History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 74

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 74

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The first mention of Freehold Circuit is in the Conference minutes of 1793, when James Wilson and John Fountain were appointed to it was not the third Methodist organization in the charge. Before that it was included in this section, for it was preceded by that at Trenton Cireuit. In that year Trenton Cirenit . Middletown Point, if not by others besides reported five hundred and six members, while | those at Long Branch and Blue Ball. The in 1794, after Freehold Circuit was cut off, it house of worship at Chapel Hill was in posses- reported only one hundred and seventy-four,! while Freehold reported four hundred and seventy-seven. This probably included all the , these and other facts concerning the early Methodists in this section of the State east of | Methodist organizations and worship in Mou- Trenton.

Judge Joseph Murphy, of Freehold, then (1879) in his eighty-third year, informed the writer that the only building owned by the Meth- odists in this section for publie worship was the one at Blue Ball. The Methodists of Freehold and all the country around, from Keyport and Bethany and Cheesequakes, on the east, to Ben- nett's Mills, on the south, went there to worship. Among the preachers in early times he remem- bers Major Thomas Morrell (an officer of the Continental army, who was wounded at German -; town and Long Island), Thomas Neal, David Bartine, Thomas Stewart, James Long, Joseph Holdich, Isaac Winner, John K. Shaw, Daniel Fidler, Edward Page, Joseph Lybrand, Charles Pitman and Anthony Atwood. The Quarterly Meetings were often held there, and were great gatherings. That was the only Methodist Church organization in the county when he first recollected it. The next society was formed at Long Branch. They built a church at what

Methodist society was organized at Chapel Hill, in Middletown. From that place it was the custom for the circuit preachers to come to Judge Murphy's father's house, at Bethany, on Fridays, and preach.

This account by Judge Murphy was given in his old age from memory, and is in some respects erroneons. There was a Methodist organization at Long Branch years before Judge Murphy was born. In 1790 it was under charge of the Rev. Zenas Conger, with whom his congregation had some disagreement, which resulted in his taking away a part of the members and forming what he called an Independent Methodist Church, of which several were organized in this region a few voar- later. As to the society at Chapel Hill, sion of the Baptists until 1829, when it was sold to the Methodist society. With regard to

mouth County, reference may be had to the history of the Methodist Church at Branchburg, Eatontown township, and of the " Independent Baptist Church and Society at High Point" (Chapel Hill), in Middletown township.

Judge Murphy had a clear recollection of the old church building at Blue Ball. The seats had no backs and the walls were unplastered. The pulpit was built high up on the wall. The building was very much out of repair. It would seat about one hundred and fifty people, but on Quarterly Meeting occasions a great many more could be crowded in. He remembered that Joseph Goodenough was a leading member of the church when he first knew it. The recol- lections of Mr. J. Forman Rogers and Mr. John J. Cottrell, concerning the old meeting-house and the carly worship of the Methodists in the vicinity, are given in the history of the church at Blue Ball.

The first Methodist meetings in the vieinity of Freehold of which there is any account were

424

HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

held at Mount's Corner (West Freehold) in 1831, in the old store-house at that place, by James MeBurney, a school-teacher and local preacher.1 Out of these meetings grew a revival of religion, and a number of persons were converted and joined the church. Some of these converts next held meetings in the old academy on Main Street, in Freehold, now occupied by the Gas-Light Company as a work-shop and dwelling .?

Previous to this time the Methodists living in and near Frechold belonged to William Rogers' class, and were members of the church at Blue Ball, near which place Mr. Rogers lived. He used to walk from his home to Freehold and hold prayer-meetings in the academy, in the grand jury room at the court-house (the room now oceupied as an office by the sheriff), and in private houses.3

A class was now (1832) formed at Freehold, and Joseph Murphy was appointed leader. The old class-book, containing the list of members and the record of their attendance upon the meetings, and a collector's book, in which was recorded the money received for the support of the preachers and the names of the persons contributing it, were found among his papers after his decease by his daughter, Mrs. Louisa Wheeler. Ralph Hulse acted as steward and collected the money. On the inside of the cover of the class-book is the following indorsement :

"FREEHOLD VILLAGE CLASS-BOOK.

