point of land known as Horse Neck, at the end of a new road; thence westerly along said new road or highway to the turnpike lead- ing from Red Bank to Eatontown ; thence southerly along said turnpike to the junction of the road lead- ing from Eatontown to Tinton Falls; thence westerly along said road towards Tinton Falls to the corner of the road leading from the northwest corner of John G. Vanderveer's farm to the Half-way House ; thence southerly along said road or highway to the place of beginning."

The boundaries of Eatontown township are : On the north and north west, Shrewsbury River and township; on the east, Pleasure Bay, Ocean town- ship and Long Branch corporation ; on the south, Ocean township; and on the west, the township of Shrewsbury. The north part of the township is crossed by the New York and Long Branch Rail- road, and also by the Eatontown Branch, which connects with the main line of the New Jersey Southern Road at Eatontown Junction, in the northwest corner of the township. The population of Eatontown township, by the census of 1880, was two thousand six hundred and forty-two. The following is a list of chosen freeholders of Eatontown township from its erection to the present time, viz. :

1873-74. Lawrence Price.

1875-76. Gordon Drummond.

1877-78. William T. Hopper.

1879-80. John S. Lufburrow.

1881. Frederick Beale.

1882-84. George N. Maps.

EATONTOWN is the principal village of the town- ship, situated in its northwestern corner, four miles west of Long Branch, and on the line of the New Jersey Southern Railroad. The village takes its name from Thomas Eaton, who settled about 1670 on tlie creek that passes through the town, where he soon after built a grist-mill. He came to this country, in 1660, from Goodhurst, Kent County, England ; landed in Rhode Island, settled there tem- porarily and married a widow named Wing, who had two children-Joseph and Ann. The latter mar- ried into the family of West, in Monmouth County.

Thomas Eaton built a house on the site of E. C. Fielder's residence, and lived there till his death, October 26, 1688. In his will he left the mill property to his wife, Jerusha, in trust for her child, who was born after his death (March 26, 1689). He was named John Eaton, and by the provisions of his father's will came into possession of the estate at the age of twenty years. He married Joanna, daughter of Eliakim Wardell, who lived on the site of what is now called Monmouth Beach. John Eaton was in the Legislature of the State from 1723 until his death, October 25, 1750. When first entering into public life he was one of three chosen to represent the interest of Eatontown and vicinity in the location of the county-seat. In 1714 an election was held, and the decision of the jus- tices gave the election to the minority, composed of John Eaton, Edmund Lafetra and Henry Allen. This action aroused the people and protest was made to the court, resulting in an injunction re- straining the Eaton party from acting in the mat- ter and giving authority to Henry Leonard, James and Peter Wilson, who were the majority com- mittee. It was the desire of one party to loente the county-seat at Middletown, another at Eaton- town and a third at Freehold, where it was finally established in the year 1715.

Joseph, son of John Eaton, went to Massachu- setts, studied medicine and returned to Eatontown with a diploma and a wife, who was the daughter of Zaccheus Mayhew, and the widow of William Little. It was from William Little, a son of Mrs. Joseph Enton, that one branch of the Littles iu this county sprang, carrying with it the name Mayhew, that often occurs as a Christian name in the family.

On the return of Joseph Eaton to the home

EATONTOWN TOWNSHIP.

877

stead, about 1735, he commenced the practice of medicine, iu which he continued until his death, April 5, 1761. It is said he built the old house (still standing), which for many years was occu- pied by Dr. John Lewis.

Joseph Eaton early developed anti-slavery pro- clivities, which are shown fully in the case of the State against Lyon in 1789, where testimony was taken in the case of a slave who claimed to be free because her mother had been emancipated by Dr. Joseph Eaton, who, in his lifetime, had repeatedly declared himself opposed to slavery.

Valeria, a daughter of John Eaton and sister of Joseph, became the wife of Dr. Peter Le Conte, who setticd in this county before 1734, and located in Middletown Point, where he died in 1768.

Thomas Eaton, also a son of John, settled at Elizabeth. A daughter, Joanna, in 1750, became the wife of the Rev. Elihu Spencer, who at that time was supplying the pulpit of the Presbyterian Church of Shrewsbury and Middletown. From them are descended the Rev. Dr. Samuel Miller and the Sargents, well known in the judiciary of Pennsylvania. Dr. Joseph Eaton had a son who settled here for a time, but the family once so prominent is to-day extinct in this county.

