USA > New Jersey > Mercer County > Trenton > History of Trenton, New Jersey : the record of its early settlement and corporate progress. > Part 4
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In John Bood's lottery, at Philadelphia, in 1746, among the prizes were eight lots, 50 x 165, on the main street, at £15 each, showing the value of Trenton property at that day.
27
THE CITY OF TRENTON.
COLONIAL SLAVERY IN TRENTON.
During the colonial period, slavery in New Jersey was a thoroughly-recognized institution. In the formative period of provincial existence, so much has been written concerning the slavery of negroes and Indians that especial reference here would be superfluous. There is one phase of this question appearing upon the surface of Trenton life in pre-Revolutionary days that is worthy of more than passing mention. It is that of "white slavery." The labor of negroes in New Jersey had certain drawbacks. The climate was too rigorous for a successful perpetuation of the race. Again, the negro was too largely a " machine," lacking in any executive capacity, and, in addition, the public feared the consequence of sudden outbreaks-" negro riots," as they were called. The Red Man, small in numbers, unaccustomed to toil and rapidly decreasing in numbers, by no means supplied the ranks. One course was open and that was through the importation of "white slaves," as they were called. These "term servants," or "redemptioners," were recruited from all condi- tions of life in the British Isles, from the Rhine Valley and other parts of Europe. They were of two classes, " Indentured " and "Free-Willers." The "indentured" servants were those English men and women, not to mention boys and girls, who sold themselves for their passage-money in hope of finding better fortune in America. So widespread did the custom become, that in England persons organized a business of procuring servants under specious promises of great wealth for labor performed.
The "free-willers" were those who allowed ship captains to transport them to America. These servants agreed that if they did not succeed in securing employment on their own conditions they could be sold for a term of years, the captains having a lien upon their bodies. Much money was made by these captains, in that they would not allow the "free-willers" to land in America and obtain work, but kept them on board upon trumped-up charges.
The sale of the "time" of redemptioners was a frequent occurrence, and attracted the large plantation-owners for miles around the wharves of cities where the sales usually occurred.
The redemptioner's lot was usually an unhappy one-in fact, as Ellis, in his "Letters from America," quoted in Melick's "Story of An Old Farm," plainly shows. As the "time" of the white slave was transient and that of the negro or red man permanent, the redemptioners were ground down under a tyranny worse than that of Egypt.
These slaves, black, white and red, frequently ran away from their masters. Citations from the newspapers, where Trentonians lost their "men" and "women," are made so that the matter may be seen under all its phases.
There ran away from William Yard, of Trenton, November 5th, 1722, a negro, Fransh Manuel, thus described : "Of a pretty tall Stature and speaks indifferent English. He wears a dark colored homespun Coat, an Ozenbrig Jacket, old Leather Breeches, Sheep russet stockings, new Shoes and an old Beveret Hat. He pretended formerly to be a Freeman and had Passes. * The said * * Negro has told since he has run away That he had found a body of Ore for his Master and that his Master had given him free." Forty shillings reward offered in the "American Weekly Mercury," November 15th, 1722.
According to the "New York Gazette," January 18th, 1732, Griffce Jones, servant of Joseph Reed, of Trenton, ran away. "Hee had on an old Camblet Coat and blue Duffels Coat with black Lining and Trimming and Leather Breeches * * and an old Beaver Hat."
For August, 1727, the "American Weekly Mercury" contains an advertisement of a runaway servant man from Alexander Lockhart, of Trenton. His name was Thomas Griffe, of Wales, probably a redemptioner, and was aged about forty years. Thus is he described : "He hath on a brown colour'd Coat of homespun Drugget, a homespun course Shirt a pair of homespun striped Breeches, blue and white stripes, a pair of old black Stocking, with old Shoes, a flat Hat & of low stature, a black Beard and Hair grey Hairs mixt amongst his Hair but most grey Hairs on the top of his Head."
Richard Noland, of Trenton, 1737, missed his Irish servant, Arthur Holland, of many aliases and "the Brogue on his Tongue." "Hlad on a new blewish colour'd Drugget Coat and Jacket * * * and an old Carolina Hat." The same paper states that on the thirtieth of November, 1737, Mr. Warrell's Scotch servant, Archibald Kier, ran away at night. "He wears a Wigg, pitted with the Small-Pox, talks pretty broad Seotch and writes a tolerable good hand."
28
THE CITY OF TRENTON.
William Snowden, of Trenton, in the " New York Gazette, " November 15th. 1736, advertises for Thadymack Donayl, his serving man.
