History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 111

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 111

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In 1826 the Presbytery of New Brunswick organized a church, with thirteen members, as the Presbyterian Church of Upper Freehold, but the name was soon after changed to Mill- stone. The church has a present membership of one hundred and twelve and a thriving Sunday-school.

The following-named ministers have served as pastors of this church, viz. :

William Woodhull, installed September 6, 1826; dismissed May 7, 1832.

L. S. Beebe, installed September 16, 1834; dis- missed November 8, 1836.

William S. Betts, installed June 13, 1838; dis- missed August 25, 1840.

THE VILLAGE OF CLARKSBURG is situated in the western part of Millstone township. Near the site of this village the old "Willow-Tree Tavern" was a well-known stand in the early years of the present century. Mention of it is found under date of January, 1815, as &the Willow-Tree Tavern, owned by Aaron Eldridge, formerly by Hartshorne Tantum, situated on the main road leading from Philadelphia to Long Branch, eight miles from Allentown and twelve from Monmouth Court-House, in the ocenpation of Joseph Jerman." In the period from 1829 to 1834 it was kept by Peter John- son and William Hankin. In the latter year it was discontinued as a tavern, and the present Clarksburg Hotel was erected and opened as a public-house by John Claytou. Afterwards Stephen Clayton was its proprietor. It is now kept by Henry Britton.

At Clarksburg, about 1820, John J. Ely opened a store, which, in 1829, was kept by Addison Mount. It stood where the hay-seales

1 The Rev. Dr. Worrell died at Perrineville, January 27th, aged seventy-seven years.

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

now stand. A few years later Sheriff Charles Allen built the present store building. A store is now kept at this place by P. Elmer.

The Clarksburg post-office was established BERKSVILLE, in Millstone township, has its when Addison Mount was keeping the store, name from John Berke, who, more than half a and he was appointed postmaster. His success- 1century ago, was located at that place, and ors have been David Bowman, Charles Allen, Thomas Gravatt, James Snediker and the present postmaster, Mrs. Reuben G. Strahan.

THE METHODIST CHURCH AT CLARKSBURG was organized before 1845, and in that year (August 23d) David Bowman sold to the trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Clarks- burg a half-aere of land to build thereon a church edifice. It was located half a mile west of the Willow-Tree Tavern. A church was soon after erected, and services have been held in the house with some regularity since that time. The pulpit is supplied by pastors from other churches having this in charge.

THE MANALAPAN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHI was organized in 1856. In the preceding year the people living in the vicinity of Manalapan- ville (which is a small village situated on the line between Millstone and Manalapan town- ships) began the erection of a church building, and, in July of that year, several members of the First Church of Millstone petitioned the Presbytery of New Brunswick for the organi- zation of a new church. This was granted, and the organization of the church and the dedica- tion of the new building were concluded at the same time (July 31, 1856), the services on that occasion being conducted by the Rev. Dr. Henry, who had also led in the ceremony of the laying of the corner-stone of the church, on the 10th of October, 1855. In the spring of 1857 the Rev. John L. Kehoo was called to the pastorate, and he was installed on the 30th of June following. He remained pastor of the church until April 26, 1874, when he resigned on account of failing health. His successor was the Rev. George Warrington, who was installed pastor December 16, 1874, and continued until 1879. On the 1st of August, 1880, the Rev. Daniel Laughlin, a recent graduate of Princeton College, was ordained and installed pastor of this church, and he is still (November, 1884) in charge. The

church has now a membership of two hundred and eighty.

keeping a tavern which has been continued to the present time, and is now kept by Abram Jameson. A store has been kept at the place at different times.

"Carr's Tavern" is a place where a public house has been kept for nearly a hundred years. The place derived its name from Elisha Carr, who was the landlord fifty years ago. Wil- liam Holman, the present proprietor, has kept it since 1864. Joseph De Bow has a store at this place. On a stream near it the De Bows have operated saw-mills for one hundred and thirty years.

BURNT TAVERN, in Millstone township, is an old and well-known stand, where, as early as the beginning of this century, was a house which was burned before 1806. It was re- built and named Burnt Tavern, and a sign was raised on which was painted a picture of a house with flames issning from the windows. It was kept in early days by Dye, Jewell, Wil- liam Brotherton and others. Later, it was owned by Asher Morse, who kept it for a time, then rented it to different ones, among whom were Jacob Dennis, Charles Potts and Henry H. Wolcott, a son-in-law of Morse, who also kept a store in the house. In 1847 he closed this tavern and rented the house now known as Charleston Springs Hotel (then kept as a store by Wolsey Baldwin), opened it as a hotel and kept it till his death, a few years ago. In 1880 the property was purchased by Joseph C. Thompson, who now keeps the hotel.

