History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 61

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 61
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 61

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RUTGERS CR.

PINEISL!

THE CANAL .

ORANGE

245

PHYSICAL FEATURES OF SUSSEX COUNTY.

afforded a valuable water-power, the right to which was vested in Gabriel N. Phillips. Several mills and factories had been called into existence near New Ilampton by the water-power which had been utilized by the construction of a dam at the above place. This dam was a great obstruction to the drainage by ditches in 1807. The farmers agreed with Phillips to pay him a certain sum if he would lower the dam. Ile lowered it as desired. The farmers failed to fulfill their part of the contract. Phillips raised his dam to its original height. This was one of the main causes of the failure of the plan of river-bed ditehing.

"The canal project of 1826 alarmed Phillips. He claimed that a canal would necessarily divert the water from its natural channel, and greatly injure the water-power, if not destroy it. Two hostile par- ties therefore arose. Those interested in the factories fought the canal scheme, and the Drowned Lands proprietors were determined that it should succeed.

"According to the act of 1807, a board of five drowned-land commissioners was to be elected every year at the court-house in Goshen. The ownership of ten acres of drowned land entitled the owner to one vote. On every twenty acres, up to four hundred, a proprietor could deposit one vote, and one vote for every fifty acres above four hundred. At the election of 1829 the issue was ' canal or no canal.' Two tickets were in the field. Gen. George D. Wickham was a prominent candidate on the canal ticket; John I. McGregor led the forces of the anti-canallers. On the 15th of June, 1829, the election was held. A beaver hat was used for a ballot-box. John I. McGregor claimed the right to east twenty-six votes on proxies he held from other proprietors. IIe also demanded that the inspector receive from him eighty- two votes on a tract of three thousand five hundred acres, which belonged to an uncle of his in England who had just died. He claimed, besides, the right to vote on two thousand acres of this tract, under an alleged agreement with the dead uncle to work the two thousand acres for twenty years. These votes were all challenged by the supporters of the canal ticket. The inspectors of election refused to receive them. A stormy scene followed. John I. McGregor seized the hat containing the votes that had been cast, and declared that no vote should be counted unless those he offered were counted too. Every one enti- tled to vote hud voted, with the exception of two per- sons. They demanded their right to n voice in the election. The assessors announced that they would hold a new election. MeGregor's adherents attempted to prevent this, but failed. Another hat was bor- rowed, and the voting was commenced over again among the voters who remained in the room. When the polls closed Mettregor returned the hat he had captured, and demanded that it be accepted as the legal ballot-box. The assessors refused to accept it. The tickets in the stolen hat were counted unofficially. The canal men had a majority. The new election

also gave them the victory, but the anti-canal men claimed it. The certificate of election was given to the commissioners. They at once gave out a portion of the canal work on contract. They assessed the Drowned Lands owners to the amount of twenty-six thousand dollars to meet expenses. Some of the proprietors who were opposed to the canal refused to pay. Suits were about to be begun, but John I. McGregor, G. N. Phillips, and others filed a bill to restrain the commissioners from proceeding with the work. The complainants alleged that the commis- sioners had not been legally elected, and were wrong- fully attempting to drain the Drowned Lands by a canal, when the work could be best done in the bed of the Wallkill. The matter came before Chancellor Walworth. He decided in favor of the commis- sioners. The canal was commenced. Gen. Wickham owned all the land through which it was to pass. He was also a large owner of drowned lands. The canal was dug under his superintendence; it was completed in 1835. Gen. Wiekham asked no pay for the land taken by the eanal ; he relied on its success so to in- crease the value of his drowned lands that he would be more than repaid for the damage done to his meadows by its construction.

" To protect the water-power at New Hampton, the act of 1826 provided for the construction of a flood- gate-dam in the canal, which was to be closed when- ever it was necessary to flood Phillips' l'ond, at New Hampton. The canal gradually undermined its banks and washed them away until from a ditch twelve feet wide and eight deep it became a river in places seven hundred feet wide. Hundreds of acres of the best land in Orange County were thus carried away by succeeding freshets. The canal, increased in size, depth, and fall, took all the water from the river between the inlet and outlet of the ditch. More than ten thousand acres of swamp were converted into the most productive land in the county. As the canal deepened and widened tho drainage of the swamp enlarged in extent. Where, a few years before, the farmers could get about only in boats, solid roads were made possible. Fragrant meadows took the place of almost unfathomable mire. The increase in the value of the property thus drained is to-day put down at over two millions of dollars. The draining cost the landowners sixty thousand dollars.

