History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 98

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 98

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George Keith, who came to this country in 1685, was at that time a member of the Society of Friends. He was prominent in the ereetion of the Friends Meeting-House at Topanemus, in 1692. Soon afterwards he returned to Eng- land, and while there became a convert to Epis- eopalianism, and in April, 1702, returned to this country as a missionary for that church. He came to this society and proselyted among them, winning many over to the Episcopalian faith, some of whom were of the founders of Christ Church.

On the 19th of August, 1717, the Friends bought of Preserved Lippincott, a half-acre of ground adjoining their land, and in 1816, when the présent meeting-house was built, it was ereeted on both lots. It is a frame building forty by sixty feet in size, and shingled on the sides as well as on the roof.

The division among the Friends in 1827-28 reached this society. The Hicksites retained the meeting-house and lot, and the Orthodox rented a building, in which they worshiped until 1842, when they purchased a lot on the turnpike leading to Red Bank, and erected a meeting-house, which they used until April, 1880, when it was sold. The building was moved across the road, and is now Library Hall. The Orthodox Society is nearly extinct. The IFicksites have a membership of about sev- enty. The speakers who have preached here have been Elizabeth Hunt and Ann Hopkins, who began about 1820 ; Joseph Wolcott began speaking about 1828. He was followed by Joseph Lafetra, Sarah Underwood and Rachael C. Tilton, the last mentioned of whom is now

CHRIST CHURCHI (Episcopal) of Shrewsbury and Christ Church of Middletown are identical in that part of their history extending down to 1854, when the church property was divided, and each became a separate parish.

Vic

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Probably the most zealous churchman in this county in 1700 was Lewis Morris, of Tinton Manor, afterwards Governor of New Jersey. He was a sou of Richard Morris, of Morris- ania, N. Y., and a nephew of Colonel Lewis Morris, who purchased a large tract of land at the Falls of Shrewsbury (Tinton Falls), and died in 1692, leaving his estate to this nephew, Lewis Morris, who settled upon it. In the year 1700 (being then president of the Council of East New Jersey) he addressed a letter to the bishop of London concerning the state of reli- gion in the two provinces. AAfter writing of the province in general, he mentioned each of the ten towns of East New Jersey. Of Free- hold he said : "It was settled from Scotland (Mr. Keith began the first settlement there and made a fine plantation, which he afterwards sokl and went into Pensilvania), and about the one- half of it are Scotch Presbiterians and a sober people ; the other part of it was settled by Peo- ple (some from New England, some from New York and some from the fore-mentioned towns) who are generally of no religion. There is in this town a Quaker Meeting-house, but most ofthe Quakers who built it are come off with Mr. Keith ; they have not fixt yet on any re- ligion, but are most inclinable to the Church, and could Mr. Keith be perswaded to go into those countrys, he would (with the blessing of God) not only bring to the Church the Quakers that come off with him in East and West Jersey. which are very numerous, but make many con- verts in that country." Of Shrewsbury, he says it was "settled from New England, Rhode Island and New York ; there is in it abt thirty Quakers of both sexes, and they have a meeting- house; the rest of the People are generally of no religion ; the youth of the whole Province are very debanch'd and very ignorant, and the Sabbath-day seems to be set apart for Rioting and Drunkenness. There was, in the year one thousand six hundred and ninety-seven, some endeavours to settle a maintenance in that country for ministers, and the greater part of the House of Commons then were for it; but one Richard Hartshorne, a Quaker, and Andrew Brown [Bowne], an Anabaptist, found means to defeat it that session, and before the Assembly

could sit again arriv'd one Jeremiah Bass, an Anabaptist Preacher, with a commission from the Proprietors of East Jersey to be their Gov- ernour, and with instructions and orders from them not to consent to any act to raise a main- tenance for any minister of what persuasion so- ever, so that there is no hope of doing anything of that kind till that Governm is in other hands."

Morris closed his letter by saying: "I shall now suggest some measures weh may conduce to ye bringing over to the church the People in those Countrys. First. That no man be sent a Governour into any of those Plantations but a firm Churchman, and, if possible, none but Churehmen be in his Counsel and in the Magis- tracy. 2ndly. That Churchmen may have some peculiar privileges above others. This (if prac- ticable) must be done by Aet of Parliament, 3ªly. That there may be some measures fallen upon to get ministers to preach gratis in America for some time till there be sufficient numbers of converts to bear the charge."

