History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 170

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 170
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 170

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District No. 8 includes Uniontown. At that point a log school-house stood in 1810 near where the pres- ent house stands. Jacob Mellich was then the teacher, and was the teacher there for many years afterwards. Tiring of teaching, he went to storekeeping in Frank- lin township. Uniontown school was frequented by children from a considerable distance, and in the winter as many as forty scholars daily drank in learn- ing there. The trustees in 1881 of No. 8 were .John Stryker, George Dutt, and James Allshouse.

The first school-house put up in District No. 11 was a frame, built in 1818, upon the line between the lands of Christian Sharp and Barnett De Witt. The first teacher was a Yankee named Miller. He may have been a good teacher, but the boys did not like him for the reason that they did not like Yankees nny way. William Roseberry sent six boys to Mil-

ler's school, and the six boys, aided and abetted by other boys, made Miller's life a burden. On one oc- casion they raised a row because of his attempt to coerce them into obedience, and in the course of the melee they bundled him out of doors by the heels. The Roseberrys had also a habit of shooting at Miller with arrows through open windows, and pursued, in short, divers and sundry schemes with the one fell purpose of persecuting him. Miller stood it one quarter, and then retired permanently in disgust. Goodrich, another Yankee teacher, followed him, but he fared quite as badly, and in a short time was beaten off. After that Yankee teachers fought shy of the school.

The present school-house in District No. 11 was built in 1850. The trustees in 1881 were George Brakeley, Alvin Mellich, and H. S. Shimer.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

THE BOYER FAMILY.

George Boyer, the grandfather of John HI. Boyer, was born Sept. 26, 1776, near Durham. June 16, 1799, he married Anna Maclin, who was born Dec. 23, 1779, in Hunterdon Co., N. J. In March, 1800, they moved to the place which is now known as the old homestead, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Mrs. Boyer died April 6, 1865, and MIr. Boyer's death occurred Jan. 10, 1868. They had three chil- dren, -- viz., Michael, David W., and Catharine. Michael, whose biography appears on another page of this work, was born March 26, 1804, and in March, 1826, was married to Naomi Howell, who was born Oct. I, 1802, in Phillipsburg, N. J. They had three sons and four daughters, of whom one son and three daughters are now deceased. Michael Boyer died dere. John H. Boyer, son of Michael, was born Jan. 21, 1827, and Feb. 18, 1847, married Sarah II., daughter of Hon. John and Ruth P. Cline, of New Village, Warren Co., N. J. She was born Feb. 24, 1825. They had three children, the first of whom died in infancy ; the others were John C. and Annie E. The old homestead, on which some member of the Boyer family has resided since 1800, is located in the town- ship of Lopatcong, about three and a half miles from Phillipsburg. It consists of one hundred and ninety- six acres, of which one hundred and eighty ure in u high state of cultivation. The buildings are in good repair, the farm is well watered, and it has every con- venience that could be desired by n modern farmer. This property was owned previous to 1769 by John and Allan Turner, at which time it was sold to John Welsh, and from him or his descendants it was pur- chased by George Boyer in 1800.

FRELINGHUYSEN.®

I .- GEOGRAPHICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE.

THIS is one of the northeast border townships of Warren County, and was formed from Hardwiek township in 1848, and named in honor of Hon. Theo- dore Frelinghuysen. It is bounded on the northeast by Snssex Connty, on the southeast by Allamuchy and Independence townships, on the southwest by Hope and Blairstown townships, and on the northwest and north by Hardwick township, the Paulins Kill Creek being the dividing line. The township covers an area of 22.69 square miles, or 14,522 acres, and con- tained in 1880 a population of 1042.

II .- NATURAL FEATURES.

Nature seems to have dealt roughly with this town- ship in covering its surface with hills and hollows and rocky knobs. The Jenny Jump Mountains form a part of the southeast boundary line. "Mount Ras- cal" is a high limestone knob in the village of John- sonburg, whose crest is covered with evergreens and scrub oaks; it is a resort for Sunday card-players, etc., hence the name. The several small tributaries of Paulins Kill drain the northwest portion of the town- ship, while "Bear Creek" and its several branches rising in this township drain the southeast corner, and "Trout Brook" the southwest. There are several small and beautiful sheets of water bearing the names of Sink, Hazen, Cook's, Savacool, Glover's, and Luse Ponds.

