History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 60

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 60
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 60

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Dr. Robinson's lands extended along the branch on the north side of the wood bridge. He also bought of John Toe, Sept. 12, 1688, another parcel on the west branch of Rahway River. He was a large land-owner both here and in Monmouth County, where he had surveyed to him in 1692 "550 acres in full of his share of the first division."

Dr. Robinson is supposed to have emigrated from Scotland, and to have received his education in that country. He was evidently a man of ability, means, energy, and wide influence.

The following, found in " An Account of the Settled Towns in East Jersey," given under the hand of Capt. Nichols, secretary to the Duke of York, in 1680, prob- ably has reference to Rahway: "There are several Out-plantations on the North end of the River which divides the bounds between this town (Elizabethtown) and Woodbridge, particularly where the road passes over, to which place is about seven or eight miles." If this refers to Rahway, it shows that there was a considerable settlement here in 1680, 'over two hun- dred years ago. All the circumstances go to show that Rahway is the place meant: (1) the river divid- ing Elizabethtown from Woodbridge is the Rahway River ; (2) the settlement is located at the place where the road to Woodbridge crossed the river ; (3) the distance, seven or eight miles from Elizabeth- town, corresponds also to the facts. We therefore conclude that the account refers to Rahway. There were "several out-plantations" on the river at this time, but the writer1 refers particularly to the one " where the road passes over" in going from Eliza- bethtown to Woodbridge, indicating that it was the most considerable settlement. This ancient scttle- ment appears to have been nearly equidistant be- tween Elizabethtown and Woodbridge, and, inasmuch as it was regarded as an out-plantation of Elizabeth- town, was undoubtedly on that side of the river within the town bounds.

A settlement of equal antiquity, no doubt, was made on the Woodbridge side of the river, known later as Bridge Town or Lower Ralıway. This settle- ment seems to have attained sufficient dignity and independence of the mother-hamlet of Woodbridge by the beginning of the eighteenth century as, in the estimation of the freeholders of the township, to deserve a separate pound for the lodgment of animals unlawfully running at large; and so it was voted at the Woodbridge town-meeting for January, 170I, that

Rahway be granted the privilege of building a pound. This is the earliest mention which we find of the set- tlement, at least the earliest indicating the growth of a village in that locality.

Woodbridge was first settled in the latter part of 1665. The land was originally purchased of the Indians by the same parties who made the Elizabeth- town purchase, viz .: John Bayly, Daniel Denton, and Luke Watson, on the 28th of October, 1664. These parties made it over to Governor Carteret and John Ogden, who in 1666 sold it to Daniel Pierce and eight associates from Newbury, Haverhill, and other places in Massachusetts. The price paid for it was eighty pounds sterling. Daniel Pierce and his associates took immediate possession as proprietors of the town- ship, receiving from Governor Carteret, on behalf of the Lords Proprietors, a liberal charter and having their boundaries and lots surveyed to them. In De- cember, 1667, plots were ordered surveyed and assigned to the settlers and roads laid out. The boundaries of the township were defined in June, 1669. The line began at the mouth of the Rahway River (called Rawack), and followed the stream as high as the tide flowed to a fresh-water brook running west-northwest (afterwards and to this day called Robinson's Branch), " where there stands a beech-tree that is marked on the four sides of it." From this tree the line ran straight west through one large swamp and two small ones until it reached a walnut stake in an open field. This stake was marked with two notches and a cross. The distance from the beech-tree to the walnut stake was five and a half miles. The line turned sharply to the south at this point, running through " Dismal Swamp," and striking the Raritan River at a distance of seven and a half miles from the aforesaid walnut stake. This point on the river was about ten chains east of two red cliffs on the opposite side. From this the line followed the Raritan River to its mouth. The township was therefore bounded on the east by the Sound or Kills which divide Staten Island from the mainland, on the north by the bounds of Elizabeth- town, on the west by Piscataway, and on the south by Raritan River.

It was not many years before that portion of the township now included in the city of Rahway be- came thickly settled. Among the early settlers in this section many belonged to the Society of Friends. The Friends having purchased the province and es- tablished the proprietary government in 1682, a new impulse was given to many persons of that order to seek homes in the country. Many had already estab- lished themselves in different towns. Shrewsbury, one of the seven associated towns of the province, had been settled almost exclusively by the Friends as early as 1667, the first religious meetings of the society being held there in 1672. The territory of West Jersey after 1674 had been in the possession of the Friends. In East Jersey they constituted an important element in Amboy and Woodbridge. The Friends who settled

1 Scot's Model of E. J., pp. 134, 135.

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HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

in this section mostly purchased lands along the Rah- way River, some of them living in Woodbridge and some of them in Elizabethtown. In 1686 they estab- lished a monthly meeting at Amboy. This continued to be held for three years, when a monthly meeting was begun at Woodbridge on the 17th day of August, 1689. On the 16th of October, 1742, the first weekly meeting of the Friends was begun at Rahway in the house of Joseph Shotwell.

