History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 152

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 152
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 152

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The English immediately took possession of the town, which, as well as New Brunswick, they retained until July, 1777.

"On the 12th of April, 1779, commissioners ap- pointed by Gen. Washington and Sir Henry Clinton met here to make arrangements for the exchange of prisoners, after which the Revolutionary history of Perth Amboy presents little interest and nothing of importance."2

CHAPTER LXXXIX.

CITY OF PERTH AMBOY .- ( Continued.)

St. Peter's Protestant Episcopal Church .- About 1695 several of the East Jersey proprietors applied to Bishop Compton, of London, for the supply of a minis- ter, and in compliance with their request the Rev. Ed- ward Perthuck was sent out, who arrived at the close of 1698. Upon his arrival at Perth Amboy the proprie- tors met in February of the following year, and a house which had been built by them to be given for a church having been fitted up by a number of the inhabitants, the Rev. Mr. Perthuck commenced re- ligious services according to the forms of the Church of England.

This building stood near the ferry over the Raritan, and its site is marked on an early map. There was a stone taken down and inserted in the rear wall of the new church edifice bearing date 1685,3 and this is supposed to have been the date of the foundation of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Amboy. It is not known how long Mr. Perthuck remained, but prior to the incorporation of the Society for the Prop- agation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, 1701, clergy- men occasionally visited the place. In the year 1702 the Rev. George Keith was sent by the society as a

1 T. S. Kearnay'a Sketch.

2 Centenary Speech, in A. B., 1876.

3 William A. Whitehead Acct.

622

HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

missionary to the colonies, with the Rev. Mr. Talbot as an associate. These visits awakened an interest in the erection of a new church, but it was deemed ad- visable to repair the old one for temporary use, and six pounds were appropriated by the proprietors for that object. In 1705 materials were collected and the new church edifice commenced. The Rev. Mr. Brook is mentioned as their missionary at this time, including Elizabethtown. He was zealous and indefatigable in his labors. "Besides preaching, he used to catechise and expound fourteen times a month, which obliged him to be on horseback almost every day, which was expensive as well as toilsome to him." His example, however, awakened a spirit of zeal among his members. In the autumn of 1707, Mr. Brook, while on his way to England, was lost at sea.

The Rev. Thorowgood Moore, a truly zealous and sincere clergyman and missionary of the society, ap- pears to have officiated for a while in Amboy, follow- ing Mr. Brook, but on account of his plainness in the discharge of his duties he incurred the displeasure of some of the nobility, more especially of Lord Corn- bury, and was taken by the sheriff to New York. But he fortunately escaped to Boston, and from there to England on the same vessel with Rev. Mr. Brook.

Rev. Edward Vanghan succeeded Mr. Brook in 1709. He executed the duties of his calling with the utmost application and diligence, rendering himself exceed- ingly acceptable to the people. He gave Amboy as much of his attention as was possible, having Eliza- bethtown and other missions to visit frequently. In 1711 the inhabitants of Amboy were obliged to pro- cure a separate minister, and Rev. Thomas Halliday commenced his labors, in connection with Piscataway Town. (See Raritan township.) He remained until about 1714, at Amboy, when that year Rev. Mr. Vaughan for the second time came to Amboy, and once in four weeks officiated for the parish here, going to Elizabethtown and Woodbridge on the other Sab- baths. This arrangement continued with but little intermission for several years. On the 30th of July, 1718, a charter was granted to the parish of St. Peter's by Governor Robert Hunter, in behalf of his sover- eign, George I., in which William Eier and John Bar- clay were appointed wardens ; Thomas Gordon, John Rudyard, Robert King, and John Stevens, vestry- men.

To Mr. Gordon, George Willocks, and John Barclay the church is indebted for the ground on which the present edifice stands and for other lands in the vicin- ity of this city. . .. The parsonage and grounds were valued at £400 sterling. In June, 1719, John llarri- son and Mr. Willocks gave twelve acres of land con- tiguous to the city for the use of the church for- ever.

