History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 111

Author: Snell, James P; Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1140

USA > New Jersey > Sussex County > History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers > Part 111
USA > New Jersey > Warren County > History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers > Part 111

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GERMANY FLATS.

Among the earlier settlements in Andover must be named the locality in the northeastern portion of the township which includes a part of the country known to this day as " Germany Flats. " As may readily be conceived, Germans peopled that region at an early day. They drifted thither before the outbreak of the Revolution, but just how long before cannot now be said. Some authorities declare that the period of their coming was not far from 1740, but that period is probably somewhat carly. Among the first ones in that vicinity, within what is now Andover township, were doubtless John Shecler, Jacob Mains, Peter Washer, Frederick Arvis, and John Blair.

John Sheeler's grandson Abram, aged upwards of eighty, lives now in Newton. He was born on the farm now occupied by James Hiff, where John Sheeler located when he came to New Jersey, and

where he died at the age of ninety-seven. William, his son, took service in the war of 1812, but, from all accounts, did not pass a very extended experience therein.

Frederick Arvis lived on the place now occupied by Levi Howell, and before Arvis' time by John Blair. In 1820, Annanias Mulford and Elisha, his bachelor brother, owned the Arvis farm, as well as adjacent property, in common. On the former they put up a log house, which they presently converted into a so- called tavern to accommodate and refresh weary travelers journeying between Newton and Sparta. The Mulford tavern was, according to existing testi- mony, a shabby affair, but it was nevertheless a place where people frequently gathered for merrymakings, and on training-days especially it was a rallying- point, and a point, too, where all hands made a busi- ness of having what was commonly known as a "glorious time," in which Mulford's whisky always played an important and lively part. Elisha Mul- ford, the bachelor brother, married a Miss Bonnell, who came to the neighborhood at an early day to teach school, and then the brothers, dividing the property which they had hitherto held in common, sold out, bag and baggage, and removed westward, Annanias to Ohio and Elisha to Illinois.

Michael Onsted came from Germany to Germany Flats long before 1800, and, settling upon a farm, lived there ever after until his death, about 1820. Ilis son George carried on the farm after that. The property is now occupied by Abram Kerns. Michael Onsted, Jr., another son, settled on a farm about two miles north of Andover village, and died there in 1815. Ilis widow married Andrew Slockbower, who before 1800 worked in the Andover furnace. He after- wards bought a tract of 400 acres two miles north of Andover village, and there died. John Onsted, son of Michael Onsted, came to Andover village in 1827, and entered Joseph Northrup's employ as a clerk. In Andover village he still resides.

l'eter Snook, whose daughter married Michael On- sted, came from Germany towards the close of the eighteenth century and located on a farm about a mile east of Newton village. After a brief residence he moved to Pennsylvania.

John Harding, a hearty, active old man of eighty, lives on the farm upon which his father, Samuel Harding, settled before 1800. Samuel Harding bought the place of Jesse Hall, who had effected some elear- ing and put up a log house. There Samuel Harding died, in 1834. His sons, Thomas, John, and Samuel, also becane settlers in the town. Thomas is dead, Samuel lives in Pennsylvania, and John in Andover. Among the neighbors of Samuel Harding the elder shortly after his coming were Anthony Longcor, Andrew Slockbower, Courad Misner, William McKin- ney, David Wilson, Albert Ammerman, Jacob Lance, John Ebers, and Benjamin Ilines.

Benjamin Hines, last named, was in the Federal

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naval service during the Revolution, and at the close of the war settled in Sparta. About 1800 his son Benjamin moved to a farm in Andover where his son William now lives, and there Benjamin died in 1865, aged eighty-eight. Benjamin Hines bought 60 acres of his Andover farm of John I. Jones, a tailor, who had lived there some time, although his improve- ments were scanty. The balance of Hines' purchase was a wild tract.

