History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 69

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 69

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In January, 182S. Asa S. Colton opened a classical school, which he continued until Octo- soon afterwards assignee. At the house of ber of the same year, in the Corlies Lloyd Judge Thomas C. Throckmorton was a mil- house, which has been mentioned as standing | linery shop and store, kept by Miss Craig, who

ou or a little beyond the site of the present post- office. In 1829 this house was the residence of Isaac K. Lippincott, who, three years before, had opened a store on the spot where Emrich's clothing-store now is. In the year named, D. C. Perrine (now one of the leading merchants of Freehold) came to work as a clerk in Lip- pincott's store, and he has a clear recollection of the appearauce of the village at the time of his arrival. From the account which he gives of it the following particulars are noted, as additional to what has already been mentioned of the inhabitants and business of the place a few years earlier.

At the time referred to (1829) Elias Hart was keeping his confectionery store and eating- house in the old building afterward purchased and demolished by Stewart Brown. Between John Casler's tavern and South Street was the shop of Amos Haviland. Charles Burk was keeping the tavern which afterwards became the Union Hotel, and his stable was the okl court-house building on South Street. Where now is the store of D. C. Perrine there was then a one and a half story wooden buikling, occupied as a store by John Bowne, and in the rear of it was his hat-shop and store. Next above the Caleb Lloyd house was the residence the Alexander Low house (where ex-Governor Parker now lives) was the residence of John H. Outcalt, undertaker. The Woodhull house (previously William Lloyd's) was occupied by William Campbell, farmer. On the northwest side of the street there had been as yet no dwellings erected above the Seudder house, and the okl Episcopal Church was still the only house of worship in the village. The only newspaper was the Monmouth Inquirer, which was published weekly by John W. Bartleson. Its office-located on the spot now occupied

safe and few fixtures being kept at the house of' William I. Bowne, cashier and manager, and

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

afterwards became Mrs. Amos Haviland. Passing the court-house and the dwelling of John Craig, the next building on the northwest side was the jewelry and watch-maker's shop of Walter Hart, and beyond this there was, within the village bounds, only the slated building used by William H. Bennett as a blacksmith-shop.

Frechold villageas it was in 1834 is described in " Gordon's Gazetteer," published in that year. It calls the place " Freehold, or Monmouth," and after giving its location as thirty-six miles southeast from Trenton, says: "The town, though long stationary, is now thriving, and contains from thirty-five to forty dwellings, a court-house, prison and publie offices ; an Episcopal, a Methodist, a Presbyterian, Dutch Reformed and a Baptist Church ; three taverns, five or six stores, four practicing attorneys, two physicians, an academy and a printing- office." There were, however, two printing- offices,-those of the Monmouth Inquirer and Monmouth Democrat, which last named made its first appearance April 12, 1834. In the first issue of that paper is found an advertise- ment of a stage-line running from Frechold to Hightstown, and there connecting with trains of the Camden and Amboy Railroad. Propri- etors of the line, B. Hendrickson, Freehold, and Smith & Mount, Hightstown.1 On the 6th of October, in the same year, a new line of

1 Under date of December 1, 1836, R. M. Smith, of Ilightstown, and B. Hendrickson, of Freehold, announce that they "have commenced running a line of stages from Freehold, intersecting the Caniden & Amboy Rail Road at Ilightstown. Every day leaving Freehold at 8 o'clock, A. M., and Hightstown upon the arrival of the Rail Road Cars. By this arrangement, passengers leaving Freehold will be enabled to reach Philadelphia or New York at 3 o'clock r.M. of the same day. Fare to New York, $1.50 ; to Philadelphia, $2 ; to Trenton, $1.50 ; to New Brunswick, $1.50 : to Princeton, $1.50.

In April, 1837, Benjamin Laird and Aaron Casler an- nounce their "Spring arrangement of the Freehold and Middletown Point Stage," in connection with the steam- boat " Monmonth." "Will leave the house of Benjamin Laird, innkeeper in Freehold, on every Monday, Wednes- day and Friday, via Marlborough, and arrive at Middle- town Point in time to take the boat for New York. Return- ing, will leave Middletown Point on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays." Fare from Freehold to New York. $1.25. "Coaches will be furnished at Freehold, for any part of Monmonth County, upon the arrival of the stage. For

stages is announced, to run from Freehold to Amboy, by way of Colt's Neck and Eatontown. Samuel Laird, Thomas Shearman and Joseph Doty, proprietors.

