History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 59

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 59
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 59

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).

In the year 1849 a substantial brick school-house, two stories high, was erected alongside St. Mary's Church. In the year 1858 collections were com- menced for the enlargement and remodeling of the church and the erection of a pastoral residence in the rear, fronting on Race Street. The spring of 1862 found the work completed, and now a beautiful brick edifice, one hundred and thirty-three feet long by sixty-six feet wide, and a spacious pastoral resi- dence evince the zeal and charity of the congregation. In the meanwhile the church was built at Elizabeth- port. The value of St. Mary's Church, thirty-five thousand dollars ; sittings, seven hundred ; communi-

The first pastor was Father Isaac P. Howell, 1844- 66; Father Kane, 1866-72; Father Thebaud, 1872-82. Assistant priest, Father Tallon.

ST. MARY'S PAROCHIAL SCHOOL. connected with this church, was founded by Rev. Isaac P. Howell, the first pastor. The building is of brick, three stories in height, and was erected in 1861. In 1868 a new front was added to it. The school is supported entirely by the parish, and receives no aid from State or city. There are six class-rooms and six teachers, the higher branches being taught by Mr. Thomas F. Coleman and the others by the Sisters. The number of scholars enrolled is three hundred and fifty, with an average attendance of three hundred.

The parish numbers about two thousand persons. The pastors have been, first, Rev. Isaac P. Howell, who died in 1865; then Rev. Michael Kane, who re- linquished his charge early in 1872; and lastly the present pastor, Rev. Leo Thebaud, who entered upon the duties of the pastorate in the autumn of 1872.

ST. MICHAEL'S CHURCH .- Services preparatory to the gathering of the congregation of St. Michael's were first held in 1855 by the Rev. Father Balleis, O.S.B., of the city of New York. He continued his ministrations for a time, and was succeeded by several other missionary priests from the same city until 1858, when the Rev. Father Wirzfeld was appointed pastor. Two other zealous and laborious pastors have since had charge of the parish, viz. : the Rev. Henry Lemke, from 1860 to 1870, and since the latter date the present pastor, the Rev. Albert von Schilgen.

The congregation first worshiped in a rented roem on Elizabeth Avenue, and afterwards built a frame church on Smith Street. The building is now used

239

THE CITY OF ELIZABETH.

for the parochial school, and in connection therewith has been erected a house for the Sisters of Christian Charity, who are employed as teachers. While on the subject of the school we may add that these Sisters are fonr in number, three having charge of the day school and one of the industrial school of the parish. They are from the mother school at Wilkes- barre, Pa. The number of pupils in the school is one hundred and ninety-seven.

The present St. Michael's Church is an elegant brick edifice on the corner of East Jersey and Smith Streets, erected at a cost, exclusive of the church and parsonage lots, of thirty thousand dollars; that is, the church has cost that sum already, thongh the prin- cipal tower is not erected. The foundation is just being laid for the parsonage adjoining the church.

There are connected with the congregation one hundred and twenty families, while two hundred and thirty-three children receive instruction in the Sun- day-school.

ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH .- The corner-stone of this church was laid Sept. 26, 1858, by the Rev. Father M. A. M. Wirzfeld, who also officiated at St. Michael's. The parochial school was established in 1860, at which time the school-house, still occupied, was erected. The new building of St. Patrick's Parochial School was erected in 1880, and will probably be occupied some time during the year 1882. The cost, when completed, will be about fifty thousand dollars. It is the finest brick structure in this part of the city, and occupies a site adjoining the church and the parochial residence. The school contains about nine hundred pupils, taught by nine Sisters of Char- ity and one male teacher, who has charge of the higlı- est boys' class.

Nearly one thousand families are connected with the parish, and its varied cares and duties render the life of the pastor by no means an easy one. While attending to the daily wants of his numerous flock, visiting the sick, burying the dead, and administer- ing the stated and special services of his church, he is also extensively engaged in building, and has charge of a large cemetery belonging to the parish (Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery), situated about three miles north of the city, in which interments began to be made in 1871. The following have been pastors of the church : Rev. M. A. M. Wirzfeld, Rev. Patrick Hennessy, Rev. Patrick Cody, and the present pastor, Rev. Martin Gessner.

ST. JOSEPH'S ACADEMY, with an academic and in- dustrial school, on the corner of First Street and Mag- nolia Avenne, is also connected with St. Patrick's, and is under eight teachers of the Sisters of St. Dom- inick.

