History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 141

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 141
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 141

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In 1822 it was resolved " that it is expedient that the church be incorporated, and that it be known by the name of the Mansfield Presbyterian Church." It was so changed May 18th of that year. Prior to this it was known as the " Mansfield-Woodhouse Presbyte- rian Congregation." In 1877 its title was changed by an act of the Legislature to "The First Presby- terian Church of Washington, N. J."+

Dec. 2, 1836, the erection of a new house of wor- ship was resolved on, but for a time the church could not unite on a location, many being in favor of the old site, but the larger number desiring it to be located

in Washington. The latter was finally chosen, and the brick church erected the following year. It was 50 by 80 feet, with a basement story. The building committee was George Creveling, William M. Warne, and William Miller.

The elders in 1840 were Joseph Wilson, Ebenezer Stilson, George Creveling, Moore Furman, Henry M. Winters, and Phineas Barber.

It may be interesting to future generations to know who were the early members of the old Mansfield Church. The oldest list extant is for the year 1817, just prior to the coming of the Rev. Jacob Castner. The names recorded therein are :

George, Jobn, and Mary Van Nest, Elizabeth Rodenheimer, Elizabethı Brooks, John, Ann, and Jane Bryan, Jemima McIntire, Francis and Mary Strader, James, Mary, and Hannah Little, Samuel and Ann Carhart, John M. and Ann D. Sherrerd, Elizabeth, Hannalı, and Margaret Warne, Sarab Mattison, Adam and Margaret Wandling, Daniel and Catharine Osman, Cathrine McHeury, Ebenezer and Mary Stilson, John and Ellen Mckinney, Joseph, John, and Eliza Wilson, Christeena, Eleanor, Mary, George, and Rachel F. Creveling, Catharine and Lydia Beavers, Nicholas Labaugh, Ann J. Carhart, Henry M. and Catharine Winters, Jane, Hannah, and Sarah Bowlby, Eunice Cowel, Aaron and Elizabeth Van Atta, Michael and Sarah Miers, Elizabeth Lomerson, John and Esther Eveland, John and Jane Krusen, Flora (colored), Maria Thompson, Ann Miller, John and Julia Fitts, Hannah Lake, Mary Taylor, Mathias Crater, Agnes Davis, Hannah Williams, Phirebe (colored), and John Connelly,- total, 70.

Those of the above who were serving as the elders of the church that year, 1817, were John Van Nest, George Van Nest, John Eveland, Ebenezer Stilson, John McKinney, and Henry M. Winter.

The earlier pastors have been mentioned. Of Rev. Peter Wilson, who preached at Mansfield and Hack- ettstown from 1791 to 1798, little is known other than the fact stated. The pastorates since have been as follows :

William B. Sloan,# 1798 to 1815; Samuel Robertson, December, 1815, to November, 1816; vacancy until Jacob R. Castnere came, in spring of 1818, and who served until bis death, April 26, 1848 ; James Lillie, !|

# The Rev. William B. Slonn served Mansfield with Greenwich for seventeen years-installed in 1798-and then was pastor of the latter church alone until October, 1834. Ile was a native of Somerset Co., N. J .; born about 1722; graduated at Princeton, and studied theology with Rev. Dr. John Woodhull, of Monmouth; was licensed by the Pres- bytery of New Brunswick, and took the Mansfield and Greenwich churches as his first chargo. He was above medium height, crect, slender, but well formed, his features finely chiseled, yet manly and dignified in expression; his eye a clear, expressive blue, his gait and bearing stately, yet unconstrained, his manners were those of a gen- tleman of the old school. He was n man of warn nffectione, and easily moved to tears. His style simple and unaffected, and his sermone rather of the admonitory and practical than argumentulive or doctrinal. He was an earnest and affectionate preacher. He died July 3, 1839, in the house in which he was born, while on a visit to his brother, near Lam- ington, N. J.

