History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 197

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 197
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 197

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).

On " Reid's map" of the Raritan and South Rivers and the country hordering them and for some dis- tance inland, which was made some time between 1683 and 1686 by John Reid, deputy surveyor under Keith, several tracts of land are shown at the mouth of Cheesquake Creek and along its eastern shore and south of its source as belonging to "T. L." and S. Winder (1000 acres), Scots' Proprietors (1000 acres), T. Warne2 (1000 acres), "Scots' Proprietors with

2 Warne is the only one of these names afterwards borne by residents of the township. No connection between T. Warne above mentioned and the Warne family of Madison has heen traced.

1 By M. O. Rolfe.

815

MADISON.

William Decwray" (1000 acres), and William Dec- wray (1000 acres), portions of which must have been in the township as at present bounded.

David Owens settled not far from Jacksonville about 1730. He had one son (2), David, who married and had a son and daughter named Peter and Rosan- nah. (3) Peter married a Miss Lamberson, descended from another pioneer family, and had a son, whose name is thought to have been Harrion, and who died young. He has been dead about forty years, prob- ably, as he is said not to have long survived his father, who died about fifty years ago. (4) Rosannah married John Prest and lived in the township. Peter Owens lived about a mile from Jacksonville on the road to South Amboy, where his widow lived after his death, owning a farm by inheritance from her father, James Lamberson, which embraced the present clay banks of Whitehead Brothers.

A man named Ward was early in the neighbor- hood of Jacksonville. He was a boatman and hunter, and died at the age of eighty or thereabouts early in the present century. He was a great hunter of water-fowl, and is said to have spent a good part of his time searching in the sedges and marshes and up and down the streams of Madison and the adjacent country in quest of his favorite game. To facilitate his journeyings to and fro he had a frail, portable canoe, which he carried on his shoulders overland from creek to creek. His gun is said to have been a curiosity in its way, very long, very heavy, and very true to its aim in the experienced hands of its owner.

David Hall was an early comer and located on the road from Jacksonville to Matawan, Monmouth Co., and has been dead since the early part of the century. One of his sons, named William, died in 1811; John R., another, in 1819. His sons, Stephen and Court- ney, were well known in that part of the county, and both have long been dead. The latter married a daughter of Thomas Lamberson. David Hall had · several daughters also, one of whom married a promi- nent ship-builder of New York, and after his death returned to Madison, where she died.

(1) Andrew Bound settled in Monmouth County in 1760. His sons were David, Obadialı, and Andrew. The latter removed to Staten Island. (2) David came to Madison about 1800, and owned a large tract of land on the Raritan Bay shore, and has been dead many years. He married Catharine Morgan, a sister of Gen. James Morgan, by whom he had a daughter, who married William Jaques. His second wife was a sister of Clarkson Brown, and bore him three chil- dren, of whom only Clarkson Bound is living ; Rhoda, a daughter, married a son of Parker Brown ; (3) Oba- diah married a Miss Newton and lived near David. James and David were his sons.

The father of Gen. James Morgan early interested himself in the fortunes of Jacksonville, where he was largely interested in lands extending along the Chees- quake to its mouth, and was a manufacturer of pot-

ter's wares before the Revolution. Gen. James Mor- gau later was also a large property-owner and manufacturer in the same line. He removed to Old Bridge, and was prominent in business affairs there. Much of the property once owned by the elder Mor- gan is now in possession of his descendants, some of whom are residents of South Amboy. The Morgan clay-beds are on this tract.

An early settler on the J. V. L. Gordon property was Obadiah Buckalew, a farmer and speculator in woodlands, timber, and wood, shipping extensively from South Amboy and Jacksonville. His son, Oba- diah Buckalew, Jr., married a daughter of Ephraim Rose, of Jacksonville. One of his daughters married Jaques Van Liew Gordon, and survives him. Mr. Gordon was a son of Peter Gordon, of Milltown, North Brunswick, and a grandson of Archibald Gor- don, of Matchaponix. He was a speculator in lands, and served Middlesex County as sheriff, 1851-54, and the township of South Amboy as freeholder, with but two interregnums aggregating only six years, 1842- 70, dying only a few years ago.

