History of Morris County, New Jersey, Part 60

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 60

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paid £1,200, equal to $3,000; this tract immediately ad- joined on the north the large tract bought by Humphrey Davenport in 1714. Albert Alyea had purchased it from David Brower in 1781, and Brower bought it from Peter Tise. It is probable a grist-mill and a saw-mill were erected here about 1760, shortly after. the laying out and opening of public roads. to that point .. Daniel

Duryea died in 1804, and left surviving three sons-Peter, Richard and Garret. To Peter he devised a part of his lands, including these mills and his homestead dwelling, which stood on the corner opposite the mill, where Za- briskie's residence stands; the old homestead was an old- fashioned long stone house, of the Dutch cottage style. Peter Duryea lived here many years and died without chil- dren, leaving this property to Josiah Zabriskie; from Za- briskie it descended to his younger son, Albert J. Zabris- kie, the present owner. The old mill was a small affair, with one run of stones, driven by an undershot wheel; the fall in the river at this point is about five feet. Some years ago a new mill with two runs of stones was erected in place of the old one, and a turbine wheel substituted. This mill has since been enlarged and greatly improved, and is one of the best in this vicinity.

About a mile down the river there is an old woolen fac- tory, erected about 1809 for a carding and fulling mill by Nicholas J. Hyler and Leonard Davenport, who at the same time built here a saw-mill on land purchased from Abraham Davenport. In 1812 Hyler bought Dav- 'enport's interest; in 1815 he died, and his administra- tors sold the property in 1816 to Joseph Scott; the latter on the 3d of April 1827 sold it to Benjamin Crane and Ezekiel B. Gaines, who sold to Benjamin Starkey, the present owner.

Within the present year (1881) a distillery for making apple whiskey has been started near Montville, which is the only one in this township and the only one that has existed anywhere in this vicinity for more than forty years. Prior to 1825 distilleries were numerous and the use of whiskey was quite general among the people. In 1815 Congress, in order to meet the expenses of the war of 1812, passed an act authorizing a direct tax, and we find the old distillery owned by Silas Cook noted as No. 90 in the second collection district. A circumstance serv- ing to show the influence of public sentiment over the administration of law is worthy of notice. In a neighbor- hood about one and a half miles east of Montville, called "Doremus Town," there were in 1827 three dwellings within a few yards of each other (the only dwellings in the place) and each one was licensed as a tavern; about a mile further east another was licensed, and a mile and a half beyond this two more were licensed. Scarcely any of them were fitted and they probably were not ex- pected to answer the legitimate purposes of a tavern as required by law, but were merely used for the purpose of selling liquor to the laborers engaged in constructing the canal.

From the description of property in old deeds it appears that between 1800 and 1810 an attempt was having on it this grist-mill and a saw-mill, for which he made to name the cluster of three or four houses at Pine Brook, where George D. Mead keeps a store, "Union Village;" but as a village failed to grow up the name was dropped and has been forgotten. At this point a tavern was kept over eighty years, and for many years it did a legitimate and profitable business in the accommoda- tion of "Sussex teams," as they were called, which in large numbers used to pass this way toward Newark with

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HISTORY OF MORRIS COUNTY.

loads of flour, feed, grain, butter, pork, and other pro- duce from Sussex, Warren, and the upper parts of Morris county. The opening of railroads in various directions has produced a great change, and for the benefit of the farmers, as the transportation by rail is cheaper and more expeditious. Now very few teams are employed in such transportation, and there is scarcely any legitimate business for a tavern at this point. There are only two taverns in Montville township, and four stores-one at Pine Brook, two at Montville and one at White Hall; there are post-offices at Pine Brook, Montville and Whitehall.