James Mackbride, aged about twenty-two years, ran away during August, 1732, from Elicom Anderson, living at Trentown Ferry. He is thus graphically described in a current issue of the "Weekly Mercury :" "A tall Man has little or no Beard. Pockfretten, no Hair * no * * stockings a Felt Hat Cockt np very sharp, blue Grey Home spun Drugget Coat with Brass Buttons." Twenty shillings was the reward offered for this caricature upon humanity.
On the first of July, 1732, there ran away from the Hopewell plantation of merchant Joseph Reed, of Trenton, one William Denim, a servant, and by trade a tailor. Three pounds reward was offered. He is described as " lusty well made wears a dark brown Coat, sometimes a brown Hol- land Frock and Shirt Ruffled in the Bosom, speaks good English."-From the "Pennsylvania Gazette," July, 1732.
Robert Peirson, of Nottingham, near Trenton, advertises in the "New York Gazette," under the date of October 8th, 1733, for his runaway negro, "Jack." He was a "lusty, stout well set fellow. * *
* He had on when he went away a dark brown straight bodied Coat, with Brass buttons, a light coloured great Coat two homespun Tow Shirts, two Pair of Drawers, a Pair of Orange Coloured Stockings."
The "Pennsylvania Gazette," on the eighteenth of January, 1738, notes the runaway, on the day before Christmas then last past, one John Bowls, servant of Joseph Deeow, of Trenton. Bowls was by trade a shoemaker, and wore "good Leather Breeches, with brass Buttons, a fine Linnen Shirt, dark grey worsted Stockings, half worn peeked toed Shoes, a white Wig, good Hat, and generally wears a Silk Handkerchief loosly ty'd about his Neck."
A communication to the "Pennsylvania Gazette" speaks of two negroes being imprisoned in Trenton in February, 1737-38. They were about to persuade another negro to poison his master, and told their prospective accomplice that members of the Trent and Lambert families and others had been "remov'd by their Slaves in that Manner." As a matter of fact, such was not the case. The poison found on one of the suspected negroes was arsenic and an unknown root.
Early in June, 1738, two negroes were executed in Burlington for poisoning. In the same city, showing the effect of popular discourse upon such subjects, a child of five hung himself, says the "Pennsylvania Gazette," June 8th-15th. An unknown man hung himself on the thirty-first of May, at Gloucester Ferry, and a boy took his own life at the Chester, Pennsylvania, workhouse, about the same time.
Elizabeth Biles in 1749 advertises the loss of her negro man, who had with him "a large brown dog with a short tail, understands farming in all its branches, talks good English and is this country born." Truly a remarkable dog !
In 1741, Joseph Decow, "of Trenton, at the Falls of the Delaware," offers £3 and reasonable charges for the return of Thomas Smith, a servant currier and tanner.
James Johnston, of Trenton, is mentioned in a "runaway " advertisement of March, 1742-43. Andrew Read, of Trenton, is also mentioned September, 1743, as the owner of a "runaway."
In October, 1745, Thomas Cadwalader, of Trenton, offers a reward for "a Negro Man, named Sam, a likely Fellow, enticed away by an apprentice Isaac Randall. They are supposed to have gone with a Design to enter on Board a Privateer, either at New York or Philadelphia." In November of this year Alexander Lockhard, of Trenton, advertises for his mulatto slave "Jack."
William Brown, Under Sheriff of the county of Hunterdon, advertises one John Parra, a run- away. If no claimant appeared the prisoner was to be sold "for defraying his Charges."
William Plaskett's servant woman, on a September night in 1747, ran away. She was "some- what freckled * * * and slow of speech." She wore "a callicoe gown a black fur hat, shagged on the under side, with a patch on the crown and an ozenbrigs apron."
In May, 1748, Joseph Reed's Irish woman ran away. She had a "down look," and wore "a yard wide bird eye chocolate colour and white stuff gown, a lead coloured quilted petticoat and a brown homespun cloth cloak and a new-fashioned black bath jockey-bonnet."
Thomas Tindall, in April, 1747, advertises for his negro man Sam, whom he had purchased from Dr. Cadwalader. In May, 1747, Andrew Reed lost his "likely Negro Man named Isaac," who could play the fiddle.
29
THE CITY OF TRENTON.
On the twenty-fifth of September, 1737, so says the " Pennsylvania Gazette," the servant man of Benjamin Smith, of Trenton, ran away. He was an Englishman named William Davies, aged twenty-five, "of a swarthy Complexion much Pock broken and no Hair."