Where Peter Bird lives, four miles north of Andover, James Iliff became a settler in 1812, upon a portion of the old Andover tract. There was a log house on the place that had been built by a tenant. There was not a framed house nearer than Andover, Sparta, or Newton. His nearest neighbor was James Peters, living a quarter of a mile to the southward.

John Struble lived near Strnble's Pond, on the place now occupied by Horatio Kinney, who married one of Struble's daughters.

William McDevitt lived at Pinckneyville, and in 1812 went to Andover village to work for Joseph Northrup. Later he retired to a farm near the vil- lage, and carried on a saw-mill for Joseph Northrup.

At Pinckneyville, where Peter and John Maines, and George Haggerty were among the early comers, Merritt Pinckney opened a store and blacksmith- shop about 1830, and to the little hamlet which grew about him his name was given.

Jonah Howell located in the place in 1828, and after a bit carried on the blacksmith-shop, as well as a grist-mill.

Germany Flats also included among early settlers Barney Quackenbush, Capt. John Snyder, Jeremiah Fisher, James Kerns, Thomas House, Robert Mills, William Snook, the Cases, the Peters, and the Robin- sons; but of these scarcely anything can be now stated.

Richard and Jonathan McPeake, who lived near Pinckneyville about 1800, were pretty well known for a good ways around, Jonathan especially because of his eccentric humor and an imperfection in his speech that sometimes occasioned him confusion. He was reputed to be excessively fond of ground-hog sop and Indian dumpling, -a dish then much af- fected and esteemed, but now looked upon with no particular liking. His brother Richard did not, it seems, bear the same love for that compound, al- though his affection for things eatable was otherwise strongly developed.

SPRINGDALE.

The old Union turnpike, between Newton and Morristown, passing via Stanhope and Lockwood, was opened to traffic about 1807, and there were, of course, roadside inns, so called, at the end of about every mile along the route. The locality known now as Springdale was marked by the passage of the pike, and at Springdale there was, of course, a tavern. Daniel Stewart is supposed to have built it and pre- sided over whatever destiny it may have possessed at

the beginning of the nineteenth century. There was a good deal of travel over the road, and, as mail stage-coaches plied regularly over the course, there was considerable music along the line, and a gener- ally animated condition of affairs at such points as had been fixed for the location of houses of enter- tainment.

Stewart's tavern was a place where footsore trav- elers occasionally found rest and refreshment, and where stage passengers sometimes halted to moisten their clay; but, aside from those features of recom- mendation, it cut no figure.

Joseph Hibler, who succeeded Stewart as landlord of that tavern about 1812 (Hibler was born near Brighton, where his father, Zachariah, was among the earliest settlers), made it a famous place of resort for the neighborhood, and upon his death left it to his son William, who continued it as a public-house until 1853, when he died. His son Joseph now occu- pies the house as a residence.

William Hibler, who was a farmer as well as tav- ernkeeper, is said to have possessed the peculiar fac- ulty of getting his work done without much outlay of either energy or money on his part. His scheme was to bribe some of his lounging customers with a drink or two of poor whisky to do his " chores."

The old mill now carried on at Springdale by Daniel H. Stickles has stood there nearly a hundred years, although somewhat enlarged and improved over its earlier condition. Jabez Heaton is supposed to have built it, but just when cannot now be told. It is known, however, that he was the miller there and owned the property until 1799, when he conveyed it to John Potter, whose cousin, Nathan Potter, had a blacksmith-shop and distillery at Springdale shortly after that time.

North and south of Springdale, on the turnpike, about 1810 there were among the settlers Joseph Hill, Samuel White, F. A. Stackhouse, Jacob P. Milford (a colored man, who kept a small grocery-store), Azariah Davis (who kept store at Springdale), the widow Hen- dricks (who lived with her sons Joshua, David, and Charles on the place now owned by Henry Hart), William Milam, a carpenter, John Hunt, on the place now occupied by Robert Slater, Isaac Van Horn, and Zachariah Stickles, who lived and died on the Acker- man place.

