History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 78

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Swan, Norma Lippincott. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia, R. T. Peck & co.
Number of Pages: 1148

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made the unique discovery of an American kitchen-midding on the Raritan Bay shore, about a mile and a half northeast of Keyport. There was an inland oyster bed, which the "doctor determined to be a kitchen-midding of the Stone Age. Ilere, year after year, with his children, he explored, making a collection of ! stone implements and chips. In an article read before the Natural History Society of Rutgers College, he also showed that this kitchen-mid- ding, then not more than half a mile from the water at low tide, was formerly much farther inland. In 1863, Dr. Charles Ran, in a visit to the doctor, was informed by his host of his discovery,-a fact which he hesitated to believe until he took him to the spot. Dr. Rau worked up the matter in an article for the Smithsonian, we have Kjoekken-moedding, in the real sense of the word." Dr. Rau acknowledges his in- debtedness to Dr. Lockwood as the first dis- coverer.

The doctor is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and is an honorary member of a number of scientific bodies, including the Societe Belge de Microscope. He has for many years been the lated into German by Professor Anthon Dorhn, i secretary of the New Jersey State Microscopical of the University of Jena ; it received flattering consideration from the eminent French zoologist. Milne de Edwards, and was highly compli- mented by the veteran comparative anatomist, Dr. Owen, in a related paper read to the Lin- næan Society, of London. Dr. Lockwood's knowledge of the oyster and the oyster industry is shown in his exhaustive manual on the oys- ter, published in the report for 1883 of the Bu- reau of Statistics of Labor and Industry of the State of Jersey.

Society and president of the American Postal Microscopical Club. His contributions to science in botany, zoology and microscopy are Every numerous. He is one of the staff of writers in the " Standard Natural History," now in course of publication. In popular natural his- tory Dr. Lockwood is regarded as introducing a new school : his style is so fascinating, and vet so rigidly accurate in scientific statement. In that interesting compilation, " A Natural His- tory Reader," Professor James Johonnot speaks of his indebtedness to the "admirable sketches

Among American scientists much interest was awakened, in 1860, by the discovery of the of Rev. Samuel Lockwoood. This accurate Scandinavian savants, that the great inland observer has a poetic insight and a sense of oyster beds of the Jutland fjords and shores of humor which invests every subject with which the Danish Islands, supposed to have been left he deals with a peculiar human interest." by a change of the sea-level, were actually the The first year, especially, of the late war, leavings of a people of the Stone Age. Hence, 'with its financial distress and general gloom, they were called kitchen-middings, or food . was a testing time of men ; though quiet and leavings. Among these shells were found unobtrusive, even to the verge of conservatism,

448

HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

and the pastor of a church, our subject threw himself as a patriot into the necessities of the times. By methods singularly original and in- genious, he caused the raising of money for the first volunteers, at Keyport, and their necessitous families. On another occasion, having accom- assemblages met in the different villages, the effect was a quiet leavening of the community. Dr. Lockwood worked devotedly on the earliest County Institutes, and, at a request made at one of them, he even undertook to lecture on the needs of the schools in every village of the panied a squad of volunteers to the camp near ' county. Unable to pay carriage hire, much of Freehold, a setback occurred. Not one of the | his traveling was done on foot in one of the men would allow himself to be mustered into the service, alleging that they had been de- ceived, as not a dollar of the promised bonnty money was forthcoming. All argument had failed, when one who had acted as spokesman said: "If Dominie Lockwood will give his word that the bounty will be paid in a reason- able time, we will sign the mnster-roll." The response came like a flash : "God bless you, boys. Give me ten days, and if I am alive, I will put the money in your hands." After a wild hurrah for the dominie, they were mus- tered in. It was a large sum of money to raise entirely by voluntary subscriptions upon per- sonal solicitation ; but it was done, and the pas- tor, on the tenth day, put into the hands of cach man twenty-five dollars.

Actuated by his personal knowledge of the distress among the relatives and families of many of those who went from Monmouth County to the war, he went to the field of operations as allotment commissioner, and, with one solitary exception, every Jerseyman he met signed his roll of home remittances.

