History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 153

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 153
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 153

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

In the early part of 1856 his usual robust health began to decline, and disease at length broke down his vigorous frame. He bore up under his protracted sufferings with fortitude to the last, and fell emphati- cally with his armor on, a faithful soldier of the cross,-in youth, in manhood, and in age. The de- ceased was noted through life for a beautiful sim- plicity of character, the strictest integrity, a steady, manly maintenance of the truth, a straightforward, earnest, untiring devotion to duty. No fear, no dan- ger could deter him from the path of duty or keep him from the bedside of the sick and dying.

He was a man of varied and extensive acquire- ments; was acquainted with the Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and French languages. It was his daily prac- tice to read in a regular course, and he thereby ac- quired a great fund of information. Like his brother, the late Thomas Chapman, of Camden, N. J. (one of whose collections forms part of the library of Mid- dletown University ), he was from yonth a great lover of books, and had collected one of the best theologi- cal libraries in the State, also containing a large col- lection of pamphlets and historical records running through a period of more than half a century. This collection will not be dispersed, but is kept together by his sons. He was also a great lover and obser- ver of nature. For many years he kept a regular

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HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

meteorological record and memoranda of natural phenomena with great care and accuracy. He exem- plified in his life the best ideas of the ancient philos- ophers, adorned and perfected by the graces of Chris- tianity, and his place in the circle in which he moved will not soon be filled.

Presbyterian Church .- There is little that can be learned respecting the early history of the Presbyte- rian Church of Perth Amboy. The following record of a meeting held by the East Jersey Proprietors July 22, 1731, will throw some light upon the sub- ject :

"' The humble petition of some of the inhabitants of the city of Perth Amboy humbly petitioneth-

"' To the Hon. Council of Proprietore now sitting in Perth Amboy : Whereas several of your petitioners have in the old Burial-place eo called our parents, wives, and children interred, we your petitioners humbly beg that your honorable bouse would take it into consideration and grant us a right of that piece of ground, that we may have a right to erect & meeting-bouse for the worship of God, and likewiee for a Burial-place ; sod that it may be your Honorable Council's order that the said piece of ground may be dedicated to the said use aod no other, and your humble petiliooers will for ever pray.

"' Joho Matthie, John Gaechrie, William Thompson, Thomas Inglis, Thomas Loggane, John Leigh, John Moore, John Herriott, Joho Thoaip- son, Samuel Moores, Alexander Carnes.'

" Which petition being taken into consideration by this Board, they are of opinion that the said piece of Land do remaio as formerly io- tended for a public Burial-place for the inhabitants of this city. But that the petitioners have liberty to erect and build a meeting-house oo the enutbeast corner of the same, and this Board do bereby lease as far as in them lies, uoto the said Petitioners, so much of the said piece of land in the said southeast corner as shall be necessary for that purpose, not exceeding one chain square, for the term of one thousand years."

This was situated on State Street, formerly Back Street, and from long occupancy is now called the " Presbyterian Burial-Ground," although set apart on the settlement of the town as a public cemetery, and no special or exclusive right having ever been granted to that congregation other than appears in the foregoing proceedings of the board of proprietors.

Between the years 1731 and 1735 the privilege ac- corded hy the proprietors was secured by the erection of a small building, which was for a long time occu- pied by this denominatlon as their house of worship. We find no record of who was the first clergyman, and the information that can be gathered at this late day of a settled minister is very limited. The edifice was demolished during the Revolution. The follow- ing is found " on the Synod Records Sept. 17, 1724, a supplication from some of the inhabitants of Perth Amboy, desiring sermon sometimes, being referred to the Presbytery of Philadelphia (which then in- cluded both East and West Jersey), was approved by the Synod, and Mr. Anderson was appointed to write a letter to them. .

"June 29, 1735, Gilbert Tennant prcached at Amboy on the 'Necessity of Religious Violence to Durable Happiness,' which was afterwards published."

It is supposed from various data that the Rev. John Cross, of Baskenridge, served Perth Amboy and Staten Island, then constituting one congregation. Aug. 2, 1742, a call was presented to Rev. Charles Mcknight

from Staten Island, and it is supposed also from the Perth Amboy church.

From the year 1761 the South Ward of South Amboy appears as supplicants for sermons; and as Rev. Elihu Spencer supplied that place, he probably also preached in this city, as they held " weekly meeting."

In 1764 the building appears to have needed re- pairs. The attempt to improve it at that time was delayed and finally frustrated by the war of the Rev- olution, during which the meetings were for some time held in the old court-house, and occasionally in private residences.