We shall, however, defer the religious history of the Friends, to be considered hereafter in connection with the history of the churches.

Among those who were early settlers of Rahway and met with the Woodbridge society we have the names of William Robinson, John and Joseph Shot. well, the Marshes, Hunts, and others. This William Robinson was a son of Dr. William Robinson, and was a prominent man among the Friends, as we learn from the following entry in the records of the Wood- bridge meeting: "William Robinson 'is ordered to gett bords for ye meeting-house flore & to speak to ye brick-maker for bricks for ye chimney.' At the next meeting he reported that he had spoken to the brick- man about the bricks, and he said that 'as soon as he hath done burning a kill att Elizabethtown he will burn som hear & then we may have som.' "

In the Woodbridge records we find the name of John Jaques, son of Henry and Hannah Jaques. He was born on the 2d of August, 1674. He had brothers, Henry, born Sept. 12, 1675; Jonathan, born April 9, 1679; and sister, Sarah, born Jan. 12, 1677. Henry Jaques, Sr., was a carpenter, and one of the original nine Associates of Woodbridge. To him and his son Henry were granted three hundred and sixty-eight acres of land in 1670. This land extended along the Rahway, including what is now Main Street in the city of Rahway, as far up as the Pennsylvania Rail- road crossing.

Prior to the incorporation of Rahway as a city three separate villages occupied portions of the area within its limits. Long stretches of undrained meadows and considerable marsh at the confluence of the branches of the Rahway River intervened be- tween them. The northernmost village was Rahway proper, situated in Essex County ; the other two, lying south of the river, were known respectively as Mil- ton and Bridgetown, though the latter was known also as Lower Rahway. A fourth hamlet, known as Leesville, was also for a time a distinct settlement from Lower Rahway, lower down the river, but still within the present corporate limits of the city.

CHAPTER XXXIV. CITY OF RAILWAY .- (Continued.)

First Mills and Roads .- The first saw-mill in Rahway was built by John Marsh on the south side of the river, just above the present railroad bridge, as

early as 1683. The following quaint and interesting document is proof of this assertion :

" A meeting of ye Inhabitants of Elizabethtown, June ye 25, 1683: Voted that John Marsh have Liberty and Consent from ye towne soe far as they are Concerned to gett timber to saw at his Saw-mill upon Land not Surveyed, lying upon Rawhay River or ye brauches or else- wheare, so far as he shall have occasion to fetch timber for ye above mill.

" And the said John Marsh doth pledge himself to ye inhabitants of ye towne to saw for them Logs if they bring them to ye mill, one-half of ye boards or timber for sawing the other, that is so much as is for their particolar use.

" Att A towne meeting Jane ye 28, 1684,

"John Marsh desired ye towne to grant him liberty to clear Rawhay River & ye Branch for the Conveniency of his mill, which was granted to him ye said John Marsh, and passed by a free vote for ye game, with thie proviser that there should be no hindraoce of bridges or stoppedge of passadges.

" December ye 19th, 1684, ye towne Committee of Elizabethtowne did give and grant leave and liberty to John Marsh to set up a grist-mill upon ye stream whereon his saw-till stands, namely, ye stream called Rawhay River, ye aforesed Committee did opon ye above said day give him ye stream for ye ends and purposes above named.

" All ye above written & true Copie taken out of ye Records of Elize- beth towne by me.

" ISAAC WHITEHEAD, Clerk."

Transfers of the Mill Property .- John Marsh to Stephen Van Cortlandt, March 2, 1695. Stephen Van Cortlandt to William Donaldson, July 11, 1733. William Donaldson deeded to Samuel Marsh, Dec. 11, 1739, three and one-fourth acres and one half of the mills, and at the same date conveyed to Joseph Meyer three and one-fourth acres and one-fourth of the mills. He also, Dec. 11, 1739, conveyed to Jo- seph Marsh three and one-fourth acres, described as " beginning at the stone house."