III .- EARLY SETTLEMENTS AND PIONEER INCIDENTS.

Long before Warren County was known, and even before Sussex County (from which Warren was taken) was thought of, and more than a century before this territory was named Frelinghuysen, the township was settled by a few German pioneers, whose love for free- dom and religions liberty had led them out into this then howling wilderness in quest of a home where they might enjoy the freedom of thought and act ac- cording to the dictates of their conscience without fear of molestation from any one. Among those hon- est, industrious pioneers were such names as Green, Armstrong, Kennedy, Pettit, Van Horn, Linn, Hazen, Dyer, Cook, Shaw, Everitt, and others, who settled the country in and around what is now Johnsonburg.

Other pioneers there were who stopped along the Paulins Kill, and among those we find the names of

Laing, Thompson, Boyles, Mizner, IIankinson, Hunt, Goble, Collins, and others, previous to 1770.

Among those hardy pioneers we find Samuel Ken- nedy, M.D., who located at Johnsonburg, and who was the first practicing physician in all this section of country of a fixed location. His practice extended so far over the country that professional visits of twenty- five or thirty miles were no uncommon event in his career. He is said to have been an able practitioner, and prepared a large number of students for the pro- fession. Drs. Linn, Everitt, and others of later gen- erations, received their first instructions in the manip- ulations of the old " Turnkey" from this old Escula- pian veteran. He died in 1804, at an advanced age.

The Mott family were also among the early settlers in this township, and located in what is known as the . Mott settlement, yet there is scarcely one of the name left in the township.

The Thomson family, Jacob and Mark, located near what is now Markshoro', and were men of mueh in- fluence in the early history of old Hardwick. Col. Mark Thomson, after whom Markshoro' was named, was a colonel in the Revolutionary war, while Jacob was one of the enterprising men of his time, and a lawyer.

The landed estate now owned by Jacob Mingle, above Paulina, was settled upon over one hundred years ago by the father of Henry Mingle. The Riee property, on the hill above Paulina, is now owned by J. V. Van Campen and John V. Allen. Judge Elias Mushback, George Van Horn, and Robert Denman were among the early settlers at Johnsonburg. The Vasbinder, Lundy, Cooke, Durling, Albertson, Vliet, and Wildrick families located in the south part of the township.

The Vasbinder property was owned by Uzal O. Howell, and he at one time had a saw-mill at this place.

ORIGINAL COUNTY-SEAT, LOG JAIL, ETC.

June 8, 1753, the Assembly passed " An Act for erecting the upper part of Morris County, in New Jersey, into a separate county, to be called the County of Sussex, and for building a court-house and gaol in cach." It was provided, however, that " all her eiti- zens, legally qualified," might at the proper time " appear at Trenton, or elsewhere iu the county of Hunterdon, as occasion should be, and there vote in conjunction with the freeholders of Morris and Hnn- terdon for two persons to serve as members of the

* By W. II. Shaw.

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said Assembly." As Trenton was quite distant, and the roads not at all inviting, it is reasonable to pre- sume that the people of what is now Frelinghuysen did not often exercise the privilege of voting.

The first court of justice held in Sussex ( now War- ren) County was opened in the house of Jonathan Pettit, in Hardwick (now Frelinghuysen), in what is now the village of Johnsonburg, Nov. 20, 1753. His Majesty's ordinance constituting the Courts of Com- mon l'leas and Quarter Sessions was read, as also were the commissions of Jonathan Robeson, Abra- ham Van Campen, John Anderson, Jonathan l'ettit, and Thomas Woolverton, Esqrs., judges of the Pleas. These men were likewise empowered to act as justices of the peace, in connection with Richard Gardner, Obadiah Ayres, Japhet Byram, and Peter Decker. Jeremiah Condy Russell was appointed clerk, and Joseph Brackenridge was duly qualified to serve as high sheriff of the county. Joseph Perry, of "New- town," was sworn as constable, and the organization of the court was completed, with the exception of the attendance of grand and petit jurors, who necessarily had not been summoned for lack of officers duly empowered to select and notify them. Nothing was done at this term except to grant tavern li- censes and fix the rates at which innkeepers should dispose of their liquors, provender, ete. Among others thus licensed was Jonathan P'ettit, of this township.