The communication of Lewis Morris was laid before the then recently organized1 Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, and, at the same time, there was received by the society a letter from the Rev. George Keith, containing the following :

"In East Jersey I have several friends that came off with me in the separation from the Quakers, and so continue, and, as I have been informed by a worthy gentleman, Colonel Mor- ris, formerly my scholar, who has a family and a good estate in that Province, they are well prepared to receive a Church of England Min- ister among them. The fittest places to set up a Church congregation are Amboy and the Falls in Shrewsbury, where Colonel Morris has his house and estate. There is not one Church of England as yet in cither West or East Jersey,- the more is the pity ; and, except in two or three towns, there is no place of any public worship of any sort, but the people live very mean, like Indians."

The Rev. George Keith was appointed the

I The society was chartered by William III. of England, June 16, 1701.

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SHREWSBURY TOWNSHIP.

first missionary of the society, with instructions to visit America. Lewis Morris visited Eng- land on official business in 1701-2 and sailed for America in the same vessel ("Centurion ") with Keith, the Rev. Patrick Gordon, another missionary, and Colonel Dudley, Governor of New England. They embarked April 24, 1702, and landed at Boston, June 11, 1702. The chaplain of the "Centurion," John Talbot, was so deeply impressed with Mr. Keith's un- dertaking that he left the ship and accompa- nied him on his mission. On the 10th of October they arrived at Topanemus, where they officiated on the following day. The preaching at this place resulted in the formation of St. Peter's Church at Topanemus (now at Freehold). The following extracts are from Mr. Keith's journal :

"Sunday, October 17th, 1702 .- I preached at Mid- dletown, in East Jersey, where, before sermon, Mr. Talbot read the Church Prayers, and I preached on Matt. 28 : 19-20, one maiu part of my sermon being to prove Infant baptism to be included in the Apostle's commission, as well as that of adult persons, their be- ing several of the andience who were Anabaptists, who heard me civilly without interruption ; but most of the auditory were Church people or well affected to the Church.

"October 24th, 1702 .- I preached at Shrewsbury, at a house near the Quaker Meeting-House, and it hap- pened it was the time of the Quaker Yearly Meeting " January 3d, 1703 .- 1 preached again at his house on the same text, and before sermon Mr. Talbot baptized two persons belonging to the family of John Read. formerly a Quaker, but was lately come over to the Church, with all his children, one son and two at Shrewsbury. My text was 2d Peter, 2 : 1-2. The Church Prayers being read before sermon, we had a great congregation, generally well affected to the Church, and divers of them were of the Church, and that day I sent some lines in writing to the Quakers ! daughters. His two daughters were baptized by Mr. at their Yearly Meeting ; which Mr. Talbot did read Talbot, October 20th, 1702; as also the same day was baptized William Leads (Leeds?) and his sister Mary Leads, late converts from Quakerism to the Church.' And some days before, at the house of John Read, Mr. to them in their meeting, wherein I desired them to give me a meeting with them some day of that week before their meeting was concluded; in which meeting . I offered to detect great errors in their Author's books, ! Talbot baptized the wife of Alexander Neaper and his and they should have full liberty to answer what they had to say in their vindication. But they altogether refused my proposition, and several papers passed be- 1 William Leeds died in 1735, and by his will, made June 20th in that year, he left all his houses and lands to " the venerable and honourable Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, and to their successors for- ever, to and for the use and purpose following : that is to say, for the use and purpose of a perpetual glebe for the use and habitation of a Minister or Clergyman of the Church of England, as it is now by law established, that shall be a Missionary of the said Society, to preach the Gospel to inhabitants of Middletown and Shrewsbury." This land was in Middletown, and was equally divided in 1854. twixt us. In some of their papers they used gross reflections on the Church of England as much as on me. We continued our meeting three days, as the Quakers did theirs. And the second day of our meet- ing at the same house, where we had formerly met, I detected Quaker errors out of their printed books, par- tieularły ont of the Folio Book of Edward Burroughs' Works, collected and published by the Quakers after his death, and did read quotations to the Auditory, laying the pages open before sneh as were willing to

read them for their better satisfaction, as some did read them.

