USA > New Jersey > Passaic County > Paterson > History of Paterson and its environs (the silk city); historical- genealogical - biographical > Part 35
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After the Indians left Communipau they settled at Totowa on the now called Bergen-County side of the River Back of where the Church is now built in a peice of woods selected by them for their Wigwams back of which they had their burying ground, a mound raised perhaps Eighteen inches or two feet above the level of the land which I often crossed even after the war. My father then living in New York a master carpenter had a wish to locate some where in the country to form a settlement-went to Totowa where he seemed satisfied to settle-He made known his intentions to the Chiefs of the Indians they were much pleased. He then returned to New York made known his intentions to my mother who consented to go with him though in a Wilderness. The Dey family then owned both sides of what is now called Dey Street offered father if he would stay in town they would sell him the south side of Dey street from Broadway to Low water for Six hundred pounds and take it in work. Father's mind was made up to leave the City he said it was too much for such a strip of land you can judge the value of property in New York at that time (About the year 1755.)
Father commenced building a small house on the spot I built where the widow of Henry Godwin now lives. [Southwest corner of River and Bank streets.] As soon as he had finished enough for his family he moved them there. About that time an English Company had erected Iron Works at Sterling and I believe Ringwood also there then being but little communica- tion to and from these places as the roads were very bad it was necessary to have some place between them and the Agoncnonc landing to stop at. They appointed father their agent to purchase goods in New York for their supplies and transport them from New York. Father had often to leave home for New York and to leave mother alone with her children though I believe but two at that time. Their principal Chief the only name I remem- ber perfectly to hear my mother say was Mashau when he heard father had to leave home, came over and told him to go all would be safe as he and another Chief would not leave the House untill his return which was strictly attended to. Father to gain their confidence and make their lives agreeable, would when he had a hogshead nearly empty of Rum put in some water with it and send for the Chief to take the Hogshead to their place to have a dance but not let any harm arise from the effects of the Rum which was strictly attended to. and when the frolick was over the Hogshead was carefully re- turned, filled with their work, such as trays, bowls, ladles &c. worth ten times as much as all the Rum. In this way they lived happy for several years.
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Father found it was time to try to encourage the place induced the Inhabi- tants a distance off, to come and settle near the river several of which did come, all of the Vanhoutens and Vangeesens and settled above the Falls at Totowa which name it holds I believe to this day. Father found it neces- sary to have a place to stop at. [with] The iron when the River was impassa- ble. He commenced to build a house on the ground where the Heirs of Gar- rabrant Vanhoutten now have a house. [About 119 Water street.] After it was finished he moved his family over there made his house on the landing side a store to deposit goods from the Landing as it often happened the River was too high to let the teams cross untill the water subsided the light articles, the Indians would cross in Canoes but the heavy articles and iron had to be deposited till convenient to cross as there was more than as much again water in the river as there is now the country was covered with wood and every low place near the river was a reservoir as the Sun did not dry any of the water away after living sometime over the river father com- menced building the stone house steadily continuing his other business till it was finished, He then held a commission under the King as captain of a company of horse he had raised, though he had to collect them from a dis- tance as the inhabitants were thinly settled about the country they met twice a year at Totowa at one instance the inhabitants came with their teams to haul wood, a large pole was erected on the flatt opposite where the lower bridge is now built [Water and Temple streets] and a great quantity of wood brought and piled around that Pole with a tar barrel at the top of it. I did not know the meaning of it nor do I believe that one half of them did till I made enquiry of mother what it did mean, She told me it was in memory of the Gunpowder Plot I knew no more than before, She told me that they had laid a Plot in England to blow up the House Parliment met in with gun- powder which was discovered and this day kept as a day of rejoicing, and that it did not take place, I ever after till this day remember the 5th of No- vember, and a great day it was, The inhabitants from all quarters assembled to celebrate the day and night, for it lasted all night they burnt a great deal of wood and drank a deal of liquor, but no quarrelling or hard words all was harmony till they broke up and went home happy to follow their differ- ent occupations father had nearly finished the stone house he then moved back to it, sold the house over the river to Martin Ryerson who put his son in law, Isaac Vanderbeek in it who lived there several years till the end of the Revolution. About the time father commenced building over