History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 184

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 184
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 184

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1 By M. O. Rolfe.

758

HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

schooners as far up as Old Bridge, and vessels of greater tonnage have been floated by its waters beween its mouth and Washington.

The soil of East Brunswick is composed of red shale and sandy loam reddish in color, measurably productive, and very adhesive when wet. Extensive beds of plastic and fire-clays underlie the surface of a large portion of the township, which are admirably adapted for the manufacture of fire-brick and other articles of a similar composite character, the utiliza- tion and sale of which have for many years formed a prominent feature in the business history of the town- ship. These clays are found in regular beds. Some of them are of the purest and most refractory kind, and very pure quartz is found to mix with and give body to them. In the vicinity of Washington such beds are very large and especially rich. Stoneware and pottery clays are also obtained in the township, and have a large market. At Old Bridge and Washington the manufacture of potters' wares was formerly a prominent industry.

Bog-iron ore is found in many of the moist and swampy tracts about Spottswood, and was an article of transportation and commerce within the memory of a few of the older residents there.

Timber was formerly plentiful in all parts of the township, but most of it has long since disappeared before the axes of the wood-cutters and ship-builders, who once played a prominent part in its industrial history. A plateau of elevated land a little remote from South River was covered with a growth of tim- ber as hardy and as luxuriant as any in the central and eastern portions of New Jersey, and, as con- verted into merchantable form, was the most impor- tant article of commerce in the township during the period of its rapid development from a wooded to an agricultural condition. Nearly every kind of timber native to this climate was found in plentitude, prin- cipal among which commercially were pine, cedar, maple, and nearly all of the varieties of oak, the latter being especially adapted to the requirements of the ship-builder, and ash in more limited quantities was also found.

Settlement .- John Reid, of Edinburgh, Scotland, who became deputy surveyor of East Jersey under Keith, Oct. 13, 1685, made a somewhat rude but measurably accurate map, which is in possession of Hon. William A. Whitehead, of Newark, and the only copy of which extant is the property of Mr. Charles D. Deshler, of New Brunswick. This map, which is very interesting to the student of the early history of the older portions of the present county of Middlesex, is designated by the following curious aud verbose title : " A mapp of Rariton River, Millstone River, South River, Raway River, Bound Brook, Green brook, Cedar brook, with the Plantations thereupon ; also these on Chinkquarora; Wickatonk, the Heads of Hop River, and Manasquam, likewise appends on Hackingsack River, &c." As shown by

this map, land had been taken up at and contiguous to the present site of the town of Washington by P. Sonmans, T. Fulerton, G. Lawry, D. Mudy, C. Gor- don, R. Gordon, William Docwra, I., J., or T. Forbes, R. Hardie and I., J., or T. Mudy ; and Law Baker had taken up thirteen hundred acres farther north, and extending within the present limits of the city of New Brunswick. A corner of a tract of one thousand acres assigned to P. Sonmans, and lying mostly north- west of Lawrence's Brook, was southeast of that stream, and consequently within the present boundaries of East Brunswick. The lots which included the pres- ent town of Washington were long and narrow, ex- tending east and west, bounded east by South River, the present eastern limit of the township and village. The names of some of those above referred to will be recognized as those of men prominent in the history of East Jersey at a period prior and subsequent to that date, and some of them as those of men who were early large purchasers of lands south of the Raritan, probably for speculative purposes. None of them were ever residents of the territory described, and none of their descendants are known ever to have lived in the vicinity.

Hartshorne Willett settled on the bank of South River, directly in front of the present town of Wash- ington, about 1720. He was of English descent, and a grandson of Sir Thomas Willett, baron, the an- cestor of the well-known family of Willett in America. He was the owner of considerable land where he located, and by intermarriage his immediate family became connected with about all of the families who came to the township at an early date. Samuel Wil- lett, a descendant of Hartshorne Willett, was long a resident at Washington, and died leaving a large fam- ily of daughters, who reside in that village, and are the pioneer's great-granddaughters.

