History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 45

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 45
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 45

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).

" Ila has taken with him a grey Homespun Drugget Cont trim'd with Black, a whita linnen Veat trim'd with black, and a homeapun Kearsay Veat, a Pair of Laather Breeches, with red Puffs and Shoes and Stock- ings." 2

"Mr. Benjamin Price, Attorney at Law in New York," has for sale a house and lot in New Brunswick. Mr. Price was a grandson of one of the Associates and bore his name.3

The public are informed that

"thera ia good Entertainment for Men and Horsea to ba Lat at all Timea by William Donaldson at the Rose and Crown in Elizabeth Town, New Jersey."4

" The House, Stable and Garden of Benjamin Hill in Elizabeth-Town in New Jersey, is tu ba Let from year to yaar, or for a term of years. It is a very convenient place for a Trades-man or a Shop-keeper." 5

" At the Sign of the Ship in Elizabeth-Towo livea Benjamin Hill, who keeps Horses to Let, and where all Travellers and others may be accon- modated with good Entertainment for Man and Ilorsa at all Times in tha White House which Mr. Schuyler bought of Mr. Townley." 6

This was the house built by Governor Carteret shortly before his death, of which Col. Townley be- came possessed by marrying the Governor's widow.

"On Wednesday the 23 of April next at tha Paper Mill in Elizabeth- Town, there will be Sold at Public Vendna to the highest Bidder, all sorts of Household Goods, Cattle, Horsas, Hogs, Cart, Plowa, Harrows, with Iron Teeth, and other Utensils: The Plantation adjoyoing to tha aaid Mill will also be sold, which contains about Ninety Acrea, &c."7

It was at this mill that the paper was made on which the Gazette was printed. It is not known by whom the mill was built, but in 1728 it was purchased by William Bradford, of New York, who in 1730-31 was a resident of the town. His son Andrew was at the same period printing the American Weekly Mercury. The father and son had quite a monopoly of govern- ment printing, and needed a mill independent of the foreign manufacturers. This was the first paper-mill in New Jersey.8

" To be Sold at Publick Vendua, on Tueaday tha 26th of August instant, at Elizabeth-Town in New Jersey, a Grist Mill and fulling Mill, also a Lot of Ground, adjoyning to the Dwelling Housa of Edward Thomas, in tha said Town, very conveniaut for a dwelling house and Garden, and Dear tha said Mill, as alao sundry llonsehold Good. All which were lately

1 N. Y. Gazette, June I, 1789. 2 Ib., May 8, 1732.

3 Ib., July 20, 1730. 4 Ih., Oct. 16, 1732.

6 Ib., March 25, 1734.

" Ib., April 7, 1735.

6 Ib., March 31, 1735.

8 Historical Magazina, i. S6, 123; iii. 173; vii. 210.

To Jonathan Hampton, survayor,' 66

2 2

£17 9 10

181

BOROUGH OF ELIZABETH.

belonging to Wm Williamson Iate of said Towo, deceased, and power of Selling the same given by his last Will to Margaret Williamson his Wid- dow Now liviog at Elizabeth Towo aforesaid,"1

This was the old mill that was still standing until within a few years at the stone bridge in Broad Street, originally constructed by the pioneer John Ogden, the last vestiges of which have now disappeared be- fore the march of modern improvement.

" In the Month of December last an Apprentice Lad named Abraham Hendricks ran away from his Master John Ross of Elizabeth Town New- Jersey ; said Lad is about Years of Age, was of small Stature, had a brown great Coat and a Linsey Wosley under a Beaver Hat hulf worn having light colured hair and took a set of Shormakers Tools along with him, being a Shoemaker by Trade." (A reward of 30s. and charges of- fered.)

Mr. Ross was named in the borough charter one of the aldermen of the corporation, and became, in 1748, mayor of the borough. Hendricks was probably the brother of Isaac, and the son of John Hendricks, who came here as early as May, 1721, from Piscataway, where Daniel and Jabez Hendricks, brothers, and Leonard Hendricks were numbered among the orig- inal settlers. Abraham returned, and his name is found among a large number of citizens attached to a memorial forwarded in 1743 to the king, George II.

We have an account also that two boys, the sons of Matthias Hatfield, of Elizabeth Town, in New Jersey, being in the woods hunted a rabbit into a hollow tree, and in order to get it cut down the tree, which fell upon the younger brother and killed him dead on the spot.

Mr. Hatfield was one of the magistrates of the town, became sheriff and alderman, and by his daughter Plebe, wife of Robert Ogden, Esq., was the grand- father of Gen. Matthias and Governor Aaron Ogden, and an ancestor of Governor Daniel Haines.

