History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 117

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 117

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698

HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

in Manalapan township and among its most representative citizens.

Livingston Du Bois, the youngest brother of Henry and Benjamin Du Bois, also of Manala- pan township, was born April 18, 1827, on the homestead in Marlboro', now occupied by Tunis V. Du Bois, where in childhood he attended the distriet school, and until twenty-five years of age gave his attention to the labor connected with the cultivation of his father's land. He was married, December 6, 1854, to Mary T., daughter of George Hunt, of Manalapan town- ship, the ceremony having occurred in the resi- dence at present occupied by him. Their children are William H., John Henry (married, March 4, 1884, to Anna V. Conover), George L., Joseph Ely, Wilson G. (deceased), Anna H. and Frank B. Mr. Du Bois after his marriage resided for one year at the home of his father- in-law, and at the expiration of this period pur- chased a farm in Manalapan township, which he cultivated for twelve years. He then became the owner, by purchase, of the Hunt homestead, on which he now resides. A Democrat in his political faith, he has declined office other than frequent service as member of the township committee of Manalapan. This office-a very onerous and responsible one during the late civil war-entailed great responsi- bility in the filling of the township quota and the seenring of substitutes. Mr. Du Bois' activity and zeal on this occasion elicited from his fellow-townsmen much praise. He is identified by membership with the Mon- month County Agricultural Society. In reli- gion he is a Baptist, and connected as a member with the Freehold Baptist Church, of which he has been at various times a trustee.

CHAPTER XXIV.

RARITAN TOWNSHIP AND THE TOWN OF KEYPORT.

RARITAN is the northernmost township of Monmouth County, having Raritan Bay as its northern boundary. On the east it is bounded by the township of Middletown, on the south

by Holmdel and on the west and northwest by Matawan township and creek and by Raritan Bay. Several small streams flow north wardly through the township into Raritan Bay, the principal of which are Wakake, Chingarora and Lupatcong Creeks, the last two named en- tering the bay at the town of Keyport. The New York and Long Branch Railroad crosses the southwest corner of the township, and the Freehold and Keyport Railroad enters the last- named town from Matawan. The population of Raritan township by the United States cen- sus of 1880 was three thousand eight hundred and ninety-one,-this including the town of Keyport.

Raritan township (taken from the territory of Middletown) was erected in 1848 with the fol- lowing described boundaries, viz. :

"Beginning at Tanner's Landing, on the shore of Raritan Bay; thence running southerly along the new road, near Thomas Arrowsmith's, to the road leading from the village of Middletown to Keyport; thence along the road by Daniel D. Hendrickson's to the corner of John P. Luyster's and William H. Hendrickson's land; thence westerly to the road run- ning by Hendrick V. Luyster's ; thence along the said road to the road leading from Middletown to Holm- del; thence along the road by John Golden to the corner of lands of Ann Ogborn, deceased; thence following the road through Morrisville to the road leading from Holmdel to Leedsville; thence southerly to the Atlantic township line between the lands of Joseph Conover and Aaron Van Mater; thence along the line of said Atlantic township in a westerly direction to the line of Freehold township; thenee following the line between Freehold and Middletown townships to the line between the counties of Mon- mouth and Middlesex; thence down the said county line to Raritan Bay; thence along the shore of said Bay to the place of beginning."

In 1857 a large portion of the territory of Raritan was taken to form the new townships of Matawan and Hohndel, erected by an act passed in that year. In the histories of those town- ships the boundaries are given of the territory thus taken from Raritan. The following is a list of chosen freeholders of Raritan township from its erection to the present time:

1848-50. Thomas Arrowsmith.

1848-52. William H. Hendrickson. 1853-56. Jonathan 1. Holmes. 1857. Henry H. Seabrook.

699

RARITAN TOWNSHIP.

1858-60. John Cottrell. 1861-62. Richard B. Walling. 1863. John Cottrell.

1864. Christian D. Emmons. 1865-66. Thomas S. R. Brown. 1867-69. Eusebius MI. Walling. 1870. John M. Sproul. 1871-72. John Brittan. 1873. Theodore Aumack.

1874-76. Thomas S. R. Brown. 1877-78. Theodore Anmack. 1879-81. William C. Smith.

1882-83. Sidney Walling.

