USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > Tennent > History of the Old Tennent church : containing : a connected story of the church's life, sketches of its pastors, biographical references to its members, all its earlier record lists, full quotations of its earlier historical records, a complete list of burials in all its graveyards, many of its local traditions, most of its important illustations and maps, an account of the battle of Monmouth, and a large collection of genealogical notes > Part 9
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39
107
THE BATTLE OF MONMOUTH.
were hastened in their departure by the British bringing in one of their wounded officers for care, and in their hurry out jumped over the half of the old fashioned door. The wounded officer remained in the home a long while and was faithfully cared for. He taught Mrs. Davis to make an ointment for the healing of flesh wounds, with this formula : Take a quantity of caul fat of hogs, and let it simnier slowly on the back of the stove until it is all dissolved. To one por- tion of the fat add half as much melted rosin and beeswax. This was known in the family afterwards as "Pense's Salve" taking its name from that of the wounded officer.
During the times of the Battle, families in Old Tennent congrega- tion and others in the vicinity suffered at the hands of the British, who, it is said, burnt the homes of Dr. Thomas Henderson, Benjamin Covenhoven, George Walker, Hannah Solomon, Benjamin VanCleve, David Covenhoven, and Garret Vanderveer, and destroyed the home of John Benham, and others besides. (Ellis). In contrast to this while some suffered in the loss of their homes, others were honored in the use of their homes, for it is told that Moses Laird, at English- town, sumptuously entertained Gen. Washington on the night before the Battle, in a house which was afterwards owned by Old Tennent for a time and used as a parsonage. (See in Genealogical Notes in Appendix under Laird family).
From a farm very near by the church Samuel Craig with his broth- ers James and David went into the Battle, and coming home on Mon- day found some of the American soldiers cutting the grass in one of his fields presumably for their horses. Turning to him they said "Comrade, this is pretty hard lines," "No," said Mr. Craig, "take all you can get." Also of this same Samuel Craig and his brother it is told in an ancestral tradition that they were cutting buckwheat on his farm about a half mile to the west of the church, in September following the Battle. Hearing their dogs barking excitedly in the woods they went over to investigate the cause, and beheld a gruesome spectacle. Leaning against a tree and supported by a thick growth of briars was the dead body of a Hessian with his musket standing by him. It was supposed that he had been wounded in the Battle and strayed away in the woods : or had lost his way, and being over- come with the excessive heat had drunk profusely of water in the brook near by, and thus had died, a sad and lonely instance of the dreadful events of war.
108
HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT.
There is an interesting tradition connected with the old John Craig farm-house on the farm now owned by Samuel Craig Cowart and Enoch L. Cowart, the location of which is shown on the map of the Battle Ground in this chapter. John Craig was in the American Army on the day of the battle, and left his wife and his one child Amelia and two slaves at the old farm-house. As soon as Mrs. Craig heard the British were likely to join battle with the American forces near the old farm, she packed her household goods in two wagons and with her child and two slaves rode toward Upper Freehold in the direction from which the British Army had come, thus expecting to avoid molestation. Before leaving the farm-house she took her silver, and placing it in a kettle, sunk it in the open well. She then took the buckets and chain which hung on the old fashioned sweep and hid them in the hay mow in the barn. The British shortly afterwards reached the farm-house and occupied it as a hospital. They took bed cording from the beds and hung an iron kettle upon the sweep, and after exhausting the water in the well found the silver at the bottom. The iron kettle is now in possession of Mr. Samuel C. Cowart, of Freehold ; who is a great grandson of John Craig. This farm has been in the continuous possession of Mr. Cowart and his maternal ancestors for two hundred years. The house is located about one mile west of Freehold, near Hartshorne's mill. A number of British soldiers were buried back of the house. Lord Sterling's artillery was placed on the high piece of ground on the westerly side of the farm, and there is a tradition that two cannon of the British were sunk in the meadow in the retreat from the Battle.
