History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 88

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 88
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 88

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Amos succeeded to the homestead of his mother ; was married in 1871 to Louise, daughter of John Conselyea, of French extraction, who was born at Caldwell, Essex Co., N. J .; they have one child, Amos A., born September, 1873. Mr. Amos Potter has been a farmer since arriving at the years of manhood, owns one hundred and fifty acres, is a member and elder in the Presbyterian Church ; a Republican in politics, having taken active part, has held the several offices of freeholder, town committeeman, and assessor sev- eral years; was a delegate to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church at Cincinnati, Ohio, ap- pointed by the church in May, 1867.

CHAPTER LI.

SPRINGFIELD.

Original Boundaries .- Application was made to the Legislature in the year 1793, and an act was passed May 27th, providing "That all that part of the township of Elizabethtown and the township of Newark lying within the following line: Beginning on the bank of the Rahway River in the line which divides the wards of Springfield and Westfield ; thence running in the said line to the top of the mountain, and from thence to New Providence Meeting-house, and thence to Passaic River; thence down the said river to the bridge commonly known by the name of Cook's Bridge ; thence down the old road to the top of the mountain ; thence on a direct line to Kean's Mills; thence on a direct line to a bridge which crosses the east branch of Rahway River, commonly known by the name of Pierson's Bridge, by his mill- dam; and from thence down the said river to the place of beginning, shall be and is hereby set off from the townships of Elizabethtown and Newark, and made a separate township to be called by the name of Springfield township." 1

This act remained in force until Nov. 8, 1809, when New Providence township was taken from the township of Springfield, and on the 17th day of March, 1869, part of Summit township was formed from the westerly portion of the township of Spring- field.

The township is now bounded as follows: On the south by Westfield, on the easterly by Union, north- easterly by Milburn, in Essex County, and north and westerly by Summit and part of Westfield township, in Union County. It is about five miles long and two miles wide. -

Natural Features,-The natural features of this township are nearly a level plain with the exception of the Short Hills, being parts of the edge of the First Mountain adjacent to Summit township, and near the Huntly Station on the Delaware and Lackawanna Railroad. At this point can be obtained a beautiful view of the surrounding country for many miles, and it is the late Bishop Hobart's country-seat of many acres in Milburn township. The geological features are mostly of the triassic formation, and in many places showing igneons or volcanic action, and as we descend to the level many changes may be observed, the clay and silicious with many conglomerates inter- lying the strata until we reach the branches of the Rahway River. The township has a sufficient supply of springs and small streams, including the head source of the Rahway River, and hence the name of Springfield is properly given to it.

Early Settlements .- The settlement of this town- ship dates back to the year 1717, when the Briant family made it their home, coming hither from Hackensack. The Stites, Denman, Whitehead, and Van Winkle families followed. Others moved up from "the Farms." Imagine if you can only three fam- ilies between Morristown and Elizabethtown, on this extensive tract of country now so thickly populated, and seamed with railroads, and dotted over with vil- lages, and covered with great mills and factories. Think of it with only three houses in it! These broad fields uncultivated, these hills covered with dense forests, these streams hidden by the wild growths of nature, and only one road (more nearly resembling a modern cart-path at that) threading its uncertain way from one town to the other. The greater part of the original settlers were from Eliza- bethtown and Newark, and we find that this township was not settled until fifty-three years after the settle- ment of Elizabethtown. The province had at the time something over forty thousand inhabitants.

John Stites was born in England in the year A.D. 1595. Tradition says that he emigrated from Lon- don to New England in the time of Oliver Cromwell. He finally settled on Long Island, and died there in 1717, aged one hundred and twenty-two years.

Richard Stites, son of John, was born 1640. He lived at Hempstead, Long Island, and died 1702, aged sixty-two years.