About the year 1785 Nathaniel Gaines, a young man, settled near Pine Brook, on the old road, a few hundred yards below the present school-house. He had served in the Revolutionary war as a cavalryman, and was with General Stark at the battle of Bennington, Vermont. He was a native of Connecticut, and was a nailer by trade. A nailer in those days was one who made nails by hand, hammering each out on an anvil, as nail-cutting machines had not then been invented. There are persons living, born and brought up in that neighborhood, who say they well remember frequently hearing the ring of Gaines's hammer on his anvil in the morning as soon as it was light, going to show that he was an industrious man. Those were days of comparatively low prices for labor, and the surrounding circumstances were such that if a person would support himself and family comfortably and accumulate property he must apply himself with unceas- ing industry. Gaines married a daughter of Ezekiel Baldwin, who lived in that neighborhood, and had sev- eral children. His oldest son, Ezekiel Baldwin Gaines, was born near Pine Brook, October 10th 1791. He was educated for a physician, studied medicine with Dr. John S. Darcy at Hanover, and was licensed in 1814. He first practiced with Dr. Darcy at Hanover; from there he went to Parsippany, and for a few years he was in partnership with Dr. Stephen Fairchild. From Parsip- pany he removed in 1818 to Lower Montville, where he resided and practiced his profession about thirty-seven years. In 1855 he removed to Boonton, and in 1861 he was appointed postmaster there, in which capacity he served for several years; when, owing to advanced years and declining health, he retired from active life. He died at Boonton on the 31st of March 1881.

Silas Cook, being an educated man and a person of good natural ability, possessed an influence among the people of his neighborhood. In 1806 he was appointed one of the judges of the county court, and for nearly forty years almost continuously held that office; at the same time he was a justice of the peace, and for a term represented the county in the upper house of the State Legislature.

SCHOOLS.

There are five school districts in this township-at Pine Brook, Lower Montville, Upper Montville, White Hall and Taylortown. The school-houses are all nearly new buildings, and with the exception of that at Taylor-

town are furnished with improved desks and seats. The total value of school property in this township is estimated at $9,500. Since the formation of the township these schools have been entirely free, and have been kept open generally during the school year.

For a more particular history of these schools prior to 1867 the reader is referred to the history of education in Pequannock township.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHES.

In Montville township there are four churches-two Methodist and two Reformed. The Methodist church at Pine Brook was erected about 1843, and the congregation is the largest of that denomination in the township. The society has a neat and commodious parsonage near the church, and maintains a settled pastor.

The other Methodist church, at Whitehall, is a neat edifice erected about 1851; this congregation has no par- sonage, but maintains a pastor and includes in its limits those of that denomination in the northern and central parts of this township.

REFORMED CHURCHES.

The oldest church in this township is the Reformed church at Lower Montville. This church organization was started at Old Boonton, about 1756, and shortly af- terward a church edifice was erected there, which stood about five hundred yards directly north from where stands the Morris county poor-house. Prior to the erection of the churchi meetings were held in a log school-house that stood near that place. Feeble in the beginning this or- ganization had no settled minister, but was supplied oc- casionally by preachers from other churches. Indeed, the history of these early congregations shows that finan- cially they were weak, and under the necessity of making a joint effort to support a settled minister. But this was not the only reason. The church history in- forms us that about this time there were nearly twice as many church organizations of this denomination as there were regularly licensed and approved ministers; conse- quently it was a matter of compulsion that several should unite in calling a minister conjointly. Rev. David Marinus, who was called to serve at Acquackanonk and Pompton conjointly in 1752, occasionally preached at Old Boonton. From 1762 to 1767 Rev. Cornelius Blaw, of the " Conferentic " party, served this church conjointly with those at Fairfield, Totowa and Pompton. From 1772 to 1791 the pulpit was supplied occasionally by Rev. Hermanus Meyer, who was the settled pastor at To- towa and Pompton Plains. In 1794 this church united with that at the Plains in calling Rev. Stephen Ostrander, who preached at Old Boonton one quarter of the time for about seven years.

In 1801 this congregation appointed a committee, con- sisting of Silas Cook, Edmund Kingsland, Richard Dur- yea and Henry Van Ness, and authorized them to pur- chase a place for a parsonage; and on the 13th of April that year they bought of Samuel Stiles a house and about twenty-two acres of land at Lower Montville, near the

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REFORMED CHURCHES OF MONTVILLE.

residence of Richard Duryea. It is said this parsonage was occupied briefly by a Rev. W. P. Kuypers, who preached from 1801 to 1805 at Old Boonton. Little use was made of this place as a parsonage, and the records show that Silas Cook, Henry Van Ness, and Edmund Kingsland, a committee appointed by the congregation for the purpose, sold it by deed dated February 8th 1805 to Dr. George Wurts, who resided there about thirty-five years, until his death.