Thomas Warne settled on the Mount Pleasant and Old Bridge turnpike previous to 1800, purchasing a tract of one thousand acres, much of which is now owned by numerous descendants. (1) John Morgan located on the old road from Jacksonville to Matawan. William, Samuel, and perhaps others were his sons. (2) William was a blacksmith near Browntown, and died there. Daniel Morgan, blacksmith, and Charles Morgan, of Washington, are his sons. (3) Samuel lived and died on the homestead.

An early resident who was once familiar to nearly all of the leading men in the country about Amboy was (1) Wynant Wood, who came to Madison in 1800, and spent the balance of his life there. His children were William, Timothy, John, Peter, Caroline, So- phia, Matilda, Gertrude, and Elmira. (2) Timothy was a militia officer, and was sometimes called "Col." Wood. He married Sarah Lamberson, and had 'sons, -Timothy and David. The latter married a daugh- ter of Ambrose Maxfield, of South Amboy. (3) John married Mary Ann Bennit, and located near Jack- sonville, at the landing, and is living at the age of eighty-nine. His children were Cornelia, Mary, and John. Cornelia married Abraham Warne, Mary married Hezekiah Warne, and John married Lucinda Martin. (4) Peter lives in New York, and is eighty years old.

On South River, near Old Bridge, Edward Furman was an early settler, dying about fifty years ago. His son Noah removed to Madison many years ago, and was during an extended period speculating in wood- lands and dealing in wood, which he shipped in im- mense quantities from Jacksonville, Old Bridge, South Amboy, and elsewhere. He died in 1832. His sons were Noah, William, and George. Noah is a promi- nent business man of South Amboy. William is dead. George remained in Madison.

816

HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

(1) Whitehead Brown located early at Browntown, owning much land there, and dying many years ago. His only son was (2) Abraham W. Brown, who was sheriff of Middlesex County, 1836-39. The latter married a daughter of Ebenezer Price, of Sayreville, and died some years ago. His sons, Hendrick and Whitehead, are living. (3) Hendrick, known later in life as ex-Judge Brown, married a Miss Crowell, of Perth Amboy, and is living on the homestead farm. (4) Whitehead lives in Monmouth County. One of the daughters of this family married James Bissett, now a brick manufacturer between Old Bridge and Washington, in East Brunswick. Another became the wife and is now the widow of Dr. Cross, of Mon- mouth County. Well-known Browns in Madison and around about have been Daniel, Joshua, Clarkson, and Dr. Jacob Brown.

The Hilliers were among the early comers to Madi- son. Probably the best known of the family was Col. Nathaniel Hillier, born in the Browntown neighbor- hood (where his father was before him), who lived in Jacksonville, keeping tavern, holding public offices, and dying some years ago aged about threescore and ten. He was twice married,-to Enphemia Rose, danghter of Timothy Rose, and to a danghter of Ja- cob Martin.

"Squire" Samuel Pitney was early on the Ten Eyck farm.

Egbert Wright was a blacksmith at Jacksonville early in this century, and died there somewhat less than fifty years ago. His son William was his suc- cessor, both in his house and his shop, living until a few years ago.

Lewis Josiah Buckalew emigrated to this country from Bokoloh, Hanover, and settled in what is now Madison, and Josiah Burlew, son of Lewis Josiah Burlew (for they then were known as Burlew), was in the Revolutionary war, and presented the army with a team of horses, which were killed at the battle of Morimouth. He returned home at the close of the war, married, and had two sons, Richard and George, both of whom married. Richard took the farm, and George went to New York City. Richard had two sons, Josiah by his first wife, and Martin Lewis by his second wife. George had one son, Richard, who was an importer of china in Pearl Street, New York. The Burlew farm contains one hundred and fifty-three acres, extending from the main road from Jackson- ville to South Amboy to Cheesquake Creek.

