USA > New Jersey > Mercer County > Trenton > History of Trenton, New Jersey : the record of its early settlement and corporate progress. > Part 2
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As a rule, colonial town sites were not occupied by mere chance. Certainly, Trenton was not so established. It has already been pointed out that this city lay between North and South Jersey, upon the one side theoretically touching the commercial centers of East Jersey, on the other con- tiguous to the agricultural centers of South Jersey. Lying at the head of navigable tide-water on the Delaware, Trenton was the turning-point on the road from Burlington and Salem to Newark and Elizabethtown. Trenton was the center of a circle of twenty miles, with radii extending to the rocks of Hunterdon and Somerset, or "the pines " of Burlington and Monmouth. Our city held a remarkable position between the North and South. Here the conditions of New England life merged into those of Virginia ; here the merchant and planter touched hands ; here the Calvinist and Quaker erected side by side their meeting-houses ; here the easy-going, mystical Friend plan- tation-owner and the non-combatant follower of Fox met the empyrical, theocracy-loving, energetic disciple of Cromwell. Here came together English Calvinists and Quakers, Swede and Holland traders and Indian chiefs.
Added to these economic conditions is the factor of religion. As Trenton was the spot where the line of demarcation of geologie phenomena is most noticeable, so at Trenton, or "ve ffalles," there came together the Calvinist and Quaker. The Scotch and English Presbyterians had sought in East Jersey a land where there could be economic and religious freedom. Upon the restoration of King Charles II., the Calvinistic influence in East Jersey, particularly at Newark, Elizabeth, Amboy and the upper Monmouth shore, becomes very marked. The political revolution in England
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THE CITY OF TRENTON.
had brought with it a laxity in morals and in dogma, which little pleased the Covenanters and their associates. Thus, East Jersey was a place of refuge. Here was an opportunity to found a new " home in the wilderness, " as Plymouth a half century before had been established. Suddenly, the Commonwealth was practically transferred to East Jersey. A favoring subsoil lay in the similar Calvinistic views of the Hollanders, there already settled. The conquerors and the conquered formed a quasi-ecclesiastical relationship. quite remarkable in view of the then recent politieal relations between England and Holland. As has been shown, East Jersey was more fitted for com- merce than for agriculture. Shipping interests increased, wharves and docks projected warily into the waters adjacent to New York bay, and trading relations with the West Indies were inaugurated. A Colony was established which was a union of Church and State. The minister was the real source of much ecclesiastical and political power. The strietness of legislation is shown in that there were a dozen capital crimes in East Jersey as against two or three in West Jersey. Town meetings, frequently held in the churches, governed the details of provincial life, whilst many of the rigors of the New England " blue laws" marked the slow development of the young half of our State.
The restless activity of the East Jersey Calvinist soon drove him along the Raritan valley. Traversing the narrow tract of land between the South Branch and the Delaware, one traces his progress by Princeton and the settlements along the base of the foot-hills, generically called the Sonrland mountain. By the end of the seventeenth century the East Jerseyman had "crossed the line" and had occupied the banks of the Delaware at Trenton, as well as northward for a score of miles. Here he found himself for the first time upon the Delaware valley side of West Jersey, although he had previously established whaling settlements along the ocean-end of the Province line, as well as in the county of Cape May.
In general, excepting in a much less degree at Princeton and Shrewsbury, Trenton was the sole point of contact between Calvinist and Quaker. "The Pines" formed an inhospitable barrier, and as the original immigrants seek river valleys in settlement, whether for commerce or agriculture, there were few social, political, economic or ecclesiastie reasons why these different peoples should be drawn together. Yet the union at Trenton proved of mutual advantage, and was undoubtedly one factor in drawing together these two faiths.