1884. George M. Britton.

The territory in Raritan and Middletown townships, extending along the bay from what is now Port Monmouth westward to Union City, was known as Wakake, or Weikec, and was first settled by Richard Hartshorne, who came to this country from London in September, 1669. His first purchase was at Wakake, where he settled, and from which place he mentioned himself as "Richard Hartshorne, of Weikec." It is evident that he lived there as early as May 24, 1670, as at that time he made a purchase which is recorded in the town-book of Middle- town as follows :

" May 24, 1670: Memorandum Richard Hartshorne and John Hawes gave order the 27 off ffebruary to have this following writing Recorded . . . Viz .: Know all men by these presents : that I John Hawes now resident in the Towne of Middleton: in the province of New Jearsy : doc acknowledge to have sould unto Richard Hartshorne : now living in Wei- ker house in the afforesaid province : my house and lands : toghether with three or four acres of meadow for the summe of three hundred and fifty gilders : in part of wch I doe acknowledge to have received of the above said Richard Hartshorne : two hundred and twenty gilders: and further I the afforesaid John Hawes doe engage myselfe to make the above said house sufficient : by the last of Aprill next ensuing the date hereof: that is to say : I John Ilawes am to daube the house within and without : and to make the chimney : and one Outlett : and to lay the floores (the above sd Richard Hartshorne finding boards and mailes and allsoe shells to make lime for the doing of the above said worke): and further I the aforesaid John Hawes am to make a cellar under the out lett : and allsoe one window in the house with foure lights : wherein I am to make shutts to the lower lights: all wch I doe engage myselfe to perfourme by the time above said: and in case of non perfourmance: to forfeit to the afforesaid Richard one hundred gilders: and further the afforesaid Richard Ilartshorne doth

engage to pay unto mee John Hawes or to my As- signees one hundred and thirty gilders: when the afforesaid work is done: and further it is agreed be- tweene both parties: that I John Hawes shall enjoy the afforesaid land: soe long as his wife liveth : in case it bee desired: and in case the afforesaid John IIawes shall bee putt out of the house : wherein hee now liveth : then hee is to live in the house that hee hath now sould: during the time that his wife liveth : in case it bee desired : and after her decease the above said Richard Hartshorne is to enjoy the afforesaid house and land: both hee : and his heires forever : This agreement betweene both of us above written is : that the afforesaid John Hawes am to leave the house in as good condition: as it shall bee in: when it is finished acording to agreement: and likewise the fence that is now about the ground all weh is agreed unto : both by John IIawes and his wife whereunto they have sett [their hands and seals]."

The John Hawes here mentioned, lived at Wakake, as is shown by the action of a town- meeting held shortly after, in reference to giv- ing him title to certain lands "in Weikee Neck." Before this purchase (May 9th, in the same year) it was ordered and agreed at a town meeting that " the land which now borders about Weikec necke shall be laid ont into thirty-five lots."

Richard Hartshorne was not one of the original Monmonth patentees, but he became a patentee by the purchase of William Goulding's interest,'

I The following is the deed showing the sale of William Goulding, the parentee, to Richard Hartshorne :

" NOVEMBER 25 : 1672.

" William Goulding of Graves End and Richard Harts- horne of Weikec in the Province of new Jersey came this day Declaring their consents : and order to have this ffollowing Deed Recorded : weh is as ffolloweth :

" This Presents wittnesseth that I, William Goulding, of Graves End npon Long Illand in the west riding of Yorkeshire : doe hereby acknowledge absolutely to have sonld : asigned : and made over : for ever : from me : my heires : Executors : Administrators : and Assignes : all my right : title : interest : and Claime : unto a certaine traet and Parcell of land liing and beeing in middleton, in the Province of new Jersey : and web I sometimes bought of l'attentees of that tract of land : wherin the sayd middleton is ine'wled and knowne by the name of : (number 25) with the meadow Ground : and all privi- ledges : and appurteanances : there unto belonging unto Richard Hartshorne of Weikec : in the same province : above said : his heires : Executors : Administrators : or assignes : and for him the said Richard to possess : and enjoy : in as large and ample mannor in every respect : as l the said william : might. or could by vertue of any

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

and the meeting of the patentees hereafter re- ferred to was evidently held at his house, which had been built before the purchase from the In- dians. The Indian deed was as follows :

