History of Morris County, New Jersey, Part 43

Author: Halsey, Edmund Drake, 1840-1896; Aikman, Robert; Axtell, Samuel Beach, 1809-1891; Brewster, James F; Green, R. S. (Rufus Smith), 1848-1925; Howell, Monroe; Kanouse, John L; Megie, Burtis C; Neighbour, James H; Stoddard, E. W. (Elijah Woodward), 1820-1913
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: New York : W.W. Munsell & co.
Number of Pages: 540

USA > New Jersey > Morris County > History of Morris County, New Jersey > Part 43

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When the canal was being constructed at this point the company, in the early part of August 1829, obtained from William Scott a deed for such land as was required, and for the privilege of damming the river above the falls, so that the canal might be fed from the river at this place. In return the canal company cov- enanted with Scott, and granted to him, his heirs and assigns the privilege of using the canal as a There is a perpendicular fall in the river of about thirty feet. The iron works are located a short distance race-way for conveying water to mills from the dam above the falls. By this means Scott secured below, in a narrow valley between the canal and the river, and about eighty feet below the level of the water in the dam above the falls. The water to drive the works is taken from the canal at the head of the plane, and is used three times before reaching the level at the foot of the plane, and once more between that level and the river, making in all four times in a fall of about one

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HISTORY OF MORRIS COUNTY.

hundred feet. About thirty years after starting these mills, and after they had been greatly enlarged, a steam engine was put up to aid in keeping up speed when there was a diminution in the water power in dry sea- sons. These mills in the beginning consisted of a large rolling-mill with two departments, and a few puddling and heating furnaces, and the product was merchant iron in its various forms. The first fuel used was bituminous coal, which continued in use six or seven years, until an- thracite coal was substituted, which, being much cheaper and readily obtained by canal, made it possible to manu- facture iron more cheaply. In 1833 the first blast fur- nace was erected here, which was a charcoal furnace. It stood near where the machine shop stands. This fur- nace consumed about one thousand bushels of charcoal per day and produced thirty-five tons of pig iron per week. In a few years the scarcity and high price of charcoal, and the discoveries and rapid improvements made as to the use of anthracite coal in the manufac- ture of iron, rendered the operation of charcoal fur- naces unprofitable, and this one ceased to be used. It was about this time that these works were mainly devoted to making railroad iron.

This business was, however, of short duration, and the company returned to making sheet iron and different forms of merchant iron. In 1848 the first anthracite blast furnace was built, where it now stands. It was erected under the supervision of Samuel Thomas, of Cat- asauqua, Pa., and was originally thirty-six feet high and of thirteen feet bosh, with a capacity to produce five thou- sand tons of pig iron per annum. In the fall of that year George Jenkins succeeded Mr. Thomas in the superin- tendence of the furnace, and he continued in that posi- tion until his death, which occurred suddenly in the be- ginning of 1864. Then Henry C. Jenkins, his oldest son, who had acquired some knowledge of the business, was promoted to the place which his father had so suc- cessfully filled. In 1865 this furnace was repaired, and made forty-five feet high, with an increased capacity of about nine thousand tons per annum. In 1868 an ad- ditional furnace, No. 2, was built, with a height of sixty feet, sixteen feet bosh, and a capacity of twelve thousand tons per annum. In 1874 No. I furnace was rebuilt and raised to the height of seventy feet. The total capacity of the two furnaces is estimated at twenty thousand tons per annum. There are two large steam engines standing between the two furnaces, which with a large water- wheel are used in making blast.

The large rolling-mill first erected, which had been largely added to, was destroyed by fire in 1851, but was rebuilt the same year.

