USA > New Jersey > Morris County > History of Morris County, New Jersey > Part 37
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Query-how many young men of to-day would Mr. Martin be able to induce to rise at 5 for the charms of French ?
" EVENING SCHOOL .- On Monday the 2nd November next [1808] Mr. Dutton will open his evening school in the Warren Academy, for the purpose of teaching read- ing, writing, arithmetic and Italian book-keeping on mod- erate terms, and in the most approved methods."
The Morris Female Institute was incorporated in August 1860. The original subscription amounted to $16,050, of which $15,600 was collected. The trustees were William C. Baker, George T. Cobb, Theodore Little, E. W. Whelply, John Hare, Theodore T. Wood and Jesse Smith.
The lot cost $3,800. The main building (the plan being modified on account of the depression of businesss follow- ing the commencement of the war) was let by contract to Cyrus Pruden, in behalf of himself, Muchmore and Lounsbury and other mechanics, who formed a syndicate, for $11,960. The property had cost, prior to the recent addition, which was substantially a completion of the original plan, $17,700 in round numbers. It was leased to Mr. Charles G. Hazeltine for five years, commencing May Ist 1862.
He continued to occupy it until it was leased, April Ist 1877, to Miss Elizabeth E. Dana, who is its present successful principal. The recent additions cost $11,000.
Successful boys' schools have been taught by George P. McCulloch, Rev. Alfred Chester, Rev. Samuel N. Howell and others.
The city has at present among others the following schools: Morris Academy, South strect; public school, Maple avenue; Morris Female Institute, South street; young ladies' school, Maple avenue, Mrs. R. W. Steven- son preceptress; Miss Bostwick's school for young ladies. Maple avenue; kindergarten, De Hart street, Miss Em-
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HISTORY OF MORRIS COUNTY.
ma Campbell preceptress; Sisters of St. John the Baptist school (Episcopal), Maple avenue; Roman Catholic |by F. L. Lundy. It was short-lived, continuing only school, Maple avenue.
EDITORS AND PRINTERS.
On the 24th of May 1797 the first number of the first newspaper of Morristown was issued. Caleb Russell was the prime mover in this enterprise, having purchased a printing press and secured the services of Elijah Cooper, a practical printer, to attend to the details of the busi- ness. The name of the paper was the Morris County Gazette, and it was issued by E. Cooper & Co. Cooper re- mained until November of the same year, when he left, and Mr. Russell continued sole editor. Early in 1798 he invited Jacob Mann, who had learned the printing busi- ness of Sheppard Kollock in Elizabethtown, to come to Morristown and take charge of the paper. The Morris County Gazette was continued until the 15th of May 1798, when the name was changed to the Genius of Liberty. This paper was edited by Jacob Mann until May 14th 1801, when he retired and went to Trenton, where he con- ducted the Trenton True American, in company with James J. Wilson. Mr. Russell then gave the entire estab- lishment of the press and newspaper to his son, Henry P. Russell, who continued it for several years.
The Genius of Liberty was succeeded by the Morris- town Herald, which was edited and published by Henry P. Russell from 1813 to 1820, when Mr. Russell removed to Savannah, Ga., and the paper was discontinued.
In 1808 we find Jacob Mann once more in Morristown, and the editor of a new paper called the Palladium of Liberty, the first number of which was issued March 31st of that year. Mr. Mann continued to edit the Palladium until January 1832, when he was succeeded by N. H. White. Mr. White probably proved a failure, as Mr. Mann in a few months resumed charge of the paper, and toward the close of the year made room for E. Cole and J. R. Eyers. Early in 1833 Cole retired, leaving Eyers sole editor and proprietor. June 4th 1834 Mr. Eyers changed the name of the paper to the Morris County Whig.
The Jerseyman made its first appearance October 4th 1826, under the editorship of Samuel P. Hull. He con- tinued in this position until 1852, when he was succeeded by Alanson A. Vance, who purchased the paper in that year and became its editor. In 1869 Mr. Vance sold a half interest to L. O. Styles, who still continues its pub- lication. The Jerseyman is the leading Republican paper in the county. The office is on Park place.
The True Democratic Banner is owned by Mrs. L. C. Vogt, and edited by her two sons, Louis A. and LeClerc. It was established in 1838 by Louis C. Vogt. Mr. Vogt came here about 1836, having learned the printing busi- ness in the office of the Commercial Advertiser of New York. He started a paper in that year, called The Demo- cratic Banner. Some misunderstanding arising with his patrons, he started The True Democratic Banner in the year aboved named. This is the leading Democratic organ in the county. Its office is in the Banner building on Washington street.