¿ Jacob R. Castner, born at Liberty Corner, Somerset Co., N. J., pur- sned his classical studies at Princeton, and studied theology under Dr. Finley at Basking Ridge. German Valley, Fox Hill, and Black River were the first fields of his labor. Ile was pastor of Mansfield from 1818 until his denth, which occurred suddenly at Washington, April 26, 1848. lle is described as a good preacher, with a bold, off-hund style. lle was fond of preaching doctrinal sermons, and Dr. Yeomans says of him that he preached thirty or forty sermons upon " Election" which would have deceived, if possible, the oleet themselves.

| Rev. Jas. Lillio, a Scotchman of fine talents and erudition, but sorely lacking in what his countrymen cull " gumption." He seemed to think

" "On Monday, May 19, 1800, after sermon preached by Rev. William Sloan, the congregation met," chose trustees, and then "very spiritedly opened a new subscription . . . towards paying of debts dne and finish- ing Mansfield Presbyterinn church, and requested John Sherrerd to write ene for each trustee."-Church Records.

John Sherrerd was father of Samuel Sherrerd, and grandfather of the late John M. Sherrerd, of Belvidere.

+ This act went into effect March 9, 1877.

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WASHINGTON BOROUGHI.

1849 to 1851; John Turbitt,* from November, 1851. to November, 1×52; Solomon McNoir,f 1853 to 1860; E. D. Brynn, 1861 to 1×70; A. M. Jelly, July 1, 1870, to Dec. 31, 1874 ; Sunuel E. Wobster, April 1, 1875, to Aug. 8, 1x80; Charles D. Nott, D.D., In December, 1880, amal ot presont officiating.

The present elders (1881) are Joseph Rosenberry, Joseph R. Van Natta, Joseph Johnson, William G. Dufford, B. M. Barrett, A. W. Weller, Daniel Spang- enberg, and A. M. Nunn.

At the present time the church numbers about 550 members. Joseph Johnson is the superintendent of the Sabbath-school, James Johnson librarian.

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH .;

The history of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the borough of Washington, like the history of the great ecclesiastical organization to which it belongs, had its beginning in small things, The earliest time that Methodist preachers found a spot to lift their standard, of which there is any record or recollection, was at the barn of Abraham Woolston, in Port Colden (a mile from the church), in about 1810 or 1812, in a log house, once in four weeks, on Tuesday afternoons. When Mr. Woolston built his stone house (which is still standing at the foot of plane No. 6 west on the Morris Canal) preaching was continued there. The families who would meet there were " few and far be- tween." Mr. Emery lived at Karrsville (or, a> at that time called, Timber Swamp); John Potts lived at Brass Castle ; Betsy Mount and Mr. Mathews, with Mr. Woolston, lived at Port Colden. To these were ackled by removals into the neighborhood David Ross, Jonah Smith, Francis Williams, Rev. Benjamin Col- lins, and others. In 1820, Col. William McCullough became converted and joined the Methodist Church. His son-in-law, Henry Hankinson, a lawyer, who was admitted to the bar in 1794 and practiced law in Washington, became connected with the church, and through additions by conversions and removals into the neighborhood the society deemed itself strong enough to begin the erection of a church. On June 2, 1825, Col. William McCullough and Mary, his wife, exeented and delivered a deed to James Rusling, Ben- jamin Collins, Barnabas Olp, and Imla Drake, trus- teus, for the acre of ground upon which the church is erected and the burying-ground, for the consideration of $150, which deed is recorded in the Warren County clerk's office, in Book 1 of deeds, pages 25 and 26. Afterwards, on the 14th day of March, 1829, the or- ganization became legally incorporated under the laws

the doctrine of the premillennial advent the most important part of the RostH'I. Willst attH the pastor of this church his views of baptism be- came changed, and repairIng to New York he was Immersed by Dr. Cone. For this ampl other reasons his relation was dissolved by Presbytery, April 23, Is51, and his name erased October 9th.

