History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 195

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 195
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 195

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).

The tavern at Half-Acre is now known as the Monroe House, and was built in the latter part of the eighteenth century. The earliest-remembered occupant was Daniel Lott, who, it is claimed, fenced up the back road as above mentioned. Joseph Schenck was his successor, till the property was purchased by Samuel Wetherell, who leased it to various occu-

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HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

pants. After his death, about 1832, it was purchased by Thomas Hoffman, who also rented it to transient keepers. About 1860 it was bought by Nelson Thomp- son, who in about a year was succeeded by E. A. Thompson, since whose death, in July, 1881, it has been managed by his widow, Mrs. Mary A. Thomp- son, and his son, John N. Thompson.

The blacksmith-shop has been in charge of Nelson Barkelew. D. A. Mount, wheelwright, began busi- ness there in 1878. The store of Mrs. H. A. Mount, wife of the latter, was opened in 1877. The store and the two shops mentioned are the property of George Morse.

RED TAVERN .- A hamlet in the southern part of the township derived the above name from an old tavern there, which was kept during the Revolution, and perhaps earlier. Col. Jones, who was the pro- prietor in 1800, had probably then been some time there. Jones had many and frequent successors till 1853, when the property was purchased by S. D. Vandenbergh. It stands on the road leading from Hightstown to Englishtown, and its long-familiar red exterior has for some time been obscured by paint of a different hue.

Cook & Jones established a store there about 1857 in a building which has been since their time occu- pied by several merchants for longer or shorter periods. The present proprietor is Anthony Apple- gate.

Besides the tavern and the store there are two wheelwright-shops, owned by William and Ellison Everingham respectively, and a dozen houses, more or less.

PROSPECT PLAINS is the name of a railroad station, post-office, and hamlet located on the old Camden and Amboy Railroad, near the western border of the township, south from the centre, containing a store, a hotel, a school-house, a blacksmith-shop, a hay- pressing and shipping establishment, and a shirt laundry.

The store at Prospect Plains was opened by Davi- son & Stonaker in 1832, and kept by them till 1833. It has been since kept by Garret S. Davison until his death in 1845; by his widow and son, J. S. Davison, until 1850; by J. S. and D. G. Davison until 1860; and by D. G. Davison to this date. The post-office was established in 1851, with D. G. Davison as post- master. He has held the office continuously to the present.

The Railroad House was built in 1832 for a dwelling- house by William Stults. In 1862 it was converted into a hotel. The present proprietor, George D. Ber- gen, purchased it in 1878, previous to which time it had had several occupants.

A blacksmith-shop was long the property of the Davison family, its first owners having been J. S. and D. G. Davison. It was rented to several successive wielders of the hammer, the first of whom was Gil- bert Perrine. The shop at present in use is the prop-

erty of the A. J. Hoffman estate. The "smithy" is Nathaniel Cox.

The shirt laundry is managed by D. G. Davison, employing twenty-four hands.

The hay-press was set up in 1876 by Gedney & Hoffman. It is now operated by A. W. Dey.

HOFFMAN AND TRACY STATIONS are flag-stations located on the Freehold Railroad, in the easterly and extreme eastern portions of the township respect- ively.

RHODE HALL is a hamlet containing a hotel (one of the oldest in the section), a store, and several dwellings, lying mostly in South Brunswick, but par- tially in the northwestern portion of Monroe.

Industrial Enterprises,-THE DOWNS & FINCH SHIRT-FACTORY .- The fancy shirt manufactory of Downs & Finch was founded in 1871, by Finley, Gourlay & Finch, in which firm Mr. Downs, of the present firm of Downs & Finch, was a special partner. In 1874, Finley, Gourlay & Finch were succeeded by Downs, Gourlay & Finch, and the latter firm by Downs & Finch in 1876. The factory at first con- sisted of a single building about seventy feet by thirty, with a capacity to turn out fifty to one hundred dozen shirts per week, and gave employment to about one hundred hands. Since that time the business has grown to be the most extensive of its kind in the world, having overleaped the limits of the village of Jamesburg in its rapid development and necessitated the establishment of a branch at Bordentown as large as the parent factory, a second branch at Hightstown, and a third at Trenton. The aggregate capacity of the three factories, which have their headquarters at Jamesburg, is between 4000 and 5000 dozen shirts and 15,000 to 20,000 dozen collars and cuffs per week. The firm has 3500 hands on its pay-rolls, and $15,000 to $20,000 is disbursed each semi-monthly pay-day. About 7,500,000 yards of cloth and spool-cotton, to the value of $30,000, are consumed annually in the manu- facture of shirts, and the firm buys starch for use in their laundries in lots of four or five car-loads of fifteen tons each.