In 1825 this congregation erected a tablet in this church in memory of their liberal benefactors. It bears the following inscription :

This Tablet

is designed to express the gratitude of the

Congregation of St. Peter's church in this city to the benefactors of the said church

whose names follow

GEORGE WILLOCKS

who died 1729-

MAROARET WILLOCKS

his wife

who died in 1722-

THOMAS GORDON

who died April 28 1722

and John Harrison.

They loved the habitation of God's house and the place where his honour dwelleth.

Erected A.D. 1825.

This congregation, upon receipt of their charter, became regularly established. The erection of a new church soon followed. It was begun in 1719, and dedi- cated by the name of " St. Peter's" in 1722. It was an oblong building, thirty feet broad, forty-eight feet in length, and simple in architecture. Save in the additions made to the number who were buried in the graves surrounding the church, but few changes had been wrought in its appearance until 1852, when it was removed to give place to a more commodious modern structure. The Rev. William Skinner was appointed missionary to the parish, and in the autumn of 1722 commenced bis labors. He was received by the people "with much kindness and civility."

In the year 1731 the pews were all placed in the church, and the following is a record of the names of pewholders, the numbers allotted, and prices affixed :

£ 8.

1. Rector 6 17

2. Philip Kearney .... 6 17

3. John Parker .. 6 17

4. William Skinner. 6 17

17. Peter Savery and Henry

5. Ursula l'arker and Eliza- Berry, Jr .. 5 2

18. Jos. Leig, Richard Bishop, and Wm. Davenport .... 5

19. John Sharp ...

8. J. Hamilton.

20. Thomas Frost, and Elea- nor Williams, 5 12

9. A. Johnston

6 17

10. F. Lyell

6 17

21. Richard Hughes, 5 12

11. George Leslie 6 17

22. Andrew Hay .. 6

12. John Ritchie 6 17

23. Gabriel Stelle. 6

13. J. Webb 5 12

24. Michael Kearney

14. Hermon Stout. 5 12

15. This seat may have heen

reserved for the poor.

6. John Johnston

7. R. S. Hooper.

beth Johnetou.

When Mr. Skinner entered upon his duties there were only twenty communicants reported. There were in 1724 about seventy families belonging to the congregation. He ordinarily had one hundred and fifty auditors in summer, and about seventy in winter. His custom was to preach in the morning and cate- chise the children in the afternoon. In 1747, in consequence of Governor Morris having fixed his residence at Trenton, Amboy lost many of its popu- lation. The prevalence of the smallpox proving fatal to many in the winter of 1746-47, the congregation, which had increased under the labors of Mr. Skinner, fell off materially, and in 1758 they were deprived by death of the labors of their faithful pastor.

In the year 1759 there was appointed as missionary to Amboy the Rev. Philip Hughes, but he must have declined, as no other mention is made but that Rev.

16. Aaron Faitont. 5 7

623

CITY OF PERTH AMBOY.

Mr. Palmer entered the station and continued to officiate as missionary until 1762, when the name of Rev. Robert Mckean comes in February, 1763, and reports in a few months after some fifty families that belonged to this parish, and communicants thirty- four. In the year 1764 a committee were authorized " to carry on the outside walls of the church as far as the end of the steeple, and inclose it, and to build a plain spire on top of the steeple, and do any other matter the vestry shall think necessary towards completing the same." Rev. Mr. McKean died Oct. 17, 1767, leaving an excellent record of a gospel minister and Chris- tian gentleman ; he was also a practitioner of physic, etc. The following epitaph from his tombstone:

" In Memory of

The Rev. Robert Mckean, M.A., Practitioner of Physic. etc., Aod Missionary from the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel ic Foreign parts to the

City of Perth Amboy, who was Born

July 13th, 1732, N. S., and died October 17th, 1767. An unshaken friend, An agreeable companion, A rational divine, À skilful Physician, And io every relation of life a truly benevolent and honest man, Fraternal love hath erected This monument."