Upon the formation of the county one of the most pressing needs to be supplied was the erection of a jail. Accordingly, on March 21, 1754, the board of justices and freeholders (the first body of the kind ever convened in the territory now embraced in the counties of Sussex and Warren) met at the dwelling- house of Samuel Green, in Hardwick (now Freling- huysen, and near where the village of Johnsonburg* now stands), and appointed a meeting of all the qual- ified persons in the county to be held at the house of said Green on the 16th, 17th, and 18th days of April, 1754, "to eleet a place to build a jail and eourt-house." This meeting of the citizens was duly held, and the jail was ordered to be built near Jonathan Pettit's tavern, and the county to bear the expense.

Jonathan l'ettit and Richard Lundy, Jr. (both of Frelinghuysen), superintended the ercetion of the jail, and Samuel Green, upon whose premises it was located,t gave n bond in the penalty of £500 to secure the county of Sussex "the uninterrupted liberty and use of the ground where the jail is built by Jonathan l'ettit's while the court is continued there, and when removed from thence, the liberty of taking away the iron in said jail whenever the board of justices and freeholders shall see fit to do so." In the course of a few weeks the building was completed. The cost was £41 38. 1d., about £30 whereof were expended for iron and blacksmithing. It may well be imagined that

a building thus cheaply constructed was not very well adapted to the safe-keeping of prisoners, and so it proved. Escapes from it were frequent, notwith- standing that it was guarded from time to time by a watchman, who was paid the sum of five shillings for every twenty-four hours he was on duty. During the nine years it was used as a place of public detention the county became responsible, on account of the flight of imprisoned debtors, to the amount of nearly £600, or fourteen times the expense of building the jail.

The courts were held at the house of Jonathan Pettit, near the log jail, in what is now Frelinghuy- sen township, from November, 1753, to February, 1756, when they were removed to Newton. During the brief time the courts were held in this township the business mainly related to the collection of debts, some cases of assault, and a few offenses against chastity ; but no crime of special magnitude required to be judicially investigated.#

PROFITS OF PIONEER OFFICE-HOLDING.

We have been permitted to appropriate the follow- ing from Mrs. Robert Blair's scrap-book, written by Dr. W. P. Vail, one of the early physicians of Fre- linghuysen :

" England, in some of her warfares with France, on the continent of North America, was aided by the colonists, for which ald compensation was rendered in money, paid yearly for a number of years.

" The share that fell to New Jersey was sufficient to defray the ex- penses of the internal administration, so that it was not necessary to levy taxes, thereby rendering the election of assessors and collectore almiost a matter of mere form. During this state of things, at a certain town- meeting somewhere between 1738-53, Josiah Dyer, who had moved to New Jersey from Bucks Co., l'a., was persuaded, though much against hls will. to accept the office of assessor, in view of the almost certain fact that It would of course require no active service. However, it so happened that the annual portlon falling to New Jersey from Great Brit- tinn was not enough to meet the public demand of that year, and Mr. Dyer, in consequence, received the unexpected and very unwelcome onler to assess the township of Hardwick, then comprising the townships of Independence, Green, Stillwater, Frelinghuysen, Allamuchy, and what is now Hardwick.

" This order came just as Mr. Dyer was preparing for his fall seeding, yet everything had to be dropped for the assessment, which consumed the whole season for seeding, thereby involving a total loss of a crop of winter grain. His next labor was to attend the meeting of the board of assessors nt Morris Town, the county-sent (Sussex and Warren then both belonged to Morris), and In this journey his traveling expenses in thiso days of bad roads, or rather no roads at all, and slow locomotion, whelly absorbed his fees, and left him minns a small amount besides."

