History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 189

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 189
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 189

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Under the influence of the various manufacturing enterprises which have been carried on there, Spotts- wood long since became a place of note, and is now known throughout the Union as the oldest and one of the most important of the few snuff-manufacturing towns. The place has an air of thrift and comfort, and schools and the churches are well sustained there. The latter are three in number,-St. Peter's Episcopal, the Spottswood Methodist Episcopal, and the Reformed Dutch. The present postmaster is Stephen Smith.

OLD BRIDGE .- The village of Old Bridge derives its somewhat curious name from the fact that the first bridge spanning South River was built there, and after other bridges were built across the stream at other points became known as " the old bridge," and the settlement at that point early acquired and has since retained the name of "Old Bridge," though for a time it was by many called " Herbertsville," in honor of Gen. Obadiah Herbert, who was for many years, dating from early in the present century, a prominent man of business there, and the projector and propri- etor of business enterprises which added to the im- portance and reputation of the locality.

Old Bridge is located at the head of navigation on South River, and is a station on the Camden and Amboy branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad. It early became a point at which immense quantities of produce, wood, and other merchandise was received and shipped by way of South River to New York, some of which was hauled many miles from neigh- borhoods far beyond the limits of Middlesex County.

A large tract of land at and near the village was early owned by the Van Wickle family, and some of it has descended by inheritance to heirs of the orig- inal purchasers, who hold it at this time. Another large tract of land there was, and some of it is now, owned by members of the Bissett family.

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HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

The site of the village was the scene of an incident of historical interest during the Revolutionary war. In the early part of 1777, when the British were in possession of New Brunswick and Amboy, quite a large force of their soldiery crossed the country to Old Bridge, destroying property and seizing cattle and desirable portable articles in their march, and were there met by a small detachment from Amboy, who conducted them to the latter place by bateaux via South River.

An early and enterprising resident of Old Bridge was Gen. James Morgan, who soon after the close of the Revolution, in company with Jacob Van Wickle, put a pottery in operation there which was continued until about 1828, a second establishment of a similar character having been started by some of the Bissetts ahont 1815, which was in operation till about 1830. Gen. Obadiah Herbert came to the place about 1810, and at once became a large property-owner, and a leading spirit in business and social life there. He opened a store and constructed docks and warehouses and engaged very extensively in the shipment of wood, produce, and other marketable merchandise to New York. The wood trade there was at one time im- mense, and it was a leading interest until within a few years. For the trade which he thus established he had several vessels built at Old Bridge, and a ship- yard was in existence there for a few years.

The distillery established by James C. Stout about 1835, and now continued by his son, S. W. Stout ; Van Wickle's fanning-mill factory, in operation about 1835-40, and that of Leonard Appleby and James C. Stout, about 1840-50, and the snuff-mill, operated successively by John and William Dill, about 1860-75, were prominent enterprises of the past in the line of manufacture. Stout's distillery, Dill's saw-mill, and Brown's clothing-factory are the principal manufacturing industries of the present time. J. H. Bloodgood has a wheelwright- and blacksmith-shop, and there are two or three other small repair-shops of different kinds.

The following physicians have at various times resided in Old Bridge : Drs. Lears, Jamison, H. D. B. Lefferts, and James Leighton. The present resi- dent medical practitioner is Dr. S. M. Disbrow.

The following-named merchants have had stores in the village, either as sole proprietors or in company with others referred to at periods nearly coincident with the dates mentioned :

Charles Morgan, from soon after the Revolution until 1800; Gen. Obadiah Herbert, 1810-40; James C. Stout, 1826-60 ; Leonard Appleby, 1826-36; John l'errine, 1829-36; James Appleby, 1829-55; A. J. Disbrow (most of the time), 1836-61 ; Theodore Ap- pleby, 1838-74; William Appleby, 1857-81 (most of the time) ; Jacob Waters, 1858-60 ; Thomas Vande- veer, 1860-65; R. S. Herbert, 1865-70 ; George Dob- son, 1865-70; E. T. Brown, 1869-81; William P. Brown, 1874-77 ; J. H. Charlton, 1877-78; S. M.

Disbrow, 1877-81; John W. Davison, 1878-81. A man named Willis was for a time a partner of Gen. Herbert's. James Rickets was an early merchant, and his son traded there in partnership with one Patton. Charles P. Hoffman, who began business there in 1881, S. M. Disbrow, and John W. Davison are the present merchants.