Donaldson sold the remaining one-fourth to Morde- cai Marsh, and it remained in the Marsh family until it was bought by Luf bery & Vail in 1826. It is now the property of Ayres & Lutbery, where their steam- mill and planing-mill are located.

The oldest house of the Marsh family-that of Samuel Marsh, Sr., of Rahway-stands on the corner of Main Street and Elm Avenue, covered with shingles and inclosed with wrought nails. This house is over one hundred and fifty years old. Samuel Marsh mar- ried Mary Shotwell, of Shotwell's Landing.

Jonathan Bishop, who was admitted as a freeholder of Woodbridge in 1682, was granted a parcel of com- mon land in consideration of his building a saw-mill on it "alongside of the southern branch of the Rah- wack River." The mill was to be exempt from tax for five years. The southern branch is sometimes subsequently called "Mill Brook" in the records. Thus in January, 1686, John Bishop "engaged to make a sufficient bridge over the brook called Mill Brook, in the Country Highway leading to Elizabeth Town." This is the stream in Lower Raliway (Lees- ville) which is now spanned by a bridge, as in those days, and probably at the same place.

There was a road district in this part of the town in October, 1684, of which Capt. John Bishop was over- seer. He was appointed by the town "to look after the Rahway roads." All the inhabitants were re-

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CITY OF RAHWAY.

quired to "appear at the several places appointed by the several overseers and be ready to go to work at sun an hour high, or else the overseer may refuse them." 1

Capt. John Bishop had a grist-mill on the Rahway River. This mill was, of course, above tide. His residence was a little east of his mill .? The place was known as Bishop's Landing. Another landing was at Robert Wright's (William Edgar's corner, just as you enter Rahway from the Woodbridge road). These land- ings were reserved by order of the town for public docks perpetually. They were " first built for the transporta- tion of hay ;" but, although that continued for many years to be one of the principal articles of export, an extensive trade was gradually developed in breadstuff's, etc., which rendered the landings well known and im- portant points. But the advent of steam, superseding the oar and sail in commerce, has nearly obliterated them from the memory of those now living.

" A highway was laid out on the 8th of January, 1687, for the Rahway settlers, beginning at Robert Wright's Landing, and extending thence easterly down to 'John Codington's Point' into the meadows." This road connected the point and the meadows with Wright's Landing at Lower Rahway. Robert Wright was a tanner and shoemaker, and came from Staten Island. In asking for a certain tract of land, formerly the property of John Trueman, he was granted per- mission of it on condition that he should settle on it and work at his trades. He was constable of the town in 1689. Noah Bishop was constable in 1693.

Capt. John Bishop was president of the town court, 1688-1700 ; was an assistant justice, 1669-75, 1683-87. Jonathan Bishop was an ensign in the militia, and John Bishop, Jr., captain, 1682-97.

In 1685 eight men were appointed by the town, in as many different localities, to guard the timber which was being unlawfully cut on the common lands. "John Conger and Noah Bishop were chosen for Rahwack (Rahway) and parts adjacent."3 The infer- ence is a just one that John Conger and Noah Bishop were residents of Lower Rahway in 1685, and that the Bishop estates were in this portion of the town. John Bishop was overseer of highways here the year pre- ceding, and the year following had charge of build- ing a bridge across the creek.

John Conger and Noah Bishop, who in 1685 were appointed to prosecute any one in Rahway or adja- cent places who illegally cut the timber on the com- mon land, were the victims of a suit brought against them by Thomas Thorp in 1687 for removing from the commons some of Thorp's dressed trees, by a mis- take doubtless. "The costs fell upon the town, as Conger and Bishop were acting as the town agents and were beaten by Thorp."

John Conger and Jonathan Bishop were two of the ten citizens appointed to make the second division of

1 History of Woodbridge, p. 105. 2 Ibid., p. 107.

3 1bid., p. 105.

the common town lands in 1687. "Sixty acres of up- land" were apportioned to each freeholder, and it was required that these ten men should make it their business forthwith "to Lay out the said Divisions of Land; six hands to be each Day about the said work, and to have for their pains three shillings per day."

The old road from Elizabeth Town to Woodbridge followed substantially what is now Linden Avenue, crossing the river about where the Pennsylvania Rail- road bridge now crosses it. At a point about a hun- dred rods northeast, near the railroad, was located the post-office of the village at an early time, and within the recollection of some of the immediate ancestors of old residents now living.