From the "New Jersey Gazette" is extracted the following interesting advertisement :
" Will Be Sold
"On Saturday the first of June next (1782) at the house of John Cape at the arms of France, in Trenton nine likely negro men lately captured by Captain Adam Hyler and legally condemned in the court of admiralty. The vendue to begin at 10 o'clock
" James McComb " Marshall "
From contemporary sources one learns that the court had assembled in Burlington on the twenty-second of May. Captain Hyler, who commanded the armed privateer "Revenge," had captured the nine negroes from the British cutter "Alert," Robert White, New York to Bermuda.
SOME EARLY TRENTON INDUSTRIES.
Although Trenton was in the midst of a fruitful country, the advantages of the Assunpink creek and small tributary streams for mills of various kinds, as well as shallop and Durham boat navigation upon the Delaware, at once impressed the settlers. Various attempts were made during the colonial period to establish mills, some of which became the basis of the present material advancement of the city. From 1725 to 1750 this is very apparent, as the subjoined excerpts from contemporary newspapers will show.
One of the earliest evidences of manufacturing enterprise in Trenton is to be found in an advertisement in the "American Weekly Mercury," September, 1734. Therein it is stated that Isaac Harrow, an English smith, has set up a planing and blade mill to make these goods : Dripping and frying pans ; chafing dishes ; broad and falling axes ; carpenters' tools ; coopers' tools ; tanners', curriers' and skinners' knives ; ditching, peel and common shovels ; garden spades ; coopers' axes ; smoothing irons ; cow bells ; bark shaves ; pot and melting ladles ; fire-shovel pans ; clothiers', garden, glovers' and sleep shears ; scythes ; mill, cross-cut and hand saws ; coffee roasters ; hay, fodder and tobacco knives. There were sundry other goods not mentioned, likewise iron plates for bell-making.
George Howell, lastmaker, of Chestnut street, Philadelphia, or Harrow, at Trenton, could supply customers "at as reasonable Rates as any that come from England."
William Morris, Jr., at his Trenton store, opposite John Jenkins, advertises in the " Pennsyl- vania Gazette," good rum by the hogshead and salt by the one hundred bushels at Philadelphia pricc.
On the fourth of April, 1745, in the " Pennsylvania Gazette," the "mansion of the Relict of Isaac Harrow of Trenton with shop, forge and Conreniences for working the Hammer by Force of Water, perfected," with a large lot of land joining John Cox, John Allen, Elisha Bond, Joseph Decow and fronting the river road. William Morris, in Trenton, is mentioned as one of the executors.
At public vendue on the third of September, 1745, the "Iron Plaiting Works, Smiths shop and all the Tools Moulds for making Frying-pans Dripping-pans &e" of Isaac Harrow, were offered for sale.
In November, 1745, the dwelling, malt and brew-house and "Utensils thereunto belonging," with one-fourth of an acre on King street, Trenton, were offered for sale. Thomas Hooton, of Trenton Ferry, was the agent. The William Atlee lot of nine and one-half aeres, one and one-half miles from town, was offered for sale by Jane Atlee.
"To be LET
"On the First Day of November next, The Grist Mills at Trenton, with two small Tenements adjoining now in the Tenure of Joseph Peace." Terms were given by Messrs. Peace or Thomas Sober, merchant, of Philadelphia .- From the "Pennsylvania Gazette," July 26th-August 2d, 1739. This was the Trent mill, built on the Assunpink creek site of Mahlon Stacy's original mill.
30
THE CITY OF TRENTON.
Benjamin Biles, in August, 1750, offers a Trenton tanyard "well accustomed " with "good bark house, mill-house, bark mill, beam house, a good stone currying shop and leather house, vatts enough to tan 800 hides, besides calf skins per year." A dwelling adjoining the tannery, the residence being situated on the west side of King street, near the middle of town, was also offered. A good garden, surrounded by a new fence of cedar posts and boards, surrounded the property.
In 1750, William Pidgeon was the agent for the sale of the ware mills and plantation in a fertile country on the Delaware river, six miles above Trenton. "Boats carrying fifty or sixty Casks may load at the Mill-Door for Philadelphia."
Thomas Cadwalader, in the "Pennsylvania Gazette" of August 9th, 1750, offers a nine- hundred-acre tract a mile and a half north of Trenton, with water and wood for "grist mill forge or saw mill. * * * The timber is very fit for ship building, or scantling for houses " or cord wood. Also the William Douglass plantation adjoining the Tuite place "most pleasantly situated on the river Delaware with the additional advantages of fishing fowling and a fine prospect." Also a corner brick house on Queen street "in a very publiek part" of Trenton. This house had three good rooms on the lower floor, a large entry, four good rooms on the upper floor and "four lodging rooms plaistered in the uppermost story," with cellar, stone kitchen, stables and garden. There was likewise twenty-five acres of pasture land on the upper end of Queen street.