There are two churches in this village, the Inde- pendent Bethel Baptist and the Simpson Methodist Episcopal. The one hotel there is kept by Mrs. Re- becca Spencer. The postmaster since 1836 has been Judge A. J. Disbrow, now sheriff of Middlesex County.

MILLTOWN is a small but thrifty manufacturing village, mostly in North Brunswick but partially in this township, which owes its existence to the pres- ence at that point of the factory of the Meyer Rubber Company. It was early known as Bergen's Mills, from the circumstance of the erection of an early grist-mill there, which later (sixty-five or seventy years ago) was owned by Jacob I. Bergen ; but that, like the nucleus of the present village, was on the North Brunswick side of Lawrence's Brook. On the East Brunswick side there were only two or three houses as late as 1816. There are now a good num- ber of substantial dwellings, most of which are occu- pied by operatives in the rubber-shoe factory and their families. A German Reformed Church, the stores of William Kuhlthan, George Roeder, and Philip Schlosser, two hotels, some small shops of different kinds, two meat-markets, a barber-shop and cigar manufactory, and the box-factory of the Meyer Rubber Company, whose principal works are in North Brunswick.

BLOOMFIELD MILLS, DUNHAM'S CORNERS, AND OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS .- Bloomfield Mills is the site of the extensive liquorice-factory of that name, and a flag-station on the Camden and Amboy branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad. Dunham's Corners is a well-known cross-roads neighborhood, very near the centre of the township, which received its name from Capt. Jehu Dunham, the pioneer in that vicinity. The Central Hotel, where town-meetings have been sometimes held, was formerly called the " Franklin House." Former landlords there were - Apple- gate, Enos Ayres, and William Hoagland. Charles Culver is the present proprietor. Ryder's tavern, where Seaman F. Christian now lives, between New Brunswick and Washington, was long kept by " Widow Ryder," and was known as the "Swan Hotel." It was destroyed by fire. The old sign now swings before another hostelry near by.

Societies .- THE WASHINGTON BENEVOLENT SO- CIETY was organized Feb. 21, 1869, with the following charter members, twelve in number: Maximilian Frommel, Aloys Allgaier, John Brown, George Koch, Charles Kananssmenn, John Knab, Jacob Levinson, Gustav Wall, Peter Hoffman, John Adam, Frederick Tacke, and Henry Schroeder.

781

EAST BRUNSWICK.

The principal officers of this society were as fol- lows: President, Aloys Allgaier, 1869-70, Conrad Breuker, 1871; Vice-President, Charles Kananssmenn, 1869-70, John Adam, 1871; Secretary, Maximilian Frommel, 1869-71; Treasurer, Christopher Stoble, 1869-71.

Meetings were held in Peter Hoffman's hall, at the corner of Reed and Main Streets. Dissensions arose among the members and the society disbanded, and was reorganized two or three times under differ- ent names, for a time having an existence as a lodge of the Ancient Order of Druids (No. 21). Later it was known for a time by its original name, but finally ceased to be.

WHITNEY LODGE, No. 191, I. O. O. F., was insti- tuted Aug. 6, 1877, by A. B. Crane, P. G., as Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the State of New Jersey.

The first officers, as installed, were P. V. Petty, N.G .; W. H. Petty, V. G .; W. J. Bissett, Sec. ; F. Beebe, Treas., all of Fidelity Lodge, No. 141, of James- burg, and D. W. Cozzens, Warden, from General Morgan Lodge, No. 96, of South Amboy. The above were also the charter members of the lodge.

At the first meeting six members were initiated. The lodge was established in a building near the rail- road station, and removed to other and more suitable quarters in the spring of 1878. Only one death has occurred among the membership of the lodge since its institution. The present membership is forty-four, and the success of the lodge thus far warrants it in erecting a building near the centre of the village, which will be much more comfortable than its pres- ent place of meeting, and will also be of benefit to the community by affording a convenient and com- modious assembly-room on the ground floor, which has been for a long time regarded as a necessity in Spottswood.

The successive Noble Grands have been P. V. Petty, W. H. Petty, W. H. Frishmuth, George W. Stanton, Charles Housel, Forman Matthews, and Augustus A. De Voe.

The following are the names of the present officers : Augustus A. De Voe, N. G .; James Riddle, V. G .; W. J. Bissett, Sec. ; Francis Beebe, Treas.

An Incident .- The old Clarkson Brown grist-mill, now in the possession of Peter Jernee, on Tenant's Creek, below Old Bridge, is said to have been the scene of an incident that may as a reminiscence pos- sess some interest for some of the readers of this work. It is stated that after the murder of the no- torious Bill Poole in New York, officers from that city searched this mill and watched in the vicinity several days under the impression that his murderer was in hiding there.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

ISAAC DE VOE.