The first Barkelew of whom any one in the town- ship has any knowledge was Abraham, who was born in 1720, and doubtless came to the section while yet a comparatively young man. He located on the lower road to Old Bridge from Washington, where James Bissett now lives, and was one of the largest property- owners of his day. His son, Runyon Barkelew, located near Washington, on the main road to Old Bridge, and was the father of Vincent, who lived in Washington; Abraham, a farmer, who lived about a mile from Washington, on the road to Milltown ; and Stephen H., who lived on the old Ogden property, about ten miles and a half from Washington, all of whom are dead. Enoch, son of Vincent, and Isaac and Lemuel, sons of Stephen H., are living in East Brunswick. So extensive was the tract of land owned by the progenitor of this family, Abraham Barkelew, that he is often referred to as “ Barkelew the landgrave."

The Oberts, Peter G., Paul, Henry, and John, came early to the township. Henry owned the square bounded east by South River and north by Main

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EAST BRUNSWICK.

Street, Washington. Peter located at first on prop- erty at Washington, owned at an earlier date by George Obert, father of the brothers named, and afterwards removed to the early home of the latter, between Washington and Milltown. Paul lived near him, on the New Brunswick road. John was a Bap- tist preacher, and preached occasionally in the town- ship years ago. The only male representative of the family living in the vicinity is John Shepard Obert, of Washington, now at an advanced age.

The Vreeland family were among the pioneers, as were also the Vandeventers and the Manabaus. The Vandeventers and Manabaus were prominent among the early boatmen on South River.

The Stults family are of German origin. Two brothers, Jacob and John, settled in East Brunswick in 1785. Of the family of Jacob the writer has no knowledge. John purchased a farm about three miles from Washington, on what is known as the New road, and was until his death a highly-respected citizen. His children were Henry, Elizabeth, Mary, Jemima, and Frederick. The daughters all married and are now dead. Henry and Frederick are living at the ages of 86 and 84, respectively. Both have been judges of the Court of Common Pleas of Middle- sex County and justices of the peace. Frederick learned the trade of a weaver, but followed it only a short time, leaving it to engage in the hotel busi- ness. Three years later he became a merchant and speculator in wood. He was appointed justice of the peace in 1844 in North Brunswick township, before the division, and since the erection of East Bruns- wick has been repeatedly elected to the same office. Henry is the father of a numerous family, members of which have become wealthy as the result of gi- gantic business operations.

The Booraems are of Holland Dutch extraction, and the name has long been well known in the town- ship. The early home of the family there was at Bergen's Mills, now known as Milltown, and the father of the present generation was Jonathan Booraem, who was born at Bergen's Mills. He be- came a millwright and house- and ship-carpenter, and, either alone or in company with his sons, was long a boat-builder at Washington. His sons, William, Nicholas, Thomas, and James, were well known to the earlier residents of East Brunswick, and Nicholas and Thomas are still living at Washington, the former yet engaged in the handicraft of his father.

The Messlers are an old family. The first of the name who was known to have lived in East Bruns- wick was Simon Messler, who had located there prior to the Revolution, in which he fought in the Ameri- can ranks. His sons, Jacob, Vincent, and Abraham, are remembered, and it is possible there were others not well known in their time in the section, or who died young. Abraham and Jacoh lived and died in the township, and the descendants of Abraham live there now. Abraham's sons were named Abraham,

James, David, Crommeline, and William. His daugh- ters, Martha, Esther, and Mary, married three broth- ers, Benjamin, Richard, and Henry Serviss, and many descendants of each of them are living in East Bruns- wick.

John J. Serviss was an early resident in the town- ship. Whether his father was there before him is unknown. His property has come down to living descendants, through Richard to Richard his son and others. Richard occupies a portion of the old family homestead, the house itself and a part of the original farm being in possession of George Askew. David Serviss, the present township clerk of East Bruns- wick, is a son of Richard, and a great-grandson of John J. Serviss.

Abraham Ackerman had settled in East Brunswick previous to the Revolution, living on the John Curtin place, and his family was a highly-respectable one. His sons, James and Clyde, are well remembered. James had a son named Abraham, and lived on part of the paternal property. James, a son of Abraham, is now living in the township.

It was among the earlier pioneers in East Bruns- wick that Benjamin Ogden cast his lot. His prop- erty was on the river road from Washington to Old Bridge, where the late Stephen H. Barkelew formerly lived. Descendants of Ogden's intermingled with the Willetts, and none of the name now reside in the vicinity.

