USA > New Jersey > Morris County > History of Morris County, New Jersey > Part 81
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97
March 2d 1758,
We the subscribers do by these mannerfest it to be our desier to Joyn with Porsipaney to call and settel a min- nester, to have the one half of the preachen at porsipa- ney and the other half at rockaway, and each part to be eakwel in payen a minnester. Job Allen, Seth Mehuran, David Beman, gilbard hedy, Andreu Morrison, Isak og- den, John pipes, Samuel Shipman, John Minton, Samuel Whithed jr, Joseph burrel, wilyam wines, nethanel mich- el, Jasiah beman, James losey, abraham Masacra, henerey stag, John Harriman, Jonah Austen, Samuel Burwell, John gobbel, Abraham Johnson, John Cogswell, John huntington, Gershom Gard, John kent, Amos Kilburn, william Danels, Samuel Moore.
March 2d 1758,
We the Inhabitants of rockaway, pigen hill and upper inhabitence at the colonals forges and places agesant, be- ing met together In order to consult together about a place to set a meting hous, and being all well agreed that the most sutable place for the hol setelments Is upon the sınall plain a letel above bemans forg, which is below the first small brok upon that rode up to Samuel Johnson, and we the subscribers a blig ourselves to pay toward building a house at that place the sums to our names afixed: Job Allen, £5; Gilbert Heden, £5; Andrew Moreson, £5; David Beman, £5; Isaac Ogden, fI IOS .; John Pipre, {1; Samuel Shipman, £2 Ios .; Seth Mehu- ren, £2 Tos .; John Minthorn, £2 Ios .; Samuel Whithed jr., {2 ros .; Joseph Burwell, Ios .; William Winds, £3;
340
HISTORY OF MORRIS COUNTY.
Nathaniel Mitchel, £1 10s .; Josiah Beman, £2; James Losey, Ios .; Abraham Masacra, 7s .; Henery stag, 15s .; John Harriman, £3; John Johnson, £3; Samuel burrel, Ios .; Jonah Huston, £4; John Gobel, Ios .; abraham Johnson, £5; John Cogswell, £1; John Huntington, £2; Gershom Gard, £1; John Kent, £1; Amos kil- burn, £2; henery Tuttel, 5s .; Joseph Beach, 5s .; John stag, 15s .; William Danels, f1 Ios. Iod .; Samuel Moor, £1 5s .; Jacob Garrigues, £1; James Milege, f1 Ios. ; bil walton, 35. 6d .; Jacob W. thorp, 6s. 6d .; Obadiah Lum, £2; Benjamin Corey, 4S.
The following is a list of pastors of the Rockaway church:
Rev. James Tuttle, joint pastor of Rockaway and Par- sippany, ordained and installed at Parsippany in April 1768, died December 25th 1770; Rev. David Baldwin, installed in April 1784, dismissed May 14th 1792; Rev. John J. Carle, installed in January 1793, dismissed in 1801; Rev. Barnabas King, ordained and installed De- cember 27th 1808 (having preached as supply since Oc- tober 1807), died April 10th 1862; Rev. Joseph F. Tuttle, installed as copastor with Mr. King April 26th 1848, dismissed April, 1862; Rev. Samuel Pierson Hal sey, installed July 8th 1862, dismissed in April 1865; Rev. Oliver H. Perry Deyo, installed April 30th 1867 (after having preached nearly one year as supply), dis- missed October 20th 1872; Rev. David E. Platter, or- dained and installed July 22nd 1874, dismissed to take charge of Presbyterian church at Canton, Ohio, January 3Ist 1881.
