USA > New Jersey > Burlington County > Burlington > History of the church in Burlington, New Jersey : comprising the facts and incidents of nearly two hundred years, from original, contemporaneous sources > Part 28
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+ After completing his studies at College, Mr. Cooper entered the Navy as a midshipman, in 1805. In 1810 he married, left the Navy, and became a writer of fiction, rapidly producing " The Spy," "The Pioneers," "The Pilot," etc., which excited great interest, his works being distinguished by purity and brilliancy of an unusual degree.
Mr. Cooper was baptized on Ash-Wednesday, 1851; and confirmed, by his brother-in-law, Bishop De Lancey, July 27th, the same year; both in Christ Church, Cooperstown. The best biographical notice of Mr. Cooper is con- tained in the address of Wm. Cullen Bryant, at a public meeting in Metropol- itan Hall, New York, after Mr. Cooper's death, Feb., 1852.
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IN BURLINGTON.
shall be a Quorum to do business. That there shall be a Stated Meeting of the Trustees once a month, and occasional Meetings when necessary. That they or any of them may attend at the Academy to hear the recitations at any time they think proper. That they shall at their own cost provide suitable buildings for the Academy that they shall direct the order and course of In- struction. That they shall make rules for the good order and government of the Institution. That the Principal, and under him the Assistant Teachers shall attend to the discipline of the School. That Corporal punishment shall be inflicted as spar- ingly as possible ; tokens of disgrace to be substituted instead thereof, that the minds of Offenders may be mortified.
" That Certificates according to merit shall be given to such Pupils as pursue and finish with reputation the course of Study within the compass of this Institution, signed by the Principal and Trustees of the Academy. Other pupils who have gained the honors or Premiums of the Institution, and have persevered in diligence and good behaviour till they leave it, shall be entitled to a Certificate thereof.
" WE THE SUBSCRIBERS in pursuance of the foregoing plan do agree to pay into the hands of the Treasurer in one week from the Organization of the Institution, the Sums annexed to our respective names. Burlington, May 5th 1792.
Bowes Reed. 3 00 0
Isaac Wetherill £ 3 00 0
John M. DeNormandie. 3 00 0
Samuel How
3 00 0
Jno. Lawrence
3 00 0
Jacob Myers.
3 00 0
Joshua M. Wallace. 3 00 0
Esek L. Hartshorne 3 00 0
Joseph McIlvaine.
3 00 0
David Greenman 3 00 0
William Coxe jun 3 00 0
Joseph Grier 3 00 0
Israel Tonkin. 3 00 0
Daniel Ellis
6 00 0
James Kinsey 3 00 0
Amos Hutchin
3 00 0
Fred Kisselman.
3 00 0
Jam's Sterling
3 00 0
Saml Bullus.
3 00 0
William McIlvaine. 3 00 0
Samuel Treat ..
3 00 0
Ellis Wright. 3 00 0
Joseph Bloomfield.
3 00
Wm. Coxe (Sunbury ) ..
5 00 0
Thos. D. Hewlings
3 00 0
-- Parish Archives.
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE RECTOR AND VESTRY.
" Memorandum of an Agreement made this first day of October 1792 Between the Reverend Levi Heath on the one part and the Church wardens & vestry men of St. Mary's Church in the City of Burlington on the other part, Witnesseth,
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HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
"First. The Revd Mr. Heath engages to give up & resign the said Church together with the parsonage house lots & every property whatever belonging to the said Church on Easter Monday next ensuing the date hereof.
"Secondly. In consideration of the foregoing agreement the. said wardens & vestrymen agree to allow the said Revd Mr. Heath the sum of Sixty pounds one half payable in three months from this date the other half payable on the said Easter Monday which is considered by the said Mr. Heath in full of every claim on the said Church.
"Thirdly. It is agreed between the parties, that the average of Rents & profits of the Farm at Stony brook belonging to the said Church shall be received by the said wardens & vestrymen.