ST. HENRY'S CHURCH .- This parish became a sep- arate charge from St. Michael's, under the ministry of the Rev. Henry Lemke, about 1869. It was in- corporated April 18, 1871, the trustees being John Gilmary Shea and Edward Ives. The parish is con-

posed of about two hundred families and a parochial school of one hundred and eighty-eight scholars. The school was established by Rev. Father Lemke in 1869, and was at first held in the Convent of St. Walburga adjoining, hut in 1872 the present build- ing was erected. It is two stories with French roof, the lower floor being used as St. Henry's Chapel. The upper floor consists of four class-rooms, over which are four Sisters from the convent. The con- vent belongs to the Sisters of St. Bernard, of whom there are eighteen, having a mission at Carlstadt, N. J., and at Easton, Pa. St. Walburga's Select School is taught by two Sisters at the convent, and numbers twenty-four scholars.

Since Father Lemke two pastors have been in charge of the parish, viz .: Rev. Father Athanasius, and since November, 1880, Rev. Father Augustine Wirth. The latter is quite a voluminons writer, having a series of several volumes now in progress.

First Congregational Church .- This church was built in 1866. The Rev. Mr. Wolcott was the first pastor, and during the building held services in a hall. The building is a Gothic frame, costing about fifteen thousand dollars, situated on First Street. Membership, one hundred ; accommodation, five hun- dred. The next pastor, Rev. S. Rossitars, came in 1871, and remained four years. The present pastor, Rev. Thomas Heywood, came in 1876.

Siloam Presbyterian Church. - This colored church was organized in the year 1867, and supplied by a number of pastors who remained for a short time. Much of their help financially has come from the other churches, and their building erected a few years ago with accommodations of abont three hundred and membership of seventy. The present pastor Rev. William Carr, 1080 Elizabeth Avenue.

German Presbyterian Church, situated on First Avenue and near the Central Railroad line or track. They built a Gothic frame church in 1879, costing abont seven thousand dollars, with accommodations of about four hundred and fifty and membership of forty-seven. Their pastor, Rev. Otto Rudolph, whose labors among them is the means of drawing good congregations.

German Evangelical Lutheran Church .- The first services of this church were held by a minister from Switzerland, Rev. William Ferdinand Wirz, in 1856. Some question arose as to his being a Lu- theran clergyman, but he was chosen as pastor of the congregation. Services were held in the upper part of a private building on the corner of Division and High Streets. In 1857 ground was purchased for a church ; it was built in the latter part of 1878, and dedicated in the spring of 1879. Since the first min- ister the following have officiated as pastors : Rev. William Meynicke, Rev. G. Mantz, Rev. Christian Reichenbecher, Rev. Frederick Stuecklin. The latter has been pastor since 1867.

Abont one hundred and sixty families are connected

240

HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

with the parish ; communicants, four hundred and fifty ; Sunday-school scholars, three hundred and forty. The parish supports a day school with an av- erage attendance of seventy, in which German and ! English are taught.

German Moravian Church of Elizabeth .- This church was organized by Rev. Christian Neu in 1867, and for about two years worshiped in the mission chapel corner of Smith and Martin Streets, near the cross-roads. The corner-stone of their church edifice on Seventh Street was laid May 17, 1869, and the structure was completed that year at a cost of thirteen hundred dollars. It is a wooden building, capable of seating two hundred and fifty persons. The pres- ent membership is two hundred and fifty; Sunday- school, one hundred and forty-five.

Rev. Mr. Neu was succeeded by Rev. Charles Na- gle as pastor, who remained a little over three years. The present pastor, Rev. John Praeger, was settled over the church in August, 1876. He is a native of Würtemberg, Germany, and preaches in the German language.

Missions .- Besides the above churches, there are in the city the following missions :

ST. JOHN'S MISSION, No. 1 .- Superintendent, J. A. Dix.

ST. JOHN'S MISSION, No. 2 .- Superintendent, W. P. Roberts.

THIRD AVENUE MISSION .- Superintendent, John Mandeville.

CHRIST CHURCH MISSION .- 802 Elizabeth Avenue. CROSS-ROAD MISSION .- Joseph Alward, superin- tendent.

GOOD WILL MISSION .- John Beale, superintend -. ent.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.

GEN. ELIAS DAYTON,

of Elizabethtown, was one of the heroes of the war of the Revolution, and for many years a leading res- ident of that historic locality, where he was born May 1, 1737.

where he was one of the pioneer settlers and a prom- inent citizen. He was the father of the subject of this sketch.