The pulpit is supplied at present by Rev. J. O. Averill. The following is a list of the elders of the church, as compiled by Rev. Mr. Platter (the words ordained, died, resigned, are designated by the letters o, d, r):
Job Allen sen., 0 1758, d 1767; John Huntington, o 1758; Obadiah Lum, 0 1758; Jacob Allerton, 0 1758; David Beman, 0 1758, r 1789; William Ross, 0 1768 (?), r 1789; John Cobb, 0 1772, d 1779; David Beaman (re-elected), 0 1793, d 1802; Job Allen jr., o 1793, d 1798; John Clark (deacon 1809), 0 1793, d 1813; Wil- liam Ross (re-elected), 0 1797, d 1807; David Peer (deacon 1809), 0 1797, d 1824; David Garrigus, 0 1798; John Garrigus sen. (deacon 1832), 0 1809, d 1850; Rev. Peter Kanouse, o 1809, d 1864; Benjamin Lamson, o 1809, d 1824; Samuel Hicks (deacon 1832), 0 1818, d 1833; Thomas Conger, o 1818, d 1831; John Garrigus jr., o 1824, d 1878; William Jackson, 0 1824, d 1872; Joseph Jackson, 0 1824, d 1872; Silas Hamilton (deacon 1832), 0 1824; Josiah Hurd, 0 1824, d 1841; John Mott, 0 1832, d 1866; Jacob Powers (dismissed 1860), 0 1832; Henry Beach (deacon), 0 1832, d 1864; Samuel B. Hal- sey, 0 1841, d 1871; Samuel S. Beach sen., o 1841, d 1859; David Wiggins (dismissed 1845), o 1841, d 1854: George Rowland, 0 1841; Alexander Morris (deacon), 0 1843, 1 1878; David Hamilton, 0 1861; Samuel S. Beach jr., o 1861; Joseph H. Beach (deacon), 0 1861; Charles C. De Hart, o 1861; James H. Bruen, o 1874; Nathaniel R. Mott, o 1874.
of seven persons, and the board has been composed of the same number since that time. We annex a list of the trusteees since March 6th, 1787, with the years of their service:
William Winds, 1787-92; Stephen Jackson, 1787-92; Abram Kitchel, 1787-92; Benjamin Beach, 1787.98; Job Allen (2nd), 1787-98; David Beaman, 1787-92; David Baker, 1787-92; Moses Tuttle, 1792-94; Josiah Beman, 1792-1802; George H. Brinckerhoff, 1792-94; Chileon Ford, 1792-94; Silas Hatheway, 1792-94. 1798- 1802; David Broadwell, 1794-1802; James Kitchel, 1794- 1812; David Peer, 1794-1802; Thomas Conger, 1794-98, 1802-10, 1812, 1813; Daniel Lewis, 1798-1805; Joseph Jackson, 1798-1819; Job Talmage, 1802-12; Benjamin Lamson, 1802-05, 1812-14, 1820-22; Benjamin. Jackson, 1802-10, 1812-14; David Hill, 1805-10 ;. Benjamin Beach, 1805, 1806; Job Allen (3d), 1805-12; Henry W. Phillips, 1810.12; George Stickle, 1810-12; John Hinchman, 1810-12; May 26th 1812 it was resolved to elect a new board of trustees annually thereafter on the first Monday in November in each year; Ford Kitchel, 1812-18, 1833- 38; Peter Kanouse, 1812-18; Jeremiah Baker, 1812-14, 1825-28, 1830.32; Daniel Ayres, 1813-18, 1822-25, 1830, 1831, 1839-43; Stephen Congar, 1814-18, 1822, 1823, 1827- 29, 1837-43; Joseph T. Hoff, 1814-16, 1829, 1830, 1832- 39; Isaac Pierson jr., 1814-18; Josiah Hurd, 1816-18, 