" What brought wealth to the Drowned Lands far- mers, however, sent disease and ruin to the mill- people. To turn back the water to its original channel, George Phillips, who succeeded his father, G. N. Phillips, as owner of the water-right, con- structed n dam across the canal. This had the de- sired effect, but it soon began to flood the reclaimed lands. Then the farmers mustered in force and de- stroyed the dam. It was rebuilt, and again destroyed. The dam-builders were called the 'beavers ; the dam- destroyers were known as ' muskrats.' The muskrat and beaver war was carried on for years. Finally,

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SUSSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Squire J. M. Talmage and Amos M. Ryerson pur- chased the Phillips property. In 1857 the drowned- land commissioners paid them five thousand dollars for the water-right. The canal thus became master of the situation. The Wallkill, from the head of the canal to New Hampton, was changed from a rapid stretch of stream, three miles in length, to a series of stagnant pools and beds of decaying vegetable matter. Denton and New Hampton, situated in the very midst of Orange County's fragrant meadows and mountain- air, became seats of malaria. The mills and factories were closed.

"In 1869, G. D. Wickham, George C. Wheeler, and O. D. Wickham purchased the Phillips property of Ryerson and Talmage. They then purchased a strip of land on both sides of the canal, a short distance above its entrance into the Wallkill. There they constructed a high and substantial dam across the canal for the purpose of throwing the water back into the old channel of the river. Then the muskrat and beaver war was renewed. A hundred farmers, on the 20th of August, 1869, marched upon the dam to de- stroy it. A large force of armed men guarded the dam. The farmers routed them and began the work of destruction. The 'beavers' then had recourse to the law; warrants were issued for the arrest of the farmers. A number of their leaders were arrested, but not before the offending dam had been demol- ished. The owner of the dam began to rebuild it; the farmers applied for an injunction. Judge Bar- nard granted it, and cited the owner of the dam to appear and show cause why the injunction should not be made perpetual. Pending a final hearing, high water came and carried away all vestige of the dam. In February, 1871, Judge Barnard decided that the dam could not be legally constructed. Since then no water has flowed in the Wallkill between Denton and New Hampton, and the canal has greatly increased in size. A prominent resident of. Denton assures the writer that there have been at one time as high as one hundred cases of malarial fever iu Denton and New Hampton and along the old bed of the Wallkill this season. Three cases in one house, he says, is a com- mon occurrence, and he pointed out one house in Hampton where there had been seven persons pros- trated with fever at the same time. 'This festering bed of the Wallkill causes it all,' our informant de- clares, 'and property hereabout can hardly be sold at any price.'

" The continued increase in malarious diseases and the depreciation of property along the Wallkill's old channel have alarmed those directly affected. Last year they had a survey made of the former bed of the stream. The engineer assured them that the obstruc-

tions could be so removed from the channel that the drainage of the Drowned Lands would be perfect, as it is by the canal. The cost of the work was esti- mated at twenty-five thousand dollars ; this was more money than the people could raise. They applied for an appropriation of fifteen thousand dollars from the State. A legislative committee was appointed to look into the matter. Nothing was done beyond recom- mending that State Engineer Seymour be authorized to make a survey of the Wallkill to ascertain if the proposed improvement was practical. Engineer Sey- mour was authorized to make the survey ; he began the work two weeks ago. The matter of an appro- priation will be pressed again the coming winter, and the question will be a leading one in the politics of this Assembly district this fall. The drowned-land farmers will. oppose the work until they are assured beyond all question that it will be fully as valuable to them as the canal. Even then they are not ex- pected to give the measure any tangible support, as they have the canal, and the new work will confer no increased benefit upon them.