"Fourthly. It is agreed that the said Mr. Heath shall have permission at any time before Easter Monday next to absent himself from the service of the said Church for the purpose of procuring an establishment in another place.
" Fifthly. It is agreed that the wardens & vestry men shall have liberty at any time before the said Easter Monday to use the said Church for the purpose of hearing any Candidate who may offer as Minister of said Church.
"In Witness whereof the Parties to this agreement do bind themselves respectively in the penal sum of one hundred & twenty pounds for the faithful performance of the said agreement -And have hereunto set their hands & seals on the day & year first abovementioned.+
THOMSON NEALE [L. S.] WILLIAM SMITH [L. S.]
DANL ELLIS [L. s.] JOSEPH SCOTT [L. S.]
JNO LAWRENCE [L. S.] ROBERT LUCAS [L. S.] JNO NEALE L. S.] WILLIAM COXE jun [L. s.] DANIEL HANCOCK L. S.] JOSHUA M. WALLACE [L. S.] Sealed and delivered in the presence of
RACHEL BRADFORD JOHN WALLACE
¡ On the 28th of May, 1793, the charter of the Church was amended so as to contain this provision : " That if at any time nine or more members of the said vestry shall agree so to do, they may discharge said minister, giving him six months notice of their intention, after which time his salary shall cease, and the said minister shall peaceably leave the church."
331
IN BURLINGTON.
THE REV. HENRY VANDYKE, RECTOR.
The Rev. Mr. Vandyket was elected Rector of St. Mary's Church, Burlington, July 1st, 1793. He had charge also of Moorestown, and partially, of St. Andrew's, Mount Holly. His grand daughter-Mrs. Cornelia Vandyke Clark, still (1876) residing at Mount Holly, and from whom we have gathered nearly all the particulars concerning him which follow-writes, " Mr. Vandyke was a man of deeds rather than words, quiet and reserved, almost to austerity in his deportment, and a close student. He possessed the power of inspiring the fullest con- fidence, even in the humblest of his flock-and intercourse always ripened into attachment. He was slightly above the medium height, dark complexion, with a deep-set, calm, pene- trating black eye. He was a sound, staunch Churchman, 'High Church ' in his views."
SUBSCRIPTIONS TO BUILD THE BURLINGTON ACADEMY.
"IN REPUBLICS by the very principles of which merit talents and information are qualifications sufficient to entitle their pos-
+ Henry Vandyke, the only son of Rhodolphus Vandyke and Elizabeth (Oudanarde) Vandyke, was a descendant of Henricus Vandyke, Attorney General for the Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam, who came to this coun- try about 1640, and whose name appears on the Public Records as early as 1655. Henry Vandyke was born in Nassau street, New York, in 1740. The bricks, and other material, for the house in which he was born, had been im- ported, by his father, from Holland, and in 1839 the walls were still standing. He was a graduate of Columbia College. About that time his father retired from business, and removed from New York to Old Mills, now Bridgeport, Connecticut. In obedience to his father's wish he studied Law. He settled in Stratford, and there married Miss Huldah Lewis, a young lady of culture and high respectability. The names of himself and wife appear on the Church list of communicants as early as 1767. His profession was always distasteful to him, and, later in life, he resolved to relinquish it, and devote himself to the Mintstry. He pursued his course of Theology under the instruction of old Dr. Samuel Johnson.
Himself and two others (losing all hope of obtaining ordination at home) had taken their passages for England, when Bishop Seabury's unexpected re- turn changed their purpose and he made one of the four first ordained clergy- men of our American Church, Aug. 3d, 1785. He was advanced to the Priest- hood by the same Prelate in New Haven, Ct., Sep. 16th, 1785. During the first years of his ministry he had charge of the Church at Peekskill, New York. He established several stations through the country around, where he was in the habit of reading the service and preaching in Dutch to his congre- gations. While rector of St. Peter's, Perth Amboy, and Christ Church, New Brunswick, he was chosen President of the 9th Convention of the Church in New Jersey, held in Christ Church, New Brunswick, June 6th, 1792.