1824-27; Samuel S. Beach, 1818-22, 1830-33; Henry Minard, 1818-20; Abijah Congar, 1818, 1819; Chilion F. De Camp, 1818-21; Milton Scott, 1818-22; Lewis Phil- lips, 1818, 1819; William Jackson, 1819-30; Samuel Palm- er, 1819-22, 1825-30, 1833, 1834; Joseph A. Kinney, 1819, 1820; Isaac Hinds, 1820-22; Silas Hamilton, 1821- 52; Chileon Beach, 1822-30; Thomas Muir, 1822-25; William Ford, 1822-24, 1827-29, 1832-34; John H. Jack- son, 1823, 1824; Timothy Douglas, 1824, 1825; Joseph Jackson, 1825-28; Timothy P. Gardner, 1825, 1826; William H. Wiggins, 1825-27; Stephen Hall, 1826-30. 1832, 1833; Ira Crittenden, 1828, 1829; James Ford, 1829, 1830; Daniel Lamson, 1829-31; Asa Berry, 1830- 45; Henry Beach, 1830-44; David Anderson, 1830-32, 1851-56; Samuel Hicks jr., 1831, 1832; John Garrigus jr., 1831-39; Stephen J. Jackson, 1833-39, 1845-47, 1851- 53; Silas S. Palmer, 1834-37, 1843-47; Charles Hoff, 1837-43; Matthias Kitchel, 1838-47, 1852-56; Jeremiah M. De Camp, 1839, 1840; Nathaniel Mott, 1840-43, 1849-53; David Menagh, 1843, 1844; Joshua M. Beach, 1843, 1844, 1846-49; Jonathan Benjamin, 1843, 1844; Freeman Wood, 1844-49; Charles H. Beach, 1844-46; George Rowland, 1844, 1845; Columbus Beach, 1844-49, 1856; Samuel B. Halsey, 1845-49, 1856- 59, 1864, 1865; Lyman A. Chandler, 1847-51; Alexander Morris, 1847-49, 1851-53: Abijah Abbott, 1847-49, 1851, 1852; Samuel S. Beach jr., 1849-55; Jacob Powers, 1849- 55; John Mott, 1849-55; Francis Lindsley, 1849-63; Barnabas K. Stickle, 1849-51; Selee Tompkins, 1850, 1851; Edward J. Benjamin, 1853-59; James H. Bruen, 1853-59; John Hoagland, 1853-55; Cummins McCarty, 1855, 1856; Eliphalet Sturtevant, 1855-59; Jacob L. Fitcher, 1856-64; Jedediah B. Bassinger, 1856-64; Sam- uel S. Bassett, 1859-63; Charles C. De Hart, 1859; Hen- ry Tuttle, 1863, 1864; Thomas B. McGrath, 1863, 1864; Stephen B. Cooper, 1864-78; Mahlon Hoagland, elected 1864; Joseph J. Marsh, 1864-67; Henry D. Tuttle, elected 1865; Edmund D. Halsey, elected 1867; Matson Wil- liams, elected 1878.
There does not appear to be any list of trustees of the church prior to 1787; but on the 24th of August 1762 Willis Pierson and Job Allen (Ist), of Pequannock town- ship, and Obadiah Lum, of Hanover township, took a deed as trustees for the meeting-house lot. In this deed these men are designated as "men indiferently chosen An alphabetical record of members of the Rockaway parish previous to 1808 contains the following names: trustees by the Parrish of Roccaway to take this deed." The first regular board of trustees was elected under an Job Allen sen. and jr., Mary (two) and David Allen, act of the Legislature passed in March 1786. It consisted | Zachariah Allerton, Jacob Allerton sen, and jr., William
34[
MEMBERS OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AT ROCKAWAY.