The name of De Voe was formerly spelled Deveaux, the family being of Huguenot descent. Its members fled from France to escape religious oppression, and passing through Alsace landed at Mannheim, Ger- many. Two of their number afterwards emigrated to the United States and settled in the vicinity of New York. Among the descendants of one of these brothers was the great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, who resided on what was known as the Philip's Manor, within the present corporate bounds of New York City, before and during the war of the Revolution.

His son John, to whom this property was be- queathed, also made this his residence, and married his cousin, Rebecca De Voe. Their children were Isaac, John, Frederick, Daniel, James, William, Abram, Sarah, Alida, Jane, and Rebecca.

John, the second son, was born on the De Voe homestead, and later removed to what was then New York City (the family home being outside the city limits) and engaged in mercantile pursuits. He mar- ried Sophia, daughter of Thomas Farrington, of West- chester County, N. Y., and had children,-Isaac, Thomas F., James, Moses, John A., George W., Frederick W., Susanna, and two who died in infancy.

Isaac, whose life is briefly reviewed in this sketch, was born Aug. 20, 1808, at the homestead on Philip's Manor. The first six years of his life were spent on the farm, after which he removed to New York. A brief period having been spent at school, he began a business career, first as clerk for his father, and later at King's Bridge. He removed to Spottswood in 1834, and engaged as clerk with John Appleby, of that vil- lage. After an association of several years, in which he exhibited a marked fidelity to the interests of his employer, he, in 1847, formed a copartnership with the latter's son, William A., and engaged in the manufac- ture of snuff. He has from that time to the present continued the business, having recently admitted bis son, Augustus A., to a partnership in the enterprise.

Mr. De Voe was married in 1839 to Miss Mary, daughter of John Appleby, of Spottswood. To this union were born twelve children, of whom two, Wil- liam H. H. and Augustus A., survive and reside in Spottswood.

Mrs. De Voe having died in 1866, he was a second time married, Dec. 26, 1871, to Miss Ann, daughter of Henry B. Appleford, who was of English extraction. Mr. De Voe was in politics formerly a Henry Clay Whig, but later changed his views and became a Democrat. He does not seek official honors, though

782

HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

the office of justice of the peace has been filled with ability and discretion by him. He is a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and senior warden of St. Peter's Church at Spottswood. Mr. De Voe has attained a position of independence and influence entirely by his own force of character and industry, and is still actively identified with the business inter- ests of Spottswood, his residence.

LEONARD APPLEBY.

Mr. Appleby's life presents one of the marked ex- amples of success as the reward of indefatigable industry. His family are of English descent, his grandfather having came from England and settled on Williams Manor, Westchester Co., N. Y. He had a numerous offspring, among whom was James, who located in New York and later removed to Middle- town, Monmouth Co., N. J. He married a Miss Crawford, of Westchester County, N. Y., and had chil- dren,-William, John, and Elizabeth. By a second marriage to Miss Sarah, daughter of Obadiah Her- bert, of Mount Pleasant, Monmouth Co., N. J., who was a surveyor, he had sons, Leonard and James, both of whom were born in New York City. The birth of their son Leonard occurred Oct. 4, 1798, in Duane Street, New York, where his early life was spent. He enjoyed but limited advantages of edu- cation, and when a lad engaged as clerk in a grocery- store on the corner of Morris and Greenwich Streets, after which he was apprenticed to a carpenter in the city of Brooklyn. He did not, however, complete this apprenticeship, but came to Old Bridge, Middle- sex Co., and engaged as a clerk for his uncle, Obadiah Herbert. After the war of 1812 he embarked with John Appleby as a dealer in groceries at White's Landing, Middlesex Co. He was, on the 24th of Oc- tober, 1821, united in marriage to Miss Ann Amanda Fitzallen Van Wickle, the ceremony having been performed by Bishop Cruse, of New Jersey.

Mrs. Appleby was the daughter of Jacob and Sarah Morgan Van Wickle, of Old Bridge, the former having been for fifty-three years judge of Middlesex County. The Morgans were of Revolutionary stock, Mrs. Van Wickle having been a niece of Gen. Daniel Morgan. Their children were Stephen Van Wickle, born Nov. 19, 1822; Leonard Lafayette, whose birth occurred Sept. 9. 1824; Hyacynthia Adeline, born Oct. 31, 1826, who became Mrs. John S. Sutphen ; Sarah Au- rora Morgan, born Oct. 18, 1828 (deceased), who mar- ried George W. Bampton; Malvenah, born Oct. 29, 1830 (deceased) ; Margaret, born Nov. 30, 1832, now Mrs. George Helme; Ann Amanda, born July 11, 1834 (deceased) ; Jacob Charles, born July 4, 1836 ; Remsen, born March 31, 1838; Lyman, born Sept. 27, 1839 (deceased) ; and Julia, born Aug. 26, 1842, who became Mrs. John Outcalt.

