History of Morris County, New Jersey, Part 70

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 70

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William Mott, from whom was named Mott Hollow (which is another name for Mill Brook), was a Huguenot athan Belcher was governor; but now, 1769, the govern- from France. The persecution of the Huguenots began about 1560, and drove from France many of her best citizens and artisans, who went to England, and by their skill in the arts raised England above France. The Mott of a new county, it has become necessary that a new set- family (spelled properly De Motte, or De la Motte), went from France to England, from England to Maryland, and toward the close of the eighteenth century moved from Maryland to Mill Brook. William Mott, the first to emi- grate to this part of New Jersey, was a man of enterprise, who made his mark in his day. The Huguenots who came to this country brought with them a good reputa- tion, which still continues. The descendants of William Mott in this township are justly proud of their ancestral line.

Richard Dell, a leading Quaker, was among the earlier settlers of the township, and owned land in the township of Rockaway, as appears by a deed to "Eaphrom Drake," recorded in 1764, of which the following is a part:

" This Indenture witnesseth that the said Richard Dell, for & in consideration of the sum of One Hundred & Twenty Pound Light Money at Eight Shillings Pr Ounce, to him in hand paid by the said Eaphrom Drake at & before the Sealing & delivery of these Presents, the receipt whereof he doth hereby acknowledge & thereof doth clearly a Quit, Release & Discharge the said Eaphrom Drake, his hiears, Exectrs and Administrators for ever, by these Presents hath granted, bargened, sold, assigned, Enfeoffed, Released, Convead & Confirmed *

* * the said Twenty-Five Eacors of Land, which his bounded as followeth: begenning at a Double Burch Tree Corner to Irick Decou, thomas Nun, & George Ikes, & runs from thence by the Land of Thomas Nun North Two Degrees East Twenty Chaine to a Corner to Solomon Smith's; then a Long his line Weast Twelve Chaine & a half to his corner; thence South Two De- grees West Twenty Chains and Twenty Links to a post on George Ikes' Line; then a Long the same North

Eighty Nine Degrees East Twelve Chaine and a half to lands in each county by the following assessments: the beginning."

In the southern and eastern portions of the township the following families early dwelt, most of whom have

left descendants still on the homesteads: Sylvester Clark, Lewis Leforge, Enoch Roff, David Trowbridge, Samuel T. Abers, Abram Aber, Philip Till, Job Wolf, Peter Combs, H. J. Anson, Abram Seward, Carmen Bonnell, Aaron Lewis, and others who were equally good neigh- bors and honored citizens, whose names are not at our command.

RANDOLPH IN 1769.

Some idea of the relative value of Randolph township may be formed from the following quotas of the several counties assessed to pay a debt of £190,000 in 1769. In the war between England and France carried on among the colonies the colony of New Jersey, for the use of the crown of England, raised the sum of £347,500 "proclamation" money, in bills of credit. In 1769 a debt of £190,000 of the above sum remained to be sunk by taxes to be raised in the colony. The quotas of the sev- eral counties had been determined in 1751, when Jon-

ment said: "Whereas the circumstances of this colony are much altered by the great improvements made therein, by its increase and population, and the erection tlement be made of the proportions each county shall raise in future taxes for supplying the treasury of this colony with the said sum of one hundred and ninety thousand pounds." This sum was not to be raised in one year, but was divided into fourteen parts, and the last was not due until 1783. Every inhabitant was to be assessed according to his wealth. "All forges that work pig iron, and all forges and bloomaries that make bar iron imme- diately out of the ore, shall be rated not under five shil- lings nor above forty shillings for each fire; always sav- ing to the respective iron works in Evesham and North- ampton, in the county of Burlington, and to the Hibernia iron works, in the county of Morris, such privileges, im- munities and exemptions as are or shall be granted to them by a bill now under consideration of the Legislature of this colony, if the same shall pass into a law." As to all profitable tracts of land held by deed, patent or sur- vey, whereon any improvement was made, the whole tract was to be valued in each respective county as fol- lows: In the county of Bergen, not above £40 or under £8 per acre; Essex, not above £45 or under £9; Mid- dlesex, not above £40 nor under £5; Monmouth, not above £45 nor under £5; Somerset, not above £50 nor under £9; Morris, not over $40 nor under £5; Sussex, not over $35 nor under £4; Hunterdon, not over £45 nor under £6; Burlington, not over £45 nor under £6; Gloucester, not over £40 nor under £3; Salem, not over £50 nor under £5; Cumberland, not over £35 nor under £5; Cape May, not over £30 nor under £8."

