History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 182

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 182
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 182

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The pastor now, and for the two years past, is Rev. Mr. Canfield, who also preaches at Beattystown.

THE ROCKPORT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHI

is located about half-way between Rockport and Port Murray, near the canal. It was built about the year 1845. The land was given by David C. Davis. Charles Stewart was president of the board of trus- tees. The first elders were T. H. Tunison, Aaron Bryant, and Mr. Davis. There were not members enough at this place to sustain a pastor, and John Osmun, Charles Stewart, and others went from ITack- ettstown and united with this church. Rev. MIr. Hunt, who lived at Schooley's Mountain, was the first pastor. He preached there many years. During his pastorate the church prospered greatly, and quite a revival followed his labors. Rev. Mr. Lane succeeded Mr. Ilunt, and remained several years. After him came Rev. Mr. Doremus, who also remained for some time. Among other ministers who have preached there were Revs. Simonton, James B. Henshaw, Charles Miln, and Alexander McCandles. For several years past the membership of the church has fallen off to

730

WARREN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

such an extent that it became necessary to unite with the Danville Church in order to receive the fund due each church from the Presbytery.

The present pastor is the Rev. J. P. Clark, who is also pastor of the Danville Church, and resides in the parsonage at the latter place.

VIII .- BURIAL-PLACES.

There are four graveyards in the township, all belonging to the different churches where they are loeated. The oldest is at Mount Bethel, and dates from near the beginning of the present century. The one at Roekport was laid out when the church was built, or about 1846. It belongs to the Presbyterian congregation at this place.

The Baptist graveyard at Port Murray was laid out as sueh when the church was built, in 1845, as was also the one at Anderson, which belongs to the Meth- odist Church at that place.

IX .- INDUSTRIAL PURSUITS.

Mansfield is an agricultural township. Its beautiful farms, large houses, and capacious barns show it to be one of the best grain- and stock-raising districts in the county. One of its profitable industries is iron-ore mining, as has been referred to elsewhere ; also burn- ing lime. The first tannery started in Mansfield was in or about 1792, as before stated, by James Egbert. The business was carried on very extensively under his management, and he kept a large number of teams constantly on the road hauling hides from New York and carrying finished leather baek to market.

A distillery was built by Ziba Osmun near the be- ginning of the present eentury, and was the first one ereeted in the township. Another was erected by James Anderson in 1810. Among the few mills in operation now, probably the largest is owned by John B. Fisher, of Beattystown. There has been a mill lo- cated on this site far back of the memory of any living man. Two mills have been burned, and the one now standing is a large stone structure. It gets its power from the Museonetcong River. William Larison owns a grist-mill on the Pohatcong Creek, about one mile above Karrsville. It has a sufficient quantity of water to enable him to keep his mill running all the year round. H. L. Beatty owns a grist-mill at Cherry-Tree Bend, on a small brook running down from the moun- tain. William L. Ketcham has a saw-mill above Larison's mill, on the Pohatcong.

Reuben Mitchell owns a distillery at Karrsville. It is run by steam, and has a capacity for one hundred gallons a day. This is the only distillery in the town- ship. Zephaniah Hoffman owns a flonr-mill at New- bery, on the Musconeteong.

A slate-quarry, owned by Mr. Thomas, was opened about six months since (in 1880).

There are lime-kilns seattered all over the town- ship, the most extensive, however, being those owned by William Hann. He has three in operation, and

burns lime for the furnace. Other kilns are owned by John Anthony, Jacob Anthony, Samuel Mower, C. Smith, and John H. Hance. There is a very large quantity of lime burned at these points, not only for the blast-furnace, but for use as a fertilizer.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

THOMAS SHIELDS.

Thomas Shields, son of Thomas and Sarah (Cole- man) Shields, was born at Hackettstown, Feb. 15, 1809. His father in early life learned the joiner's trade. For a time he resided on a farm in Washing- ton township, but spent most of his life at Haeketts- town, where he earried on farming, droving, and ran a distillery. He was an active, enterprising man, and beeame the possessor of a fine property by his own judieious management. He died Aug. 28, 1827, in the fifty-second year of his age. His wife died Nov. 15, 1858, in the eighty-third year of her age, and her remains were buried by the side of his in the cemetery grounds near the Presbyterian church at Haeketts- town.

Their children were Sarah (deceased) ; Mary (de- eeased) ; William, a large landowner and farmer in Washington township ; Sarah, widow of the late Rob- ert P. Strader ; Thomas ; Betsey, wife of Johnson Titus, of Phillipsburg ; David ; John ; and Isaae, collector in the office of the Morris Canal at Phillipsburg.

