History of Morris County, New Jersey, Part 89

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 89

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The inscriptions on several of the stones in the old graveyard at German Valley are in German. On one, of a bluish kind of slate, with prettily carved ornaments about the sides, is the following: Hier Ruehet in Gott Maria Elisabetha Weiss. Sie ist geboren den 29 tag September im Jahr 1724; ist gestorben den 12 tag Sep- tember im Jahr 1728; ist alt morden 63 jahr "-(de- faced).

There exists a faint memory of one Reynolds (men- tioned in Dr. J. F. Tuttle's History of Morris County), who was hung at Morristown for complicity in counter- feiting the continental money.

One peculiarity connected with the history of the · churches deserves notice at this point. There was no stove or fireplace or even chimney. A hole was dug in the middle of the audience room and bricked up, and a pile of charcoal was placed therein and set on fire. The smoke which escaped went out of a hole in the roof. It is said that the people were frequently made sick by the fumes, and had to be carried out. This was the only method of heating used for many years, both in the union church at German Valley and in the stone church at Pleasant Grove.

Four soldiers of the British army, who had been taken prisoners and confined in this section, hearing of ap- proaching peace, and that they would be taken back to England, effected an escape from their jailers and made their way to the Musconetcong Valley. One was the fa- ther of Judge Robertson of Beatyestown, and settled in Warren county, and one was the grandfather of James Hance and settled near Stephensburg. The names of the others we have been unable to discover.

The following is found in the records of the German Valley church in regard to the death of Washington, who died December roth 1799, it having apparently taken nearly eight weeks for the news to reach the Valley:

"February 4th 1800 .- This day the Trustees of both Congregations, Valey Meeting-house, met at the house of David Welsh Esq., and Took in consideration the ways and in what manner the pulpit shall be Dressed, and have agreed that the pulpit be dressed in black, under the in- spection of David Welsh Esq & Leonard Neighbour jr, Which we do hereby Instruct to Carry into effect, so as to have the same done by the 22nd day of this Instant."

THE IMMIGRANTS AND THEIR DESCENDANTS.

Many names of people dwelling at German Valley at a very early date are found in the records of the church

The Hann family, now the most numerous on Schooley's mountain, as well as the oldest, traces its line of descent back for seven generations. A monument in the venerable graveyard of Pleasant Grove has the fol- lowing inscription : "To the memory of William and Elsie Hann, emigrants from Germany, and early settlers in this township, who died in 1794, aged 90 years each." They came from Germany to Schooley's Mountain about 1730. Samuel Schooley, after whom this mountain is named, was the first person who bought land of the pro- prietors. In 1732 he sold a large number of acres to a Mr. Holloway, and the latter soon after sold it to William Hann, who occupied and cultivated it, and it remains still in the family.

William and Elsie Hann left three sons-Jacob, Wil- liam and John. The last named died without male issue. Jacob had two sons-William and Philip. The descend- ents of William are as follows : Maurice, William Mau- rice, Arthur, making seven generations, including the original William. Philip had three sons, viz., John, Philip and Jacob. The line from John is William, Man- cius, Minnie, making seven generations. Philip, son of Philip, had a son named Stewart, and a grandson named Miller, making six generations. Jacob, son of Philip, had a son named Philip H. and a grandson named Au- gustus, making six generations; he also had a son named John and a grandson named Matthias. William Hann, son of William and Elsie Hann, had a son named Law- rence and a granddaughter named Amanda, who mar- ried the Rev. H. W. Hunt, and was the mother of the present Holloway W. Hunt.

Other leading families about Pleasant Grove are those of John P. Sharp, who has three sons-Stewart, John, and Edgar Sharp; James Everitt, James and Lawrence Fritts, John Fisher, George and William Lindaberry, John Middleswarth, Peter Hoppock, Nelson, James, Wil- liam, John and Philip Sliker, Isaac Smith, Theodore Felver and C. Sargeant.

In the eastern part of the township should be men- tioned the families of Abram Dickerson, John Thomas, Cornelius T. Hildebrand, and Messrs. Flock, Stevens, Runyon, Trimmer, Dufford, Hance, Hoffman and Taylor.