Some idea may be formed of the amount of improved In the years 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773 the sum of £12,500 was to be raised, in the proportion following-in the county of Bergen, £830; Essex, £928; Middlesex,

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£1,090 8s .; Monmouth, £1,336 8s .; Somerset, £1,130 2s .; Morris, £904 5s .; Sussex, £741 12s .; Hunterdon, £1,704 16s .; Burlington, £1,339 IIS .; Gloucester, £953 18s .; Salem, £849 Ios .; Cumberland, £481 13s .; Cape May, £208 13s.

It seems that in this same 1769 old King George III. and his colonial governor, William Franklin, who were extreme conservatives, believed in the progress of New Jersey, and that it would be as easy for the inhabitants to pay £15,000 each year from 1773 to 1782 as it had been to pay £12,500 for the four preceding years, and hence assessed the same articles at one-fifth part more for those nine years than they had assessed them pre- viously. But during this period the war of independence may have checked the prosperity of the colony, as it did divert the £15,000 to another channel.

GROWTH OF POPULATION.

Randolph township was formed in 1805. The popula- tion has been as follows: 1810, 1,271; 1820, 1,252; 1830, 1,443; 1840, 1,792; 1850, 2,632; 1860, 3,173; 1870, 5,111; 1880, 7,702. It is seen from these figures that the pop- ulation during the decade from 1810 to 1820, instead of increasing, slightly diminished. This diminution was owing to the war of 1812, when many of the citizens en- listed in the army, and to the destruction of the iron industry in consequence of the war; for when peace was declared the American ports were opened to the English, who sold their iron in this country at a lower price than it could be manufactured at home; consequently the forges were stopped and the iron men generally failed.

The rapid increase of the population from 1860 to 1870 was also due to the iron industry, which was never so prosperous as during the late civil war and afterward, when new mines were opened and miners' wages were very high. This prosperity continued till 1873, when the financial depression began which lasted until 1879, during which period the iron business for the most part was suspended throughout the county, and, it might be added, throughout the country.

ROADS.

The roads at first were left in a rude state by the early settlers. Usually they were the trails of the aborigines, somewhat improved. These old Indian paths were found by the white people to be well laid out, in straight lines except where they curved to avoid marshes and to cross streams at the best fording places. These narrow trails were gradually widened, and the white pioneers com- monly built their houses on these paths, sometimes locat- ing them at a distance for the sake of retirement and safety, but then making paths leading from their cabins, not in a direct line to the trail, but in a curve each way from their dwelling to the thoroughfare; and this custom may account for the seemingly needless curves in most of the roads of the township. While the population was sparse, and the distance from house to house consider- able, it was not to be expected that the new settlers could spend much time in work on the highways. Their lands

needed all their labor, and their rude cabins required constant improvements; so that new roads were of slow growth, and old roads, if at all passable, were accustomed to neglect. Township travel was performed for the most part on foot or on horseback.

Randolph's strongest attractions to the new comers were the iron ores rather than her soil. The same in- dustry brought the first white men to this county. The old forges at Old Boonton and Parsippany became the sites of the earliest settlements. The Succasunna mine was known and worked before the plowshare had turned over the sod of the township. Ore was taken from it on the backs of horses to the old forges. But even this method of transportation required roads of some sort. The Indian paths were utilized and improved for this purpose. The turnpike from Whippany to Rock- away and the old road from Morristown to Franklin and thence to Dover were Indian paths widened and im- proved. Until the beginning of the present century road improvement in any proper sense had not begun; but in 18or a charter was given for the Morris turnpike, from Elizabethtown through Morristown and Newton to the Delaware opposite Milford. In 1804 the Union turnpike, from Morristown through Dover to Sparta, was opened, and it was afterward continued through Culver's Gap to the Delaware River. In 1807 the Jefferson turnpike was chartered, to run through Berkshire Valley to meet the Hamburgh and Paterson road; and in 1809 the Parsip- pany and Rockaway turnpike, from Vanduyne's through Rockaway to the Union turnpike at Dover. These roads were built by chartered companies and in some cases were aided by State appropriations. Fifty-four charters were given for such roads between 1801 and 1828. Some of the companies are still in existence, finding remuneration in tollgates. That part of the Union turn- pike from Dover to Sparta is still kept in order by the chartered company. The part from Morristown to Dover is thrown open to the public. This period of turnpikes marks an epoch in the State, and it gave fresh impulse to the people of Randolph.