In 1833 all the land on the north side of Main Street, from the Scudder house to Manalapan Avenue, was owned by Daniel H. Ellis, who laid it out into building lots, which he sold at two hundred dollars each, purchasers casting lots for choice of location. When Mr. Ellis pur- chased this land it was an old, worn-out field, on which, as he said, he could not raise a crop larger than the amount of seed sown or planted. Under these circumstances he commenced the use of marl upon it, and soon afterwards he raised thirty bushels of good wheat to the aere.

DANIEL HENDRICKSON ELLIS was a great- grandson of Rowland Ellis, who came to Burling- ton, N. J., in 1714, being sent from England as a teacher by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. He was assistant minis- ter and teacher under Rev. John Talbot, the first rector of the Episcopal Church in Burlington, and his name is closely identified with the carly history of the church, school and city. He was

seats, apply to B. Laird." The proprietors also annonnce that they have good horses, comfortable stages and sober drivers.

On the 4th of October, 1841, a stage-line commenced running from Freehold to Tuckertown. Proprietors, C. C. lliggins, of Freehold, and others, At the same time, C.C. Iliggins was running a line from Freehold to lights- town, connecting with the Camden and Amboy Railroad.

On the 30th of December, 1852, D. C. Conover, J. A. Hyers, U. Norcross and E. Bruen announce by advertise- ment that they " have commenced running a daily line of stages between Freehold and Tom's River, and three times a week (Tuesday, Thursdays and Saturdays) to Tuckerton, returning on alternate days (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays). The stages will leave Tom's River at six o'clock every morning, and arrive at Freehold in time to connect with stages for Jamesburg and Keyport. Returning, leave Freehold on arrival of stages from Jamesburg and Keyport." The fare from Freehold to Blue Ball was 123 cents ; to Bergen Iron-Works, 50 cents ; to Tom's River, 75 cents ; to Cedar Creek, $1.00; to Forked River, $1.123; to Waretown, $1.25; to Barnegat, $1.50; to Manahawkin, $1.50; to West Creek, $1.75: and to Tucker- ton, $2.00.

In 1855 a line of stages was started from Freehold to Long Branch by Welsh & Carson, of Freehold. In 1856 a line was started between Freehold and Squan vil- lage by Elias R. Haight.

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THE TOWN OF FREEHOLD.

clerk of the city for forty years. His son Daniel, born February 5, 1727, was an influen- tial citizen, and spent his life chiefly as a publie man connected with the city and county, having been for thirty-five years clerk of the eity, as also surveyor-general, sheriff and judge. Charles, the son of Daniel, born February 12, 1767, also resided in Burlington, N. J., during his life, and although not identified so largely with its local and public affairs, was a citizen of mneh influence. He was appointed Indian

Jacob, in 1811. Daniel H. Ellis, a native of Burlington, N. J., spent his growing years in the city of his birth, and at the age of fourteen entered a store at Bristol as clerk. He soon after removed with his employer to New Brunswick, and on the expiration of his second year entered the establishment of one of the principal dry-goods firms of Philadelphia. Two years later, in company with Joseph Hendrick- son, he established at Middletown Point (now Matawan) a store for the sale of general mer-

commissioner to treat with the Indians, and , ehandise. In 1823, having disposed of his held various public offices at home, being on interest in this business, Mr. Ellis purchased a several occasions a member of the Board of | farm near Freehold, to which he removed. He Chosen Freeholders. He married, on the 4th was, in 1829 and 1830, a member of the State of December, 1794, Mary, daughter of Jacob | Legislature. In 1831 he was appointed by the and Elizabeth Hendrickson, of Upper Free- Legislature, county clerk of Monmouth County, and reappointed the following term, making a hold, whose birth occurred October 9, 1772. Their children were Hannah, born in 1793 ; continuous period of service of ten years. He Elizabeth, born in 1795 ; Daniel II., born May resumed the occupation of a farmer, and re- 7, 1797 ; Charles, in 1801 ; Mary (Mrs. Wil- mained thus employed until 1851, the date of liam R. Allen), in 1803; Elizabeth (second his return to Freehold, where he embarked in wife of Rev. George Young), in 1806; and . the coal and lumber business, under the firm-