Improvement of Streets .- But little attention was given to the improvement of the streets till about 1810. Overseers of highways had been appointed by the town from a very early day, roads had been laid out, bridges built, and roadways kept in a pass- able condition. But in the town plot no statute regu- lations had been made for footpaths, sidewalks, and similar conveniences. A committee was at length ap- pointed, April 24, 1810, to report an ordinance for the appointment of a street commissioner, and to regulate the laying out, paving, graveling, and keeping in re- pair sidewalks or footways in the principal streets of Elizabeth Town, and to prevent obstructions in the same. This was probably the first ordinance passed either for the purpose of improving the streets or con- structing sidewalks, and it is safe to presume that the corporation authorities had the same difficulties to contend with in its practical operations as have been encountered by those of more modern times.

Ferries and Steamboats .- From the founding of the town intercourse by water with the city of New York had been kept up with considerable regularity,

mostly from the point at the mouth of the creek. Dankers and Sluyter found there in 1679 a tavern or ferry-house, kept by a French papist. This must have been one of the men from the Isle of Jersey brought over by Governor Carteret. Frequent reference is made in various documents to this ancient ferry. Several of the planters and of their descendants had also boats running from various landings on the Sound and the creek to Staten Island and New York. Constant intercourse was thus maintained with the great emporium of trade until and after the Revolu- tionary war.

The boats employed in this traffic were propelled, as a matter of course, by sails and oars. The barge, the yawl, the scow, the skiff, the yacht, the sloop, the schooner, the pettiauger (petiagua) were all em- ployed. After the Revolution, in 1790, the ferry came into possession of Edward Thomas, and was known by the name of Thomas' Ferry.

Casualties were not of infrequent occurrence. One of the East Town ferry-boats upset near Bergen Point on Saturday, Nov. 10, 1798, and Benjamin Bonnell. James Carter and wife, of Chatham ; David P. Tuttle, of Morris County; the wife of Daniel Moore, of Rahway ; the wife of Ezekiel Smith, of Scotch Plains ; Mrs. Abigail Maxwell and child, of New York; and Mr. Hedges, of Turkey, were drowned.2

In August, 1807, Livingston and Fulton succeeded in their experiment of steam navigation, and the " Clermont" became a regular packet between New York and Albany, her name being changed when enlarged the next year to the "North River." An exclusive right to navigate the waters of New York by steam had been obtained by Chancellor Living- ston and Robert Fulton, by act of the New York Legislature, Appendix 5, 1803, and extended, Appen- dix 11, 1808. · The right to run a steam packet from New York to New Brunswick, N. J., was in 1808 conveyed to John R. and Robert J. Livingston, who thereupon built the steamer " Raritan," one hundred and thirty by twenty feet, and put her on the route.

The ferry at the Old Point had some years before passed into the hands of Col. Aaron Ogden. The owners of the " Raritan" agreed with Col. Ogden for the privilege of receiving and landing passen- gers at Elizabethtown Point, to give him for every passenger what he would have received as profit in his own boats. The "Raritan" thus became the first boat that connected Elizabethtown with New York by steanı.

Not content, however, with this arrangement, Col. Ogden early in 1811 contracted with Cornelius Jero- laman, of North Belleville, N. J., to construct a vessel of fourteen feet beam and seventy-five feet keel, and with Daniel Dod, of Mendham (who in consequence removed to this town), to furnish the boat with a

1 N. Y Gazette, Ang. 25, 1735.

2 N. J. Journal, No. 787.

182

HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

steam-engine of twelve horse-power. This boat was called the " Sea-Horse." Before, however, it was completed (April 9, 181I) an act had been passed by the New York Legislature by which it was put in the power of the Livingstons to seize any steamboat that should be found infringing on their monopoly. An act had also been passed by the Legislature of New Jersey for the protection of steamboats owned and navigated by citizens of the State. For the more effectual enforcement of this act, and to counteract the New York law of 1811, another act was passed by the Legislature of New Jersey, Feb. 12, 1813.

Ogden had designed running his boat to New York, where he had obtained the lease of a wharf, where his sailing-boats were moored. In order, however, to avoid the seizure of his steamboat he determined to run her to Jersey City. It was publicly announced May 18, 1813, that " An elegant STEAM BOAT has also been provided to run between Elizabeth Town Point and Paulus Hook. Fare 4s. At 9 A.M. and 2 P.M. from the Point, and at 11.30 A.M. and 4.30 P.M. from Paulus Hook." The fare was reduced June 22d to 38. 6d. The boat was taken off November 23d and laid up for winter. The next summer, June 21, 1814, it was announced that "The steamboat 'Sea-Horse' will run to Jersey City, and meet at Bedloe's Island the steamboat 'Substitution.'" In the mean time the Legislature of New Jersey had granted, by an act passed Nov. 3, 1813, to " Aaron Ogden and Daniel Dod, and the survivors and their assigns, an exclu- sive right to navigate steamboats in the waters of this State."