the river the Indians found their hunting ground got to be too publick concluded to move back, the Chiefs went and selected a spot on the river at Menesinck where they moved though the parting with them and the inhabitants was very hard They had lived in the greatest harmony for years the Chiefs would come down every Spring and fall to Totowa and spend a week or fortnight with father and bring as much Venison young Bears and Wild turkeys and small game as would last half of the inhabitants for a week this they kept up for some time after and while they were at Totowa when- ever father went from home, they would not leave mother one hour alone I have heard her say they would take my little brother with them to their Wigwam to play with their Purposes and return him in the evening loaded with their little trinkets particularly with a little Purpoos, perfectly orna- mented with wampum and porcupine quills dyed in the most splendid colors about this time the inhabitants had settled in different parts of the country so strong that they were able to build a Bridge across the river but it would almost every spring be a part taken away by the drift wood falling from the banks of the river in the water and come down the Falls. I have seen it car- ried away in part two or three times. Father then moved the house he first
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built over the Bridge to the corner near the Church there added a room for a family the other for a school Room where Abraham and myself have gone to school,
Godwin seems to have made a favorable impression on his neighbors, as a young man of energy, ability and probity, for in April, 1758, he was chosen town collector for Saddle River township, which then included all of the present townships of Manchester, Wayne, Pompton and West Milford, in Passaic county and all of Bergen county, west of the Saddle river. He was one of the subscribers to Nevill's Laws of New Jersey, Vol. II., issued in 1761. From a road return made December 22, 1761, it appears that he then owned Lot No. 8, west. in the Bogt. This same return refers to the road "that leads down to Acquackanon River at the store House of Abraham Gor- don," which indicates that he also had at Acquackanonk Landing a place for the storage of iron, etc., similar to that at Totowa. By deeds dated October I, 1761, and January 19, 1762, he bought 461/2 acres of land at the Harte- bergh, which he conveyed, November 2, 1763, to Garrebrant Van Houten; in the deed he is described as "Abraham Godwin of Totowa, innkeeper." His other transactions in real estate on the Totowa side of the river have been already detailed. Having conveyed his property on Water street, Janu- ary 23, 1772, at the ensuing June term of the Essex county common pleas he applied for and was granted a license to "keep a public house for the year ensuing in the Place where he now lives," Jacobus Smith and John Post be- coming his sureties in £ 10 each. This was doubtless in the building after- wards known as the Passaic Hotel, on River street, opposite Bank street, but it fronted on the river, instead of toward the road. Up to this time, and for two years longer, Godwin enjoyed a monopoly in the way of entertaining casual visitors to the Falls, and also had ample time to look after the trans- portation of iron from Ringwood and Sterling to tidewater, to supply the needs of his neighbors from a general country store, and to follow his trade as a builder. Now he was threatened with competition, as appears by this advertisement in the "New York Gazette and Weekly Mercury" of March 7,1774:
To be Let or Leased for a Term of Years, the new House at Passaic- Falls, in New Jersey, eight acres of Land & a good Barn : the House is two Story High, very convenient for a Tavern or store. For further Particulars apply to Robert Drummond, Tunis Dey, and Henry Garrison, Esqs, who will treat with them on reasonable Terms.
Possibly this was the stone house in River street, near Mulberry, oppo- site the grist-mill then on the river bank. It is more probable, however, that it was the property described in the following advertisement in the same paper for August 29, 1774:
GREAT FALLS.
This is to acquaint the Public, That the Subscriber keeps good Enter- tainment in the House where Cornelius Nefee formerly lived [near the southwest corner of Totowa and Redwoods avenues], at the Great Falls of
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THE NATION'S WARS
Passaick. Ladies and Gentlemen or Parties of Either, shall be waited on and showed every curious Production of Nature at said Falls; and as he lives most convenient, and on the Spot, makes no doubt but People in gen- eral will favor him with their Custom, which shall be gratefully acknowl- edged by the Public's Most humble Servant
JAMES LESLIE
Our pioneer was equal to the occasion, and in the same paper, a week later, or September 5, 1774, made the following announcement :
The Subscriber has lately built a new and very commodious house for tavern keeping, about two hundred yards from his late dwelling house, at the foot of the bridge, and on the King's highway to Newark, and intends, God willing, to leave all business as shop keeping and farming, and apply himself solely to tavern keeping, and to keep as good a house as the country will afford, viz. Eating, drinking and lodging, with the best accommodation for horses. All gentlemen and ladies who will please to favor him with their company, may depend upon the best and genteelest treatment. Should it appear too great a distance from his house to the Falls, any gentlemen or ladies who chuse to go there shall be supplied with horses gratis.