One of the early settlers on Schooley's Mountain was John Collver, a descendant of John Collver of England. The last mentioned had three sons-John, Edward and Joseph. Edward came to America and settled at New London, Conn., and had two sons. One of these was killed by the Indians; the other, named John, had a son named John; he married Sarah Winthrop, granddaughter of Governor Winthrop, and came with his family and lo- cated on Schooley's Mountain. He died in 1760, aged 90, and his wife in 1766, aged 83. Both were buried in the private burying ground near Pleasant Grove church. The farm remained in the family for several generations. Thomas, son of John Collver, purchased 200 acres on

Nelson Ho Drakes

RESIDENCE OF JOHN C.WELSH, GERMAN VALLEY, MORRIS CO.,N.J.

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THE WELSHES AND NEIGHBOURS OF WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.

Schooley's Mountain in 1749. His son Simon Collver, born in 1745, was a soldier of the Revolutionary war, and died July 11th 1828. David, son of Simon, born in 1787, married in 1809 Margaret, daughter of Jacob Myers, who was born in 1792 and died in 1866. He died in 1878.

David J. Collver, son of David, removed in 1844 from Schooley's Mountain to Lafayette. In his goth year he composed the song "The Republican Victory," which was published in the Newton Register. His reminiscences of Hackettstown were published in the Hackettstown Gazette in 1875. He organized the first Sunday-school in northern New Jersey, on Schooley's Mountain, in 181.8.

George W., son of David J. Collver, was born on Schooley's Mountain, in 1810. He married Mary S. Hays, of Lafayette. He has lived at Allamuchy, Hunts- ville, Sparta and Lafayette.

Jonathan William Welsh was the first of that family to settle in this section. He came from Germany, and made his home on the river bank in front of Philip L. Welsh's present location. He soon came into possession of a tract of about four hundred acres of timber land and swamp, which now constitutes the farms of Philip L. and John C. Welsh. Among his children were David, William, Elizabeth and Philip.

David married Anna Maria Sharp, and lived on that part of the tract now occupied by John C. Welsh. They had no children. This David Welsh is the Judge Welsh mentioned elsewhere. On his death he left his farm to a nephew during his lifetime, with remainder over to his children, who sold it to the present owner.

William married, and lived on the farm now owned by Anthony Trimmer, at Middle Valley. One of their chil- dren was Dorothy, who married a prominent merchant of Hackettstown.

Elizabeth married David Miller, a merchant at Middle Valley. They had several children.

Philip married Susan Laric, and resided on that part of the original tract now owned by Philip L. Welsh. Their children were Elizabeth, Jacob, David, Margaret, Susan, Anthony and Philip.

Elizabeth married Jacob Swackhammer, and lived and died on the farm adjoining the Presbyterian church, now owned by John C. Welsh. Their children were: John, who married Mary Neighbour, and now lives at Middle Valley; Philip, who married Elizabeth Trimmer and oc- cupied the homestead farm until his death; Susan and Mary, who married brothers, Jacob (2nd) and Isaiah Trimmer, respectively, and live in Hunterdon county, near Califon; and Margaret, who married Oliver Vecelius, of Hunterdon- county, and had one child, Jehial, who lives at German Valley.

Jacob, son of Philip, was twice married, his first wife being Susan Couse. He was a man of much influence and held in high estimation in the community. He oc- cupied many prominent public offices in the county and township, and was for forty-eight years an elder in the Presbyterian church at German. Valley. His children were Mary, who married David Swackhammer and now

resides on Pleasant Hill; Emily, who married Isaac Roelofson, a farmer of this township; and John C., who married Elizabeth Trimmer and was engaged in business as a merchant at Middle Valley for many years, but now resides on the farm mentioned above. He has been a successful business man- and held many offices of trust. He has been connected with the Hackettstown Bank for many years and is now its president, and is well known throughout a large portion of the State. His children are: Jacob, who married Emma Latourette and succeeded his father at Middle Valley; Matthias T., who married Mary E. Hager, and lives at German Valley, and John C. jr., who died in infancy.

Philip I. owns and occupies the farm of his father. He was married to Mary E. Dufford, and afterward to Catherine Trimmer. He had six children by his second wife, four of whom are living, viz .: Gilbert, Carrie, Samuel and Katie, all residing at home.

Caroline married W. G. Dufford, of Washington, N. J. She died leaving one child, who married Daniel Spaugenburg, a merchant of Washington, N. J.