The settlement of West Jersey brings in quite another set of influenees. As Calvinism was the prevailing creed in East Jersey, so the Society of Friends virtually controlled the affairs of the Province. Toward New Jersey the eyes of William Penn and his associates were first turned, and, indeed, both Salem and Burlington had borne their first fruits ere Philadelphia's huts and caves dotted the river banks. Whilst it may be assumed that the growths of West Jersey, Eastern Penn- sylvania and Northern Delaware were contemporaneous, it is quite worthy of note that Burlington was, in view of the founder, a town of equal importance with his City of Brotherly Love. Of his times, William Penn was the ablest ceonomist, and probably the most far-sighted man in America. This leader of the Society of Friends saw in West Jersey a country such as Evelyn had described it to be, and recognized that its future was in agricultural development. He knew Burlington and Salem could only grow to be inland ports, and that they could not hope to rival towns facing the Atlantic. Therefore, he traveled through England and the Rhenish valley, telling the members of his own Society, and other religious organizations on the Continent with whom he could sympathize, that West Jersey would be a home of a peaceful agricultural people where land was plenty and easily tilled. The emigration commenced. The Low Germans centralized near Philadelphia upon the high land north and west of the city. But the members of the Society of Friends who came to America were intensely English-the English of the country districts of that island where the doctrines of Fox had taken the strongest hold. Yorkshire sent many, and one of the West Jersey " Xths" was named in honor of that English county. Moreover, the Friends were non-combatants; had passed through the struggle of the Commonwealth the mutual object of abuse, ridicule, scorn and plunder on the part of Calvinist and Episcopalian. Like the Presbyterians, the Society of Friends had a union of Church and State. Instead of being the organization of practically one man, it was general in its scope. All had equal voice, but the most distinguished "approved minister " was of no more influence than some weaker member of the "Meeting." Two factors in colonial times made the Quakers in West Jersey of great strength. These were their isolation and the refusal to allow members to marry "out of meeting." Surrounded upon all sides either by water-courses or forests, the Society of Friends were free from being molested, and the peaceful
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THE CITY OF TRENTON.
relations with the Indian tribes saved them from raids. Upon the other hand, the members by marrying their associates tended to build up an aristoeraey where large landed interests were united. A elass distinction slowly arose, based on property-holdings, which in theory was never recognized, but praetieally beeame a most influential factor. These and many other questions eould at length be diseussed. The Society of Friends and the Calvinists united upon but few points. Although of common Anglo-Saxon stoek, having common interest in the histories of their aforetime perseeu- tions, they lived and died apart. No sympathy, no lasting anger, but only a eold indifferenee, exeept in matters of trade, characterized their association.
Thus it will be seen that the character of the settlers in West Jersey, whilst of great goodness and sobriety, laeked vitalizing elements. The religious doetrines of the Society were beautiful, but passive, and had none of the boldness of Calvin. Comparatively few contentions, either of political or legal character, affected the beginnings of the Delaware river settlements. Fearless of Indian raids, unexposed to the possibilities of maritime depredation, the Colony grew only by natural aeeession, so that East Jersey in population and ehattels soon outstripped her neighbor. Peacefully, beautifully, the history of West Jersey runs like one of her plaeid streams, refleeting without a ripple of external emotion, the approving light of Heaven. And so it is from a union of Church and State that the restless, resistless, empyrieal Presbyterian of East Jersey, founding his Colony on a soil so well adapted to him, is unlike the ealm, thoughtful, self-contained Friend who came to West Jersey to find a land which should beeome the home of a ehosen people.
CHAPTER IT.
TRENTON AS "THE FALLS OF THE DELAWARE."
THE ROYAL GRANT OF NEW JERSEY-BURLINGTON, IN WEST NEW JERSEY, SETTLED-THE FIRST ATH-TRENTON A PART OF BURLINGTON COUNTY, 1679-1714-MAHLON STACY ESTABLISHES THE TOWN-"THE COURT BOOKE" AND THE LIST OF SETTLERS-FORESTRY PROBLEMS-THE FIRST BOUNDS OF NOTTINGHAM, MAIDENHEAD AND HOPEWELL TOWNSHIPS-EARLY COURT OFFICERS-PRIMITIVE TAX ASSESSMENTS-THE FIRST ROADS-THE ADVENT OF COLONEL TRENT -"THE FALLS " BECOMES TRENT-TOWN.
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Y VIRTUE of the English conquest of 1664, Holland's possession in New Jersey fell to the English crown. On the 24th day of June of that year James, Duke of York, released to John Lord Berkeley, Baron of Stratton, and one of His Majesty's Privy Council, and Sir George Cartaret, of Saltrum, one of His Majesty's Privy Council, "all that tract of land adjacent to New England, and lying and being to the west- ward of Long Island and Manhitas Island, and bounded on the east part by the main sea and part by Hudson's river, and hath upon the west Delaware bay or river, and extending southward to the main ocean as far as Cape May, at the mouth of Delaware bay, and to the northward as far as the northmost branch of the said bay or river of Delaware, which is forty-one degrees and forty minutes of latitude, and crosseth over thence in a straight line to Hudson's river in forty-one degrees of latitude ; which said tract of land is hereafter to be called by the name or names of Nova Casarea or New Jersey."
This practically embraced the territory of New Jersey, for which a yearly rental of twenty nobles was demanded at or in the Inner Temple Hall, London, at the Feast of St. Michael, the Archangel. New Jersey was a part of the great territory given to the Duke of York by Charles II.
