History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 119

Author: W. Woodford Clayton, Ed.
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia: Everts
Number of Pages: 1224

USA > New Jersey > Middlesex County > History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men > Part 119
USA > New Jersey > Union County > History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men > Part 119

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John Pane, of Woodbridge, was successively a lieutenant and a captain in the Middlesex militia. He was killed Sept. 25, 1781, at Spanktown (Rah- way), and his widow presents an inventory of their

other losses, principally of clothing, household goods, and horses.

The Randolph family were conspicuous for their patriotism, three of them having been officers and twenty-seven privates in the Revolutionary armies. One of the foremost of these patriotic men, Capt. Nathaniel Fitz Randolph, fortunately escaped any destruction of his property. Originally a captain in the Middlesex militia, he was elected naval officer for the Eastern District of New Jersey, Dec. 12, 1778 ; a sword was voted to be presented to him by Council on the 11th of that month " for his patriotism, vigi- lance, and bravery during the war;" he was taken from his bed by Tories in January, 1779, and impris- oned in New York, from whence he was exchanged May 26, 1780; and he died at Woodbridge, July 23, 1781, of wounds received in action.

Asher Fitz Randolph, of Woodbridge, was a spir- ited and valuable officer, and extremely popular among his neighbors, many of whom enlisted in his company. He was successively an ensign in Capt. Freeman's company of State troops, lieutenant in the same, major in Haye's battalion of State troops, and captain of a company of Middlesex troops. Although conspicuous and energetic, his losses were light, being principally of cattle, clothing, provisions, and a few household goods.

Samuel Randolph, of Piscataway, was first a cap- tain and then a major in the First Middlesex Regi -. ment. He escaped with slight loss, the chief item in his inventory being a fine stallion valued at £50.

Phineas and Ephraim Randolph, of Piscataway, and Joseph Randolph, of Woodbridge, were privates in the Middlesex militia. Joseph's loss was small, but among the articles was a " ferry scow and canoe," from which the avocation of a ferryman may be in- ferred. Ephraim was pillaged four times, and on one of their visits the enemy must have made a long stay, since one of the items in his inventory is " for the use of my house 3 months £3." They seem to have made themselves entirely at home during their stay, all his grain, cattle, poultry, clothing, wood, household goods, and even his wife's "cotton petti-

486

HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

coat" having been appropriated to their use by the marauders. Phineas, however, was the greatest suf- ferer of the three. The enemy burned up his fences, consisting of twelve thousand rails and stakes; fed six tons of hay ; destroyed nine hundred and eighty- one trees and saplings, and carried off one horse and sixteen cows, with hogs, turkeys, and other edibles innumerable. They made free with his bedding and apparel, ate his "2 hives of honey" and a flock of sheep, and drove off with his pleasure-sleigh and his wife's "good red short cloak." His loss exceeded £440.

John Ross and James Rowland, of Woodbridge, and Joseph Robison, of New Brunswick, were pri- vates in the Middlesex militia. Ross' loss was trivial. Among Robinson's losses were " 1 pair of pockets with £6 in cash." It would seem that he was a cooper from the large quantity of " hogshead staves and headings" that he records. Rowland's losses were very serious. The enemy burned his "dwelling-house, 49 feet by 31," "barn, 35 by 32 feet," "cider-house, 36 by 26," etc., and carried away his fine " half-blooded mares," his sheep, grain, hay, furniture, clothing, and "£14 in cash," to the total sum of £475.

William Scudder, of Windsor, at first was first ma- jor of the Third Middlesex Regiment, and afterwards lieutenant-colonel of the same. He was a miller, as his ancestors were and as many of his descendants continued to be to a late day, at Scudder's Mills. These consisted in the Revolution of a grist- and full- ing-mill, which were totally destroyed by the enemy. The grist-mill is described in the inventory as "in good repair, with 2 pr. Stones and all the apparatus for carrying on the business in the most extensive manner, £900;" and the fulling-mill consisted of "1 Fulling House & Mill, Press House, and all the ap- paratus for finishing Cloth, £200." Col. Scudder's entire loss amounted to £1188.

