History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 100

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Swan, Norma Lippincott. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia, R. T. Peck & co.
Number of Pages: 1148

USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > History of Monmouth county, New Jersey > Part 100

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Mention of Lewis Morris is found in a com- munication by the Rev. Jacob Henderson, a missionary from London, dated June 12, 1712, and giving a representation of the state of the

1 Several times (and while he was one of the justices on the bench) the grand jury of Monmouth had presented him for feneing up the road from Middletown to Freehold, and for other misdemeanors.

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Church of England in New York and New Jersey, viz. :

" In New Jersey . . . the plurality of the Queen's Council are good churchmen, and have always op- posed any attempts made to her prejudice by ye Qua- kers or other Dissenters, who have at their head one Coll. Lewis Morris, a professed churchman, but a man of noe manner of principles or credit; a man who ealls the service of the church of England, Pageantry ; who has joyned in endeavours to settle a conventiele in the city of New York, and whose practice it is to intereept letters, and let such as please him pass, and those yt doe not he destroys, as can be fully proved. This Coll. Lewis Morris, with the present Governour, Coll. Hunter, have written to the Lords Commission- ers of Trade, to turn out of the Council six church of England men, and put in six others in their room, some of them Dissenters, and those that are of are such as will run into all the measures of the Assembly, and therefore of the worst consequences to the church in that Province." 1

In 1703, Morris was appointed a member of the Council of Lord Cornbury. He soon became prominent in opposition to the Governor, and in 1704 was suspended from the Couneil. He at once assumed the leadership of an oppo- sition, being ably seconded by Thomas Gordon and Samuel Jennings. A remonstrance was made to the Queen setting forth the grievances under which they labored, and also a remon- strance to the Governor. This called forth from the Governor, in reply, a bitter denunci- ation of the men to whose agency he right- fully attributed the adopting of those views which so decidedly militated against the su- premaey of his individual will. The member from Perth Amboy was referred to in disparag- ing terms as "one Thomas Gordon " and Morris and Jennings were stigmatized as men " known to have neither good principles nor good morals," notorious as " disturbers of the quiet and peace of the Province, possessed with passionate heats and the transports of most vindietive tempers." Lieutenant-Governor In- goldsby and eight of the members of the Council presented a counter-memorial to Lord Lovelace, in which they said : "As to Mr. Morris, the whole County where he lived, namely the County of Monmouth, are witness to his troublesome temper, whereby he is a

perfect torment to his neighbours; those who know him best have most reason of complaint, And since he came to write man, hath been Eminently concerned, if not Principall in all the Rebellious and disorders that have been in this Province, as may appear by his own hand writing . .. there is hardly a county in the Eastern Division wherein he did not succeed to stirr them to dangerous and notorious Riotts and Rebellions, but only the county of Bergen, where he did not faile for doing mischiefe for want of good will, But that the Dutch People therein were wiser, and treated him with that Contempt his Evill Designs Required. It was a werke they had no liking to, and so they closed their Resolutions among them- selves, that they would not have to do with the Spiker-maker; that was the very term of Con- tempt (being Dutchmen) they used towards Morris, grounded upon the Iron-Works his Unkle left him." Elsewhere Morris and Sam- uel Jennings are characterized as " men known to be uneasy under all government, never con- sistent with themselves, and to whom all the factions and confusions in the governments of New Jersey and Pennsylvania for many years are wholly owing."

Mr. Morris was appointed chief justice of New Jersey in 1712, and of New York in 1720. In 1733 he was removed from the position of chief justice by Governor William Cosby, who, in giving his reasons for the removal, said,-

" But at another time, Mr. Morris having opened the Court, he adjourned it, according to his custome, to the next morning, but sitting up all that night and drinking hard, he lay abed all the next day till near sunsett, when the people growing more uneasy at his delays, some of his friends, or his servants, awakened him, he got up, and Company being admitted into his Chamber, he asked what hour it was, they answered almost night ; how can that be, said the Chief Justice, the sun has but just risen ; and saying so he took up his Fiddle and played the Company a tune. These particulars, I assure you, I had from some of the Law- yers who were there at the times, and from several other persons of good Credit; the County was very uneasy, but not knowing how to get redress, were obliged to bear it."

Towards the close of 1734, the proceedings of Governor Cosby so exasperated his opponents that they determined to lay their grievances be-

1 Col. Doc., i. 4, 156.

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IHISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

fore the King, and they made Mr. Morris their messenger. He soon after visited England upon that mission, and remained until the death of Cosby in March, when he returned home and reached Morrisania October 7, 1736. The prov- inee was disturbed in its gubernational relations from that time to February 1738, when Lewis Morris was appointed Governor of New Jersey, he being the first Governor of the province separate from New York.

