USA > New Jersey > Morris County > History of Morris County, New Jersey > Part 72
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Christmas and the Horse Race .- On the 19th of Octo- ber 1781, the very day on which Cornwallis surrendered his sword and his army of 7,000 men to General Wash- ington, the first stone house on the road from Dover to Chester was finished and occupied. This building was erected by Isaac Hance, but owned and occupied by Mr. Lawrence, whose son was known in after years through- out the neighborhood by the title of Uncle Jacob.
In 1794, when Jacob was just passing out of his teens, he went to spend Christmas with his cousin at Moravian Town, in Warren county. Jacob was of Dutch origin, and his cousin lived in a settlement where that language was still spoken. In that latitude no day in the year was as much thought of by the Dutch as Christmas. Among a portion of that people the idea prevailed that at the hour of midnight of this holy eve, which was supposed to be the hour of Messiah's nativity, every animal in the field and all the cattle in the barnyard bowed down on their knees, and continued in that devout attitude for the space of an hour. Jacob was a little inclined to skepticism in his youth, and hence did not altogether adopt this opinion. Anxious to have his doubts solved, he proposed to sit up that night and take observations.
After church-for in Moravian Town at that time all the people went to church on Christmas eve-the young folks stopped at the large barnyard of Jacob's cousin, and waited quietly for midnight. It was necessary for the spectators to be in a concealed place, otherwise the cattle would not kneel, and hence a secluded spot, a little outside of the yard, was chosen. But the night was cool and the time seemed long, and one by one the party stole away, till Jacob and his cousin were alone. Shortly afterward the cousin retired, and Jacob, by himself, re- mained to view the ceremony. As the hour of twelve approached a cloud passed before the moon, and a singu- lar obscurity pervaded the atmosphere. But, alone and
at midnight, Jacob began his observations under unusual dark, low shed, he saw, or thought he saw, the cows in a row, with faces toward the east, and knees bent. A strange feeling came over him; his eyes were large, his hair stood up, and deadly paleness was on his cheek; his knees smote together, and he exclaimed that it was so ! His voice startled an ox near by which before had not been seen. The motion of this animal startled Jacob, who left the scene, and without counting the seconds was in the house of his cousin, where he astonished the company by the relation of his vision. They regretted their lack of zeal, and were half inclined to go again to the barn.
But the hasty credence of Jacob did not last. He soon began to question whether in the darkness of the moment he could have seen at such a distance. An ex- amination the next morning made it doubtful whether any cattle had been under the shed, and hence it ever after remained a matter of greater uncertainty than be- fore whether the tradition respecting the kneeling of animals at midnight on Christmas eve was to be re- ceived.
But he had not completed his examination of the yard before another scene far more exciting attracted his at- tention. A black horse, well formed and full of spirit, was brought out before a crowd of people, and at a short distance a bay mare was held by the halter. It was now evident that preparation was going on for a race. One of the riders was missing, and measures were taken to secure a substitute. Jacob's cousin was invited, but de- clined Several others were urged without success. But at length Jim Hardy offered his services, and, addressing Judge E., the master of ceremonies and the master-spirit of the crowd, said he was ready to take a seat on the mare. He began to move forward. He threw his coat on the fence, kicked off his boots, tossed up his hat in the air, tied a handkerchief about his head and a strap around his waist, and was ready to mount, when the Judge conducted him to the shrine of Bacchus, where, as he had twice before done that morning, he drank in honor of the day and the occasion. Every thing was now made ready. On either side of the road, for nearly half a mile, stretched the long line of spectators .;
Each rider was on his horse; the signal was given, and the well-trained animals were off. Under whip and spur their speed increased. Intense is the excitement, yet the crowd is gazing in breathless silence. The bay mare is ahead, but now Swift-sure is gaining. Two-thirds of the ground had been passed over when the horse on which Jim Hardy rode sprang aside, or stumbled; from the suddenness of the act doubts arose among eye wit- nesses, but the rider was thrown with violence, and fell headlong upon a stone. He raised his face for a moment; it was covered with blood. "He is dead !" "He is dead !" shouted several voices, and the words passed the whole length of the lines.