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

name of Allen Combs & Co., later retiring from this business connection and forming a new firm, of which his son John H. Ellis is the successor. Mr. Ellis was a considerable dealer in real estate, and at one time controlled much valuable property now embraced in the boronghi of Freehold. He was public-spirited and liberal, giving generously to all public improve- ments, as also to benevolent causes. He was for many years president of the Freehold Gas- Light Company, director of the Freehold and Jamesburg Railroad, and personally interested in other enterprises, whose success was in a measure the result of his business tact and forethought. Throughout his life he mani- fested an active interest as a Democrat in the political questions of the day, supporting both the candidates and measures of his party with unswerving fidelity. Naturally a partisan, he rarely, even in local matters, assumed a neutral position, and frequently, by his wisdom and practical sense, directed local political contests. Mr. Ellis was not connected by membership with any religious denomination, though a wor- shiper at the Reformed Church in Freehold, (of which his family are members), and a liberal contributor to its support. He was a man of tender sensibilities, charitable to the poor, warm in his friendships and earnest in his antago- nisms. Daniel HI. Ellis, in 1818, married Catharine A., daughter of Johu S. Holmes, of Holmdel. Their surviving children are C. Holmes, John H., Elizabeth (widow of the late A. R. Throckmortou), Sarah, Mary (widow of the late C. D. Throckmorton), Ellen H., Emma T. (widow of the late Dr. Addison Woodhull) and Kate A. The death of Mr. Ellis occurred at his home in Freehold on the 8th of Septem- ber, 1883.

In 1835 the Rev. D. V. McLean and John W. Bartleson purchased a tract of land on the south side of Main Street, and divided a large por- tion of it into building lots, extending along that side of the street southwest from MeLean Avenue.

In the decade next preceding the year 1837 the merchants of Freehold were Lippincott & Davis, Cyrus Bruen and John Bowne. Davis & Murphy opened business where now is the

residence and bakery of W. H. Butcher, and in 1837 opened their store in a part of the build- ing now Taylor's Hotel. Among the advertise- ments found in the Monmouth Democrat of April 27th, in that year, is that of John Bowne, who there announces that, " having been for a long time engaged in business in this place, and now about to retire from mercantile pursuits," he will sell his entire stock of dry-goods, gro- ceries, etc., "at prices which will meet the views of my customers and friends who wish to pur- chase, many of whom I have had dealings with for more than twenty years ;" and in another part of the same paper he advertises that his stock of goods, " comprising in the whole the largest assortment of country store goods ever offered in the county at auction," will be dis- posed of at public sale, commencing on Monday, the 15th of May, next following.

In the same paper appears a report of "a meeting of the Bench and the Bar attending the present term of the Monmouth Courts, held (on the adjournment of the Court) at Hendrickson's Hotel, in Freehold, on the 25th of April, 1834, for the purpose of adopting suitable measures of respect for the memories of the IIon. William Lloyd 1 and the Hon. James Hopping, two of the Judges of the Monmouth Pleas." Jehu Patter- son acted as chairman, and J. F. Randolph as secretary. "On motion, Jehu Patterson, John Hull, William I. Bowne, Daniel B. Ryall, Wil- liam L. Dayton and J. F. Randolph, Esquires, were appointed a committee to prepare resolu- tions appropriate to the occasion." The com- mittee subsequently reported resolutions, which were adopted, and the meeting adjourned.

The public buildings of the county of Mon- mouth are here noticed in connection with the history of Freeholl town, for the reason that the four court-houses of the county have all been located at the present county-seat, though the first county jail was built at Middletown, and for a time the carly courts were held there and at another point in the northeast part of the county, at a distance from the present shire-town.

1 Mr. Lloyd died on the 21st of April, 1837.

399

THE TOWN OF FREEHOLD.

The " Monmouth Patent," granted by Gover- nor Nieolls, in 1665, to William Goulding and others, who established the first settlements in Monmouth County, as before mentioned, con- ferred the power to hold courts for the trial of causes and the punishment of eriminals ; and under that authority such courts were held at Middletown and Shrewsbury. In 1682 the government of the twenty-four proprietors was established, and under it, in 1683, an act was passed,1 requiring each county of the province to build a common jail.