The Rev. Mr. Preston, chaplain to the Twenty-sixth Regiment, then quartered at Amboy, was requested to officiate, the necessary funds for his remuneration to be raised by subscription. He accepted the offer, but refused all compensation save the occupancy of the parsonage. Mr. Preston remained at Amboy until 1774, acting as the chaplain, and also as missionary to this church when the "tide of war" caused his re- moval. He was a Scotchman, tall of stature, and with an athletic frame surmounted by a bushy wig ; he was a bachelor, and had accumulated consider- able property, which he lost by the failure of his banker, which caused his death, bringing him to the grave old and broken-hearted.

In the year 1768, as there had been numerous ap- plications for pews which could not be supplied, ar- rangements were made to put up a gallery on the south side of the church, which was accordingly done.

being built of durable materials, while many frame buildings were destroyed. In this connection the following letter from Rev. Mr. Preston is interesting :

" PERTH AMBOY, N. J., Jan'y 2, 1777.

"REVEREND SIR,-My correspondence with the society has been ieter- rupted for some considerable time, owing to this place having been made a garrison fowo of the rebels, and their endeavoring to intercept all lettere that were writ from hence, which was attended with bad conse- quences to the writers of them. Whilst they were here they never inter- rupted me in the discharge of my duty ; they threatened indeed to com- pell me to observe the Fast Day that was appointed by Congress in May last, which I not choosing to do, left towo for two days, and on my re- turn had service in church as usual without any molestation, which I continued till the end of June, when Independence was declared. After that it would not have been prudent in me, por indeed would they have -have suffered me to officiate, uoless I would have conformed to the alterations which they made in the Liturgy. Upon the King's Troops takeo possession of Staten Island, which is separated from this place by a narrow chaonel, they crowded in 6000 or 7000 meo into this little town, filled all the honses with soldiers, sud took the church and made & Barrack of it; they at last gave out an order that any person that had any connec- tione or acquaintances upoo Staten Island should quit the place. Upon this the greater number of the inhabitants were obliged to leave town. I retired 40 miles back ioto the country. where I remained till one of the King's Regiments passed along, which had been made prisoners and were going to be exchanged, and I joined them and get to this towo the 20th of December. I had service in the church the Sunday before Christmas, and had that day 20 communicants. Few of the inhabitants have as yet been able to return here, the Roads are all beset by the Rebels aod their houses are now filled with the King's Troops. I found the Parsonage House so demolished that it was not habitable; the windows broke to pieces, the partitions toro down, the outhouses aod tences all burnt and destroyed. £300 will oot repair the damage, and how that is to be dons I koow not, for everybody here have been such sufferers that it cannot be expected that they should contribute much towards it. Many of them will find it & hard matter to repair their own losses. My owo private losses I do pet bring into the account, tho' I have been a considerable sufferer : part of my Household Furniture is gone and some of my books, amongst which was the register of Baptisms, &c., so that I can make no returo to the Society of the occasional duties for these two year last Past. " I am, Reverend Sir, yours,

"JOHN PRESTON."

During the years 1782, 1783, and 1784 the Rev. Abraham Beach occasionally officiated in the parish, being appointed temporary missionary by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel at the request of the vestry. The war was over and all civil and eccle- siastical connection with Great Britain severed. At the end of the year 1784 an invitation was extended to the Rev. John Hamilton Rowland, who was at that time settled as rector of St. Andrew's Church, Staten Island. He officiated for the congregation at stated periods for two or three years, and then re- moved to Nova Scotia.

The following March (1785) resolutions in relation to the complete reparation of the church, commen- cing with the windows and floors, were adopted. On the 16th of April the vestry petitioned the board of proprietors for aid, and received from them a grant of one hundred acres of land, which was sold and the proceeds made available, forming with monies (£150) secured by private subscriptions enough to warrant the completion of the interior. These im- provements were finished in October, and some twenty-six out of thirty-two pews were sold. Rev. Mr. Rowland's labors in Amboy ceased about August,

From 1774 to 1782 there are no records of the ves- try's proceedings, and it is believed that the church held no regular services. The edifice hecame a place for stahling the army horses, the pews having been removed; and the graves and monuments were ex- posed to injury by the destruction of the fences. Against the headstones fires were lighted hy the sol- diers to prepare their food, and the tombstones they occupied as tables for the meals which they thus pre- pared. Tlie church, however, escaped the fiery ordeal, | 1786, as in the same month a candidate for orders,

624

HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

Mr. Joseph I. Bend, who also was teaching school in the town, was engaged by the congregation as lay- reader.