The master of ceremonies, our distinguished judge, was soon at the spot, shouting, " He is worth a dozen dead
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HISTORY OF MORRIS COUNTY.
men; he is not much hurt; he will mount again and try it over."
Uncle Jacob stood near the fatal spot where the rider fell. He knew Jim Hardy, and when he saw him in the agony of death, while the judge was endeavoring to con- ceal the fact and persuade some one else to ride, his very soul was stirred with shame and indignation. Jim died before night, and Jacob returned from that Christmas, and that race, with a desire never to see a similar one.
To the end of his life, which was a long one, this scene was remembered by Uncle Jacob. And if his opinions respecting the superstition of that day were not corrected, he never to the day of his death had a doubt respecting the bad tendencies of horse racing and the evil effects of intoxicating drinks.
Fortune - Hunting .- The old stone house near Dover which was completed on the day of the surrender of Cornwallis was the home of Uncle Jacob till his death. journey was commenced, and several were anxious to Industrious and contented, he lived in quiet enjoyment until in his declining years a rumor reached him of a great English estate that had been left to his family.
According to report the estate was worth millions, and could at once be received if the line of descent could be satisfactorily established. Mary Townley was the fortu- nate heir. Of Dutch extraction, she had lived in England and moved to this country at an early age, and here mar- ried a Mr. Lawrence. A newspaper article containing this information had fallen under the eyes of several members of this numerous family at the same time. Each one for a time kept the information to himself, while he endeavored to ascertain the name of his first American ancestress.
Uncle Jacob became greatly excited and began to hunt up the family record. He remembered an old Dutch Bible that used to be in the family and that contained the names of the first Lawrence family in this country. But what had become of this book was the occasion of much solicitude, for on that book, in his mind, depended the course which this great fortune would take. The more difficult it was to find this Bible the surer did Uncle Jacob feel that it contained the name of his grandmother and that her name was Mary Townley. After persistent search he learned that many years ago the Bible had been sold to an old Dutch woman living on Schooley's Moun- tain. The house of the Dutch lady was visited, but the Bible was gone. Other members of the family had been there before him, bought the book and taken it off. When this fact was ascertained Uncle Jacob was more excited than ever, and became apprehensive that he might lose his portion of the inheritance. In this case of perplexity he resolved to consult his dominie. This he had often done with satisfaction to himself, and in this instance the minister proved to know more about the history of the estate than did Jacob himself. Though the additional information amounted to nothing, yet it greatly increased Jacob's interest and anxiety, in the height of which he said that it would now only be neces- sary to procure some boxes and send them to the British consul, and he would fill them with gold and send them
up to the stone house. He had not yet seen the Bible nor learned with certainty whether his grandfather had married Mary Townley, but had no doubt of the fact himself; he only sought the proof to satisfy others. He learned that the Bible was in the possession of a brother who lived about ten miles off, and wondered why he did not send the book or send word of its contents. He now desired the dominie to go with him to the house of the relative and get the book or at least read the record, for it might be, as the writing was in Dutch, that he could not himself read it when he saw it. The kind minister agreed to comply with his request on condition that no one should know where they were going, nor the object of their journey; for by this time the commun- ity was filled with rumor, and the minister was uneasy lest the people might think his affections were more on this world than on the next. Early one morning the
know where Uncle Jacob and his dominie were going so early, but their curiosity was not satisfied. The route lay along the western side of Lake Hopatcong .. The day was calm and without a cloud; the roadside decked with laurel, honeysuckle and rhododendron, the placid water of the lake stretching out before the eye like a vast mir- ror of silver, and the sweet songs of the birds, all seemed auspicious, and were interpreted by Jacob as indications of the golden future of his earthly career.