Thomas Shields received limited opportunities for book knowledge while young. At the age of about sixteen he went into the busy world to carve out a fortune for himself, and began learning the hatter's trade. This, however, he discontinued upon the death of his father, and for some time thereafter, with his brothers, took contracts on the Morris Canal, which was then being built.

On Feb. 18, 1830, he was united in marriage to Miss Fanny, daughter of Abraham and Anna (Gates) Claw- son, of Hackettstown. She was born March 3, 1812. Her father was born on Sehooley's Mountain, where he resided during the early part of his life, but for twenty-seven years was a farmer on what was known as the Jacob Miller farm, near Hackettstown. He died Aug. 10, 1838, in his seventy-second year of age. His wife died June 8, 1832, in the sixty-first year of her age.

The first year after his marriage Mr. Shields built the planes near Port Colden for the canal. In 1831 he removed to Beattystown, in the township of Mans- field, and settled on a farm of sixty-eight acres, left him by his father, to which he afterwards added eighty acres, making his farm to contain about one hundred and forty acres. Upon this homestead he resided until his death, which occurred Sept. 21, 1880. After his settlement on this place he set about putting it under

THOMAS SHIELDS.

JAMES FISHER, father of John B., was born at Staun- ton, Angusta Co., Va., Jan. 11, 1790. In early life he learned the saddler's trade. He first went to Beatyestown in 1809, and there followed this business. While there he married Hannah B., daughter of Elisha and grand- daughter of James Bird, of that place, who were among the early residents of Beatyestown. Her mother was Rachel Osmun, born Sept. 7, 1751. Her father was born May 8, 1753. She was born April 5, 1794. After his marriage, James Fisher removed to Hackettstown, where he carried on his trade and kept a hotel. Following 1817 he was a resident for a short time of Beatyestown, German Valley, and Budd's Lake, and for six years he resided in New York City. On April 1, 1831, he re- turned with his family to Beatyestown, purchased the farm property of the heirs of his father-in-law's estate, and npon it resided until his death, which occurred July 12, 1870. After his return to Beatyestown he worked at his trade as a saddler in connection with farming dur- ing his active life as a business man. He took quite an active part in politieal matters, was justice of the peaee for several years, and for five years he served as judge of the Court of Common Pleas. His wife died Nov. 13, 1864.

John B., son of James Fisher, was born in Hacketts- town, on July 10, 1817. He received a good common- school education during his boyhood. At the age of six- teen he began to learn the harness trade with his father, which he followed for some fifteen years. On Feb. 7, 1856, he married Sarah, daughter of William and Eliza- beth (Hann) Hance, who resided in Mansfield township,

Warren Co .; she was born Sept. 4, 1823. The children born of this union are James, a student-at-law in the office of R. S Price, Hackettstown, and Hannah. Mr. Fisher succeeded to the homestead estate of his father, a part of which lies on the east side of the Musconetcong River in Morris County.

In 1864 he opened a magnetic iron ore mine on a part of his farm in Morris County, which proved a profitable enterprise both on account of the quality of the mineral and its easy accessibility. This he worked until 1870. In 1868, in company with Thomas Shields and John C. Miller, he opened a hematite iron ore mine on the prop- erty of Thomas Shields, which this firm worked for some three years, when he disposed of his interest to the Thomas Iron Company, at Hokendauqua, Pa. During this part- nership Mr. Fisher, in partnership with John C. Miller, carried on mercantile business and milling at Beatyes- town, and after the withdrawal of Mr. Miller from the firm Mr. Fisher carried on these interests for four years more ; since which time he has rented the mill and store property. Mr. Fisher was one of the organizers and has been president of the Hackettstown Mutual Fire Insur- ance Company since its establishment; for many years he has been a director of the First National Bank at Hackettstown. Politically he is a Democrat, and has been honored by the citizens of his township with the office of justice of the peace for some twenty years in suceession. Squire Fisher, as he is familiarly known, is a frank, sociable, and unostentatious man, and his in- tegrity in all his business relations makes him esteemed by all who know him.

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MANSFIELD.

a good state of cultivation, and in course of time erected the buildings to be seen on the farm in 1880. One small barn was built of timbers taken from the old Presbyterian church edifice at Hackettstown. In con- nection with his farming he carried on quite exten- sively, at times, droving, purchasing his stock of cattle and sheep here, and sending to Newark and New York City.