Capt. John Angus, who had been a resident of Perth Amboy for a few years, in 1801 commenced a course of persevering efforts towards a new church, and in 1802 the foundation was laid. The committee was appointed, consisting of Capt. Angus, Mr. David Wait, and Capt. and James Harriot, and to the energy and perseverance of Capt. Angus is the con- gregation of the present day indebted for the neat edifice it yet occupies.

Rev. Elias Riggs, a licentiate of the Presbytery of New York, hecame the regular pastor on the 7th of March, 1802, and on the 2d day of August, 1803, he was ordained in the new meeting-house. He re- mained for four years. In 1807, Rev. Mr. Keys was settled as pastor, but remained only a few months. The following have been pastors of the church: Rev. Peter Stryker, 1809, until September, 1810. For four years or more after he left, the congregation was de- pendent upon occasional supplies. Dec. 17, 1814, the Rev. Joshua Young became pastor, but remained for a very short time. The following named were the first communicants : Capt. John Angus, Margaretta Angus, Margaret Clark, Elizabeth Coddington, Phebe Harriot, Rachel Friend, and John Lewis (7).

About June 6, 1816, the Rev. Josiah B. Andrews began his ministerial labors here, and remained nearly eight years. After his removal the congrega- tion was without a regular pastor until 1828, when Mr. Nicholas A. Wilson accepted a call. It is said he was a most excellent and devoted man, and "much people were added to the church." He removed to Philadelphia in 1831, where he soon died, greatly lamented.

Rev. Peter H. Shaw came in 1831. He continued about eighteen months, and was followed by the Rev. David R. Gillmer, who after a brief term left and entered the Episcopal Church, and after a few years returned to the Presbyterian Church, and was settled in Pennsylvania.

The Rev. Benjamin Cory was the next pastor, Nov. 9, 1834. During his ministry both the temporal and spiritual interests of the congregation improved. At no time previous had the church met with so much prosperity. In 1856 there were one hundred and forty-four members and fifty-nine pewholders.

The following is a list of officers (ruling elders and

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CITY OF PERTH AMBOY.

deacons are united in one) from 1817 to 1855: John Angus, David Wait, John Lewis, Alexander Semple, John V. Crawford, John D. See, Zadoc Mundy, James Harriot, Charles Ford, Samuel E. Woodbridge, David Crowell, Daniel Selover, Stephen G. Woodbridge, Cornelius D. Selover, Caleb C. Pierson.

The trustees' book having been destroyed by fire, we can only give the names from 1838 to 1856: Ben- jamin Maurice, David Crowell, Charles F. Maurice, Edwin Ford, William J. Ford, John Wait, Stephen G. Woodbridge, Alexander M. Bruen, William Pat- | Tally; 1844, Robert Sutton ; 1846, Alexander Gil- erson, Cornelius H. Schapps, David T. Wait, Charles Keene, Edward J. Hall, Henry D. Tyrrell, William Hall.

The Rev. Mr. Cory left after a pastorate of twenty- five years, during which time the church was greatly prospered.

Rev. Charles C. Wallace was installed pastor Oct. 29, 1860, and remained for little over three years. He was dismissed Dec. 29, 1863, having received a call to a church at Placerville, Cal.

Rev. James A. Little was engaged as stated supply in August, 1864, and on the 23d of the following March he was called to the pastorate, and was installed April 27, 1865. He served in the pastorate about three years, during which the church was repaired at a cost of nearly $10,000. He was followed by the Rev. Mr. Pingry, as stated supply until July, 1869, when a call was extended to Rev. Aaron Peck, who accepted, and was installed Jan. 19, 1870. During the few months of his pastorate steps were taken to pay off the last incumbrance which was secured by mortgage against the church, and in April, 1876, it was fully paid. Mr. Peck remained until 1877, when Rev. N. W. Cary came in the fall, and continued with other supplies until July 13, 1880. Rev. David Stevenson received a call which he accepted, and was installed Oct. 13, 1880. The number of members is about one hundred and thirty-two. Elders, Henry D. Terrill, C. C. Pierson, and E. W. Barnes.