Alger, Cornelius, Eliakim and Sarah Anderson, Margaret Arnold, Robert and Jackson Ayers, David Baker, David Baldwin jr., Rev. Prudence Baldwin, John Barn, Ephraim Bates, Benjamin and Joseph Beach, Stephen Beach and wife, Sarah, Abner and David Beach, David Beaman (el- der), Mary, Josiah, Huldah, Anna and Joseph Beaman, Nathaniel Bend, Titus Berry, Gideon Bishop, Aaron, Jonathan, Daniel and Josiah Bigelow, Zephaniah Bogles, Lemuel Bowers, George Brinkerhoff and wife, David Broadwell, Rachel Briant, Ezekiel Brown, John and Ephraim Burwell, Susannah and Joseph Casterline, Jo- seph Cathcart, Israel Canfield, Samuel and Patience Churchill, John, Reuben, James, Benjamin and Samuel Clark, John Cobb, Nicholas Cobbett, Abigail Conklin, Zenas, Stephen, Joseph, Thomas and David Con- ger, Jane Cook, Sarah, Benjamin, Ichabod and John Cooper, John and Mary Cory, Samuel and Benajah Daniels, Rosel Davis, John Day Joseph De Camp, Richard Dell, Daniel Dickerson, Ste- phen Dodd, Moses Doty, Jacob Drake, Anna Earl, Jabez Estill, Conrad, Margaret and David Estler, John Jacob Faesch, Jacob and Charity Farris, George Ferror, Chilion Ford, Jacob Ford jr., Aaron French, John Gad- den, David Garrigus, Abigail Garrigus, Jacob Garrigus sen. and jr., Robert Gaston, David Gordon, Josiah Goldsmith, Seth Gregory, Silas Haines, John, Josiah and Joseph Hall, Sarah Halbert, Dennis Hartley, Samuel. Silas, Prudence and Dency Hatheway, Elisha, Aaron and Samuel Hedden, Jacob, John, Lois and David Herri- man, John Hiler, David Hill, James Hinds, Cornelius Hoagland, Joseph, Charles and John Hoff, Moses Hop- ping, Harriet C. and Samuel Howell, John, Elizabeth, Simeon and Gilbert Huntington, Jonathan Hunting, M. D., Matthew Hunting, Josiah, David and Daniel Hurd, Catherine Inness, Stephen, Joseph, Daniel, Benjamin and John Jackson, Rev. Peter Kanouse, Mary Kanouse, Jo- siah Kern, Helmer, Jacob and Sarah Kent, Abraham Kitchel and wife, Hannah and James Kitchel, Thomas, Andrew and John King, Eleazer, Moses and Thankful Lamson, Elizabeth, Lazan, Elijah and Stephen Leonard, Matthias Lerg, Edward, John, Joseph, Daniel and Sam- Del Lewis, Amos, Ebenezer, Samuel and Moses Linds- ley, James and Charity Lockwood, James P., Jacob, John and Joseph Losey, Samuel and Thomas Love, Enos Lymus sen. and jr., Hannah and Jacob Lymus, William Ludlow, Matthew Luke, Obadiah and James Lum, Abraham, Absalom, Catherine, Eliphalet and Jonah Lyon, Patience Matthews, Thomas Mann, Francis Mc- Carty, John McGibbons, John and Samuel Merritt, Frederick, Jacob and Thomas Miller, Samuel Miller and wife, William Mills, James, William, John, Hannah and Urania Minthorn, William Mitchell, Joshua, David, Francis and Samuel Moore, Samuel Morse jr., Nathaniel Morse jr., Abram Morgan, Captain John Munson, Jonathan and Abiel Nichols, John O'Hara, Oliver Ogden, Thomas, Abram, Nehemiah, Catherine and Isaac Osborne, Mrs. Elizabeth Osborne, Ziba L. Owen, Samuel and Jacob Palmer, John Parkhurst, Eleazer Perkins, Willys and Eben Pierson, David, Elizabeth, John, Betsy, Jacob and Joanna Peer, Joel Phelps, William Ray and wife, John N. E. Ricts, Jonathan and Thomas Riggs, Nathaniel Rogers, William Ross and wife, Enoch, Isaac, Moses and Phebe Ross, Newton Russell, Susan Schidmore, Joseph Scott, Penina Searing, George Shawger, Phebe Shores, Isaac Southard sen. and jr., Benjamin and Timothy Southard, Mrs. Stagg, George Stickle and wife, Peter, Elizabeth, Jacob and Edward Stickle, Thomas and Betsy Stiles, John and Henry Smith, Job Talmadge, Mrs. Nicholas Teales, Mrs. Jane Ford Tuttle, Moses, Daniel, Eleanor and Henry Tuttle, Frank Van Dyne, Mark Walton, Ed- ward Wells, Joseph Wheeler, Joseph Whitehead, Samuel
Williams, Jonas William, Ruth Williams, Bethuel Willis, General William Winds, Ruhamah Winds, Joshua Winget, William Wallox, Joseph Wright, Arthur Young (two), Matthias Zeek.