There was a tavern in Eatontown, which was an old building before the Revolution, but the name of the proprietor is not known. From 1796 to 1809, Benjamin Parker kept a store-house, later occupied by George White, and long since torn down. It was a little east of the old Dr Lewis store, recently demolished. About the same time Joseph Parker and Daniel McAfee were keeping a store where Ezra Woolley is now located.

About the year 1808, Joseph Parker built on a lot back of the printing-office a schooner, which was named " Eatontown." When it was finished it was drawn by oxen and horses down the road to the property now of Thomas White, and from thence across the fields to the head of the creek on the farm now owned by the heirs of Peter Casler, where it was launched. The craft was about thirty tons burden. The distance from - where it was built to the launching-place was about one mile. It took three days to draw it to the launching-place, and crowds of people gathered to see the vessel move on land.

Joseph Allen, the father of James Allen, of

Shrewsbury, kept a store after 1800 on the lot now owned by Littleton White. Gabriel and James West moved up to the village from the farin about 1820, and opened a store on the lot where now stands the parsonage of St. James' Episcopal Church. They continued in business until the death of James, after which Gabriel con- tinued until 1870, when he sold to W. R. Stevens, who removed to his present store. The house and store lot was left by Gabriel West to the church for a parsonage. James and Gabriel were brothers of Edmund West, who is still living at the age of ninety-four years.

Before 1820, Joseph Lafetra built a tannery on the southeast of the Liberty Pole. Afterwards this was rented by Benjamin C. White, who con- tinucd there until 1862 or 1863, when he pur- chased the present tannery lot and erected the buildings. In 1872 the tannery was bought by Benjamin Hathaway, and in 1876, after his death, the property passed to Borden B. Sherman, of New York, who now owns it.

In 1833, Joseph Barclay first went into the mercantile business in Eatontown, in the old Dr. Lewis store, which was built in the previous year. He remained until 1835, and sold to Henry White. In 1838 he bought out Joseph Parker, and carried on business with his son until 1839, when the store was burned. Joseph Barclay, above mentioned, was afterwards a judge of the county courts. He was born in 1793, and is now living in the village in his ninety-second year. Many of the facts given in this history relative to Eatontown and vicinity from about the year 1800 have been obtained from Judge Barclay.

Gordon's "Gazetteer" of 1834 says of Eatontown : " It contains about thirty dwellings, five or six stores, two taverns, a grist-mill and an academy, and is also a post-town."

The Eatontown post-office was established about 1830, with Dr. John P. Lewis as postmaster. He served until his death, in February, 1861, when Benjamin C. White (who had acted as deputy for many years) was appointed postmaster. He con- tinucd until June 14, 1877, and was succeeded by Daniel H. Morris, the present incumbent.

The Wheeler House (hotel) stands on the site

878

HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

of an old tavern that stood during the Revolution. At the elose of the war it was occupied and kept by Mrs. Deborah Williams, widow of John Wil- liams. Afterwards it was kept by Thomas Little, Jaeob Dennis, Asher Smith (the latter sold the property in 1823, and purchased the Charles Parker tavern-stand, at Smithville, on the Mount Holly road), Charles R. Brinley, George Camp- bell, George Wilson and others. About 1861, John J. Wheeler purchased the property and car- ried on the old tavern until its destruction by fire, on the night of December 10, 1873. During the following summer he erected upon the site the present three-story brick hotel, known as the Wheeler House, and kept it until 1878, when he was sueeeeded by Peter Hall, the present pro- prietor.

About a mile from Eatontown, at what was known as Barclay's Corners, now owned by the Monmouth Park Association, in about the year 1805, Samuel Woolley ereeted a dwelling and store-house, which, about 1818, was bought by Samuel Harvey, who fitted it up as a hotel, which he kept till about 1830. After that time it was kept by Anthony Van Pelt and Amos Wolcott until 1857, when it was purchased by Joseph Bar clay and ehanged into a store and residence.

The Columbian House (hotel) was built in 1831, on property of Dr. John P. Lewis, by members of Washington Lodge, No. 9, F. and A. M. Dr. Lewis afterwards bought their interest in the house. It was kept first by Joseph Doty, later by Kruser Snediker, John Rogers and others, and on Mareh 30, 1873, it came into possession of Captain John S. Lufburrow, the present proprietor.

On the stream that passes through Eatontown, and which is one of the head-waters of South Shrewsbury River, Thomas Eaton erected a grist- mill soon after his settlement at this place (about 1670). It is mentioned in a road record of 1693. He died in 1688, and left the mill property to his wife Jerusha, in trust for their unborn child. The child was John Eaton. The mill came to him at twenty years of age. Under his management a fulling-mill was built (about 1715) near what is now the centre of the pond, the old mill being a little farthier up the stream. The mill property passed from John Eaton, on April 26, 1716, to New York.