Additions to the works at Jamesburg have been made by the erection of new buildings from year to year as the growing business has required. The main building, known as "No. 1," is an imposing brick structure with two wings, making a frontage of 170 feet by 50 feet depth, three stories high, with a sightly five-story entrance-tower in front, containing stair- cases leading to the several floors and extending two stories above the main building. At the rear of the eastern wing is a two-story brick extension about seventy feet by thirty-five, which is occupied as a laundry. At the rear of the main building is a boiler and engine-room. The third floor of the main build- ing is occupied as a cutting-room, the second floor as a sewing-room, and the first floor, in connection with the extension above referred to, as an ironing- and stock-room. About three hundred feet to the rear of

MONROE.

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the main building is factory building " No. 10," occu- pied as a laundry for one class of shirts. Across the water-way which supplies power to the factories is located a building about forty feet by thirty, which contains the general offices of the firm, in which is a telegraph-office and a telephone connecting with the three other factories, enabling the firm to control its complicated business with a facility that before the invention of the telephone would have been impossi- ble. At Upper Jamesburg are located the firm's box- factories, which occupy three large buildings, employ about thirty-five hands, and produce on an average 10,000 boxes per week.

MAGEE & BUCKELEW'S FOUNDRY .- The foundry of Magee & Buckelew at Upper Jamesburg was built in 1878, and enlarged to its present capacity in 1879. It was operated by C. J. Crosby & Brother until 1880, and since then has been under the per- sonal management of Magee & Buckelew, who do a large business, shipping the products of the works throughont the Middle States, and to some extent beyond.

DISTILLERIES .- From 1822 to 1834, Garret S. Da- vison had a distillery at Prospect Plains. Charles P. Mount put a distillery in operation at Red Tavern about twenty years ago, and continned the business about ten years. The establishment passed into the possession of Joseph Chamberlain about 1872, and in 1876 into that of the present proprietor, S. D. Van- denbergh, who had previously leased it a year, and who has since continned the business. The works consist of a still-house twenty-two feet by eighteen, and a three-story and a basement building thirty-five feet by thirty, in which are carried on various other processes necessary to the production of such liqnors as are made there.

George McDowell established a distillery near Union Valley, which he operated a number of years until it was purchased by D. M. Perrine, who re- moved it to a point near Half-Acre, and continued the business until 1880. In the sonthwestern part of the township A. Petty established a distillery, now con- tinued by his estate. At different times others in the township have been more or less extensively engaged in the manufacture of peach and apple brandy and apple whisky, for which this section has considerable reputation.

MISCELLANEOUS INDUSTRIES. - Appleby's drug- and spice-mill, on Matchaponix Brook, on the north- ern boundary of the township, was for some time, until a comparatively recent date, an enterprise of importance.

The farmers in the vicinity of Prospect Plains in 1826 and later made brick, which was carted to Prince- ton. A brick-yard, now idle, on the Buckelew estate, northwest of Jamesburg, was established by James Buckelew about twenty years ago, and brick was manufactured there quite extensively for a number of years.

The steam saw-mill of Edward Snediker at James- burg was built in 1881, and furnishes employment to three men. Much lumber is sawed there for Magee & Davison, who are shippers of large quantities.

The First National Bank of Jamesburg .- In our modern system success in finances is closely allied with sound banking institutions. The founder of Jamesburg, early in the history of national banks, took the steps essential towards supplying that need, and in January, 1864, in connection with his sons, Isaac S., John D., and F. Lemuel Buckelew, Mr. Joseph C. McGee, John G. Schultz, and Nathaniel W. Morris (who were the first board of directors), and some twenty of their neighbors, formed the two hundred and eighty-eighth national bank, styled the First National Bank of Jamesburg.

The officers and directors of this institution are as follows: President, Isaac S. Bnckelew ; Cashier, T. Wilton Hill; Directors, Isaac S. Bockelew, Joseph C. McGee, T. Wilton Hill, George H. Townsend, and F. Lemuel Buckelew.

Former directors not now in service have been James Buckelew, Nathaniel W. Morris, John D. Buckelew, John G. Stults, and James Applegate. William H. Conrter and Benjamin Snyder were former cashiers.

The following statement shows the condition of this bank at the close of business Jan. 4, 1882:

Resources.

Loans and discounts.

$110,904.15

U. S. bonds to secure circulation 75,000.00

Other stocks, bonds, and mortgages

43,587.00

Due from approved reserve agent. 17,792.38

Due from other national bauks

8,593.11

Checks and other cash items.

698.05

Bills uf other bauks

2,700.00

Specie.