ROAD TO CORTLANDT'S SAW-MILL .- Cortlandt's saw-mill was the old Marsh mill, where the steam-mills of Messrs. Ayres & Lufbery now stand, for, as we have seen, John Marsh conveyed the property to Stephen Van Cortlandt in 1695. The Woodbridge records furnish the following :

"February ye 9th, 1699 : Then laid out by us undernamed & llighway Six Rods in Breadth : Beginning at the Highway which Runs by Jons- thao Bishops New Dwelling House about teo Rods Eastward from the North East Corder of the said Bishops Orchard : from thence Running over the Mill Brook, and so Extending on the Southerly side of Joha Rolphs Dwelling Houss to the House of John Jaquis: from thence Run- ning through the said Jaquis his Land four Rod in Breadth, by the Bank side and through the land belonging to Jonathan Jaquis: from thence upon s Direct Line to John Stewards Dwelling House: the whole way between the House of the above said John Jaquis and John Stew- srds House being but four Rod broad.

" Also & Highway from the Landing on the River; about fifty Rod below the said Stewards llouse, beginning at & Black Oak tree marked on three sides : thence Running by the River Six Rod broad to Mr. Cortlaode saw-mill : from thencs to a Black osk tres standing Near the Bank of the said River; the way Running between the said tree and bank; thencs Extending along by the bank to town line: from thence by the Town Line and through a Corner of John Jsquis his Land on the South Side of & Rowe of uiarked trees into the Common : the said way from Cortluode Mill being four Rod broad :

" EZEKIEL BLOOMFIELD. "SAMUEL HALE. " EPHRAIM ANDREWS. " THOMAS PIKE."

Spanktown .- One of the names of Rahway, per- haps the earliest to be found on record, was Spank Town. Whatever may have been the origin of this name, it is made famous in the annals of the Revolu- tion. A battle was fought here which, according to the best authority, lasted about two hours. It was the last engagement of our forces with the British when the latter were driven out of New Jersey, with the exception of Amboy and New Brunswick, after their disastrous defeat at Trenton and Princeton early in January, 1777.

The success of Washington in this respect was one of the greatest military achievements of the war. He had surprised and captured nearly a thousand Hes- sians at Trenton, with the loss of only four men wounded. "This brilliant manœuvre completely turned the tide of affairs. The British, who believed themselves masters of the country, and scouted the idea of any opposition, were painfully roused from their reveries, and began to be alarmed for their

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HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

safety. The Americans, on the other hand, were electrified and delighted, and inspired with new life." That Washington foresaw what course would be taken by the British and planned his movements with con- summate skill is evident from what follows:

"On the 30th, at Trenton, Washington wrote to Maxwell to collect as large a force as possible at Chatham, 'and after gaining the proper io- telligence, endeavor to strike a stroke upon Elizabeth-Towo or that neighborhood,' instructions which Maxwell prepared at once to carry out. Following up his advantages, Washington once more crossed the Delaware, passed around the British at Trenton, marched forward by night, enrprised aod captured Princeton on the morning of Jan. 3, 1777, and then took post for two or three days at Pluckamin, in Somerset County, thus compelling the British commander to evacuate all hie posts beyond New Brunswick, and to provide by a concentration of hie forces for the safety of his stores at the latter place. On Monday, the 6th, Washington removed to Morristown to give hie wearied troops some rest, and to watch the panic-stricken foe. 1

"Gen, Sir William Howe writes from New York, Jan. 5, 1777, that ' Lord Cornwallie returned with hie whole force to Brunswick, and the troops at the right being assembled at Elizabeth-Towo, Major-General Vaughan hae that command.' 2

"Taking advantage of the coasternatioo of the enemy and the ad- vance of the American army, General Maxwell, with the militia uoder hie command, came down from the Short Hills, compelled the British to evacuate Newark, had a brush with them at Springfield, drove them ont of Elizabeth Town, and fought them at Spank Towa (Rahway) a couple of hours."

If Spank Town had never had the name before it was entitled to it from this time certainly on account of the spanking rate at which Maxwell came down from the Short Hills with his militia and punished the rear of the retreating enemy.