Rev. George Hartwell Spieren was the next rector. He was called in June, 1788, and ordained at St. Peter's, on the 18th of July, by Right Rev. Dr. Provost, Bishop of New York. This was the first ordination in the Protestant Episcopal Church in East Jersey. During his ministry (1788) measures were taken to procure a bell. The following one was presented to the parish by Capt. Philip Lytheby, a Scotchman from Bahama Islands. The captain caused the following quaint inscription to be cast around the bell:

" In Perth Amboy my Sound Enjoy, 1789."

Rev. Henry Van Dyke, the next rector at Amboy and New Brunswick, arrived with his family April 19, 1791. After serving the parish usefully for some months he (in July, 1793) removed to Burlington, N. J. The church now extended a unanimous call to the Rev. Richard C. Moore, of Staten Island, who became rector on the 25th of November, 1793, and for several years performed his duties in the parish. He became Bishop of Virginia.

The following have been connected with this parish : Rev. Jasper D. Jones, 1804-9 ; Rev. James Chapman, 1809-44; Rev. Hamble T. Leacock, 1845-48 ; Rev. H. E. E. Pratt, 1849-54; Rev. Alexander Jones, D.D., 1855-71; Rev. Alexander R. Walker, 1871-77 ; Rev. James O. Drumm, 1877-78 ; Rev. E. P. Miller, 1879 to the present time.

The present number of communicants is one hun- dred and fifty ; church sittings, about three hundred and fifty. The present church edifice was first used for public worship June 19, 1853.

The following is a complete list of the officers of the congregation to the present time, with the years of their election :

WARDENS.

William Eier, 1718. Robert King, 1719. William Burnet, "Governor," 1721. John Barclay, 1718-22. John Rudyard, 1720.

Julin Stevens, 1722-25, 1730-31.

George Leslie, 1732-29.

Michael Keurney, 1723-26, 1730- 33.

Andrew Johnston, 1726-29, 1742, 1762.

Heron Potland, 1726-28.

John Parker, 1727-32.

Fenwick Lyell, 1727-29, 1737-41. Andrew Hay. 1729-39. John Hamilton, 1730-36, 1742-45. JulIn Barclay, 1730-32. Lawrence Smyth, 1734-55.

William Cosby, " Governor," 1734. Robert L. Hooper, 1734-38. John Webb, 1735-40. Gabriel Stelle, 1737-38. Lewis Johnson, 1739-41, 1763-73. Adam Ilay, 1739. Samuel Nøville, 1741.

: Philip Kearney, 1742-74. John Deare, 1742-62.

Francis Brazier, 1744-45. John Dodsworth, 1745.

Gerard Say rs, 1749. John Smyth, 1749-62.

George Leslie, 1750-52. Jobu Barberrie, 1753-62. John Johnston, 1753-74.

Cortlandt Skinner, 1755-74. Samuel Sargent, 1757-62, 1772. Stephen Skinner, 1763-71. James Parker, 1763, 1774, 1785-96. Alexander Watson, 1763-74. Jonathan Deare, 1770-74. Revund Kearney, 1770-74, 1782-83, 1786, 1791-93, 1797, 1800-1. Elijah Dunham, 1770-74. Frederick Smyth, 1774. John Rattoone, 1782-89. Thomas Lyell, 1782-84. Juhn Ilalsted, 1782-84, 1799. Elias Marsh, 1782-86, 1795, 1798. Stephen Deare, 1782-83. John Griggs, 1784-85.

Poole England, 1784-85, 1788-90.

Norris Thorp, 1785.

Samuel Farmer, 1785-86.

Thomas Farmer, 1785-88.

Matthias Halstead, 1785-86, 1788- 94, 1797.

Richard Stevens, 1786-88.