Methodist Episcopal Church .- The first instance on record of Methodist preaching in this city is fur- nished by the journal of the venerated Bishop Francis Asbury, under date of "Thursday, Feb. 27, 1772." " After having preached in a large upper room at Mr. T.'s, in Amboy, where many came to hear, and I was much favored in my soul, an innkeeper invited me to his house and was kind enough to desire that I would call on him when I came again." It is more than likely that he did return there, as an entry shows that he put up at the "Long Ferry House," and this ferry connected with the stages between New York and Philadelphia.

in this city. A regular organization was formed in 1818, but it was not until 1837 that the church edifice was erected. The success of this undertaking was principally due to the exertions of the Rev. Isaac Cross, who had officiated occasionally in the city, and who became in 1838 the first settled minister of the congregation. He remained but two years according to the itinerant rules of the Methodist Church. The following have been the pastors since that time : 1840, Benjamin Day; 1842, Josiah F. Canfield ; 1843, Curtis

more; 1848, John N. Crane; 1850, Jacob B. Fort; 1852, John W. Barrett; 1854, James H. Dandy ; 1855, David Graves; 1857, Benjamin Kelly ; 1859, Alex- ander Gilmore ; 1860, Solomon Parsons ; 1861, Jere- miah Cowins ; 1863, Josiah R. Daniels ; 1865, Walters Chamberlin; 1868, Isaac N. Vansant; 1871, Stacy W. Hilliard; 1872, John G. Garrison ; 1874, John A. Kins- bury; 1879, William S. Gallaway; 1881, D. B. Fitz Randolph.

When the church was organized there were but ;twelve members; at the present time (1882) there is a membership of two hundred and twenty. During the year 1866 the new edifice was then commenced, and in a few months this beautiful church edifice was erected. It is capable of seating some six hundred persons. The church property is valued at nearly $30,000.

The Roman Catholic Church .- The first services held by a Catholic priest in this city was perhaps a short time prior to 1842, in the house of Mr. James Tuite, on every alternate Sunday. In 1844 a neat brick church, costing some three thousand dollars, was erected on Centre Street, and the Rev. Thomas Quin was the prime mover of this enterprise.

Since the founding of this church the following- named pastors have had charge : Fathers McArdle, Medranda, Rogers, Sheridan, Quin, Cornell, Connelly, | the present incumbent. There is a parish school con- nected with the church. The membership is about twelve hundred. The property is now valued at about thirteen thousand dollars.

Baptist Church .- It was not until the 26th of Au- gust, 1818, that this church was organized, although services had been held in a small building occasion- ally. The Rev. Thomas Winters received a unanimous call to become pastor of this small charge. He ac- cepted the call, and remained in the successful dis- charge of the pastoral duties until in 1823, when be was succeeded by Rev. Jabez C. Gable. They had held religious services in the old court-house, and sometimes at the residence of some of the members, but in 1824 the erection of a church was commenced. It was not completed, however, for some few years after. In 1855 it underwent extensive alterations and repairs. The church numbers at this writing (1882) one hundred and nine members.

The regular services of the Methodist preacher dates about 1813, when Amboy was included in the Elizabethtown Circuit, and Rev. Thomas Morrell, Robert Cloud, John McCluskey, Joseph Totten, and David Bartine were among the first circuit preachers, The following have been the pastors: 1817, Rev. and were instrumental in the formation of a church |Drake Wilson; 1818, Rev. Thomas Winters ; 1823,

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HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

Rev. Jabez C. Gable; 1826, Rev. J. Booth ; 1829, Rev. John Bloomer ; 1832, Rev. J. Sloper ; 1835, Rev. T. Recker; 1837, Rev. J. Blain ; 1839, Rev. John B. Case ; 1842, Rev. John Rodgers ; 1845, Rev. George F. Hendrickson; 1849, Rev. J. M. Carpenter ; 1852, Rev. John E. Reynolds ; 1854, Rev. T. S. Rog- ers ; 1856, Rev. Alfred Harvey ; 1860, Rev. H. A. Cords; 1862, Rev. A. G. Lawson ; 1866, Rev. G. W. Pendleton ; 1867, Rev. G. W. Nicholson ; 1870, Rev. S. G. Woodrow ; 1872, Rev. George R. Hunter ; 1875, Rev. G. I. Ganun ; 1876, Rev. William James ; 1876, Rev. George W. Pendleton, returned for the second time ; 1880, Rev. W. A. Bronson.

The first deacons of the church were George Comp- ton, 1818 ; Thomas Freeman, 1818; Uriah Burge, 1825 ; James Compton, 1829; John Hart, 1832; Wil- liam Hart, 1845 ; John P. Woglam, 1848; George F. Tryner, 1848.