Jacob jr. married Eliza J. Sharp. He was a merchant of Hackettstown, N. J., and left six children. Of these Louisa married Robert Rusling, the present postmaster of that place; the others are living at home. By his sec- ond wife, Caroline Karns, he had one child, Samuel, who married Elizabeth Weiss. He was a merchant of German Valley, and died in the prime of life, leaving one child, Mary, who married William Apgar, and now. resides in German Valley.

David, son of Philip and Susan, lived and died in Morristown, leaving several children, one of whom is Philip H. Welsh, now of Morristown, who has one son and several daughters.

Margaret married married George Crater, and lived and died at Flanders, leaving a large family of children.

Susan married Leonard Neighbour, a farmer of Ger- man Valley. They had three children: Catherine mar- ried Mancius Hoffman and resides at Schooley's Moun- tain; Lydia Ann and Arthur live at home.

Anthony married Eliza Voorhees, and lived at Succa- sunna. He, with all his children, died suddenly.

Philip .married Catherine Brown and lived at Chester. He was a successful merchant at that place, and a man of very active life, holding many positions of trust. He was a man of strict integrity and much respected in the community.

Leonard Nachbur, or Neighbour, came from Germany, although probably not in 1707 with the first company of immigrants. He died in 1766, and the headstone of his grave is still to be seen in the enclosure of the old church at German Valley. His son Leonard Neighbour died in 1806, and the latter's son Leonard died in 1854.

The children of Leonard 3d were David, Leonard, William, Anne and Mary.

The children of David are: Silas, living on the old homestead; James H. Neighbour, a distinguished lawyer of Dover; Nicholas, living in German Valley; Calvin, liv- ing at Plainfield, Leonard D., living at High Bridge, and

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HISTORY OF MORRIS COUNTY.

Elizabeth, wife of John P. S. Miller, living at German- town.

The children of Leonard 4th are: Arthur, also living on the old homestead at German Valley; Catherine, who married Mancius H. Hoffman, and Lydia Anne, who |on the shores of the New World. They came from Sax- lives at home.

The children of William are Lemuel and Adeline, both living at Middle Valley, and Jacob, who lives in the State of California. Anne lives in Illinois.

Mary married John Swackhammer and resides near German Valley.

Of those who held a prominent place in the township half a century ago, a gentleman well informed in local affairs has given us the following names: Richard Lewis, 'Squire Lawrence Hann, Thomas Fritts, John Dufford, Lawrence Hager, Dr. Samuel Willett, Rev. Holloway W. Hunt, Dr. Hutton, afterward of New York, and Rev. Dr. Pohlman, afterward pastor of the Lutheran church at Albany. Aaron Robertson, an old gentleman now living near Beatyestown, has a more than local reputation, and is regarded with the utmost respect and esteem by the entire community. He was at one time a judge of the court of errors and appeals, and was surrogate of Warren county two terms; he was also one of the commissioners appointed to examine the books of the Caniden and Am- boy Railroad in 1832. William Dellicker sen., son of Frederick Dellicker, "in early life studied for the minis- try and actually preached one or two sermons, but finally abandoned his purpose and went into business at Spring- town. He was a man of considerable influence in the neighborhood, a member of the Legislature and a judge of the court of common pleas."

In addition to these names, Rev. I. A. Blauvelt has given a sketch of the members of the session of the Presbyterian church at German Valley in 1813-17, from which the following is condensed :

David Welsh was a man of considerable wealth and possessed an unusual degree of shrewdness and good- judgment. Probably no man ever exerted more influ- ence in the valley. He held the offices of justice of the peace and county judge, and for twenty-five years in succession was a member of the State Legislature. He brought home from Trenton the first carpet ever used in German Valley, and people came from far and near to see it. He was also the owner of the first carriage in that place. After Mr. Castner's advent as pastor, Judge Welsh became so strict a Sabbatarian that it is said that, in order to prevent work on the Lord's day, he used to have the buckwheat cakes for Sunday baked on Satur- day afternoon.

David Miller was a man much respected in the com- munity during his residence in the valley, from which he removed to Hunterdon county, and afterward to Pater- son, Of his children, Jacob was a member of the United States Senate, and William was a lawyer of much promise, but met with an early death. Jacob Welsh was a justice of the peace for fifteen years, and a judge of the court of common pleas.

Henry I. Hoffman, Dr. Ebenezer K. Sherwood and

Andrew Flock were also members of the session at this period.