William Stites, son of Richard, was born at Hempstead, Long Island, in 1676. He removed to Springfield, N. J .. and died there May 13, 1727, aged fifty-one years. His wife died April 21, 1728, aged fifty-one years. They had seven children,-John, born 1706; Hezekiah, born 1708; Richard, born 1715, died young, May 15, 1727 ; Rebecca, born 1717, and married Jacob Carle; William, Jr., died at Mount Bethel in his ninety-first year; Elijah, born 1721, and died at Scotch Plains, 1765; and Benjamin, mar- ried Betsey Willcox, daughter of Peter Willcox, Jr., and lived and died at Scotch Plains.

1 Paterson's Laws of New Jersey.

363

SPRINGFIELD.

Abner Stites, son of Elijah, son of William Stites, Sr., lived at Scotch Plains. He had nine children by Huldan Crane, whom he married April 18, 1786, daughter of Isaac Crane, of New Providence. He was a captain of militia, and an elder in the Presby- terian Church. He died 29th April, 1831, in his sixty-seventh year. His wife died June, 1835, aged seventy years.

Their first child was named Miller Stites, but died young. Elijah, their second child, was a merchant in Springfield. He married Jane Wade, daughter of Jonas Wade, Esq., of Springfield. He was quite a prominent man in the township. He died 10th of October, 1857, in his sixty-seventh year. William Stites, his third son, was a paper-manufacturer of Springfield, was a justice of peace, a judge of the court, a member of the new Constitutional Commit- tee of the State in 1844, has been a number of terms a member of the Legislature. He married Hannah B. Smith, daughter of Capt. John Smith ; has an only daughter, Jane Robinson, who married Dr. John C. Elmer, of Mendham, son of Dr. Horace Elmer. He died, lamented by his neighbors and the church, 30th of June, 1871, in his seventy-ninth year.

His fourth child, Huldah Grant, married John Thompson, son of Jabez Thompson. They had five children,-Jabez (who died & young man), Silas Stites, Jane Stites, Cornelia Elmer, Ezra Fairchild. She died 21st of August, 1832, aged thirty-six years.

His fifth, a son, John M. Stites, was a tanner and currier in New Providence. He was an elder in the church there. He married his cousin, Jane Bonnel, daughter of Nathaniel 3d. He was born 2d of September, 1797. She was born 3d of July, 1795. They had two children,-William Crane, born 16th of November, 1829, and Huldah, born 24th of July, 1833.

His sixth child, Chloe Jefferson, who married Ezra Fairchild, of Mendham. He for many years was principal of a classical school on Long Island. They had three children,-1. Elias Fairchild, who married, 16th of March, 1850, Agnes Anderson, daughter of Robert Anderson, Esq., of Plainfield ; she died about nine months thereafter. 2. Emily Fairchild, married Mr. Allen P. Northrup. 3. Rev. Elijah S. Fairchild.

Abner Stites, his seventh child, was born 24th of September, 1803, and was a merchant and postmaster in Springfield for a number of years, and elder in the Presbyterian Church, and held many township offices. He married Charlotte Bonnel, who was born 27th of Angust, 1814, daughter of Sylvanns, son of John Bonnel, and have children,-1. Edward More, born 12th of October, 1847 ; 2. Charlotte Morrell, born March, 1850, and is married and lives in Newark. Mr. Stites died 25th of June, 1867. Their eighth child, John, who died young; and their ninth, Approlas, who married Mary Bryant, daughter of Simeon Bryant, of Springfield, lived in New York, and has two children,-Theodore and Matilda.

The following epitaphs are to be seen in the old Revolutionary burying-ground on the Matthias Den- man farm, Springfield. (Contains about three acres, and belongs to the Stites family.)

On a flat stone :

" Here lies interred ye body of John Stites, Esq., who departed this life April the 21st, Anno Domini. 1782, in the Ixxvi. year of his age. He lived beloved and died lamented by Church & State, also ye body of Mrs. Margert, his widow, who died Sept. 6, A.D., 1748, in her 69th year of age."

