History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 81

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 81
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 81

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).

Abraham Scudder married Joanna Meeker, dangh- ter of Obadiah Meeker, of Connecticut Farms, in 1807. He resided opposite the farm were C. A. Lev- eridge resided, and formerly the Baker farm. He died in the year 1852. Their children's names were Israel, Clark, Amanda, Cornelia, Julia, Martba. Clark Scudder was one of the most prominent of Westfield citizens in the erection of the present Presbyterian Church, giving liberally towards its erection. He died suddenly of a malignant disease in 1875. His daughter Joanna married Rev. Ben- jamin Parvin, of the Newark Conference, residing in Rahway.

Isaac F. Scudder owns and lives on his grand- father's farm, John Scudder's, who died in 1848.

Aaron Ball was a blacksmith in the centre of the village. The property is now owned by James R. Ferris, who bought it in 1851.

David Townly, who was called "Boss," the shoe- maker, lived next to Mr. Ball's. The family are all deceased except a grandson, David Pierson, son of Charles Pierson, of Cranford.

There is also a David Townly, a shoemaker, son of William Townly, deceased, but no relation to " Boss" David. Moses Ross lived where Benjamin Clark re- sided, and now the lands of L. V. Clark, Esq.

Judge Aaron Coe, father of Rev. Philemon Coe, owned all of the Elmer farm of nearly four hundred acres in the centre of the village. The homestead was opposite to the village. Benjamin Pierson, son of William Pierson, lives on the homestead road leading to Elizabeth and Rahway. On the bluff of this farm, nearly on the line of Charles Marsh's farm, is where the first log church was built, near where Mr. Marsh's barn stands, and the log cabin of the Pierson family stood just within two hundred yards east of the church.

Orrin Pearson bought and lived till within a few years on the Moses Decamp farm, below Charles Marsh's. The Charles Marsh (3d) farm belonged to Charles Marsh (1st), his grandfather.

The house where Charles F. Witthe lives was orig- inally the Elias Mills farm-house, and stood back somc eight hundred feet on his farm from the main

road. Joseph Mills, who died a few years ago in New York, was his son, and a granddaughter married Joseph Clark, and lives in Linden township. Mr. Clark was killed in 1863 by the falling of a tree.

On the farm now owned by Daniel Fink, and where Amos S. Miller lived and died in the year 1865, a singing-school teacher lived by name of Halsey. He was chorister in the village church, and taught during the fall and winter the school for singing, at one shilling a lesson, and to find their own candle- lights, or eight shillings for thirteen lessons. He was considered in his day an excellent singer. On Love Lane, as it was called, and is known by the older in- habitants, lived Sambo, a Guinea negro, just above the road back of Sylvanus Pierson's house, and where Cuff Wood lived and raised a large family. This Sambo was a jack of all trades and sexton of the meeting-house as long as he lived. It is said after the old church-bell had been brought back from Staten Island, where the British soldiers had taken it in 1780, and was heard ringing while Azariah Clark and other Westfield men were in the Sugar Prison- House in New York, they recognized the sound, and determined if they obtained their freedom that they would take the bell back again and hang it in the Westfield Church, and which they did, and the first time Sambo rung it in his joy of its recovery he broke it. The present bell is the second one that the church has had, and is still in use.

A well-known citizen of Westfield was John Wil- liams, who commonly went by the name of Jack Williams. He was well known for miles as being a sort of cattle and horse doctor (called in these days veterinary surgeon). Mr. Williams was a man, and held in high esteem. He raised a large family. He owned the small house back of Mr. Charles Clark's store on the Jerusalem road. He died in 1860. His two sons, John William and Henry, are prominent members of the Zion Methodist Episcopal Church.

Purchase of Powder .- On the 12th day of April, 1813,-

" It wHe agreed by a unanimous vote of Town committee that the eum of two hundred and fifty dollars be raised and appropriated towards pur- chasing Powder, ball, and Flinte for the purpose of repelling any at- tempt which may be made on our Righte end Liberties by our common enemy, which Amunition is to be put into the hande of the captain of the different Companies in the Township, who are to give security that shall be applied according to the rute of the township, to be by them distriboted in equal proportion to ench ludividuals of their several companies or other Inhabitants of the township as shall on an alarm or other Emergancy actually turn unt aod put themselves under their com- mand, the men who receive it to be answerable to the captain they re- ceive it from, to returo to him all but what they expend against the enemy.

" Resolved, That Doct. Joseph Quimby, David Oehorn, end Freeman Cule be a committee to carry the above into immediate effect.

"I hereby certify the above to be the true proceedings of the above town-meeting.