The Morris Republican was established May 8th 1872, until July 1877, when Mr. Lundy removed from town. It was very ably conducted during its brief existence.
The Morris County Chronicle was begun November 2nd, 1877, under the charge of T. J. O'Donnell. He was suc- ceeded after a few months by D. H. Prime & Co. Joshua Brown, the present editor, took charge of the paper January 2Ist 1880. The Chronicle is independent in politics. Its office is at the corner of Washington and Court streets.
The Record can scarcely be called a newspaper, being devoted entirely to local history. It was begun in January 1880 under the editorship of Rev. R. S. Green, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, and issued monthly. It has printed a list of nearly 1,000 marriages, 2,000 baptisms of children, and 2,000 deaths in the last century, besides a list of members of the First church up to 1800, two historical sermons by the Rev. David Irving, D. D., and many other valuable articles. It has been largely serviceable in the writing of the present history.
Before passing from this subject, although not directly belonging to it, two or three facts deserve mention. In the early part of this century Morristown achieved con- siderable distinction for the number of books here printed. Jacob Mann, Henry P. Russell and Peter A. Johnson took the lead in this worthy enterprise.
One of these books is a complete Bible, together with the Apocrypha, published by Jacob Mann in 1805. Though not as famous as the "Wicked " and the " Breeches" Bibles, it has nevertheless attained quite a notoriety from a mistake which has secured for it the name of "the Arminian Bible." The mistake occurs in Heb. vi. 4, which in this Bible reads, "For it is possible for those who were once enlightened, * * if they shall fall * away, to renew them again unto repentance."
Another is " An Historical Compend," in two volumes, by Samuel Whelpley, A. M., principal of Morris Academy, printed at Morristown in 1806, by Henry P. Russell. These volumes became deservedly popular in their day, and reached a goodly circulation. At the end of the second volume is appended a list of 233 subscribers to the work, with the places of their residence.
Another of these early issues of the local press was " A Syllabus of Lectures on the Visions of the Revelation," by Rev. Amzi Armstrong, A. M., " Minister of the Presby- terian church in Mendham, N. J.," which was published in 1815 by Peter A. Johnson, and printed by Henry P. Russell.
Another fact worthy of mention in this connection has to do with one whose inventive genius and artistic skill may be said to have revolutionized the art of printing. In January 1818 Joseph A. Adams came to this town and entered the printing office of Jacob Mann as an appren- tice. He remained here seven years, during. which time he mastered all the details of the business, and if we may judge from his after history a good deal in addition thereto. He went from here to New York city, wherc lie
153
THE INVENTOR OF ELECTROTYPY-THE MORRISTOWN WATERWORKS.
soon became a skillful wood-engraver. Some of his at- tempts in this line while still here are preserved by his old friends. In 1839 he commenced experiments in electrotyping plates from wood-cuts, and succeeded so well that in 1841 an engraving was reproduced by this process and printed in Mapes's Magazine. In this great invention of
ELECTROTYPY
the name of Joseph A. Adams, the apprentice of Jacob Mann, publisher of the Palladium of Liberty, takes first rank. Not only was he the inventor, but to him belongs the chief credit of bringing it to its present state of per- fection. By continued experiments he secured at last a full and perfect current for a long time, and an equaliza- tion of the action of the battery until it was nearly ex- hausted of its acid. He also invented an entirely new process for covering wax moulds in a few minutes with a coat of copper, for which, on the 29th of January 1870, a patent was granted him.
On the 19th of April in the same year he patented the " Electric Connection Gripper," whereby the metal pan is taken entirely out of the current of electricity, and the copper is precipitated only upon the mould.
For a long time he was connected with the Harpers, and he had the whole charge of the engravings in their famous Bible of 1843. In the American Art Review (Vol. I., number 6, April 1880), published by Estes & Lauriat, of Boston, is an article from the pen of W. J. Linton, which describes the work of Mr. Adams and accords to him the highest praise, not only for his inventive genius, but for his marked ability as an artist. Mr. Adams died September 17th 1880, aged 78 years. He was the uncle of James Sylvester Adams, of the firm of Adams & Fairchild, Morristown.
POST-OFFICE.