1832. JOSEPH MURPHY LEADER."

On the first page of the book is the following list of members :

Joseph Murphy, Alice Murphy, Enos R. Bartleson.4 Alfred Hance, Rebecca Hance, Hannah Smith, Ralph Hulse, Margaret Hulse, Hannah Lawrence, William A. Harvey. Jacob Blakesley, Ruth Blakesley, Samuel Conover, Mary Conover, Tylee Sandford.

Handwriting unrecognized.

In Judge Murphy's handwriting.

In lead pencil. The last two names scarcely legible.

Upon the next page, where the names are transferred, all in Judge Murphy's handwriting, is a marginal record that Hannah Smith and the persons whose names follow hers joined the society August 6, 1832. On this second page Bartleson, Mr. and Mrs. Hance, Hannah Law- rence and Harvey are marked as removed, and Sandford as deceased.

These were all the members of the Methodist

4 Enos R. Bartleson was a brother of John W. Bar- tleson, and in partnership with him in the printing business and publication of the Monmouth Inquirer. lle subse- quently removed to the West.

Jacob Blakesley was a storekeeper at Mount's Corner, and shortly after this removed to Ohio.

Alfred Hance was an assistant to Blakesley, and at one time peddled wooden elocks for him throughout this sec- tion. These eloeks then sold for twenty-four dollars apiece. Mrs. William Cooper, of Freehold, now has one of them, and it is still a good time-keeper. He also removed to the West. and, it is said, became a preacher.

Hannah Smith is the widow of John Voorhees, deceased, and the mother of the Rev. William Voorhees, of the Newark Conference. She now resides on Elm Street, in Free- hold.

Hannah Lawrence is the widow of John Lawrence, for- merly of Jerseyville, and the mother of Rev. R. V. Law- rence, deceased, and Jacob C. Lawrence, Esq., of Freehold. She resides about three miles south of Farmingdale, is about eighty years old, and still in possession of all her faculties.

William A. Harvey was an apprentice to Ralph Hulse, who then carried on the manufacture of hats in Freehold. Ilarvey removed about 1837.

Mary Conover was the wife of ex-Sheriff Samuel Con- over, of Freehold, and died about 1838.

Tylee Sanford was a brother of James Sanford, de- ceased, of Freehold, and of Daniel 1. Sanford, of English- town. He was killed while at work building the parsonage of the Reformed Dutch Church in Freehold, by the fall of a piece of timber, shortly after he joined the class.

1 MeBurney's name appears in the old collector's book of Ralph Hulse, first quarter, 1832.

2 Rev. D. W. Bartine, then in his twenty-first year, and employed as a supply on Middlesex Mission (1831-32), on his way to the Annual Conference of 1832. preached in the old academy. The next time that he preached in Free- hold was on the occasion of the dedication of the present church building.

$ Mr. Rogers did not move to Freehold until the spring of 1838. Ilis name is first recorded in the old elass book in May of that year.

425

THE TOWN OF FREEHOLD.

Church then residing in Freehold and its imme- diate vicinity, so far as can be now ascertained. Sally Throckmorton, who was a Methodist, and who kept a school in part of Alexander Low's cabinet-ware shop, had removed to Palmyra, N. Y., Mrs. Stillwell (Mrs. Judge Murphy's mother) had died and MeBurney had removed.1

At the bottom of the original list in Judge Mur- phy's old class-book appear the following names

Ann Archy, John M. Mount,

Thomson Clayton, Eleanor Voorhees, Elijah Patterson,

Mary Goble,

Eliza Solomon,

Alice Johnson,

Elizabeth Bond,

Tunis Patterson,

George Vancleaf, Caroline Stillwell,

Michael Maghan,

William Vanhorn,

Jane Murray, Sarah West,

John Voorhees.