The Old Point Ferry property was now owned con- jointly by Ogden and Thomas Gibbons. The latter was a wealthy planter of Savannah, Ga., who had a handsome country-seat in town on the Philadelphia turnpike road. Here he spent his summers and au- tumns. Ogden had leased of Gibbons his interest in the Point property for a term of years, which had nearly expired. Gibbons refused to renew the lease, but proposed to run the ferry in partnership. They differed about the terms. Gibbons determined to start an opposition line. He fitted up another land-

ing at the mouth of the creek, procured the steamers "Stowdinger" and " Bellona," and established a new ferry. Of the latter boat the well-known millionaire, Cornelius Vanderbilt, was captain, and it is thought that this was the beginning of his great fortune.

Governor Ogden thereupon (May 5, 1815) pur- chased of the Livingstons for a period of ten years the exclusive right of steam navigation between the Point and New York, aud so became himself a mon- opolist. The "Sea-Horse" was announced April 3, 1815, to run directly to New York. Governor Og- den, who in March, 1817, had put the new steamer " Atlanta" on the route, obtained from the Chancellor of New York au injunction against Gibbons. A mo- tion to dissolve the injunction was denied. An appeal was taken to the Court of Errors, but was not sus- tained. Gibbons then carried the case to the Su- preme Court of the United States, when, at the February term of 1824, the acts of the New York Legislature granting a monopoly of steam navigation in the waters of the said State were declared to be repugnant to the Constitution of the United States, and therefore null and void. The injunction was dissolved, and steam navigation opened to the com- petition of all the world, an event of untold and in- calculable importance to the commerce and prosperity of the United States. The town whose rival citizens were thus bringing to a final issue a question of such momentous consequence was greatly interested in the contest, siding with the one or the other as interest or conviction determined, and thus forming themselves into opposing parties throughout the contest.

The Livingstons, thus excluded from the waters of Daniel Dod, the partner of Governor Ogden, after his removal to this town became celebrated for the manufacture of machinery, especially for steam- ers. He furnished engines for boats at Kingston, Can., Sackett's Harbor, N. Y., Philadelphia, Norfolk, Va., Mobile, and New Orleans; also for the "Sa- vannah," the first steamer that crossed the ocean to | England. " He was, moreover, a sort of universal genius, was a profound and accurate theologian, wrote poetry, and could scarcely turn his hand to anything in which he was not quickly at home." Governor Ogden failed, involving him and others in the finan- ciał ruin, and compelling Mr. Dod's removal to New York in 1820. He was killed by the bursting of the New Jersey, and in danger of losing the " Raritan." which had cost them twenty-six thousand dollars, presented a memorial and petition to the Legislature of New Jersey, October, 1814, giving their represen- tation of the case, and asking to be heard by counsel. Ogden and Dod presented a counter memorial, also asking to be heard. Leave was accordingly granted, and the exclusive attention of the Legislature was given to the case, Jan. 24-29, 1815. Thomas Addis Emmett appeared as counsel for the Livingstons; Ogden appeared in his own behalf, assisted by Mr. Hopkinson, of Philadelphia, and Samuel L. South- ard, of New Jersey. In consequence the act granting to Ogden and Dod a monopoly of steam navigation : boiler of the "Patent," on the East River, N. Y., in New Jersey was repealed.

May 9, 1823. His son, the Rev. Albert Baldwin Dod, D.D., was Professor of Mathematics in the College of New Jersey.1

Court-House of the Borough .- The first court- house of the borough of Elizabeth was burned by the British, together with the Presbyterian Church edifice, in 1780. The next court-house was erected in 1797, and had been occupied only about eleven years when it was reduced to ashes, April 2, 1808, and a poor

1 N. J. Hist. Soc. Proc., ix. 134. Genealogy of the Dod Family. Sprague's Annals, iv. 737.

183

BOROUGH OF ELIZABETH.

lunatic, Andrew Ross, perished in the flames. Moses Austin, high constable of the town, had been the oc- cupant and keeper of the house for many years. Measures were immediately taken by the corporation for its reconstruction. Aldermen Thaddeus Mills and Richardson Gray, with the recorder, Andrew Wilson, were appointed a building committee, and means taken to obtain the needed funds. A year passed and the work was not done. Capt. William Dayton was substituted on the committee for Mr. Wilson. It was not until the winter of 1810-11 that the building was in a condition to be occupied. This building continued to be used for the town courts until after the formation of the county of Union in 1857, when it was enlarged and reconstructed into the present commodious county court-house.