Mr. Shields opened a hematite-ore mine on a part of his farm in 1868, a second one in 1870, and there is a third one on the farm he purchased of the Stewart MI. Brown estate, which had been opened prior to 1877. For the first few years after these mines were opened he sold his ore, which was taken to Hokendauqua, Pa., but during the last few years it has been taken to Hackettstown and Stanhope, where it is smelted and manufactured into iron. The ore taken from these inines has proved by analysis to be of a superior quality, and the quantity of ore, and its easy accessi- bility, have made this property very valuable.

Mr. Shields was a man of good business talent, and active and energetic in everything he undertook to accomplish. His business relations through life made him well known throughout Warren and adjoining counties, and during his successful business career his integrity and honor for fair dealing were never ques- tioned. He was interested in, and a promoter of, every local enterprise that tended to benefit society, and his kindness to the laborer and his indulgence to his debtors will be lasting tributes to the good man's memory. In him the poor man had a friend, and his employees, of whom there were many, found an honest man. Hle was a member of the Presby- terian congregation at Hackettstown, and a contribu- tor to the church funds. His wife has been for many years a member of that church.

Mr. Shields was politically a Democrat, but never was solicitous of any official preferment, and never held office, although often urged to accept positions of honor and trust. He was unostentatious in his ways and sociable and gentlemanly in his relations with other men, and, while he sought his own happi- ness and comfort, he was unwilling to secure that end at the expense of another or the sacrifice of principle.

His wife survives him, and his children are Sarah Ann (deceased ), who was the wife of Henry Carpen- ter; Caroline, died young ; Almira, became the wife of Richard Stephens, of Ottumwa, Iowa; Catharine, was united in marriage to Edward Skinner ; Emeline, became the wife of Louis Labar; Susan (deceased), was the wife of Andrew Trimmer, of Anita, Cass Co., lowa; David; Mary, wife of Jacob Gulick ; William ; Margaret, wife of James Hendershot ; and Josephine, wife of James Fitts.

TUNIS H. TUNISON.

His father, Henry Tunison, was a carpenter by trade, and settled in Mansfield, from Hunterdon County, about the year 1812, where he bought a lot of some thirty acres of land. On this he resided the remain-

5 7 Junison

der of his life, but still worked at hi- trade. He died at the age of seventy-one years, on Sept. 23, 1939. His wife, Agnes, died April 22d, the same year, at the age of sixty-four years. Their children were Cornelius, Sarah, Tunis H., Mary, Johnson J., Cham- bers, Elizabeth, and Rebecca. Tunis H. Tunison, son of Henry and Agnes Tunison, born in Hunterdon County, Aug. 15, 1801, married, Sept. 25, 1824, Mary Ann, daughter of Henry Rockafeller, of Hunterdon. She was born Dee. 25, 1807. He learned the carpen- ter's trade with his father, which he followed for a short time after his marriage. He then began farm- ing, and for several years lived on rented farms. In 1846 he purchased ninety-six acres of land in the northeastern part of the township of Mansfield, to which he afterwards added twenty-five acres, and this property he owned the remainder of his life, and upon it he resided most of the time. In 1849 he was elected steward of the Warren County poor-house by the board of frecholders, which office he held by re-elec- tion for five years. In ISat he was again selected for the same position, and served for five years more. His judicious management of the affairs at the poor- house were satisfactory during the continuance of his ten years' service, and he left the place with the good wishes of the public, and with credit and honor to himself. Mr. Tunison was a man of temperate

732

WARREN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

habits, good influence, and, so far as his means would permit, a liberal contributor to benevolent objects. He was one of the founders of the Presbyterian Church at Rockport, and for many years prior to his decease an elder in that church. His wife was a mem- ber of the same church, and survives in 1880, residing on the homestead.

He was somewhat active in local politics, and held several official positions in Mansfield. He acted as constable for some time, and was one of the township committee, and, under the old law, he was appointed justice of the peace, and held the office for several years. He died Feb. 27, 1877. His children are Sa- rah, wife of Charles Beatty; Mary, whose first hus- band was Samnel J. Konkle, but is now the wife of John S. Ball ; Salinda, died at the age of eight years; Henry R .; Elizabeth, died at the age of fifteen ; Emma, wife of Jacob Frome; Almira, wife of Joseph Woodhull; and Davis C.