Benjamin Norman was a large land-owner in the township, and was among the early settlers. He lived on the elevation near South River, on the Old Bridge turnpike and Washington road, and was prominent and highly esteemed. No one bearing the name is now known to be living in East Brunswick.

An early and well-known resident was Isaac Van Deventer, son of Christopher Van Deventer, progeni- tor of the numerous family of that name living in Sayreville.

Peter Letts was in the township before the Revolu- tion. The Letts family became numerous, many of the name now living in Sayreville. Of a generation later than that of the original Peter Letts there were three Peter Lettses. Ezekiel Letts, of Wash- ington, is a descendant of the Peter Letts of pioneer days.

Smith Tunison was early located on the hill south of Lawrence's Brook, where his father had lived be- fore him.

Garret Van Arsdalen and Thomas Walker settled early on Lawrence's Brook.

The name of Combs was early and long a familiar one to residents in East Brunswick. John and Jon- athan Combs were brothers and sons of Samuel Combs, who owned considerable property in the township, and lived at Fresh Ponds. Jonathan was a farmer and prominent resident in the same vicinity, and John was long a merchant and ship-owner at Washington.

760

HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

At an early date Capt. Jehu Dunham settled at Dunham's Corners, a locality which came to be so known in his honor, and left a numerons family, none of whom reside in East Brunswick. James Dunham, merchant, died many years ago, leaving valuable property. He is referred to as a gentleman held in the highest esteen for probity and business capacity. The father of Capt. Jehu Dunham was a resident in North Brunswick, near the Raritan, where the latter was born.

James Crommelin was a pioneer on the creek bear- ing his name, and was a leading citizen in his time and well regarded. His property is now occupied by a canning-factory, which has given an appearance of life and activity to its neighborhood.

A family of Wyckoff's were at one time, many years since, prominent in the township. At an early date they lived on Crommelin's Creek, removing thence to New Brunswick. Peter and John Wyckoff, of the second generation resident there, were quite well known in the township. The former home of this family is now owned by Terrence Claney.

The name of Samuel Gordon, hotel-keeper, stage proprietor, contractor, and general business man, is well remembered in connection with several enter- prises of a time gone by for the general improvement of traveling and transportation facilities. His son, Samuel Gordon, is a resident of Washington, and at the age of eiglity-three still busy with various light mechanical pursuits. He is one of the most remark- able mechanical geniuses the section 'has produced, and excels as painter, carpenter, wheelwright, or cabinet-maker, always so combining the durable and the beautiful as to render the result of his handicraft valuable both ornamentally and intrinsically.

The Martin family, of whom Samuel Martin, boat- man, was the progenitor, is numerous and well known. Samuel Martin married a woman of the Willett fam- ily, and had a number of sons and daughters. His sons, Willett, Henry, Julius, and Samuel, took up the occupation of their father, embarking as pilots and captains of steamboats, and became celebrated as pilots while yet comparatively young. Samuel became noted also in the special department of coast-piloting, taking several steamers to California through Magellan's Straits. He was lately in command of the steamer "Plymouth Rock," plying between New York and Long Branch, and the large Coney Island steamer "Tanrus." The reputation of these men among steamboaters is unsurpassed.

An early settlement and clearing was made on the Outcalt mill-site by a half-breed named Weechqueech- ley, who was a sagamore and a man of note among the Indians. Just when he became possessed of property there can scarcely be conjectures at this time, but it is supposed to have been years before white settlement began in the vicinity or the Indian title to land there was extinguished. He owned a considerable tract of land, and had a rude saw-mill as far back as tradition

extends. When he left the locality and how he dis- posed of his property are not known. Evidences of his former residence and operations there in the form of half-buried remains of his improvements are all that has ever been visible of them to any living person.

Captain Samuel Leonard early owned a large tract of land in the neighborhood of Weechqueechley's property, and tradition has it that a brother of his lived on it contemporaneously with the half-breed's residence there. There is a vague story to the effect that one of the Leonards, but neither the captain nor the brother mentioned, was murdered by Weech- qneechley. Conflicting versions of the tragedy have been recounted. The most plausible one, and the one accepted by some of the older residents of Spottswood and vicinity as probably nearly correct, is to the effect that as Mr. Leonard was one day walking in his brother's garden adjoining the half-breed's land, car- rying his brother's child in his arms, Weechqneech- ley, who had been lying in wait for him concealed behind some shrubbery, shot him, killing him in- stantly. The alleged murderer's enmity against Leonard is supposed to have been aroused by some conflicting claims concerning the ownership or right of use of the mill privilege. By some it is thought Weechqueechley was not the murderer, but that another half-breed was, and that other property than the mill-seat was in dispute. It is said the murderer was hanged for his crime, while Weechqueechley is not supposed to have so died.