1,596.22

Legal tender notes

6,500 00

Due from U. S. Treasurer

3,375.00

$270,745.91

Liabilities.

Capital stock.

$75,000.00

Surplus fund.

21,000.00

Undivided profits

3,927.61

Circulation

67,500.00

Individual deposits.

100,169.71

Due to other national banks.

3,148.59

$270,745.91

Burial-Places .- The burying-ground on the State Reform School farm, near the ancient traditional prison-house, is undoubtedly the oldest graveyard in Monroe. Here and there about the township are spots where one or two graves have been made which are still visible, and doubtless others have disappeared entirely. Near Hoffman Station are some graves of members of the Hoffman family and others. At Union Valley is a burying-ground containing about fifty graves, the first of which was opened early in July, 1852. This ground was given to the Methodist Protestant Church by Mr. and Mrs. E. D. Stults.

FERNWOOD CEMETERY .- Fernwood Cemetery, ad- jacent to Wigwam Grove, beautifully situated, with a commanding view of a fine landscape, hallowed by its associations with the work of the devoted and

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HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

faithful Brainerds, is most appropriately set apart for its sacred purpose.

The original association was formed in 1853, and the first land selected for cemetery purposes was on the north side of the Camden and Amboy Railroad, about three-fourthis of a mile west of the present depot. Objection being made to its location, by consent of its lot-holders it was changed to its present site in 1859 and its removal was sanctioned by the New Jersey Legislature, which in 1861 passed the act which cre- ated the present " Fernwood Cemetery Association."

Under its present charter Messrs. T. S. Snedeker, J. C. Magee, W. H. Courter, J. B. Thompson, and C. W. Johnson were its first board of trustees, and Mr. J. D. Buckelew treasurer.

The plot of ground, containing a little over three acres, was generously donated to the association by Mr. James Buckelew. Among the first family plots selected and improved was one by Mr. Buckelew. On the shaft erected to his memory is the simple inscription, " Born August 13, 1801. Died May 30, 1869."

The association is officered as follows : President, John D. Buckelew; Treasurer and Secretary, F. L. Buckelew ; Trustees, John D. Buckelew, William H. Courter, C. W. Johnson, W. H. Mount, and T. Wilton Hill.

Associations and Societies .- THE JAMESBURG SUNDAY-SCHOOL CONVENTION ASSOCIATION .- The Jamesburg Sunday-School Convention was founded in 1866 by Mr. J. D. Buckelew, superintendent of the Jamesburg Sunday-school, in connection with Mr. Franklin Dey, of Mercer County, and other superin- tendents and friends of the Sunday-school cause, for the purpose of giving the scholars an annual picnic, and at the same time furnishing them and their friends with exercises and addresses calculated to both instruct and enhance the interest in Sunday- schools, and has grown to such magnitude as to require the management of a thoroughly systematized organization, which is supplied in the board of offi- cers and teachers of the Jamesburg Sunday-school, who are now recognized as ex officio the Jamesburg Sunday-School Convention Association. The gen- eral committee in 1881 was organized as follows: T. Wilton Hill, chairman; John D. Courter, secre- tary ; Rev. B. S. Everitt, John D. Buckelew, Alfred Davison, Joseph C. Magee, J. B. Tallman, F. L. Buckelew, William H. Courter, William H. Mount, L. E. Riddle, A. I. Richardson, Alfred W. Dye.

The annual convention is held in Wigwam Grove on the fourth Wednesday in August, and strenuous efforts are made to secure addresses from able and popular Sunday-school workers (representing various Christian denominations), illustrations of the most improved methods in teaching, together with attrac- tive and inspiring music. It has been estimated that from 10,000 to 12,000 persons have often attended the annual conventions.

THE JAMESBURG AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY .- The Jamesburg Agricultural Society was formally organ- ized on the 27th of April, 1853, with Mr. James Buck- elew as president, and Joseph C. Magee and William H. Courter as secretaries. The society was nomi- nally in existence the previous year, and consisted of James Buckelew, Alexander Redmond, Aaron Gulick, Samuel R. Forman, Charles Middleton, Thomas S. Snedeker, Ralph C. Stults, Frederick Farr, and Stephen Van Wickle.

These gentlemen organized and held an agricul- tural fair Oct. 6, 1852, for the sale, purchase, and exhibition of stock, farming implements, and pro- duce, offering no premiums, but giving every oppor- tunity for a free and complete exhibit of everything useful to the farmer. The fair was a success, and resulted in the formation of the society, having for its object the benefit and improvement of the farming community.