" The Drowned Lands of the Wallkill abound in curious things. Rising from the morass are numer- ous elevations of land resting on the limestone that underlies this whole marsh; they have been given the name of islands. Before any draining was done these islands were accessible only in boats during freshets. Pine Island, near the site of a flourishing village, and the terminus of the Pine Island branch of the Erie Railway, Big Island, Merritt's Island, and Walnut Island are the principal ones. These elevated tracts contain from forty to two hundred acres. Some of them are fertile and in a high state of cultivation ; others are covered with forests of cedar and other evergreen trees. On the southwestern border of the swamp, in the town of Warwick, two lofty and isc- lated mountains rear their summits. They are called Adam and Eve. Formerly they swarmed with rattle- snakes, but these the inhabitants have exterminated. Mount Eve abounds in caverns of great extent, one having been explored for nearly a mile. High up the side of this mountain there are bowlders weighing hundreds of tons apparently so lightly lodged that a push might send them thundering down into the swamp beneath. A singular characteristic of the marsh is the existence in it of large and remarkably cold springs. One of these, in the vicinity of the carly home of the late Secretary Seward, near Florida, is seventy-five feet in diameter. The water is ice-cold and unfathomable. The muck in the swamp is very deep in places. Cedar logs of immense size, and as sound as if fallen but yesterday, have been found near Warwick, thirty feet below the surface."

COURT HOUSE AT NEWTON. SUSSEX CO. N.J.

TOWNSHIPS AND VILLAGES OF SUSSEX COUNTY.

NEWTON.®

I .- SITUATION, AREA, ETC.

WHEN "Newtown" was first formed, in 1753, as one of the four precincts of Sussex County, it embraced an immense territory, covering nearly all of what is the present county east of the Blue Mountains, that west being the Walpack precinct or township. Be- tween that date and 1844 it yielded up portions of its territory to form several townships (the details of which are given hereafter, under the head of "Civil Organization"), so that at the latter date it had be- come reduced to a length of 13 miles and a breadth of about 9. Its boundaries at that time were : north, Frankfort; east, Hardyston ; southeast, Byram ; south- west, Green and Stillwater; and west, Sandyston.+ From 1856 down to 1864 the township embraced only what is now the town of Newton and the town- ships of Hampton and Andover, and was bounded the same as before, except on the northeast and cast, where lay respectively the townships of Lafayette and Sparta, which had been formed during that period. The township of Newton has had no civil existence since 1864, when the town of Newton was formed.

The town of Newton is situated a little south of the geographical centre of the. county. It is an irreg- ular pentagon in formn, the north side of which is a line running east and west. It lies between the town- ships of Hampton and Andover, which completely surround it, the former bounding it upon the north- east, north, northwest, and west, and the latter upon the south and southwest.

The Sussex Railroad traverses its territory for about a mile, making a circuit and crossing its easternmost point.

The population of Newton, according to the late census (1880), is 2526.

II .~ PHYSICAL FEATURES.

The surface of the town of Newton is undulating and hilly, although it lies in the depression or valley between the Wallkill Mountains on the east and the Kittatinny or Blue Mountains on the west. The cast

1 branch of the Paulinskill is the principal stream in the town. It rises in its eastern part, and after leav- ing its borders takes a northeast course to Lafayette, thence flows northwesterly to near Angusta, in Frank- fort, where it joins the west branch, whose waters unite to form the Paulinskill River.# Newton is almost encircled by a chain of ponds of various sizes, of which the "Big Muckshaw," on the south, and "Drake's," on the cast, lie close to its borders. None of them, however, are within its bounds.

Bunker Hill, College Hill, and the ridge running southwest from the latter and lying to the northwest of "Love Lane," are the highest elevations in the town.

The " Devil's Hole," on the Babbitt farm, near the south line of the town, at the point where it joins the line which separates Hampton from Andover, is a place of some local note. The opening, which in former years was of considerable size, is now so filled up that it would be difficult for a person to crawl through the aperture which leads to the subterranean cavern. Some portions of the underground passage are narrow, and where roof and floor almost meet re- quire the explorer to stoop, and sometimes crawl, but beyond opening up into quite large chambers. . 1 stream of water runs through the cave, keeping the floor continually wet. We have conversed with sev- eral parties who have penetrated with torches for a considerable distance into its hidden mysteries. That, as well as the Muckshaw Swamp, near by, may have been a hiding-place for Tories iu the Revolution,- particularly of Lieut. James Moody and his band.