As tenants-in-common, Lord Berkeley and Sir George Cartaret governed their possessions until July 1st, 1676, when our present State was divided into two sections. Cartaret retained the eastern moiety, whilst Berkeley transferred the western division to William Penn, Gawn Lawrie and Nicholas Lucas, trustees for Edward Byllinge. An arbitrary line, which for years gave much trouble to landowners, divided East and West Jersey. The boundary ran from Little Egg Harbour to a northern point on the Delaware river in the neighborhood of the Delaware Water Gap.
Trenton was thus in West Jersey, the Province line lying to the eastward of the town in the vicinity of the old out-plantations of Cranbury. Practically, then, the history of Trenton is con- fined politically to the western division.
William Penn and those surrounding him at onee commenced the development of West Jersey. They held out to Europeans-Low Germans, Scotch, Irish and English yeomanry-the advantages of a good soil, low taxes and as free a government as the world had yet seen. It was to be a land of peace and plenty. The geologie and climatic conditions being favorable for man's settlement, a liberal frame of organic law was conducive to his permanent occupancy.
Therefore, there was soon promulgated in West Jersey a constitution for the government of the people, which was in fact and form a document of true democracy. These "Concessions and agree- ments of the proprietors, freeholders and inhabitants of the Province of West New Jersey " were made
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THE CITY OF TRENTON.
on the third day of March, 1676, confirming thereby the contract and agreement made on the second day of March, 1676, by William Penn, Gawn Lawrie, and Nicholas Lucas, unto Thomas Hutchin- son, Thomas Pearson, Joseph Helmsley, George Hutchinson and Mahlon Stacy.
The activity of the Quaker immigrants, whether for economic or religious reasons, is shown from the fact that in 1677, two companies of Quakers, one in Yorkshire and one in London, made purchase of some of the West Jersey lands, and sent out the following commissioners to purchase the lands of the Indians : Thomas Ollive, Daniel Wills, John Kinsey, John Penford, Joseph Helmsley, Robert Stacy, Benjamin Scott, Richard Guy and Thomas Foulke. They fitted out a sailing vessel called the Kent, and landed their passengers, two hundred in number, at Raccoon creek, while the commissioners sailed to a place they called Chygoes Island, afterwards Burlington.
Among their purchases, through Duteh and Swede interpreters, was a tract of land from Rancocas creek to Assanpink creek, for which part payment in guns, clothes and trinkets was made. This system of Indian purchase was characteristic of the Quaker settlers, and as late as November, 1703, it was ordered in the Council of Proprietors that John Wills, William Biddle, Jr., and John Reading should go up to the Indians above the falls, and particularly to Caponockous and to Nimhammoe's wigwam, to treat with them, and to have the bounds of the lands lately purchased from the Indians properly laid out, and to get from them deeds for the same.
Patty's Plantation
Heaths Land
. AScor Entre
Marlon, Macys Plantation, Surfeved by Win Emley, 62 12- 1714. Contents "besides Ways " /800 Acros. Scale 8 h.
Black Walnut Thet
Assunpink Creek
0
White Oak
S S.E. 26 CA.
OUR Baker
0 65 514
Plantation
Ruth, Beaks
The Site of Trenton in 1714. Copied from Basse's Book of Surveys by Chas. R.Hutchinson! Engraved czpressly for this work.
MAHLON STACY'S PLANTATION.
Among the early Quaker immigrants was Mahlon Stacy, a man of more than ordinary ability. Although his first associations financially and socially were with Burlington city, he saw in the site of Trenton the advantages of a thriving town. By 1678-79 he had become identified with property interests at the mouth of the Assanpink, and in 1680 completed the erection of his mill, which was in fact the only one north of Burlington. At various times he purchased a large plantation, which now forms a portion of the most congested section of the city. It is therefore in the establishment of Mahlon Stacy's mill, which stood upon the Assanpink, near its mouth, that we find the begin- nings of Trenton's settlements. Incidentally, this mill was built of hewn logs, and was but one and a half stories high, with gable facing Broad street. It was afterward purchased and rebuilt by William Trent. Subsequently this landmark was converted into a cotton factory by Gideon H. Wells. It remained in the same condition in which it was erected by Mr. Trent until it was carried away by the flood of 1843. Trenton's institution may thus be traced to an economic consideration, a quality that has ever since marked the town.
The advantages offered for agriculture, for river trade and for milling soon drew settlers to the vicinity. By 1685 a number of people came to the new town to join their fortunes with those of Stacy. At this time the name "The Falls," or, as quaintly written, "ye ffalles of ye De La
Timber Swamp Andrew Feath &
Thomas Lambert
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THE CITY OF TRENTON.