332
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
sessor to the most important offices of the State, Seminaries of sound and useful learning ought to be promoted. Sensible of this a number of persons established an institution under the title of the Burlington Academy, with design to lay the founda- tion of a liberal education. In the present circumstances of the Institution the house for accommodating the Pupils is too small and inconvenient and as there is the prospect of an increase in the number of Students, the Trustees wish to be enabled to erect a building convenient for a schoolhouse. They have engaged for this purpose a lot in an agreeable and healthful situation, and they intend to build as soon as it is in their power.
" The subscriptions of those who may be pleased to further this design will be thankfully received and faithfully applied to the abovementioned intention, by Joshua M. Wallace, John Law- rence, Bowes Reed, Joseph Bloomfield, Frederick Kisselman, William Coxe, jun., and David Greenman, the present Trustees, and any person subscribing five pounds or more shall be entitled to one vote at the general meetings of the Subscribers for every five pounds subscribed, but no person shall in any case be enti- tled to more than five votes.
" We the subscribers do agree to pay to the order of the Trus- tees of the Burlington Academy the sums annexed to our respec- tive names on or before the first day of October 1793, to be applied to the purpose abovementioned.
Joseph Bloomfield, five
shares
£25 00 0
William Coxe, jun., five
25 00 0
William Coxe, (of Bucks
Jno. Lawrence 5 00 0
Joseph MeIlvaine. 5 00 0
County,) } order, one share .. 5 00 0
George Painter. 5 00 0
Bowes Reed 10 00 0
Micajah Ellis. 5 00 0
Jam. Sterling 15 00 0
Peter Hodgkinson, 00
Joshua M. Wallace. 10 00 0
Esek L. Hartshorne 5 00
Daniel Ellis
7 10 0
Fred. Kisselman. 5 00 0
William Smith
7 10 0
James Kinsey. 5 00 0
Wm. Griffith
5 00 0 Ellis Wright
3 00 0
LEASE FOR BUILDING AN ACADEMY IN BURLINGTON.
" THIS INDENTURE made this Tenth day of March in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & ninety four, Between the Minister, Church Wardens & Vestry of St. Mary's Church, in the City of Burlington of the one Part and Joshua
Elisha Lawrence £5 00 0
Frederick Frelinghuysen. 1 00 0
Joseph Ellis .. 2 00 0
shares ..
Richard Howell. 5 00 0
333
IN BURLINGTON.
M. Wallace, Frederic Kissleman, William Coxe, Bowes Reed, Joseph Bloomfield, John Lawrence, & William McIlvaine, all of the said City of Burlington, and associated together by the Name of the President & Trustees of the Burlington Academy, of the other Part. WITNESSETH, that the said Minister, Church Wardens & Vestry, for and in Consideration of the Rents, Covenants & Agreements hereinafter mentioned & reserved on the Part & behalf of the said Joshua M. Wallace, Frederic Kissleman, William Coxe, Bowes Reed, Joseph Bloomfield, John Lawrence & William McIlvaine, to be paid, done & per- formed, have granted, demised, set & to farm letten, & by these Presents do grant, demise, set & to farm let unto the said Joshua M. Wallace, Frederic Kissleman, William Coxe, Bowes Reed, Joseph Bloomfield, John Lawrence & William McIlvaine, their Executors, Administrators & Assigns, All that Peice or Parcel of Land Situate in the City of Burlington afores'd, Beginning on Broad Street at the Corner of the Lot devised for the Use of Saint Mary's Church aforesaid by Paul Watkins & Corner also of the Lot, commonly called Parson Talbot's Lott, now the Property of the Church & running first Eastward, sixty feet, on the North Side of said Broad Street, thence second Northerly, one hundred feet, thence third Westerly, sixty feet, parallel to Broad Street, untill it shall intersect the division Line between Parson Talbot's Lott & Watkin's Lott, as afore- said, thence fourth by the fence on said Division Line, Southerly one hundred feet, to the Place of beginning, TO HAVE & TO HOLD the said Peice & Parcel of ground, unto the said Joshua