History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 126

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 126

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).

Ocean township was reduced to its present limits by the erection of Eatontown township, in 1873, and Neptune township, in 1879. The descriptions of the territory taken from Ocean to form these townships are given in their re- spective histories. The present boundaries of Ocean township (including Long Branch) are,- on the north, Middletown,1 Shrewsbury River and Eatontown; east, by the Atlantic Ocean; south, by Neptune township; west, by Shrews- bury River and Eatontown and Shrewsbury townships. The only stream of importance in Ocean township is Shrewsbury River. The

railways of the township are the sea-shore line, which runs from Sandy Hook southward along the entire ocean-front of the county, the New York and Long Branch Railroad and the Eaton- town Branch of the New Jersey Southern Rail- road, which connect with the sea-shore line at Long Branch. By the United States census returns of 1880 the population of Ocean town- ship (including Long Branch village) is given as six thousand and twenty-seven, of which the population of Long Branch was three thonsand eight hundred and thirty-three.

Following is a list of chosen freeholders of Ocean township from its crection to the present time, viz .:

1849-50. Henry Wolcott, Jr.

1849. Henry Howland.

1850. Isaiah S. Lane.

1851-56. Henry Howland.

1857-62. Jordan Wooley.

1863-64. Edward Wardell.

1865-68. Joseph H. Cooper.

1869-72. William H. Bennet.

1873-74. Joseph H. Cooper.

1875-78. James W. Conover.

1879-82. Thomas R. Wooley.

1883-84. John A. Eaton.

LONG BRANCH.

Long Branch, the most famed sea-side resort in America, if not in the world, lies on the eastern border of Ocean township and on the shore of the sea. It comes down by tradition that the first name given by white men to this locality was "Land's End ;" bnt this is of very doubtful authenticity, and it is far more likely that that designation, if applied at all in this region, was given to Sandy Hook. The present name, which is known to have been in use for more than a century, was derived from the "long branch " of South Shrewsbury River, which here flows in a northwardly course, and is only a little distance back from the sea.

In the list of associate patentees of Monmouth are found the names of John Slocum, Joseph and Peter Parker and Eliakim Wardell. These men all came to Monmouth County, and in May, 1668, subscribed, with other "freeholders," to

1 By Middletown, ou the neck of land that extends north to Sandy Hook.

755

OCEAN TOWNSHIP AND LONG BRANCH.

the oath of allegiance, the heading of which is,- "The names of the inhabitants of Midleton upon Nauesink that doe subscribe to the oath of Aleaganee to the King and Fidelitie to the Lords Proprietors."

John Slocum received from the proprietors a grant of land lying in Shrewsbury township (now Ocean). In the early times, and before the Indian title was extinguished, it was neces- sary to buy their rights as well as to patent from the proprietors. An amusing tradition is related by Judge William H. Slocum, of Ocean Port, as to the manner in which his an- cestor, John Sloeum, secured the Indian title to his land, viz .: It was arranged between him and the savages that he should engage in a wrestling contest with an Indian, who was se- leeted by them for his strength and skill as a wrestler, the stake to be a certain amount of land which was agreed upon, and which Sloeum was to have as a gift if vietorious in the con- test. He was of large size and very athletie. "Great preparations were made to witness the encounter. The chosen Indian wrestler prac- ticed continually for the event. The day long expected proved cloudless and auspicious. The spot ehosen was the present Fish Landing. A. circle was formed, and the Indian champion, elated, confident and greased from head to foot, appeared. Slocum advanced coolly, and the struggle began; it was long and doubtful. Finally Sloeum threw his antagonist, but in an instant the Indian was again on his feet. A murmur ran through the circle. Again the Indian made a violent effort and both fell. Another murmur was heard. Silence prevailed as they came together again, broken only by the roaring of the surf. A long struggle. Slo- cum inured to toil, hardy and rugged, proved too much for the Indian, and threw him, to the intense disappointment of the Indians and un- disguised joy of the whites. The terms were then all arranged. John Slocum had two brothers, and they located that part of Long Branch reaching from the shore to Turtle Mill Brook, embracing all lands lying north of the main road, from the sea to Eatontown, between these two points, to the south of Shrewsbury, except Fresh Pond and Snag Swamp, which

was located by one of the Wardell family. considerable portion of these lands continued in the possession of the Slocums until thirty or forty years ago. All are now gone into other hands."

