USA > New Jersey > Passaic County > Paterson > History of Paterson and its environs (the silk city); historical- genealogical - biographical > Part 19
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
Thus in the course of time Acquackanonk developed a large trade, being the "Landing place" for the whole country region for many miles back, so that its shipping interest became very considerable, vessels trading thence to New York, Albany, Long Island, and even to New England, as well as to
144
PATERSON AND ITS ENVIRONS
points along the New Jersey shore. Iron from the furnaces and forges at Pompton, Ringwood and Charlottesburgh was brought on horseback or mule- back and later by wagon to Acquackanonk and there shipped by vessel to New York. Hoop-poles were carted thither in vast quantities and sent by the cheaper water route to the markets. This trade increased, and Acquack- anonk Landing thrived, until the advent of the railroad, in 1832, which, curiously enough, struck a fatal blow at the prosperity of the place, from which it did not recover for many years, until the railroad proved itself a successful substitute for the shipping interest, formerly so essential to the neighborhood.
Not alone to the farmer was the country store a convenience. His wife and his daughters were also greatly interested therein, for the "store" intro- duced the latest fashions in women's wear-katoen (calico), osnaburgs (not a bit better than the homespun linen of our own Dutch Vrouwen), and some- times even such extravagances as striped silk muslin, lace or silk mittens or gloves, silk stockings, silk dress goods, bombazine, sarcenet, serge, silk rib- bons, cambric, and bonnets, which, if not as varied as in these modern days, nevertheless appealed to the innate taste for the beautiful which lay not always dormant in the bosoms of the women dwelling in these remote rural regions, far from the haunts of Fashion. Of course, the farmer having occasion to drive all the way to New York often brought home some new article not to be found in the scanty stock of the country store. The tale is still told of a neighborhood blacksmith who once (about 1800) brought back with him from New York four handsome silk umbrellas, for his wife and daughters, having paid $7 each for them-an extravagance that was the talk of the region for many a long year. Silk umbrellas were entirely unknown, and the proud possessors longed earnestly for a rainy Sunday whereon to disport their new finery, it not occurring to them that they might with pro- priety be carried as sunshades also.
It has been remarked that the country storekeeper's trade was princi- pally a system of barter. Whatever money there was in the neighborhood usually found its way into his pockets, and thus he became also the banker for the region. Men gave notes for trifling amounts, even for a few shil- lings, and the storekeeper accepted these notes in payment for groceries. Men who had credit would pay small accounts by an order for groceries, directed to the trader; and he would be asked to advance cash in small sums at times when nothing else would suffice. Here are a few extracts from the Van Houten Manuscripts, showing the class of orders accepted by Judge Gerrebrandt Van Houten at his store in Water street (in the old Doremus house), early in the past century :
Mr Garibrant Van H sir please to pay Mr Anthony Van blaricom the sum of one Dolar and charge it to me
BENONY KINYON May the 28th 1804
Mr Garibrant v. Houten Esqr Sir please let my son have sum wine on my accompt
Paterson July the 4th 1804
BENONY KINYON
145
THE EARLY WHITE SETTLERS
August the 22 1804
Sir please to let Mr Taylors sun have one galon of spirets and and Charge it to your frend DANIEL HEDDEN
Let the Bearer have 2 lb Candles Sept 15th 1804
C. KINSEY
October the 17th 1804 Mr V Houten Sir please to let the bearer have one quart of Spirits and two white bowls and a pound of Sugar and Charg the Same to my Account JACOB BOOMAN And if you please to let him have those few articles I shall Certenly Come and pay you on Saturday Evening
Plese to let the barer have the Amount of teen Shilling in so duing you will obliege your friend HENNERY KIPP
October 19 1804
Let Mrs Weeks have the Amount of three Shillings on the Acct of 3rd Dec. 1804 C. KINSEY
December 4th 1804 Due the Bearer Hereof the Sum of Eleven Dollars and forty Cent on Demand by me ABEL McPHERSON
Febary 19th 1805 Sir please let the Barer here of Peter Stephens have one quart of Melases and a yarde of Tobacco on my Account PETER VAN ALLEN
Patterson March 30th 1805
Mr Van Houten Sir Please to Let the Bearer Mrs Erasket have goods to the amount of twelve Shillings and Charge it to your friend JAMES YOUNG
Aprill the 26 1805 Sir Pliese to pay my son Richard Ryerson the sum which is due to me from Anthony Van BlarCum wich is six Dollars and fifteen Cents
Please to pay the Barer the sum of six Dollars and the 15 Cents in Writ- ing paper, and this shall be your Recipt for the same
To Garrabant Esquire FRANCIS D RYERSON
Paterson 7th 1805 June I Promes to pay the baier the Sum of four pound ten shilings In fourten days after dait-as Witnes My Hand
MARY HEDDEN DANIEL HEDDEN
Paterson 18th June 1805
Please to let me have I Dollar in cash this sum I have been hanted for three & four times a Day I have tryed to get that much but Qould not if I Dont pay him by 9 Oclock this Day he will prosecute me-So that if you will Oblidge me with the above sum it will save me trouble and Cost-Also send me 1/8 of a lb of green tea Mr Gart Van Houten Esqr?