Gabriel Stelle, who ran it till October 30, 1730, when John Redford became the owner. It passed from his executors to Humphrey Wady, who, in 1761, sold it to Joseph Potter. In August, 1769, Potter conveyed it to Hans Jacob Rettiker, but in a few years it came back to Potter again. After his death it came to Lydia, his daughter, who married Peter Wolcott, the father of the late Henry W. Wolcott. At this time there was no grist-mill and only the remains of the fulling-mill, which stood northeast of the present site. Peter Wolcott erected the present inill. He was a car- penter, and also kept a store in the house which stands near the mill. The mill property after- wards eame into the possession of Lewis Smith and Gabriel West, by whom the undershot wheel was changed to an overshot. It later passed to White & Richmond, and is now operated by J. H. & C. A. Richmond.

The first physician who practiced at Eatontown or in its vicinity was Dr. Joseph Eaton. He studied medicine in Massachusetts, and practiced here from 1734 to his death, in 1761.

Dr. John P. Lewis, of whom a more extended notice will be found in the history of the Medical Society, was a son of David Lewis, of Shrewsbury. He settled here before 1812, and lived in the Dr. Joseph Eaton house. He died February 26, 1861, aged seventy-three years. A son, Dr. Edmond Lewis, also practiced here for a time.

Dr. W. S. Kimball, a native of New York and graduate of the New York Homeopathic Medical College, settled at Eatontown in 1854. He was the first of that school to practice in the county of Monmoutlı. His summers are passed at Mon- mouth Beach, where his ride extends along the coast. He is also physician to the Branch Home, near Eatontown.

Dr. Charles Van Derveer came to Eatontown in 1858, and remained until he entered the army, in 1862.

Dr. O. Goodrich, a native of Berkshire County. Massachusetts, and a graduate of New York Med- ical College, settled in Eatontown in 1859, when well advanced in years. He practiced four or five years and then abandoned active practice. He retains this as his home, but is much of the time in

879

EATONTOWN TOWNSHIP.

Dr. S. H. Hunt came to this county from New York as a teacher, studied medicine, practiced ' gates from the following churches: Red Bank, here, served in the army as surgeon, and in 1868 settled in Eatontown, and was in practice until 'December, 1871, when he removed to Long Branch, where he now resides.

Dr. W. B. Beach settled in Eatontown in 1882, and is still in practice.

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF EATONTOWN dates back in its history more than thirty years. For several years prior to 1852 Methodist services had been held in the school- house on Railroad Avenue, now used as a dwell- ing. In 1851 it was decided to crect a church edifice, and a lot was purchased of the Smith estate and a house erected, which was dedieated March 24, 1852. At that time it was under the charge of the Rev. B. Weed, who continued through the next year. Among the pastors who have served since that time are the following- named : T. S. Moore, 1854-55; John L. Souder, 1859-60; G. K. Morris, 1861-62; T. A. Morrell, 1865-66; J. F. Morrell, 1870-71; J. Lavalle, 1874-75; A. M. North, 1876-77 ; N. J. Wright, 1878-79; A. J. Gregory, 1880-81 ; W. H. Allen, 1882-83; S. T. Grimes, 1884.

THE EATONTOWN BAPTIST CHURCH 1 dates back in its organization nearly thirty-five years. The first sermon was preached in Eatontown November, 1843, and was a Baptist sermon. There was then no church in the place, and, excepting the Society of Friends, but two professing Chris- tians to be found. The gospel was, however, re- ceived with popular favor.

The missionary, Rev. T. S. Griffiths, removed to the West in 1850, and was succeeded by the Rev. Robert T. Middleditch in the pastorate of Red Bank church, of which Eatontown was an out-station. The Red Bank church had so grown as to require all the time of its pastor upon its im- mediate field. This led to the organization of an independent church at Eatontown. The first step in this direction was taken in 1851, by the erection of a small house of worship. Constituted with seventeen members in 1852, they were recognized

as a Baptist church by a council composed of dele- Middletown, Holmdel and Hoboken. On appliea- tion, the church was admitted into the East New Jersey Baptist Association.