If this be true, it shows the way in which John Slocum secured the Indian title to the lands he purchased in 1670. It is stated that Slocum, Wardell, Parker and Hulett were to have the land resulting from the contest, and Slocum was selected as the strongest of the four men to meet the Indian ; but this is not true, as the records show that in 1670, Eliakim Wardell bought the Indian rights for four pounds.

In 1683 John Slocum was foreman of the grand jury, chief ranger of Monmonth County and one of the commissioners for laying out roads. In 1688 a road was laid out "from the King's Highway that erosseth the brook, the bounds betwixt John Sloeum and his brother Nathaniel," past Thomas Hulett and Henry Chamberlain to Whale Pond Brook, past Thomas Eaton's and Samuel White's to Horse Pound, by his "little water pond " and through "Deale."

In December, 1683, John Slocum was ap- pointed captain of the State militia, and Janu- ary 14, 1692, he was appointed to assist the surveyor-general to lay out lands in Shrewsbury township. Besides the lands he purchased in 1670, he came into possession of other lands from his father, Giles Slocum, of Newport, R. I. This tract belonged to Robert Carr, who was one of the original patentees, but did not settle here, and sold the land to Giles Sloeum, the deeds for which are dated in 1676.

The land John Slocum received from his father is supposed to have been in what is now Shrewsbury, on Narumsen or " Rum- son." John Slocum evidently came to Shrews- bury (now Long Branch), as he received a grant of " three hundred and seventy-two acres of land within the bounds of Shrewsbury, be- ing in two parcels," for which he was to pay a quit-rent of a half-penny per acre, the first payment of which was to begin March 25, 1670. The land he settled upon was north of the main road leading to the sea, including Slo- cum's Island. Peter Parker and Eliakim War-

756

HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

dell came with John Slocum. He (Slocum) married Meribah Parker, a cousin of Peter Parker, who received a portion of land by his will.

John Slocum made his will April 6, 1698, which was proved February 2, 1702. His wife, Meribah, was appointed executrix. He left no children, and the property mainly passed to John Slocum, a son of his brother Nathaniel, and to Peter Parker and Patience Tucker, both of whom were his cousins.

Nathaniel Slocum, the brother of John Slo- cum, was here before 1688, as is shown by the road record, and was then in possession of land on the road from John West's line to Turtle Mill Brook, and on the south side of the road he owned considerable land now in old Long Branch village.

Peter Parker was in this section of conn- try between 1665 and 1670, but where he set- tled first, is not known. The land left to him by his cousin, John Slocum, is supposed to have been his residence after that time, as it was in the family until 1824. How many sons he had is not known, but his son Peter settled on the homestead, the site of which is now occupied by the new residence of Thomas W. Cooper. He had three sons,-John, Wil- liam and Peter. John is said to have been drowned in the bay ; William moved to Run- son's Neck, where he was known as "Boatman Billy," to distinguish him from " Rich Billy," the descendant of Joseph Parker, who settled at Narumsunk. Peter settled on the home- stead, and carried on a small business with a sloop. He died in 1793 and left four sons,- Jolin, Joseph, Benjamin and Robert. John purchased a farm partly on Pleasure Bay and down to Branchport, embracing what was known as the Sheep-Pen Landing. Benjamin was a merchant in Eatontown from 1796 to 1809. The homestead farm was divided between Robert and Joseph, who lived upon their places until their deaths. In 1854 the heirs sold the property. The farm of Robert was. bought by Samuel Cooper for twenty thousand dollars, and the farm of Joseph was purchased by N. W. Troutman. Peter Parker, of Long Branch, now ninety-one years of age, is a son of Joseph.

It has often been stated that the property at Long Branch on which Green's Bath Hotel formerly stood was owned prior to and in the Revolution by Captain White, of New York, who was a British officer. There is nothing to confirm this statement, and the story grew out of the capture and death of Philip White, an account of which will be found in the gene- ral history. From other sources it is ascer- tained that the property was in possession of Ebenezer Wardell, one of the descendants of Eliakim Wardell, and who sympathized with the British. It was the residence of Ebenezer Wardell that was first used as a boarding-place at Long Branch. Watson, in his " Annals," says :

" In consequence of the war the place was confis- cated. The house was first used as a boarding-house by Elliston Perot, of Philadelphia, in 1788. At that time the whole premises were in charge of one old woman, left to keep the place from injury. Of her, Mr. Perot begged an asylum for himself and family, which was granted, provided he could get heds and bedding from others. Being pleased with the place, he repeated his visit there three successive years, taking some friends with him."