GOVERNOR JONATHAN BELCHER resided in the borough of Elizabeth from November, 1751, until his death, Aug. 31, 1757. He had previously, from the , have been sent, for he writes again in a few days, “I time of his appointment as Governor of New Jersey, resided in Burlington, where the Legislature also con- vened. Finding the air of that place did not agree with him, he removed to Elizabeth Town, where his official business and correspondence were carried on ever after.

Governor Belcher was the son of Andrew Belcher, a Boston merchant of great wealth, and was born at Cambridge, Mass., Jan. 8, 1682. He graduated at Harvard College in 1699. He was Governor of Mas- sachusetts and New Hampshire from 1730 to 1741, having twice previously visited England, where he was "held in great respect by the best society." He went abroad again in 1744, and returned with a com- mission as Governor of New Jersey, arriving in New York Aug. 8, 1747. He entered upon the duties of his office at Burlington on the 20th of August, where he resided, first with Richard Smith, the Quaker, and then in his own house, continuing to remain there till 1751.

He was induced to remove to Elizabeth Town on account of the better air of the latter place, though probably society had a good deal to do with the change. The meetings there and the religious and moral status of the people were a subject of complaint. The Sabbath was not strictly observed. He went to Quaker Meeting and to the Episcopal Church, and yet he was not happy. He frequently drove his coach and four twenty miles to Philadelphia to attend at the church and visit with his old friend, Rev. Gilbert Tennent, whom he had known, and who was now pastor of a Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. Whether he got tired of this, or came to the conclu- sion that he was as great a Sabbath-breaker as some others of whom he complained, is not certain. But he left Burlington, probably concluding that the New England society of Elizabeth Town and the church of his choice there were to be preferred to the alter- native of hearing Quakers or Episcopalians, or of driving twenty miles to meeting on Sunday. That

Belcher and his associates were regarded by some of the unsympathizing citizens as highly Puritanic ap- pears from a curious letter written by Jonathan Hamp- ton, of Elizabeth Town, to James Alexander at New York, dated Aug. 28, 1751 :

" Our Prime Minister has sent two boats to Burlington for Goveroor Belcher's Goods-when he comes we expect everything will be Done in our favor, but I pray the Lord may send his llabeus Corpus, and dis- charge our Borough of such a heavy Load of IIooor (as our People call it) to have & Numerous Train of Bostonians whining, Praying and Cantiog continually about our Streets ; from such Evils (Deliver us).

" I hope I shall not be carried by Sheriff Hetfield before Governor Belcher for not answering, etc."

The "Prime Minister" referred to was Samuel Woodruff, mayor of the borough. Mr. Woodruff had sent Sheriff' Hatfield to Burlington to bring the Governor's goods. On the 10th of September the Governor writes that he " wants a sloop of thirty or forty tons to complete the matter." It appears to am engaged in putting my clothing and furniture on board of three small sloops to take them round to Elizabethtown." On the 19th he writes Mr. Wood- ruff that "the man with the coach and the cows and the three sloops, with what they had on board," were to leave that day. One of these sloops carried the smallpox to Elizabeth Town, and the Governor writes in October expressing his regrets and hoping that it inay not spread. In one of these letters we learn that Governor Belcher would be seventy years old on the 8th of January following. He was a lover of wine, and on the 30th of May he asks Mr. Woodruff, who has a vessel going to Madeira, to " import for his use three pipes of the best Maderia wine, and a quarter cask of Malmsey." 1

It is said of Governor Belcher that while Governor of Massachusetts and New Hampshire "his style of living was elegant and splendid," and that he was " distinguished for his hospitality." His prodigality of living had reduced him to comparative penury, so that here he had not the means of supporting such profuseness, and he was also quite infirm, having been attacked with paralysis in September, 1750, from the effects of which he never recovered. Pre- vious to this, it is said, he possessed uncommon gracefulness of person. President Edwards writes in his journal September, 1752,-

" I had considerable opportunity to converse with Governour Belcher; and was several times at his house at Elizabethtown. He labours under many of the infirmities of age, but savours much of a spirit of religion, and seems very desirous of doing all the good he can while he lives." "

Dr. Hatfield says,-

" From his first coming into the province he proved himself the stanch friend of education and religion. To the infant College of New Jersey be not only gava a new charter with enlarged privileges, but used the whole weight of his personal and official influence in behalf of its endowment and permanent establishment. After his removal to this town, at the request ' of a great number of' the members of the First Presbyterian congregation, a charter of incorporation was granted them

1 Anal. Index, pp. 277-9, 281.

" Edwards' Works. i. 510.