John Schenck, of Windsor, was a captain success- ively in the Second and Third Middlesex Regiments. His loss was a little over £45, and among the articles enumerated were " 150 Rations of Hay, £7 in cash, and 3 Regimental coats."

Richard Skinner, of Woodbridge, was a captain in the First Middlesex Regiment, and was killed in a skirmish near Woodbridge, July 1, 1779. Two years before he had been plundered by the enemy of horses, cattle, clothing, and household goods, £54.

carried off from his library "Phillipses Dictionary, Harris Do. in 2 Vollumes, and 1 Bound Book of New Jersey Laws."

Joseph Skelton, of Princeton, was successively a up over four hundred bushels of his grain and thirty- | lieutenant in the Middlesex militia, in Heard's bri- 1 gade, and in the Continental army. His losses were quite large, and consisted principally of horses, cat- tle, and grain. In his inventory are several items which are suggestive of the peculiar hardships attend- ing the visitations of the enemy, among which we in- stance " Hay and corn for 24 horses," "Team prest at sundry times," "The Dragoons 1 Night fed hay & corn till morning."

Hendrick Smock, of Piscataway, was a private in the Middlesex militia and a heavy sufferer. His dwelling-house, kitchen, and barn, worth £250, were burned, together with twenty-three thousand rails, posts, and stakes. His horses, sheep, cattle, hogs, grain, and hay were carried off, besides almost every- thing that can be conceived of as forming the stock of household goods, clothing, and utensils of a pros- perous farmer of that day. Undoubtedly wealthy as he was, the only articles in his very lengthy and mi- nute inventory that might be deemed luxuries were "1 Quart China Bowl & 4 China Cups and Saucers," " 1 pair of Silver Knee-buckles," and " 1 Small Chest with 65 yds. of 7 Hud linen." Noteworthy among the other articles are " 3 Spanish Dollars," " 1 leather pocket-book with 1 Dol' and 1 Guinea," and " 1 Able- bodied Negro Man 29 yrs of age, £90." His losses exceeded £833.

William aod Samuel Stone, of Woodbridge, were privates in the Middlesex militia. William was three times pillaged, and Samuel twice. Their losses were large of horses and cattle, of which they had a great stock, besides grain, hay, etc.

George Soder, of Woodbridge, was a private in the Middlesex militia. His Josses, or more properly the losses of his wife, were mostly of female clothing and bedding.

David Stewart, of Woodbridge, was a private in the Middlesex militia. The enemy robbed him of his shirts and trowsers, but his wife was a great suf- ferer, all her wardrobe having been relentlessly spir- ited away, including her "Silk Bonnet," "Short Gownd," and even her " petticoat and 2 Shifts."

John Shippey, of Raritan Landing, was a private in the Middlesex militia. The enemy burned his dwelling-house, shop, and store-house, appraised at £320, together with several thousand rails and posts. They carried off his grain, hay, and " 1 fish-net, 80 fathoms long, with land and sea warp;" also quite an armory, consisting of "1 Gun & Bayonet, 1 Sword, 1 Pistol, 2 powder-horns, and 1 Rifle frock."

Thomson Stelle, of Piscataway, was a captain, and afterwards paymaster of the Middlesex militia. Among other things he was robbed of his horses, one of which he describes as a "half-blooded Mare with fold by true Britaiu." His hay, wheat, and household goods were all thoroughly plundered. The marauding party Peter T. Schenck, of Raritan Landing, was a pri- vate in the Middlesex militia. His dwelling-house and fences were consumed. which visited him were truly catholic in their atten- tions, and stickled at nothing from an ox chain to a pair of silver shoe-buckles. Some of their number Charles Suydam, of Raritan Landing, was a private must have been of a literary turn of mind, since they i in the Middlesex militia, and one of the heaviest suf-