When Rev. Mr. Ostrander became the pastor this church took the necessary course to become incorporated, and as a matter of interest we copy from the records the following: "We the ministers, elders, and deacons of the Reformed Dutch Congregation at Boonton do certify that the said congregation is named the First Reformed Dutch Congregation at Boonton; and we hereby wish the same to be recorded in the clerk's office of the county of Morris, agreeable to an act of the Legislature of the State of New Jersey passed November 25th 1789; as wit- ness our hands and seals this - day of November 1795." Signed by Stephen Ostrander, V. D. M., and by Lucas Von Beverhoudt, Jacob Kanous sen., Jacob Romine, and Michael Cook as elders, and by Jacob Kanous jr., Frederick Miller and Henry Mourison as deacons.

After 1805 this church seems to have been served with preachers occasionally from other churches. Alden's Register reports the pulpit of the church at Boon- ton as vacant in 1810 and 1811. Rev. John Duryea, who was settled at Fairfield, occasionally preached at Boonton from about 1812 to 1816. Levi Stiles, now over 85 years old, relates his recollection of an incident connected with Mr. Duryea's preaching at Boonton. In the beginning of the war of 1812, in the course of his sermon one Sunday, suddenly digressing, in an animated appeal to the people he broke forth with the exclamation, "Young men, one and all, gird on your swords and rush to the war!" This, Mr. Stiles says, surprised many and gave offense to some of those present.

About this time the people began to agitate the ques- tion of building a new church, and in order to have it more central to the congregation it was determined to remove to the present location at Montville. Preparatory to this end the church edifice at Boonton was taken down, in order that such parts of the material as were found sound and available might be used in the new structure; and about the year 1818 a new church was built on a site on the north side of the road and directly opposite the present church, and it was opened for ser- vices the next year. The land for the site and for a burial ground was obtained from Garret Duryea, and the quantity first bought was forty-hundredths of an acre; the church edifice was erected before the deed for the land was made out, which bears date October 8th 1819. This edifice was in dimensions about 30 by 50 fifty feet, and was two stories in height, with a steeple in front, and finished inside with a double row of pews on each side of a central aisle, with a side and end gallery; built after the old style with a heavy frame of white oak tim- ber, it was a very substantial building. It served this congregation thirty-eight years, and when it was removed in 1856 most of the timber in the frame was found to be sound, although some of it had been in use at Boonton and Montville nearly a hundred years.

After the removal to Montville the first minister set- tled as the pastor was James G. Brinckerhoof; he began about 1821 and continued until 1824, when disturbances

arose in the congregation touching doctrinal points, from which a division resulted, a portion, with whom Mr. Brinckerhoof sided, going off and forming an organiza- tion which they called " The True Reformed Dutch Church." By this party a house for worship was erected soon after about two miles south on the road to Pine Brook. The differences which led to a separation are plainly set forth in the deed given for the ground on which the church stands. We copy the following from the record of the deed, bearing date October 8th 1827:

"Henry Mourison to the trustees of the True Reformed Dutch Church at Montville * * *. "

"The party of the first part, desirous to promote and advance the cause and interests of the true religion in general, and particularly to encourage the above men- tioned society and congregation, holding and maintaining the doctrines hereinafter mentioned, for and in consider- ation of the premises, and also in consideration of five dollars, have sold and conveyed to the trustees of the True Reformed Dutch Church of Montville and their successors in office, to and for the use of the said society or congregation above mentioned, a certain tract of land, &c., to have and hold the same so long as said trustees and their successors in office or any three of them do and shall truly, faithfully, and sincerely hold thereto and maintain the following Christian doctrines, that is to say:

"The total depravity of the sinner, he having no natural ability to serve and worship God acceptably.

" The definite atonement of our Lord Jesus Christ, in his name having made satisfaction only for the elect of God.

"Regeneration wrought by the Spirit of God alone, and justification by faith in the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ, in contradistinction to that or those denomination or denominations of Christians who hold and maintain the following doctrines, that is to say:

" The natural ability of the sinner to love and worship God acceptably.

"The indefinite atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ in his having (as they maintain) made satisfaction not only for the elect but for the non-elect also in a certain sense."

This congregation, small in the beginning and without much increase in numbers, has maintained its organization for over half a century. It has a small house of worship, kept in good repair; has had no settled minister for many years, but occasionally supplies, and meetings weekly.