" CAPT. CHARLES CLARK,

" Moderator."

Village of Westfield .- This village is pleasantly located in the centre of the township. The main street running north and south, extending from Mor-

John Chiller

TOWNSHIP OF WESTFIELD.

333

gan's Hill to the distance of a little over a mile on a straight line to the south over the Central Railroad track towards the late residence of Aaron Hatfield. This beautiful village contains five churches, besides two halls, where services are held on the Sabbath by the Congregational and Zion Church, who in a short time contemplate building. The distance from New York City of only eighteen miles makes this place desirable for many doing business in the neighboring cities, the depot of the New Jersey Central Railroad being in the centre. The population is abont eight hundred and seventy-five. There are many fine resi- dences, which are tastily ornamented with ample gronnds, fine shade-trees, and gardens. The avenues and streets are well shaded with maples and elms. The village has a good supply of water of fine quality, and Clark's Lake, fed by springs, is on the main street. The grounds of the Presbyterian Church, known as the village green, are neatly laid out and fenced, and large shade-trees of a century ago adorn them. On the south side of the depot within a few years avenues have been laid out and planted with shade-trees, and in a short time this locality has be- come thickly settled with residences ; here the Cath- olic Church has been built, a neat frame building. Many of the newly opened avenues and streets have been given names representing some historic incident or former pastor of the old church, as Picton Street, after the Rev. Thomas Picton, in 1805; Elmer Street, after Dr. Jonathan Elmer, the first physician in West- field in the year 1752.

In the year 1800 this village contained about 14 houses, I store, 1 blacksmith-shop, I tanner and cur- rier, 1 shoe-shop, 1 tavern, 1 school-house, and the old church. It then had been substantially in this condition for nearly half a century.

The following list comprises those who are engaged in business in the village of Westfield :

Stove- and tin-store, Mablon H. Ferris.

Hotel, Amos W. Morfitt.

Justice of peace, with office on Main Street, Jobn D. Jaques.

Grocery and dry-goods, Erastus Miller and his two sons.

Grocery and dry-goods, David and A. Judson Miller.

Millinery, Miss M. S. Welsh.

General merchandise, James T. Pierson.

Clothing merchant, Frederick Decker.

Drugs and fancy goods, William Gale, M.D.

Dentist, C. E. Agnewe.

Butcher, William Schoonover.

Boots and shoes, Luther M. Whitaker.

Druggist, George A. Bayard.

Baker, John Dash.

Feed and flour, Isaac Amerman.

Tin, stoves, and hardware, John Ingram.

News depot and fancy goods, Charles F. Witthe. General grocer, Matthias Clark.

-- -

Æolian Hall and Westfield Lyceum.

Paint-store, J. M. Neil.

Township rooms, Luther M. Whitaker, town clerk. Green grocer, E. A. Clark.

Carpenter and builder, Joel Moffitt.

Carpenters, Sparkman & Seager.

Green grocer, B. W. Woodruff.

Milliner, Miss Mattie G. Whitaker.

Dress-maker, Mrs. Laura Wilcox.

Grocery, Patrick Traynor.

Jewelry and watches, Charles E. Vale.

Barber-shop, Fritz Henicke.

Furniture, John H. Umston.

Paint and paper hangings, Messrs. Welsh Brothers.

Harness-maker, W. H. More.

Butcher, Joseph Perrey.

Lumber and sash and blinds, John S. Irving.

Cigar-store, Frederick Hinzer.

Green grocer, David Crouch.

Blacksmith, I. S. Irving.

S. C. Young. Anson B. Smith.

Saloon and refreshments, John L. Rolston.

Atlas Lodge, F. and A. M., No. 135.

Hook-and-Ladder Company, No. 1, William Gale, foreman, Joseph R. Connerly, secretary, George W. Tice, treasurer, was organized in 1873, and has been found that in cases of sudden alarm of fire that they have been about the first upon the ground. This is a grand improvement to what was the custom years ago, when no sufficient number of buckets, axes, or ladders were to be had conveniently in cases of emergen- cies.

Westfield has an efficient fire company, organized and incorporated in 1876. They now number about forty members, and have done excellent work in pro- tecting the village from the devouring element. S. S. Mapes was elected president of the board of trustees in November, 1876.

Post-Offices .- In the early times the mail was carried by couriers and post-boys, with the mail-bags strapped behind them on horseback. This was when there were only bridle-paths throughont this once heavy wooded country. When regular conveniences were estab- lished, not only was the mail-stage expected, but the drivers were expected to carry many messages from town to town, and were looked upon as knowing all that transpired for miles around.