On a double stone :

" William Stites. Died ye 13 May, 1727, in his 5Ist year.

"Mary, wife of William, died April ye 21, 1728, in her 51st year."

On a double stone :

" Here lies Ezekiel and Richard Stites, deied 'May 15, 1727, ye 12th year, and Feb. 10, 1728, ye 20th year."

Among the early settlers were the name of Blacks, but now the name is extinct in the township; an old homestead is known as the Blacks' house or place. Also the name of Byram or Byrams; he was an inn- keeper before and during the Revolutionary war, "and tbe record goes on to say Gen. Greene put np at Byram's tavern." The name of Van Winckle is also mentioned, and also in 1738 it is believed that there were only three houses in the village of Springfield,-one occu- pied by Van Winckle family, one' also by Thomas Denman, and the other by the Whitehead family.

The second house east from the church, one of the four which was left standing after the burning of the village by the British, 1780, and is now standing at this time,1 we are told that Hon. Abraham Clark, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, re- sided for a time. The family of Reeves were among the early settlers; they lived on the north side of the First Mountain. Capt. Isaac Reeves was connected with Col. Dayton's regiment during the Revolution- ary war, having a company doing good service. His remains lie in the old Revolutionary burying-ground, but the stone is gone. His wife, Catherine, died March 3, 1783. Watts Reeves is also mentioned 1798. Also epitaphs to the family of Brookfields are buried in this old ground :

" Erected to the Memory of JACOD BROOKFIELD. EsQ., who departed this life Jan. 4, 1782, in the Goth year. This body in the grave wee lay, The to God has winged her way. We hope in Christ they yet will meet And reign in him with jay complete

In Memory of William Brook field, who departed this life Oct., 1779, In ye 30th year of his age."

We find that Jacob Brookfield was captain.2 An account given by Col. Symmes says, " Capt. Brook- field, who commanded the flanking on the left, made

1 Mrs. Dr. Elmer, of Springfield.

ª Hatfield's Elizabeth, p. 452.

364

HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

the first onset on the right of the enemy, extending from the church up the Vauxhall Road." This was at the battle of Springfield, June 23, 1780.

John Smith is mentioned as Capt. Smith. He had a danghter Hannah, who married William Stites, of Springfield.

From an old Centinal newspaper, in the year 1820, is the following: "Walter Smith, born in the year 1723, now in his ninety-seventh year, has eight chil- dren living, eighty-nine grandchildren, ninety-three great-grandchildren ; total descendants, 182, besides forty sons- and daughters-in-law who have married in the family, and, what is more remarkable, within four years the whole family except two lived within the sound of the parish church-bell." Walter Smith held many important trusts in the township; was for many years chosen freeholder, and interested in many improvements in the township. Samuel C. Smith, now living on the road from Summit to Springfield, is an elder in the Presbyterian Church ; has also held many important trusts, been assessor eight years, col- lector four years, town committee two years, and has for twelve years past been chosen freeholder. There are but few of his age in the township, and has lived to see neighbor after neighbor pass away until he is about the only one left of the past generation.

The Denman family were among the first. Philip Denman is recorded as having held the office of chosen freeholder for many years from the year 1801. He must have been the son of Thomas Denman, who first settled here in 1738. Matthias Denman resided nearly opposite the Presbyterian Church. He mar- ried Phebe, daughter of Capt. Enos Baldwin, son of John Baldwin, who lived in Livingston township, and had eight children,-1, Sally Denman, who mar- ried William Parcel, had no children ; 2, Samuel Denman, lived and died in Philadelphia; 3, Aaron Denman, married a Miss Mulford ; 4, Elizabeth Den- man, married Col. Abraham K. Wooley, son of Col. Abraham Wooley, of Springfield ; 5, David Denman, married Miss Lyon, daughter of Elijah Lyon ; 6, Phebe Denman, married Oliver Wade, son of Jonas Wade, Esq .; 7, Mary Denman, married, first, Mr. Tenbrook, second, Charles Atwater; 8, Charlotte Denman, married Rodney Wilber, Esq., of Newark.