Morristown has had but few postmasters. The first was Frederick King, commissioned early in 1782 by Post- master General Ebenezer Hazard. Henry King, his son, succeeded him on the 14th of June 1792, receiving his commission from Postmaster General Timothy Pickering. He held the office 42 years, and was succeeded by Ed- ward Condict, who was commissioned the 10th of April 1834 under the administration of Andrew Jackson. Since then the following have held the office: Jacob M. King, Augustus Carmichael, Jason King, Joseph I. Roy, Philip W. Crater, Nathan B. Luse (1853-61), A. A. Vance (1861-75), and John R. Runyon, the present incumbent.
The business of the office has considerably more than doubled in the last ten years. For the quarter ending December 31st 1880 it amounted to $2,048.
WATERWORKS.
Among the attractions and advantages of Morristown as a place of residence its excellent and abundant water supply is not the least prominent.
On Nov. 16th 1799 a charter of incorporation was granted to the following "proprietors of the Morris
Aqueduct:" John Doughty, Wm. Campfield, James Rich- ards, David Ford, Aaron Pierson, John Halsey, Wm. Johnes, Gabriel H. Ford, Henry King, Caleb Russell, Daniel Phoenix jr., Israel Canfield, Benjamin Freeman, David Mills, George O'Hara, Rodolphus Kent, Joseph Lewis, Lewis Condict, Abraham Canfield, Samuel Og- den, Elijah Holloway, Edward Mills, Wm. Tuttle, Mat- thias Crane, Jonathan Dickerson, and Daniel Lindsley.
From an editorial in the Genius of Liberty, Nov. 21th 1799, we condense the following: " An aqueduct, four miles in length including its various branches, has been laid and completed in this town since the 20th of June last. The fountain is 100 feet above the town, on the north side of a small mountain covered with wood. The pipe has been laid 3 feet under ground, at an ex- pense of between $2,000 & $3,000. The work was execu- ted by Pelatiah Ashley, of West Springfield, Mass."
This " fountain " was on the " Jockey Hollow " road (about one mile from town), where one of the reservoirs is now situated. The water was conducted from there to the town through brick tile. How many years this was continued we cannot say, but are informed that for many years the aqueduct was a dry one, and Morristown was again left dependent on wells, and so continued until the chartered right was purchased by James Wood, who re- paired it and laid chestnut logs of two inches bore as the aqueduct, and had a small distributing " reservoir "-a wooden cistern, capable of holding one hundred barrels of water-in town, on the Jockey Hollow road, now Western avenue.
In 1846 John F. Voorhees became the proprietor of the aqueduct; he relaid it with cement pipe, and built a distributing reservoir eighteen feet square, on Fort Non- sense, where the present one is situated.
In 1869 the present proprietors-still a joint stock com- pany-purchased it, and under their care the supply has been steadily enlarged. There are besides the distribut- ing reservoir, which is on the eminence southwest of the court-house, three other reservoirs; viz., one near the Jockey Hollow road, of the capacity of forty thousand barrels; one in Jones's Ravine, near the Mendham road, capacity sixty thousand barrels; and a third, by far the largest, a few rods above the last mentioned in the same ravine, which is of the capacity of five hundred thousand barrels and was completed during the year 1880. Great pains are taken to exclude all stagnant and surface water, and to keep the reservoirs perfectly free from mud and vegetable matter and filled with pure spring water, which before entering the mains is exposed to the action of the atmosphere in the form of spray as far as practicable.
This aeration has been found to be of the greatest im- portance and the result is a quality and purity of water believed to be unsurpassed elsewhere.
There are twelve miles of mains, supplying all districts within the city limits, and as the supply of water is ample and the head of sufficient altitude the contiguous neigh- borhoods and towns will naturally seek to share in the advantages presented, of which disposition there are already important indications.
154
HISTORY OF MORRIS COUNTY.
The directors of the company are Henry C. Pitney, president; Hampton O. Marsh, William L. King, Aurelius B. Hull and Edward Pierson, secretary and treasurer.
COUNTY BUILDINGS.
The first Morris county court-house and jail was built in 1755. It was a small log building, and is said to have stood near the middle of the present Green.
The wants of the county, however, soon outgrew this primitive structure. From the trustees' book of the First Presbyterian Church we append the following min- utes:
" May r7 1770 the trustees being Duely Called and met at the county hous and agreed to Convey a Part of the meating hous Land to the freeholders of the County of morris for the Benefit of the Court hous
"June 7 1770 the trustees met & Gave a Deed for one acre of Land on which the Court hous Standeth to three majestrets and the Freeholders of the County of morris."