Paterson-
You will much oblidge your Friend JACOB STAGG-
Please to Pay the Baror Samuel Garner Eight Shillings and [charge] it to my a Count ROBERT VAN HOUTEN
October 19th 1805
Please Let Jacob Stagg have goods to the Amount of nine Shillings and Charge the same to me JAMES YOUNG
Paterson, Apriel 5th 1806
P -- 10
146
PATERSON AND ITS ENVIRONS
Paterson Landing February 29th 1808 Due the Bearer thirteen Shil- lings in trade G. & D. VAN GIESON
Mr Van Houten plase give the Berer twelve shillings worth of goods And you'l oblige yours ST LEGER & FLOOD
Paterson April 13th 1808
Mr. G. V. Houton, Please To let Paul Retan have Six shillings in goods and oblige yours &s BENJN WELLER
Please let the Bearer have Four shillings and Six pence and charge the same to acct of BENJN WELLER
Sir place to leat Piter Aimon have Eight Shillings in trade and Charge the same to a Count
May 8th 1810
OWEN MCDERMOTT
Mr Venhuttar Sir Plaese to Pay Pattar Stavens 50 cents In trade and Charge the same to my ACount JAMES BOON
Pattarson Agust 19 1812
Please to let Mr Corby have I barr of Iron & Charge the same to Yours &c
JNO. PARKE
Decr 30 1812
Deu Corns. W Van Winkle or order Two 82-100 Dollars for Value Received without defolcation or discount PAUL RUTON
Paterson July 27, 1826
Some of the men who gave these orders, for the lack of cash, were among the most prominent business men in the community. Daniel Hedden had a bark-mill northeast of Haledon. Charles Kinsey had the first paper- mill in Paterson, and in 1816 was elected to Congress. Jacob Bowman was a prosperous blacksmith. Henry Kip was a well-to-do farmer, and Peter Van Allen was another. James Young was a cotton manufacturer. Jacob Stagg formerly had a saw-mill in Paterson. St. Leger & Flood had a con- siderable dyeing and fulling establishment in West street; their order for "twelve shillings worth of goods" was probably to one of their workmen, whose wages they could not pay in any other way. Benjamin Weller had a hat shop, and John Parke a cotton mill. That such men were without ready money indicates the scarcity of currency in those days. Fortunate was he who had credit with the storekeeper. He could pay his workmen, aid his friends and provide for his household even as though he had silver and gold in abundance.
While the men were afield the women were not idle. In every well- regulated household there was a steady round of tasks to be performed, and every member of the family had his or her appointed labors. As from time immemorial, the distaff fell to the females. They sewed the flax, cut, hackled and spun it, wove and bleached it, and made it into sheets, shirts and other garments. This homespun linen, bleached by nature's own processes, the dew of the heavens and the cleansing rays of the sun, was almost indestructi- ble in its wearing qualities.