M. Wallace, Frederic Kissleman, William Coxe, Bowes Reed, Joseph Bloomfield, John Lawrence & William McIlvaine, their Executors, Administrators & Assigns, for & during the full End & Term of five hundred Years, from thence next ensuing & fully to be compleat & ended, yeilding & paying therefor yearly & every year, unto the said Minister, Church Wardens & Vestry, their Successors or Assigns the yearly Rent or Sum of twenty shillings, lawful Money of New Jersey, on the twenty-fifth day of March in each Year, the first Payment to be made on the twenty fifth day of March, in the Year of our Lord one thou- sand seven hundred & ninety five, (and it is hereby declared and understood between the Parties to these Presents-and so it is to be taken and construed-that the said granted and demised Premises and every Part and Parcel thereof, are granted and demised to the said Joshua M. Wallace, Frederic Kissle- man, William Coxe, Bowes Reed, Joseph Bloomfield, John Lawrence and William McIlvaine, their Executors, Adminis- trators and Assigns in Trust, and to and for the Use and pur-
-
334
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
pose of building thereon, an Academy or House for the Accom- dation of Learning, in the City of Burlington.) And the said Joshua M. Wallace, Frederic Kissleman, William Coxe, Bowes Reed, Joseph Bloomfield, John Lawrence and William McIl- vaine, for themselves, their Heirs, Executors, and Administra- tors do covenant and agree to and with the said Minister, Church Wardens and Vestry that they will well and truly pay to the said Minister, Church Wardens and Vestry, their Successors or Assigns, the aforesaid yearly Rent of twenty shillings in such manner as is before appointed for the Payment thereof, accord- ing to the true Intent and Meaning of these Presents. And the said Minister, Church Wardens & Vestry, for themselves, their Successors and Assigns do covenant and agree to and with the said Joshua M. Wallace and the other Persons before mentioned as associated together by the Name of the President and Trustees of the Burlington Academy, their Executors, Administrators and Assigns, that the said Minister, Church Wardens and Vestry, their Successors or Assigns, upon the Request of the said President and Trustees, or so many of them as according to the Rules of their Association may form a sufficient Number for that purpose shall and will at any time within the term of five hundred Years as aforesaid, make and execute to the said Presi- dent and Trustees-either in their common associated Capacity and those who may succeed them, in that Capacity-or in a cor- porate Capacity in case a Charter shall be granted to them or others by the Name and Stile as aforesaid, a good & sufficient Deed or Assignment in fee simple for the before demised Premises, subject to the Payment of a Rent charge of twenty shillings for ever to the s'd Minister, Church Wardens and. Vestry, their Successors or Assigns, with clause of distress, &c., as is usual in such cases, & in case of such Conveyance, deliver up the present Deed of Lease for Cancellation.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF the parties to these presents have Interchangeably set their Seals the day and year first above written.
Sealed and delivered in presence of
WILL. BARD,
DAN'L ELLIS, jun.
JOSHUA M. WALLACE, [L. S.]
HENRY VANDYKE, [L. s.]
Rector of St. Mary's Ch'h
& President of the Corporation, WM. COXE, jun., L. S.
BOWES REED, L. S.]
JOSEPH BLOOMFIELD, [L. S.
JNO. LAWRENCE, L. s.] WILLIAM MCILVAINE, [L. S.]
FRED. KISSLEMAN.
L. S.
335
IN BURLINGTON.
THE STONY BROOK FARM SOLD.
Articles of Agreement were made, on the 26th of March, 1794, between Daniel Hancock, George Hancock and Joshua M. Wallace, a committee of the vestry of St. Mary's Church, and William Updike, of the county of Somerset, whereby they sold to him, " that Plantation of 206 acres called the Rocky Hill, or Stony Brook farm," for " 800 pounds Gold & Silver money."
This farm rented, from 1790 to 1793, for £30, a year.
