USA > New Jersey > Passaic County > Paterson > History of the Old Dutch Church at Totowa, Paterson, New Jersey, 1755-1827 : baptismal register, 1756-1808 > Part 2
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Wednesday morning, Sept. 20, 1752, the Cœtus Journal states :
David Marinus laid upon the table two letters from Dom. Schlatter, touch- ing his examination, which being closely examined by the Cœtus, confirmed them in their view that the aforesaid student, being under the Cotus of New York, should be examined by them; and they so decided. Whereon, D. Ma- rinus requested the examination, and presented his documents and testimoni- als, which being investigated, were all found to be to his praise, and his re- quest was granted. The President and Clerk being occupied with weighty
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19
DOMINIE DAVID MARINUS.
matters, Doms. Ritzema and Frelinghuysen were appointed to conduct the ex- ercise, and they appointed the candidate a text and a portion in the langua- ges. *
The next morning-
The Examinatores, proceeding to the examination of the candidate, David Marinus, called to Acquackanonk, first required him to ascend the pulpit and preach from 1 Cor. xii, 3. He was then examined in Hebrew and Greek and in Divinity, in which he gave so much satisfaction that the Assembly found no difficulty in admitting him to the office of the ministry, and whatever be- longs thereto. Thereupon he signed the Formulas of Unity, and Dom. Goet- schius [of Hackensack and Schraalenburgh] was appointed to ordain him in his holy office, with Dom. Curtenius [of Hackensack] in the laying on of hands.
The Cœtus of New York now write to the Cœtus of Phila- delphia :
We must highly approve your zeal for the maintenance of peace and love, shown in the letter of Dom. Schlatter, containing an extract from the reso- lution of the Synod of North and South Holland, concerning the examina- tion of Mr. David Marinus, together with a proposal to us whether we would find it agreeable to carry out the Synodical resolution.
Our brotherly reply is, that after mature deliberation and a careful inspec- tion of your letter and that of Dom. Schlatter to Marinus, that since this gen- tleman, with his congregation, belongs under the Coetus of New York, he ought to be examined by the same. Having thus concluded, we, at the re- quest of Marinus, examined him by two Examinatores, in the truths of the- ology, the languages. etc., and were so satisfied as to admit him to the office of the ministry, and he will be ordained at an early day. Thus you will be saved the trouble. t
The Cœtus, it should be understood, was a body of churches in America formed in 1747 for mutual advice and aid, which finally, in 1754, organized into a Classis and began regularly to ordain persons for the ministry-a power previously reserved exclusively to the church in Holland, and the exercise of which in America was opposed by a large portion of the church here, and hence the formation of the Conferentie to adhere to the old way. The Cœtus was the means of establishing the independ- ence of the American Reformed Dutch church, and founded Queen's, now Rutgers, College for the education of the ministry
*Journal of Cœtus, p. LXXIII.
tHe was ordained October 8, 1752, N. S. A detailed account of the examination as above, the ordination, etc., is recorded by Dominie Marinus in the Acquackanonk Church Records, Vol. I, pp. 633-4.
20
THIE OLD DUTCHI CIIURCH AT TOTOWA.
at home. Dominie Marinus was the first person ordained to the ministry by the Cœtus, and the act excited great hostility on the part of the Conferentie.
Marinus married Anna Du Bois, not unlikely a sister of his fellow student, Jonathan Du Bois. They had a son, David, baptized November 16, 1751, in the Acquackanonk church, as stated above. The sponsors of the infant David were Casparus Zabriskie and Katryntje Van Wagene (his wife) .* Dec. 4, 1753, Johannis Marinus is born, Johannis Wanshair and Chris- tina Wanshair standing sponsors at the baptism. May 3. 1756, Ezekiel Marinus ; Waling Van Winkel and Jannitje Van Houte, sponsors. Oct. 7, 1758, Margarita Marinus ; Gerrit Van Wag- ening and Sarah Van Winkel, sponsors. Dec. 10, 1761, Ger- ret Wynkoop Marinus ; Petrus Poulusse and Annatje Kip, sponsors. Some of Marinus's descendants still live near the Big Rock. Bergen county ; Garret Marinus, who lived for many years in Hamburgh avenue, near Union avenue, was a great- grandson of the old Dominie.