Dr. Lockwood's prondest role in the history of Monmouth County must be looked for in his educational work. When he came into the county the condition of the public schools generally was very low. A few gentlemen there were who viewed the situation similarly, and who were imbued with the same spirit,-namely, the Jate principal, Amos Richardson. of the Young Ladies' Seminary ; Dr. O. R. Willis, the founder and long the principal of the Freehold Institute ; Rev. A. Millspaugh ; and that live teacher of the public school at Farmingdale, W. V. Laurence, who became eminent as a clergymen. For years a county organization of teachers was kept up, which met semi-annually, for a two days' session, an evening being devoted to public addresses in some church. As these

severest seasons known to New Jersey, so that his winter's work was with suffering and with peril, as a dangerous illness ensued. In 1859 he was elected town superintendent for the town- ship of Raritan. A statute of long standing gave the Board of Freeholders of each county the power to appoint a board of examiners, whose duty should be to license teachers. Mon- mouth had never heeded this law. So, in 1865, a law was enacted making it the duty of the Freeholders to appoint, and in default, it should be the duty of the State Board of Education to make the appointment. So, in the spring of 1865, the Board of Freeholders appointed Rev. S. Lockwood and Rev. A. Millspaugh said ex- aminers. The office had a good deal of work, but no pay. The teachers in each township were summoned to meet the examiner> in the school-honse most central. The examinations were chiefly oral, the candidates standing in line. Dr. Lockwood was much dissatisfied with the first experiments, as too often the individual with the most cheek would appear to advantage over some timid female much his superior. But the harvest of this much sowing was not far off.

Dr. Lockwood had given his earnest labor to the State Teachers' Association in its early days. From this body went a presentment and petition to the Legislature for the appoint- ment by law of a State Board of Education. This was done, and now progress was possible, for this new State Board soon obtained the passage of what was for years called " The New School Law." This was in the spring of 1867. It abolished the office of town superin- tendent and of county examiners, and instituted the county superintendent, with an examining staff. Dr. Loekwood had been elected to the office of town superintendent nine times, and now was honored with the appointment of county- superintendent.

449

THE TOWN OF FREEHOLD.

After a pastorate of fifteen years, in Angust, 1869, he resigned, his care of the church at Keyport in order to devote himself to the cdu- rational field now before him, and in 1870 he moved to Freehold, to be more central to his work. slouchy and slovenly! now, well ordered and commanding respect. The average scholarship of the public school teacher to-day is fifty per cent. over that of those days. Our school sys- tem now is absolutely free; then a rate system prevailed. The illiteracy of the young is by The first examination of teachers held under the new order of things was in July. 1867, in the grand jury room, Freehold. The en- tire exercises were in writing. The county superintendent had composed the questions and one of his examiners, Spafford W. Murphy, who was skillful as a text printer, had printed each topic on a large sheet, which was hung up in sight of the candidates. There were twenty- actual individual enumeration in our county considerably under two per cent. When Dr. Lockwood organized the county he caused a careful estimate to be made of the public school property. It went very little beyond twenty thousand dollars. To-day it is not far from four hundred thousand dollars. At that. time there was not a graded or High School in the county. Now the one single village with- seven present, and a feeling of apprehension ' out such an institution is regarded as the ex- 1 prevailed. After the stationery was distributed, ceptional one in the county. Each year our the superintendent said he would ask their at- 'public schools graduate a large number of tention a few minutes before they began their pupils whose education is superior to that of work. He assured them, in words of gentle- ; the average public school teacher of those days.

ness, that he was in sympathy with them; it was a severe ordeal to which they were called ; the situation was trying and new. He said he would narrate a bit of western experience. "A judge, named Coulter, was holding court, and

As a lecturer, whether on pedagogies or nat- ural science, Superintendent Lockwood is very popular among teachers, and in that capacity The has done institute work in every county of as the offense was so common, and no notice the State. In the great educational exhibit at the Centennial Exposition, he made an archi- won high praise, and for which he received a medal and diploma from the International Jury of Education. In 1878, nearly broken down with excess of work, the teachers and friends of education in Monmouth County sent their su- perintendent to Europe to visit the Paris Expo- sition and recuperate his health.