As he felt indebted to the dominie in a great measure for the expected fortune, his gratitude rose, and he prom- ised him a handsome portion. The promise not pro- ducing the effect he expected, he feared he had not been sufficiently generous, and confidentially asked how many thousands it would take to put a minister above want and enable him to devote his whole time to doing good. This brought on a short sermon on the danger of riches, and the propriety of now determining how he would use the wealth should it come into his possession. Such a declaration. he was told, would enable him to see how much better man is in intention than in performance; and if it should turn out that he is now richer than he will ever be again, at least in imagination, there will be some satisfaction in having indulged in a noble purpose; but he was cautioned to remember that the feelings and pur- poses of a poor man are rarely the same when a poor man becomes a rich man. The sermon seemed to be well received by the solitary auditor, who declared that he would rather live and die as he was than to be rich, if he should thereby become as proud and selfish and useless to society as the rich men that he knew; but he knew that it would be otherwise with him, and the tear of joy danced in his eye as he spoke of the needy he would relieve, and the happiness he would promote by the coming fortune. While he was thus cherishing grat- itude for favors expected, the journey was finished. The friends were seen and the Bible inquired for, but, sad to say, it had just been sent away; what was still worse, the record of the grandmother was torn out, and thus was destroyed the strongest hope of proving the claim. Still further search was to be made, and all hope of success
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was not abandoned. On the return the dominie made one or two calls on families in his parish. Before doing so he obtained a promise that nothing should be said about the object of the day's journey; but Jacob was too full of the subject literally to keep his promise, for, being left with one family while the dominie made a visit near by, he, having also obtained a promise of secrecy, began to relate the whole story. But while he was in the midst of it the dominie suddenly entered the room, when Jacob, jumping up and walking about, began to sing. Not hav- ing time to select his piece he broke out on the hymn "A charge to keep I have." This was too much for the rest, who could not control their risibles, and the continued bursts of laughter betrayed the broken promise.
The fortune-hunters having resumed the journey, soon the hind wheel of the carriage came off and the end of the axle broke. But a rail of a fence was tied under- neath the carriage so that it could be dragged home. In the meantime the sky was overcast and rain began to fall. While thus traveling the dominie sought to improve the occasion with some moral reflections. "This journey," said he, "is a picture of the sunshine and shade of human life. This morning we started with everything bright and promising, and visions of gold before us. On our return the sky is dark with clouds, the prospect of wealth is gone, our disappointment is revealed to others, and here we are, riding home, on a rail." The auditor seemed to be better pleased with the discourse of the morning than with that of the evening. Yet the latter was simpler and more easily comprehended, and was more valuable in its results. For the hearer came to the conclusion that it was better after all to be satisfied with the slow earnings of one's own industry than to be look ing for a great fortune from some uncertain source.
But the experience of one person does not impart wis- dom to others. The public journals afterward announced that Mary Townley did not marry a Lawrence but a person of another name, and another numerous family
Religious Beginnings .- The early settlement and grad- began the same search, with as great expectations and ual increase in the population of this place and vicinity, with worse results.
The Hard Winter of 1739-40 .- One hundred and fifty years ago this township was a frontier; to which the populous city or well furnished mart was as inaccessible as either now is to the most isolated settlers of any of our new States. In 1713 Joseph Kirkbride bought of the proprietors of East Jersey a large part of what is now the township of Randolph. Shortly afterward William Schooley moved from Schooley's Mountain and bought of Kirkbride several hundred acres, including what is now Mill Brook. Mr. Schooley was a pioneer and en- dured all the hardships which commonly attend the first settlers. He was accustomed to trade with the Indians, and during one severe winter he was known to go more than once a distance of thirty miles through the snow to an Indian settlement to obtain corn, which he brought home in a bag on his shoulders, making his way over the snow by means of snowshoes, which were common at that time.
The farm adjoining the Center Grove school-house was purchased in 1739 by Daniel Carrell, and remained in the family until three or four years ago. The winter following the purchase was known as the hard winter. The snow fell to an unusual depth, and intense cold fol- lowed. There were not men enough to open the roads and horses could not travel. The hay that was stacked in the field was covered from the cattle, and even the barns in some instances could not be reached. As a consequence many horses and cows perished. A neigh- bor of Mr. Carrell, snowed in and unsupplied with pro- visions for himself and wife, made a desperate attempt He on horseback to make his way through the snow. set out early in the day, leaving his wife alone, hoping to be able to return before night. Husband and wife never saw each other again. The lonely woman, who could hear nothing of her husband, hoped that he had reached the house of his neighbor, and would ere long return with something to support life. Her bread failed and her fire gave out. When the snow melted in the spring the horse and his rider were found dead on the road not far from the house of Mr. Carrell, and when the dwelling was entered, the body of his wife, like his, lay stiff and cold in the icy hand of death.