IV .- TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.

Andover township was formed, under act approved March 10, 1864, from a portion of Newton township. The act reads as follows :

" Be it enacted, etr., That all that part of Newten township in tho county of Sussex adjoining the lines of the townships of Green, Byram, Spartn, and Lafayette which lies southerly und eastwardly of the following line -namely, beginning in the line between the townships of Green and Newton where the highway leading past the Inte residence of Obed Wil- son, deceased, crossos said line, and running from thence to the Devil's Ilole (so called), on or near the line between the farms of William M. Babbitt and Jehn MeCarter, Jr., and from thence to where a small stream of wator passes under the Sussex Railroad a little castwardly of the

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dwelling-house of Halstead F. Townsetud; from thenee to where the line between the lands of George M. Ayerson and lunds of Andrew Shiner and John Townsend intersect the canal or ditch recently made In the low meadows by the Pauling's Kill Meadow Company, and from thence down the said ditch to the line of Lafayette township-be, and the same Is heroby, set off into a new township, to be called " Andover Township.'"

The name was of course suggested by the village name of Andover, but how the village came by the designation no one appears to know.

In accordance with the provisions of the act, the first town-meeting was held at the house of Lewis MeKinney, in the village of Andover, April 11, 1864. The votes cast numbered 187. The officials chosen on that occasion are named as follows: Moderator, Al- bert Puder; Clerk, Wesley Hiff; Judge of Election, F. A. Stackhouse ; Assessor, Robert Slater : Collector, Luther Ilill, Jr. ; Frechoklers, J. P. Hill, William M. Iliff; Surveyors of Highways, B. D. Totten, J. L. Longvor; Overseer of the Poor, William McKinney ; Constables, William Kinney, Levi Space ; Town Com- mittee, Luther Hill, Sr., John Willson, James Hibler, C. C. Coats; School Superintendent, D. L. Hunt; Commissioners of Appeal, George F. Rose, J. H. Stoll, Daniel Ferrell; Roadmasters, Charles C. Cox, Jonathan Maines, Jacob Longeor, Robert Slater, B. D. Totten, John Longcor, Thomas Hibler, George Misner, Barnabas Space, Peter Demorest, Isaac Struble, John Beatty, Charles Walker; Pound-keepers, John Me- Kinney, Joseph Washer, Michael Youngs; Justice of the Peace, David Hedden. Eight hundred dollars were appropriated for road money, $200 for incidental expenses, and $1 per scholar as school money.

Herewith are given the names of the persons who have served annually from 1865 to 1880 as judges of election, clerks, assessors, collectors, and chosen free- holders :

JUDGES OF ELECTION.

1865-54, F. A. Stackhouse; 1873-79, G. C. Cook ; 1880, C. G. Davidson.

CLERKS.

1865-6G, W. Itin; 1867-78, N. A. Stackhouse; 1877-78, J. I. Valentine ; 1879-50, M. HI. Johnson.

ASSESSORS.

1805-69, R. Slater; 1×70, A. Puder: 1-71-73, R. Sinter ; 1874-76, B. D. Totten ; 1877-70, D. F. Byratu ; 1880, G. C. Cook.

COLLECTORS.

1865-66, L. HIII, Jr .; 1867-71, A. Valentine ; 1872-35, 1. Hill, Jr .; 1976- 80, 1. J. Darling.

FREEHOLDERS.

1805-66, Joseph P. Hill. Martin M. Drake; 1867, Lewis MeKinney, Mar- tin M. Dinke ; 1868, Thoumas HI. Allen, Martin M. Drake; 1869, Johus Nyers, John Beatty; 1870, John Ayers, William M. Iliff; 1871-72. John Ayers, Horntio N. Kinney ; 1873-75, Horatio N. Kluney, Albert Puder; 1856, Siles C. Allen, Josoph W. Suyder; 1877-75, James Iliff, Horatio N. Kinney : 1879, James Hiff, SIlas C. Alleu ; Isso, Silas t'. Allou, Charles W. Roof.