Dom. Marinus seems to have been a man of uncommon abil- ity. His examination was a splendid success. But there is reason to fear that he was like too many other brilliant young men- he lacked stability of character and that steadfastness of pur- pose so necessary to his or any other calling, and to retain the affections and esteem of the old Dutch people, who prized those qualities most highly. All his successes appear to have been accomplished during the first five or six years of his ministry. In 1753-'55 nineteen persons were received into the Acquacka- nonk church on profession of their faith, his wife being one of them. Then the record ceases. In 1755 and 1756, under his ministry, fourteen or fifteen were added each year to the Pomp- ton church. In 1753 he published " A Letter to the Inde- pendent Reflector," a small quarto pamphlet of thirty-one pages, reviewing the religious tendencies of certain articles in that pa- per, which was then edited by the young William Livingston, afterwards New Jersey's "War Governor" during the Revolu-
*The entry in the Church Record is in this form : [Parents]
[Sponsors]
David Marinus
Annatie i de booys
kaspares
Katrynte
Zabrieski | Van Wagene
- [Child] David
[Born]
[Baptized] 16 Novem.
21
DOMINIE DAVID MARINUS.
tion. In 1755 the Dominie published another small pamphlet, " A Remark on the Disputes and Contentions in this Province," under the name "David Marin Ben Jesse, Pastor at Aque- nonka." From this Hebrew nom de plume it may be inferred that he was the son of Jesse Marin or Marion. Both pamph- lets are to be found in the New Jersey Historical Society Library, and both display no little ability on the part of the writer .* But as we have said he seems to have lacked stability of character. After 1761, he resigns to another (from the feminine chirography perhaps his wife) the keeping of the baptismal register, and after 1767 he ceases to keep a marriage record. Unfortunately for him, he lived in troublous times-the conflict between the Cœtus and the Conferentie waged fiercely, and his Pompton congregation being divided, the Conferentie wing got possession of the church and shut him out, so that his friends had to build a new church for him, which they did about 1760, on the Plains. In those days, too, "total abstinence" was unknown, and though it was considered unseemly for a clergyman to get tipsy, it was quite "the thing" for him to stop in the tavern and take a glass of grog ; and even the good old Dominie Schoonmaker, more than half a century later, was always in the habit of taking a glass of hot toddy on winter mornings before going into church to preach.
Marinus appears for many years to have regularly attended the General Synod, or Cœtus, as in 1753, 1754 (when he was appointed on an important committee with Doms. Erichzon and Curtenius), 1760 (when he was Clerk pro tem. of the Co- tus), 1764, 1771 (at the general convention of ministers and el- ders, which preceded the organization of the General Synod), and 1772. The next reference to him in the Minutes of Synod occurs at the session of October, 1779, when the Particular Synod of Hackensack present a long report to the effect that "Dom. Marinus, then pastor at Kekkieth (Kakiat, now West New Hempstead, N. Y.), had again, at various occasions, indulged in his former sin of drunkenness, and other gross im- proprieties inconsistent with the holy office of a minister of the
*A further account of these pamphlets will be found in the Appendix.
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THE OLD DUTCHI CHURCH AT TOTOWA.
Gospel ;" that the consistory had arrested him from the dis- charge of the ministry, but he bound himself by a written agree- ment to amend and was allowed to preach again, but fell once more, and was then peremptorily enjoined from preaching. "On this occasion it was also stated that from all places where Dom. Marinus is conversant, exceedingly evil reports go forth of his disgraceful and scandalous conduct, and that he is also guilty of intruding into various congregations, and preaching the Word of God in taverns and private houses." Sept. 15th, 1778, the Particular Synod called up the erring pastor, when he confessed the truth of the charges, but also "brought various testimonies before the Rev. Body, in which it was declared, that for some months he had conducted himself soberly and correctly." How- ever the Synod suspended him. April 27th, 1779, it was re- ported that he had represented that the Synod had cleared him, and he was still preaching at Newfoundland and elsewhere, and had resumed his dissipated habits. The General Synod, therefore, October, 1779, on the strength of these reports sus- pended Marinus, and at the session a year later, it appearing that he persisted in his evil courses, formally deposed him from the ministry .* Truly a dark close to a life begun so brilliantly thirty years before. It is said that in these latter days the fallen man, conscious of error, would frequently exclaim at the close of an impassioned outburst of his old eloquence, Doet gij als Ik zegge, niet als Ik doc -- "Do as I tell you, and not as I do." Dom. Marinus left the Acquackanonk, Totowa and Pompton churches and went to Kakiat in 1773. The cause of his remov- al hence is not known.
VI. THE FIRST CONSISTORY.
The list of the first Elders and Deacons of the old Totowa church has been given above, but these men merit something more than a passing notice.