EARLY FRESHETS.
In colonial times, as at present, the Delaware and its phenomena of spring freshets were of interest to the public. Thus we find in the "Pennsylvania Gazette," under the caption of a news item dated March 4th, 1730- 31 : "From Trenton we hear that the late Fresh in Delaware raised the River near 20 foot perpendicular."
Very high water meant great danger to the walls of the mills on the Assunpink, inasmuch as upon them the prosperity of the town was largely dependent. Few, if any, precautions were taken in those days tending toward the protection of property.
In August, 1736, the "Pennsylvania Gazette" re- cords the appearance of a shark ten feet long near Burlington. On March 19th, 1733, the " New England Weekly Jour- ASSUNPINK CREEK. nal" says : "The Freshes have done much Damage at Tren- town, that it carried away the Dam of the Iron work & the Dam of the Grist Mill, Bridge & Dying House, with a large Copper was carried down the Stream & abundance of other Damage." There were also heavy freshets in the Raritan, doing great injury to property at New Brunswick. Inas- much as it took about a month for Jersey news to reach New England, this Trenton freshet must have occurred during the latter part of February.
In early February, 1736-37, it is recorded in the "Weekly Mercury " that the Delaware river ice yet remains, but is "so rotten that several Men and Horses have broke through and narrowly escaped drowning." In New Brunswick, £2,000 damage was done by freshets in the Raritan.
31
THE CITY OF TRENTON.
SIDELIGIITS ON THE LIFE OF THE PEOPLE.
That we may still closer reach the home life of the people of Trenton during the colonial period, some varied extracts are made which give us the good and evil in the lives of our ancestors. Thus the "Boston Weekly News Letter" in January, 1732, records an evidence of fraternal affec- tion occurring near Trenton : "We hear from Crosswicks in West-New-Jersey that some time ago two Brothers quarreling the one bit off the other's Ear. It is supposed they had been too free with Liquor."
The "Pennsylvania Weekly Gazette," January, 1731-32, notes the appearance of small-pox in New Jersey. Many were innoculated but none died, "but have had and at present have the Distemper very easy."
In colonial times the visit of the Governor was an occasion long to be remembered. Great honor was done His Excellency, the representative of the English throne. The pilgrimage of Governor Cosby from New York to Burlington is thus described in the "New York Gazette" in its letter from Trenton, August 31st, 1734 : His Excellency and his wife after going to Perth Amboy by water-presumably from New York-were "cheerfully entertained by several Gentlemen at their Seats on the Rariton." The distinguished party passed on to Kingsbury, "being attended by the Chief Justice and Sheriffs of Middlesex and Somerset and were met Eight miles from this place [Trenton] by the Sheriffs of Burlington and Hunterdon and a great Number of the principal Gentlemen and Inhabitants of the Neighboring Counties who express'd the utmost Satisfaction on his Excellency's Intention of staying sometime among them." The Governor evidently remained in Trenton until the twenty-fourth of September, for upon that day the "Gazette" records the fact that "our Governour with his Lady and Family went down to Burlington." This trip was probably made by river-barges, as he was "met at the Water-side by the Gentlemen of the Corpora- tion who testified their Pleasure in seeing him, with great demonstrations of Joy." At the house of Mayor Pearse, of Burlington, the Recorder presented a laudatory and congratulatory address, thanking His Excellency for the honor conferred in erecting Burlington into a corporation. ( Letters- patent, May 7th, 1733.) The Governor made a short reply, testifying to the esteem he had for Burlingtonians, after which "a very handsome entertainment" was given, and His Excellency returned to Trenton. He returned immediately to New York, reaching there at eight o'clock on Saturday, the twenty-eighth of September, 1734.
In March, 1737-38, the "Pennsylvania Gazette " records the sudden death of Thomas Free- man, son-in-law of the late Governor Cosby. He is said to have married Miss Cosby in New York, 1733. It is believed he was buried in the First Presbyterian churchyard, Trenton.
Whitefield, the greatest preacher of the colonial period, in the late fall of 1739 left New York for Georgia. The "Boston Gazette" stated that on his way over the Jerseys "he is to preach at Elizabeth Town, Brunswick, Maidenhead [Lawrenceville] and Nethamine" (Neshaminy ), the latter being in Bucks county, Pennsylvania.
Princeton College, as is evinced by the following newspaper extracts, was much in need of funds at the commencement of her history : "By Order of the Corporation * * * at a late Convention of the Trustees of the College of New Jersey," the Reverend David Cowell and Andrew Reed, of Trenton, were among the gentlemen "desired to take in the Supseriptions and receive the Monies of all such publick spirited Persons as shall be willing to promote this worthy a publick Design."