The elevation of Newton is 645 feet? above tide- water; the vicinity, embracing a circuit of two miles from the court-house, includes the highest ground for many miles around. In fact, this vicinage is a water- shed, the waters of the Pequest and Paulinskill Rivers (which head near the town) flowing in opposite direc- tions, to the northward and southward respectively. Its high elevation, salubrious atmosphere, and beauti- ful scenery render Newton in the summer season a place of attraction ns a resort, many coming hither at

· By James I'. Snell.

t It is thus described and bounded In the " Istorical Collections of New Jersey," edition 1868, vol. I. p. 171.

: The Imillon name of Paulinskilt is said to have been Tock-lock-ca- net-cuuk, the finns syllable sometimes spelled cong.

¿ At water-table of the court-house.

217

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SUSSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

that time from New York, Newark, and neighboring cities. It has become so popular of late years as a place of summer residence that its accommodations for entertainment are taxed to their utmost, and then found inadequate.

III .- EARLY SETTLEMENT, ETC.

Who was the first settler is not now known, al- though it is traditional that a log hut, which formerly stood opposite to the site of the present dwelling of John Gray, on High Street, was the first habitation of a white man in this town. Who was its builder or occupant is conjectural. This avant-courier of Anglo-Saxon emigration to and occupation of the wilderness of old "Newtown" will probably never be embalmed in the historic page. It is claimed by some, however, that a German-father of the vener- able "Uncle George" Onsted-very early lived within the walls of this pioneer log cabin, but of this there is no corroborative proof.

The " Ilistorical Collections of New Jersey" says that in 1761 the house of Henry Hairlocker was the only dwelling within the limits of what is now New- ton, and adds, "The village of Newton might have been better located a quarter of a mile southwest of its present site but for a mistake on the part of the Legislature .* The act authorizing the building of the court-house of Sussex County, passed in 1761, re- quired it to be erected within half a mile of Henry Hairlocker's house. By that proviso it became neces- sary to build the court-house where it now is." Half a mile in any other direction would have been still worse, owing to the unfavorable form of the ground ; as it was, the 40 chains did not quite reach the pres- ent site. But, rather than locate the seat of justice at the foot of a hill or over a stream of water, a few ad- ditional chains were thrown in for "good measure," thereby locating it partly up the hillside, where in 1765 it was completed. At that time the space in front of the court-house, since known as " the green," was covered with woods.

Henry Hairlocker, who (so far as records or recol- lections go) may be considered the pioneer settler of Newton, was a native of Holland. He located here about the year 1750. He lived in the house late the residence of Maj. John R. Pettit, who sold to John A. Horton, whose descendants now occupy it. The land upon which the cabin stood was originally owned by Jonathan Hampton, of Essex County. It is said that Hairlocker was buried on his place, near the gate-house of the Horton mansion.

Jonathan Hampton was a heavy landowner in this section. He not only made a donation of land in

1764, upon which the court-house was erected,t but he also conveyed land to the village for an academy, and a tract to the Episcopal Church, which now forms part of the old cemetery. He was a commis- sioner of supplies for the troops in 1755, during the Indian troubles. In 1757 he was appointed paymas- ter and victualler for the company raised for service on the frontier. Mr. Hampton was a non-resident, but his own personal interests as a " proprietor" prompted him to these donations, also to the efforts he is said to have made to secure the location of the seat of justice at this instead of some other point in the vast territory of Sussex. It is hardly to be ques- tioned but that he was a public-spirited man ; yet bis gifts, no doubt, directly resulted in the material en- hancement of the value of his remaining acres, and yielded a handsome dividend upon his gifts when sold.į

Very soon after the county-seat was located several buildings were put up in the Hairlocker neighbor- hood.

It is said that this settlement was called by the Indians Chinkchewunska, or "side-hill town." But among their white neighbors it was called, from the first, "Newtown," so appearing in all the early rec- ords. It bore this appellation for a considerable time, but when and why changed to its present name is not satisfactorily explained.

Henry Hairlocker (sometimes spelled Harelocker) received license to keep a "public-house" from the first court held in Sussex County, and was the first tavernkeeper in the village of Newton.

Another innkeeper in what was then Newton town- ship was Thomas Woolverton, a contemporary of Hairlocker. He was licensed in 1753, along with his neighbor "Henry." His location, however, is now without the bounds of Newton, in Andover township.