Henry R. Tunison was born Jan. 19, 1834. For some four years he assisted his father at the county poor- house, and on Dec. 20, 1854, he married Rnth H., a daughter of William Woodhull, of Morris Co., N. J., who was a descendant in regular line from Richard Woodhull, a cavalier of Charles I., of Eng- land. After the demise of the king, in 1648, Rich- ard emigrated to Brookhaven, L. I., of which he became the proprietor in 1656, and erected his man- sion, where his lineal descendants have ever since kept the possession. The property is now owned by Rich- ard Lawrence Woodhull, seventh in descent from the progenitor. The line of Woodhull is established still further back to Valteris Flandaremus, who was created first baron of De Wahull by William the Conqueror, in 1066.

Henry R. Tnnison's wife died Oct 12, 1869, and for his second wife he married, Aug. 16, 1871, Anna, daughter of John and Eliza (Corwitho) Dickerson, of Schuyler Co., N. Y. Her grandfather, James Dick- erson, removed from Morris Co., N. J., about 1817, and settled in Hector, Schuyler Co., N. Y., where she was born, and where her parents reside in 1880. By this marriage they have a daughter, Mary Emma. After his marriage, Mr. Tunison resided on his father's farm for twelve years, and for nine years following resided in Hackettstown, where he worked at the trade of carpenter and joiner, which he began at the age of eighteen. In 1878 he was selected as steward of the Warren County poor-house, and by re-election is the incumbent of that office in 1880. During his first year he reduced the expenses of that institution some four thousand dollars from those of his predecessor, and has continued a reduction from year to year, without in any way taking from the comfort of the inmates. Both he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian Church and promoters of kindred in- terests.

ABRAHAM W. G. WELLER.

His great-grandfather, George Weller, supposed to have been born in Germany, settled in the township of Washington, Warren Co., about the middle of the eighteenth century, erected in the year 1769 a house

-G-

A.M. g. Weller

on his homestead, which has been in possession of the family since. On this homestead, and in this house, his grandson, Jesse Weller, born Aug. 7, 1804, lived from infancy to old age, and died Oct. 30, 1877. Peter, son of George Weller, born Jan. 24, 1761, on the homestead, married Catharine Wine Gardner, who was born in 1761 and died Feb. 28, 1828. He died March 7, 1855. Their children were Peter, born May 22, 1784; Elizabeth, born in 1786 ; George, born in 1788; Anna, born in 1790; Sarah, born in 1791; Ann, born in 1793; Samuel, born in 1795; Joseph, born in 1797; Elisha, born in 1800; and Jesse, above mentioned.

Of these children, Peter is father of our subject, and married Anna, daughter of John Strader, Dec. 1, 1805. She was born Dec. 18, 1784. The children born of this union were Mary, wife of Richard Em- mans ; Henry S., deceased ; Catharine, wife of Isaac Bryant ; Abraham W. G .; Cassandra, wife of Elisha Coen ; James; Isaiah, deceased ; Daniel.

After his marriage Peter Weller rented a farm for some time in Greenwich. About 1812 he purchased one hundred and fifty-three acres of land near Ander- son, in the township of Mansfield, upon which he re- sided until his death, which occurred Feb. 9, 1850.

733

MANSFIELD.

He was a man of correct habits, a zealous worker in the temperance cause, and one of the founders of the Warren County Temperance Society. He was a liberal supporter of church and kindred interests, as- sisted in building the brick Presbyterian church edi- fice at Washington, and was an active member of the church and Sunday-school for many years. He pre- ferred the quiet of business to political strife and office, but, as a member of the old Whig party, he took a somewhat active part in local politics. He was unos- tentatious in his manner, frank and outspoken in what he had to say, and possessed integrity in all his dealings.

Abraham W. G. Weller was born on the homestead, in Mansfield, Nov. 19, 1814, in the possession of which he sneceeded upon the death of his father by pur- chase of the other heirs to their father's estate. He has added by purchase an adjoining eighty-seven acres, making his present farm about two hundred and forty acres, which is crossed by both the Morris Canal and the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad. This farm is one of the most desirable locations in the vicinity, and its well-cultivated fields and commodious buildings show to the passer-by the thrift and intelligent management of the owner. On Oct. 22, 1844, he married Elizabeth, daughter of Moses Wolverton, who died Sept. 15, 1845. For his second wife he married, May 21, 1850, Lydia, young- est child and daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Bigler) King. She was born Dec. 1, 1819. Her pa- rents resided in Bethlehem township, Hunterdon Co .; afterwards settled on a farm at Anderson, where her father died April 20, 1839, having been born in 1776. Her mother, born in 1779, died April 30, 1865.