Simeon Van Winckel, Elder, was a son of Simon Jacobse (Van Winkel), one of the original Acquackanonk Patentees. IIe lived in what was known as De Witte Huijs-the "White House," on the bank of the Passaic river, at the foot of Willis
*Minutes of General Synod, Vol. I., 72-75, 76, 81,
23
THE FIRST CONSISTORY.
street, where there was anciently a ford. He carried on the tanning business there. He died in 1775. He was an uncle of Simeon Van Winkle of the Boght and of Wagraw, who was the grandfather of the late Cornelius Van Winkle of Ellison street, Paterson.
Jacob van Houte was probably of Slooterdam, son of Roelof Cornelis Van Honte and Jannetje Spier, born Oct. 26, 1721, and was the father of Gerrebrant Van Houten, grandfather of the late Judge Gerrebrant Van Houten of Water street, Pat- erson.
Johannes Reyerse was doubtless of the Goffle, and brother of Marten Ryerson, a liberal friend of the new church. He mar- ried Marietje Wessels, and was the father of Evert and Marten, twins, born July 26, 1753, Marten Ryerson standing sponsor at the baptism.
Jacobus Post built what has since been known as Zabriskie's mill, on the Bergen County side of the Passaic river, at the out- let of Saddle river. He was a man of more than ordinary ed- ucation for his day. He removed with his family to Orange county, N. Y., where his descendants thrive and multiply at Postville,* near Warwick. He probably removed thither about 1770-So.
Dierck Van Giesen, Deacon, lived in an old stone house still (1888) standing on Totowa avenue, near Ryerson avenue. Hle was a leading man in the church, and several times represented it at the General Synods.
Helmich Van Houten was probably a brother of Gerrebrand, grandfather of the late Judge G. Van Houten. He lived where the late Richard Benson lived on Totowa avenue, near the Lin- coln bridge.
Johannis van Houte probably lived near the little schoolhouse where the road turns off from Totowa to Singack. He was a son of Roelof, one of the earliest settlers thereabout.
Frans Post was either a son of Jacobus Post, above men-
*Now Edenville. "It was formerly called Postville, out of respect for Col. Jacobus Post, whose father first settled the location and owned the lands upon which the vil- lage stands."-History of Orange County, by Saml. W. Eager, Newburgh, 1846-7. P. 430.
24
THIE OLD DUTCH CHURCH AT TOTOWA.
tioned, or else belonged further down the river, toward Slooter- dlam.
VII. THE DEED FOR THE OLD CHURCH SITE.
The next document we have, throwing light on the old church's history, is the subjoined deed, the quaintness of which merits its publication in full. The original deed is still in ex- cellent preservation, being backed with linen for greater dura- bility. It may be well to state that the Henry Brockholst who conveys the property, was the son of Major Anthony Brock- holst, who did good service against the French and Indians at Canada in the seventeenth century. but failing promptly to ac- knowledge allegiance to the truculent Gov. Leisler in New York, on the accession of William and Mary to the British crown, was obliged to flee that Province in 1689, with nearly all the other best men of the city. Ile and Arent Schuyler bought, Nov. 11th, 1695, 5500 acres of land, in New Jersey, one tract of which (2750 acres) was called the " Lower Pacquanac Pat- ent," extending from the Passaic river near the Falls to the Pompton river, and embracing a large part of Totowa. Brock- holst lived at Pompton, about where the late Maj. Wm. W. Colfax lived. Henry Brockholst was born December 28, 1684, so that he was well on toward fourscore at the time he gave the deed for the church-site .*
Following is the deed to the Totowa church :
To all Christian people to whom these presents shall come, Henry Brock- holst Esq. sendeth greeting : know ye that I Henry Brockholst son and heir at law of Anthony Brockholst deceased in the county of Bergen in the prov- ince of New Jersey out of the good will I owe and the regard I have for the progress of the Christian Religion and especially the Manner of worship of the low duch Reformed Church of holland according as the same is Estab- lished by the National Synod held at Dordrecht in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and eighteen and nineteen for the promoting of Chris- tian Religion according to the principles and Church Discipline there estab- lished for the constitution of christian government we enjoy which prompting for and in consideration of four places or pats [plats?] in the "pue of the church now erected and built upon the premises hereby granted and known by the distinction of No. 1 upon a certain mapp or draught made of the
*For notices of Henry Brockholst see N. Y. Genealogical and Biographical Record, IX., 110, 188.