The house was shortly afterward built, and stood nearly opposite the United States Hotel, the front stand- ing about the middle of the present street, which was then only a narrow lane. It was a one-story frame build- ing, the sides as well as the roof of which were shingled. In 1776 a second story was added. Near it stood the pillory, which was last used in 1796. The county paid the trustees of the church £5 for this one acre of land, "strict measure."
A feature of the jail was the "debtors' room." In this room was an old-fashioned open fireplace of the times; about half way up the chimney iron bars were placed across to stop unlawful egress. One Uriah Brown, being placed in " durance vile " by his creditors, was left locked in for the night, but early next morning the deputy sheriff, whose apartments were in the building, was awakened by a knock at his door, and there stood Brown, waiting to come in, as he said he was afraid of being arrested as a jail breaker. He refused to tell how he got out, so the deputy supposed some one had stolen his keys and let him out; but next morning, and again the next, Brown was at the door; then they thought he had a devil in him and were going to chain him, when he acknowledged he had succeeded in loosing a bar in the chimney, which enabled him to get out, but he could not get back the same way.
The court-house and jail answered the purposes of the county until 1827, when the present building was com- pleted.
In the July term of that year the dedicatory services took place, as appears from the books of the court, as follows:
" Morris Common Pleas, July Term 1827 .- The Hon. George K. Drake, William Halsey, Theodore Freling- huysen, Henry A. Ford and Jacob W. Miller, Esqs., the committee appointed by the court to form a plan of arrangements to be carried into effect at the opening of the new court-house in Morristown, in the term of Sep- tember next, having niet, and appointed Hon. George K. Drake chairman, and Jacob W. Miller secretary, the following arrangements are respectfully submitted to the court:
"That the procession be formed in the following order: 1, music; 2, sheriff; 3, board of chosen free- holders; 4, building committee; 5, master builders; 6, clergy and orator; 7, gaoler and crier; 8, constables; 9, coroners; 10, justices of the supreme court; 11, judges of the common pleas; 12, justices of the peace; 13, clerk and surrogate; 14, attorney general and prosecutor; 15, members of the bar; 16, grand jury; 17, petit jury; 18, county collector and assessors; 19, citizens.
"Order of dedication: 1, open with prayer; 2, address; 3, prayer; 4, opening the courts in due form of law; 5, calling and swearing the grand jury; 6, charge to the grand jury; 7, adjournment of court to the next day."
The programme was carried out as above given. The address was delivered by Henry A. Ford, and was printed in full in The Jerseyman of October 24th 1827.
The court-house is on the south side of Washington street, between Western avenue and Court street. It is of brick, painted white, with brown stone trimmings. It is partly of the Ionic style in architecture, two stories high, with basement. A cupola in which hangs a bell ornaments the roof. Over the entrance is a statue of Justice with the traditionary sword and balance in her hands. The natural beauty of the building is increased hy its surroundings; standing on high ground it overlooks the Green and the main part of the town. On the first floor are, at the right of the hall, sheriff's private apart- ments; left, the sheriff's offices; in the rear on either side are cells. A separate building of stone, containing the work-house and additional cells, is in the rear, on the west side. The court-room occupies half the second story and has a gallery. In the other half are jury rooms and rooms of the sheriff's family. In the front part of the basement are the kitchens, etc., in the rear the dark and dismal dungeons, where contumacious prisoners are subdued.
The surrogate's and clerk's offices are separated from the court-house by the jail yard; they face on Court street, and were built in 1847. The building is of red brick, two stories high. Each office has two fireproof vaults. On the second story is a hall called the County Hall, and in it meet the board of freeholders and grand jury.
TRAVELING FACILITIES.
The younger generation knows little or nothing of the pleasures of stage coaches and bad roads. Previous to 1838 Morristonians reached the outside world only by this luxurious method of travel.
Benjamin Freeman claims the honor of running the first stage from this place to Powles Hook (Jersey City). This was in 1798, or possibly 1797. For $1.25 the trav- eller could start from here at 6 A. M. on Tuesday or Friday, and be drawn by four horses through Bottle Hill (Madison), and thence to Chatham, where "if he felt disposed he could take breakfast," thence to Springfield, Newark, reaching Powles (also spelled Paulus) Hook some time the same day according to circumstances. On Wednesday or Saturday he could return by the same route, and at the same price.
