History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 145

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 145

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).

agent of the Board of Underwriters, to which he always gave prompt attention.

Mr. Cook was a man of noble, generous im- pulses, and took pleasure in assisting those in need. His acts of kindness were not made pub- lic, nor were his benevolent deeds ostentatious. His death produced a universal feeling of sor- row, both with permanent and transient residents. He was an ardent Mason, and to his generosity Asbury Lodge owes its handsome rooms on the |

of Asbury Park met at Park Hall and passed appropriate resolutions expressing sorrow at the removal of their much-esteemed citizen by the hand of death, sympathy for his bereaved fam- ily, and requesting the business places of Asbury Park to be closed during the solemn funeral services of their fellow-citizen. Another writer said of him soon after his death: "Since the founding of Asbury Park there has been no more familiar form-save one-to be seen on

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upper floor of his briek building, corner of our streets than that of Allen R. Cook, the Cookman Avenue and Main Street. He was superintendent." Early in the history of the place, almost from the beginning, had he been identified with its interests and that of its peo- ple. By his marriage he had two children, who died young. buried with Masonic honors, and his remains were interred in the Branchburg Cemetery, near the spot where he was born. Allen R. Cook was reared under Quaker influences, and until he removed from the scenes of his younger days was an attendant at the Friends' Meeting NELSON E. BUCHANON .- John Buehanon, the grandfather of Nelson E., resided in Perth in Shrewsbury township. Upon the occasion of his death the commissioners of the borough , Amboy, Middlesex County N. J. His children

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

were George, John, James, Anthony, Joseph, Betsey, Eliza and Margaret. James, of this number, was born about the year 1821 at Perth Amboy, from whence he removed, in 1859, to Red Bank, and subsequently to Hunterdon County, his present residence. He married Sarah Ann, daughter of Philip Elgordon, of the latter county, and to them were born chil- dren,-Nelson E., Jacob, John, Philip, James and Sarah M. (wife of Silas Case, of Hunterdon Connty). The eldest of this number, and the subject of this biographical sketch, was born on the 30th of August, 1841, at Perth Amboy, and at the age of fourteen removed to New York City, where he remained two years in the eapa- city of clerk. Not satisfied with his meagre advantages of education, he returned to his birth-place and devoted three years to more thorough study, removing, at the expiration of this period, for a brief interval to New York. Mr. Buchanon, in 1860, made Lambertville, Hunterdon County, his residence, and became en- gaged as salesman for a firm extensively interested in the lumber trade. He later removed to Flem- ington, in the same county, and acted in like capacity, changing his location, in 1866, to Eatontown, in the employ of B. C. White, also a lumber dealer. In 1873 he located at AAsbury Park, and, in connection with Garret V. Smock, purchased the interest of Mr. White, making Asbury Park the base of operation. They added to their stock general building supplies, and very speedily established a large and sue- cessful trade. In 1881 the firm underwent some changes, and the present style, N. E. Buchanon & Co., was adopted. The excep tional success of the business may be indicated by their annual sales, which the first year amounted to forty thousand dollars, and in 1883 reached the sum of two hundred and sixty-five thousand dollars.

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

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

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

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

N. E. Buchanan

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NEPTUNE TOWNSHIP.

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

Jef Ripley

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

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

CHAPTER XXXI.

EATONTOWN TOWNSHIP.

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

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

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

1873-74. Lawrence Price. 1875-76. Gordon Drummond.

1877-78. William T. Hopper. 1879-80. John S. Lufburrow. 1881. Frederick Beale. 1882-84. George N. Maps.

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

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

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

On the return of Joseph Eaton to the home

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EATONTOWN TOWNSHIP.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Joseph Allen, the father of James Allen, of

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

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

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

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

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

The Wheeler House (hotel) stands on the site

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

when John Redford became the owner. It passed from his executors to Humphrey Wady, who, in 1761, sold it to Joseph Potter. In August, 1769, Potter conveyed it to Hans Jacob Rettiker, but in a few years it came back to Potter again. After his death it came to Lydia, his daughter, who married Peter Wolcott, the father of the late Henry W. Wolcott. At this time there was no grist-mill and only the remains of the fulling-mill, which stood northeast of the present site. Peter Wolcott erected the present mill. He was a ear- following summer he erected upon the site the penter, and also kept a store in the house which present three-story brick hotel, known as the stands near the mill. The mill property after- Wheeler House, and kept it until 1878, when he was succeeded by Peter Hall, the present pro- prietor.

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

The Columbian House (hotel) was built in 1831, on property of Dr. John P'. Lewis, by members of Washington Lodge, No. 9, F. and A. M. Dr. Lewis afterwards bought their interest in the house. It was kept first by Joseph Doty, later by Kruser Snediker, John Rogers and others, and on

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

of an old tavern that stood during the Revolution. | Gabriel Stelle, who ran it till October 30, 1730, At the close of the war it was occupied and kept ! by Mrs. Deborah Williams, widow of John Wil- liams. Afterwards it was kept by Thomas Little' Jacob Dennis, Asher Smith (the latter sold the property in 1823, and purchased the Charles Parker tavern-stand, at Smithville, on the Mount Holly road), Charles R. Brinley, George Camp- bell, George Wilson and others. About 1861, .John J. Wheeler purchased the property and car- ried on the old tavern until its destruction by fire, on the night of December 10, 1873. During the

wards came into the possession of Lewis Smith and Gabriel West, by whom the undershot wheel was changed to an overshot. It later passed to White & Richmond, and is now operated by J. H. & C. A. Richmond.

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

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

March 30, 1873, it came into possession of Captain ! College, settled at Eatontown in 1854. He was John S. Lufburrow, the present proprietor.

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

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

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

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EATONTOWN TOWNSHIP.

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

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

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF EATONTOWN dates back in its history more than thirty years. For several years prior to 1852 Methodist services had been held in the school- house on Railroad Avenue, now used as a dwell- ing. In 1851 it was decided to erect a church edifice, and a lot was purchased of the Smith estate and a house erected, which was dedicated March 24, 1852. At that time it was under the charge of the Rev. B. Weed, who continued through the next year. Among the pastors who have served since that time are the following- named : T. S. Moore, 1854-55; John L. Souder, 1859-60; G. K. Morris, 1861-62; T. A. Morrell, 1865-66; J. F. Morrell, 1870-71; J. Lavalle, 1874-75; A. M. North, 1876-77 ; N. I. Wright, 1878-79; A. J. Gregory, 1880-S1 ; W. II. Allen, 1882-83; S. T. Grimes, 1884.

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

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

as a Baptist church by a council composed of dele- gates from the following churches: Red Bank, Middletown, Holmdel and Hoboken. On applica- tion, the church was admitted into the East New Jersey Baptist Association.

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

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History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 145

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