After the men had sheared the sheep, the women took the wool, washed
147
THE EARLY WHITE SETTLERS
it, carded it with hand-cards, spun it, and wove it into cloth, which in the earlier days they dyed themselves, fulled, pressed, and made into clothing for men and women. In later times mills were established in various neighbor- hoods, where the dyeing, fulling and pressing was done at moderate rates. Linsey-woolsey-a fabric having a linen warp and woolen filling-was a common product of the household looms, and was very much used for cloth- ing, being lighter than wool, cooler and cheaper. The blue-and-white bed- dedeken, which are the pride of those fortunate enough to own any, were usually the work of skilled artisans, educated to the art and mystery of weaving the blue woolen yarn into a white cotton warp, making a most durable blanket.
A forgotten industry was the making of pot- and pearl-ashes, for the manufacture of soap. This was begun as early as 1700 in New Jersey, and there was a strong disposition in the mother country to encourage its ad- vancement here. It was carried on in a small way in the Dutch families, as a matter of necessity, for their own convenience. Shortly before the Revolution the manufacture was attempted on a large scale at Ringwood and vicinity. Aside from that, nearly every family made its own soap, utiliz- ing for the purpose the refuse fat of the kitchen, and combining it with the homemade potash.
"The Light of the Household" was the blaze from the kitchen fire, or the tallow dip. In lack of candles, much store was set by the fire on the hearth, and it was a common superstition that this fire should never be allowed to go out, except on New Year's eve. A coal from the hearth sufficed to light the good man's pipe, or lantern, or for any other incidental purpose. Of course, there was the steel and flint, and the accompanying tinder-box or tinder-horn, filled with linen rag ashes, which ignited from a single spark flashed into it by striking the flint with the steel ; but this tinder must be extinguished as soon as it answered its purpose of kindling a fire or making a light, else it would burn out speedily, and it was not easily replaced. The prudent housewife set about making candles as soon as her other labors permitted, and this was a regular industry every fall, when tallow was most abundant, after "killing time." Then the supply was made up for the ensuing season. "Store candles" were hardly known a hundred years ago, and it was well on to the middle of last century ere they displaced those of home manufacture, by reason of their greater cheapness.
The introduction of "locofoco" matches was an event in the household. It is still remembered by some how a farmer brought home from New York, bunches of the new-fangled splints tipped with sulphur, and unfortunately let them fall, almost as he entered his house, whereupon the matches caught fire and were burnt up in one grand combustion before he could show his admiring family how to use them.
At first the trades of currier, shoemaker, harness-maker and general worker were combined in one person, as we have seen in the case of Hendricus Doremus, of Slooterdam, Peter Simmons, of Wesel, Simeon Van Winkel, of the White House, and others. The shoemaker was an itinerant artisan,
.
I48
PATERSON AND ITS ENVIRONS
after the ancient European custom. With his kit of tools, and sometimes with an assortment of sole leather, thread, etc., he would journey through a neighborhood, making his rounds once or twice a year. At many a farm house he would find a bench and a supply of leather; at others he would provide all the materials himself. The farmer who tanned his own leather would not generally have hide stout enough for sole leather, but only for calfskin uppers. The very lightest calfskins were made into Sunday shoes. The women wore heavy calfskins. The men went about in cowskin shoes. Children wore none, except in winter and on Sundays, and cried when obliged to put them on at any other time. A "corn-doctor" would have starved to death in Old Acquackanonk. The shoemaker plied his awl and hammer in the living room, where everybody had a personal interest in watch- ing his progress, and in listening to his gossip brought from other parts of the neighborhood. He would spend several days at each house, repairing all the shoes of the family, and making new ones where desired. It should be borne in mind that the country people, adults as well as children, espe- cially in the last century, were not partial to shoes, and wore them only in winter, or at times when social usage seemed to make the habit necessary. When Hendricus Doremus went courting, a great deal more than a hun- dred years ago, he prudently carried his shoes in his hand. Not that he was afraid of wearing them out, for he was a shoemaker himself-but because they hurt his feet, unaccustomed to such fetters. Many a good woman, and many a pretty girl, in the last century, and even so late as 1830, might have been seen wending her way to church on Sundays, dressed in her best gown and bonnet, but carefully carrying her shoes and stockings, until she got near the church, when she would stop at some wayside well, wash her feet, don her shoes, and calmly make her way into church, where she endured as best she might the discomfort of the stiff foot-gear, of which she would relieve herself as soon as she got well away from the building after service. When a neighborhood was somewhat thickly settled, the shoemaker of the vicinity would erect a small pothuis in front of his dwelling, near the road, where he would work when not making his rounds.