had been taken of it before, it caused surprise that an old man should be put on his trial for | ological exhibit for Monmouth County, which cutting some of Uncle Sam's timber ; hence, the opinion prevailed that it would amount to nothing, even in the event of conviction, as only a nominal punishment would be inflicted. The result differed from expectation, as Judge Coulter gave the old man two years' imprison- ment,-in fact, exemplary punishment. The poor fellow, in astonishment, asked if he might be Dr. Lockwood is a man of broad views and the most liberal convictions. Narrowness and bigotry have no lodgment in his nature. While now, dear teachers, do your best. I have con- reasonably conservative, he has the profoundest respect for the honest opinions of mankind. In his dealings with men, both professionally and he is the very essence of honor. His motives are pure and without reproach, personal feeling in him always giving way to a high sense of (luty, directed by the sincerest judgment. He is charitable, in the ordinary meaning of the word, even to a fault, his pity giving ere charity begins. Especially helpful has he been to de- allowed a word, and said, 'Hasn't your honor set the Coulter too deep for new land?' And sidered the situation, and will set the coulter for new land." This little speech was an inspira- tion of courage to the timid and of confidence in the ordinary every-day transactions of life, to the suspicious. Comparing the educational present with the past, what a contrast! Those early County Institutes, with, perhaps, an at- tendance of twenty teachers a day; now, at these gatherings one hundred and eighty-five teachers answering the roll-call. How differ- ent their appearance, too ! then how many were

450

HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

serving young people, who are seeking to better their condition. In Dr. Lockwood many such have found a devoted friend. He has a quick discernment in detecting real merit, and will often go out of his way in advancing it. Many a young man has found his way through col- lege and to places of honor and remuneration through Dr. Lockwood's aid and encourage- ment. The writer of this has known him to take a long ride, nnder great physical suffering, to aid a worthy teacher in trouble,-not that it was his official duty, but because of the prompt- ings of the religions humanity of his generous heart. To-day in Monmouth County few there be who have not the most kindly feeling and respect for this scholarly gentleman, who has given the maturest part of a valuable life to the advancement of education in New Jersey, which he is proud to call his home.

No newspaper was published in Freehold prior to the War of 1812-15, and the few which were published there during the next fourteen . years after the close of that war were weak and of short duration. In the time of the Revolu- tionary War the only paper published in New Jersey was the New Jersey Gazette, of which Isaac Collins was publisher. There were no post-offices then in Monmouth ; the nearest one ' was Trenton, of which B. Smith was postmaster. The New Jersey Gazette had many subscribers in Monmouth, to whom papers were delivered by post-riders, who undertook such business on their own account. In 1778, John Van Kirk, tinued is not known.

lishtown, 10s. per quarter,-the cash to be paid by the packet master on delivering of the second week's papers.

The agents in Monmouth County in 1777-78 for the New Jersey Gazette were Colonel Thomas Henderson, Freehold ; John Burrowes, Mid- dletown Point ; Colonel Daniel Hendrickson, Shrewsbury ; Colonel Elisha Lawrence, Upper Freehold.

The first newspaper of Freehold was a small sheet, called the Spirit of Washington, pub- lished, as before mentioned, in the house of Jolın Craig (or in a small building attached to the dwelling), on the north side of Main Street, next east of the court-house. It first appeared in 1814, and continued into the following year, but how much (if any) longer is not known. It was a Federalist paper, devoted largely to abuse of President Madison and ex-President Jeffer- son, and violently opposed to the war then in progress against England. Two or three copies of this paper are still in existence in Free- hold.

The Monmouth . Star, a small five-column paper, edited by West Deklyn (a young lawyer of Freehold), made its first appearance October 24, 1819. It was printed in the old court- house building, on South Street, and also, for a time, in an old buikling standing on a part of the American House site and adjoining the small shop then occupied by Francis Deklyn, and afterwards, for more than thirty-five years, by Elias Hart. How long the Star con-

The Monmouth Journal, a five-column paper, was first issued December 26, 1826, by George M. Bunce & Co. It lived nearly two years, expiring in 1828.