Ware, " began to come into general use. This bit of nomenclature was of much earlier origin, and was suggested by the rapids in the Delaware, which lie directly before the town. The early settle- ments at " The Falls" were scattered from Ewing township to the lower portion of the city. Tradition points to the early occupancy of the lowlands south of Riverview Cemetery. In the mean- time it must not be forgotten that the center of the new town was Stacy's mill, and that Trenton as a name did not exist until nearly forty years had elapsed. The beginnings of Trenton are vague, tradition and manuscript both failing us in the endeavor to throw light upon the matter. But of the following facts practically covering the period from 1676-1719, we are assured.
The history of the city of Trenton as "The Falls" is directly connected with that of Burling- ton city and county. The earliest concept of the owners of West Jersey, regarding the political divisions of the Province, was that it should be divided into ten proprietaries. In February, 1681, the "methods of the commissioners for settling and regulation of land " were promulgated. The Province Surveyor was instructed to measure the front of the river Delaware, beginning at St. Pink (AAssanpink) creek and thence to Cape May, and divide the same into Xths, so that each Xth shall have a proportion of river frontage "and so far back into the woods" as will make or contain sixty-four thousand acres for each tenth. The two most conspicuous tenths, by virtue of this arrangement, were the Yorkshire and London Xths, so called because the settlers came from those regions in Old England. At this division, the First or Yorkshire Xth extended from the south side of the Assanpink to the north side of the Rancocas creek and facing the Delaware. Eastward, the lines extended indefinitely toward the woods. masmuch as the first settlements in Trenton were south of the Assanpink creek, or below the "Falls," the beginnings of the town are associated with the 1st Xth. North of the Assanpink was practically a terra incognita. The Xth system soon became cumbersome, and in May, 1694, the Legislature consolidated the 1st and 2d Xths "into one county, named and from henceforth to be called the county of Burlington, bounded by the Der- went (formerly called the St. Pink or Sun Pink) [Assanpink] and the Crapwell [Pensauken] creek," on the north and south, respectively. At this time all the inhabitants above the Assanpink were joined to the jurisdiction of Burlington court.
One authentic record that remains, throwing information upon the life of the people of "The Falls," is the manuscript "Court Booke," now in the eustody of Benjamin F. Lee, Esquire, of Trenton, Clerk of the Supreme Court. Therein we see the first officers elected by the people of Burlington county to serve as well for Trenton as for Burlington. Upon the twenty-fifth day of March (New Year, old style), 1681, the voters of Burlington elected William Emley as Sheriff for one year, to serve from St. Pinek (Assanpink ) to "ye Creek ealled Oldmans." Thomas Wood was elected Constable at "ye ffalles and ye Liberties thereof." Thomas Revel was chosen Register and Daniel Leeds, Surveyor. In August, 1682, it was ordered by the court that Leeds, with convenient assistance, before the tenth of the seventh month next, shall "Lay forth the several Tenths within this Province, That is to say, to take ye extent of ye River from St. Pinck to Cape May And ye same to Divide into Tenne Equall p'ts or shares."
That "Ye ffalles " and its vicinity had grown to sufficient size to require the services of a Constable, proves that the population of what is now Trenton had increased with considerable rapidity.
The use of liquor, and its regulation in early Burlington are of interest. Thus upon the eighth and ninth of August, 1682, it was "ordered by the Co'rt that noe Person or Persons keeping or that shall keep an ordinary or Inne within the Jurisdiction of this Court shall from & after ye Tenth day of August instant, take more than two pence for an Ale Quart (winchester meazure) of good whole- some Ale or strong beere. And Benjamin Wheat & Henry Grubb are by ve Co'rt appointed to bee Ale Tasters And to goe to ye measures for Ale & beere, according to ye order above, untill ye next Gen'all Assembly or further order." Again upon the twentieth of February, 1682, the court ordered that after the first day of March "cyder shall not be sold for more than four pence ye Quart And yt Rumme from and after ve tyme afore'sd shall not be sold for more than one shilling six pense ye Quart."
The first special officers for the 1st Xth seem to have been John Woolston and John Shinn, who were appointed Overseers of the Highways on the twenty-second of May, 1683. On the seven- teenth of the fourth month, 1684, Shinn was succeeded by Godfrey Hancock. John Woolston was his own successor. Upon the twenty-fourth of the fourth month, 1684, the inhabitants between
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THE CITY OF TRENTON.