The Dover Turnpike Company, formed to build a road to Succasunna, was not organized till 1813. Previ- ous to this time travel was limited and most articles used in families were made at home. Stores were scarce and little patronized.

EARLY DOMESTIC MANUFACTURES.

Of necessity, in a new settlement, before the various trades have time to develop, the settlers are dependent on themselves for articles of use and comfort. Each man is a jack of all trades, and learns to do with few things, and to furnish those few for himself. Some of the products of the soil were occasionally carried by the farmer in an ox cart over the rough roads to Newark and to New York, and there exchanged for such articles as he most needed and could not manufacture himself. Less frequently a dry goods peddler would make his way to the settlements in the wilderness and barter his goods for butter, eggs and other country produce; but the greater

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DOMESTIC MANUFACTURES IN RANDOLPH-ANECDOTES.

portion of the early settlers either supplied at home their domestic wants or struggled on without their being sup- plied. Spinning and weaving were common in all the best households, and neighbors vied with each other in the manufacture of carpets and cloths. Here and there a looin became famous for its superior fabrics, and was invited to do work for others than the household. As a favor some took in weaving, and the homes in which the best spinning was done and the best cloths woven grew in honor and wealth. The skillful housewife was as much respected as the thrifty farmer. Women strove to merit the praise which Solomon bestows on excellent wives: " Who can find a virtuous woman? her price is far above rubies. She seeketh wool and flax and worketh willingly with her hands. She girdeth her loins with strength and strengtheneth her arms. She layeth her hands to the spindle and her hands hold the distaff. She is not afraid of the snow for her household. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idle- ness. Her children rise up and call her blessed."-Prov. xxxi. 10. In the preceding century in the township of Randolph such looms and such wives were found in the families of the Randolphs, the Dells, the Brothertons, the Lawrences, and other happy homes; and such wives and mothers raised their households above want. Neverthe- less in the course of years children of parents who never owned a wheel or a loom began to dress in richer fabrics than could be produced by the unsparing toil of the in- dustrious matron; for the larger factories, with the aid of machinery, turned out better materials than the best homespun of private looms. Though spinning continued, weaving began to wane and to be discontinued, save where the force of habit caused the old methods to con- tinue on, even after private weaving ceased to be econom- ical. A fulling-mill, earlier than in any other township except Morris, was built and put in operation at Mill Brook. To this mill most of the wool of the township was brought and sold, and here it was made into various kinds of cloth.

" TALES OF OLD RANDOLPH."

The following anecdotes, by the author of this history of Randolph township, appeared under the above title in the Dover Enterprise, a sprightly little local monthly journal published by Frank H. Lindsley and E. L. Dickerson for a little over a year from April Ist 1869.

The First Settler .- From time immemorial the red man pitched his tent or built his wigwam, and chased the game, and paddled his canoe, and considered himself the lord of the land, just as now the landlord considers him- self the lord of the house. This primeval state lasted till the year 1713, when one John Reading, mounted on a horse and accompanied by two comrades bearing chain and compass, made his way to the western part of the · township, where he drove down a stake, fixed his land- mark, and measured off 527 acres near the Succasunna mine. This piece of land was sold by the proprietors of East Jersey to Joseph Latham. Mr. Latham never occu- pied it, and after owning it nine years he sold it to John

Jackson. Mr. Jackson was an actual settler and the worthy ancestor of this town.

In 1722 he erected a forge on the stream in front of the residence of Jacob Hurd; and then for the first time since the creation the loud reverberations of the hammer broke the silence of the forest, and announced the change which was about to be made in the do- minion of the red men by the art and industry of a su- perior race. From that day slowly but steadily has the step of civilization advanced.

It would afford us unfeigned pleasure to be able to record the financial prosperity of our enterprising towns- man. But verity compels us to state that after toiling from mine to forge for the third of a century, his outlay so much exceeded his income that forge and hammer, stream and farm, were sold by one John Ford, an unfeel- ing colonial sheriff.