By the Public's Most humble Servant ABRAHAM GODWIN commonly called Gordon.
N. B. A convenient room for dancing, and a fiddler, will always be ready for the service of ladies & gentlemen who may require it. Also a guide to attend any strangers, who shall show them all the natural curiosities at the Falls.
This is unquestionably a much better bid for patronage than Leslie's, though the latter was evidently the moving cause. Godwin's "new and very convenient house for tavern keeping," was undoubtedly the stone building, afterwards greatly enlarged, known as the Passaic Hotel. Abraham was not destined to prosper long in his new enterprise upon which he had so piously invoked the Divine favor. Let his son resume his story :
Father built another house on the lot where the widow Vanwinkel now lives [northwest corner of Broadway and Summer street] for his nephew Joseph Godwin, then a small house was built by Powles Ruttan [north side of Broadway, near Carroll street], a shoemaker a good and faithful soldier during the war, then another house for Uncle Barnet Cole [north side of Broadway, near Straight street], and one by H. Vanblarcom who erected a tan yard near the big brook [north side of Broadway, near Bridge street]. Then Abm. Vanhoutten built a small house on the spot where the stone house now stands [south side of Broadway, nearly opposite Mulberry street]-At this time things began to look dark with the Colony and Great Brittan my father did not agree with their plans gave up his commission under the King and dismissed his company of horse this was enough to pronounce him a Rebel against his King At that time father dealt largely with Abm. Lott in New York a great King's man and was in his debt to a considerable amount, though he had sufficient to pay double the amount as he owned the stone house and all the land from the house down the York road [Broadway] to the road leading to the Bought except a few lots where the buildings were put up upon the old road from the road at the corner leading to the Bought
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along the said road on straight line to the river excepting the land of Peter Post and the farm of Jacob Vanhoutten afterwards owned by my brother Abm. Godwin.
David goes on to say that one of his father's neighbors, a Tory, per- suaded Mr. Lott to press Abraham Godwin for the payment of his debt, so that he was forced to sell the property at a sacrifice, and it was bought in by his Tory neighbor. As tending to throw doubt on the strict accuracy of this statement it may be remarked that one of David Godwin's sisters married a grandson of the man who is accused of having maliciously impoverished her father, and in those days such alliances were very rare. The narrative con- tinues :
Father was compelled to sell and take what he had over to provide some place for his family the troubles then began the tory's came out bolder, some- thing must be done for the family and what or how to do did not know he went to Abm. Vanhoutten told him his situation and wished him to sell him a half acre of ground at the end of his lot in the green woods he told him he did not like to break in on his lot father told him he was obliged to leave the house, * * * he consented to let father have half an acre in the Green woods by paying him extra. Father then mustered all the friends he had together in getting some place to put his family as the old tory gave him no peace till he got in the house which he did not enjoy very long as it pleased God to take him where he could do no more harm to any family the farm was then divided and it was not long before the house again come into the family where it should have remained and I trust as long as one stone is to be found the name of some of the Godwins will own it. Father had to take a commis- sion as captain of Marines on board the Lady Washington lying in the har- bor at New York.