"October 26th .- I preached again at Shrewsbury, on Matt. 7: 13. In these meetings in Shrewsbury, Middletown and Toponemes, or where else in the Nethesinks, Mr. Louis Morris and divers others of the best note in that county frequented the congregations and places where we preached and did kindly enter- tain us at their houses, where we lodged as we travelled too and again, particularly at Mr. Morris, Mr. Inness, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Boels and Mr. Read. Mr. Inness being in Priest's orders often preached among them and by preaching and conferences frequently with the Quakers and other sorts of people, as also by his pious conversation, has done much good among them and been very instrumental to draw them off from their errors and bring them over to the Church."

Mr. Keith left Monmouth abont the last of October, 1702, for Burlington and elsewhere. Ile returned in December, and says, --

" December 20th, 1702 .- I preached at Dr. John- ston's at Nethersinks, on Rev. 22 : 14.

"Dee. 25th, Friday, being Christmas .- I preached at the house of Mr. Morris, on Luke 21 : 10-11. And after sermon divers of the auditory received with us the Holy Sacrament; both Mr. Morris and his wife, and divers others. Mr. Talbot did administer it.

" December 27th, Sunday .- I preached at Shrews- bury Town, near the Quaker Meeting-House, at a Planter's house, and had a considerable auditory of Church people, lately converted from Quakerism, with divers others of the Church of best note in that part of the country. My text was Heb. 8: 10-11."

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

three children. Both he and his wife had been Quakers, but were come over to the Church."

Mr. Keith after this proceeded to Burlington, Philadelphia, and so on to Maryland, Virginia and elsewhere ; in October, 1703, he returned to Mon- mouth, and of his services here he adds in his journal the following: "October 17th, 1703 .- I preached at Shrewsbury, near the Quaker Meeting-House there, on Psalms 103: 17, 18. October 24th .- I preached again there, on Ileb. 8: 10, 11, and Mr. Inness bap- tized two men and a child."

On the 31st of October, Mr. Keith preached at Amboy, after which he procceded to New York and New England. On his return he says : "January 9th, 1704 .- I preached at the house of Dr. Johnston, in Neverthesinks, on Psalms 119: 5, 113, and had considerable auditory. January 16th .- I preached at Mr. Morris's honse at the Falls of Shrewsbury, in East Jersey, on 2 Cor. 5: 17. January 23d .- I preached again at Mr. Morris's house, on 2 Peter 1 : 5."

It will be noticed that Mr. Keith, under date of October 26, 1702, mentions Mr. Innes as "being in priest's orders" and preaching among the people. This was Alexander Innes, of Middletown, whose name is mentioned in the records of that township in 1689. After the departure of Keith and Talbot he continued preaching in Freehold, Shrewsbury and Middle- town until his death, which occurred about 1713. He had given ten acres, on which Christ Church of Middletown now stands, and he left by his will five pounds cach to the churches to which he preached. It was during his ministry (in 1708) that Queen Anne gave to the church of Shrewsbury and Middletown the communion service which is still used. The records of the church from the time of his death to 1733 are lost, and it is not known who ministered to them. In 1733 the Rev. John Forbes was sent out as a missionary and labored until 1738. He was succeeded by the Rev. John Miln. The charter of the church was granted by Gover- nor Burnet for George II., June 3, 1738. The following-named were appointed vestrymen : William Leeds, Henry Leonard, John Throck- morton, Samuel Osborn, Thomas Morford, James Hutchins, Jeremiah Stillwell, John Red- ford, Jacob Dennis, Patrick Hill, Benjamin Cooper, Pontins Still, Samuel Pintard, Anthony Pintard and Josiah Holmes.

Mr. Miln was followed, in 1746, by the Rev. Thomas Thompson, who was sent out as a mis-

sionary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. He kept a journal of his work, which was published,' and from which are taken the following extracts pertinent to this church :

" In the spring of the year 1745 I embarked for America, being appointed Missionary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts upon recommendation of my Reverend Tutor, Dr. Thomas Cartwright, late Archdeacon of Colchester and a member of the Society, myself then a Fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge. I went in a ship called the 'Albany,' belonging to New York, which sailed from Gravesend on the 8th day of May, and providen- tially escaping some instant dangers on the passage, arrived at New York on the 29th of August. The Sunday following I preached both Morning and Af- ternoon at the Episcopal Church in that eity, whereof the Reverend Mr. Commissary Vesey had then been rector more than forty years. On the next Sunday I passed over to Elizabethtown, in New Jersey, on my journey to Monmouth County in the Eastern Divi- sion where I was appointed to reside and have the care of Churches in that county, being also licensed thereto by the Right Reverend the late Lord Bishop of London.