This sad disaster may be owing to the unnatural feel- ing of the old mother country toward her young and in- experienced offspring. The child was allowed to work, but the parent claimed the earnings. The ore could be forged into iron, but the iron could not in the colony be wrought into useful articles. It must be transported across the broad Atlantic before it was allowed to be shaped into form for use. The sale took place on the 15th of August 1753; the forge was purchased by Josiah Beman and the farm by Hartshorn Fitz-Randolph, whose dwel- Hing, which he occupied from 1753 till 1807, when he died, stood where Elias Millen now resides. To this eminent and opulent Quaker our town is indebted for its name.

Stories of Hartshorn Fitz-Randolph .- During the pio- neer period there resided in the township three worth- ies, viz., Richard Dell, Moses Tuttle and Hartshorn Fitz- Randolph; but Hartshorn was the worthiest of the three. He was most exemplary in his general deportment. True to his religious principles, he was careful about his thoughts, more careful about his words, and most careful about his deeds; he was rarely angry-when moved would stop and count before he spoke; yet he was human, and humanity may be tempted beyond its strength. A Quaker by birth, by education and by conviction, he could always be expected at the Friends' meeting. He spake at times when the Spirit moved him, and sometimes eloquently, but, in his broad brimmed hat and drab col- ored coat and serene countenance, even his silent pres- ence was highly edifying.

It is a principle of the Friends never to use fire-arms, either in the chase or in the battle field. On one occa- sion this principle was tested by a severe ordeal; yet, guided by the light of nature, he was enabled almost to steer clear of both Scylla and Charybdis. The case was as follows: It was in the fall of the year; the buckwheat, which weeks before had filled the air with its fragrance, and sent the bee laden with honey to the hive, now held up its plump and ruddy face to the sky. No field in the county promised so abundant a crop. The wild pigeons, which in those days abounded to an incredible extent, daily visited this inclosure. One flock had scarcely gone before another came. It was necessary to do something.

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HISTORY OF MORRIS COUNTY.

The grain was taking to itself wings and flying away. Guns, snares, strings, old hats on poles, white dimity and red flannel fluttering in the breeze, plowboy effigies, and all the scare-crow expedients known in those days had proved ineffectual. The birds seemed to be em- boldened by the greatness of their number, and, allured |bard. by plenty, or maddened by hunger, or stimulated by both of these at the same time, they cast off all fear and were taking off all the crop. There was a big musket in the attic and it was loaded-how it came there tradition does not explain. Hartshorn was thoughtful, he was plagued and puzzled; if he was excited, still he was silent. He stood by the fence; the fowling-piece was in his hand, and the birds were in his field; the gun rested on the rails, but pointed toward the center of the flock. His ears were stopped, his eyes were closed. A flash was seen and a noise heard by the neighbors; the Quaker turned instantly around and walked away; meeting a friend he said: "Friend, I took this rusty iron and thought to scare the birds; if I have hurt any thee can have them." The friend stepped over into the field and picked up-we hardly dare tell the number and yet this part of the story is better attested than any other-he picked up 90 pigeons ! This act from an agricultural necessity was several times repeated, but each time with eyes closed and ears stopped. Hence the good Hartshorn could not see and would not hear that he had ever in. jured a single bird; and by this expedient he saved at the same time both his buckwheat and his conscience.

In 1682 East Jersey had 5,000 settlers, and many of of these were Quakers. Our own township was at first chiefly settled by members of this persuasion. Our dis- tinguished townsman Hartshorn Fitz-Randolph, from whom the town received its name, was a prominent mem- ber of this society. When spoken of by his brethren, he was called Hartshorn; when mentioned by others he was Mr. Randolph, or Fitz-Randolph, and sometimes only Fitz. Hartshorn was a man of a wise head, a warm heart, a liberal hand and feet swift in works of charity. But good men sometimes get into difficult places; and twice this was the experience of Fitz-Randolph.

hence to buy a man's service for a given time was not degrading him-it was only advancing his wages. How nearly the slave enjoyed equality with his master may be inferred from the sequel.