This incident was related to Dr. Vail by Isaac Dennis, who was cognizant of the facts. There is a wide difference between the labor and pay of an assessor of one hundred and forty years ago and at the present day.

A PIONEER TAVERX

in this township was that of Jonathan Pettit, and before mentioned. As near as can be ascertained, the old tavern, built of logs, stood on the site now ocet- pied by the residence of William Van Horn. After the county-seat was located there the old log tavern became too small to provide room for parties having

I See page 150, et mey., In this work.

* Formerly spelled Johnsonaburgh.

t The old " Log Gnol" stood on the site partly covered by the wagon- house of Robert Blair, In the village of Johnsonburg.

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business at conrt, but, instead of enlarging his house, Mr. Pettit built other log houses as increased business demanded, until he had four or five of these outside lodging-houses standing in line on the opposite side of the road.

THE DARK MOON TAVERN.

This pioneer hostelry was located about 13 miles from Log Jail, on the road to Greensville, and was kept prior to, and a long time after, the Revolu- tionary war. Its large old-fashioned swinging sign had a black moon painted on a white ground, which gave to it and the surrounding neighborhood the name of "Dark Moon Tavern." Those acquainted with the topography of the county in that vicinity are aware that it is well suited for a place of the kind for which it had a wide reputation. Many stories and thrilling adventures are told of this tavern, which in its palmiest days was the rendezvons for the most desperate characters for miles around.

The Sunday amusements were horse-racing, quoit- pitching, card-playing, ete., and tradition has it that the monotony of these seenes was enlivened occa- sionally by the murder of some unsuspecting guest.

WHITE PILGRIM OF LOG JAIL.

The ministry was not, and is not now, without its " odd characters." Joseph Thomas, one of the pio- neer preachers in this seetion of country, was one of those living oddities, and known far and near as the " White Pilgrim." He always rode a white horse, wore a white hat, white elothes, and boots as near white as the native leather could be without blaeking, hence the name, "White Pilgrim." He was an evangelist of the "Christian" order, and lived in Ohio. He came to Johnsonburg, or Log Jail, in 1835, during his wanderings up and down the earth. His first and only sermon was preached in the old Episcopal church, now the residence of Mrs. Van Ness. Immediately after preaching he was taken siek with what proved to be smallpox, from the effeets of which he died in a few days, and was buried in the old graveyard near the " Dark Moon Tavern."

During a convention of Christian ministers held at Johnsonburg in 1846, his remains were removed to the Christian burying-ground near the present church, where a fitting memorial was ereeted hy the church at a cost of $125.

His zeal as an evangelist seems to have been almost unbounded.

While standing beside the old grave of Mr. Thomas, at Dark Moon graveyard, Mr. J. Ellis, of Irvington, N. J., wrote the poem entitled "White Pilgrim." Notwithstanding nearly every one has read the poem, the first and last verses are here given :

" I came to the spot Where the White Pilgrim lay, And pensively stood by his tomb; When in a low whisper I heard some one say How sweetly I sleep here alone. * * *

"O tell my companion And children most dear, To weep not for Joseph, though gone;

The same hand that led me

Through scenes dark and drear Has kindly conducted me heme."

THE OLD PIG DROVER OF LOG JAIL.

Nearly every community has its "character," its "living oddity." Log Jail had such a one, for a while at least. In the summer of 1828, William Rankin, while teaching school at the " Log Jail" and boarding at the village tavern, first met and became interested in the "Old Pig Drover," who at that time was a man about fifty years of age, of burly appear- ance, langhter-loving, and had in a high degree a gift of inciting others to laugh.

Mr. Rankin determined upon finding out something more of this unique eharaeter; from Judge Mush- baek he gleaned the following : The old man had been known for a number of years previously in that sec- tion of country, and all that time had diligently fol- lowed the humble occupation of purchasing shoats and driving them to market. No one seemed to know whence he came or whither he went, further than that he would collect a drove, drive them to mar- ket, and return about every two months. The judge said it had been surmised by himself and a few others that he was " a character in disguise." The old man continued to make his periodic trips, always tarrying as he passed at the "Log Jail," as this seemed to be his headquarters.