Every man was his own carpenter, mason and wheelwright at first, and the most successful farmer was the "jack-at-all-trades." In the course of time it was found advantageous to encourage the settlement of mechanics in various lines. The mason was one of the earliest artisans to find employ- ment in the new settlement. The carpenter followed. Then the blacksmith, who was also a wheelwright and wagon-maker. These trades were often taken up by such of the farmers' sons as were disinclined to farm work. In certain families hereabout the men have been carpenters for five or six gen- erations, as in others they have been masons, blacksmiths or shoemakers. Some young men had a special knack at weaving, and set up shops of their own, adjacent to the family residence, and so the work of the farm and household became specialized.
The first mills were saw-mills and grist-mills. In time others followed, and the tanner and currier was glad to buy his bark from a mill devoted to
149
THE EARLY WHITE SETTLERS
its manufacture, as the women folks were pleased to have mills where they could have their loom-products dyed, fulled and pressed, with greater uni- formity of results than was possible when the work was done in a small way, at home.
The Dutch people were accustomed to beer-drinking, a habit inherited with many other traits from Vaderland. It was found to be economical for several families to join together in buying and maintaining a brew-kettle and the other appurtenances requisite for making home-brewed beer, and fre- quent mentions of such joint ownership are made upon other pages. Sometimes several families would in the same way be interested in a com- mon still, for distilling apple whiskey. In well-to-do families the cellar was stocked with casks of beer, wine, whiskey and rum, and the sideboard was always set out with decanters and glasses, for the entertainment of the casual guest. The drinking habit was universal. Everybody drank beer or whiskey, usually both, and it was considered discourteous to refuse a proffered drink under any circumstances. The women drank their whiskey or rum diluted and sweetened. It is a common belief that the "old people" were so thor- oughly accustomed to the use of liquor that it had no deleterious effect upon them. The facts are the other way. History tells of Dominies deposed from their pulpits for intemperance ; of neglected farms and wasted lives because of the ownership of a brew-kettle or a still; of ruined homes and scattered families through the baleful influences of intoxicants. It was not until about 1840 that any systematized attempt was made to check the evils of intemper- ance in this vicinity. Nowhere was the effort more needed than among the mill owners and mill operatives of Paterson. But it was also timely among the farmers and other denizens of Old Acquackanonk.
The development of the brewing and distilling interest attracted coopers into the settlement. Allen Quimby settled between the Notch and Stone House Plains, about 1790, and plied that trade there for many years. In a bill of his, dated 1801, he makes these charges : hooping one churn, 6d. ; hoop- ing a "pale," 6d. ; making a handle in a pail, 6d .; hooping a tub, Is. ; mend- ing a "Pale," 2s. ; hooping a "piggen," 6d.
Quimby was by no means one of the earliest of the foreign element that gradually found its way into this Dutch neighborhood.
The roving Irish schoolmaster, with a modicum of learning and a superabundance of wit and jollity, doubtless tried his hand at imparting a knowledge of the English branches, flavored with a rich brogue, to the Dutch youngsters, with more or less satisfactory results. Irish weavers, skilled in the art in which their countrymen have long excelled, also drifted thither for temporary sojourns. Bernardus Mollen [Barney Mullen] was living in Acquackanonk when he married Klaesje Andriesse, January 2, 1731 ; they had a son, Jacobus, born here August 13, 1731.
John Ludlow came hither from Long Island prior to 1732, and became one of the leading merchants, as were his son, Richard, and his grandson, John R. Ludlow. The last-named not only kept a general country store.