John L Julinston, 1786-87.

Andrew Bell, 1787, 1789, 1808.

Michael Kearny, 1790.

Julın Johnston, 1791-93, 1795-96. Joseph Taylor, 1794-1801. Joseph Marsh, 1794-87, 1810. Robert Palmer, 1798.

James Parker, 1799, 1837, 1843.

James H. Kenrney, 1809-11.

Abraham Webb, 1809-36.

Philip Ten Eyck, 1809.

David Thorp, 1810-29.

Norris Thorpe, 1782-84.

John Johnson, 1782-89.

John Ilalsted, 1785-96, 1800-1.

John Rattoone, 1790-1801, 1809-10.

George Buchanan, 1813-21.

William Hamilton, 1814-15, 1830- 31. Robert Arnold, 1816-17, 1822-29.

Jeremiah Martin, 1818-30.

Richard Griggs, 1818-19.

John R. Watson, 1842-55.

Archer Gifford, 1820-21.

Edward Brinley, 1843-51.

Abner Woodruff, 1822-25, 1828-37.

James l'urker, 1852-55.

F. W. Brinley, 1822-23.

C. L. Parker.

William Whitehead, 1824-34.

F. W. Gordon.

VESTRYMEN.

Thomas Gordon, 1718-22.

John Barclay, 1730-32. John Rudyard, 1718-19, 1721.

Lawrence Kearney, 1851-55. Lawrence Boggs, 1852-55.

William King, 1852-55.

Joseph D. Forbes, 1852-55.

John Stevens, 1718, 1726-30, 1749- 52.

Eber II. Ilall, 1855. S. V. R. Patterson, 1855. James T. Watson, 1876.

William Nicholls, 1719-21.

Alexander Furquerson, 1719-20.

Jolın Sharp, 1720.

John Johnston, 1722-28.

J. L. Kearney, 1882.

James A. Nicholls, 1838-50.

De Witt Watrous, 1882.

John Arnold, 1>38-55.

John R. Watson, 1839-41.

Charles Hamilton, 1842.

Thomas G. Marsh, 1826-51.

Lewis Gelding, 1827-54. Robert A. Thorp, 1830-35.

Samnel Angus, 1830.

Benoni Mandeville, 1834-37. Charles C. Lawrence, 1836-37.

Jedediah Paine, 1837. John Parker, 1723-26. Robert S. llooper, 1826. John Hamilton, 1727-29, 1737-41.

Michael Kearney, 1727-29.

1 Andrew Johnston, 1730-41. Fennell Lyell, 1730-36. Lewis Johnston, 1742-62.

Samuel Nevill, 1742-62. Samnel Sargent, 1763-71.

John Smyth, 1763-74.

Stephen Skinner, 1772-74.

B. H. Tomlinson, 1811.

C. A. Forbes, 1812, 1816-17. Abraham Thompson, 1812-19.

James Parker, 1797. Revaud Kearney, 1798-99. Andrew Bell, 1809-42.

Joseph Marsh, 1811-41. Abner Woodruff, 1841.

Robert King, 1718, 1720-35, 1744- 45.

Charles McK. Smith, 1843-55.

F. W. Gordon, 1881. E. H. Willford, 1882.

Williamı Ding, Jr., 1882. Aime R. Marsh, 1882.

REV. JAMES CHAPMAN, the senior presbyter of the Episcopal Church in the diocese of New Jersey, and for thirty-five years rector of St. Peter's Church, Perth Amboy, N. J., died at his residence in that town on the 6th day of April, 1857, in the seventy-second year of his age, and the fiftieth year of his ministry.

He was the eldest son of James Chapman, a native of Peterboro', England, who early in life came to this country, and settled at Elizabethtown, N. J., where the subject of this sketch was born on May 15, 1785. His father was an active patriot during the Revolution, and one of those who suffered incarceration in the famous sugar-house in Liberty Street, New York. His mother was Mary Ogden, a descendant of one of the early settlers of New Jersey. His parents were of noted integrity and piety, and therein was laid that strict integrity of character which marked the whole life of their son. His father, though originally an Episco- palian, had, during the awakening that attended the preaching of Whitefield, joined the Presbyterian Church, and so the son, when about to enter the

625

CITY OF PERTH AMBOY.