Mr. Samuel Downer is believed to have been the first postmaster, and as early as 1793 it is said he made up a package that went by the Speedwell Line of stages. He held the position for many years, and was succeeded by William H. Pierson, Charles Clark, Charles B. Morehouse, James T. Pierson, and the present postmaster, Frederick Decker, who has held the position for some years.

Old Trees .- The large elm-tree opposite the West- field tavern was planted by John Foster in 1827.

The large elm-tree by the late residence of Dr. Corra

334

HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

Osborn was planted out by Dr. Joseph Quimby at the same date.

. The large oak-tree in the dooryard of Robert French's is one of the original forest-trees, and when Henry Baker was a boy in 1809 he climbed among its lower limbs.

The black-walnut trees in the yard of Mr. William , son, Silas D. Pierson, occupied the place for some Still were planted by Henry Baker's father.

Taverns .- The earliest records found of the inn- keepers are as follows: 1794, Azariah Clark; 1794, Charles Gilman ; 1799, Mary Gilman ; 1799, Alexan- der Richards ; 1799, Benjamin Crane; 1804, Samuel Ross ; 1816, John Clark ; 1819, Sanford Hickes ; 1819, Thomas Burlocks; 1825, John M. Clark. Since the last date, 1867, '68, and '69, John M. C. Marsh ; 1870, John J. Smalley ; 1871-72, C. Mitchell; 1873, W. H. Kingman ; 1874, C. Brocksmith ; 1880-81, A. W. Mof- fitt.

There were two inns close together on the main street opposite the road to Rahway. Charles Gilman kept what was known far and near as the "Stage House" for a great many years; and here the line of conveyances from New York to Easton and other routes would stop for dinner and change of teams. This was in the year 1804, and after the death of Mr. Gilman his wife, Mary, better known as Aunt Polly Gilman, kept the tavern.

This old tavern was the resort of many for an even- ing's entertainment in the olden time. Here the doctor, squire, and many others of those well known at that time were in the habit of meeting, and many a story was told and joke went around. A favorite and very common beverage for the evening in those days was flip, which was made somewhat as follows: A quart-jug was nearly filled with malt-beer, sweet- ened, a red-hot poker was thrust into the liquid and kept there until foam was produced, when half a pint of rum was poured in and some nutmeg grated upon it. The price of a mug of flip was three pence. And at this old Stage House at all hours refreshments could be procured of bacon, beans, cabbage, corn-bread, etc., by payment of 38. 6d. a meal, and they would be served with the blue dishes of the olden time; and it is men- tioned of old Mr. Gilman, who would meet the daily stage from New York to Philadelphia as they halted for their dinners, dressed in his blue coat with brass buttons, and so gracefully welcome the weary and dusty traveler at the stage-door and show them the way to the large "living" room, where the repast had been spread awaiting their arrival. Some one has said or sung :

" Old Gilman is deed, that good old man, We ne'er shall see him more; He used to wear a long blue coat All buttoned down before."

This old Stage House was taken down a few years ago, and Mr. W. W. Connerly built his wood- and blacksmith-shop on the premises.

At the corner of Broad, or main road to Springfield

from Westfield, and Love Lane (as it was called) stood one of the first buildings, which was occupied by Mr. Benjamin Crane as a hostelry or inn for some years in the year 1809, but it was burnt down afterwards. Mr. Sylvanus Pierson bought the land and built himself the present homestead, where he died in 1857. His years after.

I. M. Clark was an inn-keeper for many years from 1825 until he gave up the business in 1849. He also was justice of the peace, assessor, and collector in the township, and a member of the Legislature in 1854. He was a most worthy man, and at the time of his death, 1867, was lamented and missed by the commu- nity at large. Many looked up to him for advice in matters concerning their property, and no one was better acquainted as to boundary lines between the farms and the titles thereto than he was. He was kind and charitable for all.

I. M. C. Marsh built the present hotel, which was occupied by Mr. Marsh, who kept the honse, 1867, '68, and '69; C. Mitchell, 1871-72; J. I. Smally, W. H. Kingsman, 1873; C. Brocksmith, 1874-79; and Amos W. Moffit, 1880-81.

Morgan's Hill .- On the road leading to Springfield from Westfield, nearly opposite to the residence of Isaac H. Scudder, and on the corner of his farm and road leading to Cranford, is where Morgan was hung, the murderer of Rev. Mr. Caldwell, on the 29th of Jannary, 1782, by Noah Marsh, sheriff of the county of Essex. This rise in the road has been since known as Morgan's Hill, a small pile of stone indicating the spot. He made no confession as to his motives in committing the crime for which he suffered, but it was believed that he was incited to it by the British. A sermon was preached in the Westfield Meeting- house by the Rev. Jonathan Elmer, of New Provi- dence (father of Dr. Jonathan Elmer, who was at this time a practicing physician in Westfield, and owned the farm after his death occupied by Judge Aaron Coe), from Jeremiah xliv. 4.

