History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 118

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 118
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 118

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J. SEWARD WILLS.

chain, the principal streets of the now great "City of Brotherly Love." These physical landmark- have been effaced by the hand of time, and the dust of him whose ingenious mind first defined its regular and systematie proportions reposes in the midst of its ever-changing business life.

Samuel Wills, great-grandfather of the subject of this -ketch, was one of the seven children of Dr. John Wills. He settled at Mendham, Morris Co., N. J., about the year 1740, and became a large and influ- ential farmer in that section. Washington, when encamped with a suffering army of patriots at Valley Forge, occupied his land, purchased many of his cat- tle, and spent considerable time at his home. Samuel Wills lived to a great age, and died about the year 1788. lle had ten children,-three sons, James, Thomas, and Samuel, and seven daughters, -of whom Ennice became the wife of the late Abraham Hunt, of Sussex County ; Nancy, the wife of Abraham Coo- per, of Chester, N. J., and mother of the late Gen. Nathan A. Cooper of that place; Jemima, the wife of the late Dr. John W. Leddell, of Mendham, N. J .; Beulah, the wife of John W. Salter, of Hunterdon Co., N. J .; and another, who married Col. Drake, of Mendham, mother of Col. James W. Drake, of that place ; James married and died, leaving one daughter, who married a Mr. Maltby from Connecticut, and of whose four children James W. Maltby resides in Now- ark, N. J. ; Samuel married Sarah Hunt, passed his life as a farmer in Mount Olive township, Morris Co., and died leaving descendants ; Thomas, who was born Nov. 20, 1764, first located at Mendham, and mar- ried, on March 5, 1790, Susan, a daughter of Samuel Sayre, who was the first magistrate elected to office in the city of Newark. She was born July 1, 1768, and died April 24, 1841.

In the year 1800, Thomas Wills moved from Mend- ham to where J. Seward Wills resides, near Stan- hope, N. J. He was an extensive farmer and large landowner. He died April 8, 1814. The title-deeds for this homestead are upon parchment, dating back about two hundred years, and are now held by the subject of this sketch. The children of Thomas Wills were Samuel, born March 5, 1791, died Nov. 17, 1837 ; Eliza, born May 7, 1794; John, born Nov. 20, 1796; James, born Nov. 29, 1798; Aaron, born Nov. 4, 1800 ; Robert, born March 18, 1804 ; and Re- becca, born Dec. 29, 1807. Samuel passed his life near Stanhope, N. J., and was actively interested in the iron-forging and wood business. Eliza married Daniel Cary, a farmer of Roxbury township, Morris Co. Rebecca married Jacob Lawrence, a merchant at Stanhope for many years. Robert died unmarried.

J. Seward Wills is a lineal descendant of David Wills, who, with his wife, was among the passengers that emigrated from England in the year 1620, and, conveyed by the historic " Mayflower," aided by the favoring winds of heaven, landed at Plymouth Rock on December 11th, O. S., of that year. They were members of the Society of Friends. Their son, Joseph, remained in England; but his son, John Wills, came to America about the year 1660, and, after looking into the affairs of his grandfather's estate, near Burlington, N. J., went back to his native land, and, gathering together some of his friends, returned soon after to this country, and located between Bur- lington and Philadelphia. A few years later William Penn and he were corresponding as to the most de- John Wills was born Nov. 20, 1796, at Mendham, N. J. When about fourteen years of age he went to Sparta, Ga., where he joined in business with Stokes & Sayre, and assisted in the erection of the first steam saw-mill ever built in that section. After three or sirable point for establishing a colony, and, about the year 1682 or 1683, Penn arranged for Mr. Wills, who was then a practicing physician as well as n surveyor, to map out the plan for the city, and to mark, by trees, rocks, and other monuments, with compass and four years he returned home and began work on the

472

SUSSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

" Green farm," near Waterloo, N. J. Disposing of this to Gen. Smith, he engaged for the remainder of his life in various business enterprises. He was in the mercantile business at different places, became largely interested in agricultural and mining matters, and the owner of about seven hundred acres of land. He was a man of wealth and influence, a Whig and Republican in politics, and a justice of the peace for fifteen years. His wife was Martha Jane Seward, daughter of Col. John Seward, of Morris County, and granddaughter of Col. John Seward, who shot the English spy, at Snufftown, during the Revolutionary war. She was a second cousin of Hon. William H. Seward. The marriage occurred Jan. 11, 1832, and of it were born Susan Sayre Wills, Dec. 22, 1833; John Seward Wills, April 6, 1835; Mary Elizabeth Wills, Oct. 4, 1837 ; Anna Maria Wills, April 12, 1840; and Cornelia Louisa Wills, Dec. 27, 1842. Mrs. John Wills died March 17, 1848, and Mr. Wills mar- ried for a second wife, on Jan. 8, 1852, Mrs. Eveline (Byerly) Rose, of whom was born Beulah Augusta Wills, on April 19, 1861. Mr. Wills died Oct. 5, 1871.