Mulford Martin, Jr., was also for many years a blacksmith at Jacksonville. Mulford Martin, Sr., was, however, the pioneer in the township of the name. He was early in life a resident of Piscataway, and subsequently lived for a time at South Amboy before locating in Madison.

Capt. William Clark, farmer and boatman, came to the head of navigation in this township at a com- paratively early date. His wife was a sister of ex- Sheriff Asher Bissett. His son Obadiah married a

daughter of Ephraim Rose, and was sheriff of Mid- dlesex County, 1860-63.

Benjamin R. Seaman, now abont seventy years with " the great majority," had for many years previous to his death resided on a farm near Jacksonville. He is remembered as a man of fine presence and courtly address.

David Provost, a farmer, lived near Seaman, and died about sixty years ago.

Rily Bennit was a boat-captain in the pioneer days of the carrying trade, living near the present resi- dence of John Wood.

Jonathan and Francis Bloodgood came early to Madison, and have descendants living there and in adjoining townships. They were boatmen and small land-owners, and have been dead many years.

Organization .- By an act of the General Assembly of New Jersey, approved March 2, 1869, the town- ship of Madison was erected from the township of South Amboy.

The inhabitants within the boundaries were consti- tuted "a body politic and corporate in law, to be known as the inhabitants of the township of Madison, in the county of Middlesex, and the act provided that the first town-meeting of the new township should be held at the inn of Robert L. Skillman, in the village of Jacksonville, on the second Sunday in March, 1869. The following is a list of the principal officers who have since served the township :

CHOSEN FREEHOLDERS.

-- Skinner, 1870-71.

Abraham Warne, 1874-76.

L. K. Hillier, 1870-72.

Joseph Driskel, 1876-77.

David H. Brown, 1872-73.

Ira Warne, 1877-79.

William R. Dill, 1873-75.

Courtney H. Warne, 1878-81.

TOWNSIIIP COMMITTEE.

Charles Browa, Sr., 1869-72, 1879- John Morril, 1876-77. 81.

Charles Brown, Jr., 1877-78.

H. H. Brown, 1869-75, 1879.

Daniel Borlew, 1877-78.

A. L. Warne, 1869-70.

Charles D. Brown, 1878-81.

George Dobson, 1869-70.

James P. Dohson, 1878.

Obedialı Clark, 1869-73.

Abrahamı Vreeland, 1879.

Courtney llillier, 1873-74.

Otto Ernest, 1880.

Courtney H. Warne, 1874-76.

Abraham Warne, 1881.

R. Brown, 1875-77.

COLLECTORS.

Abraham Warne, 1869. A. J. Rose, 1870. Hezekiah Warne, 1878-81.

Samuel Van Wickel, 1871-72.

TOWN CLERKS.

Martin L. Burlew, 1869-72. , Eghert Wright, 1873-81.

ASSESSORS.

Courtney H. Warne, 1869. Garrett Cottrell, 1873-74.

John Wood, Jr., 1870-72, 1875-81. i

COMMISSIONERS OF APPEAL.

Letson Chandler, 1869. James Cottrell, 1869. Courtney Hillier, 1869-72, 1876.

Charles H. Wordell, 1873-75. Charles Brown, Sr., 1874-75, 1877-

78. George W. Connor, 1874-76.

Henry Hawkins, 1870.

Hezekiah Warne, 1870.

John Burlew, 1876-81. John M. Lamberson, 1877-79.

Obedialı Clark, 1879-81.

George M. Henderson, 1880-81.

Cornelius Hulshart, 1871. T. W. Furman, 1871-73. Sylvester Hardy, 1872-73.

William Rose, 1873-77.

817

MADISON.

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

Wynant W. Lamberson, 1869, 1879. | George W. Packard, 1874. Timotliy Hancock, 1869. William Palmer, 1881.