From about 1710, Lewis Morris was a resi- dent of Morrisania, N. Y., though during his Governorship of New Jersey he resided at Kingsbury, near Trenton, where he died May 21, 1746. He was buried in the family vault at Morrisania. His property in Monmouth County was left to his son, Robert Hunter Mor- ris, from whom it passed a few years later. 1765 the mill property was owned by Daniel Hendrickson ; later by Reuben Shive, and by William Remsen, who, in 1838, sold the mills to Pierson Hendrickson, who still owns them. After the property had passed from the Morris family there was a small foundry in operation upon it, at the Falls, for many years.

THE MACEDONIAN ZION AFRICAN METH- The first tavern at Tinton Falls was on the site of Nimrod Baulsir's residence. It was kept by Nicholas Van Brunt, who was sheriff of the county during the Revolution. In 1808 it was kept by Jacob Van Arsdale, and later by For- man Throckmorton, Gilbert Clayton, John Mount, Holmes Messler, and last by Nimrod Baulsir, from 1872 to 1883. The present hotel ODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH was organized in 1854, and erected a building on Pine Brook, south of Tinton Falls, and on the line between Shrewsbury and Atlantie townships. The society was incorporated April 16, 1855. The church was placed under charge of the African Methodist Episcopal Church of Eatontown and is still in that connection. The house was used was changed to that use from a store about 1870, ; until 1884, when a new house was built, and and kept by Edward Wilson, and at present by William Hendrickson.

The Tinton Falls post-office was established about 1840 with Pierson Hendrickson as post- master. He was succeeded by Daniel Holmes, William Smith, Nicholas Wilson, Samuel Ben- net, David Haner and Benjamin Scott.

Tinton Falls was the home of Dr. Jacobus Hubbard, who is mentioned in a road record as residing there in 1713. His son, Jacobus Hub- bard, also became a physician and also lived at. Tinton Falls. Dr. William H. Hubbard, now of Red Bank, was a nephew of Dr. Jacobus Hub- bard and settled at Tinton Falls in his early practice.

The mineral spring at the Falls is said to have been reserved by the Indians in their sale to the white settlers. It is strongly impregnated with iron, and is equal in flow and temperature in all seasons and weather. In 1838, Robert Morris opened a boarding-house within three hundred yards of the Spa Spring. In 1867 a company was organized to develop the property, and was later incorporated ; nothing was done, and the company expired by limitation. The spring is now owned by men in New York.

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH at Tinton Falls stood originally about half a mile south from the Falls, on land now owned by John Dean. A lot was given for the purpose in 1815 by James Withers. Trustees were ap- pointed, but it does not appear that it was built until several years later. It was then used at that place until 1868, when it was moved to Tinton Falls, and used until 1872, when it was rebuilt, and was rededicated February 5, 1873. The pastors from that time have been James Moore, J. Lavelle, A. M. North, N. J. Wright, A. J. Gregory, W. H. Allen, and S. T. Grimes.

dedicated December 14th in that year. The pastor in charge is the Rev. E. Hammett.

CENTREVILLE is a settlement on the line of Shrewsbury and Ocean townships, south of Eatontown village. A hotel was built at the place in 1846 by John Brown, and kept by him for many years. In 1865, James H. Dangler became the landlord and kept it till 1884, when it was discontinued as a hotel. Mr. Daugler, in 1873, built a store, which he ocen- pied and still keeps. A carriage-shop was built by E. L. Havens in 1874.

RUMSON NECK comprises all that part of Shrewsbury township lying between the Nave-

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sink and Shrewsbury (or otherwise Shrewsbury and South Shrewsbury) Rivers, and is the " Navarumunk Necke" sold by the Indians to the white settlers in 1664. Otherwise the name was spelled Narumsunk and Narumson, which last is found in an Indian deed of the year mentioned.

One of the first settlers on the neck was John Hance, who is mentioned as deputy and over- seer at a court held at Portland Point December 28, 1669. He settled on Rumson Neck and owned a tract of land reaching from river to river. During the Dutch rule he was appointed " schepen," or magistrate, in 1673, having been a justice before that time. He lived and died on his estate, and is probably buried in the old cemetery which is at the Rumson nurseries. The oldest słab in this yard bears this inscrip- tion : " Here lyes ye body of Joyce Hance, wife of John Hance, who died February ye 4th, 1722-3, aged 39 years." She was proba- bly the wife of the son of the original settler. From this John Hance sprang all of the family, many of whom, by intermarriage with Friends, are now of that denomination.