In connection with the business in which he first engaged, Mr. Appleby began the purchase and ship-

ment of wood, having secured nearly all the Forge lands, of which George C. Thomas was the agent. He also dealt extensively in lime, and embarked in the manufacture of pottery and fanning-mills. He began soon after the snuff and tobacco business, two miles southwest of Spottswood, on the site of the present Railroad Mills, a portion of the mills erected by him being still in use.

Mr. Appleby in 1837 repaired to New York and engaged with William Allison in the business of dry- goods under the style of Appleby & Allison. Here he remained two years, after which he resumed the snuff trade, and also conducted a brokerage business. He was at this time a considerable owner of real estate, and largely engaged in its improvement and in the erection of buildings. In 1856 he removed to Spottswood, and having made extensive purchases of real estate at Perth Amboy devoted much of his time to the improvement or sale and transfer of property at this point. Mr. Appleby was also a practical en- gineer, which knowledge greatly aided him in his various business operations.

In politics he was formerly an Old-Line Whig, but later supported Stephen A. Douglas, and for the re- mainder of his life continued a Democrat. He was a strong party man, but without official aspirations. He was a man of integrity in all business transac- tions, and in the panic of 1837-38 met every obliga- tion, as he did on all subsequent occasions. The death of Leonard Appleby occurred March 17, 1879, at Spottswood, in his eighty-second year. Here an imposing monument marks his last resting-place, the site being adjacent to St. Peter's Protestant Episcopal Church, of which he was a cordial supporter.

COL. LEONARD L. F. APPLEBY.

Col. Appleby is the grandson of James Appleby, and the son of Leonard Appleby and his wife, Sarah Herbert. An extended sketch of the former appears elsewhere in this volume, and renders repetition here unnecessary. He was a man of remarkable business capacity, and transmitted these qualities in a marked degree to his children.

The birth of his son, Leonard L. F., occurred Sept. 9, 1824, at Old Bridge, Middlesex County, where the years of his boyhood were spent. After such ad- vantages as were offered at the district schools of the township, he engaged with his father in business as a clerk, having begun this active career at the age of seventeen.

After a faithful service of four years he was ad- mitted to a partnership with him in the snuff busi- ness and removed to New York City, where this branch of industry was conducted. From that date until the day of his death the business relations of father and son were most intimate. They were joint owners of property and together engaged in various commercial transactions.

Andrew Disbrow

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EAST BRUNSWICK.

Col. Appleby was, on the 27th of January, 1847, united in marriage to Miss Harriet Amanda, daugh- ter of John Appleby, of Spottswood, N. J., the cere- miony having been performed at St. Peter's Protestant · Episcopal Church, Spottswood, by Rev. Alfred Stubbs, of New Brunswick, N. J. To this marriage were born children,-Leonard, whose birth occurred April 30, 1849, in Spottswood ; Charles Edgar, born in New York, Aug. 2, 1850, and who died Dec. 30, 1851; Sarah Farrington, born at Old Bridge, Oct. 27, 1855, and now Mrs. William Sawyer, of Spottswood.

The death of Mrs. Appleby having occurred Dec. 23, 1867, the colonel was again married on the 16th of July, 1872, to Miss Georgianna Jackson, grand- daughter of Moses Wilcox, of New Brunswick, N. J. This marriage was also solemnized by Rev. Alfred Stnhbs.

The politics of Col. Appleby were formerly of the school of Old-Line Whigs, but subsequent events changed his views and caused him to espouse the platform of the Democratic party, which he still in- dorses. He is not an aspirant for official honors, which have been frequently offered him, but has nev- ertheless been twice elected justice of the peace of his township, which office he still holds. He has been identified with the militia of the State, and has served on the staffs of both Governors Charles S. Olden and Theodore F. Randolph. He still mani- fests an active interest in the politics of the county and State, and frequently participates in the various campaigns to the extent of exerting his influence in favor of all measures for the public welfare. Though practically a gentleman of leisure, he is identified with the business interests of Spottswood, and the owner of an extensive shirt-factory, of which his son Leonard is manager. The colonel is in his religious preferences an Episcopalian, thongh he and his father were the principal contributors towards the erection of the Methodist Episcopal Church of the village. The cause of morality and religion, irrespective of denomination, finds in him a cordial helper and friend.