May 22, 1676, Perropa Wawapa Emoras, Indians, "ehiefe saehems of Ramsing, for a valuable sum of money in Indians' tradeing goods," paid by Richard Hartshorne, granted to him " a certaine parcell or tract of land lying in the province of New Jersey, being three necks of land, called by the Indians Wacake, Arowonoe, Conoskunck,and beginning at the easternmost side of Waeake Necke by the creek, and so up along the sd creek, called Wakeeake Creek, about two miles or thereabouts, till you come about a quarter of a mile about or to the southwards of a piece of Meadow, called Walter Wall's meadow, which lies on the east side of Wakecake Creek, and from thence running westerly uppon a straight line to a great roek that is a little to the southeast of the Indian path that goes from Wakecake to the Indian town called Seaperk- ameeke," and westerly to a small creek. North- west to an oak-tree which parts Wakecake and Arowonoe ; from thence southwest to a white- oak ; from thenee west by north across the neck, called Arowonoe to an oak-tree, on the creek which divides " Arowonoe, Conoskunk, and from thence running over the ereek, west by north across Conosknnek neck till it comes to the

purchase or grant from the said Pattentecs : and further I the said William Goulding doe acknowledge to have sould : and fully made over unto the afforesaid Richard : bis heires : Executors : and assignes : all the priviledges : the wch I am at present possesed with in that patient : that is to say : my Pattentteeshipp : for him in my place and stead : as need shall require to officiatte : and doe with the rest of the Pattentees : and to have all such priviledges proffits : and beneffitis : as is given to mee by Pattent from his roiall highnes the Duke of Yorke : and his Debuty : or by vertue of any purchase from the Indians : and in con- sideration of the premises : I the said william : have received full and plenary satisfaction : part in band : and part by bill : in wittnes hereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale this twenty three day of the month called Aprill one thousand six hundred and seventy.

" WILLIAM GOULDING.

· Wittnesses

" JAMES BOWNE, " JOHN STOUTT.

" This is a true Copy Extracted out of the principall " By Order

"EDWARD TARTT : Town clearke."

creek that parts Conoskunck and Chingarora, which said three neeks are bounded by the bay to low-water mark."

Of the canses and ineidents of this purchase Richard Hartshorne said, in a letter written soon afterwards,-

"The Indians came to my house and laid their hands on the post and frame of the house, and said that house was theirs; they never had anything for it, and told me if I would not buy the land, I must be gone. But I minded it not, thinking it was Davis' land, and they wanted to get something of me; they at last told me they would kill my cattle and burn my hay if I would not buy the land or begone; then I went to the Patentees, which were James Grover, Richard Stont, Jobn Bound [Bowne] and Richard Gibbons; they told me it was never bought, nor had the Indians anything for it. Nichols desired of them and the Indians also only to have leave to set a trad- ing-house, and at that time they did not intend any one should have the land, but keep it for the use of the country, always giving leave for any man to trade with goods and not otherwise; but I told them I would not live on those terms, and not only so, but it was dangerous, for the Indians threatened to kill my cattle; they told me, no man had power to buy but the patentees, and they would buy it; thus it con- tinued some months. I considered the thing as well as I then was capable. and went to Gravesend and bought William Goulder ont, and when I came back the In- dians were at me and I did. James Grover, Richard Stout, Samuel Spicer were at Wakecake, and paid for it, I being then a patentee as well as the rest."

He also says. in a private memorandum : " When Captain [Richard] Stout bargained with the Indians, he gave them a barrel of eyder, and I gave them an order for an anker of brandy, so that they should not drink it on the premises."

The land of Richard Hartshorne extended up Wakake Creek nearly to its head. On July 10, 1675, when the "southwest and southerd parts of Mideltowne" were bounded, the line was run "from the southerdmost part of Richard Hartshorne's meadow, which was formerly Walter Wall's, which lyes at the hed almost of Wakecake Creeke."

It will be remembered that the land embraced in the Indian deed was bounded southward by Walter Wall's meadow, so that it is evident that after 1672 he purchased land south of his original tract, which embraced Walter Wall's : meadow. That Mr. Hartshorne remained at

701

RARITAN TOWNSHIP.

"Weikee" until after 1700 is shown from the fact that, December 22d, in that year, the pro- prictors granted to William Lawrence, of Mid- dletown, a tract of land on the east side of Wakake Creek, bounded by the creek and lands of Richard Hartshorne and " fifteen acres of unappropriated sedge and meadow on ye east side of said creeke, from Hartshorne residence to ye mouth of ye creek. . . . "

During the most of his public life Mr. Harts- horne resided at Wakake; yet he was owner of a very large tract on the Navesink Highlands, which, in 1703, he gave to his son, William, who moved to, and resided at Portland, soon after which Richard Hartshorne moved to Mid- dletown village, and built a house, which is still standing, and where he died in 1722.