The Wade family are a branch lineage of the Ben- jamin Wade branch, who settled at Connecticut Farms in 1675. The upper portion adjoining the township of Springfield was called the Wade Farms, now part of Union township. Capt. John Wade is mentioned, and who held position in the township; also Uzal Wade, who was town clerk for many years from 1804. Jonas Wade and Nathaniel Wade have also held township offices. They have been active in all the interests to promote the welfare of the Old Church. (For Wades see Union township.)

Woolley. This family came from Southampton, L. I., about the year 1683. Robert Woolley was one of the Elizabeth Town Associates in 1699. John,

William, and Edward were doubtless sons of Eman- uel, but it is not known if at all Robert and Emanuel were related. A branch of the family settled in Springfield. Col. Abraham Wooley is mentioned as inn-keeper in 1793. He held many important offices in the township. His son was also a Col. Abraham K. Wooley, who married Elizabeth Denman, daugh- ter of Matthias Denman.1 Jacob Woolley, Sr., of Springfield, married Hannah, daughter of Abner Thompson. They had eight children,-1, Polly Woolley, who married Charles Thompson Day, son of Thaddeus Day; 2, Abner Woolley, who was killed by the fall of a tree in Michigan, aged twenty-seven years ; 3, Jacob Woolley, Jr., married Mary Burnet, danghter of Capt. Jonathan Burnet, and had four children ; 4, Betsey Woolley, married Jacob Miller, son of Enoch Miller, of Westfield ; 5, Thompson Woolley, married Elizabeth Dean, daughter of Wil- liam, son of John Dean, and had three children ; 6, Hannah Woolley, married Squire Woodruff, son of Reuben ; 7, Charlotte Woolley, married Samuel Mooney, son of Nicholas; and S, Abraham Woolley.

We also find the names of Elias Van Arsdale, 1794; William Steele, 1796; David C. Baldwin, 1806 ; Israel Day, 1811 ; Elias Wade, 1822; Caleb S. Miller, 1823; Matthias Meeker, 1794; Moses Ball, 1804; Stephen Monrhouse, 1807; Samuel Bailey, 1817 ; Caleb Woodruff was collector from 1809 to 1827, being nineteen years, besides holding many other offices in the township; Daniel S. Briant, 1821 ; Samuel Tyler was justice of the peace in 1803 ; Jo- seph F. Hardy, 1803 ; Samnel Parkhurst was promi- nent in the township, elder in church, justice of the peace, 1800; Abner Ball, 1806; Philemon Dickerson was a justice of the peace; William Brown, 1808; Elias Tooker, Joseph Pierson, 1793; John C. Crane, 1801; Benjamin Bonnel, 1809; Samuel Colie, 1819; Abraham Parkhurst, 1820; Israel D. Condit, 1827 ; Cyrus Durand, 1821; Isaac Brookfield, 1829, as town clerk ; Enoch Ball, 1816; Stephen Townley, 1822; Benjamin Day, 1810; William Parcell, 1812; Samuel Clark, 1801; Samuel Potter, 1798; Elijah Squire, 1790; Nathaniel Littell, 1804; Abraham Parkhurst was chosen freeholder, 1817 to 1826 ; was a prominent citizen of the township.

Many of the above names are the first settlers or sons, and the dates named are when mention is first made in this township before Milburn and Summit were set off, and mention is also made in these said townships of these old families.

Civil Organization .- Springfield was formed from Newark and Elizabethtown (then Essex County) in 1793. The first record of this township made in the town books is as follows :

" Al a town-meeting held at the house of Mr. Abraham Woolley, Innkeeper in Springfield, the 14th day of April, in the year of our Lord 1794, pursuant to an act of the Legislature of New Jersey passed at Trentou the 27th of May, 1793, the following officers were duly elected :

1 Littell's Passaic Valley.

365

SPRINGFIELD.