William B. Potts,

Ann Inlse, Joseph Lewis,

Eliza Potts, Amy Mathews, John C. Cunningham, Catharine Lob,

George Mount,

Emeline McChesney,

Samuel Warden,

Phebe Stillwell, Sarah Lokerson, Content Stillwell, Mary Clayton, Eliza Bills,

Mary Ann Warden, Rebecca Coward, Content Maghan, Apollo W. Borden, Hannah Borden,

Rachel Bills,

Eliza Conover, John Conoly, Richard Pearson,

Harriet McCabe,

David Lokerson, Abigail Barkalow,

Abigail Pyle,

George Goble, Ida Hendrickson,

Simon Pyle,

Lydia Ann Chambers,

Rebecca Ann Sandford, Mary Sandford,

Eliza Price, Jemima Stillwell.

1838.

Phebe Patterson,

Mary Conoly, Lydia Vancleaf, William Rogers, Lucy Rogers, Sarah Rogers, Abraham G. Neafie, - - Newman, William Strickland, Amy Strickland, Jane Conk, Edward Asay,

Sarah Neafie, Hannah Still (colored), Willian Pettit, Hannah Pettit,

Mary Bryan,

Elizabeth Rogers.

1840.

Hannah Asay, David Price,

David Applegate,

Priscilla Richmond, Mary Richmond.

1841.

Daniel Sanford, Fanny Cook, Elizabeth Conine.

Mary Ann Sanford,

Rachel Cubberly,

Mrs. David Lokerson (Sarah Stillwell), a sister of Mrs. Ralph Hulse, says she well re- members the revival at Mount's Corner in 1832. It was the first year of the cholera, and the excitement attending the prevalence of the pesti- lence tended to make people serious. The meet- ings were held by Stewart and James Moore. Moore was an old man, and was familiarly known then as "Daddy" Moore. She does not remember MeBurney, although he might have been there. She lived in the Stillwell neigh- borhood, about three miles sontheast of Mount's Corner. She had been married nine years. She went with her husband to attend the meetings and both were converted. She was taken into the society there and her husband at the church at Blue Ball. The meetings at Mount's Corner were held in a store building, where Job Throck- morton, Jr. (son of dob), then recently deceased at the age of forty-five years, had kept store. The store goods had all been removed ; Job Throckmorton, the elder, was still living and was a member of the Blue Ball Church. William Rogers was a class-leader at that time.

In the fall following the organization of this class there was another revival in Freehold, and fifty or sixty persons-mostly young poo- ple-were converted. David Bartine was the senior preacher, and Thomas G. Stewart the junior preacher, on the circuit. Stewart prob- ably made his home in this neighborhood and condneted the revival meetings, for his name, and not Bartine's, is always associated with this revival. Some of these converts fell away, some removed from the neighborhood, some died, and a few remained faithful and were re- ceived into full membership.

Steven Lane, a resident of Freehold, and now in his seventy-ninth year, gives the follow- ing description of Stewart as he recollects him: "He was spirited, had a strong voice, and thundered when he preached. His sermon would melt the congregation to tears. He would pray as if heaven and earth were coming together. At the conclusion of his prayer,

1 Mrs. Stillwell owned and occupied a dwelling above the present Episcopal Church parsonage, about where Mulhol- land's tavern now stands.

Elisha MeCabe,

James Harris, Deborah Patterson,

Mary Matthews, Jane Patterson, Enoch Sandford,

Samuel Throp,

426

HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

sometimes, he would not wait to go down the pulpit-stairs, but would jump from his knees right over the front of the pulpit into the altar, and go right to work with the penitents. The house was usually crowded ; even the altar would be full, when he preached. It was at Blue Ball and Upper Squankum where I heard him preach. He was not a large man, about five feet eight or nine inches high, quick and nervous in action, a rapid speaker, but with a very clear utterance,-everybody could distin- guish what he said. He n-ed plain and simple language. It was reported of him that he got bothered one day, while preaching at Long Branch, about the grammatical construction of a sentence, when he dashed it aside with the exclamation, 'I would not give the grace of God for all the grammar in the workl,' and then went on with his discourse."