Fairs were held at Jamesburg for five years, attract- ing many visitors and disseminating much good. The society was the first of its kind organized in the county, -in fact, for a number of years the only society. Of late years it has confined its labors to the distribution of seeds and miscellaneous documents through its cor- responding secretary, William H. Courter.

FIDELITY LODGE, I. O. O. F., of Jamesburg, was organized July 6, 1870, with the following charter members and principal officers : William H. Coulter, N. G .; Charles P. Clymer, V. G .; Charles E. Liming, Sec .; Isaac S. Buckelew, Treas. ; and John H. Heath, William J. Courter, and Charles E. Woolley.

The present officers are F. Nodocker, N. G .; Henry Jobs, V. G .; John D. Courter, Sec .; C. M. Davison, Treas.

This lodge has a membership of ninety-one, and is represented in the Grand Lodge of New Jersey by one of its members, George S. Courter, Grand Master. The lodge-room is in the second story of the building containing the offices of the First National Bank of Jamesburg, and regular meetings are held every Wednesday evening.

MATILDA LODGE, No. 28, was instituted April 6, 1871, and the following officers were installed: John H. Heath, N. G .; Sarah E. Smock, V. G .: William H. Courter, Sec .; Jennie Smock, Treas .; C. B. Cly- mer, O. G .; C. G. Cox, I. G .; George Smock, W .; N. B. Smock, C. The present officers are Thomas P. Ryan, N. G .; Mrs. Joseph P. Eler, V. G .; John D. Courter, Sec. ; Miss A. Golden, Treas.

ENCAMPMENT No. 51, I. O. O. F., of Jamesburg. Instituted Jan. 3, 1879, this encampment comprised the following charter members : Charles S. Brown, J. D. Browne, George S. Courter, Frank H. Dey, John H. Heath, John N. Ileath, F. McNamee, F. No- docker, P. V. Petty, W. H. Petty, George Van Arts- dalen, and William G. Mount. The members num- ber thirty-four. Regular meetings are held Friday evening of each week. The present officers of this

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MONROE.

encampment are as follows : James D. Browne, C. P. ; John H. Elliott, H. P .; J. Albert Keinzle, S. W .; C. M. Davison, Sec .; William H. Courter, Treas.

EVERITT LODGE, I. O. G. T .- About 1870 a lodge of the Independent Order of Good Templars, named as above, was organized at Jamesburg.

Churches .- EARLY RELIGIOUS HISTORY.1-After the days of Brainerd the first religious services in the township were probably held at the beginning of or very early in this century in the old school-house at Jamesburg, and there was early preaching, too, in the Matchaponix neighborhood. Though this section was from the first settled by those whose predilections were Presbyterian, yet the earliest services were generally held by ministers of the Methodist Church, and Rev. Mr. Fountain, living near what is now "Texas," preached occasionally at Jamesburg, and during one year every two weeks. The people expressed great satisfaction with his services, gathering from distances of three or four miles, and giving him flour, meal, and other products as his pay. However, the next year, when an effort was made to raise money for him and the people were called on to contribute the same, there is said to have been a great diminution in attendance, for produce was the more easily obtainable than caslı. At John Hoffman's, toward Englishtown, the Meth- odists held regular Sunday evening services, and the scattered inhabitants were glad to walk even from as far as Jamesburg to attend.

Although thus early in possession of the field, the Methodists failed to occupy it fully, and Rev. Mr. Rice, of Spottswood, and after him Rev. William R. S. Betts, of the same church, Rev. Mr. Woodhull, of Tennent Church, in Monmouth County, and his son, Rev. Spafford Woodhull, and perhaps other Presby- terian clergymen, preached occasionally at James- burg, and later Rev. Luther Van Doren, of Tennent Church, and Rev. Symmes Henry, of Cranbury. Rev. Mr. Blythe also came, and Mr. Vincent W. Mount, who led the singing. The people were not satisfied, however, with such occasional services as were thus brought to them, but attended meetings in neigh- boring settlements. Some, especially the Van Wickle family, and that of William W. Davison, went to Cranbury First Church, and a little later Alexander Redmond's and S. R. Freeman's families in the same direction, though more went to Spottswood. This was after the railroad was constructed. A flat car, provided with temporary seats for the purpose, was drawn by a mule, and often thirty or forty per- sons would thus go to Spottswood to church. When the Second Presbyterian Church of Cranbury was organized a number of families, among them James Buckelew's and C. G. Snediker's, became identified with it, and continued for several years to attend ser- vices there.