some sales in very large quantities were made at lower rates. The New Jersey Iron Company, hay been previously embarrassed, became more so then, resolved to close out the concern. All the real est including the iron works, was sold by the sheriff May 1852 to Dudley B. Fuller on his bid (which was only one) for $160,000, he having previously taken that was personal property about the mills and facto at an appraisal of $125,000. Mr. Fuller had for sevi years prior thereto been acting as the commiss merchant of this company, and thereby the comp, had become largely indebted to him, and he . compelled for self-protection to buy the prope At the time he made the purchase Fuller publi declared that he would discount $20,coo from purchase price to any one who would take the prope: But no one appeared to accept his offer, no doubt cause of the embarrassingly low prices of all iron p ducts at the time. Even his eminent counsel, A. O .: briskie (as he afterward told the writer), feared that F ler in that purchase was assuming a load under which would stagger and finally fall. Fortunately nails abı the beginning of the next year advanced from $2.75 $3 per keg, and continued at fair prices for several yea Thus what was thought to be a mistake on the part Fuller proved to be a success. Henceforth these wol appeared to move with increased activity in every partment. A new nail factory was started below i canal, facilities were increased, additional buildil erected and important repairs and alterations made, tending to make the establishment more complete a efficient in every department. Shortly after the p chase of these works Mr. Fuller associated with him a partner James Cowper Lord, a son-in-law of Jan Brown, the banker, under the firm name of Fuller Lord. In 1873 the saw-mill, lower nail factory, coo] shop and several large drying sheds, with two milli staves, were burned; and in place of them new buil ings were erected in the same year. These works cc tinued to be operated under the same firm name ur the last of June 1876. Mr. Fuller died in 1868 and Lord in 1869, but by provisions under their wills t works continued to be operated until 1876. In the s tlement of the joint interests in this large property t estate of Mr. Lord came into the sole possession of t real estate, including inills, furnaces, mines and oth property. From the commencement these extensive ir works constituted the one great industry and nearly t sole dependence of this place, up to the time of the stoppage.

It may be of interest, and give a more just concepti of the extent of this establishment, to speak a little mo in detail. There are in the large mill twelve dout puddling furnaces, seven large heating furnaces, fo trains of 18-inch and two trains of 16-inch rolls, and tv rotary and two crocodile squeezers. The average pr duction of puddle bars was three hundred and twen tons per week. The nut mill contained four furnac

It was in 1848 that the New Jersey Iron Company concluded to add to its business the manufacture of cut nails. Accordingly in the next year it erected a large factory 50 by 150 feet, two stories high, near the head of the inclined plane. This was fully completed, fitted with machinery and put in operation in August 1851. The price of nails during 1851 and 1852 was down to a low figure-$3 and $2.75 per hundred-and it is said and four nut machines. In the two nail factories the

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BOONTON IRON WORKS AND SILK MILLS.

were 150 nail machines, with the capacity of producing only son, at the death of his father succeeded to the own- when run to the full extent 200,000 kegs per year. There ership of the forge and grist-mill, and he with Thomas C. Willis built in 1846 a small rolling-mill, which was used for making the smaller kinds of merchant iron from char- coal blooms made in the forge. Elijah D. Scott died, leaving by his will the forge, rolling-mill, grist-mill, and all the property on the east side of the river to Mr. Willis, who continued to operate these mills as before, until his death; since that, the forge and rolling-mill have been rented and employed in making horseshoe and other kinds of merchant iron from scrap blooms made in the forge. Large quantities of scrap are brought by canal and by railroad from New York for that purpose. were in the saw mill three sets of stave machines, with a capacity of 20,000 staves per day. For this 1,000 cords of chestnut logs were required each year, and for making the heading about 400.000 feet of whitewood and pine boards. The staves were piled in sheds to season thor- oughly before they were used in the cooper shop. Over 2,000,000 staves and over 900,000 keg-hoops were used in turning out annually an average of about 150,000 kegs. From seventy to eighty kegs were considered a fair product for ten hours' work, although some young ex- perts have been known to turn out from one hundred to one hundred and twenty in ten hours. The mills, fur- About a quarter of a mile from Boonton, on the road to Montville, H. W. Crane built a mill about four years ago, which is used for the manufacture of foundry-fa- cings, an article that appears to be in brisk demand, as the mill is kept running during the day and frequently part of the night. This mill is driven by water power de- rived from the overflow and waste gates of the canal. In Boonton, on the south side of Canal street, about three years ago was started a manufactory of pocket cutlery, under the management of R. M. Booth. This mill is driven by water from the canal, employs about twenty hands, and has a capacity of thirty-six dozen finished knives per day. naces, foundry and various shops and storehouses cover fully six acres of ground. As a motive power for this vast concern 1,500 horse power was required, and was derived from four large overshot waterwheels, six tur- bine wheels and three steam engines. The amount of money paid ont monthly in 1865 was $30,000. The monthly payments were, however, subject to considerable variation. Beside these mills the company owned and operated several valuable iron mines, from which a sup- ply of ore was obtained, and all together gave employ- ment to about five hundred hands. Such was the nature and extent of this vast industry, that gave a start to Boonton and fostered its growth for forty-five years. At this time (November 1881) a portion of these works has SILK-MAKING. been leased to a responsible party, and the almost un- broken stillness that has reigned within the walls of these mills has actually been disturbed by busy hands prepar- ing to light the fires and start the hum of machinery once more.