Referring to the map, page 105. the farm house located near to where Gen. Washington bivouacked for the night, subsequently became the home of Jacob Herbert : and the farm house, located near and on the east side of the hedgerow, became the home of Ezekiel Gordon, which he purchased in 1804 from Thomas Lloyd and an added portion from Jonathan Rhea in 1806.
Some local points of interest connected with the Battle may be men- tioned as follows :- Gen. Clinton's headquarters were in what is now Mr. William Moreau's farm house, on the Freebold and Smithburg turnpike, just on the outskirts and on the south side of Freehold .-- In the rear of St. Peter's Episcopal church, northwest corner of Main and Throckmorton Sts., Freehold, a number of soldiers killed in the Battle were buried : and the church building was used as a hospital
109
THE BATTLE OF MONMOUTH.
by the British .- The residence of Gen. David Forman, sometimes called "Black David" from his dark complexion and to distinguish him from sheriff David, and who was one of the strongest and boldest supporters of the cause of American Independence in Monmouth County, is now owned and occupied by James B. Vredenburgh, and is on the southerly side of Freehold .- The original Monmouth Court House was built in 1715, and the present one in 1874 a little in the rear of the original site. On this spot in June 1774 was held the first Revo- lutionary meeting in New Jersey. The Court House was used as a hospital by the British, who on retreating left in it 5 officers and 40 soldiers to be cared for by the American army .- The John Craig house, adjoining and northeast of the Court House, is still part of the building now occupied as stores and law offices. It was used as a hospital for British soldiers during the Battle ; and here "The Wash- ington Star," the first paper published in Freehold, was issued in 1814.
Many relics have been gathered up from the battle-field by people of the vicinity, highly prized material mementoes of a very vigorous strife. They are found in the torrrent-washed places, and where the spade and the plow turn up the soil discovering the old musket, the rusty cannon ball, and the corroded bullet. Safely preserved, these relics will increase in pecuniary, because of intrinsic and historic, value. Such relics are still occasionally being found.
SEY STATIE SOCI
GAN REVOLUTION
ORGA
88.9
Copy of the Seal of the New Jersey Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.
On June 27, 1891 the New Jersey Society Sons of the American Revolution held a meeting and banquet at Freehold, and drove out to Old Tennent to see the old house and grounds. They presented
IIO
HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT.
the church with a large handsome flag, which is carefully treasured, and on certain days is raised up on its flag pole in the cemetery. One of the days is the anniversary of the Battle, when it is unfurled and magnificently waves in the free breezes of brave Monmouth.
In generous regard of the Revolutionary patriots and in recognition of Old Tennent being a witness to the memorable Battle of Monmouth, a beautiful mural tablet was placed on the exterior of the church Oct. 15, 1901, by the Monmouth Chapter of the New Jersey Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Made of solid bronze, and embossed with an expression of loving remembrance and loyal patri- otism, it becomes a handsome badge to be worn by the old church that has survived the grand battle and the brave men that fought in it. This tablet reads :
C
O
1778
1901
IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE
OF PATRIOTS WHO, ON SABBATH JUNE 28, 1778, GAINED THE VICTORY WHICH WAS THE TURNING POINT OF THE WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE, AND TO MARK A MEMORABLE SPOT ON THE BATTLEFIELD OF MONMOUTH, THIS TABLET IS PLACED BY MONMOUTH CHAPTER, DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, SEPTEMBER 26, 1901.
0
O
Also, on May 3, 1904, the same Monmouth Chapter presented Old Tennent with a handsome valance, or drapery, of maroon rep, fasten- ing it around the sounding-board and around the pulpit desk.
III
REV. JOHN WOODHULL, D. D.
CHAPTER IX.
REV. JOHN WOODHULL, D. D. 1778-1824.