SCHOOLS OF MILLSTONE .- The township is divided into eight school districts, which con- tain seven hundred and forty-seven children of school age. The school property is valued at six thousand dollars.

On the 21st of December, 1845, William Hutchinson conveyed to the trustees of schools of Millstone, for a period of one hundred and ninety-nine years, a lot, then described as "near the house where Joseph Gravatt now lives."

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MILLSTONE TOWNSHIP.

The terms of this lease were that the trustees were to erect a school-house on it and "to finish said house within the term of twelve months from this date, and to keep it in good and complete repair for a school to learn children to read, write and cipher, and said house shall be used occasionally for preaching or Public worship. . . . Said trustees are not to ent or cause to be ent any timber on said land." The house then built stood ou the county line be- tween Monmouth and Mercer Counties, at the place where the Hightstown and Perrineville turnpike crosses it. The old building has long since disappeared.

Fairplay School District, No. 24, in Millstone, contains seventy children of school age. The first school-house in this locality was erected over a hundred years ago on land now owned by Thomas Knilty. It was abandoned more than seventy-five years ago. A school-house was built about 1812 on land owned by Joseph Storey, which was used many years, and not abandoned until the formation of the present district. This was the house at which pupils from Perrineville and adjacent points attended. About 1845 the Rev. Charles Worrell, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church at Manalapan, urged the building of a school at that place, which was done. This caused the people of this section to petition for the formation of a new district, which was granted, and it was named " Fairplay." Soon afterwards, and before 1847, the present school-house was erected. The lot was donated by Abijah Mount. Judge Wm. P. Forman was an early teacher in this house.

Church District, No. 25, now contains one hundred and thirty-one children of school age. Shortly after the Rev. Charles Worrell assumed the pastorate of the Presbyterian Church at Perrineville, he urged the people to erect a school-house. The children then attended at the Storey school-house, some distance away, and the private schools and academy, the latter of which had then been abandoned. A large two-story frame school-house was erected in the grove near the Presbyterian Church, and it was also used as a session-room for the church. It was occupied at that place until its removal to its present site, in August, 1884.

In Manalapan District, No. 26, the first school-honse stood about three hundred yards north from the west end of the mill-dam on the Reed farm. Judge William P. Forman at- tended school there in 1817, and says it was then an old house. It was abandoned about 1835, and another one was built about half a mile from it, on the south side of the road lead- ing to Hightstown. This was used about ten years, when difficulties arose and the present district, and also Grove District, were formed. The present house was erected about 1846.

Sweetman Lane District, No. 27, has seventy- nine children of school age. Within the bounds of the present district a school-house was standing in 1806 on the farm now owned by Samuel Gravatt. In that year Mrs. Mary MeKnight (now eighty-four years of age) at- tended school there, and she says it was then an old house. It was destroyed by fire in 1829. Of the teachers in that house were Joseph Johnston, Charles Smith and Prentiss B. Emory. About 1830 the present school-house was built on half an aere of land, donated for school purposes by Mr. Johnson. Of carly teachers in this house were Prentiss B. Emory, Judge Wil- liam P. Forman (in 1835) William R. Wilson and Harriet Pittinger.

Grove Distriet, No. 28 has one hundred and three children of school age. The school-house stands on the road leading from Bergen Mills to Hightstown, and was built about 1846, when the new district was formed. It is partly in Mill- stone township and partly in Middlesex County. At the time the school-house was built it was in Millstone township, but it is now in Middlesex County.

De Bow School District, No. 29, has one hundred children of school age. Three school- houses have stood within one hundred yards of the present site. The first was built before 1820, and was destroyed about 1830. A new house was soon after built, which stood until 1879, when it was torn down and the present house was erected.

Clarksburg School District, No. 30, has ninety-six children of school age. As early as 1815 a school-house was erected about half a mile northwest of the Willow-Tree Tavern.

660

HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

School was taught in it by William W. Williams. It was used many years. A school- house was erected on the present site, near the Methodist Church, about 1850.

Burnt Tavern School .- After the destruction of the old school-house on the Burnt Tavern road, a portion of the children went to Sweet- man Lane School. A school also was opened in the house of Dr. Harvey Baldwin, near the present hotel. In 1838 a school-house was erected and used till 1868, when it was moved away and the present one erected upon the site.