It is probable, though not by any means certain, that for a considerable period prior to the Revolution James Perry, Peter Corne, and Thomas Hays lived at Spottswood, where they had a forge. At least some one in their employ who operated the concern must have been located there, and donbtless one or two or all three of the members of the "Forge Company," resided there much of the time.

Among the early residents of Spottswood was John Lewis Johnston, a descendant of the Johnston family, for many generations of Spottiswoode, Scotland, who represented an important landed interest at Spotts- wood, vested in his father, John Johnston, who then lived or had previously lived at Perth Amboy. The part taken by Mr. Johnston in the early affairs of the locality was a conspicuous one. He was one of the founders of St. Peter's Church.

Others who were referred to as inhabitants of the town of Spottswood as early as 1773, and who were also founders of St. Peter's parish, were Frederick Bucklen, John Barclay, Jr., Thomas Newton, James Rue, Samuel Neilson, David Stout, John Rue, Joseph Perrine, James Abraham, Richard Lott, John Perrine, John Rue, and Right Hon. David Carnagie, com- monly called "Lord Rosehill ;" but it is certain that some of these, and probable that others, did not at the time have a permanent residence within the I present limits of East Brunswick. Descendants of

761

EAST BRUNSWICK.

some of those mentioned-the Rues, Stout, and Per- rine-now live at and near Spottswood, and some of the names are at this time familiar in various sections of Middlesex County. Land in the township was deeded to James Rue in 1785 by Johannes Van Leuwen, of Somerset County, and Jeromus Lott, of Kings County, N. Y. He came from Monmouth County considerably earlier, as is supposed. James, his son, and James, his grandson, have been his suc- cessors. Joseph Perrine settled early in Madison, near Spottswood. He was much at Spottswood, where he was well known, until his death in 1797. His son John, father of Judge John Perrine, lived at Spotts- wood from 1805 to 1812. Judge John Perrine located at Old Bridge in 1829, and removed to Spottswood in 1831, and was a leading business man there for many years. Since his retirement he has lived on the Bloomfield mill property, between Spottswood and Old Bridge.

The Mundys were quite early at Spottswood, where Phineas Mundy was prominent as a property-owner and business man for many years, dating from some time early in the present century. Merril Mundy, of this family, now at an advanced age, is a resident of the village.

The advent in the township of John, father of Asher Bissett, the progenitor of the present large family of the name resident there, was some time prior to the Revolution. He located at Old Bridge, and re- mained there until his death; Asher also lived and died there. Perhaps the better known of the sons of the latter were Asher and David. Asher was a large land-owner, and served Middlesex County as sheriff. He left several sons and one daughter. David was a manufacturer and business man at Old Bridge. The Bissetts have ever been men of charac- ter, well regarded by their fellow-citizens. Well known among many of the name in the township at this time are James Bissett, brick manufacturer, F. W. Bissett, merchant, Evert Bissett, retired, and William Bissett.

The Van Wickle family were early at Old Bridge. By intermarriage several of the prominent families of that part of the town are related to them. They doubtless settled there as early as 1765 or 1770. Michael Van Wickle was a member of the Middlesex County board of freeholders in 1778 and 1779, and Evert Van Wickle was a justice of the peace, 1795 -97. The family were extensive land-owners in the vicinity of Old Bridge, and early in the present cen- tury some of them were leading business men there. Evert Van Wickle was a surveyor, and in 1800 or a little later went to the Holland Purchase in Western New York as surveyor for Judge Philip Church, pro- prietor of the Church tract in Allegany County.

James and Leonard Appleby, from Monmouth County, became well-known citizens of East Bruns- wick, where many of the descendants of both now live. James came to Old Bridge in 1829, and the two

began a mercantile career there as partners in a store, and both resided in the township during life. James was three times married, and reared a large family. His son, William M. Appleby, is a merchant at Old Bridge, and other sons are well known in East Bruns- wick and elsewhere. Leonard Appleby was promi- nent in social and business life for many years, and died at an advanced age in 1879.