It was a one-story stone, stood just east of Mr. John Onsted's present residence, and served its original purpose until replaced, in 1855, by the present two- story framed school-house. The first teacher in the old stone was Walter McCann, who in the summer seasons followed the trade of a mason and in the winter seasons taught a subscription school. He was the pedlagogue of the stone school-house many win- ters, and retired only because he had grown too old and feeble to pursue the business longer. ITis succes- sor was John Brown, likewise an old man, and like- wise a good teacher. In 1833, Wm. M. Ilitl' taught school there.

The old school-house serves now as the residence of Mr. Slockbower. The present house has two depart- ments, in charge of J. D. Reynolds and Nellie De Kay. The enrollment is about 150, and the attend- ance about 100. The trustees of Andover District in 1850 were George Hoffman, I. J. Darling, and Chas. M. llowell.

District No. 44 is called "Springdale." The first school-house was built in 1813 by one Crane, the neighborhood carpenter, but it could not have been a very substantial affair, since in 1830 a new building -the present stone-was put up on the same site. The enrollment in 1880 was 55, and the average at- tendance about 30. The trustees in 1830 were Samuel Ilill, William HIibler, and Henry Hart; in 1880 they were Daniel H. Stickles, David Ackerman, and Thos. Hibler.

In Clinton School District, numbered 45, the first school-house was a log cabin. It stood on Anthony Longeor's farm, and was built presumably as early as 1800. In it the earliest teachers were Daniel Hunt, Rebecca Hunt, and a man named Newell. In 1825 the present stone house was built on the same farm, now owned by the widow of William Longeor. In that house Daniel Warren, an old, gray-haired man, was the first teacher. Ile taught there seven or right years, and in the flush of his usefulness was drowned while crossing Pequest Creek. The trustees in Clin- ton Distriet in 1880 were George Lawrence, Ogden Strobridge, and Joseph Longcor.

In Germany Distriet there was a framed school- house before 1810. It stood at the cross-roads, about a mile west of the present building, and in it, about 1810, the teachers were a Mr. Newell and Daniel Ilunt.

A Miss Bunnell was teacher of a private school in Elisha Mulford's house shortly after 1820, but before she had taught a great while Mulford fell a prey to hier fascinations and married her. The present stone In Isso the voters numbered 278. Five hundred dollars were appropriated as school money, $200 as town money, and $1500 as road money. school-house was built in 1838. In it the first teacher was Charles Sutton. The trustees of the district in 1880 were William Pinekney, Joseph Snyder, and James Ilitl. There are 38 school-children enrolled V .- SC110018. in the district, but not many more than half that In Andover School District, numbered 13, the first number regularly attend the school. The amount school-house is supposed to have been built in 1824. | received in 1879 for school support was $330.

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SUSSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

VI .- CHURCHES.

ANDOVER METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

The first church edifice erected at Andover was by the Baptists in 1834. Althongh a bequest from a Miss Hill gave material financial assistance and the church was ultimately cleared of debt, the society concluded, after a twenty years' experience, that the organization must be allowed to expire for lack of sup- port. The church building was accordingly sold, and in 1855 was occupied by the Protestant Methodists. Not long afterwards the Methodist Episcopals ob- tained it, and still own it.

The Methodist Episcopal Church is in a flourishing condition, and in the charge, which includes Andover and Springdale, there are about 175 members. The class-leaders are Albert Puder and William MeKain. The trustees are L. J. Valentine, Albert Puder, Lewis Wilson, Watson Ayers, P. Hines, A. H. Wilson, R. Van Sickle, Michael Youngs, and Samuel Van Sickle.

The Sabbath-school has 16 teachers and 70 scholars. Joseph Valentine is the superintendent.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHI OF ANDOVER.