Gen. Dayton entered the military service of the province as a lieutenant March 19, 1759, and was made captain March 29, 1760, serving with the Brit- ish troops in the French war on the froutiers, in the regiment known as the " Jersey B!nes." He partici- pated in the battle on the Heights of Abraham at the gates of Quebec on Sept. 13, 1759, and was present at the surrender five days after. In 1764 he was sent on special service in command of an expedition against the Northern Indians near Detroit. A jour- nal kept by him during the five months he passed in that wild region is still in existence, and is full of exciting interest. The objects of the expedition were accomplished, and he received official commendation for his success. After the disbandment of the pro- vincial forces he engaged in mercantile pursuits in his native town, where he became an alderman, and upon the occurrence of the troubles with the mother- conntry soon after was active in determining the peo- ple to stand by the Bostonians. In December, 1774, he was chosen at a meeting of the town freeholders to be a member of the " Committee of Correspond- ence and Observation, to favor the more vigorous prosecntion of the measures recommended by Con- gress." His father, Jonathan, who was then over seventy-four years of age, served on the same com- mittee. In the fall of 1775, when recruiting for the Continental army was begun, he was appointed mus- ter-master, and assisted in the organization of the first two regiments raised in the province. At the beginning of the year 1776 Congress directed that the Third Regiment be raised in New Jersey, and elected Mr. Dayton to be its colonel. On the 23d of January, 1776, he signalized himself by fitting out at Elizabethport an expedition of three armed boats and one hundred and ten men, with which in con- junction with a boat and forty men under Lord Stir- ling he captured the British transport ship "Blue Mountain Valley," which lay in the lower bay of New York loaded with supplies and necessaries for the British army. The prize was brought to Eliza- bethport, and a resolution of thanks to the captors was passed by Congress. In April, 1776, Col. Dayton was given command in the valley of the Mohawk, where he quelled the Toryism which had been fostered by the activity of Sir John Johnson, and kept a check on the Indians of the "Six Nations" in that locality. He built Fort Schuyler on the site of old Fort Stanwix at Rome, and Fort Dayton at Her- kimer. In the close of the year he took part in the defense of Ticonderoga and Mount Independence, after which his regiment was returned to New Jersey, and was brigaded with the Continental troops under Gen. Maxwell. Col. Dayton continued to serve with great bravery in the later campaigns of the army.

The family from which he sprang originated at Maidstone, on the east bank of the river Medway, in Connty Kent, England. Ralph Dayton, the an- cestor of the family in this country, came thence to Boston at an early period, but finally settled near East Hampton, L. I., where he died in 1667. Robert, his son, aged eighty-four, died in 1712. Capt. John Dayton was a lineal descendant of Ralph Dayton, and the grandfather of the subject of this sketch. He was a weaver by trade, possessed of many marked characteristics, and one of the most patriotic and in- fluential residents on Long Island in his day. Ile lived two miles from East Hampton. Jonathan, his son, located at Elizabethtown about the year 1700, i Sept. 11, 1777, he had his horse shot under him,

241

CITY OF RAHWAY.

at the battle of the Brandywine; at the battle of Germantown, Oct. 4, 1777, he had another horse killed under him. In the winter of 1777-78 he was posted at Elizabethtown, and put in super- vision of the secret service for Gen. Washington, getting information of the enemy's condition and movements. In June, 1779, he served under Gen. Sullivan in the campaign against the "Six Na- tions," near Elmira, N. Y. The following winter he served under Gen. Washington in his movements against the British stationed on Staten Island, and in the campaign of 1780 he participated in the skir- mishes at Elizabethport and vicinity, performing illustrious service at Connecticut Farms and Spring- field, N. J. Soon after the battle of Springfield Gen. Maxwell's resignation was accepted hy Congress, and Col. Dayton assumed command of the Jersey Brigade and held it during the remainder of the war, although not confirmed as a brigadier-general until January, 1783. In September, 1781, the Jersey Brigade under Col. Dayton landed on James River, about five miles from Williamsburg, and partici- pated in the siege of Yorktown. Col. Dayton was present at the signing of the capitulation by Lord Cornwallis, Oct. 19, 1781, and in 1782 was in charge of the prison-camp at Chatham, N. J. The Jersey Brigade was discharged Nov. 3, 1783. Gen. Dayton had taken a part in all the battles in which the Con- tinental line of New Jersey had been engaged. After the war he was commissioned major-general of the Second Division, New Jersey State Militia, which command he held at the time of his death, Oct. 22, 1807. Upon the formation of the New Jersey So- ciety of the Cincinnati, Gen. Dayton was chosen its president, and held that office during the remainder of his life. He declined an election to Congress in 1779. In 1787 he was appointed a member of the convention to frame the Constitution of the United States, but favored the appointment of his son Jona- than, afterwards Speaker of the House of Represen- tatives in the Fourth Congress and United States senator. In 1789 he was elected recorder of Eliza- bethtown, and from 1796 to 1805, with the exception of one year, he was mayor of the town, and for sev- eral years a member of the Legislature of the State. In private life he sustained a high reputation. He was open and generous, scrupulously upright, and in manners easy, unassuming, and pleasant. In person and bearing he is said to have resembled Gen. Wash- ington so strongly that with their backs turned it was difficult to distinguish them.