25
TIIE DEED FOR THE OLD CHURCH SITE.
several pues in said church freely and clearly giveing and allowing unto me my heirs and assignees forever have given granted bargained aliened Enfe- offed released Conveyed and Confirmed and by these presents Do give grant bargain sell alien Convey and confirm unto Cornelius Kip Robert Vanhouten Cornelis Westervelt Johannis Van Blarcom andl Cornelis Gerretse Trustees of the Low dutch reformed Congregation of Totua and to their successors that shall from time to time forever hereafter by the Congregation aforesaid be Chosen a Certain lott of land situate lying and being in the county of Bergen in Eastern Division of the province of New Jersey near the bridge erected over Passaic river at totua* where said church is now built on Beginning Eighty links distant upon a North forty three degrees West course from where a little Brook or run of Water emties itself into Passaick river; running from thence south fifty five degrees west four Chains and forty five links to a stake thence south eighty four degrees and a half East one Chain and twenty seven links to a white wood tree thence North twenty seven degrees and a half East five Chains and five links to a white Wood saplin thence south forty three degrees East three chains and a half to the beginning containing one acre To have and to hold all the above grantod and bargained premises with all manner of appurtenances and priviledges to the same in any manner or ways belonging reserving and excepting all mines and minerals unto the aforesaid trustees and their Successors aforesaid to their only sole use and proper behoof to the Members of the said low Dutch reformed Congregation who profess the prin- cipals of Religion and Church Government or Discipline Established at Dordrecht as aforesaid to the last survivors of the same forever and I the said Hennery Brockholst do for myself my heirs executors and administrators covenant promise grant and agree to and with the said trustees aforesaid and their successors as aforesaid forever that before the Ensealing and Delivery of these presents I am the sole true and lawful owner of the above granted and bargained premises and appurtenances and am lawfully seized and Possessed of the same in Mine own and proper right as a good perfect and Absolute Estate of Inheritance and have in myself good right full power and lawful authority to give grant bargain sell alien Convey and Confirm the same thus granted and bargained premises and appurtenances in manner as aforesaid and that the said trustees and their Successors as aforesaid for the use afore- said shall and may from time to time and at all times forever hereafter law- fully and peaceably and quietly have hold use occupy possess and enjoy the above granted premises and appurtenances free and Clear Freely and Clearly acquitted exonerated and discharged of and from all manner of former gifts grants bargains sales leases Mortgages Leases Dowers Entails jointures exe- cutions and all manner encumbrances whatsoever without any let suit truble eviction Ejection or any manner of molestation whatsoever of me the said Hennery Brockholst or any person or persons by from or under me they or any of them. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this
*This bridge crossed the river from the foot of Bank, street to where the residence of Mr. Abraham Westervelt now stands, on Water street, 2
26
THE OLD DUTCH CHURCH AT TOTOWA.
fourteenth day of April in the second year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the third by grace of god great Britain France and Ireland King defender of the faith Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred and sixty- two.
Signed sealed and
delivered in the presence of GEORGE RYERSE,
JACOB WIDMOUR.
HENRY BROCKHOLST. [L. S.]
The deed was acknowledged by Brockholst the same day, be- fore George Ryerse, "one of His Majesty's Judges of the Court of Common Pleas for Bergen county." It was recorded August 20, 1802, in the Bergen County Clerk's office in Book P of Deeds, p. 114, and is in Bergen County Transcribed Deeds, in the Passaic County Clerk's office, Book C, p. 90.
VIII. THIE TRUSTEES IN 1762.
A few words may be appropriate concerning the Consistory, mentioned as Trustees in the deed of 1762.
Cornelis Kip was doubtless the co-partner of George De Rie- mers (Doremus) in the purchase of the Preakness tract, in 1723 ; and lived at Preakness.
Robert Vanhouten and his wife Elizabeth Post joined the Acquackanonk church in 1738 ; he was elected Deacon in 1744. He lived west of Totowa, near the Singack road, and was the father of Adrian (born 1750) and Cornelus (born 1753) .
Cornelis Westervelt lived near Wagraw, and was the grand- father of the late Cornelius I. Westervelt, for many years Pres- ident of the Paterson Gas Light Company.
Johannis Van Blerkom lived at the southwest corner of Wil- lis street and Vreeland avenue, in an old stone house destroyed about 1870. He had several children, one of whom, Henry, served creditably in an engagement at Fort Lee, in the Revolu- tion. Johannis was the great-grandfather of the late ex-Mayor Brant Van Blarcom.
Cornelus Gerretse was a large land-owner at the Boght and lived there about the time the deed was given, about where the old Van Winkle homestead (late Riverside Hotel) stood prior to 1873. He sold this property to Simeon Van Winkle, who married his daughter Margaret about 1780. This Simeon was
27
THE CHURCH ON THE HILL-SIDE.
the grandfather of the late Cornelius Van Winkle, who was named after old Cornelus Gerretse or Garrison.