At Powerville, a mile above Boonton on the Rockaway River, a forge and a grist-mill were erected by Joseph Scott early in the beginning of this century. A few years afterward his second son, William, became a joint owner with his father. After the death of Joseph Scott, which occurred about 1827, William Scott became the sole proprietor. He was an active, enterprising man, and sought to make improvements in the manufacture of iron. He was to a great degree successful in accumulat- ing property, and became the owner of large tracts of land, and among these the Hibernia tract, with valuable iron mines from which he procured his supply of ore. He introduced at Powerville a method of separating the pure part of iron ore from the dross by first pounding it and then passing it over large mag- netic rollers. This was with a view to improving the quality of the iron and increasing the yield with a given quantity of fuel used in smelting. William Scott died at the time when anthracite coal was being successfully brought into use for puddling, or con- verting pig into wrought iron. This new use of anthra- cite, and the scarcity and high price of charcoal, have driven the old-fashioned charcoal bloomaries out of ex- istence; save here and there one, like that at Powerville, which has been kept for converting scrap iron into blooms by the use of charcoal. Elijah D. Scott, thie

The year following the stoppage of the iron works a number of enterprising citizens, believing that a diver- sity of industry would be a better dependence for the town than one great branch, as heretofore, put their purses together and erected a building about thirty by seventy feet and two stories high, intended for a branch of the silk business, for doing which they had some en- couragement from parties engaged in that line. The building was let to a person who proposed to start silk- weaving. But it soon turned out that he was not the man for the place, and the project failed, much to the disappointment and injury of those who started it. Thus the matter rested until about two years ago; when a firm in Paterson, of substance and successful business enter- prise, was induced to take hold of it. These men put in steam power and machinery and started silk-winding. In the course of a few months they found it to their inter- est to extend their facilities by an addition of one hun- dred feet to the building, which, having been filled with machinery, is now occupied by about one hundred and thirty hands. This whole building is occupied with a primary process in the business, where the inexperienced are employed, and taught to be "skillful hard silk wind- ers." During the past summer the firm has erected a substantial building nearly opposite the depot, on the east side of the river, 40 by 200 feet, four stories high with a high attic. There are also several other large buildings adjoining, all designed to make one mill, which is to be operated by steam, warmed by steam, and lighted by gas made in an adjoining building put up for the purpose. It is understood to be the purpose of the proprietors to

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HISTORY OF MORRIS COUNTY.

make this factory in all its appointments one of the finest in the State. It will doubtless when completed require the services of several hundred operatives.

POSTAL FACILITIES.

Boonton has a convenient post-office building, cen- trally located on Main street and fitted up with modern improvements. As to business grade this office ranks in that class in which the President nominates and the Senate confirms the appointment of postmasters. The early history of this town as regards postal accommoda- tions was rather remarkable, and deserves to be noted. For sixteen years the New Jersey Iron Company and citizens of this place were obliged to go with and for mail matter to the post-office at Parsippany, three and a half miles distant, three times per week. Yet Boonton in 1834 had a population of four hundred and in 1840 fully double that number, and its amount of postal mat- ter was five times as great as that of Parsippany and its vicinity. In 1846, on the 9th of July, the post-office at Montville was closed and removed to Boonton. Edmund K. Sargeant was postmaster till the 27th of November 1849; then John Hill till the 24th of May 1853, when Mr. Sargeant was reappointed. He continued to act till his successor, Dr. E. B. Gaines, was appointed in 1861. Dr. Gaines served about ten years, when E. B. Dawson, the present incumbent, was appointed.

CHURCHES.