487

MIDDLESEX COUNTY IN THE REVOLUTION.

ferers from the enemy, his inventory amounting to £2033 88. 5d. They spared his dwelling-house, but burned his barn, hovels, cider-mill and house, and wagon-house, and carried off a large amount of grain, hay, clothing, household goods, sheep, cattle, and horses. There are several noticeable items in his list, some of which betray wealth and, for the times, lux- urions surroundings. Among these are "£650 in Cash," " 2 Silver Tablespoons & Do. Teaspoons," "1 Quart China Bowl," " 1 pr. new buckskin breeches & 10 Silver buttons," "1 Silver Watch," "1} Bar's of Metheglin & } Bar' Rum."

John Smalley, Joseph Stelle, Henry Sutton, and Jonathan Sharp, all of Piscataway, were privates in the Middlesex militia. The three first named were robbed of clothing and household goods in considerable quan- tities. Sutton's barn and over twelve thousand rails and stakes were burned, and his grain, hay, and cattle carried away. Sharp also had his dwelling-house and barn destroyed, and a number of household and farming utensils pillaged.

Peter Stults, Jacob Skillnan, John Sunderland, and Isaac Snediker, of South Brunswick, were pri- vates in the Middlesex militia ; and John Storey, also of South Brunswick, was a private in Capt. Morgan's company, Second Regiment. They were each pil- laged of small amounts, apparently by foraging par- ties.

Garret Schenck, of Penn's Neck, was a private in the Middlesex militia, and lost quite largely, among other items "I Negro Boy, 16 years old, cost €75."

Peter Stoothoof, near New Brunswick, was a pri- vate in the Middlesex militia, and was plundered of his horses, cattle, sheep, clothing, and household goods.

Jonathan Thorp and Isaac Tappen, of Woodbridge, were privates in the Middlesex militia, and Thorp also served in Capt. Asher F. Randolph's company of State troops. Thorp was robbed of stock, clothing, and household goods to an inconvenient amount, and Tappen was visited eight different times, and each time pillaged of valuable horses and cattle.

John Thomson, of New Brunswick, was a first lieu- tenant in Capt. John Lyle's company, Third Regi- ment. The enemy carried off his sloop of 30 tons burden and sundry other things.

Daniel Turner, John Van Harlingen, Richard Van Arsdalen, Isaac Van Arsdalen, Ephraim Vantine, and William Van Deursen, of New Brunswick, were privates in the Middlesex militia. Their losses were chiefly of horses, fencing, cattle, household goods, and damages to buildings. Van Harlingen's barn and Van Deursen's store-house were burnt by the enemy. Van Deursen was an influential member of the Dutch Church at New Brunswick, and acting in its behalf, exhibited the inventory of the damages which it suf- fered from the British.

John Van Emburgh, of New Brunswick, was suc- cessively second and first major of the Second Mid-

dlesex Regiment. He was taken prisoner by the enemy at Tom's River, May 14, 1780, but had the good fortune to effect his escape soon after. He was plundered of various household articles, provisions, etc. He was an active member of the Presbyterian Church at New Brunswick, and was one of its trus- tees in 1785.

William Taylor, John Thaxton, and Israel Thor- nal, of Woodbridge, were privates in the Middlesex militia. The losses of the two first named were light, but Thornal was a heavy loser. He was plundered at four different times of a large number of fine cattle and horses worth £245.

Jacob Van Deventer, of Piscataway, was a captain in the First Middlesex Regiment. He was visited three times by the enemy, and pillaged of household goods, grain, and clothing.

Simon Van Nortvick, James Wooden, Samuel Walker, Thomas Webster, and Samuel Whitehead, of Piscataway, were privates in the Middlesex militia, and were all preyed upon by the enemy. Walker apparently was in the tobacco trade, as among his losses were "1 Hogshead of Tobacco of 1000 Ib. weight," and "1 Barrel of Cut Do 100 th." Wooden's loss was large, of cattle, horses, timber, grain, sheep, and a great number of rails.