Great changes have occurred since those days; neigh- bors have become more numerous and facilities for com- munication multiplied. The winters have been milder and the snow lighter. Snow drifts are occasionally piled ~ to a considerable height, but the average does not equal that of which our sires have spoken. Mrs. Pierson, who died a few years ago, almost having completed her fifth score of years, used to tell of her riding on the frozen snow, in the days of her girlhood, when it covered the tops of the fences, and made field and road alike a common highway. Of late years the cold has occasionally been intense, and the mercury gone down in the ther- mometer to a fearful depth, but the cold period has been brief, lasting but a few days.
may be inferred from a few statistics. The first church in Morris county was the Presbyterian church of Whip- pany, erected in 1718, on the opposite side of the road and not far from the present church in that place. That charge then included Hanover, Madison, Morristown, Parsippany, and the region beyond. This was four years before the first settler made his appearance in Dover. Though the people came from the different parts of the extensive forest, they did not form a very large congregation. But the enjoyment of a sanctuary increased the desire for such privileges. In 1740 the portion of the congregation living at and around Morris- town withdrew from the Whippany church and organ- ized the first Presbyterian church of Morristown. Eight years later the Presbyterians of Madison, or, as it was then called, Bottle Hill, withdrew and formed a church. In 1752 the first Presbyterian church of Rockaway was built and used, though not fully completed till 40 years later.
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HISTORY OF MORRIS COUNTY.
In 1755 the old mother church of Whippany was di- vided, and two churches were erected-one at Hanover and the other at Parsippany; retaining, however, their old pastor, who for some years supplied both pulpits. After this one minister supplied the pulpits of Rockaway and Parsippany. In 1805 the Rev. Barnabas King came to Rockaway, and he continued in the pastorate of that church more than fifty years. For a long time his parish embraced Dover, Berkshire Valley and Sparta.
In 1816 Mr. King drew up a subscription paper in or- der to obtain money to purchase books and tracts for distribution. The original document is before us, and as it shows the faith and works of that period it may grat- ify the curiosity of some to see it. Appended are the names of the subscribers. They were the early settlers of this vicinity, some of whom have passed away without leaving any descendants, but the most are still repre- sented in their posterity. The paper is as follows:
"OCTOBER 22d, 1816.
"To those who are looking at the signs of the times, this appears an eventful period. While many are run- ning to and fro and knowledge is increased, no Christian can doubt that the time is hastening on when all shall know the Lord, from the least of them even to the great- est of them. This is a work which God has undertaken, and which he will carry on. But as he works by means, he calls on us to be diligent in the use of them. He calls on us especially to do much in endeavoring to dif- fuse religious knowledge; and in endeavoring to do some- thing towards training up the rising generation in the fear, nurture, and admonition of the Lord.
" Believing that much may be done towards that ob- ject by Sabbath-schools and by the distribution of relig- ious tracts, the subscribers agree to form themselves into a society to be called the Society for Promoting Religious Knowledge in Rockaway and the Neighborhoods Adja- cent. They adopt the following rules as their constitution:
"1. Every adult person becomes a member by sub- scribing to pay semi-annually one cent a week; and every child or minor becomes a member by subscribing half a cent a week.
" 2. When a sufficient number of subscribers shall have been obtained they shall be notified from the pulpit to meet and choose a president, vice-president, treasurer, and secretary, and as many additional managers as a ma- jority of the subscribers shall think proper, being careful to have at least one manager in each district where a Sabbath-school is maintained.
"The moneys subscribed are to be paid to the mana- gers, and expended in procuring tickets, books, etc., for the use and encouragement of Sabbath-schools, and in procuring religious tracts for distribution, always keeping a regular account of receipts and expenditures.
" Each district where a Sabbath-school is maintained shall choose a committee of three persons, who shall be authorized to select such persons as may be able and wil- ling to teach gratuitously every Sabbath after the services in the church.
" They may also apply to the treasurer for any number of tickets, tracts, or books for distribution, not exceeding in value the amount of money subscribed and paid to the managers from their own district."