Joseph Parker, an early settler upon Rumson Neck, came to this connty with Peter Parker, John Sloeum and Eliakim Wardell about 1667, and with them signed the oath of allegiance. He received a patent for a large tract of land on the upper end of the neck, reaching from river to river. He was appointed a judge of the court in 1676 and also a deputy to the Assembly. In the minutes of the Assembly of 1683 is a state- ment of matters of difference between the pro- prietors and Council on one hand, and Joseph Parker, John Bowne and Richard Hartshorne on the other, relating to the disputes between the first settlers of Monmouth, who elaimed their titles under the patent granted by Gov- ernor Nicolls, 1665, and also by purchase from the Indians. He died in 1685 and left his prop- erty to his son Joseph, who was born in 1670, and who married Elizabeth, daughter of Re- membrance Lippincott. They had two children, Joseph and Deborah. Joseph was the father of William Parker, better known as " Rich Billy," who was born in November, 1736, and married Mary White.

He lived near Shrewsbury

village, and his vast landed estate made him very wealthy. Many stories are told of his eccen- trieities. He belonged to the Society of Friends, and yet dressed with considerable ostentation, for the buttons on his waistcoat and outer coat were made of silver dollars. He lived during the Revolution, and the following story is told of him :

"Richard Howell, who was a major in the Second Regiment, Continental army, until 1779, and afterwards Governor of New Jersey from 1792 to 1801, was on termis of intimacy with Parker, and one time, when he was in Parker's neighborhood, accepted the hospitalities of his house. One evening, while he was out, a party of Refugees stopped at Parker's house and de- manded supper. While they were eating, Major Howell, not knowing they were there, entered the room. Parker, with presence of mind, promptly exclaimed : 'Good evening, Dick ! why is thee so late ? I cannot attend to that business to-night. I am engaged with some friends. Call in the morning and I will settle it.' Parker was so self-possessed that the Ref- ugees never suspected that he was talking to an American officer. As to Howell, he took the hint and at once retreated to less dangerous quarters."

" Rich Billy " Parker had several sons, of whom Joseph, born in 1760, settled in Eaton- town and was a merchant there many years. William settled on Rumson, where his descend- ants still live. His daughter Phoebe became the wife of Thomas White ; Polly, another daughter, married first a Holmes and later a Crawford. Deborah Parker married Benjamin Corlies. Benjamin C. White and Abner Allen were her grandsons.

William Parker, called " Boatman Billy," to distinguish him from "Rich Billy," was a grandson of Peter Parker, who settled at what is now Long Branch, came to Rumson Neck and settled near what was afterwards named Parker- ville, from this family. William had a son William, whosettled on the homestead, where his grandsons now live. Michael Parker, now (December, 1884) more than eighty years of age, is a son of William Parker, Jr.

On the north part of the eastern point of

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Rumson Neek is a traet of land, now called Black Point. It is a part of the lands that came to the possession of Colonel Lewis Morris, of Tinton Falls, about 1674. On the 15th of April, 1689, he conveyed it to Lewis Morris, a son of his brother Thomas, who lived in Lon- don. The Lewis Morris here mentioned resided there and was a man of influence. He is men- tioned in the old records as "Lewis Morris, of Passage Point," by which name the point went for many years.

At a court held at Middletown in September, 1694, " Lewis Morris, of Passage Point," was indicted for the offense that he, " with several of his negroes, did feloniously take away the hay of William Shattock." The indictment was "re- moved by writ of habeas corpus to the Court at Perth Amboy," and Lewis Morris, of Tinton Manor, became his bondsman. At the next court, held at Shrewsbury, December 25th, the same year, Lewis Morris, of Passage Point, was indieted for striking Nicholas Sarah, of Free- hold. The court ordered him to appear at next court, to be held at Middletown, March 27, 1695. At that term Lewis Morris "did inform the court, how matters were and submitted himself to the bench and was by them dismist." It was not loug after this time that he was murdered by negroes (in 1696). At a subsequent term of court it was ordered " that the negroes that are in the gaol for the murdering of Lewis Morris, of Passage Point, shall be conveyed by the sheriff to Perth Amboy, to attend the Court of Common Right."