The Church of the Holy Cross .- In the summer of 1878 this church was built as a mission of St. Peter's Episcopal Church. The edifice was erected on the corner of State and Washington Streets. The opening services were on St. Bartholomew's Day, Aug. 24, 1878, and shortly after it was recognized by the bishop as an independent parish, and the foundation of the church is dated from Dec. 4, 1878. Rev. J. O. Drumm, former rector of St. Peter's, officiated tempo- rarily, and the building was moved to the east side of High Street near Commerce. The following pas- tors have succeeded Mr. Drumm : Rev. A. B. Conger, from October, 1879, to Easter, 1880, and Rev. William S. Boardman, A.M., June 20, 1880.

The first wardens were Hon. Eper H. Hall and Isaac Thorn Golding, who continue to hold the office. The first vestrymen were Messrs. Farmer, Greely, Sneatlı, Benton, Boggs.

These with one exception continue in office, Mr. Boggs being succeeded by F. H. Kitchel.

The communincants are forty ; sittings, two hun- dred and seventy-five.

Danish Methodist Church .- This church was or- ganized in 1868. A number of immigrants from Den- mark had settled in this city and attended services in the Methodist Church. One of the prominent mem- bers, Mr. Buck, and his sons resided in the antiquated stone building on the south west corner of Fayette Street and Maiden Lane. As they were gifted in vocal music, it became a Danish rendezvous and the exercises soon partook of a religious character, resulting in the con- version of a number of persons and forming the nu- cleus of a society that worshiped for two or three years in a building on the east side of State Street between Fayette and Jefferson Streets, formerly occupied by Mrs. Manderville for school purposes. A plain and neat structure was built in 1876 and dedicated. The Rev. B. Smith has helped them in the establishment of regular preaching from the first, but Rev. F. W. Erickson is their regular pastor ; communicants, forty- seven ; sittings, two hundred.

Lutheran Church .- About twelve years after the settlement of Danes commenced in this city the first Lutheran sermon was preached in the lecture-room of the Presbyterian Church, Nov. 5, 1868, by the Rev. Ole Juul, and, as far as known, this was the first ser- mon preached in the Danish language in the State. On the 20th of November following " Our Saviour's Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church," of the un- altered "Augsburg Confession," of Perth Amboy, N. J., was organized, and the present neat edifice, near the corner of State Street and Eaglewood Avenue, was erected in 1870, and dedicated to the worship of God on the 18th of December of the same year. The present pastor, Rev. Mr. Everson, a graduate of the Lutheran College at Dekorah, Iowa, and Concordia Theological College, preaches in the church, and has done effective work.

The Danish Lutheran Church .- This church was organized as St. Stephen's Lutheran Church in 1871. The Rev. H. L. J. Soeholm was their first pastor. It commenced under unusually favorable circumstances, and held its regular services in Combination Hall. In 1876 a neat church was built on East Avenue, north of the New Brunswick turnpike.

Within the past few years the manufacturing in- terests of this city have declined to such an extent that their ranks have been greatly thinned by re- movals. But of late the prospect of increased busi- ness appears more encouraging, and the church may hope for renewed prosperity in the near future. The present pastor is Rev. Mr. Everson, and there are some 40 communicants, and sittings to accommodate some 200.

CHAPTER XC.

CITY OF PERTH AMBOY .- ( Continued.)

Education and Schools .- The period under the royal Governors seems not to have been favorable either for education or for a general diffusion of intelligence among the people, judging from the following passage in the instructions to Lord Cornbury :

" Forasmuch as great inconvenience may arise by the liberty of printing in our said province, you [the Governor] are to provide by all necessary orders that no person keep any press for printing, nor that any book, pamphlet, or other matters whatsoever be printed without your especial leave and license first obtained."

Is it strange that a civil policy which began by ignoring the printing-press should have paid little regard to schools ? Accordingly we do not find any act of legislation relating to education during the entire period of the royal authority in New Jersey, or for the seventy-five years preceding the Revolu- tion.

Under the proprietors, in 1693, it was enacted that

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CITY OF PERTH AMBOY.

the inhabitants of any town, by warrant from any justice of peace, might meet and choose three men to make a rate and establish the salary of a schoolmas- ter, for as long a time as they may think proper, " and any rates levied the payment to be made" for the " cultivation of learning and good manners, which tends greatly to the good and benefit of mankind."