Union School District, No. 38, contains eighty-one children of school age. This school- house was erected about 1830. It has since been repaired, and is still used.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

WILLIAM P. FORMAN .- Ex-Judge William P. Forman was born in the township of Upper Freehold (now Millstone) on the 25th day of January, 1807, where he still resides. He rep- resents the fifth generation from the pioneer, John Foreman, who arrived from Scotland in the year 1685, and settled near Freehold, the letter " e" having since, by general consent, been stricken out in spelling the name. Judge For- man's father was Peter, his mother's maiden- name being Rebecca Ely, who was closely con- nected with the extensive family of that name now residing in the county. From boyhood he was of an inquiring mind, aspiring to the acqui- sition of useful knowledge. He was, however, obliged to satisfy his aspirations by attending the district schools in youth, a portion of the time in the winter season only, except when a student of a grammar school in the neighbor- hood for a brief period. The remainder of the time he was engaged at ordinary farm labor. He became a good mathematician, and mastered the theory of surveying, which he practiced in after-life with a considerable degree of success, as also that of conveyancer. He was frequently employed in the settlement of estates and in other business. In the mean time, having pur- chased real estate in the neighborhood, he be- came absorbed in the occupatious of an agricul-

turist. The most useful knowledge he acquired was by practical observation of the laws of cause and effect, being at the same time careful to put into operation any well-digested idea that did not involve greater outlay than he could safely control. When young, he was passionately fond of military life, and was connected with the old militia system and held the offices of lieutenant, adjutant and major. The system was not fos- tered by public opinion, and could not be con- ducted creditably; therefore he promptly re- signed. When in his twenty-first year Judge Forman became interested in affairs of a relig- ious nature, and believed it to be his privilege and duty to number himself with the people of God. He therefore connected himself with what was then called the Second Presbyterian Church of Upper Freehold (now the First Presbyterian Church of Millstone), under the pastoral care of Rev. William H. Woodhull, a lineal descendant of Rev. John Woodhull, D.D. He remained simply a member until 1841, and was then ap- pointed a ruling elder, in which capacity he served for about fifteen years. He was, at that date, dismissed to join the Manalapan Church, on its organization, August 1, 1856, in the erection of which edifice he had taken a very lively in- terest. He became, and is still, one of its first ruling elders, and is the only survivor of the original number. He also became presiding trustee and filled the office for twenty-seven con- secutive years, when he resigned on account of advancing years.

On the 12th day of March, 1828, Judge For- man married Miss Evelina Baird, a daughter of Captain David Baird, by whom he had four children, viz. : John (who died in infancy), Fransinchy Rebecca, Mary Elizabeth and Peter, still living. His wife died November 26, 1883, in her seventy-ninth year. Mrs. For- man was an affectionate wife and an indulgent and kind mother, highly appreciated by all who knew her. From 1829 until 1832, Judge For- man taught school, and has the satisfaction of remembering that most of the few gray-headed men and women now left were once his scholars ; not many, however, remain, some of them hav- ing occupied high positions both in church and state, and one, at least, having been Governor of

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MILLSTONE TOWNSHIP.

the State. The judge evinced some taste for polities, and was often called upon to preside at primary meetings and conventions of the people. He was chief marshal at the great gathering on the Monmouth battle-ground, when many years ago visited by Colonel Richard M. Johnson. Among the township offices, he has held the posi- tion of assessor at different times in two distinet townships. He served in the State Legislature for several years, and afterwards, in 1843, was appointed a judge of Monmouth Court of Com-

1838, received a thorough academic education and became proficient as a surveyor and con- veyaneer. He has filled the office of assessor of his township for years and represented his dis- triet in the State Legislature. A man of integ- rity, he is universally esteemed in the county.

DAVID BAIRD .- David Baird, the great- grandfather of Mr. Baird, born October 19, 1710, married Sarah Compton, whose birth oc- curred April 18, 1716. Among their children

mon Pleas for the term of five years. He | was John, born October 27, 1750, who owned was appointed again in 1852 for a like term the property on which the subject of this sketch resides ; and David, born July 16, 1754. The latter was three times married. His last wife was Mary Edwards, born about 1771, and mar- ried on the 25th of November, 1795. Their children are David, born in 1797 ; Rei, born in 1798; Elizabeth, in 1800; Thomas, February 6, 1802; An, in 1803; Evelina, in 1805; Joseph, in 1807 ; James, in 1810; Rachel, in 1812; Eleanor, in 1815; and Zebulon, in 1819. and also in 1857 for the same length of time, and again in 1862 for five years, making a period of twenty years' service. He has since transacted considerable publie business, but has recently retired from active life and now lives quietly on the homestead, his chief desire being to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with the Lord his God. Peter Forman, the only son of Judge Forman, was born December 2,