J. Seward Wills was born on the homestead, near Stanhope, N. J., on the date indicated above. His early education was obtained at the district school at Drakesville, N. J., and his studies were completed at the Succasunna and Chester, N. J., academies. Upon attaining his majority he entered into active business life in partnership with his father, and after the death of the latter he came into possession of a portion of his father's valuable estate. To this, by judicious management and careful investment, he has largely added, and now owns about four thousand acres of land. He lias engaged extensively in various kinds of busi- ness, and is recognized as one of the most discreet and successful business men of his section. He is a man of strict integrity and generous impulses, and enjoys the respect and esteem of many friends. He is a Re- publican in politics, but no office-seeker, though he has been prominently mentioned in connection with the nomination for State senator from Morris County. He takes an active interest in local affairs, is a trustee of the Stanhope Presbyterian Church and of the Union Cemetery, and a director of the Sussex National Bank at Newton. He was married Sept. 20, 1864, to Mar- garet Ann, daughter of George D. Turner, one of the early families of the Wyoming Valley. She was born Jan. 5, 1838, and the children have been Samuel Sayre, Mary Leonora, John, George Turner and Fred- erick Seward, twins, and Edwin Turner. George T. Wills died July 18, 1875.

EDWARD A. REEDER.

Edward A. Reeder was a grandson of John Reeder, who resided at an carly day near Trenton, N. J., and a son of Absalom and Christina (Smith) Reeder, of Easton, Pa., where his father engaged in the mercan- tile business for some years. His brother, Andrew

H. Reeder, was territorial Governor of Kansas under the administration of James Buchanan.

He was born at Easton on Nov. 29, 1812, and en- joyed the ordinary school advantages of that place.

EaPluder-

He assisted as a clerk in his father's store for some time, and upon attaining the age of nineteen entered the collector's office of the Morris Canal Company, at Easton, where he remained several years. In 1846 he removed to the village of Stanhope, Sussex Co., N. J., and entered the employ of the Sussex Iron Company, as bookkeeper. He subsequently filled the office of secretary of the company for a good many years, and after the company suspended operations exercised a general oversight and management over their prop- erty and franchises. He was greatly interested in the operations of the Morris and Essex Railroad Company, and proved a useful champion of their claims in the legislative lobby at Trenton on different occasions.

On Aug. 4, 1857, he received the appointment of the Governor to the position of deputy adjutant-gen- eral of the Sussex brigade of the State militia, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel.

He was appointed deputy collector of the second division of the Fourth Internal Revenue Collection District of New Jersey on Oct. 30, 1862, and by re- appointment continued to discharge the duties of that office until his death, on Dec. 22, 1863.

Mr. Reeder was a man of temperate and regular habits, full of energy, of good business qualifications, and one who was identified almost from the beginning . with the growth and development of the village of

473

BYRAM.

Stanhope and the business enterprises at that point. He was a liberal contributor to the various benevo- lent and religious undertakings of his locality, and enjoyed throughout life the esteem of many friends and the respect of the community in which he dwelt. Ile was a regular attendant upon the ministrations of the Stanhope Presbyterian Church, and acted politi- cally with the Republican party, although never a seeker after political place. Ilis wife, who survives him, was formerly Harriet M. Stern, daughter of Jacob and Magdalene Stern, of Northampton Co., Pa. To the marriage were born three daughters,-namely, Sarah B., who married Ira Joralemon, and died Dec. 16, 1875 ; Ella E., wife of Charles E. Herrick, of Stan- hope; and Lucretia M., wife of George M. Clogg.

WILLIAM GROFF.

William Groff was born at Hackettstown, N. J., on April 22, 1809, and was a son of William Groff, of that place.

He received in early life the educational advantages afforded by the common schools of his day only, and upon attaining manhood entered the employ of the Morris Canal Company, at Stanhope, where he worked up through the different grades of employment to the office of supervisor, a position which he filled for many years. It was with the interests of this corporation that his business life was mostly identified, and to the proper discharge of the duties that devolved upon him in his official capacity he devoted most of his time and energy. Ile also owned a farm near Wash- ington, N. J., where he engaged in agricultural oper- ations.