At this time the whole of New Jersey was included within the bounds of the Philadelphia Conference, and Freehold Circuit covered the territory now ineluded within the boundaries of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, together with one or two appointments in Middlesex County. The district was known as East Jersey Distriet, and comprised all of the State north of Bur- lington County, except Sussex and Warren Counties, and ineluding Staten Island. J. J. Matthias was presiding eller. The circuit preachers of Freehold Circuit during the year 1833 were James Long, Thomas G. Stewart and Mulford Day. James Moore, a superun- merary, resided within the bounds of the eir- cuit, probably at Long Branch, for the next year, when that place became a separate charge, James Moore was there assigned.

Statistics of Freehold apart from the circuit, and no statisties in detail until after Middle- town Circuit was cut off from Freehold, in 1837. In the Conference Minutes for 1833, Freehold Circuit reported thirteen hundred and twelve ! white members and twenty-two colored mem- bers. The Conference collections for the circuit

are reported at twenty-six dollars, and the | existence. Red Bank consisted simply of a few scattered whole Conference (including all of New Jersey and the richest part of Pennsylvania) contrib- uted only $2129.60 for missionary purposes.

At the Annual Conference of 1834, David

W. Bartine, Robert E. Morrison and William H. Gilder were received on trial, Franeis A. Morrell was ordained a deacon, and J. Leonard Gilder, (1) Jefferson Lewis, John L. Lenhart

1 Mr. Gilder, in his semi-centennial sermon delivered be- fore the New York East Conference, April 2, 1879, thus de- scribes Freehold Circuit as he first knew it :

" In the spring of 1829, when but a beardless youth, seventeen years of age, I bade adieu to my father's house. in the city of Philadelphia, and, with my saddle-bags and my horse, took my solitary way to what was then known as Freehold Circuit, at that time one of the oldest and largest circuits in the State of New Jersey, the limits of which extended on the north from Little Washington to the Highlands, thence on the east to Squan, thence on the south to Freehold, thence on the west to Little Washington. It was a four weeks' circuit, with two preachers, a senior and a junior. It embraced twenty-eight preaching-places, the preachers alternating every two weeks. The appoint- ments were chiefly in private houses. There were but five meeting-houses on the circuit : at Cheesequakes, Rumson, Long Branch, Squan and Squankum. They were small, plain structures, in some instances unceiled, with unplaned boards for seats ; at evening service lighted with tallow candles. The largest and most pretentious was that at Long Branch. A description of the meeting-house at Cheesequakes may not be devoid of interest. Erected in days of yore, to which the memory of no man living goeth back, it was constructed according to the most primitive style of Methodist Church architecture. It stood in the midst of a sand-field, one of the most God-forsaken spots of earth I ever saw, where neither bird, beast, reptile or insect could have extracted nutrition sufficient for the most ephemeral existence. The building was as unpolluted by paint with- in and without as when its timbers were growing in their native forest. A gallery extended aroundl three sides. At the extreme end of the left gallery was a small room parti- tioned off for class-meetings. The pulpit was elevated about sis feet above the floor, and in form resembled a large dry- goods box, the breast-work so high as almost to conceal the preacher, if small in stature, from view. From the pulpit extended a stair-case conducting to the class-room in the gallery, to which the preacher and the members repaired at the close of the public service. At the time I preached in it, being well ventilated, the swallows were tenants at will, and had literally found a nest for their young. It was in this meeting-house the renowned Benjamin .Abbott was preaching, when a terrific thunder-storm arose, during which, with stentorian voice, he exclaimed, " Thunder, my Lord, outside, while I thunder within !" and men and wo- then all through the house suddenly fell, as though a frig- ate had poured a broadside of shot into the congregation. At the time of my labors on the circuit, Keyport was not in

houses. The same was true of South Amboy. Fre ehold town, a small village, was inaccessible to the Methodists. The preaching-place was the house of Joseph Murphy, Esq., the tanner, then in the suburbs of the town. Where are now Asbury Park and Ocean Grove and Ocean Beach, with

427

THE TOWN OF FREEHOLD.