662

HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Thomas married Eleanor T., daughter of Peter Bilyeu and Maria, his wife, of Upper Freehold. Their children are David and Jonathan (twins), the latter of whom died in infancy, and Sarah, wife of John E. Hunt, born March 20, 1833. The birth of David Baird (the fourth of the name) occurred on the 21st of August, 1829, in Millstone township, from whence he, in 1842, removed with his parents to the farm which is his present residence He received early advan-

11, 1860, deccased ; Isaac, November 11, 1861, deceased ; Howard, February 16, 1863 ; Carrie, March 27, 1865 ; Henry Leslie, November 28, 1867, deceased ; David, February 16, 1869 ; and John H., February 7, 1872. Mr. Baird, for a brief period following his marriage, en- gaged in general farming, but devoted his atten- tion particularly to the growing of small fruits. In 1869 he embarked in the nursery business, and, though making a specialty of fruit and

David Baires

tages at the common schools of the township, ! ornamental trees, devotes much time to florieul- later becoming a pupil of O. R. Willis, at ture. He finds a ready market for the produe- tions of the nursery, the principal shipments being made to Maryland and Delaware. Mr. Baird, though interested in the political issues of the day as they affect his township and county, has manifested little desire for office. He has, however, as a Republican, served for three years as choseu freeholder, and also as assessor. He was also actively identified with measures for the proseention of the late war. Hightstown, and subsequently at the Freehold Institute. Returning to the farm, he assisted in its cultivation, and on the 9th of December, 1852, was married to Mary E., eldest daughter of Isaac Pullen, of East Windsor, Mereer County, N. J. Their children are Emerson P., born October 11, 1853; Sarah H., July 9, 1855; C. Augustus, May 15, 1857 ; Thomas, January 2, 1859, deceased ; Millie, September

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MILLSTONE TOWNSHIP.

He is a member of the Monmouth County Agri- cultural Society, of the New Jersey State Horti- cultural Society, and of the American Horticul- tural Society, and life member of the American Pomologieal Society. Mr. Baird is also actively interested in religious work and is an elder in the Manalapan Presbyterian Church, of which Mrs. Baird is also a member. Sarah A., decased; Mary, deceased ( Mrs. Lewis Parker); Lucy, deceased (Mrs. John Segoine); Elizabeth (Mrs. Enoch Ely) ; Pierson, deceased; Margaret, (Mrs. John G. Mount) ; James Monroe; John M .; William M .; and Joseph, deceased. James Monroe, of this num- ber, was born February 12, 1821, and in 1824 removed with his father to Smithburg, the latter having purchased at this point the hotel prop- JAMES MONROE SMITH .-- John Smith, the erty which had been in possession of the grandfather of James Monroe Sinith, a Quiker Parker family for many years, and was then

James on Smith

by birth, resided in Holmdel, then Middletown owned by Charles Parker, father of ex-Gover- township, where he followed the trade of a mill- nor JJoel Parker. James Monroe Smith re- wright. He was three times married. By his I ceived a common-school training, and afterward union to Margaret Ogden were born two sons, aided in the cultivation of a traet of six hun- Samuel and Asher. The last named, a native dred aeres of land, owned by his father. Here of Holmdel, was formerly a successful farmer, | he continued to be industriously employed, and later a landlord at Smithburg, Millstone meanwhile acquiring a thorough knowledge of farming, until 1850, when, on the 5th of Novem- ber of that year, he was married to Leah E., township, where his intelligence and character enabled him to wield an extended influence. He married Ann Pierson, daughter of John ! daughter of Daniel Slack, of Perrineville, Mill- Pierson, of Trenton, N. J. Their children are I stone township, and granddaughter of Thomas

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664

HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Slack, who married Rachel Swain, born May 27, 1767, daughter of Daniel Swain, born De- cember 1, 1742. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Smith are Frank, deceased; Daniel Pier- son, Thomas A., James Monroe, Carrie M. and William M. Mr. Smith purchased and removed to a part of the homestead farm, which he enltivated until 1871, when his present at- tractive property, formerly the Slack home- stead, was secured. Here he has since resided, and continued the healthful pursuits of a farmer.

and is a director of the Freehold and Smith- burg Turnpike Company. He is also a mem- ber of the Monmouth County Agricultural Society. Both he and Mrs. Smith are connected by membership with the Manalapan Presby- terian Church, of which he is one of the trustees.