· Rev. John Turbitt, installed In November, 1851, and dismissed in November, 1852. He was from the north of Ireland, Int educated in this country, and liconsed by the Presbytery of Newlub. His "crack sermon" was on the text, "I am fearfully and wonderfully made" (Is. cxxxix. 14). He still lives in Hlinols, though not in the ministry.

+ Rev. Solomon McNair, previously of Donegal Presbytery, was in- stalled May 12, 18554.

I ny Oscar Jollery, Esq.

of the State by excenting a certificate of incorpora- tion and taking the name, "The Trustees of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of the Village of Wash- ington." The certificate of incorporation was signed by Henry Hankinson, Francis Williams, Jonah M. Smith, Cornelius Benjamin, Gershom Rusling, and is recorded in Book I of corporations. The church was built in 1825, but at what time it was dedicated we have no knowledge. It was the first church edifice that was ever creeted within the limits of the borough of Washington. The Presbyterian church then stood in the old Mansfield burying-ground, and was not built in the borough of Washington until twelve years after the Methodist church was completed. The church became a part of the Asbury Circuit, which at that time included half of Warren County and part of Hunterdon, and was within the bounds of the Philadelphia Conference, which was divided in 1836, and the New Jersey Conference formed, which comprised the State of New Jersey and a small part of the States of New York and Pennsylvania. In 1856 the New Jersey Conference was divided by the General Conference, and the Newark Conference formed, which includes the borough of Washington. The church has been in three Conferences,

The original edifice was very small, -not much larger, if any, than the present chapel,-with one aisle down the middle. The first church was taken down in 1856 and a new church 56 by 44 feet was built in its place while Rev. William Copp was pastor, and remained as then constructed until 1864, when it was enlarged by an addition of 30 feet at a cost of several thousand dollars, which added greatly to the appearance and convenience of the building. It was dedicated after the enlargement on the 10th of May, 1865, by Bishop Simpson. The improvements were made under the pastor, Rev. John Hanlon, who was the pastor from 1863 to 1866; he was a young man of great ability and energy, and withal was very popular.

The church in the fall of Isso again had another addition made to it, which was a recess 16 feet deep by 20 feet wide, constructed for a large pipe-organ, when it was refrescoed and otherwise improved, until it is now one of the prettiest amlience-rooms in Northern New Jersey. These last improvements were made under the present pastor, Rev. R. Van- horn.

The church always formed a part of the Asbury Circuit until the year 1855, when it was taken off' the Asbury Circuit, and with the church at Broadway formed n separate charge; the two churches had a membership of 149 white and 2 colored members. The two charges continued together until the year 1861, when it became a separate charge, and Rev. Joseph R. Adams was appointed preacher in charge ; the first report he made to the Annual Conference was 115 members and 75 probationers, and the probable value of the church was $6000. In 185G the trustees purchased a house on Washington Avenue of Alex-

570

WARREN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

ander McClary for a parsonage. This was, in IS66, sold at public sale to John Walmsley for $1500, which sale was confirmed by an act of the Legislature. The trustees then purchased two lots on Jackson Avenue of James Allen, and the same year erected the present large and commodious parsonage. The Annual Con- ference has looked upon this church as a very im- portant appointment; being located in a beautiful and fertile valley, it was a point worthy of being cared for. Since it became separate from Asbury the ministers appointed were among the best in Con- ference .*