"Samuel Potter, Esq., moderator, and Elias Van Arsdala, towo clerk; Freeholders, Walter Smith and Elijah Squier ; Commissioners of Appeal, Nathaniel Little, Samuel Tyler, and Jeremiah Mulford; Assessor, Matthias Meekar; Collactor, Abraham Woolley; Surveyors of High- ways, William Steele and Matthias Denman; Overseers of tha Poor, Ezra Baldwin, Samual Potter, and Joseph Pierson; Pouod-keapar, John Woodruff; Constables, Nathaniel Budd, Stephen Morehouse, and Isaac Sampson ; Overseers of the Highways, Amos Potter, David Pier- aon, Joseph Doty, Caleb Potter, Obadiah Wade, Benjamin Pettit, Ephraim Little, John Willcocka, Stephen Denmen, Jacob Brookfield, Uriah Smiith, Simeon Squier, Enos Baldwin, Aaron Carter, Stephen Lyon, Walter Smith, Brient Durand, Watts Reeve, John Smith, John Squier, Jonathan Meeker, Isaac Halsey, Philip Denman, Isaac Sayre, Jr., Cor- nelius Williams, and Samuel Tyler.

"The town-meeting was then adjourned to meet at the house of Abraham Woolley, innkeaper, on the second Monday in April next as the law directe."

TOWN CLERKS.

Elias Van Arsdale, 1794-97.

William Steel, 1796. Watta Reeve, 1798-1803.

Uzal Wade, 1804-8.

David C. Baldwin, 1806-7.

John Wade, 1809-10, 1814-21.

Horace Park, 1856. Thomas P. Toule, 1858-61. Judah A. Smith, 1862-64.

Joseph H. Doyle, 1865.

Reuben G. Marsh, 1866-73.

J. Edgar Meeker, 1874.

Reubao G. Marsh was appointed town clerk by Town Committee, Ang. 19, 1879, to fill the unex- pired term of Rufus Rand. Reuben G. Marsh, 1880-81.

ASSESSORS.

Matthias Meeker, 1794-98.

Elijah Woodruff, 1799, 1803, 1805-6. Moses Ball, 1804.

Stephan Morehouse, 1807, 1814-16.

Stephan Townley, 1808-9, 1811-13. Åbner Ball, 1×10.

Nicholas C. Cox, 1871.

William B. Stites, 1881.

COLLECTORS.

Abraham Woolley, 1794-97, 1803-5.

Isaac Roll, 1798-1801. Uxal Wade, 1806-8. Caleb Woodruff, 1809-27.

Aaron HI. Burnet, 1852-55. Ziba H. Sickly, 1856, 1858-64.

John Smith, 1822.

Aaron D. Soplar, 1865-73.

Daniel S. Brinnt, 1828-31.

Elijah Stites, 1832-45.

JUSTICES OF PEACE.

Samuel Tyler, 1803.

Elias Tuokar, 1852.

David Brison, 1855. Devid B. Sayre, 1856. Åbner Styles, 1856. Theodore Pierson, 1861. Zila H. Sickly, 1861-71. William S. Smith, 1871. John L. Currie, 1881.

George Mulford, 1881.

TOWN COMMITTEE.

Grover Coe, 1798-1800.

Abraham Woollay, 1798-1802. Joseph Pierson, 1798-1800. Abner Ball, 1798-1809. Sammel Potter, 1798-1800. Israel Day, 1800, 1806, 1808. William Brown, 1800-20. John C. Crane, 1801-5. Saomel Clark, 1801-2, 1804-9. Caleb Woodruff, 1803-8. Benjamin Bunnell, 1807. Joseph J. llerdy, 1809-12. 24

Uzal Wade, 1809-23.