CHARLES ALLEN .- John Allen, the grand- father of the subject of this biographical sketch, was by trade a carpenter, and pursued his craft

Charles alleup

IIe has been identified to some extent with the township aud its interests, as freeholder for a period of three years, and as township com- mitteeman for ten years. His loyalty was manifested during the late Rebellion, in great personal exertion made to fill the quota for the township, when a heavy individual responsi- bility was incurred, and the crisis met with a courage worthy the most exalted patriotism. Mr. Smith was among the incorporators of the Moumouth County Mutual Insurance Company,

successfully iu Monmouth and Burlington Counties. He married Elizabeth Haley, whose children were William, Edward, John, Isaiah, Mary Jane, Elizabeth, Susan and Margaret. Edward was born August 14, 1793, and mar- ried Sarah Johnson, daughter of John and Elizabeth Ketchum Johnson, of Howell town- ship. Their children are Charles, born October 18, 1815; William, August 10, 1817; Eliza- beth, January 14, 1820; John, May 14, 1821 ; James, July 20, 1824 and Eunice E., October

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ATLANTIC TOWNSHIP.

24, 1828. The birth of Charles occurred at Blue Ball, in Howell township, from whence he, in his youth, removed with his parents to Prospertown, in Upper Freehold township, and became a pupil of the district school of that locality. In youth he engaged as clerk for Thomas Miller in the mercantile business near Prospertown, and two years later removed to Cassville with the same gentleman, finally re- turning again to Howell township as elerk for William and Aaron Remsen, at Butcher's Works. Two years later he became clerk for Rice Hadsell and Jacob and William McClain, at Red Bank, in Monmouth County, and after leaving Red Bank went to New York City as clerk for Joseph W. Brick, who was the pro- prietor of Bergen Iron-Works. From thence he returned to Cassville as assistant in his father's store. Mr. Allen was, on the 28th of September, 1841, married to Hannah W., daughter of Captain Ephraim Potter, of Tom's River, N. J., and the following October was elected sheriff of Monmouth County, which office he held for three years and resided in the town of Freehold. When his term of office expired he removed to Clarksburg, in the same county, and engaged in farming and mercantile business. In the year 1851 he was elected to represent his constituents in the State Legisla- ture and again in 1867. Having no children, the kindly natures of Mr. and Mrs. Allen have led them to bestow their affection upon four adopted daughters,-Sarah E., wife of E. P. Emson ; Malvina H., wife of John Henry Ely ; Ella Cornelius Allen; and Annie Cornelius Allen. Mr. Allen has acted as freeholder for a number of years and filled various township offices, his services having been no less val- uable to the township than to the county. In 1878 he was elected to the office of sheriff of the county of Monmouth, thirty-seven years having elapsed since his first election to that office. He has been, during his whole life, closely allied to the Democratic party and ac- tively interested in the publie questions of the day. He is a liberal supporter of the Christian Church, his wife being a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Clarksburg, N. J. In 1882, at the close of his term of

office, Mr. Allen removed from Freehold to Perrineville and engaged in farming and the management of a grist-mill and steam saw-mill. His services are frequently called into requisi- tion as trustee and executor, and his advice sought in the solution of questions involving litigation.

CHAPTER

ATLANTIC TOWNSHIP.

THE township of Atlantic was erected in 18471 from parts of the townships of Freehold, Shrewsbury and Middletown, with boundaries "beginning at the southwest corner of the township of Shrewsbury, where the Freehold, Shrewsbury and Howell township lines meet ; thence running northerly until it comes to the mouth of the road that leads through Jacob Conover's farm ; thence northerly, following the middle of said road, until it comes to the road near - Hulse's house, which road leads to John J. Ely's mills; thence casterly, following the middle of said road, until it strikes Middle Hop Brook ; thence easterly, down said brook, its varions courses, until it comes to Swimming River Bridge ; thence southerly, along the mid- dle of the main road leading to Tinton Falls, until it comes to Haggerty's corner; thence southerly until it strikes the Tinton Falls mill- pond brook ; thence up the said brook, by its various courses, until it comes to Pine Brook ; thence up the said Pine Brook until it strikes the Howell township line; thenee westerly along the line dividing the townships of Howell and Shrewsbury to the Freehold line, the place of beginning."

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History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 111

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