When the second school-house at Jamesburg was

built by Mr. James Buckelew, in 1847, to meet the want of religious worshipers, a room was partitioned off in it, and provided with pulpit and seats, and con- nected with folding-doors with the school-room. Here Revs. Henry and Blythe, of Cranbury, held oc- casional services, with now and then others, till in the spring of 1850, Rev. George C. Bush, who was preaching at South Amboy and South River, came regularly to preach at Jamesburg every other Sab- bath evening, and found (as he has said) good con- gregations and attentive hearers. After about nine months' service he yielded the work to Rev. John A. Annin, then just leaving the seminary at Princeton. During Mr. Bush's labors about twelve were con- verted, and with these he expected about twelve from other churches were ready to enter a church organi- zation which had been talked of for a time and then took more promising form. Mr. Bush wrote: “I shall never forget the kindness with which the people of Jamesburg treated me. They sent a team to Wash- ington for me, and gave me a good home among them, and worked and prayed with me, giving opportunity for conversation and prayer with their families. They were quick to discern the time to build and organize."

THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF JAMESBURG.2- Although the prospects when Rev. John A. Annin took charge of the work at Jamesburg were hopeful, his services continued but three months, to July, 1851, after which there seems to have been no regular supply, and services were held with much irregu- larity. The matter was not allowed to rest, and the next tangible thing was in the beginning of the year 1853, when a subscription was circulated for securing funds for a church building, which succeeded so well that March 3, 1853, a meeting of the subscribers was held, and William Johnson, Alexander Redmond, Aaron Gulick, Edmund Rue, Joseph C. Magee, I. S. Buckelew, and S. R. Foreman were elected trustees, thus completing a legal organization.

At the same time a petition was signed by seven- teen members of other churches and twenty-nine persons not members asking the Presbytery of New Brunswick to organize a church at Jamesburg, in re- sponse to which a committee consisting of Revs. S. C. Henry, J. W. Blythe, L. H. Van Doren, and S. D. Alexander met June 6, 1854, and organized the church with eleven members : John C. Vandeveer and Han- nah, his wife ; Samuel Marryott and Ann Maria, his wife ; James Mount and Mahala, his wife; Margaret C. Buckelew, C. J. Applegate, Sarah Davison, J. B. Johnson, and David C. Bastido. John C. Vandeveer and John B. Johnson were elected elders.

A building committee, consisting of J. D. Bucke- lew, J. C. Magee, and S. M. Van Wickle, had, under instructions from the congregation and trustees, pro- ceeded to erect a church building on Church Street,

1 Condensed from the introductory portion of the history of the Pres" byterian Church of Jamesburg, by Rev. B. S. Everitt, 1876.

2 Partially, in a condensed form, from the bistory of the Presbyterian Church of Jamesburg, by Rev. B. S. Everitt, its present pastor.

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HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

to which it gave its name, the corner-stone being laid Sept. 7, 1853, Rev. George C. Bush, of Stewartsville, and Rev. S. D. Alexander, of Freehold, conducting the exercises. The building was dedicated June 26, 1854, Rev. S. D. Alexander preaching the sermon.

Now regular Sunday services were inaugurated, and the churchi began at once to raise money for pay- ing supplies, the subscription list showing thirty-nine contributors and the amount $194 for the first quarter, ending Dec. 31, 1854. The supplies were largely students of the theological seminary at Princeton, although the names of Drs. J. C. Moffat, L. At- water, J. McDonald, Charles Hodge, and Rev. J. W. Blythe, among those of supplies, show that some of the leading ministers of the day preached there. These supplies were paid, and June 30, 1855, the re- port of the treasurer showed that $503.32 had been raised for the year, being an excess of $148.59 over what had been paid for supplies, which, with a fund subsequently raised by the trustees, was appropriated to paying a debt of $400 still due on the house of worship.

The church, now convinced of its ability to sup- port a pastor, called Rev. J. Halstead Carroll, Feb. 2, 1855, at a salary of $550, and he was ordained and installed May 30th, when Rev. Charles Hodge, D.D., presided, Rev. John Hall, D.D., preached, Rev. W. H. Green, D.D., charged the pastor, and Rev. J. M. McDonald, D.D., charged the people. The new church then began its full work with sixteen members and the following official organization : Rev. J. H. Carroll, pastor ; J. C. Vandeveer, Aaron Gulick, and J. Bergen Thompson, elders ; J. B. Thomson, presi- dent of trustees ; Joseph C. Magee, secretary ; J. D. Buckelew, treasurer; Thomas S. Mershon, James Mount, I. S. Buckelew, Alexander Redmond, and S. R. Foreman, trustees ; William H. Courter had charge of collecting salary and renting pews; Charles A. Craig was chorister ; Samuel Marryott, sexton ; and J. D. Buckelew, Sunday-school superintendent.

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History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 195

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