All accounts, says Mr. Blauvelt, point to the year 1707 as the time that the first settlers of this township set foot

ony in Germany, from the vicinity of a small city called Halberstadt. They were Protestants, some of them being Lutherans and others of the Reformed faith. Wearied out by Romish oppression and persecution, they left their homes to seek a place where they could worship God in the way they thought right, without fear or molestation. It was in the year 1705 that they set out. At first they went to Neuwied, a town in Prussia. Their stay in Neuwied was short. From there they went to Holland, at that time the freest country in Europe, and in 1707 they sailed for America. By their residence in Holland they formed many acquaintances with the Dutch, and it was therefore their purpose, in coming to this country, to settle among the Dutch at New York. But the winds were adverse, and instead of reaching the Dutch settlement they were carried south to Delaware Bay. Sailing up the bay and river, they landed at Philadelphia, which had been settled by the English Quakers about twenty-five years before. Pre- ferring still to make their home with the Dutch they de- termined to finish their journey to New York by land. Accordingly they left Philadelphia from a point known as the corner of Fourth and Vine streets, and passing up through Pennsylvania they crossed the Delaware at the spot where we now have the villages of Lambertville and New Hope. Thence by what is known as the "old York road " they came to the site of Ringoes. From this point the precise course which they took is not known; but they traveled in the general direction of New York until they arrived in the region now known as German Valley. Tradition has it that when these early settlers saw the beautiful country spread out before them one of their number exclaimed, "This, this indeed is the promised land which the Lord designed for us be- fore we left our homes; " and the whole company forth- with agreed to give up their project of going to New York, and to settle down and make their homes in this peaceful valley.

The names of some of these settlers are known to us from the church records which have been preserved. The names of the elders of the German Valley church in 1769 were William Welsch, Caspar Eick, Conrad Roric (Rarick) and Dietrich Srubel; and in 1777 these were succeeded by Morris Sharpenstein (now Sharp), Jacob Heil, Peter Heil and Jacob Schuler. Among the names of those admitted to the communion of the church in 1769 are Sharpenstein, Rorick, Flammersfeld (now Flumerfelt), Hager, Welsh, Trumer (now Trimmer), Frees (now Frase), Pees (now Pace), Muller (now Miller), Hen (now Hann), Yung (now Young), and Cramer. In these names the sound has generally been retained more perfectly than the orthography, and most of them still have representatives in the township.

Lawrence Hager, the first of that name of whom we

LAWRENCE HAGER.

no. Sótager

377

THE HAGERS OF WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.

have knowledge, was born November 14th 1735. His son John was born September 21st 1759. The latter's son Lawrence was born September 15th 1786; married Mary, daughter of John and Anne C. Sharp, and lived in German Valley. His children were: Angelina, who married McEvers Forman, of Easton, Pa .; John S., of whom a sketch appears below; and Jacob M. and Lydia, both deceased.

It was the first Lawrence Hager who figures in the fol- lowing anecdote: During the war a stranger one day ap- peared at the inn at German Valley, and between the drinks of brandy and water made many remarks extremely derog- atory to the American cause and its defenders. He de- clared that the continental army was composed of a par- cel of ragamuffins and vagabonds, and that the year would not go out without witnessing the suspension of General Washington from a tree. His remarks were not received with favor, but he was a man of gigantic build. His brawny arms and clenched fists were fine things to look at as specimens of well developed manhood, but would have been very disagreeable things to encounter in personal combat; and at that time, our informant says, it was the custom to dispute with fists rather than with words-an excellent custom that doubtless saved a world of talking, but which has fallen sadly into disuse. There was no one about the tavern who cared to dispute with the stranger, and he had his own way without fear or molestation for some time. At length, however, one of the bystanders bethought himself of a famous local de- bater, who was the ancestor of a gentleman who at a later day sat in the Senate chamber of the United States. Lawrence Hager was a man of very advanced age at this period, but he was of magnificent physique, and he en- tered the inn door like another Cicero and stared intently at the noisy stranger. At that time it was a custom among the farmers of that region to wear large leathern aprons, probably to serve the same office that overalls do now. As he entered the tavern he loosened the apron from about him, and, casting it on the floor, roared in stentorian tones, " Where is that Britisher?" This stir- ring argument closed the debate. The unfortunate tory gave one hasty glance at the orator and darted through a side door, to disappear forever-the last of the tories of the township of whom tradition preserveth mem- ory.

JOHN S. HAGER.