184

HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

by the Governor, Aug. 22, 1753, sppointing Stephen Crane, Cornelius Hatfield, Jonathan Dayton, Isaac Woodruff, Matthias Baldwin,1 Moses Ogden, and Benjamin Winsne the first trustees of the congregation, with power 'to erect and repair Public Buildings for the Worship of God and the Use of the Ministry, and School-Houses & Alms Houses, & Suit- ably to Support the Ministry & the Poor of their Church : and to do & perform other Acts of Piety & Charity,' a hoon which was so long and persistently denied by the royal Governors to the First Presbyterian congregation of the City of New York.2

" Through the favor of Governor Belcher also, on application of ' divers of the Inhabitants and Freemen' of the borough and town, an act was passed, June 21, 1754, by the General Assembly at Perth Amboy, 'to enable the Mayor, Recorder, Aldermen, and Common Councilmeu of the free Borough and Town of Elizabeth to build a Poorhouse, Workhouse. and House of Correction within the said Borough ; and to make Rules, Orders, and Ordinancee for the governing of the same; and to repair the Gaols of the snid Borough; . . . to the Intent the Poor of the ssid Borough may be better employed and maintained; poor Children educated and brought up in an honest and industrions Way ; as also for setting to work and punishing all Vagrants, Vagabonds, Pilferers, and all idle and disorderly Persons, Servants, aud Slaves within the said Borough ; ... for the Encouragement of Honesty and Industry, and suppressing of Vice and Immorality, and better Government of said Borough.'3

" During the excitement and alarm consequent on Braddock'e defeat, July 9, 1755. and the consternation created by the Indian outrages on the western horders of New Jersey, Governor Belcher did all in bis power to rouse the province in defense of their habitations. The Nine- teenth General Assembly, on account of its growing infirmities, held their second session, Feb. 24, 1755, and their six subsequent sessious, during the next two years, in this town, giving the town peculiar promi- nence at the time in provincial affairs. The principal legislation of the period had respect to the arming of the militia, and making provision for their support while in active duty against the French and the savage tribes of the interior. Of the armed force sent out of the province on this service a full proportion went forth from this town.+

" A letter from this town, July 28, 1756, gives the following informa- tion :

" 'This Day was published here, by Order of his Excellency the Gov- ernor, His Majesty's Declaration of War against the French King; at which was present his Excellency the Governor, attended by the Mayor and Corporation of this Borough, together with five Companies of Foot, and two Troops of Horse, who on the Occasion fired three handsome Vollies.'5

"Governor Belcher did not long survive these agitations. He departed this life at his home in this town on Wednesday, Aug. 31, 1757, in the seventy-sixth year of his age. As Mr. Kettletas, the youthful minister of the congregation, had not yet heen ordained, and doubtless felt incom- petent for the service, President Burr was called upon to preach the Gov- ernor's funeral sermon. A vast congregation assembled in the Presby- terian Church on Lord's Day, September 4th, when Mr. Burr (just twenty days before his own decease) preached from Daniel xii. 13."

Governor Belcher had been twice married : first to Mary, daughter of Lieutenant-Governor William Par- tridge, of New Hampshire, Jan. 4, 1706; she died prior to his visit to England in 1744, and while there he

1 Mr. Baldwin was the son of Jonathan, and the grandson of Jolin Baldwin, of Newark. His father died when he was but even yeare of age. He was born in 1719, married Mary, a daughter of Alderman Johu Ross, of this town, and thus became a resident here. His only sister, Joanna, married Isaac Nuttman, who also removed to this town, where he died, November, 1749, leaving three children, John, Phebe, and Sarah. Ilis wife survived him. He died July 1, 1759, leaving his wife and sev- eral children. The late Matthias W. Baldwin, of Philadelphia, so memor- able both for his wealth and munificence, was his grandson. The stone that marks the resting-place of his remains is inscribed with the fol- lowing epitaph : " He was a good Neighbor ; | a generous Friend ; | an earnest promoter of the | PUBLIC GOOD; | A Kind Father, & tender Ilushand. | In short he was | A CHRISTIAN. | PASSENGER | Imitate him, & be for ever | HAPPY. |

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 45

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