The first was Rev. Wm. Copp, who was appointed in 1855, stayed two years; io the spring of 1857, Rev. Martin Herr, who is now superannuated, continued for two years. He was succeeded by Rev. Amos Belles, who was continued for two years. At the close of his term Broadway was set off from Washington, and Rev. Jos. R. Adams was the first minister ; he served two years, and was succeeded by Rev. John Hanlon, who stayed three years (the law of the church being altered so that a minister could re- maio three years). In the spring of 1866 the Annual Conference met in Washington, and Rev. Wm. Day was appointed from Hedding Church, Jersey City. He continued for two years, and was succeeded by Rev. N. Vansant, who had been presiding elder in the Jersey City District. Mr. Vansant continued one year, then was appointed presiding elder in the Newton District. Mr. Vansant was succeeded by Rev. Robt. B. Yard, who continued for three years; he then went to Hedding Church, Jersey City. Mr. Yard, while in Washington, made himself an active aod use- ful citizen ; he became proprietor and editor of the Washington Ster in 1872. Rev. J. Il. Dally was appointed pastor; he continued until the spring of 1874, when, owing to ill health, he was succeeded by Rev. M. E. Ellison, who had been presiding elder in the district for four years preceding. He continued the allotted term of three years, and was suc- ceeded by Rev. J. J. Reed, who was appointed from Orange, N. J., in the spring of 1877; he continued for three years, and was succeeded hy Rev. R. Vanhorn, who was appointed io the spring of 1880.

All of these ministers ranked high in their Confer- ence, and most of them were from the best churches in the cities. The salaries of the ministers grew apace with the church, commencing with $600 as soon as it was set apart by itself, and continued to increase until it reached, in 1873, 81800. Owing to depression in business, it receded to $1200 in 1880. While Rev. J. H. Dally was pastor a large number withdrew to form a new charge at Port Colden, with a church organiza- tion of its own.

Some prominent men of the county have been con- nected with this church. Among the earliest were the Woolverton and the Rusling families.t Also Maj. Hankinson, a lawyer and a man of means, and James H. Groff, who died in 1879. The latter made his house a home for Methodist preachers, aud in his will bequeathed the church $1000, having previously given it the chapel lot, on the corner of School Street and Washington Avenue. He was president of the board of trustees when he died. Another prominent member, Judge Philip H. Hann, has been the treas- urer for seventeen years, and Oscar Jeffery, a lawyer, has been the recording steward for fifteen years.

From this church have gone some very able and

useful ministers of the Methodist Church. Among the earliest was John Potts, who began to preach in 1820 or thereabouts, and was for a long time a useful and valuable minister of the Philadelphia Conference. Ralph Arndt, a son of John Arndt, was one of the most prominent Methodists of the county. When the New Jersey Couference divided he became a mem- ber of the Newark Conference ; he has been presiding elder. Another minister, George W. Smith, a son of Samuel Smith, of Port Colden, enjoys a high stand- ing among his brethren in the ministry. Having no means to procure an education, he educated himself by his earnings, graduated at Drew Theological Sem- inary, and has preached in and around Newark for several years.

There has always been in connection with the church a Sunday-school, which has done its part in adding to the power and influence of the church.

PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCHI.

May 30, 1872, a meeting of the members and friends of the Protestant Episcopal Church was held at the Van Doren House, and an organization effected, under the auspices of the Rev. Mr. Martin, of Hackettstown. It was intended to be a "mission" of the church at the last-named point. The officers elected were Rev. Mr. Martin, President; J. O. McClellan, Secretary ; and William Appleby, Treasurer. Meetings were held at first in the Good Templar's hall, in Matti- son's Block, on alternate Sabbaths, Rev. Mr. Martin and others officiating. Later, they met in what is now the Methodist chapel, on the corner of Washing- ton Avenue and School Street. But, for some cause, the laudable efforts to found a church of this faith were not fruitive. At the present time the church here has no chapel, aud seldom holds services.

TIIE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.

This church was started here over twenty years ago, and Rev. Wm. Myers was the first pastor. Others who served the church were John A. Hammon, J. R. Davis, and Jas. Henry Turner. But the church be- came badly disorganized, and so continued for some time, until the advent of Rev. Amos Brown, two or three years ago, who is entitled to the credit of up- building the church. He gathered together the scat- tered flock, kept them in harmony, and made acces- sions to their number. The present pastor is Rev. Carlos Green. Number of members, 24. It sustains a Sabbath-school of about 32 members. The erection of a church was commenced in 1879, which, although not fully completed, is used by the society. The pres- ent trustees are James Miller, David Simons, and George A. Lidy.