Mr. Groff represented that class of men in the com- munity who, from a lowly position in life, with no birthright but strong and willing hands and hearts full of hopefulness and trust in Providence, raise themselves by close application to business and by de- votion to principle and correct rules of life to posi- tions of honor, trust, and responsibility in the com- munity. For many years he was identified with the business growth and prosperity of the village of Stan- 31

hope, and bore in that community the reputation of an honorable and upright man. He was a liberal supporter of church and kindred institutions, and an adherent to the Presbyterian form of worship. Though

WILLIAM GROFF.

a Democrat in polities, he uniformly refused to occupy publie office. He passed away on Nov. 6, 1876, leav- ing to his family a fair amount of property, honestly accumulated, and the richer legacy of a good name.

Mr. Groff was twice married. His first wife, whom he married in February, 1837, was Mary Moore, born June 19, 1808, died Aug. 5. 1846. Of this union were born three children,-namely, Elizabeth .A. ; Caroline, widow of Hampton Drake, of Schooley's Mountain ; and Andrew. To his widow, née Mary, daughter of Jacob Rose, of Roseville, N. J., he was united on Feb. 28, 1853. The children of this marriage were Susan, William, and Mary iroff (deceased).

HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.

CHAPTER I.

ORGANIZATION OF WARREN COUNTY.

I .- BOUNDARIES AND GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

WARREN COUNTY was erected from Sussex by an act of the Legislature passed Nov. 20, 1824. The act defines the boundaries of Warren as follows :

"All the lower part of the county of Sussex southwesterly of a line beginning on the river Delaware at the mouth of Flatbrook, in the town- ship of Walpack, and running from thence a straight course to the north- east corner of Hardwick church, situated on the south side of the main road leading from Johnsonsburg to Newton, and from thence in the same course to the middle of Mnsconetcong Creek, be, and the same is hereby, erected into a separate connty, to be called ' the county of Warren ;' and a line running from theuce down the middle of the said Musconetcong Creek to where it empties into the Delaware shall hereafter he the di- vision line between the counties of Morris and Hunterdon and the said county of Warren."

The county of Warren is a peculiarly-shaped penin- sula, being in form like a boot, with its toe thrust in between the two rivers,-the Delaware, which bounds it on the west and northwest, and the Musconetcong, which bounds it on the southeast. On the northwest and southeast line separating it from Sussex County it is about sixteen miles in width, and holds that measurement, with a slight increase, for nearly half the length of the county, when it is suddenly reduced to about half that width by the bend of the Delaware, coming in from Pahaquarry to Manunka Chunk, where it runs almost at right angles with its former course. If the river continued on in this direction, it would strike across the county from Manunka Chunk to Changewater, in the line of the Delaware, Lacka- wanna and Western Railroad, cutting the boot in two at the instep; but the river makes a bend westward again and then eastward, forming the point above Belvidere, whence it proceeds in a southwesterly course past the western point of Harmony township, and then runs in a southerly zig-zag course to the great bend at Holland, in Hunterdon County. The Musconetcong valley on the opposite side of the county is much more uniform, that stream flowing in a curve, which varies not more than two miles from a direct line, from one extremity of the county to the other. The extreme length of the county from the Sussex line near Waterloo to Musconetcong Station is about thirty miles, and as nearly as can be meas- ured on the map its superficial area is three hundred and seventy square miles.

The principal ranges of mountains in Warreu are the Kittatinny, or Blue Mountains, in the northwest- ern part, running nearly parallel with the Delaware and bounding its valley from the county line to the Water Gap; the Jenny Jump Mountain, lying in a parallel but shorter range in the central part of the county ; Scott's Mountain, on the borders of Oxford and Harmony townships ; and Pohatcong Mountain, in the southwestern range of townships, from Green- wich to Mansfield, forming the dividing ridge between the stream of the same name and the Musconetcong valley. The system of waters in the Kittatinny val- ley consists of the Paulinskill and its tributaries and Beaver Brook, and, east of the Jenny Jump Moun- tain, the Pequest, the Pohatcong, the Musconetcong, and several minor tributaries.

The territory of Warren County was originally in- cluded in West Jersey, the partition or Lawrence line running a little east of its northeast corner. When Hunterdon County was erected, comprising all the upper part of West Jersey, in 1713-14, it embraced the territory now in Warren County, which remained a part of Hunterdon till Morris was set off, in 1738- 39; it was then included in Morris County till the erection of Sussex, in 1753, when it was embraced in the latter county, and so remained till it was sepa- rated and erected into the county of Warren by legis- lative enactment, Nov. 20, 1824.