(afterwards chaplain of the "Cumberland "), Wil- liam A. Wilmer, Joseph Ashbrook, Edmund S. Janes and Thomas G. Stewart received elders' orders.

At the same time Ezekiel Cooper (who en- tered the ministry in 1785), Daniel Fielder (1789), Thomas Morrell (1787), Thomas Ware (1784) and James Moore (1794), worn out in the service, took supernumerary relations. The veterans who were then retiring from active service were cotemporary with Wesley, Coke and Asbury, while we who are here to-day were many of us familiarly acquainted with Bartine, Morrison, the Gilders, Chaplain Len- hart and others, the new recruits then just join- ing the ranks. Indeed, there are some of us here who have touched hands with the veterans of 1834, and have thus bridged the century be- tween the children of this generation and the' founder of Methodism,-John Wesley,-and the first bishops of the church in America,- Coke and Asbury.

Under Stewart's pastorate, and while he was holding meetings at the old academy, a revival , thick wooden columns, extended around three broke out, which thirty years ago was still >po- ken of as a great revival. It probably extended to other parts of the circuit in this vicinity.

On the 24 of March, 1833, a meeting was held at the academy for the purpose of electing a board of trustees, preliminary to the ercetion | of the first church building. At this meeting Rev. Thomas G. Stewart presided, and Alfred Hance was secretary. The following-named persons were elected : Joseph Murphy, Ralph Hulse, Enos R. Bartleson, Samuel Conover, Jacob Blakesley.

On the 30th of the same month they took , and subscribed three several oaths before Wil- ! Church."

liam Lloyd, a justiee of the peace,-one to sup- port the Constitution of the United States, one

their teeming population, was a vast wilderness of sand aud pine, the oppressive stillness unbroken save by the occa- sional report of the hunter's fowling-piece or the deep bass of the unquiet ocean.

" At Middletown Point, now Matawan, the preaching- place was the house of a Brother Walling, who, with his com- panion, extended the utmost hospitality to the preachers. The grateful remembrance of their personal attentions to my own needs and comfort the lapse of years has failed either to efface or diminish."

of true faith and allegiance to the State govern- ment, and the third to faithfully execute the trust of their office as " Trustees of the Meth- odist Episcopal Congregation of the Wesleyan Chapel in the Village of Freehold."1 The lot was purchased of Daniel Stillwell for the sum of one hundred and seven dollars. At that time this lot was out of town, and was located, probably, as a compromise between Freehold and Mount's Corner. The church buikling was erected and dedicated during the following year (1834); Rev. Edmund S. Janes, afterwards bishop, officiated at the dedicatory ceremonies.2 The building was an exceedingly plain one, thirty-five by forty feet square, standing with the gable-end to the street. There were two rows of small windows on each side, and on the front were three upper windows and one lower one (between the two doors). In the centre of the front, on a line with the caves, was a small sign-board hearing the legend, in three lines of painted letters, -" Freehold MI. E. Church." Inside, a gallery, supported by

sides of the church. The aisles were narrow ; the floors were bare ; it was warmed by two square wood-burning stoves, and was lighted with candles. The pulpit was a quaint struc- ture, after the style of the period, into which the preacher went by a short flight of stairs and shut himself in with a door. The cost of the building was twelve hundred dollars, and it was with much difficulty that the money was raised to pay for it.3

1 On the 19th of February. 1875, this title was formally changed to that of "The Freehold Methodist Episcopal

2 Steven Lane was present at the laying of the corner- stone of the first building. A preacher from New York was to deliver the scrinon on this occasion, but failed to come, and Stewart preached. Lane was also present at the dedication, and heard Mr. Janes preach.