ST. JOSEPH'S (ROMAN CATHOLIC) CHIURCII.

Prior to the erection of a church, mass was cele- brated in Washington at the house of James Allen. The Allens, contractors on the Morris and Essex

* The appointments to the charge during the time it was connected with Asbury Circuit are beyond my power to get at present .- O. J.

+ James Rusliog, the father, was among the first to be buried in tho graveyard ; his grave is on the west side of the church. He lived nt Beutyetown.

571

WASHINGTON BOROUGHI.

Railroad, were among the carly and most prominent families of the Roman Catholic faith located at this point, and did much towards sustaining worship in the days when the church was weak and few in numbers, The Rev. Fathers R. Leonard and Francis ('Neil (of New llampton Junction) held occasional services here prior to 1870. The first settled pastor, Rev. Patrick E. Smyth, came here in 1871, but in 1872 was transferred to Madison, N. J. It was during his pas- toral charge that the church edifice was built. The corner-stone was laid on Sunday, May 5, 1872, with appropriate ceremonies, the Very Rev. Dr. Carrigan, vicar-general of the diocese of Newark, officiating, assisted by Fathers MeKin, of Trenton, O'Reilly, of Phillipsburg, O'Neill, of Hampton Junction, and Smyth, the pastor here. The church was completed in the summer of 1872. It is located on Belvidere Avenue, is 40 by 75 feet, and cost about $12,000. P. C. Keely was the architect. It can comfortably seat 300 persons.

The present pastor, Rev. Patrick A. Treacy, took charge of "St. Rose's Parish," Oxford, of which this church is an adjunct, in 1873. The parsonage was erected in 1875, by Father Treacy, the funds for the same being given by Thomas Halloran, deceased. A cemetery was established in 1880. This church has a present membership of nearly 200 persons, Its pas- tor has charge also of the Oxford and Belvidere churches, this parish being in the diocese of Newark. Services are held in Washington three Sabbaths in each month, in the morning.

V .- PUBLIC SCHOOL.

In the numbered school districts of the county the " Washington District" is known as No. 31. The early school-houses of this district are mentioned in the history of the township. The present school building is one of the most conspicuous objects in the borough. It is a noble structure, and one of which the town may well be proud. It was erected in 1873-74, at a cost of $24,000.

The school trustees in 1868 were Nathan Dilts, W. HI. Boyd, and Dr. N. Jennings. At the present time (Ist ) the board is composed of the following-named gentlemen: Jacob Creveling, Jacob V. Carter, and William E. Cummings.

When Washington was incorporated as a borough, in 1868, its educational interests were duly consid- ered, as is shown in the following section, excerpted from its charter :

"27. And be it enacted, That the said borough shall be entitled to its just proportion of the school fund of this State, to be nscertained in the manner in which the quotas in the townships are or may be ascertained, subject to the provisions of the school law ; the sand town shall be sub- ject to Its just and equitable proportion of all debts and liabilities to which the Inhabitants of the township of Washington, In the county of Warren, are now subject, and bo entitled to all its just aml equitable proportion of all the money and property now belonging to the inhalt itants of the township of Washington, in the conuty of Warren, which mail debt and liabilities, atul niso the sall money and property, shall be divided between the said borough and tuwuship of Washington, Warren

County, in proportion to the taxable property and ratables as taxed by the assessor ut the last assessment, within the respective lisette of the raid borough and township, and any money or property to which the sald borough may be so entitled shall be applied, under the supervision of the Common Council, for the purpose and in the manner for and in which they are now authorized to be used by said township, and the said borough slinll also be entitled to receive its just quota of the proceeds of the serplus revenue apportioned to the State of New Jersey, in the same manner as the several townships in Warren County."