Fowler was given to rhyming, and was called the town It was owing to his poetic propensity that some facts have been preserved which would otherwise have passed into oblivion. One day the slave was in the field with a boy, plowing, when he disturbed a yellow hornets' nest; the oxen suddenly turned round and ran back. Just at that moment Mr. Randolph appeared, and-supposing them to be trifling and likely to spoil the young team- with less than his usual mildness, shouted: "What is the matter!"

The "fool" with much composure replied: "This boy cannot manage the oxen; if thee will take hold of the plow I will drive them."

Randolph took hold of the plow, intending to instruct both man and boy. Fowler led the oxen carefully around, so as to bring the plow against the hornets' nest, and then stopped. The insects, indignant at being again so soon disturbed, left home and rushed with one accord upon the innocent Quaker. Little suspecting that any mischief was intended, Hartshorn began to pity the boy, whom he had just rebuked, or would have done so had not circumstances required all his attention. The sting- ing insects were numerous and determined; they would not be driven off. Hartshorn struck the air; he struck his face, his sides, his legs; he jumped, he danced, he ran. The bard, with an air of innocence, as if unconscious of the cause and surprised at such antics in a Quaker, thus improvised:

" Thee has been a good dancer, Thee takes a quick step ; What! faster and faster ? Thee is young enough yet."

Once after this the master towered above his slave, but was soon brought to a level. The good Hartshorn faith- fully instructed his servant, and especially endeavored to impress his mind with the importance of letting his yea be yea, and his nay nay, and never confirming his word by an oath. It does not appear from any testimony, oral or written, that the fool profited by the instruction. On the contrary, the idea that a man who did not always speak the truth could not be believed under oath touched him personally, and he secretly resolved to abide an oppor- tunity to give his master a lesson on this point. At length the resolution went into operation.

In those primitive days, when Hartshorn was in his greatness, it was customary for a certain class of emi- grants, who must cross the Atlantic and had not the wherewithal to pay their passage on their arrival, to be sold for a term of years long enough to defray the ex- penses of their trip over. Mr. Randolph was in need of laborers, and one day, while negotiating with a captain for It was on the first day of the week, when Hartshorn and his servant were on their way to the meeting-house; for in those days all good people kept the Sabbath and went to the place of worship, taking with them not only the members of their family but also the strangers that were within their gates. The occasion was one of un- usual interest among the Friends; distinguished visitors from abroad were expected. Heavy rains had just fallen, a passenger named Fowler, the chattel, pleased with the benevolent countenance of a Friend, put in a word of en- treaty, at the same time commending the article. This de- cided the case, and Fowler became the slave of Fitz, or, as some thought, his master. This slave possessed more native wit than any freedman in town, and hence was called Randolph's " fool." It should be remembered that it was a cardinal principle of the Quakers to regard and it was known that the streams were swollen; but all men as equal, themselves on a level with the highest, and always ready to raise the lowest to their own eleva- tion. Labor in their opinion was never degrading, and

Hartshorn and his servant found their path obstructed beyond all expectation, by deeper water then they had ever known on that road. Hartshorn looked disappointed

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and said: " Fowler, what shall we do?" "There is no way but to go through," said the fool. "But we cannot go to the meeting dripping wet." "Art thou very anxious to go?" inquired the fool. "Very." " Well, I know of but one way, and that is for me to carry thee on my shoulders." "Dost thou think thou canst do it?" "I don't know; but if thee will promise me a quart of whiskey I will try."

Hartshorn hesitated, not on account of the value of the article, but from fear that he might make bad use of it; but, anxious to go and persuading himself that he could persuade the fool to use it moderately, he made the promise.

The slave stooped and received his burden, which he bore with ease to the middle of the stream, and there he paused, and, addressing the man above him, said: "Will thee surely give me the whiskey?" "Go on," said the at this time was just budding into maidenhood.

Quaker, " thee knows my promise." " Swear that thee will give it." "Go on; thee knows I never swear." · " Swear or I will go no further."

The master, knowing the perversity and daring of the fool, was greatly tried. He longed to be at the meeting, and was assured that he could get there only by indulg- ing the caprice of the fool. He sighed, and faintly ut- tered some qualification of his promise. "Louder!" cried the fool, "I can't hear, and thee is getting heavy." Poor Hartshorn sighed deeply, and then uttered the words with a clear voice. The unfeeling bard replied:

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