After Wm. Tennent's death the pulpit of Old Freehold was vacant for about a year and a half. The Presbytery of New Brunswick appointed to supply the church Revs. Jolin Warford, Jeremialı Hal- sey, Thos. Smith, Philip Stockton, Chas. McKnight, and Geo. Faitoute : but this was only for a limited number of Sabbaths. The congregation raised money to pay the supplies, and Robert Rhea had charge of dispensing it. The people, it seemed, would have another Tennent, for the next month after their pastor's death they decided to make out a call to Rev. W'm. Mckay Tennent, then in New Eng- land, to become their "settled minister." But evidently such a relation was not effected, as the records of Presbytery will prove. However, God was graciously guiding the church to the selection of a suitable man, and to one who proved himself a worthy and capable successor to the celebrated Wmn. Tennent : this was the Rev. John Woodhull called to the church in 1778. The exact date of his settle- ment is difficult to fix : it is not given in the minutes of the Presbytery of New Brunswick. But those Minutes read for Oct. 20, 1778, "A Petition was brought in from the Congn. of Freehold for leave to prosecute a Call before the New Castle Pby in favour of the Rev. John Woodhull one of their Members. The Pby chearfully grant the prayer of the petition & do earnestly recommend the aforesaid Congregation to the notice of the Pby of New Castle and of Mr. Woodhull in particular as an important branch of the Church of Christ where a faithful Minister of the Gospel will have as fair a prospect of usefulness & comfort as in any vacancy within our knowledge." Again, at "Allenston August 4 1779, The Rev. John Wood- hull a Member of N. Castle Pby being present was desired to sit as Correspondent & he took his seat accordingly." Then a note between two meetings of Presbytery reads, "N. B. The Presbyy. met at Bedminster (Lamington) according to adjournment" (namely, 4th Tuesday in April 1780)-"but the Minutes of it are lost. It was opened by Mr. Woodhull." * "Mr. John Woodhull late from
112
HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT.
the Pbyy. of New Castle haveing accepted the Call from Freehold joined the Presbytery." Dr. Woodhull's tombstone reads that he "in 1779 removed to this congregatian, which he served with great diligence and success for 45 years." The church trustees recorded in their book Nov. 1824 "The Reverend John Woodhull departed this. life aged So years, 4612 the faithful pastor of this congregation." Dr. Woodhull himself, in a memorandum of texts from which he preached in Freehold, says "April IS, 1779, Acts 10: 29-33. I ask you therefore for what intent ye have sent for me etc -- The first sermon after I came as their Minister."
His grand-daughter Miss Anna M. Woodhull, late of Freehold, N. J., and his great grandson Thenford Woodhull, Atty., of Brook- lyn, N. Y. furnish the following facts : John Woodhull was the second son of John Woodhull, a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of the Colony, and Elizabeth, daughter of Wm. Henry Smith, of St. George's Manor ; and was born at Miller's Place, Suffolk- county, Long Island, Jan. 26, 1744. His father was the second son of Richard, grandson of Richard Wodhull, who was born at Thenford, Northamptonshire, England, Sep. 13, 1620 ; came to America about 1648 and settled at Setauket, Long Island. This Richard, the immigrant, was descended from Fulk, a younger son of Nicholas, seventeenth Baron Wodhul ; the first being Walter, on whom the barony of Wahul was conferred, after the Conquest, A. D. 1066, and the last, Anthony, who died without male issue, in 1541.
Dr. Woodhull was prepared for college in a Grammar-school, under the care of Rev. Caleb Smith, his maternal uncle, at Newark Mountains, now Orange, N. J. He was impressed with gospel truth when about sixteen years of age, and in the beginning of his college course manifested an established piety. He graduated at Princeton College 1766, and then went to study theology under Rev. John Blair at Fagg's Manor, Pa. As a young preacher he was accepted with more than usual popularity. Several calls from churches were tendered him, but duty led him to accept the one from the Leacock congregation, Lancaster Co., Pa., where he was ordained and installed Aug. 1, 1770. The Leacock church had been regularly organized 1741. In 1772 Dr. Woodhull married Sarah, ouly child of George Spofford, of Philadelphia, and step-daughter of the Rev. Gilbert Ten- nent. They had five sons and one daughter : one son died in infancy in 1776, one son became a minister, two physicians, and one a merchant.