There was no court-house at Middletown or Shrewsbury. At those places the courts were held, according to the requirements of the law, in the " public meeting-house " in each town. There was a jail at Middletown, but none at Shrewsbury. In Middletown the jail stood at the intersection of the road from Swimming River with the King's highway, now the Main Street of the town, on the west side of the Swimming River road, where the Episcopal Church now stands. On this spot a block-house was built about 1670 to protect the inhabitants from the Indians.2 Subsequently it was for a short time used as a jail. The first jail of the county was built there in 1684, in accordance with the requirements of the act of the previous year. In the Middletown street, in front of the jail, stood the stocks. Several murderers were executed there. The date of building the first jail of Monmouth County is ascertained by reference to the following extracts from the minutes of the court, viz. :

"Sessions at Middletown, March 25th and 26th, 1684, -Ordered by this present Court, that John Throek- morton and the High Sheriff are the men appointed to agree with a Carpenter for to build a County Jail at Middletown ; and what agreement the said two men shall make with any such Carpenter, the Court engages to stand by.

"Sessions at Middletown, September, 1684 .- Ordered that there be a rate made for building the Prison, and that Remembrance Lippincott, for Shrewsbury, and

James Bowne, for Middletown, are the men ap- pointed to make the Rates ; and that all Persons give in an account of their Estates to Remembrance Lip- pincott, for Shrewsbury, and to Thomas Renshall, for Middletown ; the accounts are to be given in by the 15th of October next, and the Rates to be made by the 25th ditto, and if any one shall negleet bringing in an account of their Estates to the persons above, at the time appointed, they are to be rated double as much as the rate-makers adjudge their Estates to be; the pay to be brought in by the 10th of November next, to John Throckmorton, for Middletown, and Eliakim Wardell, of Shrewsbury, and in case any one shall be remiss in bringing in their pay by the time af", dis- traint to be made by the Constable, with the Charges arising thereupon. Good winter wheat to be paid at 3s. 6d. per bushel. Butter at 4d. per pound."

The jail built at this time must have been insecure, for in a very few years complaint was made to the court and the grand jury that the gaol was insufficient, as appears by the follow- ing, viz. :

"Sessions at Shrewsbury, December, 1692 .- Colonel Andrew Hamilton present. A bill was presented to the Grand Jury by the Sub-Sheriff, William Leeds, for the want of a pair of Stoeks in each Town in this County, which Bill was found by the said Jnry ; also a Bill was presented to the Grand Jury concerning the insufficiency of the County Gaol, which bill was allowed.

"Sessions at Middletown, September, 1693,-Where- as a complaint was made unto the Court that the County Prison was insufficient to keep any Prisoners in, either for debt or felony. The Court taking it into their consideration, made a choice of Mr. John Stout and John Bowne, both of Middletown, to agree with any workmen they should think fit, for the en- largement and repairing of the said prison, and that it shall be according as the said John Stout and John Bowne shall direct ; also that a warrant be issued out for the said John Stout and John Bowne, for the doing of the same.

"Sessions, Middletown, March, 1696 .- The Grand Jurors present Samuel Forman, High Sheriff of the County of Monmouth, for letting a Negro, Jeremy, being a Murderer, make his escape out of the county Gaol, some time in February, 1695.

"Evidence Sworn in Court, that some time after the Negro was brought to the Gaol, the said negroes feet was only keyed with two or three shingle nails ; Eleazer Cottrell upon oath says, that the said Sheriff took him to secure the negro in gaol, and that with an axe, hammer and gimblet did what they could with those tools, and that the Sheriff thrust a long piece of iron through the end of the bolt, but did not ribbit it, upon which the said Cottrell told him he did not think it sufficient, but the Sheriff thought it would

1 Leaming and Spicer.

2 The building of this fort or block-house was the result of the general panic which spread through all the northern and eastern provinces on account of the Indian troubles in New England, known as King Philip's War. The In- dians in this section, however, were never troublesome to the English settlers.

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

do. Lewis Morris says, in open court, he hath ad- vised and desired the Sheriff to secure the fellow, and to iron him hand and foot and ribbit the irons, but the Sheriff slighted his advice. John Wilson, Jr., says on oath that he made two staples aud two keys of good iron, as he thought, for the fettering of the said Negro-Ordered by the Court that Samuel For- man find four men to give five hundred pounds se- curity for his appearance at the next Court of Common Right, for the answering a negligent escape of the fellow, Negro Jeremy . . .