After the division in the church at Montville as stated the pulpit was next occupied by Rev. Abraham Mesler as a supply for about two years; then by Rev. J. Ford Morris and Rev. John G. Tarbell for a short time. Next Rev. Mr. Ogilvy occupied the pulpit as pastor for about one year. Then followed Rev. Abraham Mesler again, but this time as pastor at Pompton Plains and this church for about three years, to 1832. Next came the pastorate of Rev. Frederick F. Cornell, continuing about three years, to 1836; Rev. Mr. Woods was then pastor about a year; Rev. Jeremiah S. Lord about four years, to 1843; Rev. John L. Janeway about seven years, to 1850; Rev. Na- thaniel Conklin about nineteen years; Rev. Luther H. Van Doren about three years, to 1874; Rev. J. H. Collier about five years, to 1879. In that year Rev. James Kemlo, a young licentiate of Rutgers and an ordained minister, was called, and he is the present pastor.

In 1856 this congregation, thinking more church room necessary, purchased ground on the opposite side of the road, and erected the present church edifice.

MOUNT OLIVE TOWNSHIP.

BY REV. E. W. STODDARD, D. D.

HIS township was taken from the western part of Roxbury, March 22nd 1871. Its east line begins at Chester township near Levi Har- vey's farm, and takes a northerly course to the Musconetcong at the gates of the reser- voir near Stanhope, two and a half miles from Lake Hopatcong. The spur of the Schooley's Mountain range on which the churches are located was called Mount Olive for thirty years before it became the

At Flanders and Bartleyville there are several mills grinding feed, large quantities of which are sent by teams to Dover and Mine Hill and the surrounding iron- mining regions. One is located on a small stream com- center of the township to which it gave its name. Previ- | ing from the hills northwest of Flanders, and can be ously it was called Rattletown. Benjamin Olive, who located land near the churches, really gave name to the neighborhood.

The population of Mount Olive in 1875 was 1,760, and in 1880 1,982. Other statistics were furnished by the assessors in 1881, as follows: Area of the township, 18,- 317 acres; valuation of real estate, $756,200; personal property, $237,504; debt, $137,025; polls, 428; State school tax, $2,176.71; county tax, $2,036.18; road tax, $1,500; poor tax, $200.

The surface of Mount Olive is even more hilly than that of Roxbury, as it contains more of Schooley's Mountain. A large portion is capable of cultivation, and other parts afford good pasturage. Wood and timber are grown in some localities, thirty years being about the average time.

This township has the honor of being crossed by that ancient line dividing East and West Jersey; it extends from its extreme northern border through the center to its southern border near Bartleyville.

In the center of this township is a beautiful sheet of joining the Large tract.

water, called by the Indians Kankankianning or Little Pond, but known to summer tourists as Budd's Lake. It is about three miles in circumference and is easily ap- proached on all sides. There is a gradual descent toward the lake for about half a mile all around it, but in no instance does the land rise more than 150 feet. The sources of its supply of water it is not easy to determine. There are no considerable streams running into it, no large springs near its border, no extent of marshy ground near it, and yet there is a continuous outflow of water to the south branch of the Raritan near Bartleyville.

northern border of Mount Olive. The South Branch enters this township near Flanders, where there is a beautiful valley nearly a mile and a half in width. The scenery of this valley from the hills westward and toward the Mount Olive churches is rarely equaled.

used only a part of the time. Two others and a saw- mill are located on the South Branch in Flanders, and two on a stream which is the outlet of Budd's Lake and enters the South Branch at Bartleyville. One of these is a mile up the ravine and is known as the Richard Ste- vens property.

May 15th 1713 Peter Garbut and Francis Breck lo- cated 2,500 acres of land, a part of which is now in Mount Olive township. Next John Reading located 250 acres, which includes the northern half of Budd's Lake. In 1752 Ebenezer Large located 1,725 acres north of Budd's Lake. It extended from what is called the Mary Nor- ris tract westward toward Hackettstown. This is now nearly all owned by Archer Stevens's heirs. On land owned by J. S. Wills stands a white oak bearing the in- itials M. N. I. P. It marks the corner of lands belong- ing to Mary Norris and Israel Pemberton. In 1714 John Budd located 1,000 acres of land on which Flan- ders now stands. In 1757 Martin Ryerson located 218 acres, lying north of Budd's Lake, and south of and ad-

THE IRON INDUSTRY.