The first settlements were made in it when it was a part of Hunterdon County, and probably even prior to that, when it was a part of the general unorganized territory of West Jersey. They were made along the Delaware, in Old Walpack, which embraced the pres- ent township of Pahaquarry, and in that part of Old Greenwich now Phillipsburg, from about 1700 to 1730-35 .* An old "Pole of the Frecholders of the county of Hunterdon for Representatives to serve in the General Assembly," etc., dated Oct. 9, 1738, and sworn to " before David Martin, Esq., High Sheriff," shows that Walpack and Greenwich were townships of Hunterdon County at that carly day, and were represented in the General Assembly,-the former by Tunis Quick, Thomas Quick, Cornelius Aducher, and Abraham Van Auken, and the latter by Samuel Green, Henry Stewart, John Anderson, and Thomas Ander- son.

# See general chapter on early settlements; also township histories.

474

475

ORGANIZATION OF WARREN COUNTY.

II .- CIVIL DIVISIONS.

The townships or civil divisions of Warren County at the time of its organization were Greenwich, Hard- wick, Independence, Knowlton, Mansfield, Oxford, and Pahaquarry. These were represented in the first board of chosen frecholders, which met at Belvidere, May 11, 1825.

No further subdivisions of the county were made till 1839, in which year Hope was taken from Oxford, Franklin from Greenwich, and Harmony from Green- wich and Oxford. Blairstown was erected from Knowlton in 1845, Frelinghuysen was made a town- ship in 1848, Washington in 1849, Phillipsburg in 1851, Lopatcong in 1862, and Allamuchy in 1872.

The towns or boroughs of Belvidere, Hackettstown, Phillipsburg, and Washington were incorporated, re- spectively, in 1845, in 1853, in 1861, and in 1868.

III .- COUNTY.SEAT.

On April 19 and 20, 1825, agreeably to the act erecting the county of Warren, a vote was taken by the citizens to decide the question of the location of the seat of justice for the new county. The follow- ing is the clerk's certificate of said election :

" I, Matthias O. Ilulated, clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the county of Warren, do hereby certify that at an election for the seat of justice or place where the court-house, jail, and other public buildings shall be erected In unid county of Warren, held on the nineteenth and twentieth days of April last past, in compliance with an net of the Leg- isinture of the State of New Jersey, passed on the seventh day of De- cember, In the year of our Lord one thousand right hundred and twenty- four, a majority of the whole number of votes taken In the several and respective townships in said county were in favor of Belvidere, and that Belvidere Is the place chosen for the sent of justice in the sald County.

" In witness whereof I have herennto get my hand and seal of office this eleventh day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-five.

" MIATTILIAS O. HALSTED."

The following is a copy of the returns of the elec- tion certified to as above :

"Statement of the votes given by the Inhabitantsof the soveral town- ships in the county of Warren in the State of New Jersey for the Sent of Justice or place where the court-house, jail, and other puldie buildings shall be erected in said county as taken from the official returns received frem enddl townships:

NAMES OF PLACES VOTED FOR.

Greenwich,

Oxford,

Mansfield.

Knowlton.

Hardwick.

Independence.

Puhaquarry.

Total.

Belvilere ..........

476 338

3:0

1320

Ilupe ...

117

129

258

435

Washington.

403

...

511

Oxford Furnace

Tha Contre

llarkettstown.

Bridgeville

069 611 4338 460 279 283 21 2761

" Majority for Belvidere, twenty-nine votes."

The above document is in the clerk's office, Belvi- dere, and is indorsed, " Filed Apr. 23, 1825."

As an inducement to locate the county-seat at Bel- videre, Gen. Garret D. Wall, of Trenton, donated to the county the grounds for the public buildings and the public square or park adjoining. We give below a copy of the conveyance made to the board of free- holders of the county :

DEED OF GARRET D. WALL.