Politics were then the subject of contention. The "American Weekly Mercury " notes the election of members of Assembly from Burlington county in October, 1738. All the southern portion of Trenton was then in Burlington county. A contention having arisen between the electors of the upper and lower parts of the county, the election was conducted for three days, in a "candid and peaceable Manner nor was there any reaping of Characters, or using of Canes in a Hostile Manner on one another."
As a commentary upon the healthfulness of Trenton and vicinity, the "New England Weekly Journal," July 30th, 1733, speaks of one Daniel Robins, of Hunterdon county, as "an instance of the Health, Constitution and Fruitfulness of our North America born people." Robins was then aged about sixty-six, and he lately traveled forty miles a day "rather than ride an easy Horse."
32
THE CITY OF TRENTON.
Of his thirteen children, eleven were married, and in eighteen years these had increased to sixty-two grandchildren. None of these had as yet died, all being in "Health perfect Senses and Limbs. * * * Thus it appears that said Daniel Robins hath successfully kept and fulfilled that Great and necessary Commandment of Multiply be Fruitful and Replenish the Earth : In this Wilderness Country."
The "quack " early began his nefarious operations in and near Trenton. The "Weekly Mercury," in October, 1735, warns its readers from its Princeton advices that a certain person (not named), who lives near Yardley's Ferry, "has very lately turned Occulist." An experiment upon Mr. Benjamin Randolph caused him to become "quite Blind and in great Pain." The public is warned that they should "not employ those who will put out both their Eyes to make them see clearly."
The members of the Society of Friends at Trenton who attended Yearly Meeting were inter- ested in the following announcement : "This is to give notice to such as come to the Yearly Meeting at Burlington, That Daniel Jackson Fuller of Bristol, hath a choice good Pasture of 16 acres, well fenced, well watered and very good Grass just at the Town's End, where Horses may be put at a Reasonable Rate."-" Pennsylvania Gazette, " August 29th-September 5th, 1734.
Lotteries were the financial standby of the times. In religious life we find Elijah Bond, in April, 1748, was the Trenton agent for a lottery to build a brick steeple and to buy a new bell for Saint Mary's Church, Burlington.
In secular life it is worthy of mention, among other properties, John Bood, of Philadelphia, had lots in Trenton which were to be the prizes in a lottery, for which tickets were 30s. each. John Jenkins was the Trenton agent and "Daniel Bellergeau Post Rider" represented the lottery in New York.
In these early times sorrow came to the people as it does to-day. Two items are indices of casualties, and read as if written yesterday.
In an extract from a Trenton letter, dated August 11th, 1732, the "American Weekly Mercury" speaks of a noontide "sudden Clap of Thunder" which "struck on the House of Ebenezer Prout," near Trenton. Prout and one William Pearson were sitting at the front door with Prout's only son, about nine years old. The boy was killed, his hair burned close and his clothing torn, but "no part of his Body touched." The posts and rafters of the house were shattered. Mrs. Prout and her youngest daughter, with Pearson, were all much injured. Prout was not hurt.
On the 21st of June, 1745, two lads, Benjamin and Severns Albertis, " going in a Canoe to fish near the Falls, the Canoe overset by running against a Log." Severns escaped. After several days' search Benjamin's body was found near Burlington.
THE TRENTON TOWN BOOK.
In the office of the City Clerk is a quaint, time-stained manuscript folio which deals with Trenton when it was a colonial village marked by an air of indolent repose, which was awakened only by the rattle of the occasional mail or the mustering of troops on training day.
Under date of March 11th, 1755, there is the quaintly-written introductory record of a "Towns meeting of the Inhabitants of the Township of Trenton" which was held at the Court House, and where town officers were elected. In 1756 we find three roads-Middle, Rodgers and River- need attention, and in December of that year €40 was ordered by the Justices and Magistrates to be assessed for the use of the poor.
It seems the old bridge over the Assunpink-probably the same one over which Washington rode in triumphal passage to New York-gave the Justices, Frecholders, Surveyors and Overseers of the Roads some trouble in June, 1757. On the twenty-seventh of that month it was agreed that there should be "a stone pillar built in the line between Trenton and Nottingham for the support of the long sleepers of ye bridge called Trenton bridge." So the bridge was repaired. After His Majesty's Justices and the Overseers and all the other dignitaries and local "experts " pronounced the work correct, it was found in 1759 that a mistake had been made, and there was much trouble in having the same rectified.
33
THE CITY OF TRENTON.
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