Enoch R. Hardy, 1871, 1876.

OVERSEERS OF THE POOR.

Joseph Driskel, 1869, 1871-73, 1875. Charles Burlew, 1874.

George W. Ferrington, 1870, 1880- Cornelius Burlew, 1876-79.

81.

Villages and Hamlets .- JACKSONVILLE .- The only place in Madison which has the slightest claim to the name of village is Jacksonville, on the South Amboy and Mount Pleasant road, at the head of Cheesquake Creek, and lying mostly in the forks of two little brooks which run together and expand into that stream.

This place was early known as Cheesquake, and bore that name until rechristened Jacksonville, prob- . ably in honor of Gen. Andrew Jackson.1 Settlement begun there very early, and the place liad attained to its present proportions years ago under the influence of the carrying trade early established upon the Cheesquake, navigable to that point.

Several of the earlier residents there were men of means and enterprise. They purchased large tracts of land there and thereabout, and engaged exten- sively in the timber and wood trade. When this commerce was assured, they made and lost much money in speculating in lands.

Before the days of railroads the water traffic along South River and the Cheesquake was something im- mense, large quantities of produce and merchandise designed for shipment to New York being brought to the various landings from far inland by teams for transfer to vessels, and after the beginning of the reign of the "iron horse" there was for a time sharp competition between the railroaders and the boatmen for the transportation business. Ship-yards were com- mon tbronghout the whole section watered by the navigable portions of these streams and the Raritan, and timber suitable for ship-building was in good de- mand and brought a fair price. In the advantages afforded by this traffic Jacksonville participated to a considerable degree. The docks there were scenes of life and activity, and as at other places similarly con- ditioned, half of the population were watermen and their families.

The clay beds in the vicinity were early utilized for manufacturing purposes, and potteries were in op- eration at Jacksonville for many years.

To an inland port as to a seaport, public-honses have ever been found to be a necessity. Of these Jacksonville, considering its size and present preten- sions, has had its share.

The pioneer tavern was the old Cheesqnake hotel,

and the father of Gen. James Morgan was its pro- prietor. This hostelry was established about the mid- dle of the last century. It was early known as the Morgan Honse, and has had many keepers, finally coming into the possession of Robert S. Skillman, the present proprietor.

The Hillier Honse was erected some time prior to 1828, and presided over by Col. Nathaniel Hillier until his death, about 1860. Then the property passed to the possession of the colonel's son, who removed it from the old site and converted it into a dwelling.

The memory of the Lamberson tavern is recalled from time to time by the old men abont the village. It closed its doors forever as a public-honse half a century ago.

For many years, up to about 1850, Stephen Hall's old tavern was a favorite place of resort to the men of a former period.

The earliest merchant of Jacksonville of whom present residents have any knowledge was Stephen Hall, who had a grocery there as early as 1825.

For a number of years, dating from 1830, A. J. Disbrow (now sheriff), of Old Bridge, was a leading merchant and business man.

Courtney Hall was trading there as early as 1828 or 1830, and for some time later.

The present merchants are Martin C. Burlew and Stephen Hall.

The village now contains two stores, two black -. smith's shops, one public-house, a Baptist Church,2 a Methodist Church, a school-house, and about twenty dwellings. The two blacksmiths are A. O. Smith and Paul Yanson.

In 1840 a post-office was established at Jackson- ville, with Col. Nathaniel Hillier as postmaster ; but it was abolished a few years later.

BROWNTOWN is a neighborhood-for it can scarcely be denominated a hamlet-on the Mount Pleasant and Old Bridge turnpike. It received the appella- tion by which it is known from the early and long residence there of families of the name of Brown, and embraces the store of C. J. Eaton, the black- smith-shop of W. Palmer, a school-honse, and a few dwellings.