Gen. Obadiah Herbert is well remembered as having carried on important business enterprises at Old Bridge. Obadiah Herbert, grandfather of Gen. Herbert, was a resident at Perth Amboy previous to 1757. He had a family of six sons and two daugh- ters. One of these sons, Obadiah, was a farmer, and, like his father, a surveyor. He married Elizabeth Warne, and had children,-John, William, Obadiah, Elizabeth, and Sarah. About 1870, Obadiah, last mentioned, and known as Gen. Herbert, came to Old Bridge, where he married a daughter of Judge Jacob Van Wickle. She died, and he subsequently mar- ried a danghter of Amos Stout, who survives him. His sons are Jacob, Robert S., and J. Biddle Herbert. He had three daughters.

Gen. James Morgan was a settler at Old Bridge soon after the Revolution, and was interested with some of the Van Wickles in business enterprises. He was an uncle to Andrew J. Disbrough', surveyor (son of John Disbrow, a light-horseman in the Revo- Intion), who has been postmaster at Old Bridge con- tinuously since 1836, was justice of the peace, 1840- 80, and county judge, 1874-79, and was elected sheriff of Middlesex County in 1881.

The Skinners, an old family at Spottswood, are de- scended from John Skinner, who came to that place from England. He married Elizabeth Ford, and his sons were William (died in infancy), Lewis Ford (a sailor), Ford C. (a shoemaker), Benjamin F. (manu- facturer), William (died in Philadelphia), and Phin- eas Manning. The latter was a paper-maker by trade, but was a snuff manufacturer for some time before his death. He had three sons and five daughters. Of these, William A. and Lewis E. Skinner are prom- inent residents of Spottswood.

It is believed that this chapter embraces an account, more or less full, of all of the settlers in the township during the pioneers' period, and that succeeding it in which the enterprises of a later day had an inception. No pains has been spared to render this department of the history of East Brunswick complete, and every available source of information has been consulted with a view to that end. A good many of the early settlers had slaves for some time after they came. Many of the latter are buried in the township, and it is said some of the colored residents of the present day are descended from some of them.

During the Revolution many citizens of the State sustained such loss or damage to property as is inci- dent to a time of war or the presence of armed forces depending upon the country for subsistence. Among

762

HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

claims against government presented at a later day, in consequence of alleged loss or damage from the causes mentioned, were the following, sworn to ac- cording to law, by residents within the borders of East Brunswick : 1

€

£ 47 9

d. 0

William Remsen ....... 1380 0 0 Peter Letta ..

Peter Wilmurt. 4 3 9 Peter Obert ...

95 15 0

Abraham Barkelaw ... 39 10 6

Abraham Ackerman .. 55 10 8

Benjamin Ogden. 58 14 0

Organization and Civil History .- By an act of the Senate and General Assembly of New Jersey, ap- proved Feb. 28, 1860, all those parts of the townships of North Brunswick and Monroe lying within the following limits, viz .: "Beginning at the mouth of Lawrence's Brook, where it falls into the Raritan River ; thence southwesterly up the said Lawrence's Brook to where Ireland's Brook falls into the said Lawrence's Brook and line of the township of South Brunswick; thence southeasterly up said Ireland's Brook and line of South Brunswick to the township line of Monroe; thence southwesterly along the town- ship line of South Brunswick and Monroe to the line known as Bass' patent line; thence southerly and easterly along said Bass' patent to Manalapan River ; thence northeasterly down Manalapan River to the mouth of the stream that drains the burnt meadows; thence up the stream thereof to Slab Bridge; thence a due east course to Matchaponix River and the line of South Amboy ; thence northerly down the Match- aponix and South Rivers to the mouth thereof at Raritan River; thence northwesterly up Raritan River to the mouth of Lawrence's Brook and begin- ning," were set off from the townships mentioned and established a separate township, to be known as the township of East Brunswick ; and it was enacted that the inhabitants of the new township and their suc- cessors should be constituted a body politic and corporate by the name of the "Inhabitants of the Township of East Brunswick, in the County of Mid- dlesex."

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History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 184

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