In the winter of 1790-91, Lewis MeKnight, of Monmouth County, purchased the property, consisting of one hundred acres, for seven hun- dred pounds, with the intention of making it a resort. He persuaded Mr. Perot and others to loan him money to improve it, which was done, and families from Philadelphia came there to spend a portion of their summers at " the Branch."

This property was sold in 1820 to William Renshaw for thirteen thousand dollars, who built an addition to the house and continued it for boarders.1 He lived a few years and died before 1832. His widow continued the house until July, 1837, when she failed, and the prop- erty passed to James Green, who opened the Bath Hotel, which was much enlarged and was

1 On the 4th of March, 1828, a company' was formed, consisting of Thaddeus Whitlock, Alexander McGregor and John P. Lewis, for the purpose of establishing a line of steamboats "for the better maintaining and conduct- ing of the Bath Buildings Establishment at Long Branch." This was the first attempt of steamboats to run to Long Branch.

757

OCEAN TOWNSHIP AND LONG BRANCH.

destroyed by fire April 4, 1867, at a loss of one hundred thousand dollars. The site is now occupied by cottages, and the Hotel Searborough opposite stands on the site of the stables.

In 1792, Herbert & Chandler were eondneting a hotel at Long Branch, and in May, 1793, they advertised in Dunlap's American Advertiser, published at that time in Philadelphia, as fol- lows :

" The subscribers heg leave to acquaint the public in general, and their friends in particular, that they continue in the same line of business in the house they occupied last year at the sea-shore in Shrewsbury, and have provided themselves with good waiters and laid 'in a good stock of liquors and everything neces- sary for the entertainment of ladies and gentlemen, and have provided large and commodious stables. They have also erected houses under the bank for the convenience of bathing, and will omit nothing to render the entertainment of those that may please to favor them with their custom in every respect agree- able.

" HERBERT & CHANDLER. "Long Branch, May 19, 1792."

In 1806 the property was owned by Chandler & Brinley, who sold that year to Joshua Bennet, who enlarged it sufficiently to accommodate two hundred and fifty guests. He conducted it until the spring of 1815, when he became em- barrassed financially, and it was sold by the sheriff to a man from Freehold and three days later it was destroyed by fire. It stood on a bluff two hundred yards seaward from the Hotel Brighton. The land has since been washed away, and the site is now covered by the waters of the ocean.

In 1816, Joseph Wardell, of Rumson, pur- chased a property at Fish Landing, also known later as Peggy's Point, on which his son Rich- ard settled and built a tavern. He died a few years later, and his widow, Margaret Wardell (better known as Aunt Peggy), kept it until about 1860, when it was sold to John Chasey, who afterwards traded it to Hugh Manahan, who erected on the site the large house called the " American," later known as the " Clarendon," and now as the " Ocean Wave." The south part of the lot was purchased by Helmbold; the drug- gist, about 1870.

Long Branch as it was in 1819 is described in Niles' Register, of that year, as follows :

" The company at this salubrious retreat is repre- sented to be very numerous and respectable this sea- son. The New York Advocate says there is a kind of military or naval regulation there which strangers often contravene from ignorance : that is, when the stipulated time for ladies' bathing arrives, a white flag is hoisted on the bank, when it is high treason for a gentleman to be seen there ; and when the established time for gentlemen arrives, the red flag is run up, which is sometimes done by mistake and produces rather ludicrous misunderstandings. A wag lately hoisted both flags together, which created some awful squinting and no little confusion."

Obadiah Sears built next after Bennett, and continued until March, 1843, when his widow sold the property. The site is now occupied by Howland's Hotel.

In 1831, Samuel Cooper, Job West, George W. West, Major Henry Wardell and John Wells purchased the greater part of what was known as the Dr. Elisha Perkins farm, and di- vided it. Samnel Cooper's part of the land was about thirty acres, on which he erected a two and a half story building, with accommodations for seventy boarders. The house was conducted by him for many years. On July 11, 1844, the following advertisement was inserted in the Monmouth Democrat :

" SEA-BATHING AT LONG BRANCH.

"SAMUEL COOPER

Begs leave to inform the public generally that he has built two bathing-houses purposely to accommodate Country people who wish to bathe and dine at his house during the hot weather.

"Price for dinner, 50 cents. Good stabling and feed .

for horses. "SAMUEL COOPER. "L. S. SUTPHIN, Agent."