Christian ministry, was naturally inclined to the order of that church. With this view, after an academic course under the late Rev. Dr. Barry, to whom so many of the bishops and elder clergy of the church have been indebted for their early classical training, he was sent to Princeton College and Theological Seminary. After graduating at the college, and while pursuing his theological studies, his mind becoming impressed with the superior claims of the order and ministry of the Episcopal Church, after careful con- sideration, he applied and was admitted as a candi- date for holy orders by the standing committee of the diocese of New Jersey in 1806. Forming an intimate acquaintance with the late Bishop Hobart, he enjoyed the privilege of pursuing his theological studies under the guidance of that learned and able divine, and laid the foundation not only of sound church principles, but also of a warm friendship with that distinguished prelate which lasted through life. He also had the friendship and counsel of the venerable bishop Ben- jamin Moore, by whom he was ordained deacon in St. Paul's Chapel, New York, on May 31, 1807, and was immediately afterwards employed as an assistant min- ister in Trinity Church, New York. This was an in- teresting period of his ministry, as appears by the jonr- nal he regularly kept during his whole ministerial life. His duties were constant and various. He here formed many valuable friendships, one of the latest fruits of which was a beantiful epistle received by him, shortly before his death, from one who was baptized by him, and the first child baptized in the then new St. John's Chapel, New York.

While in New York he received calls at about the same time from Trinity Church, New Haven, from Alexandria, Va., and from Perth Amboy, N. J., all earnest and urgent. By the advice of his friend, Bishop Hobart, concurring with his own love for his native State and for rural life, and more especially regarding the depressed condition of the church there, and her great need of the aid of all her sons, he chose the last, though least, being, in the language of Bishop Doane to his convention, "a Jerseyman all through." He entered upon his duties in this parish on Sept. 9, 1809, was ordained priest by Bishop Moore, in Trinity Church, New York, Sept. 7, 1810, and in- stituted rector Aug. 8, 1811. At this time the Dio- cese of New Jersey had no bishop, and scarcely an existence. He entered at once with zeal upon his chosen work. His own immediate parish he fonnd in a very low state, small in numbers, and involved in debt. This debt was paid off, the number of pew- holders and communicants soon increased two-fold, the church repaired and beautified, a new parson- age house built, and the churchyard and parsonage grounds improved and ornamented, and the affairs of the parish brought into a prosperons condition. In diocesan affairs he held a prominent place, and was for a long series of years one of the leaders in the dio- cese ; was for twenty years a member of the standing

committee, frequently a delegate to the General Coun- cil of the church, and held other important offices and trusts for many years ; promoted the election of Bishop Croes, and was his warm friend and co-oper- ator through the whole of his episcopate.

In 1819 he married Mary Marsh, eldest daughter of the late Joseph Marsh, and had four children, viz. : James MI., lawyer ; Mary R., died Sept. 8, 1845, aged twenty years; Joseph E., retired merchant; and Thomas S., died July 13, 1841, aged ten years. He continued in the rectorship of St. Peter's Church for the third of a century, devoted to his parish, his books, his garden, friends, and family circle,-the dear object of his affections. In the retirement of a conntry parish he escaped to a great extent the vicis- situdes and trials of more exposed positions in life ; indeed, the great trial of his life was the relinquish- ment of the parish to which he had given his labors, his prayers, and the best years of his life,-a result produced through the unfounded animosity of some who for private ends counteracted his usefulness, making his position painful and embarrassing, and finally compelling him, for the sake of peace, to re- sign his charge, which he did in September, 1842, afterwards residing on an adjoining property belong- ing to him, where he spent in comparative retire- ment, though in active usefulness, his remaining years. From this time till shortly before his death he served gratuitously the ancient parish of Trinity Church, Woodbridge, and performed many ministe- rial offices among bis neighbors, by whom he was much esteemed.

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History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 152

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