II3
REV. JOHN WOODHULL, D. D.
REV, JOHN WOODHULL, D. D. From photo of a portrait painted by Thomas Sully, Philadelphia, 1822.
Dr. Woodhull was an ardent and loyal patriot. Early in the Revo- lution, all the able-bodied men of the Leacock congregation went into the field, and Dr. Woodhull their pastor accompanied them as their Chaplain. It is a tradition, that, while they were absent, his wife used to gather the remnant of the congregation in her parlor, on Sun- day evenings, and read to them his letters from the seat of war. A number of Dr. Woodhull's letters, written while in camp with the army, have been preserved. This is one to his wife ;-
"Pirth Amboy Augst, 27, 76.
My Dear Sally
I receivd 2 Letters from you last Evening, am glad that you [are] getting better and that the Boys do well. Yesterday we had orders to march for Newark,- but upon applycation Genl. Robert Dean promised that if we would make up our quoto for the flying Camp the rest might go home - upon which we had all most compleated our part, when we understood from Genl Mercer, that none should be alowed to go untill they had Stayed 6 weeks, so that I suppose we shall march for Newark to Day, or to morrow -There has landed A large Body of the Enemy upon Long Island. believe the most of their army, some say 15 and some above 20 Thousand men, our Rifle men are Dayly fighting them, & have killed a number, Day before yesterday we had lost none- how it is since that cannot tell, the
114
HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT.
Cannon roar very much this morning, Suppose they are warmly at it - May God grant us the Victory!
I am now bravely, had a turn of the Chollick a few Days ago, the onely Illness I have had since I left you-Keep up your Spirits-I hope to be at home in about Three weeks from this time .-
May the Lord be with you. My Love to my son the girls, Neighbors, and espetially to my Sally- Remember me to the Boys tell them I am pleased with the account you give of them, as to Plowing &c do as you see best- am in great hast least I loose my opportunity. J. Woodhull." Col. Wm. C. Alexander said that Dr. Woodhull was in the Battle of Monmouth, and, at the fall of a cannoneer, assisted in serving the gun. In after years his social conversation abounded in interesting remin- iscences of the memorable war for Independence. Among the church papers is a fine specimen (copied) of Dr. Woodhull's sermons; it is a patriotic discourse delivered on a Thanksgiving Day, November 1789. It is stated that Dr. Woodhull preached the funeral sermon of the brave Capt. Joshua Huddy from the court-house steps in Freehold before an immense audience. Would that he had written a book of all the recollections of his long life. He was a man of tall form and graceful manners, intelligent countenance, dignified bearing, fine powers of conversation, a genial, interesting, well bred gentleman. (Sprague Vol. III.) In 1780 he was made a trustee in the College at Princeton, and in 1798 he received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Vale College. Of him his son wrote, "The same year of his settlement (1779) he built a house on an acre of ground leased of the congregation for the purpose of establishing a school." From this grammar school went out many young men to usefulness in life, and some to positions of great honor and distinction He was also an instructor of young men in their studies for the gospel ministry, until the opening of the Princeton Theological Seminary in 1812, when he would no longer perform such service ; he was an original trustee in that institution.
In physical health Dr. Woodhull was vigorous, for which he exer- cised judicious care. A letter he addressed to his session and con- gregation explains his absence from his pulpit on a certain Sabbath. He had been troubled with a distress in his ear that badly affected his hearing ; but he had gained some relief, and so he wrote, "I am not sick-and have hesitated much about going to Church this day- but concluded on the whole that in a case so delicate which involved my future comfort and usefulness, it was best to run no risk.
115
REV. JOHN WOODHULL, D. D.