Gen. Dayton married a Miss Rolfe. His children were Jonathan, Hannah, wife of Col. Matthias Ogden ; Elias Bailey, Sally, wife of Isaac G. Ogden, of New York ; William, Horace, Aaron, and John. Elias B. Dayton engaged in mercantile pursuits in Elizabeth- town, and was the first cashier of the State Bank. He was the father of Hon. Aaron Ogden Dayton. William was a lumber merchant in the same place.

Horace engaged in trade in New York City. Aaron removed to Cincinnati, near which place he engaged in farming John, the father of Miss Sarah O. Dayton, of Elizabeth, from whom many of these facts were obtained, engaged in farming near Madison, | N. J., where he died in 1803. Hon. William L. Dayton was a grandnephew of Gen. Dayton, being descended from Robert, son of Jonathan, and brother of the general.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

CITY OF RAHWAY.

Early History .- The earliest allusions to the site of the present city of Rahway, and to settlers residing or owning land thereon, are found in the records of the townships of Elizabethtown and Woodbridge, whose geographical boundaries originally met on the marshy stream known as "Robinson's Branch," now in the heart of the city. From the Elizabethtown records-referring, of course, to the territory on the north side of the branch-we find that the following- named persons were owners of land on the " Rawack River," or "Rawack," as it was then called, at the dates given in connection with their respective sur- veys or settlements :

William Oliver owned "84 acres of upland at Rawack," bounded by Peter Morse, Samuel Marsh, Sr., David Oliver, and William Piles. He was one of the original eighty Elizabeth Associates, and lived on his home-lot at Elizabeth, his land here being an out-farm or plantation. His ancestors were from Bristol, England, 1632, and lived in Boston or vicin- ity, where they left large families. William Oliver died about 1694.1

David Oliver, above mentioned, was the son of William, and owned land at Rahway, adjoining that of his father, where he probably lived. One of his sons, David (2d), was notorious as a Tory and refugee during the Revolution, and is described as " the dread of the inhabitants on the lines." The New Jersey Journal of Dec. 5, 1782, gives an account of his having been engaged on the Saturday night pre- ceding, with a band of refugees from Staten Island, in attempting to take off cattle from Elizabethtown. They proceeded in a gunboat to the mouth of Eliza- bethtown Creek. Capt. Jonathan Dayton being in- formed of the route they proposed to take waylaid them with a small party near the Port. It so hap- pened that in passing Dayton's ambush the party turned aside from the road to avoid a mud-slough, which obliged the ambushers to fire through two fences, killing one, mortally wounding another, and takiug three prisoners, whereas, had not this détour occurred, it is believed that all of them might have

1 N. E. Genealogical Reg., xii. 53; E. J. Records, ii. 19, 103 ; Eliza- beth Town Bill, 108.

242

HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

been killed at the first fire. As it was, two escaped. Three had been left to take care of the boat, who, hearing a row-boat coming down the creek, sought to escape to Staten Island, but they were overtaken and captured by Lieut. Randall. Swaim Parcel informed them that Oliver had fled to Rahway. He was pur- sued and found " concealed in a house at Rahway," and captured that night.1

Peter Morse owned a parcel of land described as a " Neck of Land at Rawack." He also owned one hundred and forty acres along "West Brook, Ra- wack Swamp, and the Common." He was the son of Robert Morse. He and his father were among the eighty original Associates, and came to the town- ship in 1665 from Rowley, Mass., having lived in Boston in 1644, and in Newbury in 1654.

The Morse homestead was on Thompson's Creek, more generally known as " Morse's Creek," long the boundary between Rahway and Elizabeth. Peter Morse died in May, 1702.