The following account is taken from the Gazette of Wednesday, Nov. 28, 1780, published as a newspaper by Rivington :

" Last Saturday the Reverend Mr. Caldwell, minister of the Dissent- ing congregation at Elizabeth-Town, was shot dead without any provo- cation at the Point by a native of Ireland named Morgan, one of the rebel twelve months' men. The Coroner's Inquest brought a verdict of willful murder against him. Mr. Caldwell had ever heen an active zealot in the cause of Independence, and was much esteemed and confided in by Mr. Washington and the Republican leaders. It is said he lately pro- moted a petition to the New Jersey Assembly for recalling the refugees To the repossession of their estales. Requiescat in pace."1

Branch Mills .- This hamlet, on the extreme bor- der of Westfield township, on the line of Springfield, has some fifteen dwellings, a school-house called the Union School for both townships, one paper-mill (Aaron and Charles Parkhurst, proprietors), and two grist-mills, one carried on by the Parkhurst Brothers,

1 See History of the Revolution in this work.

Le Cory

335

TOWNSHIP OF WESTFIELD.

and the other by William Drake, and owned by Silas D. Miller. These mills are fed by a mill-pond now known as Echo Lake. This lake is said to be sixty feet in depth, and on the easterly side a distinct an- swer or echo may be heard from the hill. The water is beautifully clear, surrounded mostly by fine trees, and is somewhat a resort for picnic as well as boating and fishing parties.

The outlet of this lake is in the mill-stream until it forms itself into a branch of the Normahiggen (an In- dian name, said to signify clear stream), which emp- ties into the Rahway River. This stream passes close by what is known as the Indian burial-ground. We notice an Indian relic at the Parkhurst mill, being a large stone in front of the mill-door, having an excava- tion of some nine inches and about twenty-two inches across, said to have been an Indian mortar for pound- ing their corn, contrasting vividly with the manner of grinding of grain in the mill by its side.

Census Report .- The township of Westfield con- tains a population of 2213, divided as follows : males, 1187; females, 1026 (for children, see report of schools).

Schools .- We find the following recorded by one of the former clergymen of this parish, Jan. I, 1839, in relation to the schools :

" This parish has been mors deficient in good schools for the education of children than in almost anything else of equal importance. No clas- sical school has ever bien established bere, and the consequence is that with all the mind and means which have existed here, very few have been graduated in any college or entered any of the learned professions. In respect to schools, however, we hope the tnture will excell the past, and that the love of learning and its benefits will greatly increase. Al- ready considerable has been done to promote these, especially by Sab- bath-schools and Bible classsa. They diffuse among the young a love of reading and habits of study ; still from these, as from our common schools, the scholars depart too soon. This many deplore, and are en. desvuring to prevent by inducing them to purane their studies further and longer."

The first school-house was built of hewed logs on the Coe farm, plastered. Mr. Andrew H. Clark said it was built square, and strong enough to resist an at- tack from the Indians. There were two windows on each side and one at the end opposite the door. The windows opened by shoving from right to left. This log school-house was built some time after the year 1750 and before the Revolution. Subsequently a frame school-house was built, which also served the purpose of religious meetings. It was destroyed by fire about the fall of 1816. The citizens were called to- gether and decided to build an academy of brick two stories high, the upper part for the church meetings, and on the same ground where their wooden structure had been burnt. They decided that the foundation should be of dressed or faced stone, and maples and elms should be planted all along the roadside for shade. This building was completed in the spring of 1819. It stood on the southeasterly side of the burial- ground.

In the year 1873 they decided to take down this old academy and build a more substantial building.

Daniel Halsey was one of the early teachers in this village. He was born at a place called Wichapogue, on Long Island, and one of the descendants of the Halsey family was asked in 1796 to write an appro- priate sign for a tavern-keeper. Mr. Halsey sent him the following grim effusion :

"Rum, whiskey, brandy, cordial, porter, beer, Als, apple-jack, and gin are dealt out here, Diluted, raw, or mixed in any measure, To all consumera conie and act your pleasure. The above specifica will in time, God knows, Pnt to a period all your earthly woes ; Or would you bring life to a splendidl close, Take donble slings, repeating dose on dose ; A panacea this for every ail.