Let sermon be appointed at 12 o'clock next Sabbath .- I hope to be with you. Pray for me, that my hearing may be so restored as not to prevent my usefulness." He was a popular but scriptural preacher. For the word of God he had a true reverence, and in the interest of its circulation he was one of the founders of the Monmouth Co. Bible Society. He was the Stated Clerk of the Presbytery of New Brunswick from Oct. 1781 to April 1801. In May 1791 at Philadelphia he was chosen Moderator of the General Assembly, and the following year he opened the Assembly with a sermon from II Tim. 4 : 1, 2. Col. John Covenhoven, Dr. Woodhull's elder, attended the Assembly in 1796, and possibly in 1795 also, as a regularly appointed commissioner, and was thus probably the first of all the Freehold elders to be a commissioner to the highest court of the church.
When Dr. Woodhull came to Old Tennent it had 92 members in its communion, six of these were elders : and the pew holdings were much the same as in the plan for 1754 &c. with of course some changes. (See Plan of Pews 1790.) The congregation was often in arrears of salary to him, but he was very patient and easy : and finally in March 1817 he bought a lot on the north eastermost part of the par- sonage farm, of 21.40 acres for $30.05 per acre, and paid for it by giving a receipt for so much of arrears in his salary. In April 1815 the Trustees had resolved "that in future all the accounts of the Congregation or the Trustees with their Pastor or any other person or persons shall be kept and recorded in dollars and cents money of the United States." There were no Sabbath-schools in the congre- gation during Dr. Woodhull's pastorate, but it was his custom to catechize the children of his charge two times a year ; and in cases where they had been studied he asked for the scriptural references as proofs to the catechism answers. Some lists of names of these catechizings are still preserved. And he faithfully and effectually expounded the doctrine of infant baptism, as appears from the follow- ing list, for seven consecutive years, of infants that were baptized, - 33 in 1803, 32 in 1804, 39 in 1805, 45 in 1806, 62 in 1807, 58 in 1808, 48 in 1809, or 317 in seven years ; and the communicants in the church at this time numbered from 250 to 300. This manifested a good growing life in the church. Dr. Woodhull was fond of the young people, and they of him, so that a happy memory remained concerning him long after his death, among those who had seen and known him personally.
116
HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT.
In his temporal and financial affairs Dr. Woodhull was shrewd and careful. He possessed fine business qualifications. It is said that he became very wealthy, and it is thought that he owned about 50,000 acres of land in different localities in New Jersey, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Maryland. It is told of him that when his only daughter, Sarah, was married, he gave her a dower of $80,000. His death came suddenly, Nov. 22, 1824, in the Sist year of his age. At his funeral three days later the Rev. Isaac V. Brown preached a sermon from the text Rev. 2 : 10, which was requested for publication by the session, through Nathaniel S. Rue, clerk, and printed in pamphlet form. His grave was made about fifty feet to the south of the middle door of the church, and is surmounted by a marble monument. His wife died Oct. 12, 1827 aged 77 years, and her grave was made alongside his.
Concerning Dr. Woodhull traditions are still told as pleasant remembrances, as is frequently the case in regard to a minister of such a long pastorate. An amusing story is told of him in connec- tion with the superstition of some that Old Tennent cemetery was haunted by a ghost. At a late hour in the night as Dr. Woodhull was returning from marrying a couple he noticed two dark looking objects towering near the church. Thinking of the reputed ghost he determined to see for himself, so tying his horse he entered the gate- way whip in hand, cracking it as he went along ; and when he approached the spot where Col. Monckton's grave is made he found some sleeping Indians with two piles of baskets near by then. Also it is told of him that in his later years he once sat on a table in a house while he preached a funeral sermon, presumably because he was feeble, and because sitting on a table would enable him to see the people better than when sitting down in a chair. His text on this occasion was Heb. 4 : 9.