The lands which William Lawrence pur- chased, consisting of two hundred and eighty acres, were left by him to his son, Elisha Law- rence, who moved to the place; and it is stated that he kept a store there, which was plundered by the pirates who infested the Raritan Bay. He sold this land, in 1717, to Thomas Kearney, who lived at what is now Keyport. A tavern was kept at Wakake, in 1699, by Samuel Wil- letts. A landing was also made at the place a little distance up the creek from its mouth. Afterwards a dock or pier was built out into the bay from the shore below the mouth of the creek. This was called Tanner's Landing. It was used as late as 1820, having been for many years previously the principal landing and port of Monmouth County for passengers and freight. The first steamboat which ever came to Mon- mouth County ran up to this landing and Mid- dletown Point. It was a side-wheel boat, commanded by Captain Penoyer.

The school districts of Raritan township are four in number, viz. : Keyport District, No. 49, (elsewhere more fully mentioned) : Union Dis- trict No. 50; Bethany Distret, No. 51; and Granville District, No. 52.

Union School District, No. 50, has fifty-six scholars. The first school-house in this section was built by the Florence and Keyport Com- pany about 1850, soon after they began their operations. The same house is still used.

Bethany School District, No. 51, has one hundred and thirteen school children. The first school-house in this section was built on a knoll across the road from where the old Bethany Church stood. It was built about 1800. AI- fred Walling, of Keyport, now deceased, said of it:1 " Fifty years ago I commenced my col- legiate course in that old school-house. It was eighteen feet square, with eight feet posts and double-pitched roof. It was enclosed with pine boards and shingle roof. The side was filled in with common yellow clay by letting in slots or rungs to the posts or joists about nine inches apart to keep the clay in its place. This was the inside finish. It had five small, seven by nine, six-light windows. A stationary writing- desk was made on one side of the room, and common wooden benches without backs were the seats."

A new house was built in 1828 about one hundred yards north of the old one and on the same side of the street. This was used until the district was enlarged, taking in a part of Holmdel township. In 1871 the present school-house was built near the almshouse, and on the township line between Holmdel and Raritan.

As nearly as can be ascertained, Timothy Murphy was the first teacher in the old house. He was succeeded by Charles Kelly, a Catholic, who for many years tanght a classical school in the first and second houses. He was succeeded by William Brown, Peter Van Derhoof and James McBirney. Mr. Kelly died in 1836, having taught school in this vicinity over forty years.

Granville School District, No. 52, includes a part of the township of Middletown. The first school-house was built many years ago on a lot of land donated by Andrew Wilson. It was used until 1871, when it was torn down and replaced by the present school-house. The dis- triet contains one hundred and forty children of school age.

GRANVILLE is a little village lying on the bay coast, and on the line between Raritan and

1 In an article written by him in 1879.

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Middletown townships. It contains a store, a church, school-house and several dwellings. A post office named Keansburg was established at the place November 1, 1884, of which Mrs. W. ; Colonel Richard Poole. The land at Union W. Ramsay is postmaster. A post-office had been established earlier, of which Benjamin Wilson was postmaster. This was discontinued.

Near the place, and on the shore, are the works of the Uniontown Tile and Brick Com- pany, whose office is 145 Broadway, New York. The large buildings of this company were erected in 1883, and ninety men employed. The works are now nearly completed. A boarding-house has been erected, and it is the intention of the company to employ two hun- dred men in 1885.

There is also on the shore a fertilizer factory, owned by Charles Preston, of Green Point, L. 1. The building, three stories high, was ereeted in 1878. From ninety to one hundred men are employed when the works are in opera- tion.

THE GRANVILLE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH was organized in 1866, and the present chapel was erected in that year. The lot was purchased by - Tout, of New York, and donated to the society. The pulpit has been supplied mostly by students from Drew Theo- : built, and also a large steam sawmill.

logical Seminary. The pastors have been as fol- lows: 1866-67, Rev. John B. Westcott, - Mead, - Owen; 1870, A. J. Garretson ; 1874-75,W. W. Woodward; 1876, C. H. Mason ; 1877-78, W. W. Ramsay; 1879-80, A. Lowry ; 1881, J. M. Reed ; 1882, P. K. White; 1883, HI. W. Cheeseman ; 1884, Edward Phreaner. The society has a membership of fifty-two.

Near Granville is the Waackaack Beacon, located on the east side of Wakake Creek. It is seventy-six feet above the level of the sea, and is supplied with a second order lens. It was built under an act of Congress approved August 31, 1852, and completed in 1856.