April 7, 1858, a petition and application for the or- ganization of a Presbyterian Church at Andover was offered by Rev. Mr. Barrett, and thereupon the Pres- bytery appointed Revs. Barrett, Reily, and McGee, and Ruling Elders J. L. Labur, J. T. Smith, and Levi Lanning, as a committee to visit Andover and effect the organization should the way be found clear. On Sept. 25, 1858, the committee, the petitioners, and others assembled at the academy in Andover, and, the organization of the church being fixed, members were received as follows: J. S. Broderick, Sarah Broderick, Jane Broderick, Mary Broderick, Lonisa White, Jane Iliff, all of Newton ; John D. Reynolds, of Stillwater; Martha Reynolds, of Hardwick ; and Jehiel T. Smith, of Marksborough, on certificate. William M. Iliff, Nathan P. White, and Mary Ann White joined on profession of faith. The elders chosen on that occa- sion were J. S. Broderick, Jehiel T. Smith, John D. Reynolds, and William M. Iliff. Rev. J. S. Smith was chosen to be the first pastor, and Dec. 21, 1859, an important accession to the church was made in the persons of 28 new members.

A house of worship was completed December, 1859, and ten years afterwards the tower was furnished with a bell.

Rev. Mr. Smith continued his services as pastor until the summer of 1862, and from that time until October, 1871, the pulpit was supplied by Revs. Wil- liam Travis, A. S. Collins, R. H. Davison, Thomas T. Long, R. B. Westbrook, Byron Barrett ("a faithful and almost gratuitous service for almost two years"), and David Conway. Rev. Edward Webb, the next settled pastor, began his labors October, 1871, and was followed by B. S. Foster in September, 1873, John Hancock in October, 1876, and J. F. Shaw (the pres- ent pastor) in October, 1877.

Of the 199 members received into the church since 1858, there remained 100 in December, 1880, when the elders were John D. Reynolds, Henry Freeman, George Hoffman, John Field, Luther Hill, and Silas C. Allen. John D. Reynolds is superintendent of the Sabbath-school, in which the average attendance is 57.

VII .- THE VILLAGE OF ANDOVER.

About 1810, Joseph Northrup purchased of the gov- ernment about 700 acres of land in what is now An- dover township. The tract covered the site of the present village of Andover, and included the old fur- nace and mill buildings used by Allen & Turner dur- ing the maintenance of the iron-works there, as early as before the Revolution, as well as the old mansion in which the person in charge of the works resided. The furnace building is now used as a grist-mill, and bears the date "I. C. 1761" rudely inscribed upon the limestone.

After Mr. Northrup came into possession the old furnace was not much used until 1816, when it was con- verted into a mill. To that time Mr. Northrup had carried on a mill in the old structure, now Joseph H. Valentine's store.

As late as 1816 the only store at Andover village was kept by Mr. Northrup in the stone mansion near the railway track, which, upon his coming, he occu- pied as a residence. Some years later the house took fire, but, the walls remaining, Mr. Northrup rebuilt it, and as he rebuilt it it yet stands. In 1816 he re- moved his store from his dwelling, and, making a mill of the furnace, converted the old mill into a store, as already told. ,

Besides the furnace, mill, and mansion, there are yet standing of the English company's buildings an old stone barn and a blacksmith-shop. These struc- tures were fashioned of stone, and to this day are in excellent preservation.

In 1828, Mr. Northrup built a distillery adjoining the store, and until his death, in 1840, was steadily engaged at Andover in milling, farming, trading, and distilling ; so that he was kept moderately bnsy. He was the first postmaster at Andover, and retained the appointment until 1840, althoughi he performed scarcely any office-work himself. His interests and duties were multifarious, and he was, as may be im- agined, a man of more than ordinary consequence.

Before Northrup's death William D. Headley rented the store, mnill, etc., and for many years, or until Syl- vester White built the second, Northrup's was the only store in the village. White was burned out two years afterwards, and then bought the old Northrup store.