Samuel Parkhurst, 1810-15. Stephen Towuley, 1810-11. William Parcell, 1812-16. Stephen Baldwin (Cept.), 1813-34. Samuel Bailey, 1816. Enoch Ball, 1816. Daniel S. Briaut, 1817-26. Benjamin L. Day, 1817-21. Cyrus Durand, 1821. Philemon Dickersoo, 1822-41. Samuel Colie, 1822-35.

John Wade, 1824-27. Elijah Stires, 1827. Abraham Parkhurst, 1828-29. Jonas Wade, 1828. Isaac Brookfield, 1829-35. Israel D. Condit, 1830. Walter Smith, 1831-32. Samuel Halsey, 1832, 1835-44. Isaac D. Smith, 1833-34. W. W. Parkhurst, 1835. Sammel C. Smith, 18'6, 1852. Noah Clark, 1836-41, 1845. Solomon Deau, 1836-37. Ezra S Gardner, 1837-43, 1848-56. Daniel Mulford, 1838-41. Andrew W. Brown, 1842, 1844, 1874-75.

Richard Tners, 1842-50.

Daniel Balwin, 1842.

Daniel Belwin, 1843.

Thomas W. Reynolds, 1843-44.

Isaac Lyon, 1844. Wickliff S. Condit, 1845.

Cyrus Parkhurst, 1845, 1848-50, 1869-70.

John Carter, 1845-47.

Stewart C. Marsh, 1846-47.

Aaron H. Burnet, 1846-50. Edward S. Hand, 1846-47. Job S. Williams, 1848-49, 1851.

John M. Tooker, 1850-51, 1859-63. Auner J. Reeve, 1851-54. William H. Smith, 1851. John Crowell, 1852. William H. Parcell, 1852. Samiel M. Bailey, 1852, 1855-56. Samiel Bailey, Jr , 1853. Edwin A. Clayton, 1853-54.

John D. Crowell, 1853.

Henry W. Morehouse, 1853.

Benjamin S. Deen, 1854, 1858-64.

William H. Briant, 1854. Theodore Pierson, 1850-56. Jacob French, 1855-56. ABron F. Ross, 1855-56. Rufus Rand, 1858. John C. Sickly, 1858-60. Isaac Bannister, 1858. James J. Bradley, 1858. John Richerda, 1859. George Mulford, 1859, 1863-64 1867-68. Theodore Overmiller, 1860. Jacob M. Vanwagener, 1860, 1862. Lewis A. Denman, 1861. 1865. John Pndney, 1861-62, 1866-68. William S. Dunican, 1861-62 George W. Brown, 1863-64. James M. Woodruff, 1863-64, 1866.

Henry Morgan, 1864-72. John L. Curive, 1865. William S. Smith, 1865. George R Baker, 1865. George M. Tingley, 1866-68. Devid W. Alling, 1866. Charles H1. McCormick, 1867-68. William Hastings, 1869-70, 1872-73. Theodore L. Currie, 1869, 1871.

Henry M. Gravea, 1870-73. Heory Munker, 1870-72. JADies Farrow, 1871-73.

J. Martin Roll, 1873, 1876-81. Sylvenus Lyon, 1873-78. Theodore D. Sickly, 1874. N. C. Cox, 1874-75. William C. Corby, 1874-77. Jonathan Edgar Meeker, 1875-81. William Corby, 1875-76. William B. Stites, 1876-78, 1880.

George W. Cain, 1878-79. Charles T Corby, 1880-81.

CHOSEN FREEHOLDERS.

Walter Smith, 1794-1800.

Elijah Squier, 1794-1800. Philip Denman, 1801-5, 1807-8.

Israel Day, 1801-3, 1806-21.

Nathaniel Little, 1804-5.

Ezra Baldwin, 1806, 1809-11.

Samuel Parkhurst, 1812-16, 1828- | 31. Abraham Parkhurst, 1817-26. John Wade, 1822, 1832-36.

William Stites, 1823-31, 1840-44, 1854-58.