Hazlett Railroad Station and settlement is in the south part of Raritan township, near Ok Bethany. A post-office was established there in 1876 and Rezo Schenck was appointed post- master. He was succeeded by the present post- master, Walter T. Hoff. A hotel was erected in 1882 which is now kept by Richard Worrell.

UNION CITY, on Raritan Bay, northeast of Keyport, is located on land which was owned in the time of the Revolution by Peter Snyder and

City, in comparatively recent years, extended half a mile out into the bay, to the Black Rocks, and there are those now living who remember planting corn where now are the waters of the bay. Vessels, not many years ago, came up Wales' Creek to what is known as Graham's Landing.

Union City came into existence through the operations of the Florence and Keyport Com- pany, which was incorporated February 14, 1846, with a capital stock of two hundred thon- sand dollars, in two thousand shares of one hun- dred dollars each. The object of the company was to lay out a city on Raritan Bay, build docks, dwellings and roads, and establish a line of trade and travel from New York to Florence, on the Delaware River. There were fourteen stockholders, and Isaac S. Lloyd, of Florence, was chosen president. In 1852 the hotel (frame, four stories high) known as the Monmouth House was erected, a dock two thousand two hundred feet in length was built, a basin was formed for vessels, ten dwelling-houses were

In that year also a Plank-Road Company was incorporated to build a road from Florence to Union City, and a two-mile section of the road was built. The " Armenia " steamer was chartered to run to the place from New York. The hotel was run by the company a year or two and then sold to William Quinlan, who, after a few years, leased it (in 1872) for ten years to John Mount, who kept it until 1882, since which time it has been vacant. No busi- ness is now done at Union City, and nothing remains of it but the name, the vacant hotel and a few dwellings.

THE TOWN OF KEYPORT.

Keyport, the principal town or village of Raritan township, is situated on Raritan Bay, between the mouth of Matawan Creek on the west and that of Chingarora Creek on the east. The site of Keyport was part of the large tract

703

THE TOWN OF KEYPORT.

owned by John Bowne, one of the Monmouth patentees. On the 21st of July, 1774, he sold to Thomas Kearney, of New York, merchant, two-thirds of one hundred and forty acres, and to Michael Kearney, also a merchant, of New York, the remaining one-third of the same tract, for sixteen hundred pounds. The land is de- seribed as lying at Chingarora, commencing at the mouth of "Lupakitongue " Creek, running south by west up the creek; from there north- westerly to the bay and along the coast to the place of beginning. This traet is now known as Brown's Point. The name is doubtless a corruption of Boune, as no one now living ; recollects (nor is there any tradition) that any person named Brown was ever an owner or a settler there.

On the 13th of January, 1715, Thomas Kearney purchased of John Bowne a half- interest in forty acres of meadow-land on Lu- paketongue Bay, and November 14th, the same year, he purchased a one-third interest in the one hundred and forty acres of Michael Kearney. On August 21, 1717, he purchased of Abraham Watson one hundred and twelve acres for one hundred and twenty pounds, bounded east, north and west by land formerly of John Bowne. Shortly afterwards he moved from New York to this place, as is proved by descriptions found in later deeds.

On the 19th of November, 1717, Thomas Kearney purchased of Elisha Lawrence several tracts of land for three hundred and twenty pounds,-one of two hundred and eighty acres adjoining Richard Hartshorne, at Wakake, six acres adjoining Steven Arnold and son to the ! beach (this last tract was purchased by Lawrence November 26, 1698, of John Crawford), a tract of forty acres on the west side of the brook that leads to Wakake Creek, a tract of eight acres and another of ton aeres on the east side of Wakake Creek, and fifteen acres of sedge and meadow, also on the east side of the creek. On the 18th of November, 1717, he (Kearney) pur- chased of Richard Salter an undivided half of an undivided twenty-fourth part of the property, then belonging to the proprietors. This interest came to Richard Salter by will from John Bowne. On the 8th of February, 1717, Kearney

purchased of Lawrence Smith forty acres of land in the vicinity.

These lands aggregated six hundred and forty-five acres, which Kearney had purchased within three years. On this property he erected a house, which for generations has been known as the Kearney homestead. In a road record of 1768 mention is made of a road that led "to Major Kearney's," upon a hill called " Wolf- Pit Hill." This bill was doubtless the eleva- tion on which the Kearney house now stands, on land of Thomas Kearney's first purchase. The " Major Kearney " here referred to was the Major Philip Kearney of whom frequent mention is made in the annals of the Revolu- tion.

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History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 117

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