" THIS INDENTURE, made this soveotb day of June, In the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-five (1>25), Between Gurret D. Wall, Esquire, of the City of Trenton and State of New Jersey, of the one part, and 'The Board of Choseu Freeholders of the County of War- ren,' in the State of New Jersey aforesaid, of the second part, WITNESS- ETH that the said Garret D. Well, for and In consideration of the sum of one dollar, to him in hand paid by the said ' The Board of Chosen Free- holders of the County of Warren,' the receipt whereof Is hereby ac- knowledged, and other conditions him thereunto moving, hath given, granted, bargained, ond sold, and by these presents doth give, grant, bar- gain, sell, allen, enfeoff, releuar, convey, and confirm unto the said 'The Board of Chosen Frecholders of the County of Warren,' aud to their Successors and Assigns, All those two certain lots or parcels of land, situ- ato in the village of Belvidere, in the township of Oxford and County of Warren aforesaid, Bounded nud Described ns follows,-to wit . First, The Court-House Lot, Beginning at a stone on the North Side of Second Street, two chains East of the Corner of Second and Mansfeld Streets, unul Corner of Lot No. 28 (twenty-eight), as designated In the town plan of Belvidere aforesaid, hereunto annexed; thence by said Lut No. 28, North three degrees West thee chuins to the corner of Lota No. 10 and 11; theuce (2) by Lots No 11, 12, and 13 North eighty-seven degrees East two chains to the Corner of Lots No. 13, 14, and 29; (3) by said Lot No 29, South three degrees East three chains to the North side of Second Street aforesnid ; and (4) by the same South eighty-seven degrees West two chains to the Beginning, containing six-tenths of an Acre (being the same which Nathaniel Saxton, Thomas Gordon, and Benjamin MIcCoury, Esquires, Commissioners appointed by an Act of the Legislature entitled 'An Act Regulating the Boundaries and Incorporating the Inhabitants of certain Townships in the Counties of Sussex and Warren, aud Incor- porating the Board of Chosen Frechelders in the said County of Warren, and for other purposes,' passed December 27th, 1824,' to receive proposals und to determine the site for erecting the Public Buildings nt the place chosen for the Seat of Justice of the said Conaty of Warren,' hath selected and determined us the site whereon the said Public Buildings shall be erectedl, the said Garret D. Wall having proposed to give and convey the said lut to the said ' The Chosen Frecholders of the County of War- ren,' for that purpose. And Second, The Public Square In part of sald Court-House Lot, as represented in the said plan hereunto annexed,-to wit: Roundled on the north side thereof by the said Second Street ; on the East side by Hardwick Street; on the South side by Third Street ; And on the West side by Mansfield Street, six chains on each side, con- taining three Acres and six-tenths of an Acre, being the same which the said Garret D Wall als proposed to convey as aforesaid for the use of the citizens : Together with all and singular the rights, members, privi- leges, hereditaments, and appurtenunres, and the roversion and remain- lers, rent4, Issues, nud profits thereof, also all the estate, right, title, in- terest, lise, property, possession, claim, and demand whatever, either in Law or Equity, of the said Garret D. Wall, of. in, and to the same, To HAVE AND TO HOLD the said two lots of land, hereditaments, and prem- ises unto the said 'The Board of Chosen Freehullers of the County of Warren,' and their Successors and Assigns forever, on condition that the sald ' The Board of Chosen Freeholders of the County of Warren' shall within three years from the date hereof erect nud conipdeto on the said Arat mentioned lut n Court-House, Jail, and other Public Buildings for the said County of Warren, and use the same for such and no other use or purpose whatsoever; and that the sald Second Lot shall be always kept and continued open as a Public Square, walk, or promenade for the free, common, and uninterrupted use of the citizens of the County of Warren forever, and that no building, erection, or digging, or other obstruction exceptingornamental trees and fences shall be ninde or placod thereon, but the same to continue for the use of the citizens and the health and beauty of the town forever. And the said Garret D. Wall doth, for himself, his heirs, executors, and administrators, grant and covenant to and with the said . The Board of Chosen Freeholders of the County of Warren' and their Successors and Assigns that ho and they the said premises unto the said .The Board of Freeholders of the County

476

WARREN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

of Warren' and their Successors and Assigos against all lawful claims and demands shall and will warrant and defend.

" Ia Witness whereof the said Garret D. Wall hereunto set his hand and Seal the day and year first above written.

"Sealed and Delivered in Presence of ) Signed

" ISAAC PEARSON, GARRET D. WALL. [L.S.] " THOMAS GORDON. " State of New Jersey, ss.

"Be it remembered that on the seventh day of June, A.D. eighteen hundred and twenty-five, Before me, Thomas Gordon, one of the Masters of the Court of Chancery in and for the said State of New Jersey, Per- sooally appeared Garret D. Wall, Esq. I beiog satisfied he is the grantor mentioned in the foregoing Deed, and the cootents thereof being made known to him hy me, acknowledged he signed, sealed, and delivered the sadie as leis volnotary act and deed for the use and purpose thereio ex- pressed.

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History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 118

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