Samuel Marsh, Sr., another of the original Asso- ciates, had one hundred acres of upland at " Rawack," called by the name of "Ragged Neck," bounded by Jeffry Jones, Simon Rouse, and his own meadow. He also owned other parcels of land in the vicinity. He came from New Haven, Conn., among the first settlers, with a wife and seven children. His eldest son, Samuel, Jr., was admitted among the eighty Associates, and had an allotment of eighty acres at " Rahwack," bounded by Robert Vauquellin, Simon Rouse, Thomas Moore, Benjamin Wade, and a great swamp ; also ten acres of meadow, "lying at Rah- wack in the Meadow of Samuel Marsh, St." The elder Marsh, familiarly called "Old Marsh," died in September, 1683.2

William Johnson owned one hundred acres on the " West Branch of the Rawack River," and sixty acres of upland on the "Rawack River," adjoining lands of Simon Rouse. Also sixty acres of upland on " Rawack Plaine" and other lands. He was a resi- dent of the New Haven colony as early as 1648, and came here with the first settlers. His property, how- ever, in 1678, amounting in all to two hundred and sixty-two acres, was mortgaged to Roger Lambert to secure the payment of one hundred pounds, and Lam- bert subsequently became the owner.3

Robert Vauquellin, the surveyor-general under Carteret, was the proprietor of forty acres of land "at Rawack." It adjoined the lands of Simon Rouse and Samuel Marsh, Sr. Vauquellin, often styled in the East Jersey records "Sieur des Prairies," was a Frenchman from the city of Caen. He is thought to have resided later in the island of Jersey, whence he and his wife came in the ship " Philip" with Carteret in August, 1665. Having been appointed by Berkeley and Carteret surveyor-general of their domain in

America, he exercised the functions of that office until 1681. He was also a member of Carteret's council. In 1678 he removed to Woodbridge, where he obtained grants of land and continued to reside.

Thomas Moore owned sixty acres of land described as lying " towards Rahwack," and adjoining Benjamin Wade. Also twenty acres of meadow adjoining Wil- liam Piles' upland. He was one of the original Asso- ciates, and came to the town in 1665. He died in 1708.4

Jonas Wood was the owner of one hundred and fifty acres of upland " at Rahwack," adjoining Jeffry Jones; sixty acres of upland and twenty acres of meadow "on Rawack Neck." He was one of the original Associates, and came from Southampton, L. I. He was licensed July 10, 1679, to "keep an ordinary," and was chosen Nov. 3, 1693, and in 1694 a deputy to the General Assembly. He owned a good deal of land about Rahway, both meadow and up- land, and was a highly-respected citizen. His house- lot of six acres adjoined the land of Samuel Marsh, Sr., on the northeast.

William Letts had seventy acres of upland "at Rawack," adjoining Robert Vanquellin and William Cramer. He was a weaver by occupation, married Elizabeth Laud, lived on house-lot (thirteen acres) adjoining Joseph Frazee. He removed to Perth Am- boy, where he died in March, 1702.

Simon Rouse, whose lands have so often been re- ferred to in the boundaries, was a son of John and Annie Rouse, of Duxbury, Mass. She was a daughter of John Peabody. He was born in 1645, and came here before 1676. He had surveyed to him fifty-eight acres of upland "on Rahwack River," adjoining William Johnson ; also ninety-eight acres adjoining the ahove on the northeast, having Robert Vauquel- lin's land on the northwest. He had also one hun- dred acres on the east side of " Rahwack River, oppo- site Pope's Brook." He resided at Rahway. His lands in the other part of the town he exchanged with Jonas Wood, May 29, 1678, and Nov. 27, 1679, bought Vauquellin's lands adjoining his own. He died in 1690. His wife, Allice, died soon after with- out issue. Frances, a daughter of Samuel Moore, of Woodbridge, inherited the estate, being probably an adopted daughter, as she lived with them.6

Benjamin Wade, who was a clothier in Elizabeth- town, and became quite wealthy in real estate, owned an interest in " Rahwack Swamp" to the extent of forty-eight acres allotted to him by the town, and twelve acres of meadow "at Rahwack." He was the ancestor of a very highly respected family, and died about 1698.

William Robinson, who appears in the records as " William Robinson, Doctor of Physick," was the proprietor of seven hundred acres of land lying on

1 N. J. Journal, No. 146. Hatfield, p. 509.

2 New Haven Recorde, qnoted by Hatfield, p. 81.

3 E. J. Recorde llatfield's Elizabeth, p. 80.

+ N. H. Coll. Records, etc. Hatfield's Elizabethi, p. 85.

5 Hatfield's Elizabeth, p. 172.

243

CITY OF RAHWAY.

the branch of the Rahway River called Robinson's Branch. On his first arrival in the town he pur- chased lands of John Toe, and subsequently (April 1, 1686) he had surveyed to him the above tract of seven hundred acres, adjoining the lands of Joseph Frazee, Richard and John Clarke, George and John Alexander, William Piles, Simon Rouse, and Thomas Rudyard.

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 59

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