150
PATERSON AND ITS ENVIRONS
but also did a heavy freighting business via the river, buying and shipping to market large quantities of hoop-poles, staves, barrel-heads, and other products of the region tributary to Acquackanonk.
Stephen Bassett settled on the Wesel road, near the old Paulison farm, about 1730. His house was on the east side of the road, a long, low, stone building, with a roof that came down to within five or six feet of the ground, and projected so far over that the interior of the building was always damp and dark. There were three entrances in the front, two for the whites, and one for the blacks. Bassett's nationality is uncertain. The name is French, but is found in England and Ireland. He was a blacksmith by trade, but with a versatility not uncommon in his day, he also did a little surveying. He married Ann Milledge, a resident of Essex county, October 2, 1730; he died January -, 1763, aged 54 years, 4 days, and is buried at Acquackanonk. It is a curious fact, not without its touching pathos, that the second oldest tombstone in the Acquackanonk churchyard is a tiny brownstone slab, in a perfect state of preservation, commemorating the death of a child of Stephen Bassett, in 1737, at the age of nine days. Other children were: I. Eleanor, died February 20, 1745, aged 14 years 10 months, 5 days (so says her tomb- stone) ; 2. Maria, married the Rev. Martinus Schoonmaker, June 27, 1761 ; 3. Sarah, married Adolf Bras, of New York, April 14, 1757; her son, Adolf, born at Acquackanonk, married Marregrietje Vanderhoef, July 5, 1778. The Bras family lived near Stone House Plains.
Robert Drummond, probably a Scotchman, or of Scotch descent, mar- ried Sarah Millits, December 2, 1734. The record says they were both of Acquackanonk, which may mean, however, only that they lived within the jurisdiction of that church. His wife was not unlikely a sister of Mrs. Ste- phen Bassett, the difference in spelling being trifling to the Dutch scribes of the day. Nothing further is known of this Robert Drummond; he probably lived at Preakness, at least in his later years.
James Billington, schoolmaster, married Anna America, May 1, 1742, and was probably the father of Edward, who married Marytje Garrabrants, and had a son, John, born July 2, 1772. Edward's widow married Cornelius Thos. Johs. Doremus, January 28, 1781.
John MacCarthy settled at Slooterdam about 1760, and there married Abigail Van Bussen, by whom he had Abigail, born October 10, 1763; and probably John, born in New York, but who was afterwards of Slooterdam, where he married Rachel Van Rypen, of Wesel, November 19, 1790, and, second, Elizabeth Post, February 5, 1796.
The Ennis family first appears in the person of William Ennis, who married Lea Douchee, and had a daughter Marregrieta, born November 19, 1755; and probably Jacobus, married Marytje Spier, May 26, 1776.
Anthony Pichstoon married Antje Kip, and his son Daniel was born February 5, 1762. He had numerous other children, whose names gradually were transformed into Paxton, by which cognomen the family is now known altogether.
151
THE EARLY WHITE SETTLERS
Robert McWilliams, an Irishman, married Ann Nutter, born in New York ; both lived in Acquackanonk at the time of their marriage, October 30, 1774.
The sojourn of the American army in Acquackanonk and vicinity during the Revolution, doubtless induced many of the soldiers to locate here when the war was over. William Morrow, born in Ireland, married November 27, 1784, Elizabeth Styles, widow of Joannes Hennion; she was born at Remmerpock, but both lived in the Bogt at the time of their marriage.
Evan Barkow, born in North Carolina, but living at Wagaraw, married Mary Dougherty, widow, born in Pennsylvania, but living at Wagaraw, August II, 1792.