John Halsey soon entered into partnership with
155
LIBRARIES AT MORRISTOWN-TRAVELING FACILITIES.
this primitive Jehu. The profits of the enterprise must vice-president; Dr. William Campfield, secretary; W. have been considerable, for the following year, 1799, Canfield, librarian; Israel Canfield, treasurer. Six gentle- men were then elected a committee of correspondence. Matthias Crane started a rival stage. We doubt however whether the rivalry of Matthias gave the original firm much anxiety, as he could only muster two horses. But other competitors arose. The columns of the papers of those early days abound with flaming advertisements of these rival concerns, not omitting descriptions of the beauties of their various routes. The majority of them ran to Powles Hook, but some only to Newark, and others to Elizabethtown Point, from which places the passengers were transported by boat to New York.
In 1838 the Morris and Essex Railroad was complet- ed as far as Morristown, which was then the terminus. The depot was in DeHart street near Maple avenue and the route taken was along Maple avenue until near the Catholic church, thence across to Madison avenue and then to the line of the present route. Eleven trains ar- rive at this station daily for and from New York. Seven trains daily leave for stations westward, and the same number arrive here from those stations. The time table distance of Morristown from New York, via express train, is one hour and twenty-five minutes. An elegant new depot is at this writing (September Ist 1881) rapidly approaching completion.
LIBRARIES.
The first library in Morris county was established in 1792. On the 21st of September of that year 11 inhabit- ants of the county met at the house of Benjamin Free- man, at Morristown, and " advised and consulted " upon the propriety of organizing a society which should be called " The Morris County Society for the Promotion of Agriculture and Domestic Manufactures."
Captain Peter Layton (a relic of the Revolution) was chosen chairman, and Colonel Russell clerk. The con- stitution presented was rather defective. A committee was appointed to revise it. The meeting then adjourned to meet at Mr. Freeman's house on September 25th 1792.
One hundred people were present at this meeting. Sam- uel Tuthill was installed chairman, with Colonel Russell little importance. In 1820 an amendment was made to again clerk. The constitution was read as revised, and was adopted. From it we take (Art. VIII.) the follow- ing: " Upon the application of any member of the society for a book he shall deliver him one, and at the same time take a promissory note for the same, to be returned in one (1) month from the time, on paying one shilling for every week over time." On October 7th 1793 this was amended, and the librarian was only to keep an ac- count of the book taken. Article XI. informs us that the dues were one dollar a year, " to be paid on the first Monday in October of each year," and that the stock was transferable. Ninety-seven of those present then signed the constitution, and a good portion of these paid several dollars over the dues for the sake of encourage- ment. The total receipts were $227.
On October Ist 1792 the election of officers came off. Samuel Tuthill was elected president; Joseph Lewis,
It was resolved that the society purchase three books, and a stamp for marking all books. "They then ad- journed." The next meeting was April Ist 1795, at which the by-laws were read and adopted, from which we learn that the librarian was to be at the library to de- liver books on all days, Sundays excepted, from 6 A. M. to 9 P. M.," and "that he shall collect all dues in specie." The society started with 96 volumes. At the end of the year the treasurer reported $35.47 on hand, and an addi- tion of 20 volumes to the library.
MORRIS LIBRARY ASSOCIATION.
The society thus organized went along swimmingly until 1812, when a "Morris Library Association" was started, and the " Association for the Promotion of Agri- culture and Domestic Manufactures " merged in it.
February 3d 1812 a party of gentlemen met at Bull's Hotel and agreed to the measures necessary for the or- ganization of a library, and adjourned until February 24th, on which day G. H. Ford was elected president and secretary. A seal was ordered to be engraved. At the next meeting, April 6th, they elected Jabez Campfield librarian. They received also a communication from the president of the "Society for the Promotion of Agri- culture and Domestic Manufactures," who wished to sell out the old organization. The proposition was duly ac- cepted. The inventory showed 123 names, which were to be placed on the new company's books, together with 396 volumes, and other articles, amounting to $656.55. At this meeting a code of laws was read and adopted which was to govern the library. It allowed a person holding a share to have a book out not longer than one month, for which each year he was to pay 50 cents.
It also recognized strangers and non-possessors of shares, but charged them extravagant prices for allowing them the use of books. No subsequent meeting is re- corded until February 11th 18:5, but all this time the library was in good running order. This meeting was of the code of laws that any person paying one dollar was entitled to all the privileges of a stockholder. From the report of the librarian for 1820, the first report since its organization, we gather the following: The amount of script taken was $417. The first year (1812) 144 books were taken out, at a fee to the librarian of six cents each, and in 1820 600 were taken out, at two cents each.
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