The manual of the Rev. Mr. Platter gives an alphabet- ical catalogue of the members of the church from the beginning of Mr. King's ministry in 1807 to 1880. It is too lengthy to insert in this history, as it contains over 1,150 names.
Rev. Dr. Tuttle says that, after a careful examination of the subscription papers before referred to, he is sat- isfied that Job Allen is the scrivener of each of them; his name heads both subscriptions, and he is one of the lar- gest contributors and takes an active part in matters con- nected with the church in later years. This Job Allen was the ancestor of the Allens in this part of the county. We infer this from the facts that in the list of elders of the church we find the name of Job Allen sen., ordained in 1758, and that he died in 1767; in 1793 Job Allen jr. was ordained an elder, and died in 1802; in a list of the trustees of the church the names of Job Allen 2nd and Job Allen 3d appear. The original Job Allen was a housekeeper and may have resided at Denville, on the property known as the " Glover place," now occu- pied by the Denville Catholic Protectory School. He was. probably the father of Job Allen jr., whose name ap- pears as elder in 1793. During the Revolutionary war Job Allen jr. raised and commanded a company, and en- gaged in actual service in the war. The junior Allen was no doubt the owner of the Glover farm. We find a deed on record for this farm of 240 acres, made March 17th 1800 by the sheriff of Morris county to Thomas Os- born, on an execution against Mary Allen as administra- trix of Job Allen. There is no will nor letters of admin- istration on the estate of Job Allen in the county rec- ords. This same deed also conveys a lot of land known as the "copperas mine lot," and says the description and boundary are unknown.
Job Allen the elder or senior, after helping to build the first meeting-house, is known to have put in the gal- leries, and to have finished the house with walls and seats. He was a man very much esteemed in the par- ish. In 1748 there is a return of land in Rockaway to Jacob Ford jr., covering the water power which includes " Job Allen's iron works." At the time of his death, which occurred in 1767, he was somewhat involved, and letters of administration were granted on his estate to Jacob Ford jr. Job Allen jr., who is the same person designated in the church record as Job Allen 2nd, did not confine his business enterprise to the villages of Rock- away and Denville; but from information furnished by James L. Davenport, of Green Pond, it appears that during the war of the Revolution he was operating the copperas mines at Green Pond, and made red paint, or Venetian red, and copperas, and also kept a store, and had the only trading post for all that part of the county. This is consistent with the deed of the sheriff to Thomas Osborn for the " copperas mine " lot above re- ferred to. Job Allen 3d made a power of attorney in
45
342
HISTORY OF MORRIS COUNTY.
1814 (on record in county records), appointing Jacob Allen of Newark his attorney to pay his mother, Mary Allen, the interest of $700 during her lifetime, from which it appears that Job Allen 3d was the grandson of the first Allen named in the parish records.
Gilbert Hedden, or Heddy, as he is called in one of the subscription papers, built a grist-mill in Rockaway (probably the first one), about the year 1760, a short distance below the present rolling-mills.