The children of Mr. and Mrs. Weller are Eugene and Mary Alice.

Mr. Weller has spent his life as a farmer on the place where he was born. He has been a member of the Presbyterian Church at Washington since 1854, and has officiated as elder. His wife is also a member of the same church. He has often been chosen to represent the church in the Presbytery and Synod, and formerly was active in Sunday-school work.

Mr. Weller, like his father, was a member of the Whig party, and is now a Republican, although in no way a secker after place in the party. He is num- bered among the substantial farmers and reliable citizens of the township in which he resides.

JACOB H. MILLER.

Andrew Miller-whose father was the progenitor of the family here, and settled in Newton, Sussex Co., from Germany about the beginning of the eighteenth century-came from Newton while a young man, purchased and settled on about one thousand acres of land near Pennwell, on the road leading from that place to Hackettstown, having his house located where Samuel Vannatta now resides.

Here, during the Revolutionary war, he kept the hospitable inn where the weary traveler might re- fresh himself and take a friendly glass. The great Gen. Washington encamped with his army upon

Jacob H . Miller

one part of this farm for a night, during one of his marches in Northern New Jersey, and one of his men died at the inn.

Andrew Miller was a generous, sociable, and kind- hearted man of the old-fashioned times. His home in the wilderness was a place of contentment and comfort to him, and as the settlement became more thickly peopled he was among the first to erect a log school-house and employ a teacher to instruct the children in the rudiments of reading, spelling, writ- ing, and the fundamental rules of arithmetic. During the latter part of his life, believing that golden ore existed in the adjoining hills, he spent much time in prospecting on Schooley's Mountain for the precious metal, but with no successful result. Upon his farm he resided during the remainder of his life. His wife was Miss Anthony, whose family was also among the early settlers of the same valley. During the last years of his life he was afflicted with blindness, but so devoted was he to the principles of Christianity that he used to have Rev. Mr. Campbell, a Presbyte- rian clergyman, come from Hackettstown and hohl services in his house. He died, at the advanced age of ninety years, about 1829. His wife died at the age of sixty. Their children were Henry, Daniel, Polly, Susan, and Philip (who was killed by falling off a building where he was at work as a carpenter i.

734

WARREN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Henry, eldest son of Andrew Miller, born Aug. 12, 1767, died Feb. 26, 1852. His wife was Ann, a daughter of William Hann, and a granddaughter of Jacob Hann, of Schooley's Mountain. She died Sept. 24, 1844. Their children were Andrew (deceased), William (deceased), Sarah (died young), Philip (de- ceased), Eliza (wife of Abram Vliet), Jacob H., Caroline (wife of Simon Wyckoff, and resides in Kansas), David, John C., George (deceased), and Henry (deceased). Henry Miller came into posses- sion of the homestead farm of his father, consisting of some seven hundred acres. Upon it he erected commodious buildings, having his house on the west and some of his barns on the east side of the Mus- conetcong River, the place now being owned by his son, John C. Miller, and Samuel Vannatta.

Mr. Miller was a representative farmer, and put the farm under a good state of cultivation. He was a public-spirited man, and did his part well as a citizen and neighbor. He gave the ground and helped to erect a stone school-house on a part of his farm ; the building is standing (in 1880), and may be seen by passers-by on the side of the highway. He was among the foremost in building a Presbyterian church at Pleasant Grove, on Schooley's Mountain, of which both he and his wife were members. He was known as a man of strict integrity, and possessed that force of character which secured the esteem of his fellow-men. He was an old-time Whig, and was honored with nearly all the offices in his township. He was drafted in the war of 1812, but furnished a substitute, and his connection with the old State militia as commander of a company gave him the title of captain. Capt. Henry Miller was a member of the grand jury in Sussex County which indicted Peter Brakeman for murder.

Jacob H. Miller, eldest surviving son of Henry Miller, was born on the homestead June 30, 1815. During his minority he had limited opportunities for any education from books, but after coming of age he received private instruction from Judge Kern, which he paid for with his own earnings. Early in life he became practically acquainted with all branches of farming, which he has followed since. On Dec. 1, 1843, he married Sarah, daughter of Samuel Mowder, of Mansfield. She was born Feb. 5, 1824. For three years after his marriage he rented the farm where he now resides, during which time (Jan. 22, 1844) he was called to mourn the loss of his wife.

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History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 182

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