'Twill use you up-'twas never known to fail, Use up your property ere ecarce you know it, Use up your character or sadly blow it, Ues np your health and strength and mind's reposs, And leave mayhap your carcass to the crows."

(It is not learned whether he used this sign or not.)

Mr. James Tevigan was teacher in the year 1808, then came Jonathan Miller, Andrew H. Clark, Jona- than Cory, Isaac H. Pierson, Dr. A. M. Cory, of New Providence, John Squire, Luther Littell, Jason El- liott, Mr. Ayres, Mr. Husten, J. Walsh, Mr. Mc- Cord, John Ripley, George Wheelen.

The present elegant three-story frame building on Prospect Street was completed with all the necessary appliances for conducting a high school as well as a primary department in 1873. The district (No. 10) is in the centre of the town, on about the highest ground. The lots are one hundred by two hundred and twenty-five, giving ample room for play-ground and decorations. The building is fifty by eighty feet, with tower and belfry. The present clerk of the dis- trict is Robert R. Sinclair, Esq .; and Stephen S. Mapes, who has done so much for the school and its present advancement, is the president of the board of trustees ; since 1869 William T. Peck and R. R. Sin- clair are the trustees. The following have been the teachers : H. E. Harris, principal, 1871-76 ; S. M. Blazier, principal, 1877-79; W. H. Elston, principal, 1880-81; Miss E. Stryker, 1871-81; Mrs. M. E. Goodrich, 1871-80; Miss Lillie Gilman, 1871-72; Miss Emma Johnstone, 1871; Mrs. H. G. Harris, 1871; Miss McQuoid, 1872-73; Miss Fanny Lever- idge, 1873-75; Miss - Cory, 1873-76; Miss - Gilbey, 1875-79; Miss P. S. Cory, 1878-81; Miss Anna Decker, 1880; Miss -Spicer, 1880-81 ; Miss Lillie Schamp, 1881 ; Miss Mary S. Cory, 1881 ; Miss Mary E. Moore, 1881.

LOCUST GROVE SCHOOL-HOUSE .- In the northerly part of the township and nearly opposite the residence of Mr. James T. Baker is to be seen a fine grove of locusts. Within the centre of this grove is the Locust Grove School-House, which has been built within a few years on the same site as the one which preceded it, and where the neighborhood had been taught for generations. The first school-house was built here long before the Revolutionary war, and stood on the

336

HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

cross-roads. The following is an imperfect list, and people of this place toward their minister at that early day is said to be found in the fact that they then wished and expected him to live, labor, and die among them, and gave him in fee simple one hundred acres of their parsonage land, including the square without dates, of those who have taught in this school : The first remembered was an Englishman by name of Chuesnitt, Miss Ryer, Peter B. Good, Phebe Clark, Katerine Clark, Sarah Dodd, Miss - Haviland, a Scotchman by name of Robinson, who would say a . fronting on the main street, from the present par- great many times a day, " Boys, I wash you to keep sonage line to where the arsenal stood by the corner of the late Mr. Sylvanus Pierson's farm. In 1803 the second frame church building was erected, costing six thousand dollars. steel, that is, if you con ;" Mulford Wilcox, Miss Stiles, Martin Cory, and the present one, Miss Minnie L. Taylor. "In ye olden time seventy-two days were counted for a quarter, and only one quarter was taught in a year, and this in the winter months."

The Old Westfield Church .- The first place of public worship in Westfield was a log house built in 1730. About this time the Rev. Nathaniel Hubbel became the first pastor, and before this so great was the love of the preached word among your pious an- cestors that they often traveled through the woods on foot to Elizabethtown, from Sabbath to Sabbath, to hear the gospel, and at the time it was remarked that they were in their seats in the sanctuary with great regularity at an early hour.

When Mr. William Miller left his friends at Eliza- bethtown to settle in Westfield, near the Branch Mills, the parting was rendered very solemn by the expecta- tion that they should seldom, if ever, see him again, the difficulty of passing and repassing seemed so great. But to their surprise as they went to the church on the next Sabbath morning they found him standing on the steps.

When they left their children at home on the Sab- bath, as a consequence of going so far to the meet- ing-house, they were strictly enjoined to remain in the house and learn the catechism, and on the return of their parents they were required to recite their lesson. On this the parents wisely insisted, and one of these grandchildren recently remarked that the only time he was ever chastised for any offense committed on the Sabbath was when he was discovered to have neglected his study and engaged in play. After this log meet- ing-house was completed the signal for the people to assemble at their appointed hour was the beating of a large drum. On hearing this the male members took their guns for fear of the Indians, who frequently annoyed the inhabitants, and they had many skir- mishes with them.

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 81

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