John S. Hager was born in German Valley, Morris county, New Jersey, March 12th 1818. His ancestors on both sides were German Protestants, who, being driven from their homes by the fierce persecutions that took place during the religious wars that so long dis- tracted their native land, first retreated to Holland, and afterward emigrated to America. They landed in Phila- delphia in 1707, and with other German colonists finally settled in an uninhabited portion of New Jersey, to which they gave the name of German Valley, where they purchased lands and engaged in agricultural pursuits. His paternal great-grandfather was a soldier of the Revo-

lution in the army of Washington, and his grandfather was a soldier in the war of 1812.

The subject of this sketch was reared on his father's farm, and after receiving a preparatory training entered the College of New Jersey, at Princeton, where he gradu- ated in 1836. Subsequently he entered upon the study of law under the direction of Hon. J. W. Miller, formerly United States senator from New Jersey. He was ad- mitted to the bar in 1840, and commenced the practice of his profession in Morristown, in his native State.

In 1849 Mr. Hager emigrated to California, where he arrived in the spring of that year, and for a while engaged in mining pursuits. In the winter of 1850 he became a permanent resident of San Francisco, where he resumed the practice of his profession. He soon acquired a large practice, and was recognized as among the leading members of the bar. In 1852, without his knowledge or consent, he was placed in nom- ination by the Democratic party of San Francisco for the State Senate, and being urged by a committee of citizens to accept he reluctantly consented, and was elected by a handsome majority when his colleague on the same tick- et was defeated.

In 1855 he was elected State district judge for the dis- trict comprising the city and county of San Francisco, for the term of six years. Concerning this portion of his public service an editorial writer in the New York Herald said: "In that capacity he distinguished himself by firmness, impartiality, and fine legal attainments. Judge Hager had to brave the storm of the Vigilance Committee in 1856. His character stood so high that not a word was uttered to his discredit at a time when few magistrates escaped harsh criticism." At the end of his term Judge Hager retired from the bench with health considerably impaired by intense application to the du- ties of his office. He immediately entered upon an ex- tended tour in Europe and portions of Asia and Africa, which occupied him two years.

During the late civil war he was a firm and avowed Union man. In 1865, and again in 1867, he was elected to the Senate of California, and as a member of that body voted in favor of the thirteenth amendment of the constitution of the United States, abolishing slavery. He also proposed the joint resolution in the Senate of Cali- fornia to reject the fifteenth amendment to the constitu- tion of the United States, and advocated this resolution January 28th 1870, in a speech of great learning and elo- quence. While presenting with much force the injur- ious results to his own State if the proposed amendment to admit Africans to the right of suffrage should also be extended to the Chinese, he said:

"I have no prejudices against this race merely on the ground of color. I would think meanly of myself if I stood in my place here to denounce them because their skins are not as white as mine. I am a northern man- born in a northern State; was a Union man during the war. From the first gun fired upon Sumter I took my stand under the flag and by the constitution. I remain there yet. Regretting the war, hoping and praying it would come to some amicable adjustment that might

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HISTORY OF MORRIS COUNTY.

again unite us as a nation, I believed then, as I do now, that divided we would both fall, but united we might de- fy the world. * *

* If we extend suffrage to the African how can we refuse it to the Chinese? They are superior as a race to the African; have maintained a government and attained a civilization superior to the negro. We, as Californians, have to meet this question in our own State. We stand here upon the extreme verge, the ultima thule, If I may so express it, of west- ern civilization. We can go no further west; to do so, as Father Junipero said, is to take to the water. Eastern and western civilization meet upon our soil, and we alone have to breast this new influx which is now rolling in upon us from Asia. With our new commercial rela- tions with China, and with steam communication, what will the future reveal? Why, sir, China might spare from her surplus population a million of men without experi- encing the sensation of a vacuum, and in the course of a few years we may be entirely under the dominion of this people. *

* * Is this mere fancy? Is it more improbable that suffrage will be extended to the Chinese within ten years than it was ten years ago that suffrage would be extended to the slaves of the South?"

While in the Legislature Mr. Hager took a leading po- sition, and was at the head of the chief committee of the Senate. He was instrumental in effecting many needed reforms in the civil and criminal laws. He was known as an " anti-subsidist," and voted against all bills favor- ing the building of railroads for individuals at public ex- pense. In 1870, when it was the unpopular side, he voted against the bills of the Central and Southern Pa- cific Railroad Companies in the memorable contest which took place to pass them over the veto of Governor Haight.

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