To this the following named persons subscribed two cents each: Benj. Lamson, Stephen Conger, Titus Berry, Harriet Canfield, Jacob Van Ness and John Scofield.
The following subscribed half a cent each: John Hamilton, Maria Ford, Harriet King, Hilah Hurd, Joseph
Ayers, Anna T. Ayers, Ezekiel M. Hurd, Phebe Hoag- land, Polly Hoagland, S. A. Lawrence.
The following subscribed one cent each: C. Hamilton, E. Hoagland, Charles Hicks, Betsey Conger, Nancy King, Sarah Cooper, John D. Kimmel, Moses Hurd, Ja- cob Lawrence, J. Suly, preacher, Aaron Doty, Chas. Hoagland, Horace Cooper, Thomas Vail, Mared Hill, John Griffith, Joseph Casterline, Charles Losey, Sarah Pierson, Penina Casterline, Nancy Casterline, Calvin Casterline, Rachel Lyon, Mahitabel Smith, Jacob Palmer, Pierson Howell, Charles Cooper, John Hill, Isaac Gar- rigus, Samuel Garrigus, Thomas Coe, Daniel Lamson, John Kelsey, John Talmage, John Nott, Job. A. Broad- well, Charles Jackson, Silas Kelsey, Eleanor Coonrod, Mary Wilson, Henry Atwood, Comfort Coonrod, Mary Wilson, Henry Atwood, Samuel Palmer, Sylvanus How- ell.
A reference to the date of this paper, 1816, reminds us of the revival of interest in the cause of missions, of the organization of the Bible Society, Tract Society, and other kindred organizations. Sabbath-schools at that period were new, and it is pleasing to know that a dispo- sition prevailed in this vicinity to co-operate in this movement, and especially to establish Sabbath-schools. At this time one was opened in Dover, which has never been discontinued, the history of which would be an in- teresting document by itself. That this school was much needed, and that its influence on the manners of the peo- ple was very salutary may be learned from a letter written by a Methodist minister who visited this place in 1799, for the purpose of preaching the gospel, but was not permitted to do so. The letter is dated Chestertown, Md., May 16 1839, and is as follows:
"In the conference year of 1799 the Rev. Aaron Owens and myself [Thomas Smith] were stationed on what was then called Flanders circuit, New Jersey, in- cluding Sussex county and a part of several other counties. In traveling around that district of country we passed through the town of Dover. Beautifully situated, the scenery is fine, the surrounding hills rising one above the other; the distant mountains, arrayed in graceful order, exhibited to the world their earthly grandeur, the wis- dom, skill, and power of nature's God.
" I said to my colleague, "What think ye of Dover?' He said he intended to visit that place with the gospel. I said, 'Sir, I will be your second.' The plan being formed, the effort was made, but proved unsuccessful. During our visits to that place I obtained an old house, where I preached one sermon to a few elderly ladies, near the place where the attack was made on the life of Brother Owens. Having given up all hopes of Dover I left it; crossing a high and towering mountain, the top of which overlooked the plains of Dover, I beheld it afar off, and wept. On entering the cleft of a rock-the chamber of prayer-I bowed before the Lord, presented their moral condition before the throne of His love, pray- ing, ' O, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, send unto them thy Son, they will hear Him.' However, in the lat- ter end of December 1799, a gentleman from that place invited me to his house, and then to preach. I accepted the call, and the appointment was made for January 15th 1800. On that day I arrived at Dover. The weather was extremely cold. I rode up to the house of my friend, who met me at the door, saying he was sorry to see me. My coming to that place had so enraged his neighbors that he believed did I attempt to preach they | would pull down his house and mob the congregation.
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GUY M. HINCHMAN'S REMINISCENCES.
While we were talking several came up and let me know there would be no preaching that night. 'So I perceive, gentlemen,' said I. 'And this makes seven times I have visited you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, as his ambassador, with terms of reconciliation, and seven times you have prevented me save one, and now I am clear of your blood, and you shall see my face no more till we meet at the judgment seat of Christ. Three months ago you mobbed the Rev. Mr. Owens, an aged gentleman, upwards of sixty years of age. You met him on the road, and treated him most shamefully.' I left Dover at dusk and set out for my next appointment, sixteen miles off."
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