John Wetherill, of South Brunswick, at the com- mencement of the war was colonel of the Second Middlesex Regiment. He was plundered lightly.

John Webster, of Piscataway, was first a captain in the First Middlesex Regiment, and afterward succes- sively its lieutenant-colonel and colonel. He was a farmer on a large scale, and was heavily robbed of hay, grain, cattle, flax, and household goods.

The examination of these inventories reveals many characteristics of the people of those times, and affords numerous glimpses of their social life. It is evident that they were thrifty, provident house-keepers and good livers ; frugal, careful in the sense that Martha was, and believers in the maxims then current, " Many a little makes a muckle," and " A penny saved is two pence clear." As to wealth, theirs was a day of small things, and the solicitude which they showed for articles of little intrinsic value according to our standards was due to the fact that their means were largely composed of such. We are not surprised, therefore, at the freqnent record of articles damaged, destroyed, or stolen, the worth of which was meas- ured by a sixpence, a ninepence, or a shilling. A paper of pins, a delft bowl, a pewter dish or platter, and the like were prime necessities, not easily re- placed, the value of which to our ancestors we can scarcely duly estimate in our day of lavish and cheap comforts and conveniences. Still a silver thread of honesty and simple integrity and truthfulness runs conspicuously through all the tokens of their provi- dent solicitude. This is apparent in their precise descriptions of their losses, and their evident anxiety

488

HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

that while their goods should be appraised at their full worth they should not be estimated above their value. Hence the frequent recurrence of such quali- fying phrases as " new." " most new," " nearly new," " half-worn," "three-quarters worn," "part worn," " little worn," and "much worn," "the worse for wear," " but little the worse for wear," and "none the worse for wear," etc. If a horse or a cow was " valuable" they said so ; if old or of inferior value they as frankly stated the fact. Nowhere can there be discerned any purpose to trick a bargain at the public expense ; but their aim seems to have been to exhibit the exact loss they had suffered and to secure that they should be made whole. Their careful ex- actitude and honest truthfulness are marked features of all their inventories, and are in refreshing contrast with the reckless disregard for those cardinal virtues which distinguish kindred documents of our own times.

The men of "Seventy-six" were liberal " provi- ders" so far as the creature comforts, food and drink and clothing, were concerned. Barrels of pork and beef, sides of beef, flitches and sides of bacon, car- cases of venison and mutton, and multitudes of gam- mons and shoulders frequently appear in these inventories in quantities of which we have no expe- rience in these days of abundant shops and markets. The great number of roasting pigs, ducks, fowls, tur- keys, and geese which the inventories show to have been carried off by the enemy at their advent in November and December, 1776, indicates not only the lavish store of these maintained by our fore- fathers, but also that they must have been put on "short allowance" for their Christmas and New-Year dinners in that calamitous year. Beside the meats already mentioned, they had pickled and smoked beef and pork, veal, sausages, wild fowl in abundance, and Inscious tit-bits of coon and bear. Shad and herring were plentiful in their season, and were laid down by the barrel and even hogshead for winter use. Every household was supplied with butter, lard, mo- lasses, sugar, and honey, the last mentioned being so common that almost every farmer had his hive or more of bees. Wheat, rye, buckwheat, Indian corn, potatoes, beans, turnips, and beets abounded, and there was a great wealth of apples, cherries, peaches, and pears. For beverage they had tea, coffee, cocoa, and chocolate, also cider and metheglin, the former by the barrel, and even by one, two, and ten hogs- heads, and the latter by the keg and barrel, while for those who were not content with these there were brandy, cider, spirits, gin, and rum in all their variety, aniseed cordial, cherry brandy, and wines of all kinds. Almost every gentleman kept in his cellar a liberal supply of these, wine especially being stored by the barrel, or in cases each containing six or twelve large square flasks. Tobacco and snuff too were in quite general use, the last named being greatly affected by the gentility. Tobacco was smoked in pipes or

chewed, but was not manufactured generally if at all into cigars, not a solitary instance appearing in all these inventories of a cigar as forming part of any of the losses.