Statistics, Taxation, and Expenditures .- In 1880 the total valne of real estate in Madison was $320,075. The personal property was assessed at 880,000. The total taxable valnation was $350,000. There were 314 voters. The school-tax amounted to $551; the county tax to $1687. The population was 1662.

The following is an exhibit of the sums raised in the township each year since its organization for the uses specified :

) By some it is said the place was named in honor of Sheriff Andrew Jackson Disbrow, but he lay's no claim to having been thus distin- guished.

2 On the ground now occupied by the Baptist Church there was a log cabin, used by the Primitive or Old-School Baptists, before the erection of the first church. The present house of worship was built and dedi . | cated in 1832.

818

HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

Year.

For Poor. For Roads.

For Ways and Means.

1869

$500

$600

$500

1870.

1000

600

300

1871

800

600)

300

1872

800

600

300

1873.

900

800

300

1874

1000

800

300

1875.

1000

800

300

1876.

1000

800

300

1877

1000

800

300

1878

1000

800

300

1879

800

400

1880

700

800

500

1881

700

000

500

Schools .- The earliest schools within the present borders of Madison were kept at Jacksonville and Browntown. The date when the first school. was opened cannot be ascertained. The first school- houses were very primitive affairs, and were built by subscription.

The teachers were of the old-fashioned migratory sort for the most part, and their names are gone from the memory of any one now living in the township. These schools were supported, when they were kept open, by the payment of tuition fees by the parents of the pupils directly to the teachers.

Under the public school system the township was divided into districts of convenient dimensions, and as the population increased and new portions were occupied, their number and boundaries underwent successive changes.

In 1881 the school districts of this township were seven iu number, designated as Nos. 65 to 71, inclu- sive, of the school districts of Middlesex County, and known locally as "Jacksonville" District, No. 65; " Morristown" District, No. 66; " Old Bridge" Dis- trict, No. 67 ; " Browntown" District, No. 68; " Cedar Grove" District, No. 69; " Millbridge" District, No. 70 ; and " Hillsborough" District, No. 71.

In 1880 there were 484 children of the school age in Madison, 83 of whom resided in District No. 65, 73 in No. 66, 86 in No. 67, 55 in No. 68, 69 in No. 69, 50 in No. 70, and 65 in No. 71.

It was estimated that 12 children attended private schools, and that there were 105 who did not avail themselves of the educational advantages offered.

There were 3 male and 4 female teachers employed, the former at an average monthly salary of $32, the latter at an average monthly salary of $35. The schools were kept open an average of nine months during the year.

The total valuation of school property was $6050, buried there from 1798 to 1825 :

divided as follows among the several districts : Dis- tricts Nos. 65 and 67, $1200 each ; Districts Nos. 66 and 71, $400 each; District No. 68, $2000 ; District No. 69, $350; and District No. 70,$500.

The amount of apportionment to each district trom the State appropriation was $349.62 to District No. 65, and $300 each to Districts Nos. 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, and 71. The total amount of district tax ordered to be raised in District No. 65 was $150. The total amount received from all sources for public school purposes in the several districts was $2299.62.

District No. 69 has the nucleus of a library fund.

The Methodist Episcopal Church .- There are no records in existence that the more active members of this church know of that will throw any light on the early history of this body. Old members say that it was organized at an early date, within the limits of the township of South Amboy, which at that time embraced Madison.

After the organization of the society the congrega- tion met in the old Baptist Church at Jacksonville until they could erect a house of worship, which now stands about in the centre of the village, and is of the old-fashioned order of architecture.

The church was built by subscription, and is valued at $800. The parsonage, with a small body of land, cost $1000.

For a number of years this church has been without a pastor, but the pulpit is now supplied by Rev. Sam- ue! Crissburn, a local preacher.

Burial-Places .- There are only two regular burial- places in this township, and these have been in use for many years. They are located in the church- yards of the Baptist and Methodist Churches at Jack- sonville.

The older of the two is the Baptist burying-ground, and in it are buried members of pioneer families about the Cheesquake and its head-waters. The bones of others who came into the township at a period little, if any, later lie in the Methodist graveyard.