William Parcel, 1827.

Daniel Balwin, 1832-35, 1837-38, 1844-49, 1853-54.

Israel D. Condit, 1836-38, 1840.

Calvin D. Bonnel, 1839. Isaac M. Haod, 1839.

Samuel Halsey, 1841.

Aaron Deoman, 1842-43, 1×45-47. Andrew W. Browo, 1848-64, 1866. Elijah W. Smith, 1850-53, 1856. Anzi Condit, 1855-56. Aboer D. Reeve, 1855. Thomas W. Reynolds, 1859. John C. Sickly, 1861-63. William H. Briant, 1864, 1866. Theodora Pierson, 1865, 1878. Jamas W. Clark, 1865.

Alexander Robinson, appointed by Town Committee, 1867-68.

Cyrus Parkhurst, 1867. John M. Tooker, 1867.

Samuel C. Smith, 1868-70, 1872-73, 1875-81.

In the year 1829 a committee was appointed to arrange for a seal of the township. They made the following report, which was adopted :

"The committee for tha towoship of Springfield met at the house of William Stark weather, inn-keeper, on Saturday, September the twelfth, eighteen hundred and twanty-oine, for the purpose of agreeing upon device which should ba known as the common seal of said township. The committee did resolve sod agrea that the impression of the eagle side of an American half-dollar should be known as the common seal of Baid township.

" In witness whereof tha committee have herewith subscribed their names the day and year above written.

" PHILEMON DICKERSON, " IAAAC BROOKFIELD,

" ABRAHAM PARKOURST, " SAMIRE, COLIE, " Town Committee."

Abraham Woolley, 1806, 1808-10. Abner Ball, 1806-9. William Brown, 1808-10. Joseph T. Hardy, 1809-10.

Sammel Parkhurst, 1810-18.

Caleb Woodruff, 1818.

Philemon Dickerson, 1836.

Aaron A. Buruet, 1850, 1855, 1860. Thumas W. Reynolds, 1850.

Thomas C. Bradbury, 1851-52. Rufus Rand, 1853, 1875-79.

George Mulford, 1854-55.

Israel Day, 1811-13.

Eliaa Wade, Jr., 1822, 1824-25. Caleb S. Miller, 1823. Samuel C. Smith, 1826-32.

Abner Stites, 1833-46.

Wickliff S. Condit, 1847-48,

Edwin A. Crossman, 1849. Jul S. Williams, 1850.

Theodore Pierson, 1848-53, 1859-64. Samuel C. Smith, 1854-58, 1866-68. Joseph H. Doyle, 1865.

George Mulford, 1869, 1×72-80.

George Il. Bakar, 1>70.

Sammel Bailey, 1817-31, 1833-44. Jacob French, 1845-47.

Samuel C. Smith, 1846-49. Albert D. Traphagan, 1850-51.

Asa T. Woodruff, 1874-81.

366

HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

Present Census .- The report of census committee, 1880, of this township, that it contains a population of 845, and of children attending the public school, 287.

The Village of Springfield .- In 1738 it is be- lieved that there were only three houses in the vil- lage of Springfield, which were occupied by Thomas Denman and the Van Winekle and Whitehead fami- lies. The First Presbyterian Church was built about the year 1747. Tradition says the church was built of logs, and the second meeting house built in 1761 upon the spot where the present one is standing, and stood until destroyed by the hands of the British soldiers on 23d day of June, 1780, and the present edifice was erected in 1791. The present Methodist Episcopal Church was erected in 1833. The present Union Academy was built in 1857, the upper part being used as a town hall. The village contains two houses of entertainment, one of which has stood for many years, called the Washington Hotel, and the other to the west of the village facing the Westfield road, called the Springfield Tavern. There are at the present about one hundred and twenty-five dwellings and stores, with a population of six hundred. The following names of those who are engaged in busi- ness at the present time :

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History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 88

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