The people of those times were respectably and comfortably clad. Their store of clothing was abun- dant and good ; many of the fabrics used were elegant, and the fashion of their dress was frequently very stately. Pantaloons, it is true, were not yet in vogue, but instead there were breeches of leather, buckskin, worsted, homespun, stockinett, black and brown broadcloth, plush, and velvet for winter, and for summer of linen, cotton, nankin, white dimity, and drilling. Dress-coats, surtouts, and great-coats were made of bearskin, buckskin, homespun, denin, wilton, broadcloth, velvet, and sagatha.1 Cloaks were of camlet, broadcloth, and velvet ; vests of linen, twilled cotton, diaper, white dimity, serge, broad- cloth, and velvet; gloves of leather; hats of felt, castor, and velvet; shirts of linen, cotton, homespun, and tow; stockings of woolen, cotton, linen, and yarn. For boots and shoes almost every householder had in his house whole calf-skins dressed, and sides of sole and other leather. Such were the materials of which the garments of the men of "Seventy-six" were made, and they bespeak comfort in every case and dignified respectability in most.

The apparel of the ladies was still more varied, and exhibits their characteristic love of gay colors and beautiful fabrics. The assortment is almost endless, combining the useful and the ornamental. Judging from the inventories presented by their hushands, the ladies of those times must all have considered caps and aprons indispensable to their toilet, the humblest among them having been the possessors of an indefi- nite number of each, the former being made for the most part of cambric, taffety, millinet, gauze, and linen, and the latter of lawn, Holland linen, taffety, muslin, millinet, check, homespun, and even tow. Their bonnets and hoods were of beaver, satin, and bright-colored silks and velvets; their cloaks of worsted, broadcloth, camlet, flannel, gay-colored silks, white and black satin, purple and black and blue velvet, and brilliant scarlet cloth. Their dresses formed a boundless variety of material. The com- mon short gown, which seems to have been a great favorite with the ladies when they were not in full toilet, was of kersey, Holland linen, worsted, wilton, calamanco,2 check, homespun, and linsey-woolsey. Their gowns were of check, striped cotton, worsted, striped homespun calico, " boughten calico," muslin, chintz, outside chintz lined with calico, white Hol- land, blue and striped Holland. black and blue du - rant,2 groset,2 bombazine, blue and black russel,? mo- reen, poplin, velvet, French tabby, and of lutestring

1 A kind of serge.

" Durant is tha fabric known as "everlasting;" russel was a kind of linsey-woolsey. I have not been alde to ascertain what groset was. Calamanco was a stuff resembling prunella.

489

MIDDLESEX COUNTY IN THE REVOLUTION.

and white, crimson, and other colored silks and sat- ins. For the hands they wore gloves of knit stuff, silk, and leather; their stockings were of thread, cot- ton, muslin, yarn, linen, worsted, and silk ; and their shoes of cloth, prunella, calamanco, silk, and leather. Shawls were of cloth, cashmere, and taffety. Hand- kerchiefs and kerchiefs abounded in their wardrobe, and were of linen, cambric, taffety, muslin, gauze, and Barcelona silk. Of shifts and petticoats their supply seems to have been well-nigh inexhaustible, some ladies recounting as many as twelve or fifteen of each, the former being made of homespnn and muslin at times, but chiefly of fine five- and six- hundred linen, and the latter of linsey, tow, flannel, kersey, dimity, bombazine, and calamanco.