who was probably the same who was sheriff of Middlesex, and who lived at Cranbury, adver- tised that he would deliver the Gazette to sub- seribers in Allentown for 78. 6d. per annum ; Hightstown, 10s .; Cranbury, 11s .; Englishtown, The Jersey Blue-John C. S. Connolly and Josiah Pierson, editors-was published in Freehold in 1846, its first issue being dated January 11th in that year. It was a three-col- umn, weekly journal, " devoted to the moral and 12s. 6d .: Monmouth Court-House (Freehold), 15s, -- provided two hundred and fifty subscribers could be obtained ; one-quarter of the money to be paid in hand. In Angust of the following year (1779) Van Kirk advertised to carry the | intellectual culture of youth," which is all that paper for about the same terms per quarter, in- has been learned with regard to it. stead of per annum,-fluctuations in currency The Monmouth Herald was commenced by John C. S. Connolly and John R. T. Mason, in October, 1854, the office of publication being at the southwest corner of Main and Throck- probably the cause. His terms in 1779 were to subscribers in Allentown, 78.6d .; Freehold 10s .; Shrewsbury, 14s .; Middletown, 158., and Eng-

451

THE TOWN OF FREEHOLD.

morton Streets. The paper was consolidated with the Monmouth Inquirer in April 1860.

The Monmouth Inquirer and the Monmouth Democrat are the only newspapers now pub- lished in Frechold, the first named being the older of the two. It was established in 1829 by John W. and Enos R. Bartleson,1 who came

1 John Wesley Bartleson was born at Whitemarsh, Montgomery County, Pa., January 26, 1800. At the age of eighteen he was apprenticed to the printing business in the office of the Doylestown Democrat, a mile and a half from his birth-place, the office then being under the man- agement of General Rogers. His brother, Enos R. Bartle- son, was at the same time an apprentice in the office of the Intelligencer, conducted by Kelly & Jackson, in the same town.

The first enterprise of Mr. Bartleson, after finishing his apprenticeship, was the publication of a newspaper at Doylestown. where, on the 27th of November, 1827, in part- nership with F. B. Shaw, a lawyer, he issued the first num- ber of The Bucks County Political Examiner. The paper was a small folio, with three columns to a page, issued weekly. It supported the administration of John Quincy Adams, and advocated his re-election to the Presidency. The election of Andrew Jackson in 1828 probably caused the suspension of its publication, soon after which Mr. Bartleson removed to Freehold to commence the publica- tion of the Inquirer, as mentioned.

Mr. Bartleson was an active politician. Ile joined the Whig party early in the history of that organization, and remained in its ranks until it ceased to exist. About 1855 he became identified with the " American" or " Know- Nothing " movement, and upon the breaking up of that or- ganization, after the election of Abraham Lincoln to the Presidency, he allied himself to the Democratic party. Ile was always opposed to the Republican party, as were very many of the old Whigs who adhered to the teachings of Webster and Clay and the politicians of that school.

Mr. Bartleson always wiekled a strong influence among the people, and consequently was frequently named for po- sitions of public trust. In 1841, after his first withdrawal from the Inquirer, he was appointed by President Harrison to the charge of the light-house at Sandy Hook, and i removed with his family to that place. where he remained throughout the administration of President Tyler. In 1854 he was nominated by the Whig County Convention for sher- iff against Holmes Conover, the Democratic nominee, and was defeated by only eighty-one majority in a total poll of 4956 votes. In 1855 he was nominated by the Whig Convention for county clerk, and was defeated by Jehu Patterson, receiving 2077 votes against 2709 for Patter- son. In March, 1858, he was appointed by Governor New- ell county clerk, to fill the vacancy occasioned hy the death of Mr. Patterson, until the ensuing election. At the township election in 1859 he was elected school superin- tendent, and was annually re-elected to that position until the new law creating a county superintendent went into ef- fect, in 1867. In 1874 he was elected a justice of the peace

from Doylestown, Pa., to Freehold for that pur- pose.

In the spring of the year named, having learned that the Monmouth Journal, which had

to fill a vacancy, and the following year was elected to the full term of five years, and was re-elected in 1850. In every public position to which he was assigned he dis- charged the duties faithfully and to the entire satisfaction of the public.