The school statistics of this district for the year 1879, the last full school year for which a report had been published when this article was compiled, pre- sent the following facts: Amount of money received from all sources for public school purposes, 84493; present value of school property, $25,000; number of children of school age in the district, 603, of whom 520 were enrolled on the school register during the year; number of teachers employed, 7, of whom 6 were females.

J. Terwilleger is the present principal .*

VI .- SOCIETIES AND CORPORATIONS.

Masonry, alike in its symbolic, capitular, cryptic, and chivalric branches, is represented in Washington by the lodge, chapter, council, and commandery. All of these organizations meet in Masonic Hall,

THE BEATTY BUILDING-MASONIC HALL, AND FIRST NATIONAL BANK.

located in the third story of the brick block on the corner of Broad Street and Washington Avenue. No finer lodge-hall can be found in Northern New Jer- sey. It is artistically frescoed and elaborately fur- nished : connected therewith are a banquet-hall and an armory.

MANSFIELD LODGE, No. 31, A. F. AND A. M.

" Mansfield Lodge, No. 31," was organized under tlispensation of the Grand Lodge, granted Aug. 23, 1814, and the first meeting was hell on the 31st of that month, at which session the following were present :

Caleb Dusenberry, W. M. ; Robert C. Thompson, S. W .; Adam Runkle, J. W .; Corneline Meintire, S. D., pro ten. ; B. Gustin, visitor from Inde- pendente Lodge, J. D., pro tem .; T. L. Woodruff, visitor from Trentou Judge, Sec., pro lem.

October 31st, Brothers Dusenberry and Thompson were appointed a committee to attend the Grand

* The tenchers in the Contenulal year (1876 were: Room No. ], Miss Cooke: No. 2, Mies Davis; No. 3, Miss Hampton ; No. 4, Miss Fonuer ; No. 5, Miss Whlte; No. 6, Mrs. Wittie; No. 7, William D. Custerline (principal).

572

WARREN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Lodge at Trenton, and present the petition for a war- rant to establish a regular lodge at this place.

The following are the names of the officers and members of Mansfield Lodge, No. 31, held by dis- pensation in Mansfield, in the county of Sussex, from the date of dispensation to Nov. 7, 1814 :

Caleb Dusenberry, Esq., M .; Col. Robert C. Thompson, S. W .; Adam Runkle, J. W .; David P. Shrops, Treas. ; Samuel S. Gregory, Sec .; Philip Stires, Tyler ; Benjamin T. Hunt, Cornelius Mclntire, Joseph Barton, Johannes Rsx Pardee, Henry Hankinson, John P. Robeson, Peter K. Weller, James Baird, Imla Drake, Joseph V. Wilson.

At the November session of the Grand Lodge "a petition was presented by Brother Caleb Dusenberry and eleven others, all Master Masons, praying that a warrant may be granted unto them to form a new lodge, in the township of Mansfield, in the county of Sussex, to be called Mansfield Lodge, No. 31, was read, whereupon, after due consideration, it was

" Ordered, That a warrant do issue to Caleb Dnsenberry, First Master; Robert C. Thompson, Senior Warden; and Adam Runkle, Junior War- den, of said lodge."

In accordance with the above action, the Grand Master issued the warrant. It bears date of Nov. 8, 1814.

Where the lodge met in its infancy the records do not state. The first mention is of date Jan. 9, 1815, when a committee was appointed to ascertain "upon what terms a suitable room or building can be pro- cured for this lodge." The report of this committee is not recorded, nor of a later committee appointed for a similar purpose ; but, Sept. 18, 1815, " Brothers Hankinson and Wilson were appointed to wait upon Brother Drake for the purpose of being informed whether it will be inconvenient for him to accommo- date this lodge hereafter with a convenient room, and report to the next stated meeting." Further than this the records are singularly silent upon the matter.

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History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 141

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