Equally abundant and various were the articles of household wear. The bed and all that appertained to it was the special pride of the mistress of the house. It was almost invariably of sweet, soft, and downy feathers. Its sheets were of the finest " home- spun" five- or six-hundred linen. The bedspreads were of calico, and of "blue and white stoff;" the quilts of calico, calamanco, black and blue durant, green and blue "Persian " and of Intestring; the blankets and rugs of homespun and imported spotted woolen and flannel, and especially the famous Rose blanket; and the towering posts at either corner sus- pended " testers" of cloth, and were garnished with valances and showy curtains of dimity, damask, cal- ico, chintz, diaper, blue and white stuff, homespun striped and wove with damask flowers, or silk. For table use they had napkins of linen, and tablecloths of diaper, diaper-wove huckabuck, kersey, or damask plain and flowered.

The household furniture of those simple times was a strange contrast to the kinds now in use. China was as rare as gold ; most commonly three china cups and saucers comprised the entire holiday outfit of a re- spectable family, though the number rose sometimes to six, but seldom to a dozen. These and bowls were usually of delft or queensware. Plates were equally seldom of china, but, together with servers, dishes, platters, spoons, tea-pots, coffee-pots, and tank- ards, were of pewter, brilliantly polished, and rivaling the richest silver in lustre. Pewter and copper were the ornamental, and iron was then as now the service- able metal. Of the two former were also made basins, ewers, pint and quart mugs, porringers, ladles, and tea- and coffee-kettles. There was but little white glass- ware in use, and the few jelly-glasses, wine-glasses, half-pint and gill glasses, salt-cellars, tumblers, and punch-goblets of glass that are enumerated were evi- dently highly prized. Looking-glasses and clocks em- bellished the houses of the wealthy or highly genteel, and the size of the former seems to have corresponded with the degree of their owners' social standing. Stoves were not in general use, and coal was unknown except for blacksmithing purposes. Wood, turf, and char- coal were the only fnels. The two former were be-

ginning to be burned in " Franklins," and in cast-iron stoves, known as "ten-plate stoves," but were most commonly used in fireplaces, provided with dogs and andirons, and which in the kitchens were huge cav- erns, garnished with a forest of chains, hooks, pots and trammels, swinging on iron cranes, or " smoke- jacks," over fires that were fed by great logs from four to six feet in length.

The principal articles of furniture, even in the best ordered household, were not numerous. Mahogany was the most costly and the most aristocratic material, and of it were made their choice chairs, straight and high-backed, bedsteads, chests, drawers, stands, tables, and buffets. Few families were without a " dresser" and a "corner cupboard ;" and the wealthier ones adorned their houses with the stately " Dutch cup- board," made of costly wood in Holland, and almost capacious enough for a town-meeting. The ordinary household furniture was usually made of bilsted, gum, pine, walnut, cherry, or red cedar. This last was the favorite, and being indigenous to the State it was within reach of all, and applied to almost every possible nse,-for pails, tubs, piggons, lye-casks, tables, stands, cupboards, slawbanks,1 churns. and be- cause of its fragrant odor and indestructiblety, as well as from the belief that it was never infested by ver- min, was especially appropriated to bureaus, clothes- presses, and the like. If few families were without a cupboard, full as few were without the large and small wheel for spinning wool, linen, and cotton, and the loom for weaving these into the cloth for the varied uses of the household. It is rarely that these are absent from any extended inventory.

The men and women of the Revolution had few books, but what they had they mastered thoroughly and exhaustively. Out of the six or seven hundred whose losses are inventoried in the old record we are considering, only forty-three present any claims for books pillaged or destroyed. This may be due in part to the fact that the British and Hessian marauders attached slight value to books, especially the kind which formed the literary treasures of our ancestors, or that they considered them too cumbersome to carry off. Still they were not so cumbersome hut that they might have been destroyed. The chief reason for the small losses of our ancestors in this line is doubtless that books were as rare as rubies, and were possessed by a few only. Wherever there were collections of them a Bible or a psalm-book were found in the num- ber, and, indeed, most commonly constituted the en- tire library. As a matter of curiosity and historical

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History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 119

Author: W. Woodford Clayton, Ed. Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Philadelphia: Everts Number of Pages: 1224

Author: W. Woodford Clayton, Ed.
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia: Everts
Number of Pages: 1224