In December 1775 The Americans retreated through Jersey by the way of Totowa father supplied them with two days provisions by purchasing grain from the farmers carried it to mill had it ground then purchased sheep hogs, beef, and vegetables for their supply, the News came the British were in pursuit of them all was confusion father strove to get certificates for their supplies but could not obtain any as all were striving to make the best of their way all that father obtained was one certificate for ten dollars which I sold after the war for mother at two shillings on the pound which brought her one dollar enough for one dinner for the two days supply for the army father then piloted them along the Newark mountain through the woods to wards Sesscon and put them on the road to New Brunswick
Wounded in battle, and tortured by anguish at the cruel treatment of his family, Abraliam Godwin, the hero, the patriot, yielded up his spirit, Febru- ary 9, 1777. On his death-bed he made his will, in which he gave his sword to his youngest son, David ; all the rest of his property he devised to his wife Phebe, during widowhood, with remainder to his children. He was buried with the honors of war at Fishkill, New York. His widow was licensed to continue the tavern, at the June term of the Essex county courts, Dr. Nich- olas Roach and Hendrick Van Blarcom becoming her sureties in £20 each. In the journal of Lieut. William S. Pennington, under date of May 4, 1780,
is this entry: "Left Newark
*
*
*
arrived that evening at Totoway
we put up that night at Mrs. Godwin's, where I had formerly been
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THE NATION'S WARS
acquainted and found the family principally sick, which gave me some un- easiness as it was a family I much respected."
Henry Godwin, son of Abraham Godwin, was born February 25, 1751, and married Catrina Bandt. Tradition says that he built a weave-shop about where Straight and River streets now intersect. However this may. have been, the beginning of the Revolution found him practising law at Wapping Creek, near Fishkill, New York. He promptly enlisted in his country's serv- ice, and so early as October 17, 1775, was commissioned quartermaster of the Second Regiment of New York minute-men, Col. Jacobus Swartwout. When the Fifth Regiment of the New York Line was mustered in, Novem- ber 21, 1776, under Col. Lewis Dubois, he was commissioned captain of the Seventh Company. The regiment was captured by the British. when they surprised and took Fort Montgomery, on October 6, 1777. David says :
My Brother the Captain taken Prisoner was three years and one month in the old Jersey ship and the Provost, all but the last six months. when he was paroled (being a Captain) on Long Island where he was exchanged went to his family, at Wapping's creek stayed but a short time with them when he died his fate being fixed by the ill treatment received while a Pris- oner, he was buried aside of his father with that respect due every soldier who dies in the cause they then espoused and which is due to every soldier who carries with him to the grave the Motto worn by us on our caps "God and our Rights" "Freedom or Death."
From the official records we learn that when the muster of the Regi- ment was made up, July 22, 1778, at White Plains, Capt. "Goodwin" was in command of the Sixth Company. Also that he was mustered in as captain, November 2, 1781, in a Regiment of Levies raised for the further defense of the State of New York. After the war his widow made application for bounty lands as follows :
To the Honble the Commissioners of the Land Office of the State of New York.
Gentlemen
I Catalina Godwin Widow of the late Henry Godwin a Cap- tain in the Line of this State, being an Executrix to his last Will and Testa- ment do hereby as his Representative Enter my Claim for the Bounty Lands to which he was intitled by law. He left four Children all of whom live with me, the eldest but 13 and the youngest 6 years old. I should be Glad for the sake of those Children to have the said Lands Granted in such a way as will be most for their Advantage, and enable me to maintain them-
I am Gentlemen I am Gentlemen
Your most humle and obedt servt
her CATALINA X GODWIN mark
New York 16th Novr 1786.
Upon this application a patent was issued, July 6, 1790, to Capt. Henry Godwin, and delivered to his widow, for Lot No. II, in the township of
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PATERSON AND ITS ENVIRONS
Homer ; Lot No. 156, in the township of Hannibal, and Lot No. 63, in the township of Scipio, each lot containing 600 acres.
Abraham Godwin was born July 16, 1763, "at 4 o'clock in the morning," says the family record. He joined his brother Henry at Fishkill, and enlisted in his regiment, the Fifth, of the New York Line, January 1, 1777, as fife major of the First Company, when but little more than thirteen years old. Surely there were few soldiers younger than he in the American army. His experiences in the Revolution are detailed below, in his brother David God- win's narrative. At the close of the war, Abraham returned home. It is very probable that during the army's encampment at Morristown, in the win- ter of 1780-81, he met his future wife, Maria Munson. He evidently mar- ried her soon after being mustered out of service, if not before, or in the latter part of 1781 or early in 1782, when but eighteen years of age. It is possible that he remained in Morris county a few years after his marriage, but in 1788 three of his children were baptized in the Totowa church, indicat- ing that he then lived in this vicinity. The following lines written by this youth soon after his return home, though not characterized by poetic genius gave a simplicity that is quite pleasing, while the personal and local allusions give them a decided interest :
To MY NATIVE RIVER.