The site of this house is now occupied by Le- land's Ocean Hotel. In front of this hotel is the iron pier, which was finished in July, 1879. It extends out into the ocean six hundred feet. The large pavilion contains promenades, restau- rants and balconies, while below it are over six hundred bathing-rooms. The steamer " Ma- genta " began regular trips from the pier to New York, June 15, 1879.

Gordon's "Gazetteer" of 1834 mentions Long Branch as "a mill-stream and tributary of Shrewsbury River. There is a small village of twelve or fifteen houses, one tavern and two

758

HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

stores east of this stream, and between it and the Atlantic, to which the name of Long Brauch is given, a well-known and much frequented sea- bathing place on the Atlantic Ocean, which has its name from the stream and hamlet above mentioned. The inducements to the invalid, the idle and the hunters of pleasure to spend a portion of the hot seasou here are many. Good accommodations, obliging hosts, a clean and high shore, with a gently-shelving beach, a fine prospect seaward enlivened by the countless ves- sels passing to and from New York, excellent fishing on the banks, three or four miles at sea, good gunning, aud the great attraction of all watering-places, much aud fashionable com- pany. During the season a regular line of stages runs from Philadelphia and a steamboat from New York to the boarding-houses here, of which there are several ; Wardell's, Renshaw's and Sears' are the most frequented. Many respect- able farmers also receive boarders, who, in the quiet of rural life, enjoy in comfort and ease their season of relaxation, perhaps more fully than those in the public hotels. Along the beach at Long Branch is a strip of fertile black sand several miles in length aud exceeding more than a mile in width. The land adjacent to the ocean rises perpendicularly from the beach nearly twenty feet. The boarding-houses are twenty rods from the water, with lawns in the intermediate space."

, The following notes, referring to Long Branch watering-place, are from the diary of William R. Maps, from July 5, 1835, to August 25, 1843, and show the fluctuations of the summer business at that period :

"July 5, 1835 .- Visitors from the city are plenty in the neighborhood,-boarding-houses filled.

"July 1, 1836 .- Not over twenty boarders on the coast.

"July 15, 1837 .- Boarders scarce on the shore; Mrs. Renshaw has no guests. July 31st .- Boarders still scarce on the shore,-houses averaging only about thirty each; proprietors discouraged. August 12th .--- But few boarders out yet.

"June 11, 1838 .- Not many boarders on the shore, but prospect of a good season. July 9th .- The board- ers begin to come out. July 16th. - Boarders plenty. July 25th .- More boarders on the shore than for -many years past. August 26th .- The summer has

been the warmest, dryest and best season for boarders ever known.

"July 13, 1839 .- But few boarders at the shore. July 28th .- Boarding-houses just filled up. August Ist .- Mrs. Renshaw, a boarding-house keeper, failed. "July 30, 1840 .- Boarding-houses well filled.

"July 16, 1841 .- Boarders very scarce on the shore. July 31st .- Boarders quite plenty at this date.

"July 19, 1842 .- Boarding-houses about half-filled. July 3Ist .- Cleared up cold this afternoon. August Ist .- Boarders frightened by the cold. August 15th. -Warm weather, but few boarders.

"August 4, 1843 .- Boarding-houses at the Branch well filled. August 14th .- Boarding-houses filled to overflowing. August 25th .- Mr. Montgomery, a guest at Green's, drowned."

Long Branch, iu 1840, was described by ex- Senator Stockton (in a paper dated August 10, 1882), as follows :

"I wonder how many people who now visit Long Branch realize the change that forty years have brought. My first sight of the sea was from these bluffs in 1840. My brother and I had driven down from Princeton, stopping on the way at Colt's Neck, where my father had a racing-stable, and where 'Fashion' was trained. Then one little steamer made the trip from New York, rounding the Hook and making her way into the Shrewsbury through an inlet at Seabright, almost at the spot where the Octagon Hotel now stands. The water rushed through it as in a mill-race, and the passage through was an event of the day. From the little dock inside, stages, with the tires of their wheels eight inches broad, toiled slowly along the sands to a farm, the borders of which is now Monmouth Beach, and thence to the upper end of Long Branch and to a low tavern known as the Fish House, at about the point where the telegraph- office now is. The foundations of this office are now almost washed by the sea. The Fish House was then several hundred yards from the beach. There were but two other hotels,-the Bathi-House, about half-way between the present West End and Ocean, and the Conover House, still standing and occupied by the musicians employed in the West End Hotel. There was a bowling-alley on the beach, opposite the Bath- House, the site of which is now three hundred yards out in the ocean. Then all who came here drove from Philadelphia or Trenton or Princeton in their own carriages; few came from New York. The fare was plain. Great dishes of boiled hard-shell crabs and lobsters were on every table. There were beef, inntton and vegetables from New Jersey farms, and rich cream and milk, and in the kitchen were colored cooks from the South. People came here for their health, and after supper every one went to the beach and there stayed until ten or eleven o'clock, unless a couple of