The traet of land (about seven hundred acres) owned by Lewis Morris, of Passage Point, where he lived, passed to his cousin, Lewis Morris, and in time came to Richard Salter, who, on July 27, 1753, conveved it to John Salter and John Hartshorne. The latter was a sou of Wil- liam Hartshorne, of the Navesink Highlands. Many years later it was in possession of Dr. Eleazer Parmley, who, September 17, 1832, sold it to Scabury Treadwell. The place has now nothing of any importance upon it. The south part of the point is rising ground and is well built up with elegant residences surrounded with finely laid out grounds. It is facing on the Shrewsbury River and Pleasure Bay, and is

connected with Seabright and the railroad-sta- tion at that place by an iron bridge, which gives the residents (most of whom are business men) easy access to the city. Above, or west of the Salter and Hartshorne tract of seven hundred acres, was the large tract of Richard Salter ; still farther west, and reaching across the neck from river to river, was the Borden tract ; still farther west, and adjoining, was a part of Joseph Wardell's tract, which, about the close of the Revolutiou, came into the possession of William Bingham, a wealthy merchant of Philadelphia and United States Senator from Pennsylvania. He built an elegant country-seat on an elevated piece of ground commanding a view of the neck, Shrewsbury and Navesink Rivers and the ocean in the distance. His wife was a leader of fashion in Philadelphia, and during the sum- mer season many of the fashionable people of that city were invited to the hospitalities of his seaside house. The property afterwards passed to Dr. Eleazer Parmley, whose son is still in possession of a part of the estate.

PARKERVILLE (now Little Silver) is situated a little south of the middle of Rumson Neck, and not far from Little Silver Creek. About 1820 the people in the vicinity began to be regularly visited by Methodist ministers who traveled in this vicinity. Meetings were held at the house of Michael Parker and of Mrs. Eras- mus, who lived opposite, where the church now stands. In 1822, Michael Parker gave the lot on which the present store stands for a church; Mrs. Erasmus donated timber, and, by other contributions from those interested, a meeting- house was built, and called the Embury Metho- dist Episcopal Church. The district at that time was under the charge of the Rev. John Walker and William Lummis. In 1829-30, Rev. John Wollaston was on the circuit. In 1844, Rumson became a separate charge, and was placed under the care of the Rev. William W. Perry, who was the next year at the church of Red Bank. The pastors who have served since 1874 have been W. S. MeCowen, 1874; W. Franklin, 1875-77; J. E. Lake, 1878-80; W. A. Massey, 1881-83; S. Townsend, 1884. In 1866, the church being too small, the

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school-house lot was bought, and in 1868 the present frame meeting-house, thirty-five by sixty feet in size, was ereeted.

In 1845, Jacob C. Parker opened a store a short distance cast of the present store, which is the old church building. A post-office was established in 1875, with B. F. King, the present postmaster, in charge.

About 1871, Charles Habrough began the business of carriage-making at the place, and built the present shops. He was succeeded, in 1876, by R. B. Campbell, the present owner, who now keeps about eight men constantly employed.

In 1878, J. T. Lovett began setting out a traet of one hundred acres at Little Silver as a nursery, making a specialty of small fruits. He also has fifty aeres, at Deal Beach, in stock. During the busy season he has employed a hundred men, and ships his stock to all parts of the United States.

The Rumson Nurseries were first opened in 1854, on the old Hanee homestead farm, by Asher Hance, and were held by him and his sons until 1879, when the farm was sold to William W. Conover, who continued till 1882, when it came under the management of Hance & Borden, by whom it is continued, and who now have four traets under cultivation,-one on the original site, on Rumson Neck road; one at Albert Bor- den's residence, at Little Silver; a peach nursery, about half a mile north of Little Silver Depot; and the Riverside nurseries.

THE VILLAGE OF OCEANIC lies on the north side of Rumsou Neek and on the Navesink River, a mile or two above Black Point. In 1840, Martinus Bergen owned a large traet of land on the neck, and in that year sold one hundred acres to Thomas Hunt, of Long Island. At that time there was a farm-house on the place,-the same now occupied by Augus- tus Ligier as a hotel. About a mile below this farm the Friends of Rumson Neck had, a year or two previous, built a pier for their own ben- efit, which was destroyed in 1845. Mr. Hunt then built a pier and a hotel, which last was named Port Washington Hotel. One or two houses were erected prior to this time, and a church, which was for the use of all denomi- |

nations, was creeted and dedicated May 1, 1842. Mr. Hunt established a line of steamers- the "Confidence," " Cricket " and "Thomas Hunt "-in 1845. These ran from Port Wash- ington Dock for several years. The "Cricket" was seriously damaged on the bar, and the others were taken off.

A " private " post-office was established at Port Washington in 1845, with Samuel Harvey as postmaster. The mails were brought from Red Bank. The name was afterwards changed to Oceanie, when the office became regular, and Alvin Harvey was appointed postmaster. He was succeeded by James Bruce, the present incumbent.