nection with St. Peter's Church appears in the min- stone, £7; Stephen Johnston, £7; John Smyth, £6; Thomas Skinner, £6; Samuel Dunlap, £6; John Preston, £6; Lewis Antill, £5; Jonathan Deare, £4; Gertrude Barberrie, £4; Philip Kearny, Jr., £4; William Burnet, £4; Thomas Stephens, £4; Henry Cuyler, £4; Ravand Kearny, £4; Thomas Lyell, £4; Samuel Sargent, £4; Michael Kearny, £1 10s .; John Barberrie, £1 108 .; William Terrill, £1 108 .; Frederick Smyth, £4. Some of them sub- scribed for five years, and the meeting being at- tended by the chief justice of the province, the rector of the church, Rev. Mr. Preston, with the most of the respectable gentlemen of the place, subscriptions were reported to the amount of £144 10s. A committee was appointed to perfect the arrangements and secure the erection of a school-house. For the object sub- scriptions were obtained as follows: J. Parker, £15; C.Skinner, £12; E. Bland, £12; S. Skinner, €12 10s .; J. Smyth, ₺6; Thomas Stephens, €2; Lewis Antill, €2; William Terrill, £2; total, £63 10s. The build- ing was never erected. utes of the vestry in July, 1765. The Rev. Mr. Mc- Kean, the rector, informed that body that a school- house was immediately necessary, as the barracks in which the school was then kept could not be longer had without hiring. The vestry took the subject into consideration, adopted a plan, and directed subscrip- tions to be obtained for the immediate construction of the necessary building. It was erected somewhere near the intersection of Rector and Gully (now Gor- don) Streets. The rector, Mr. McKean, probably taught this school himself, as it is related in 1768 that the town was without a teacher, Mr. Mckean's death having occurred the October previous.1 In April a house was hired for the school for seven pounds per annum by a committee appointed for the purpose, and in August, 1768, a school was com- menced by Mr. McNaughton, and continued until May, 1770. Why the school was discontinued then does not appear, for the master appears to have been in the town for some time thereafter, and teaching in the school-house in Rector Street. This appears It appears that there was considerable difficulty in securing suitable teachers, and there was nothing ap- parently done until 1774, in July of which year Mr. Thomas Johnston arrived and entered upon his duties as a tutor to the children of this city for £60 per year, New York currency. Mr. Johnston came recom- mended by Dr. Miles Cooper, president of King's Col- lege, as an Englishman who had studied some time at Oxford. The school was kept in the court-house. from a letter from the Jate William Dunlap, who says, " I was sent to learn my letters while yet in pet- ticoats to Mrs. Randell, who had a swarm of such manikens about her, in a house in the street leading out to the Barracks (Smith Street). From this nursery-school I was transferred to Master Mac- Naughton's school, a black-looking Irishman, who had his school in a wooden building near the gully which divides the church green from the building . Mr. Johnston taught only a few months. He was north of it. When the hour for 'school going in' arrived he used to appear at the door and beckon us to leave our sport on the church green and come to the dominion of his strap and ferrule."

"It appears that nothing was done for a good school until August, 1773, when, at a meeting of pareuts having children, the consideration of the subject was referred to a committee, at the head of which was the Rev. Mr. Preston, who at a subsequent meeting pre- sented a long formal report, in which they express their conviction that a man 'proper for a public school in this town should be capable of teaching Latin, Greek, and English Languages grammatically, with the mathematics, ciphering, writing, and other useful branches of literature,' and a committee was appointed to receive subscriptions at the rate of £4 per annum for every child to be sent, and such additional sums as ' the

generous might contribute.' And ' the sum to be paid the teacher was Limited to £100 per annum,' and preparations were then made for a suitable school building."" The subscriptions to the school fund were the following :

James Parker, £12; Cortlandt Skinner, £12; Ste- phen Skinner, £12 108 .; Elizabeth Goelet, £8; Elias

A record showing the existence of a school in con- Bland, £8; Alexander Watson, £7; John John-

succeeded by his assistant, a one-armed man by the name of Garrick, who kept his school on Tower Hill, and it is thought remained as teacher until the Rev- olution overturned all customary pursuits and em- ployments in the city. From this time little of in- terest pertains to the history of schools in Perth Amboy till we come down to a quite recent period. Under the new improved system of State education, and through several private enterprises successfully carried out, a marked change for the better has been wronght.

On March 17, 1870, the Board of Education of the city of Perth Amboy was organized ; lots were pur- chased for the site of a new school-house ; bonds were issued to raise money for the erection of a substantial and elegant building, which was finished and opened to the public with appropriate services in September, 1871, at a cost of about $17,000, including the land.

1 Mr. Whitehead, the historian, has in his possession most of the doc- uments relating to the schools of this city from 1768 to 1775.

2 East Jersey Records.

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HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

It is situated on high ground in the centre of the city.

In 1873, Alanson Leake was appointed principal, with the following assistants as teachers: Miss Pea- body, Miss M. Keasbey, Miss Prentis, Miss Martin, Miss Kent.

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History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 153

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