David Beaman, whose name appears upon both sub- scription papers, was considered one of the leading men in this church movement. He was then what we call an old settler, and owner of a forge, grist-mill and saw- mill. His neighbors describe him as a man very quick in his movements; being engaged in his three branches of work, he would fill his mill hopper with grain, and start the mill; then run to the saw-mill, adjust a log, and start the saw; then on a double-quick get to the forge, and commence to hammer out a bloom or a bar of iron. Besides these occupations, he was chorister, sexton and deacon for the congregation; represented the church in presbytery, and looked after supplies when no regular minister was present. Yet, while he was so lively in most things, his singing must have dragged "its slow length along," to the disgust of some part of the congre- gation, because we are told that some new comers in the congregation introduced a new method of singing, by discontinuing the reading of lines. This was about the year 1786, while the Rev. Daniel Baldwin was pastor. Mr. Beaman was very much disgusted with this innova- tion. This new method of singing was introduced by Benjamin Jackson, and, although opposed by Beaman, he finally yielded " for the peace of the church." Later subscription papers show that he was among its liberal supporters for nearly fifty years. It is said that he was buried in the graveyard belonging to the church; but no stone now marks his grave. He died about 1803. He
was the grandfather of Hubbard S. Stickle, to whom fur. ther reference will be made. One of his residences was the old Berry house near the Mt. Hope iron ore dock, at the west end of the village. His wife was Mary Stanbur- rough. The children were Josiah, Samuel, Lydia (who married Tommy Conger), Joanna, Sarah (who married George Stickle, father of Hubbard) and Rahama. Da- vid Beaman had a brother Josiah, who was a brother-in- law of Gen. Winds and grandfather of the late Thomas Green, of Denville.
William Winds, whose name is on the subscription papers, is known to us as General Winds of Revolution- ary fame. He owned a farm on the road from Dover to Morristown, and lived on it for many years. The farm has been divided-part being owned by Robert F. Oram and part by Thomas Oram. General Winds was a prom- inent man, both in matters of church and State-a true Christian, patriotic and liberal.
Shongun. When he died he left a good name and ex- ample.
Obadiah Lum, or Deacon Lum, as he was more famil- iarly called, is on the second paper. His name appears on all the subsequent subscription papers of the church for several years. He lived in Franklin, on part of the farm now owned by John O. Hill, below the Palmer House.
Another name closely connected with the early history of the church is that of Jacob Allerton, also a deacon, although his name does not appear among those who were considered the founders of the church. From the records of the church it appears that he was considered a prominent man, and for many years filled the office of ruling elder in a sincere, consistent and Christian man- ner. His residence was at Denville, on the property lately owned by Thomas Green. It is said of him that he was very conscientious and truthful; in the govern- ment of his children he did not spare the rod, yet he al- ways deferred the punishment until after the excitement of the occasion had passed away.
In those days the elders took part in the church ser- vices, and were always in their seats under the pulpit; of the four above named Deacon Beaman led in singing, Deacon Huntington and the others alternating in the reading of the psalm line by line, as the singing was done.
It is not known who first began the labor of preaching the gospel in the Rockaway parish, nor the time; but it is probable that Rev. Timothy Johnes, pastor of the Pres- byterian church at Morristown, and the Rev. Jacob Green, pastor of the Hanover church, preached there oc- casionally before the church was organized. Abner Beach and Job Allen were members of the Morristown church, and in all probability were interested in having . Mr. Johnes preach at Rockaway.
The efforts of the congregation to secure the privileges of a church building were not successful at first. The subscription before given amounted to nearly £200; a loan of fioo from Colonel Jacob Ford sen., of Morris- town, gave the society sufficient funds to erect a frame church in 1759, and in 1760 it was inclosed and the floors laid. There was no ceiling, plastering, stove or fireplace, and the only seats were planks supported on blocks of wood.
On the 24th of August 1762 Benjamin Prudden con- veyed to Willis Pierson, Job Allen and Obadiah Lum, as trustees, " for the use and benefit of the Presbyterian church of Roccaway," "ten acres and thirty perch " of land, which is the old church lot.