First Presbyterian .- The first settlers at Boonton were not negligent as to providing means for religious instruc- tion. Very soon after the mills were begun religious meetings were appointed for Sunday, at which the Rev. John Ford, pastor of the church at Parsippany, at- tended and officiated. These meetings at first in warm and pleasant weather were held in the shade of a grove and at private dwellings. In 1832 they were held at the district school-house, then just erected. The first church organization was formed July Ist 1832, with the title "Church at Boonton." It consisted of nineteen mem- bers, nine of whom were natives of England and ten of this country; of the latter was John F. Winslow, the first general superintendent of the iron works. They con- tinued to hold meetings in the district school-house, but before the close of that year concluded to take measures for the erection of a church building. The county rec- ords show that pursuant to notice a meeting was held at the school-house on the roth of December 1832 to elect trustees, preparatory to the incorporation of a church in accordance with a law of the State. At that meeting James H. Woodhull, Thomas C. Willis, Samuel Oakes, and William H. Woodhull were chosen trustees. After subscribing an oath, as required by law, they signed and filed a certificate that the name adopted was "The First Presbyterian Church of Boonton," which thereafter was the corporate title of the organization. Decisive steps were at once taken to build a church, and in 1833 it was erected, on a plot of ground donated by the New Jersey Iron Company, on the corner of Church and Birch

streets, where the present church stands. The Rev. John Ford and several other ministers supplied the pulpit until July 1834. On the 19th of July the same year Rev. Joseph Vance received and accepted a call to be- come the pastor. He continued his labors to the 4th of October 1838. From then to March 1840 the pulpit was occupied by occasional supplies. Then Rev. Cor- nelius S. Conkling was the pastor to November 30th 1843. Then again the pulpit was vacant except as sup- plied by presbytery till May 1844, when Rev. Daniel E. Megie accepted a call. He was installed on the 29th of the same month, and continued his pastorate here until September 1872, when, owing to his failing health, he re- signed. On the 3d of January 1873 Rev. Thomas Car- ter, the present pastor, was installed. After his resigna- tion Mr. Megie continued to reside at Boonton until his death, which occurred in May 1880, about thirty-six years after the date of his installment.

The church erected in 1833 was 35 by 55 feet, and served the congregation twenty-six years, when it was sold and removed to make room for a larger structure. This old building was placed by the purchasers on the opposite side of Church street, and under the name of Washington Hall has been since used as a place for hold- ing public meetings. The first parsonage of this congre- gation was built on a lot on the south side of Church street in the year 1840, and was first occupied by the Rev. Cornelius S. Conkling, and subsequently by the Rev. Daniel E. Megie for many years. While living here Mr. Megie's first wife died. He married Mrs. Hester Briggs, a widow, and a sister of his first wife. Mrs. Briggs had built and for several years occupied a residence on the corner of Church and Birch streets, opposite the church. After his second marriage Mr. Megie removed to his wife's residence, and the parsonage was sold soon after. The next parsonage was built about the year 1874, on a part of the church lot, and is a neat and commodious ed- ifice of moderate dimensions, costing about $6,000.

The new church edifice was built in 1859, and as first put up was 36 by 72 feet. It was a few years afterward greatly enlarged by adding to the width on each side. It has a tall steeple, and on account of its location and size is the most conspicuous church in the place.

The Methodist Episcopal Church at Boonton was duly organized on the 5th of June 1853, and the following names were signed to the certificate as trustees: George T. Cobb, John Deeker, John H. Frampton, John Meyer jr., Samuel B. Shaubb, Horace E. Taylor and William T. Vanduyne. On the 24th of January 1854 Dudley B. Fuller and James Brown of New York donated to this church a lot one hundred feet square on the east side of Cedar street, nearly opposite the old district school- house. The same year they erected on it a church forty feet square, a plain building costing about $1,600. Sub- sequently a parsonage was built on a part of the same lot, costing about $1,800. The church edifice served the congregation about sixteen years, when, owing to an in- crease in the number of members, it was thought advisa- ble to provide a larger building and to obtain a more

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CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS OF BOONTON.

central location. Accordingly, about the year 1868, the residence and grounds of Dr. Ezekiel B. Gaines, on the west side of Main just above William street, were bought. The intention was to use the residence as a parsonage, and to place the church on the adjoining lot. The erec- tion of the church was commenced in 1868, and services were held in the basement the following year. The whole building was not fully completed till 1874. The total cost of the church edifice, including furniture, is said to have been $18,000. The first cost of the property bought from Gaines was $9,000. The size of this church on the ground is 52 by 80 feet, and it is substantially a two-story building, the main room being on the second floor, with a high basement. The audience room, in- cluding the gallery at one end, is 51 feet by 79, and the basement lecture room is 50 feet square.

The Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel .-- On the 7th of August 1848 the New Jersey Iron Company deed( d to the trustees of the Catholic church at Boonton a plot of ground on the corner of Birch and Green streets, in the northern part of the town. On this was erected the first Catholic church in Boonton. It was of small dimensions and a cheap structure, and had a burial ground attached on a part of the same lot. This served for about seven- teen years, when the increasing congregation, desiring more room, procured a lot on the opposite side of Birch street and proceeded to erect a new church, which was completed in a few years. This building is 40 by 80 feet, with a tower 65 feet high. The walls are of stone, the roof slate, and the windows of stained glass. It has a large basement room, which for a time was used for a week-day school separate from the public school in the town. This is the most substantial church edifice in Boonton and one of the largest. Its cost was not far from $13,000.

About this time this congregation procured a suitable piece of ground, on the eastern outskirt of the town and near the foot of Sheep Hill, for a cemetery. This has been inclosed with a substantial stone wall, and the bodies near the old church were brought here.

The first lot has been cleared up, and on it has been erected a neat and commodious parsonage, at a cost of about $5,000.

On the 20th of September 1864 this society became incorporated under the name of " The Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel."

St. John's Church .- The first Protestant Episcopal church in Boonton was fully organized according to law on the 4th of May 1860, under the name of "St. John's Church in Boonton," and the required certificate was filed, signed by Francis D. Canfield, minister, and George Anthony, secretary. Previous to this, however, there had been an informal orginization of this denomination, and religious services had been held as early as 1856, in a small building, erected by Miss Eliza A. Scott as a ses- sion house for the Presbyterian church, standing on Church street. This building was lengthened and fitted up, and was used by St. John's church several years. About the year 1867 Fuller & Lord donated to this con-

gregation a large and handsome lot on the corner of Ce- dar and Cornelia streets. On this was erected a church edifice of moderate dimensions, in gothic style and rather plain in its exterior. A neat and comfortable parsonage was built on a portion of the same lot. Rev. Francis D. Canfield was the first rector, Rev. Mr. Sterns the next, and the third the Rev. John P. Appleton, the present rector.

The Reformed Church at Boonton .- The church last organized in Boonton is of the Reformed denomination. Meetings were first held in Washington Hall in 1867, un- der the lead of Rev. Nathaniel Conklin, of the church at Montville. On the 2nd of February 1868, at a meeting |held at Washington Hall in accordance with previous no- tice, Timothy W. Crane and Albert Crane were elected elders, and Daniel D. Tompkins and Francis Room dea- cons. On the 6th of March 1868 this society became duly organized, by the elders and deacons signing and filing a certificate in accordance with law, under the adopted name of "The Reformed Church at Boonton." Soon afterward measures were taken to procure a church edifice. Some years prior to this a division in the Pres- byterian church at Parsippany, in the adjoining township of Hanover, led to the erection of the second church edi- fice there. This was occupied but a few years, when, the differences that led to its erection having been adjusted, this second church ceased to be used; and, the creditors being anxious for their money, this building was sold to the Reformed church at Boonton and removed there.

This society and the congregation are comparatively small, but financially it is the strongest church in Boon- ton, being the legatee of $10,000 by the will of Mrs. Eliza A. Crane (formerly Eliza A. Scott).

EDUCATION.

The proprietors of the iron works were not unmindful of the necessity of providing for the education of the children of their employes. The first school at Boonton was opened in 1831, in a part of a dwelling-house just built nearly opposite where the Boonton iron works office stands. This school was taught by Miss Dean, and she was paid for her services by the New Jersey Iron Com- pany. A school-house was erected in 1831 on what is now the southwesterly corner of Liberty and Cedar streets, and was brought into use in 1832. This building served the district twenty years. The last teacher who occupied it was Marcus W. Martin, teacher in the year ending in June 1852, His salary was $350 per year, and that year the school was free, made so by subscription. In 1851 a larger building, of brick, was erected as the public school-house, which, greatly enlarged by several additions, is now in use. The first school-house here, erected fifty years ago, is still standing, and with some alterations and additions is occupied as a dwelling.

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