" Being come to the place of my mission I presented my credentials and was kindly received and took the first opportunity of waiting upon the Governor, Lewis Morris, Esq., at his seat at Kingsbury, which is in the Western Division, and took the oath of allegiance and supremacy and also the abjuration oath and sub- seribed the Declaration in presence of his Excellency. Upon making inquiry into the state of the churches within my District, I found that the members were much disturbed and in a very unsettled state, inso- mneh that some of them had thoughts of leaving our communion and turning to the Dissenters. The par- tieular occasion of this I forbear to mention.

" As I came to gather more information, it presented to me that many of those who frequented the Church worship had never been baptized; some heads of families and several others of adult age, besides a number of young children and Infants.

"After some time they began to bring their children to Baptism, and when some had led the way, the rest followed, and presented those of their children which were under years of maturity, to be received into the Church and I christened thirteen in one day. After this it went on regularly. Parents had their children

1 " An Account of the Missionary Voyages by the Appoint- ment of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. The one to New Jersey in North America, and then from America to the coast of Guiney. By Rev. Thomas Thompson. A.M., Vicar of Reculver, in Kent. London : printed for Benjamin Dod at the Bible and Key, iu Ave Mary Lane, near St. Paul's, MDCCLVIII."

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SHREWSBURY TOWNSHIP.

baptized as soon after they were born as conveniently could be done, and one whole family, the man (whose name was Joseph West1 ), his wife and nine children were baptized all at one time.

" The churches which I served were well filled every Sunday and divers families that lived out of the county eame to Divine service from several miles dis- tance and were very constant devout attendants. Besides these, some of the Dutch Church often made a considerable addition to the number of my hearers. I had three churches immediately in my charge, each of them situated in a different township, which had regular duty in such proportion as were agreed upon and subscribed to at a general vestry meeting soon after my coming there. The names of the town- ships are Freehold, Shrewsbury and Middletown. I also officiated at Allentown, in Upper Freehold, while that church was destitute of a minister, which was afterwards supplied by Mr. Michael Houdin, a con- vert from the Church of Rome and a worthy clergy- man, now the Society's missionary. These four town- ships comprise the whole county, although 40 or 50 miles in length, and in some parts of it considerably wide. I also did occasional duty at other places, as will be further mentioned.

" The Church of England worship had, at Shrews- bury, been provided for by the building of a church, before there was any other in the county ; but this church was now too small for the numerous congre- gation. People of all sorts resorted thither and of the Quakers, which are a great body in that township, there were several who made no seruple of being pres- ent at divine service and were not too precise to un- cover their heads in the house of God.

"I went sometimes to a place called Manasquan, almost twenty miles distant from my habitation, where, and at Shark River, which is in that neighborhood, some church families were settled, who were glad of all opportunities for the exercise of Religion. I bap- tized at Manasquan two Negro brethren, both ser- vants to Mr. Samuel Osborne, an eminent and very worthy member of the church, in whose family they had been tanght good Christian principles. The honest men were so gratified that each of them offered me a Spanish dollar in acknowledgment, and would have thought themselves more obliged if I had not refused their presents."

In closing the account of his work in this county he makes the following remarks :

"I had now seen a great ehange in the state of my

mission within the space of three years, through the grace of God rendering my labors effectual to a good end; in particular as to the peace and unison which the church members, after having been much at vari- ances among themselves, were now returned to, and the ceasing animosities betwixt them and those of other societies ; for these I account the most valuable success that attended my ministry.

" After this the churches continued to flourish, and in the latter end of the year 1750, having then been above five years in America upon this mission, E wrote to the venerable and honorable society a letter requesting of them to grant me a mission to the coast of Guiney, that I might go to make a trial with the natives and see what hopes there would be of intro- ducing among them the Christian religion. The sum- mer following I received an answer to that letter from the Rev. Dr. Bearcroft, acquainting me that the So- ciety had concluded to support me in the design of that voyage and would appoint another missionary in my stead for Monmouth County. And the next Sep- tember Mr. Samuel Cook, of Caius college, arrived with his proper credentials and I delivered up my charge to him.