The third store was built in 1860 by William M. Iliff. It is now occupied by Freeman & Ayers.

There was a blacksmith at the village in 1814, sup- posed to have been George Rhodes. When John Onsted (now living in Andover) came to the village, in 1827, to clerk for Joseph Northrup, he found David

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Crate carrying on a smithy, and two years later along came William MeKinney, a carpenter, still a resident.

William M. Iliff built the first village tavern in 1855, and leased it to Peter Van Ness, but long be- fore that, in 1817, John Onsted built a wayside inn on the Union turnpike, a mile above Andover village, and kept it until his death, in 1835. His widow mar- ried Zachariah Stickles, who was the landlord of the hostelry for some years afterwards. The property, now owned by the Musconetcong Iron-Works, covers about 90 acres, of which about half are thoroughly impregnated with limestone, the present yield and shipment being 100 tons daily.

Andover village is now (December, 1880) a stirring place of nearly 500 inhabitants, with a brisk trade in connection with the adjacent country. Besides ore shipments, the milk traffic by rail to New York aver- ages from 100 to 150 cans daily.

Mail is received four times each day. Jehiel T. Smith, the present postmaster, was commissioned in 1857. His predecessors, dating from the death of Mr. Northrup (the first postmaster), in 1840, were John Crate, A. MeDaniels, and S. R. White.

There is a fine water-power with a claimed fall of 22 feet, although its use is limited to driving but one mill.

Overlooking the village from a commanding eleva- tion is the village cemetery, founded in 1858, and the only regularly laid out burial-place the town has ever had. The ground was beautified by William M. Hiff, and held by him as private property until 1879, when he deeded it to a board of trustees. During the Revo- lutionary era there were two burial-places at the vil- lage, located on either side of the line of the Sussex Railway. Traces of these grounds-used, of course, by the people employed at the iron-works-were visi- ble until within a few years ago, but the headstones are now dislodged and the land broken to the plow.

VIII. IRON-MINING.

The Andover iron-mines lay idle from 1800 to 1848, when Cooper & Hewitt bought or leased the property, and to facilitate the transportation of ore constructed a mule-railway to the Morris t'anal at Waterloo. They did considerable business in the enterprise.

In 1848 they procured a charter for the Sussex Railroad, under the name of the " Sussex Mine Rail- road," which was opened through to Newton in December, 1854. Messrs. Cooper & Hewitt operated this road, owning a controlling share of the stock, and facilitating their mining operations, till December, 1857, when they sold to other parties .*

No very important operations were conducted in that vicinity after that until in the spring of 1879. when W. J. Taylor & Co., of Chester, in Morris County, began work upon a new vein. They have pushed affairs with much vigor, and with a force of

thirty men mine and ship 1500 tons of ore monthly. Preparation- were afoot in December, 1880, for the construction by Taylor & Co., at Andover, of calcin- ing works.

Near the Taylor mine is the Tar Hill mine, which is under lease to the Crane Iron Company. Prepara- tions for mining were so forward in the winter of 1880-81 that there was a prospect of beginning the shipment of ore in the spring, when it was thought fully one hundred men would be employed.

Touching iron ore deposits at Andover, extracts from the State geologist's report are made as follow -:

" The ridge in which the deposit of ore at Andover occurs extends from Its southwest tormiontion, at which the extensive open works nre situ- nted, in a north-northeast direction for a distance of about two miles. In width the ridge varies from one-fourth to three-eighths of a mile. That portion of it in which the deposits of specular iron ore, the magnetic iron ore, and lead-bearing stratn ocenr is in average about three-eighths of n mile in width.

" The magnetic iron ore, largely mixed with foreign minerals, wenples a belt 20 feet in width, extending from the northwest by west end of the opening towards the southeast by enst, and it is again met with to some extent bounding the southeast by cast termination of the lead locality.

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History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 111

Author: Snell, James P; Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford) Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1140

Author: Snell, James P; Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1140