HON. ANDREW J. DISBROW.

The present incumbent of the office of sheriff of Middlesex County, Hon. A. J. Disbrow, is of sturdy English stock. His grandfather, John Disbrow, was a farmer, residing in Matchaponix, Middlesex Co., and served with the New Jersey light-horse cav- alry at the battle of Monmouth during the Revolu- tionary war, after which he with others was detailed to bury those who had fallen in that sanguinary encounter. He was married to Susanna Morgan, of South Amboy, sister of Gen. James Morgan, and granddaughter of Nicholas Everson. Their children

were Daniel, who died unmarried, Nicholas Morgan, James Morgan, Charles Morgan, Hannah (Mrs. Wil- liam I. Dey), Catherine (Mrs. Peter Burlew), and Elsie (Mrs. Alfred Letts).

Nicholas Morgan, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born at Matchaponix, N. J., in 1783, and in early life removed to Matawan, N. J., where he ac- quired the trade of a hatter. There he married Mary, daughter of Cornelius P. Vanderhoef, and a descend- ant of the Hun family, who then occupied a position of much prominence in the State.

Their children are Stephen M., a physician residing | at Farmingdale, N. J .; Andrew J. ; John N., living at Matawan ; Peter C., also at Matawan; Edwin C., of Ocean Grove; Mary (Mrs. John W. Denyse), de- ceased ; Delia Ann (Mrs Charles Fardon), of Holm- del, N. J .; Catherine (Mrs. Richard Van Brackel) ; and Edwin C. and Phebe, who died in infancy.

Andrew J. was born Feb. 29, 1816, at Matawan, N. J. His active career was begun as clerk in the post-office of the city of Brooklyn, and also as assistant in a book-store. He removed in 1834 to Old Bridge, as clerk for Leonard Appleby, with whom he re- mained six years, after which he succeeded to the business. He then acquired a knowledge of survey- ing and conveyancing, in which he has been engaged during his active business career. He was married in 1835 to Miss Susan, daughter of James Brown, who died soon after, and Mr. Disbrow was again married to Miss Margaret R., daughter of Mahlon G. Searle, of Philadelphia. They have had children,-Mary (Mrs. Joseph A. Charlton), Sarah (Mrs. S. W. South), Stephen M., Euretta, deceased, and one who died in infancy.

When a lad Mr. Disbrow was a fearless champion of the Democracy, though' he later became a Whig, from which resulted his indorsement of the principles of the Republican party.

He has been actively identified with politics during the whole of his life, having been postmaster at Old Bridge, N. J., for a period of forty-six years, which commission he still holds. He has also served for forty-two years as justice of the peace, and has for years been commissioner of deeds for the township.

Mr. Disbrow held for five years the honorable posi- tion of judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and at present fills the office of sheriff of the county of Mid- dlesex. His excellent judgment and marked probity make his services much sought in the settlement of estates and in the duties devolving upon trustees and gnardians.

Mr. Disbrow is in his religions preferences a Bap- tist. He contributed liberally towards the erection of the Baptist Church at Old Bridge, and has served as ; a member of its board of trustees.

784

HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

CHAPTER C.

SOUTH BRUNSWICK.1

Situation and Boundaries .- South Brunswick is located in the southwestern part of Middlesex County. Its boundaries are formed by North Brunswick and East Brunswick on the north, East Brunswick, Mon- roe, and Cranbury on the east, Cranbury and West Windsor (Mercer County) on the south, and Prince- ton (Mercer County ) and Franklin (Somerset County ) on the west.

Descriptive .- The most extensive township in the county and one of the earlier in organization, South Brunswick has long been historically one of the most important of those lying south of the Raritan. Its nearness to Princeton and Trenton caused its territory to be occupied early, and the passage through it of the "straight" or Trenton turnpike and the more serpen- tine George's road, now known as the New Brunswick and Cranbury turnpike, have rendered its rolling sur- face long familiar to the travelers from New Bruns- wick southward. Friendship road and Ridge road are much traveled thoroughfares in the southern part. The great ditch in the northeastern part is evidence of time and money expended in the drainage of Pigeon Swamp, an extensive tract of marshland, long unre- claimed, and the "Indian Fields," near the southi- eastern corner, mark the location of an Indian en- campment when settlement begun.

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History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 189

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