On the next day the prisoner was captured, brought before the court, confessed his guilt, and was immediately sentenced to death by the cruel mode of execution set forth in the remain- ing portion of the record, viz :

At eight of the clock the next morning the court met again. About 10 of the clock, news was brought that negro Jeremy was cauten. Court adjourned until two o'clock in the afternoon. At two o'clock the court sat again. The negro Jeremy was brot to the bar, and his indictment being read over, the pris- oner was demanded if he was guilty or not guilty. The prisoner owned himself guilty, and all the fact how, and after what manner he killed his master. The prisoner had his sentence pronounced as follow- eth : 'Jeremy, thou must go to the place of execution, where thy right hand shall be cut off and burnt before thine eyes ; then thon shalt be hanged up by the neck until thou art dead, dead, dead ; then thy body shalt be cut down and thrown into the fire and burnt to ashes.' Ordered by the Court that Wilham Goodbody, who did take the said Negro Jeremy, shall be paid twenty pounds of right out of the next County rate

There were four executions at Middletown,- three for murder and one for rape,-all four of the culprits being negroes. The first was in 1691, of Cæsar, servant of James Merling, of Middle- town, for the murder of Mary Wright ; the sec- ond was that of Jeremy, above mentioned ; the third was of negro Tom for rape committed at Shrewsbury ; and the fourth was of negro Min- go, for killing negro Ned.

The following extracts from the records show that about the year 1704 the prison at Middle- town ceased to be, and the building of another was under consideration. The presumption is that the original jail had been destroyed by fire, for it had been in existence only about twenty years and could hardly have become useless by ordinary deeay in that time.

" Sessions at Shrewsbury, August, 1704 .- The Sheriff made application to this Court that he had been at great charge for the want of a Prison, and desired of the Court that reimbursement might be made.

"Sessions, Shrewsbury, March, 1708,-Ordered that the consideration of the County Gaol be referred nutil the next Court of Sessions for this County.

"Sessions, Middletown, Sept., 1709 .- Ordered that the consideration of the County Gaol be referred to the next Quarter Sessions.

"Sessions at Middletown, Dec., 1709 .- Ordered that the consideration of the County Gaol be referred to the next Quarter Sessions.

"Sessions, Shrewsbury, Feby., 1710-Ordered that the Constable of each Town within this County do give warning to each freeholder and inhabitant that they do meet together in each town the first Monday in March to choose 2 freeholders, as directed by an act of Assembly, for building and repairing gaols and court-houses, so as also to choose overseers and assess- ors for the relief of the poor, as by another act ; and that the Town-Meeting be for Shrewsbury at the house of John West; for Freehold, at Cornelius Thomsou's; for Middletown at M'. Depey ; and that the Clerk do serve each Constable with a copy of this order. "

At that time (and for a century afterward) there were no newspapers in Monmouth County, and notice of public meetings was given person- ally by the constables,-one constable notifying on the north side of Hop Brook, and the other on the south side.

On the 8th of June, 1710, an order was given for building a new prison at Middletown, where the first jail had stood. The style and dimensions of the structure, and the method of raising the money to pay for it, are given in the following :

"Orders for building the County Gaol at Middle- town, and for raising money for the same, June 8th, 1710.

"In pursnance of an Act past in General Assembly, A.D. 1709, for the building and repairing of Gaols and Court-houses within this province, We, John Williams and Thomas White, of Shrewsbury, Wil- liam Lawrence, William Hartshorne, of Middletown, John Okisson and Zebulon Clayton, of Freehold, being chosen by the respective towus, together with Obadiah Bowne, Anthony Woodward and George Allen, Esquires, Justices of the Peace for the County of Monmouth, Do appoint the common Gaol for this County to be built in the former place at Middletown, where the ancient Prison formerly stood, which | prison is to be built twenty foot square, two stories

401

THE TOWN OF FREEHOLD.

high, each story to be seven feet high, the lower story to be built with lime and stone under ground, the upper story above ground to be built with timber, the posts to be six inches square and to stand within four inches one of the other, to be covered on the outside with inch boards, the under floor to be laid with plank two inches thick upon good sleepers within eighteen inches of each other, and to be spiked down with good iron spikes; with two windows, one oppo- site to the other, made firm with good iron grates ; a division in the said lower story to be made with strong studs of timber, so that each room may have in it one of the said windows; with substantial doors, locks and bars, fit for the securing of Malefactors. The second floor to be laid with beams of six and eight inches square, within six inches one of the other, and the third floor in like manner to be covered with inch boards; the upper room to have windows and partition in like manner as the lower room; the said house to be covered with cedar or chestnut shin- gles, square edged, and that there be a good brick chimney built at one end, with a fire-place in each room.

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History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 69

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