Robert Blair, a native of the County Antrim, Ireland, came to America in 1769, being then a young man of twenty-five years. He probably settled in Burlington county, New Jersey. When the Revolution began, he enlisted in the American army, and had the rare distinction of being selected to serve in that chosen body of men known as Washington's Life Guard, first organ- ized at Valley Forge in the spring of 1778. After the war he located in Acquackanonk, where he taught school, kept a small store, and in various ways acquired a fair competence, and won the respect of his fellow-citizens. He married Hillaca -, probably one of the native girls of Acquacka- nonk, who would be better known among her associates as Hiletje. This marriage would seem to have occurred when Blair was past middle age. His wife bore him a son, Robert, who died July 30, 1800, aged three days; she died August 2, 1800, in her 30th year. He survived his young wife nearly thirty years, dying November 20, 1829, aged 85 years. In his will, dated November 14, 1829, witnessed by Garret Van Houten, James Cadmus and Henry Schoonmaker, and proved December 28, 1829, he leaves one- third of his property to his brother David for life, with remainder to his three children ; one-third to his brother, Hugh Blair, of Shenango, Crawford county, Pennsylvania ; and one-third to his sister, Isabella Allen, of Rumney, Hampshire county, Virginia. Robert Blair, his wife and infant child, are buried in the Acquackanonk churchyard.
David Blair, brother of Robert, probably came to this country with him, and also settled at Acquackanonk. As stated elsewhere, he married Beeltje Vreeland, and lived on what is now known as Vreeland avenue. His will, dated September 30, 1826, witnessed by E. P. Merselis, John P. Merselis and Cornelius C. Vreeland, was proved March 31, 1831. To the data given before, it may be added that his daughter Marretje, who married Uriah Van Riper, died June 23, 1866; her husband died September 24, 1871, aged 89 years. His son, Henry Blair, married Rachel Ryerson, who died Novem- ber 20, 1818. His daughter, Jane, died September 6, 1877, aged 79 years; her husband, Peter J. Curtis Mead, died March 15, 1868, aged 72 years.
Other settlers of Irish, Scotch, English and French origin have been mentioned on previous pages, and still others will be referred to hereafter, These "foreigners" were not generally regarded with favor, especially if they happened to marry into some of the Dutch families ; but most of those who
152
PATERSON AND ITS ENVIRONS
have been named had qualities which ultimately won the esteem of the old people, and they came to be recognized as among the best citizens of the neighborhood.
The discovery of copper, about 1710, nearly opposite Belleville, on lands of Arent Schuyler, formerly of Pompton, naturally attracted the attention of capitalists, and a great deal of prospecting was done in the ranges known as the First and Second Mountains, during the half century after the Schuy- ler mine was first worked. The presence of the carbonates and sulphides of copper was distinctly obvious in many places, and nowhere more conspicu- ously, perhaps, than on Marion street, a few rods south of Union avenue, Totowa. Here the skilled miners had apparently located what resembled not a little the geological phenomenon known to prospectors as a "volcanic blow- out." When Marion street was graded through the rocks, in 1869, the side of the cut looked like a mass of boulders fused together by heat, and as if at the same time the carbonates and sulphides of copper had been sublimated through the mass. A shaft had been sunk to a depth of at least thirty feet, and a drift or gallery had been excavated in the sidehill, a distance of one hundred feet or more, apparently to drain the shaft, it being about the usual size of drainage galleries. About 1866 the writer crawled into this drift for a distance of sixty or seventy feet, when he came to a chamber about six feet wide and high; further progress was impossible, but he was informed that formerly this gallery extended considerably further. Probably it had been carried originally as far as the bottom of the vertical shaft. At the date mentioned this shaft was filled to within four or five feet of the surface, with earth and vegetation. It was on the south side of Marion street. The drift extended northerly parallel with Union avenue, where the ground sloped toward the present Public School No. 14. No reference to this mine has ever been found in any records, nor has any tradition of its working been handed down to us. From various circumstances the writer believes that it was opened between 1730 and 1760. It was doubtless nothing more than a pros- pector's venture, no copper in paying quantities being discovered. It is very probable that the terms of the reservation contained in the deed from Domi- nie Marinus to Gerrit Van Houten, in 1760, were copied in part from a lease or contract under which an attempt had been made by some mining party to open a copper mine, the result of which appeared in this shaft and drift. No other early deeds for land on Totowa contain any such conditions. It was not unusual, however, to find in ancient deeds for lands in this vicin- ity, reservations of gold and silver, and other valuable minerals, showing the faith the owners had of vast wealth to be found in the trap rock hereabout.
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.