The time at length arrived when the "Old Pig Drover" was to return to his home and friends in the sunny South. In the summer of 1829 he assumed the role of farmer, instead of pig drover, and worked for a Mr. Blair in what is now Knowlton township, where he was found by friends that had years gone by given up all hope of ever again looking upon the bodily form of Samuel Fulton. This was the result of a lengthy correspondence between Mr. Rankin, Dr. W. P. Vail, and Fulton's friends. In a letter from his son, James Fulton, of Fayetteville, Tenn., he says that in the great financial crisis at the close of the war of 1812 his father, who had been do- ing an extensive business, failed. After an almost su- perhuman struggle to meet his creditors' demands, he broke down entirely and withdrew from the world and knowledge of friends and family.

There may be many still living who remember the "Old Pig Drover," for he was indeed a " character in disguise." Sixty years ago, when he used to take his drove of pigs from Warren County through Morris, and even into Essex County, all along the road he was an objeet of curiosity. It was evident that he had not always been in his then ragged and dirty eon- dition. When animated in conversation relating what he had heard and seen, he would kindle into true eloquence, his eyes would dilate and flash, and his face would beam with the expression of a soul as-

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serting its native dignity and power. He had heard with appreciative sympathy such orators as Patrick Henry, and he loved to personate them, and could do it effectively, and to listen to him on such occasions was no small enjoyment. ITis true character was a higher and loftier one than that assumed as " The Old Pig Drover of Log Jail."

IV .- CIVIL ORGANIZATION.

By virtue of an act of the Legislature of New Jersey passed March 7, 1848, "all that part of the township of Hardwick lying south of the Paulin's Kill" was set off into a separate township, to be called and known as the "township of Frelinghuysen," and in obedience to the third section of said act the inhabitants of the township held their first annual town-meeting at the house of Jonathan Jones, inn- keeper, in Johnsonburg, on Monday, April 10, 1848. It was organized by choosing Robert T. Johnson judge of election and Frederick Cook town clerk. The fol- lowing persons were then elected to the several offices named for the ensuing year,-viz. :

Frederick Cook, Town Clerk ; Robert T. Johnson, Judge of Election ; David HI. Aimistrung, Assessor ; Robert F. Simpson, Collector ; Sam- son G. Howell, William HI. Cooke, Chosen Freeholders; Henry Min- gle, Isane H. Van Horn, Surveyors of Highways; Nathan K. Hazen, Ira Kerr, Philip S. Howell, Commissioners of Appeals; William Armstrong, George Crockett, Constables; Dennis Lindley, John C'reveling, Overseers of Poor ; Abram 11. Cooke, Levi Lanning, Henry Mott, John W. Vusbinder, Dennis Rice, Town Committee; David Miller, Pound-Keeper; Joseph L'Homilion, Peter Mellick, Justices of the l'enco ; Overseers of Highways: No. 1, John Harris; 2, George Wilson ; 3, William C. Hiblor ; 4, Joseph Hodden ; 5, Charles D. Sim- mons; 6, Potor S. Slackbower; 7, John M. Wildrick ; 8, John Sher- wood; 9, Abram 11. Cooko; 10, Job J. Shaw; 11, Herbert P. Smith ; 12, John W. Vasbinder; 13, Franc S. Hendershott; 14, Aaron Luce; 15, George Crockett.

The following appropriations were also voted by the township: For township, $125.00; for repairs of highways, 8625.00; interest of surplus revenue appro- priated to schools. It was also decided by vote that the next annual town-meeting should be held at Marksboro', and the next annual election at John- sonburg.

The following is a complete list of the principal officers of the township, from its organization to and including 1881 :

TOWN CLERKS.