In 1845 Mr. Hunt erected a building near the end of the wharf for - Hammond, who opened a store ; also, a shoe-shop for Samnel Harvey, who, in 1859, built a store, which he kept many years. The present store was opened about 1859 by John Jeffrey, who kept it five years. It is now kept by Enright Brothers, who also have a store at Seabright. The large hotel, formerly known as the Port Washing- ton Hotel and now as the Oceanie, is kept by Vietor Ligier.

THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH of Port Wash- ington was organized by the Presbytery of Mon- mouth in April, 1861, and was constituted of members from Red Bank and Shrewsbury Churches. The church building that was erected in 1842 was placed iu their charge, and they have since occupied it. The chapel, which was built in 1880, at Seabright, is placed in charge of this church. The pastors and their terms of service are here given,-Alfred B. King, Octo- ber 22, 1861, to July 1, 1862; Alexander Clement, November 17, 1865, to March 14, 1868; James McFarlane, April 30, 1868, to April 23, 1871 ; Charles S. Newhall (supply), June 20, 1874; S. B. Dodd, to 1881; Samuel Miller, 1882 to 1883; W. S. Knipe, 1883 to 1884.

THE GOODWILL METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHI was organized in 1875 and ereeted the Goodwill Chapel in that year. It is under the care of the church at Seabright.

ST. GEORGE EPISCOPAL CHURCH stands on the corner of Bellevue Avenue and the Ridge

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

road. It is a stone structure, built in 1874 by the summer residents on the neck. The first rector was the Rev. William Borden, who was succeeded by the Rev. William O. Embray. The church at Fair Haven and at Little Silver are both under the charge of this church.

ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, on Little Silver, was originally a mission of Trinity Church, of Red Bank. In 1878 the present edifice was erected. The church has about forty members.

FAIR HAVEN is located on the north side of Rumson Neck and on the Navesink River mid- way between Oceanic and Red Bank. In 1825 the land in the locality was owned by Morris De Hart, Jacob Corlies and Asher Hance. In 1816, Jeremiah Chandler, a boatman, bought an acre of land on the coast and erected a two- story house on the site of what is now Van Tine's Hotel. The first store was kept by John Covert about 1825. Christopher Doughty opened a grocery about 1833 (where Benjamin Douglity now lives), and later moved to where James Scott now keeps a boarding-house. About 1850, Peter Snyder opened a store where George Hendrickson now keeps. A wharf had been built about 1850, which was much enlarged in 1857, and the Fair Haven Dock Company was incorporated February 5, 1866, with the follow- ing corporators : Charles Doughty, Edward Bennett, Forman Smith, Benjamin B. Hance, Cornelius Hendrickson, Denyse Hendrickson, Abraham Trafford, George De H. Gillespie and others. This company had been running steamboats to their dock, and at this time addi- tional boats were put on the route, some of which were running to Red Bank, touching at this point. They were the " Highland Light," " .James Christopher," " Alice Price," " Mc- Lean," "Nelly White " and the "Sea Bird." This last-named boat was built in 1865, par- tially burned in 1869 ; rebuilt and is still on the line, making regular trips to New York.

A post-office was established about 1876, with Edmund Trafford postmaster, who at that time kept a store at the place. He has been snc- ceeded by Henry C. Dennis, Edmund Trafford and the present incumbent, William V. Bennett.

The Chandler dwelling-house was enlarged by John Van Tine about twenty years ago and opened as a hotel, which he still keeps. The Atlantic Hotel has been built within the past few years.

THE METHODIST PROTESTANTS organized a congregation at this place in 1854 and erected a church edifice, which is still standing and in use. The foundation of a new church, thirty-five by sixty feet, is already laid, and the building is expected to be ready for occupancy during 1885. After the completion of the new church the old building will be used as a chapel and for a Sunday-school room. Among the pastors who have served the church are the Revs. - Van Leer, James Cassell, E. C. Stultz, - Hen's, - Bailey, Jacob Freed and Jacob Leupie, who is the present pastor.

THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZION CHURCH was built many years ago on the Port Washington road, east of Fair Haven. It was destroyed by fire on Sunday, February 9, 1873, and the congregation removed to Red Bank, where the society built a house of wor- ship.

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History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 100

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Swan, Norma Lippincott. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Philadelphia, R. T. Peck & co. Number of Pages: 1148

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Swan, Norma Lippincott. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia, R. T. Peck & co.
Number of Pages: 1148