IX. THE CHURCH ON THE HILL-SIDE.
The plot of land given by Brockholst for a church site was almost triangular in shape, and was intersected by that part of the old Totowa road lying between the present Hamburgh and Totowa avenues, and from 1870 to 1887 called Water street, but now Ryle avenue. The northerly line would run parallel to Matlock street, and about one hundred feet south of that street. The south line of the present quarry road, running westerly from Ryle avenue, if extended northeasterly would be the line of the old plot. The easterly line ran within fifteen or twenty feet of the brook, or seventy-five to one hundred feet west of the present Hamburgh avenue. Thus the better and larger part of the tract lay north of the Totowa road, now Ryle avenue. The property included the lots designated on the city map as No.'s 45 to 56 inclusive, 57 and 59 Water street.
Thus, near the foot of the hill, upon the principal road north of the Passaic, within a stone's throw of the bright and rushing brook which flowed free and unconfined on one hand, and of the rippling Passaic on the other, with the roar of the mighty and undespoiled cataract ever sounding near ; con- venient to the only bridge which then spanned the Passaic river north of the town of Newark ; and also (important con- sideration) convenient to the inn where "refreshment for man and beast" was kept by Abraham Godwin (father of the old General) in the quaint, low stone house, recently the kitchen and dining room of Mr. Cornelius Benson, in Water street, and torn down only in 1886, but at that time directly opposite the north end of the solitary bridge-here we say, under the shadow of the forest-crowned hill, snugly sheltered from boreal blasts, did these God-fearing people erect their tabernacle for the Lord's worship. And here for nearly three-quarters of a century, did they assemble once or twice a month to hear the Word expound- ed in solemn and impressive Dutch.
The deed for the church-site speaks of the edifice as already built. Probably Brockholst had promised Dominie Marinus
28
THE OLD DUTCH CHURCHI ÅT TOTOWA.
(whose preaching he must have heard at Pompton) to give the land if he should get a church built here. There is every rea- son to believe that the building had been started, at least, fully seven years before the deed was passed.
The first published notice of the old church is doubtless that of the Marquis de Chastellux, a warm friend of Lafayette's, who traveled with the American army in 1780-2. In his Journal* he describes the location of the American Army on Totowa and Manchester Heights :
"It was encamped on two heights, and in one line, in an extended but very good position, having a wood in the rear, and in the front the river, which is very difficult of passage everywhere except at Totohaw-Bridge. * Two * miles beyond the bridge is a meeting-house of an hexagonal form, which is given to their places of worship by the Dutch Presbyterians, who are very numerous in the Jerseys."t
Thus de Chastellux. The word "hexagonal" was probably due to a slip in his memory, for in this case, at all events, it was as incorrect as the statement of the distance of the church from the bridge.
The exact location of the old church was about thirty feet cast of the Totowa road (now Ryle avenue), about one hun- dred feet south of Matlock street, or on the rear of Lot No. 45 Water street (as on the present city map) and ou the upper part of Lot No. 47.
X. ITs EXTERNAL APPEARANCE.
It was about 30x40 feet in area, possibly a little larger. The stone walls were only eighteen or twenty feet high, and the shingled roof overhung them two or three fect, making the walls appear much lower than they really were. The roof rose from all four sides with quite a steep pitch to a common point, which was surmounted by a belfry of great simplicity of construction-four posts like legs straddling over the pyramid-
*Travels in North America, etc., London, 1787, Vol. I., p. 109.
¡The original edition reads : "A deux milles au-dela du pont, on trouve un Meeting- House de forme exagone," etc .- Voyages de M. le Marquis de Chastellux dans L'Amer- ique Septentrionale dans les annees 1780, 1781 & 1783. Paris, 1786. I., 95. Had the Marquis Inserted the word "pieds" after the word "milles" he would have been less in- accurate, although the church was not even two thousand feet, much less two miles, from the bridge. The distance was less than five hundred feet, indeed.
29
ITS EXTERNAL APPEARANCE.
al apex, supporting a miniature shingle roof, which sheltered from the storms, in a measure, but left in plain view the bell and its attendant wheel, by which the people were summoned to service. This quaint belfry was capped by a weathercock, which flaunted his golden plumage in storm and sunshine for many, many years, his giddy evolutions contrasting strangely with the steadfastness of purpose of those whose voices on the Lord's Day ascended up through the not over-close roof be- neath him. It must have been a quaint-looking building, al- together, but its plan was very similar to that of all the early Dutch churches in America. The doorway in the middle of the front, towards the Totowa road, was quite spacious, was fronted by a broad step of brownstone, and flanked on either side by a large window. On each side of the building were two other similar windows, the top of each and all being turn- ed with a brick arch, as was also the top of the door. There were no windows in the rear.
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