In both burial-places are graves unmarked by monu- ment or headstone, and inscriptions which were placed over some have become so illegible by long exposure to wind and storm as to be totally undecipherable. In the Baptist churchyard is a low headstone, of com- mon brown field-stone, which challenges attention and arouses conjecture in the mind of the beholder as to when and to whose memory it was set up. On it are rudely chiselled in one line the letters R, E, n, R (re- versed), and a hieroglyphic composed of a curved line and two sides of a triangle, joined in such a manner as to suggest a thought of the figure 6. Underneath this line and parallel with it are the letters D (re- versed) and A. Two other stones of similar appear- ance in the yard bear the legends "R. O." and " D. O. S. C." respectively.1

On headstones in the Baptist burying-ground are the following names and dates of the death of persons

" Martha, daughter of Seth and Martha Ellison, and wife of Obediah Burlew, born November 23rd, 1729, died May 9th, 1798."

" Obadialı, son of Peter Burlew, October 9th, 1802."

" Eleanor, daughter of Samuel and Catharine Burlew, 1814, aged 37." "T. Rose, August 2d, 1820."

" Abigail, daughter of Obediah and Elizabeth Burlew, May 20th, 1822." "Susann, wife of Richard Burlew, April 2nd, 1825."

The following names, dates, inscriptions, and epi- taphs are to be seen in the Methodist churchyard :

1 Inquiry failed to elicit any information concerning these inscrip- · tions.

819

MADISON.

" Mellenney, wife of Joshua Warne, May 10th, 1892, aged 58." " Sucred to the memory of Thomas Clark,

who departed this life July 30th, 1805, aged 68 years, 25 days. My flesh shell rest in hope."

" Mary, wife of William Warne, June 14th, 1809, aged 34."

" William, 800 of David and Hannah Hall, Juve 20th, 1811."

" In Memory of William Warn,

Who departed this life March 20th, 1812, aged 43 years. Come listen all to my call, Which 1 do make to-day ; For you must die as well as 1, And pass from thence away."

"Joshua Warne, February 10th, 1814, aged 73 years, 1 month, and 28 days."

"John R., eon of Stephen and Sarah Hall, April 19th, 1819." "Sacred to the memory of Elizabeth Herbert,

Who departed this life February 2nd, 1822, aged 85. Beneath thie stone a body lies, No more to mourn, but yet to rise, And still to roam amongst the skies, Where God is known that never dies."

" Nancy, wife of Francie Bloodgood, June, 13, 1828."

." In memory of Noah Furman, who departed thie life in 1832.1

It was in the year of thirty-two, Which mouruful date will show, A husband dear and kind to me Died with that dreadful cholera."

During the past few years some families in Madi- sou have buried their dead at Old Bridge and Spotts- wood.

Industrial Pursuits .- The wood and timber trade, elsewhere referred to, was early and long a prominent industry in Madison, and the carrying business from Jacksonville and another old landing on South River, opposite Old Bridge, afforded profitable employment to many, and was a source of considerable pecuniary gain to a few enterprising citizens.

THE CLAY INTERESTS .- The Amboy clay mines of Otto Ernst are in this township, near the head of Cheesquake Creek. The stoneware clay on this prop- erty was opened at first by digging and sinking pits in the upland, where it sloped to the tide meadows south of Mr. Ernst's residence, and sontheast of the mines since worked. Several years later the then proprietors began mining on a small scale, sinking shafts and removing the clay by short horizontal drifts in the clay bed. In 1868, Mr. Ernst came into possession of the property, and continued this system of mining on a more extensive scale. New shafts were put down, west and northwest of the old bank and old shafts, and nearer the centre of the small valley in which all the clay workings in the vicinity are located. Three of them, put down in 1868, 1872, and 1876, re- spectively, are in line east and west, and their vertical sections are as follows :

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History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 197

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