3 Judge Murphy was fond of relating one of the efforts to clear off the debt. At a camp-meeting in the neighbor- borhood they opened a stand and sold refreshments, con- sisting of cakes and pies and home-made sinall beer. The barrel of beer soon gave out, but the demand for it was so great that they felt constrained to fill the barrel with molasses and water, flavored with ginger, and so continued to supply the demand, which, the weather being very warm, was unabatedl.

428

HISTORY OF MONMOUTHI COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

In 1834 the circuit preachers were James Long and J. N. Crane. Long died at Imlays- town, January 13, 1863, aged seventy-five years. Stewart died at Bordentown, January 24, 1848, aged fifty-eight years. Crane went to the New- ark Conference. At the Conference this year Long Branch was set off as a station, with John K. Shaw preacher in charge and James Moore as supernumerary. Moore died May 11, 1842. Shaw became presiding elder of the district in 1850 and died October 4, 1858.

In 1835, Edward Page was appointed circuit preacher, with "one to be supplied." He died at the Annual Conference, at Keyport, March 25, 1867.

In 1836, Mulford Day and William Robert- son were appointed to the circuit. Day died June 26, 1851. Robertson died November 2, 1864.

In 1837 the circuit was divided. A new circuit was cut out and named Middletown Circuit. From the records of Frechold Circuit (lately in possession of the pastor of Farming- dale Church) it is learned that it now ineluded sixteen appointments, viz.,-Freehold, Squan- kum, Green Grove (Jerseyville), Longstreet's (West Farms), White's School-House (two miles south of Blue Ball), Moses Bennett's (Bennett's Mills, one mile south of New Prospect), Har- mony (near Hvers' tavern, on the road to Tom's River), Littleton Herbert's (near Bricksburg), Manasquan, Howell Works (Allaire), Abraham Herbert's (Burrsville), Newman's School-House, Shark River (Hamilton), Tinton Falls, Colt's Neck and Turkey.

At this time Joseph Murphy appears as a steward and leader, and William Rogers as leader and exhorter. John I. Cottrell is the only one of the official members of the circuit now known to be living. Joseph Murphy, Joseph Goodenough, Jonathan Youmans, John B. Williams, Richard Longstreet, Hance IIer- bert, William Parker, Francis Fielder, Silas Newman, Littleton Herbert, William Rogers, Caleb Lokerson all died in the faith, and have gone to their rewarde

In 1838, Joseph AAtwood' and Charles S.

Downs appeared as circuit preachers. After the Fourth Quarterly Meeting of this year Colt's Neck disappears from the list of appointments.

In 1839 .- Edward Pageand Thomas Canfield were the circuit preachers.

In 1840 .- Edward Page and Vincent Mess- ler.

: In 1841, Bromwell Andrews and William P. Corbit.2 Upper Squankum (Farmingdale), Englishtown and Green Grove appear in the list of appointments for this Conference year.

In 1842, Bromwell Andrews and Nicholas Vansant. 1843, Abraham J. Truett and Jo- seph B. Dobbins.3 Upper Turkey (Blue Ball) and Lower Turkey (Fairfield) appear in the appointments this year.

1844 .- Abraham J. Truett, Jacob P. Fort.4

The first Sunday-school was organized in 1844 or 1845 by Sarah Rogers, daughter of William Rogers. She was assisted by Mrs. Hulse and Mary Murphy. Miss Rogers was followed, in 1850, by John G. Cooper as super- intendent, assisted by John H. Mecabe (now of Jersey City), and subsequently by Francis de Lombrado and John Hanlon, Jonathan Vannote and William Voorhees. The school had been suspended before Mr. Cooper came in, and he resuscitated it. During this period the school was suspended during the winter months. Since 1854 it has been carried on regularly, withont intermission, throughont the year.

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History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 74

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