1848-52, Frederick Cook; 1853-51, Ira Cooke; 1855-57, John Johnson; 1858-60, John N. Givens ; 1561, Martin 31. Drake; 1862-61, 1868-69, Robert T. Smith ; 1865-67, Aaron R. Cooko; 1870-72, Peter Van Ness . 1873-75, Frederick F. Jennings; 1876, Julius H. Clark ; 1877-78, Lewis A. Suvacool ; 1879-81, W. If. Hawk.

ASSESSORS.

1848-49, David H. Armstrong; 1850-52, Lewis J. Youngblikul; 1853-54. Auron H1. Cooke; 1855-57, 1867-60, Levi J. Howell; 1858-60, Jub J. Shaw; 1861-63, Hugh S. Wintermute; 1861-66, Samuel D. Rend; 1870-72, Joseph E. Dyor; 1873-75, Jacob Cook ; 1876-78, William S. Van Ilorn, Jr .; 1879, Frederick F. Jennings; 1850, Aaron K. WHl- drick ; 1881, John 11. Ward,

COLLECTORS.

1848-49, Robert F. Simpson ; 1850-61, Charles Edgerton ; 1852, George Van Horn; 1853, Abram S. Von Horn; 185-1, Edward Chandler; 1855-57, John S. Ball; 1858-60, Joho V. Allen ; 1861-63, Jonathan

Lundy ; 1864-66, Cummins O. Harris; 1867-69, Aaron H. Allen ; 1870-72, Abraliam Cool; 1-73-75, Alfred W. Cook ; 1-76-81, George W. Lundy.

CHOSEN FREEHOLDERS.

1848-49, Sampson G. Howell, William li. Cooke; 1850-51, Isano IF. Van Horn, Philip S. Howoil ; 1852, Robert Blair ; 1>53, Sampson G. How- (11; 18H-86, Job J. Shaw ; 1x57-39, Isaac Vought ; 1860-62, John S. Ball ; 1863-65, George W. Staley : 1x66-6%, William Cool ; 1869-71, Watson V. Henry ; 1872-74, Levi J. Howell; 1×75-77, John Mingle ; 1-78-81, Jonsh Howell.

TOWN COMMITTEES.

1848 .- Abram IT. Cooke, Levi Lanuing, Henry Mott, John W. Vas- binder, Dennis Rico.

1819 .- A. H. Cooke, L. Lanbing, Henry Mott, John W. Vasbinder, EH Firth.

1:50, -- A. H. Cooko, L. Lanning, H. Mott, J. W. Vastdindor, Joseph Hendden.

1851 .- A. Il. Cooke, I .. Lanning, John Bescherrer, J. Heulden, John S. ('oko.

1852 .- Nathan K. Hazen, John Givens, David Luse, J. Headden, Isaac Sharp, Jr.

1853,-N. K. Hazen, Samuel Mayberry, L. Lanning, Isaac Sharp, Jr., Jacob N Shivener.

1874 .- N. K. Hazen, S. Mayberry, 1 .. Lanning, Iranc Sharp, Jr., Isaac Vought.

1855,-Kelley Westbrook, Isunc Vought, Henry Mott, L. Lanning, Ira Kerr.

1850 .- 1. Vought, 11. Mutt, L. Lanning.

1857 .- Isaac .1. Darling, William I. Teel. L. Lanning, George Cook, Ira Kerr.

1858-60 .- W. S. Cook, George Cook, 1 .. Inuning, William D. Lanterman, I. J. Darling.

1861 .- L. Lanning, Petor Slackbower, William S. Cook, I. J. Durling, Josefılı B. Lus0.

1862 .- P. S. Sluckbower, Joseph L'llomadieu, I. J. Durling, Gideon L. Ilowell, J. B. Luse.

1863 .- A. S. Slackbower, J. L'Homadien, I. J. Durting, G. L. Howell, Abraham I. Wildrick.

1864-65 .- Robert F. Simpson, John Mingle, Samuel O. Ramsay, William Cool, Solomon Jennings.

1866 .- R. F. Simpson, Jobn Mingle, S. O. Ramsay, Frederick Cooke, S. Jennings.

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History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 170

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