After his first withdrawal from the Inquirer, Mr. Bartle- son became a large operator in real estate. From 1832 to 1850 he bought and sold large tracts of land in what is now the town of Freehold and in the immediate vicinity. It is said that at one time during the above period he was the largest land-owner, and probably the wealthiest man, in this section. In 1836 he owned over two hundred acres of land east of South Street, and built the brick mansion opposite to the Freehold Institute, now occupied by J. A. Geissenhainer, Esq. This property he soll, in 1847, to Charles Parker, father of ex-Governor Parker, who conveyed it to C. D. Emson, Esq. In 1850 be purchased the " Briar Hill Farm," and engaged in farming, having his family residence on the Keyport road, just below the " Cowart property." He also engaged in the butcher- ing business, and dealt in flour, feed and grain. This lat- ter business ultimately caused his financial embarrass- ment.

lle was an early and warm friend and supporter of pub- lic education. He not only labored for the establishment of the public-school system, but he aided to establish, and was a liberal patron of, the private institutions of learning in Freehold that, for more than a third of a century, contributed so largely to the intellectual culture of the people.

Mr. Bartleson was married, at Freehold, on the 5th of February, 1835, to Catharine, daughter of Samuel Throck- morton, who married Phoebe Snyder, at Frankfort, Ky , on the 26th of January, 1806, the day on which Mr. Bartleson was born. Her grandfather was Samuel Throckmorton, of South Amboy, who married Catharine Francis, of Middle- town Point. in 1755. Mrs. Bartleson's aunt, Sarah Throck- morton, married Dr. Samuel Forman, who was the father of John F. T. Forman, and grandfather of Dr. D. McL. F.rman, of Freehold. The fruit of this marriage was five children-Catharine L., who died in infancy ; Mary .Inn, widow of .James D. Budington, of Freehold ; Katie T., wife of H. B. Carpenter, merchant, of Philadelphia : Alethea, wife of Rev. E. D. Ledyard, of Cincinnati ; and Julia, wife of A. Bell Malcolmson, lawyer, of New York City.

Intimately associated as he was with public affairs, Mr. Bartleson was unobtrusive in his demeanor and kind and gentle in his intercourse with his fellows. His public ad- dresses, whether on political topics or in local assemblies, were argumentative and persuasive, exhibiting a sound, practical judgment and a mind well stored with facts. He always maintained a high reputation for honesty and in- tegrity of character, and possessed, to a remarkable degree, the confidence and respect of the public Ile aimed to be useful, and in this respect he was successful to the full extent

452

HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

been commenced in Freehold a little more than do nearly all the work of the printing office two years before, had been suspended for want within themselves, including the distribution of of patronage, and that the citizens of Monmouth the paper to subscribers, which had to be done County were very much in want of a printer, by carriers on horseback, there being very few post-offices in the county. The printing-office occupied part of a building located upon the lot now occupied in part by the Monmouth Demo- crat building and in part by the banking-house of the Freehold National Banking Company. In digging for the foundations of the Democrat building in 1860, the well of the old printing- office was uncovered. The building had a front of about forty feet, and was about twenty feet deep, with a hall and stairway in the centre. On the first floor, in the west end of the building, Mr. John Outealt had a cabinet-shop ; over this, the brothers Bartleson immediately started for Monmouth Court-House, as the town was then called. There was no public conveyance to the county-seat from that direction, and they were obliged to make the last twenty-five or thirty miles on foot. AArriving here, they learned that the printing-office of the Journal belonged to Major Peter Vanderhoef, then surrogate of the county, who had taken it to secure the payment of money advanced to sustain its publication, the original owners having departed to seek their fortunes elsewhere. Major Vanderhoef was not only anxious to sell in order to recover his ad- ; on the second floor, Charles Drake manufactured vances, but was also, for public reasons, anxious to have the newspaper resuscitated and the printing-office again put into operation ; so he was not long in coming to terms with the young

boots and shoes ; the printing-office occupied the ground floor on the cast, and a small building on the rear was used for a press-room. The second story over the office was used by William printers, and making a transfer of the establish- | Thompson as a tailor-shop. About the 1st of ment to them. They immediately commenced business, and issued the first number of the Mon- mouth. Inquirer under the firm-name of J. W. & E. R. Bartleson, editors and proprietors. The first number was issued on Tuesday, the 7th day of July, 1829. The paper was a small folio of four pages, eleven by seventeen inches each. At this time the Inquirer was neutral in politics. Andrew Jackson, on the previous 4th of March, and Monmouth County, at the State election in October following, had given two hundred ma- jority for the Jackson ticket. Subsequently, upon the formation of the Whig party, the paper espoused that cause, and remained firm upon that side as long as the party survived.

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History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 78

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