Assist my muse, inspire my lay, While on Passaic's banks
I sing, where sportive lamkins play, Their youthful, harmless pranks.
Oft on thy verge with pleasure they Have view'd their op'ning charms, Engaged in youthful, harmless play, Nor dreanıt of war's alarms.
Passaic ! unknown in Fame's great page, Obscure thou long hast roll'd. No mighty Bard, no Poet sage, Thy beauties e'er have told.
But like all transitory things, Those pleasures could not last ; Thus ev'ry sweet its bitter brings, Our sanguine hopes to blast.
Alas- too soon that demon War, That fell destroyer rose Triumphant in his bloody car, To baffle sweet repose.
Though virgins weep and matrons pray, The monster wields his rod : Nor father, brother, son could stay, All! All! obey his rod.
Thus from each kindred, fond embrace, Ere fourteen years I'd told, The ensanguin'd field impell'd, I trac'd, Where deathlike thunders roll'd.
There too, rude forest he subdued, Their rougher face compos'd ; While flow'ry lawns and meads ensued, In order sweet dispos'd.
Yet at this early period, I The glorious impulse caught To join to free our soil, or die. This was my early thought.
There too a tender mother's care Seem'd with my Sire's to vie;
Which best their offspring flock to rear Their greatest power should try.
With patient zeal full seven years, The toils of war I bore; But peace, sweet peace once more appears, To bless our happy shore.
Be inine the task in humble lays Thy beauties to record; Or dwell forever in thy praise For pleasure's the reward.
Of thee sweet river, still my theme Should be from morn till night ; For on thy bank my vital gleam Erst quick'nd into life.
There first my lov'd departed sire, His lonely mansion rear'd, To sooth the 'plaint or meet the ire Of savage hordes prepar'd.
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THE NATION'S WARS
But much unlike the wars of yore, When peace was but a name, Because to us she does restore Both liberty and fame.
And now once more I take my flight To that delightful spot,
Where juvenile scenes did once delight, There fix my humble lot.
As thou art gently wafted hence Toward thy patient main,
In bliss may I be wafted whence There's none return again.
What opening was there for a young man who from his fourteenth to his twentieth year had lived in camp? We have seen that his mother lamented the neglect of his education. But this patriotic lad, whose zeal had carried him through five or six years of war, still had the ambition to distin- guish himself in the gentler arts. The scenes of battle and the idleness and hardships of camp-life had by no means quenched in him an ardent love of the beautiful, and accordingly he turned his attention to the graver's art, practicing on silver plate with tools fashioned by a blacksmith. His skill was soon recognized, and in various publications, between 1785 and 1800, we find copper-plate engravings of considerable merit, with the signature of A. God- win. During all his life, indeed, he had a great fondness for writing, paint- ing, sketching and engraving, and he left many specimens of his skill in these directions. With commendable family pride his first endeavor, after return- ing home, was to regain his father's former possessions. The State of New York having offered to reward its Revolutionary soldiers by grants of land, he filed his claim, October 22, 1785, and upon receiving a considerable tract, realized enough from its sale to enable him to repurchase the old tavern prop- erty and much of the farm previously attached thereto. The record of this conveyance has not been found, but it was between 1793 and 1796. There was a great celebration of Independence Day, in 1795, concluding with a grand dinner at Godwin's tavern, when Captain Abraham Godwin sang a song of his own composing. Perhaps he was celebrating this Fourth of July for the first time in his father's home, which he had been striving for years to regain, and if so, we may faintly imagine the immense interest of the occasion to him. The poem in question is reproduced herewith :
All hail this joyous festive day ! The friends of freedom, o'er the sea, Who seek this land of Liberty. Liberty, etc. That shall to latest time convey That Independence made us free, Huzza's the song for Liberty. Liberty, sweet Liberty, Then let the cheerful bowl go 'round, Huzza's the song for Liberty. And toasts and their good healths resound,
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