Rev. Charles A. Votey accepted a call to become their first pastor. He was a plain and earnest preacher and a good pastor. Under his labors they were much encouraged ; upwards of twenty converts were added to the church during his first year's settlement. Aid from the State Convention was sought, and one hundred and fifty dollars was appropriated to them. The church re- ceived a handsome communion service and a pulpit Bible from Mr. E. Wade of New York City. Also a suitable hymn-book was do- nated by Sarah Fleming. During the second year of his pastorate Mr. Votey closed his labors with the church and removed West. A period of de- clension followed. Two years the church was without a pastor. Regular preaching services were discontinued and many dropped away from the membership, In June, 1856, Mr. Teed accepted a call to become their pastor. The next February they ordained him. For two years his pastorate continued, and then for two years afterwards the church was without either pastor or clerk, and without any preaching whatever. Only a weekly prayer-meeting was kept up. In 1860, Rev. Augustus Pawley was settled. The church was under a cloud. Debt on church property, besides financial reverses, paralyzed the little body. For some months the church was again without a pas- tor. In 1862 the church was supplied for a time by a Mr. Reybold. At this time there was a great falling away from the membership. The debt had not yet been removed from the church, and the question of disbanding and selling the property was often discussed. The membership was reduced to seven, but for whose fidelity and perseverance the property would have been sold by the sheriff. They kept the interest paid up on the mortgage and managed to stay off the threatened foreclosure. Without a pastor or clerk till 1870, they managed to hold the property. This they accomplished also in part by renting the house to different de- nominations-the Presbyterian and Episcopalian- who were then without houses of their own. In 1871 the church received several aecessions from Shrewsbury and Red Bank. This gave a new

1 By Rev. A. N. Whitmarsh.

880

HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

impetus and permanently strengthened then. In 1872 a new and prosperous era dawned upon the church. Encouraged by valuable assurances, which have been more than fulfilled by these new elements, a Sunday-school was organized, and at Long Branch (a long-neglected, though important field) a mission interest was started,-a hall secured, in which the gospel was regularly preached by the newly-settled pastor, W. D. Seigfried; and aid was solicited by Deacon Smith, of Red Bank, and Horace Waters, of New York, for the support of the gospel. The sister churches responded gener- ously. Red Bank contributed over eighty dollars towards a pastor's salary, and thus, by efforts at home and abroad, nine hundred dollars was pledged to support a pastor.

In June, 1872, the church withdrew from the East New Jersey Association, and, on application, was received into the fellowship of the Trenton Association. In October, 1873, Rev. S. V. Marsh accepted the call of the church and became their pastor. During his ministry one hundred were added to the church. The members living at Long Branch were organized into a branch church, under care of the church at Eatontown. The Rev. Mr. Marsh resigned in 1876, and in October of the same year the Rev. Jabez Marshall became pastor and continued till September, 1880. He was suc- ceeded, in the November following, by the Rev. A. N. Whitmarsh, who was installed January 11, 1881. He continued to serve the church until 1883, when he was succeeded by the Rev. William S. Russell, the present pastor.

ST. JAMES' MEMORIAL EPISCOPAL CHURCH at Eatontown is of recent date as to the organization of the parish, yet it properly dates back more than half a century, to the time when the Rev. Harry Finch, soon after he became pastor of Christ Church in Shrewsbury, in 1830, began to hold Episcopal services in this place, at first in private houses and later in the Masonic Hall. These were held at irregular intervals for many years. In May, 1863, the Rev. Thomas Taylor began stated services in the Baptist Church, which were con- tinued for nearly three years, until, in 1866, a parish was organized, concerning which the fol- lowing, from the minutes of the church, is here given :

"The project of organizing a parish in the village was considered for some time, and the advantages to the cause of true religion generally discussed, till at length, on the evening of Wednesday, March 7, 1866, a meeting of all those favorable to such an or- ganization was held in the Baptist Meeting-House."

At this meeting it was resolved that the parish be styled "St. James' Memorial Church in Eaton- town." Gabriel West was chosen senior warden and Dr. O. Goodrich junior warden. At this meeting the Rev. Thomas J. Taylor was called to become their rector. It was proposed to build a memorial church to James West and others. A lot was purchased on the 16th of April, 1866, of Peter Lippincott, and the corner-stone of a church building was laid, August 8th the same year, by the Rev. T. M. Riley, of Navesink, and the Rev. George G. Hepburn, of Bricksburg. The church was built of stone, twenty-four by fifty-two feet, at a cost of six thousand dollars, nearly all of which was contributed by Gabriel West. A chancel window was placed in the church by Mr. West, in memory of his three children. The bell was the gift of Benjamin D. Sherman, of New York. The church was opened for services July 17, 1867. Bishop William H. Odenheimer made his first visit here November 23, 1867. The church edifice was consecrated June 19, 1868, by Bishop Oden- heimer, assisted by sixteen visiting clergymen.

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History of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Pt. 2, Part 68

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