"The Falls" and Crosswieks chose William Emley and Josh: Wright, Assessors, with Robert Stavy and Tho: Revell, Receivers, "for assessment of ye Genl Assembly and for giving in oath of land in tenth, both undivided shares and traets." The following proprietary list is for the first time printed, and gives all the landowners of the first Xth. This includes the names of the plantation-holders at Trenton and vicinity as the record stood in 1684 :
Robt Staey, Tho Revell, Seth Smith, the 3 brothers wheelwrights, Tho Bowman, Tho Budd, Richard Guy, Nathaniell West, Tho: Singleton, Tho Terry, Mordecay Bowden, John Goslinge, John Cripps, Joseph Blowdes, Tho Wright, Edmund Stuart, John Long, Samll Oldale, Elias ffare, ffrancis Boswiek. Daniel Leeds, Robert Young, John Daye, Eleazer ffenton, John Shinn, Tho: Budd, Tho: Curtise, John Butcher, Samuel Barker, John Curtise, John Browne, Michael Newbold, Persifall Towle, John Antram, John Woolston, Godfrey Hancock, Henry Staey, Willm Biddle, Jno Underhill, Samll Andrews, Samll Borden, Willm Beard, John Snoden, John Hooton, Henry Stacy, John Horner, Willm Barnes, Daniel Bason, George Goforth, Marmaduke Hawsman, Antho: Woodhouse, Willm Black, Tho: ffarnsworth, Peter Harrison, Bryan Morehouse, Tho Theakes, Mathew Watson, Thomas Wood, John Wood, Robt Wilson, Willm Hickson, Roger Parke, Thomas ffouke, ffraneis Davenport, Samuell Wright, Thomas Wright, Joseph Stone, Thomas Lambert, Thomas Tindall, George Hutchinson, Jno Pattison, Willm Lasswell, Robt & John Murfin, Robt Pearson, Tho Sharman, Robt & Tho: Scholey, John Rogers, James Pharoe, George Hutcheson, John ffullwood, Andrew Smith, Peter ffretwell, Hugh Staniland, Mahlon Stacy, John Lambert, Joshua Wright, Tho: Lambert, Willm Emley, Thomas Bartin, John Pancras.
Upon the eighth of the sixth month, 1684, Thos. Mathews complains concerning "ye Spoyle of Timber upon Lands not taken up." The court ordered a proclamation from Gov. Ollive and Council against the said action, and that those disobeying be fined.
This complaint of Thomas Mathews brings to mind the question of timber waste along the Delaware. During the entire colonial period, and in faet to this very day in extremely isolated sections of the southern part of the State, it was no uncommon occurrence for vandals to set fire to the pine forests of large owners, so that charcoal could be readily obtained. Vast forests of chestnut, oak and maple lying near Trenton were destroyed by fire to save the expense of clearing the land, this being preparatory to agricultural development. Timber thieves abounded throughout West Jersey, particularly through the cedar swamps, which then, as now, were of great value. The unoccupied lands were regarded as a common, whether taken up or not, and some of the settlers grew to believe that they had rights of piseary, hunting and wood-gathering upon any and all proprietary land. The hogs, horses and other animals of the Delaware Valley villages, and those of embryotie Trenton among the number, were allowed to roam the near-by woods. The beasts were distinguished by nothing but the "ear-marks" and occasional "haunch brands," each design belonging to a certain owner. This scheme of mammalian heraldry lasted until well in the present century, and has even yet not entirely been relegated to customs now obsolete. In the more remote portions of New Jersey, these animals increased rapidly and lapsed, fera domesticata into fera natura, such as the "wild cattle" of Seven-Mile Beach, in Cape May county. A trace of this exists on our statute-books, where to this day stands an aet to prevent rams from running at large. In 1687, Walter Reeves was indicted for marking swine with another man's mark.
In 1685, the officers chosen were John Budd, High Constable ; Josh: Eley, Constable for "ye Falls ; " Robert Stacy, Robert Young and Jno. Daye, Overseers for the 1st Xth. In 1688, Jno. Wilsford was appointed Constable for Nottingham, which town was "presented" by the Grand Jury "for not making a sufficient Bridge over the River Darion " (Assanpink). The court imposed £20 fine upon the inhabitants if the same was not speedily completed. William Emley, Tho: Lambert, Robt Murfin and William Watson were appointed Assessors. In this year Hugh Stani- land was "lycenced " as an Ordinary keeper in Nottingham. "The Falls," at the November term of court, 1688, are defined by implication to be in Nottingham township. The Constabularies being returned by the Grand Jury, Nottingham was approved by the court "to lye between Cross- wicks Creek and Delaware River & northwards up the River soe far as at p'esent Inhabited." Here begins the story of the establishment of old Nottingham township.
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