Samuel Heaton and three brothers came to Mount Olive previous to 1753 from Wrentham, Mass., to set up iron works. How extensively he operated is not known, nor how successfully; but this mountain range is rich in iron and has been worked at intervals ever since. In 1846 the Crane Iron Company opened mines on land be- longing to Aaron and Charles Salmon. Several thousand ¡tons of ore were raised entirely free from sulphur. When sulphur was found in the ore the mine was abandoned,

The Musconetcong flows from Lake Hopatcong on the the process of burning it out not yet being in use. In

FOREST HOUSE. BUDDS LAKE, J. M. SHARP, PROPR

THE BARTLEY FOUNDRY AND MACHINE SHOPS. WM. BARTLEY & SONS., Manufacturers of Grist and Saw-Mill Gearing, Turbine Waterwheels and Iron Penstocks, Steam Engines, Portable Grist and Saw-Mills, Corn Crackers, Bark Mills, Tire Benders, &c. BARTLEYVILLE, N. J.

255

IRON MINES İN MOUNT OLIVE-VILLAGES-CHURCHES.

1848 A. A. Drake and Jacob Yager opened a mine on four dwellings within a quarter of a mile. Its post- the property of Aaron Salmon jr., which is now worked office was established in 1872. R. H. Stevens has been the only postmaster. Miss E. H. Stevens is assistant postmaster. by the Mount Olive Iron Company. The surface or red ore was very rich and free from sulphur. The deeper ore, containing sulphur, was less valuable and the At Budd's Lake about twenty houses cluster near Sharp's large boarding-house. The capacity of this house is 150, and its location upon the lake is exceed- ingly beautiful. The post-office was established in 1857 and the first postmaster was- Jesse M. Sharp. The present postmaster is James Mills. mine was abandoned. At this time the lease was held by the Musconetcong Iron Company, of Stanhope. In 1864 the Lehigh Crane Iron Company leased the mine and raised over 1,000 tons, when it abandoned the under- taking. In 1869 A. A. Drake leased it and raised about 5,000 tons. In 1873 the National Iron Company leased South Stanhope has the railroad depot, a school-house and the Roman Catholic church. The employes of the Stanhope furnaces have built here a pretty village. the mine, raised about 1,000 tons, and failed. A. L. Sal- mon acted as superintendent for this company, and opened in this mine the largest vein ever discovered on Bartleyville is a cluster of six houses and a school- house. The iron foundry gives employment to about fifteen men. . The post-office was established January 9th 1874. The first postmaster, William Bartley, is the present incumbent. this hill. The- widest opening was 20 feet. The lease was assigned to A. L. Salmon to secure him against loss. In 1873 Peter Uhler, of Glendon, Pa., purchased of Mr. Salmon a half interest in the mine, and about 5,000 tons of ore were raised in two years, the ore being used by Uhler at his furnaces in Glendon, Pa. The mine was CHURCHES OF THE TOWNSHIP. idle four years. In 1879 William George and B. K. and G. W. Stickle, the present Mount Olive Iron Company, leased the mine, which is now yielding large quantities of ore. The same company is also working the John Drake and Jacob Yager mines, which lie near by on the west. The heirs of Charles Salmon own a mine lying east, which is now worked by Henry G. Miller. On the ad- joining farm Peter Salmon's heirs have a mine, opened by A. A. Drake in 1861, leased by the Crane Iron Com- pany and worked till 1865. In 1870 this mine was leased by the Musconetcong Iron Company. It is not now worked. In 1847 A. A. Drake discovered the Osborn mine. The ore contains sulphur and has not been worked for ten years.

On the outlet of Budd's Lake are the ruins of two bloom forges for the manufacture of charcoal iron, which were among the earliest in this township and Roxbury. At Bartleyville proper is an iron foundry and machine shop for the manufacture of mill castings, machinery and plows, meeting the ordinary wants of the farming and mining community. This foundry is owned and worked by William Bartley. In years past these hills furnished large quantities of charcoal, but the demand at present ent is more for railroad ties and timber.

VILLAGES AND POST-OFFICES.

Flanders in its beautiful valley is the largest settlement in the township. About fifty houses lie within a mile of the churches. The first school-house was of logs, and was built in the last century. It was located where the store of D. A. Nicholas now stands. The deed of the present school-house lot was given August 10th 1805, the buyers paying four dollars for one-fourth of an acre. It is near the High Bridge Railroad. The house now in use is the second on the site, and is well adapted to ed- ucational purposes. The post-office was established July 27th 1822. The first postmaster was Henry Halsey; the present one is D. A. Nicholas.

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