Jacob McCollum, who was in the early day a prominent man in this township, lived on the farm now occupied by John W. Smith, in what has since been set off as Hampton. He was one of the County Committee of Safety in 1775, and a member of the Legislature in 1778, "serving in that body with great acceptance. He was a man of primitive habits, and is still remembered as one of the most characteristic representatives of the frontier population of old Sus- sex." He went on foot, staff in hand, to "Trent's Town," the capital, with a knapsack on his back, his wardrobe in a bundle, and carrying provisions to sus- tain him on his journey. When the session was over he returned in like fashion to his home and farm. He was also judge of the courts in 1777. A great- grandson, Charles McCollum, is now living and en- gaged as a night-watchman in the village of Newton.

* " Whenever the disadvantageons location of our court-house Is com- mented upon, the fault is invariably attributed to a blunder of the Leg- islature. This is not true. The Legislature did not require the board and the "owner of the land" to take any particular course in running out the half-mile from Hairlocker's dwelling, and consequently if onr local authorities so managed the matter as to land in a ditch, they alone are to Llume."-B. B. Eisall's Centennial Address.

t See copy of deed in general chapter on "Civil Organization," pre- ceding.

# In his honor one of the more recently formed townships of this county has been named. This will perpetuate the memory of ene of Sussex's carly benefactors.

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NEWTON.

The homestead farm has passed out of the family, After residing in other parts for a time he settled in and is now owned by strangers.

Thomas Anderson, the elder, was another pioneer of Newton. He came from Hunterdon County and lo- cated here some time prior to the Revolution. He lived in a building on the upper side of the park, now the residence of Capt. Thomas Anderson, his grandson. What are now the two wings of the mod- ern mansion were erected by the senior Anderson, and occupied by him as dwelling and office. In the upper part of one, it is said, he stored commissary goods for the use of the American army during the war for independence. A more detailed and very in- teresting account of his patriotic deeds will be found in the chapter devoted to the Revolutionary period, elsewhere given. He was noticeably prominent in the civil affairs of the township and county, as was also his son, Maj. William T. Anderson .* The widow of Thomas Anderson became the third wife of Judge John Johnson. (The reader is referred to the chapter in the general history portion of this work, under the head of "The Bench and Bar of Sussex County," for a particular mention of this prominent family.)

Joseph and Hezekiah Phillips came to Newton before the year 1800, with their tools on their backs, both being carpenters. They brought their trade into requisition in building a hotel. They were the sons of Joseph Phillips. Joseph, Jr., married a Schooley, of Newton township, and Hezekiah, his brother, died a bachelor.

Jonathan Willis was one of the early settlers. He was also one of the pioneer tavernkeepers, t and as a public official his name is of frequent occurrence in the records of Sussex County. He was appointed judge in 1794.

Charles Beardslee was a member of the State Leg- islature from 1784 until 1800, both in the Assembly and in the Council, with the exception of one year, -1790. It is needless to say that he was a prominent man in the settlement during his day. He was an early member of the first Masonic lodge in Newton, and served as an officer therein as carly as 1793. None of the family now reside in the town.

George Rorbach was a native of Germany, and eame to this country when about twelve years of age.

. Mrs. Margaret G. Anderson, relict of the late Maj. William T. An- derson, lied at her home in Newton, April 11, Isig, in the ninetieth year of hor ago. She was the daughter of Dr. Andrew Lion, of Hurdyston townaldp, and was born near Monroa Corner, Jan. 19, 1790, She was a sister of Robert A. Linn, Mra. David Ryerson, and Mrs. Richard K. Morts, the lattor of whom is still living. Mrs. Anderson Was one of those nublo nul true women whose lives are a continual blessing, and by which the world is made happier and butter.

+ In the " Journals of the Rev. Minnssalı Cutler. LL.D," who made a Journey from Ipawich, Muss, to Mailettu, Ohio, in 1788, Is found this reference to Newton : "July Joth, set ont Just after the sun rose, went on to Sussex Court-houso; road good, fonteon milles. Breakfasted at a tavern just aliovo the court-house, kept by Jonathan Willis, This is a pretty village on the enstern sida and near the summit of a high bill ; land good, houses indiferent. Went to the court-house ; was pleased with the form of it inside; the building is of stone. From this the road is tolorabiy good to Log Jall, ton miles," etc.

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History of Sussex and Warren counties, New Jersey, with Illustration and Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men and Pioneers, Part 61

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