On the 2nd of March 1758, when the first subscription paper was made, the people recorded their desire to "joyn with pasipaney to call and settel a minnester," and ten years later this desire was realized in the settle- ment of the Rev. James Tuttle jr. as the first pastor of
John Huntington, another signer of these papers, re- the church. This was in April 1768, at which time he sided about a mile south from the union school-house in this township, and was engaged as a workman in connec- tion with the forges of Colonel Jacob Ford at Ninkie and
was installed pastor of the Rockaway and Parsippany churches. The congregation appointed five persons to represent the church at the installation and receive the
343
PASTORS OF THE ROCKAWAY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
minister, namely: William Winds, Obadiah Lum, Jacob young people who had an ear for good music, attempted Allerton, David Beaman and Benjamin Prudden.
Mr. Tuttle remained pastor of the church for two years and seven months, at which time he died, in the 29th year of his age, and was buried at Hanover. He was a son-in-law of Rev. Jacob Green, the pastor of the Hanover church, and brother of Moses Tuttle, an old resident of Mount Pleasant and an influential man in the Rockaway parish. The parsonage was on the "Tom Mann lot," near the lot and residence of Mr. Cortright. Some time prior to this Lord Stirling gave the parish one hundred acres of land within one mile of the church, for parsonage purposes. Mr. Tuttle's salary was £60 for one half of his time, which was raised by an assess- ment on the property of the members of the parish and a tax according to the assessment, for the collection of which regular appointments from the parish were made. This method continued until 1801.
The church remained without a pastor over thirteen years, during which time the war of the Revolution in- tervened, and of course the community was in uncer- tainty and confusion. At this time pastors were scarce, and as the field was not a very inviting one the church was unable to secure regular preaching.
Rev. Timothy Johnes, of Morristown, preached April 15th 1770; Rev. Mr. Lewis, of Mendham, in October 1770; Rev. Mr. Chapman, of Orange, in January 1771; Rev. Mr. Horton, of Bottle Hill, April 9th 1771; Rev. Mr. Kennedy, of Basking Ridge, July 11th 1771; Rev. Mr. Simpson, July 25th 1771. Mr. Simpson preached twelve Sabbaths during the year 1772. Rev. Matthias Burnet preached three times in 1773. The church had ing galleries, and in many respects making it more com- made calls to Mr. Simpson and Mr. Burnet to become fortable. its regular pastor. Each call was declined.
There were several temporary engagements with min- isters, for six months or shorter periods, from this time to February 1784, when the Rev. David Baldwin accepted a call, and was duly installed by the Rev. Jacob Green, of Hanover. The church was then under charge of a Presbyterian association of Morris county, of which Mr. Green was the leader. The salary of Mr. Baldwin was fixed at £80 per year, parsonage and firewood found him. The parsonage was then near the present station of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad.
The historical manual of the church, published by the Rev. D. E. Platter, on page 10 says:
"Mr. Baldwin was a good man, but a very ordinary preacher. He took charge of the church at a time when its spiritual life was at a very low ebb. The mem- bers were few and mostly women, the congregations were small, and there was a widespread laxity of manners and morals. Society was suffering from the demoraliza- tion of the long war. In addition to the widespread in- fidelity of the times, and the general indifference to re- ligion, there was internal dissension, which neutralized, in a large measure, the efforts of the faithful pastor. The trouble arose out of the singing. The custom had long prevailed of reading the psalm line by line while singing -a custom which arose when there were no books for the people to sing out of. David Beaman had long led the singing in the old way. A party, presumably of the
a change; Beaman and his supporters stoutly resisted young Benjamin Jackson, the new candidate for the honor of chorister, and his party. The matter was com- promised at first by allowing Beaman to line out the psalm and sing in the first service, and Jackson to sing without lining in the second service. But this was not the end of the matter. The quarrel smoldered for years, occasionally breaking out with fury. In 1789 feeling ran so high that William Ross and David Beaman resigned their eldership. But, after hindering for a long time the prosperity of the church, the matter was finally settled in 1792 in favor of the new and better way. During his ministry Mr. Baldwin purchased a farm on the south side of the Denville road, near Savage Corner, and, moving upon it, supplemented his meager salary by the pursuit of agriculture, dividing his time between his crops and his sermons."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.