"Ilaving took my leave of the congregation, 1 set out on the 13th of November. 1751, for New York, from thence to go upon my voyage to Africa, and at Elizabethtown waited on Governor Jonathan Belcher, Esq., who succeeded Colonel Morris, to pay n.y respects to him before I left the province."

The Rev. Thomas Thompson was succeeded, as is shown above, by the Rev. Samuel Cooke. He was educated at Cains College, Cambridge, England, and came to America as a missionary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, in September, 1751, locating in Shrewsbury, as successor of Rev. Thomas Thompson, in the care of the churches in Free- hold, Middletown and Shrewsbury. The Rev- olution divided and dispersed his flock. As a minister of the Church of England, he thought it his duty to continue his allegiance to the crown, and so joined the British in New York, where for a time during the war he was chap- lain in the brigade of guards.

Among other persons in Shrewsbury town- ship whose property was confiscated and adver- tised to be sold by the Americans at Tinton Falls, March 29, 1779, is found the name of Samuel Cooke. In 1785 he settled at Freder- icktown, New Brunswick, as rector of a church there. In 1791 he was commissary to the Brit- ish of Nova Scotia. He was drowned in cross-

) The volume from which these notes are taken is owned by James Steen, of Eatontown, and on the margin of the page on which this incident is mentioned is the following in pencil : "Joseph West was my great-grandfather, and I remember seeing him.

" Edmond West, March 9th, 1881, 90 years old?' Mr. West is still living near Oceanport.

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

ing the river St. John in a birchen canoe, in | Brown, to " ye Revd & Honorable Society for 1795. His son, who attempted to save his life, perished with him.

It was during his time, in 1766, on the 1st day of October, that an important convention was held in the church, for the purpose of dis- cussing the necessity of establishing an American Episcopate. Of those who were present were the Revs. Chandler, Jarvis, Seabnry and Inglis. The large Bible still used in the church was presented during Mr. Cooke's reetorship (the next year after he assumed the duties) by Rob- ert Elliston, controller of customs in New York. The old Prayer-Book was presented by Gover- nor William Franklin, in Juue, 1767.

It was during the rectorship of Mr. Cooke, also, that the present church was built at Shrewsbury. At a meeting of the vestry on the 10th of July, 1769, there was a difference of opinion as to " where the northeast corner of the building should be located." It was finally de- cided to place it two feet south of the front of the old building. When the present church was ereeted, an iron crown, a eopper vane and a gilt ball were placed on the spire. During the acknowledged the instrument.

Revolution some American soldiers used the church as a barraeks, and being angry at seeing the English crown over their heads, they shot at it, nicking it in many places, but did not bring it down. They finally built a fire in the church and would have destroyed it, but for William Parker, a Quaker, who rushed in and smothered the flames with his coat. The iron crown is the road, the same as the present church.

still there, bearing evidence of severe nsage from the patriots.

It has been stated that the first Episcopal Church in Shrewsbury was built in 1703 or 1704, but it is evident the church was not yet built in 1711, as in that year Governor Jeremiah Basse, in writing to the bishop of London, used the following language : " I had no doubt you had expected to have heard of a church at the Falls of Shrewsbury, built and owned by one of your members, Colonel Lewis Morris, but I re- gret to tell you there is no such thing, not so much as a stick or a stone on the ground."

The deed for the lot on which the first church was built, and on which the present church now stands, was decded May 20, 1706, by Nicholas

y" propagation of ye Gospel in Foreign Parts," in trust " forever to ye nse, intent and purpose hereafter expressed & declared, & to no other use, intent or purpose whatsoever. That is to say, for ye service & worship of God according to ye way & manner of ye church of England, as it is now by law established." The church lot so conveyed was "all that part or parcel of land lying and being in ye town of Shrewsbury, in ye county and provinee aforesaid." The starting point in the description of the tract is thusdescribed,-"Beginning at Nicholas Brown's northwest corner at a walnut stump, bearing southwesterly twelve degrees westerly from ye Quaker's Meeting-House Chimbley, and from John. West's great house climbley north fifty- eight degrees easterly." The deed was exe- cuted in presence of Thomas Bills, John West, Samuel Dennis and Joanna Gaunt, but it was not acknowledged until July 9, 1714, when Nicholas Brown and Samuel Dennis, one of the subscribing witnesses, appeared before Thomas Gordon, one of Her Majesty's Council, and

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History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 98

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