759

OCEAN TOWNSHIP AND LONG BRANCHI.

fiddlers enticed the young people to a dance in the parlors. Every one bathed in the sea. A white flag gave notice that it was ladies' hour, and no man, ex- cept a husband, then ventured to the beach. When the red flag was up the men crowded the surf, and there was no pretence of bathing-suits. The hotels were then so far back that the bluff concealed the bathers. Now, what with French dishes in the dining- room, a pretentious band in the parlor and the desire for display in dress and earriages, Long Branch is hardly any longer a place sought for health, but rather only for the opportunity it gives to exhibit new cos- tumes and the ability to spend money."

The Monmouth House was built about 1848, and Abner H. Reed was the first proprietor. It was afterwards owned by Enoch Hendrickson, and last by Austin James. The encroachments of the sea made it necessary to move it inland. The site is now in the sea and nearly half a mile out from the Shelbourne. Cornelius Lane built a house afterwards known as the Lawn, near Stetson House, now West End.

The Mansion House was built in 1846 by Jacob W. Morris, who, in 1856, soll it to Samuel Laird, under whom it was enlarged from time to time, until it became one of the leading hotels of the place. Upon the death of Mr. Laird, in 1872, it was purchased by Mr. McIntyre and William M. Gowtry, who are the present own- ers of the property. The Mansion House was partially destroyed by fire on the night of De- cember 19, 1884. Loss, sixty thousand dollars.

In 1852 the Parker farms were owned by the heirs of Robert and Joseph Parker. Samuel Cooper purchased the Robert Parker farm, on which stood the old Parker homestead, the site of which is now occupied by the new residence of Thomas W. Cooper. On this farm Samuel Cooper, in 1853, began the erection of the Metro- politan Hotel, which was blown down twice be- fore it was completed. It was opened for the season of 1854 by Joseph H. Cooper and Michael M. Vandyke. Afterwards it was sold to Dr. Arthur V. Conover, of Freehold. It was burned April 25, 1876, and rebuilt soon after as the Hotel Brighton, which is its present name.

The Allegheny House, once the residence of Dr. Elisha Perkins, was in 1846 fitted up with a hundred rooms and occupied as a hotel until its destruction by fire, in 1866. Since that time

the erection of buildings and changes of names have been so numerous that it is impracticable to follow them. In 1860 the hotels on the shore had accommodations for four thousand one hundred and twenty-five persons, with a number of smaller hotels and boarding-honses besides.

Recently the idea has been entertained that Long Branch may be made an attractive and healthful resort for winter, as well as in the summer season. It is claimed that the temper- atnre here in winter averages from five to ten degrees warmer than in New York or Philadel- phia. The weather here until February is nsually very pleasant. In December it is mostly dry and bracing, while in January the light snows are quickly melted by the sea air. It is not until March arrives, with its heavy, cold northwesterly gales, that the weather is unpleas- ant. As to the healthfulness of the place there can be no question. The sea air is, of course, invigorating, and the land breezes come from dense pine-forests which lie back of the Branch. The experiment of a fashionable winter resort at this place has now (December, 1884) been inaugurated by Mr. John Hoey, who has lat- terly made Long Branch his home the year around, and is well satisfied that it can be suc- cessfully established as a winter resort, and for this purpose he has now opened the largest four of the elegant cottages (more properly, man- sions), which he has erected from time to time, opposite his own home, on Cedar Avenne. These houses have been especially fitted and prepared for the object in view. Mr. Hoey's grounds, with their capacions green-houses, filled with roses, palms, orchids and other plants, will be open to the visitors. The New York and Long Branch Railroad will run fast trains, stopping at Hollywood Station, within two minutes' walk of the cottages. Thus visitors can reach New York and return with case. Mr. Hoey takes great interest in his new idea, and believes that in a short time a great many people may find as much benefit from a resi- denee at Long Branch in winter as in summer.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 126

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