The formula habitually used by Dr. Woodhull as "Grace before Meat " was written out evidently at the request of one of his chil- dren who possibly wished to adopt it, and is as follows,-
" Father of Mercies ! We thank Thee that our bodies are once more fed. We adore Thee for the gift of Thy Son, and for the way of salvation through Him. Continue Thy goodness, and feed our souls with the Bread of Life, and to Thy holy name be the praise ! Amen."
117
REV. JOHN WOODHULL, D. D. William Laird.
Wm. Cownover.
Thomas Thomson.
Wm. Cownover.
Ebinesar Ker.
Thomas Cook.
Voorhees & Vanderveer.
Kenath Hankinson.
George Walker.
Wm. Gorden
We the subscribers a Committee appointed by the Congregation of the first Pres. Ch. of Monmouth Co. to assess the Expense for Repairing. said Ch. on the Pews have laid them at the Rales affixed at each pew & by order of the congregation report the same and hope the ancion of the trustees. Segno this 17th April 1790. James R. English. Thomas Cook.
The Amount of aloJohn Baird ve assessment - 49. 1 .. 0 6 front pews in gallery @5/cal " . 10 . 0 5 of the next bews@5/each = 1. 5.0
Thomas Davis
Aron Mattison.
Jacob Wikoff.
Derrick Sutphin .
Doctor Scudder.
Thomas Henderson.
Michael Johnston.
huggin & Sutphin.
Combs & Story
652.2.0
14/ 19/6
all
19/6
00
¥7/
15/
15/
17/
18%
19/6 19/6 19%
19 / 6
17/ 14/
Iz:
12/
12/
12/
17 Lewis Forman James R. English
18/
John Woodhull
David Forman
18 John Cownover.
Wm. Forman.
17 Zebulin Baird. James English. 18/
'/ Little & Nott. John Craig Merc
18 18/
David Forman.
Gawn Watson. \/
13/ Wm. Cownover.
Henery Perine.
18 18 John Anderson.
John Clayton.
13/
Longstreet & Schenck.
Samuel P. Forman.
Robert Rhea.
16/ David Baird.
Win. Craig
18/
18,
John Reed.
Peter Wilson.
Vanmarter.
15/
7/
15/ John Perine.
John Craig.
Charles Hibbits 0
5/
Stare
Way
12/ Aron Mattison.
Michael Sweetman!
14,
Kenath Anderson.
John Gaston.
12/
Diagram of Pews in Old Tennent 1790.
13/
13/ Comton & Clayton
Daniel Herbert
15/
/ Macnight & Anderson
Richard Pittenger.
9/ GeorgeRhea. 5/
14/ Andrew Baird Wm. Hamton.
17/ 17/ 16/ 16 ;
David Rhea
Miss Wikoffs.
John Forman.
16/
12) Reed & Cheeseman.
12) Gorden & Erickson.
IIS
HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT.
SEPARATE INCORPORATION.
In1 1785 steps were taken to have the church incorporated separ- ately from the Upper Freehold (Allentown) and Shrewsbury churches, and under the government of the state. On Wednesday, April 6, 1785, the members of the session and the congregation met, and after electing Gen. David Forman as trustee for the church in the room of Robert Rliea deceased, they decided to petition the Leg- islature for a "separate Act of Incorporation " and engaged Thos. Henderson, M. D. to draw up said petition, and appointed Dr. Woodhull to notify the other congregations : also at this meeting seven men were elected as trustees to be named in the petition for the new charter. The next year Aug. 7, 1786, the congregation met again, under the new law that had been passed concerning incor- poration for religious societies, and elected the same seven inen except Peter Forman who had died ; Col. John Covenhoven was elected in his stead. These trustees for the new charter were Jacob Wikoff, Thomas Henderson, M. D., David Forman, son of Jonathan, Kenneth Anderson, Junr., Gen. David Forman, Col. John Covenhoven, and John A. Scudder, M. D. On March 13, 1787 these trustees sub- scribed themselves under the new corporate title that had been chosen "The Trustees of the first Presbyterian Congregation in Free- hold in the County of Monmouth." The form of their Trustees' oath was :
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