The fullest account we have of this affair is taken from a letter dated at Philadelphia, Jan. 16, 1777 :

"Our army marched from Pinckamin and arrived at Morristown ou the sixth. General Maxwell with a considerable body of Continental troops and militia, having marched towarde Elizabeth Town, sent back for a reinforcement, which having joined him, he advanced and took possession of the town, and made prieonere of fifty Waldeckere and forty Highlanders who were quartered there, and made prize of a schooner with baggage and some blankets ou board. About the same time one thousand bushele of salt were secured by our troops at a place called Spank Town, about five miles from Woodbridge, where a party of our men attacked the enemy at that place ; they sent for a reinforcement to Woodbridge, but the Hessians absolutely refused to march, having heard we were very nucierous in that quarter. The English troope at Eliza- beth Town would oot suffer the Waldeckers to stand centry at the out- posts, several of them having deserted aml come over to us."

The battle at this place is also alludel to in another letter dated Treriton, Jan. 9, 1777 :

" A regiment of British troops at Spank Town, six miles below Eliza- beth Town, was attacked on Sunday by a party of Jersey militia; the encounter continued about two honre. Two regiments marched up from Woodbridge and Amboy to reinforce the enemy, and the saved them."

As to the "one thousand bushels of salt" which was stored here, it was probably a cargo which had been brought up the Rahway, which was navigable by small vessels as far up as the old bridge, which gave to the place at an early time the name of Bridge Town. The principal fort at Elizabeth Town being then in possession of the British, this salt and possi-

bly other valuable stores were brought in here to be more secure from the enemy. In later times a con- siderable commerce was carried on in vessels between this place and New York via Rahway River.

After the Revolution vessels were laden with pro- duce at Shotwell's Landing and sailed directly to Bristol, England, returning with dry-goods in ex- change.

CHAPTER XXXV.

CITY OF RAHWAY .- (Continued.)

File of an Old Paper .- We have before us a file of the Bridge Town Museum and New Jersey Advocate, extending front July 13th to Dec. 23, 1822. The first three numbers were published when Lower Rahway was known as " Bridge Town." The name was then changed to The Rahway Museum and New Jersey Ad- vocate. This file begins with No. 1, vol. i., which is dated July 13th, and contains twelve weekly issues. It is a folio thirteen by twenty-one inches in size. "Published every Saturday morning by Smith Edgar, proprietor. Office, Main Street, Bridge Town. Terms: The Museum will be furnished to subscribers at two dollars per annum, payable half yearly. If the half year is suffered to elapse without payment fifty cents will be added. Distant subscribers to pay half yearly in advance. No subscription taken for less than six months. No paper discontinued until all arrearages are paid up. Every attention paid to advertisements, which will be inserted at the following rates: one dollar a square for the first three insertions, and twenty-five cents for each succeeding week. A lib- eral deduction will be made to all those who wish to advertise by the year."

Advertisements are quite liberally furnished from New York, Elizabethtown, New Brunswick, and other places. The following firms and dealers appear as doing business in Rahway :

Jacob Parker, lumber-yard.

J. H. Ransom, cheap boot and shoe store. All sorts of country produce taken in exchange.

Benjamin S. Force & Co., boots and shoes.

Meeker & Clarkson, furniture warehouse.

Michael Brown, dry-goods, groceries, crockery, cedar-ware, etc., two doors north of the post-office, Rahway, N. J.

Vail, Thorp & Co., dry-goods, hats, caps, clothing, and fancy goods.

Peter Morgan & Co., hat-store.

Thomas J. Laing, Jr., dry-goods, crockery, etc. Smitlı & Shotwell, dry-goods and groceries.

We will give a few of the advertisements found in this old file. Smith Freeman advertises the " Rah- way Stage-House" as

" An eligible etand opened some years eince by Oliver Martin near the centre of Rahway. He fakes thie method to inform his friends and the public that he has furnished his house with every necessary convenience

1 Irving'e Washington, ii. 500-18. Dr. Thomas' Battles of Am., i. 428-38. Hatfield'e Elizabeth, 454.

2 Parliamentary Register, xi. 376.

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to render it agreeable to all those who may honor him with their com- pany.

" Parties will be served with roome, etc., at the shortest notice.

" Horses and carriages lo let.

" SMITH FREEMAN.

" RAHWAY, July 10, 1822."

Then follows :

"THE BRIDGETOWN STAGE.

" SMITH FREEMAN.

" The above stage will in future leave Bridgetown at six o'clock every morning, reach Elizabeth Town Point for the eight o'clock Steamboat to New York, leave the Point for Bridge Town every day at half-past twelve. In addition to thie stage the subscriber will furnish convey- Rocee to the Point at all hours of the day.

" BRIDGE TOWN, July 12, 1822.

The mode of conveyance from Elizabeth Town Point to New York is described in the following an- nouncement, which appears in every number of the file :

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History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 60

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