The legal paper for this agreement, was signed and sealed by the parties above named, in the presence of Daniel Ellis.
THE CORPORATE NAME OF THE ACADEMY.
" WHEREAS the persons associating for the promotion of Learn- ing in the Burlington Academy have this day according to an Act of the Legislature entitled ' An Act to incorporate Societies for the promotion of learning,' elected and chosen us the sub- scribers the first seven Trustees for the said Association, under the said Act of the Legislature.
"NOW WE DO CERTIFY TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN, that we dotake upon ourselves the name of ' THE PRESIDENT AND TRUSTEES OF THIE BURLINGTON ACADEMY' as, and for our corporate name.
"IN TESTIMONY whereof we have hereunto subscribed our hands and affixed our Seals this ninth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety five.
JOSHUA M. WALLACE, [L. S. ] WM. COXE, jun., [L. s.]
JNO. LAWRENCE, [L. s.] WILLIAM MCILVAINE, [L. s.]
JOSEPH BLOOMFIELD, [L. s.] WM. GRIFFITH, [L. s.]
JOSEPH MCILVAINE." [L. S.]
A DONATION FROM WILLIAM COXE.
In the account book of that date is the following : " 1795, May 23ª The fund of one hundred and fifty pounds, being a donation from William. Coxe, the elder, to the Minister of St. Mary's Church, for preaching annually, when there is no Re- siding minister at Bristol, in a | c with the Treasurer of St. Mary's Church."
336
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
DEATH OF THE HON. WILLIAM BRADFORD.
The following inscription, upon a large altar-tomb, in St. Mary's Church yard, tells its own story :
Here lie the remains of
WILLIAM BRADFORD, Attorney General of the United States under the Presidency of
WASHINGTON; and previously, Attorney General of Pennsylvania, and a Judge of the Supreme Court of that State.
In private life he liad acquired the esteem of all his fellow citizens : In professional attainments, he was learned as a lawyer and eloquent as an advocate : In the execution of his public offices, he was vigilant, dignified and impartial. Yet, in the bloom of life ; in the maturity of every faculty that could invigorate or embellish the human mind ; in the prosecution of the most important services that a citizen could render to his country ; in the perfect enjoyment of the highest honours that publick confidence could bestow upon an individual ; Blessed in all the pleasures which a virtuous reflection could furnish from the past, and animated by all the incitements which an honourable ambition could depict in the future, He ceased to be mortal.
A fever produced by a fatal assiduity in performing his official trust at a crisis interesting to the nation, suddenly terminated his publick career, extinguished the splendour of his private prospects, and on the 23rd day of August 1795, in the 40th year of his age, consigned him to the grave, Lamented, Honoured, & Beloved.
His widow erected this monument to his memory.
337
IN BURLINGTON.
Mr. Bradford t-a native of Philadelphia-married the daughter of Elias Boudinot, LL.D., of New Jersey, in 1784.
His death occurred in Philadelphia,-and his funeral, and interment, took place in that city.
Some years afterwards-his widow coming to reside with her father, in Burlington-his remains were removed, at her desire, and re-interred, in the Churchyard of St. Mary's.
THE HEAVY AFFLICTIONS OF MR. VANDYKE.
" The father of Mr. Vandyke died in 1764, after which time, his mother (a highly educated and most devoted Church woman) lived with him, and was his counsellor and strong coadjutor in every parish work. Two years after his residence in Burlington the strong and tender ties, that bound them to each other, were severed by death. This bereavement was soon followed by others more distressing. God had bestowed on him four child- ren, a son and three daughters. The eldest was a tall, frail girl of sixteen summers. The youngest a bright ' wee one,' who with a party of like friends (assembled at the Parsonage to cel- ebrate her eighth birthday) had wandered to the woods near by, in charge of a very promising young man from Jamaica, studying for the ministry with Mr. Vandyke. Just as the little ones were crossing a bridge # at the woods' edge, they became alarmed at the rapid approach of a farmer's team, and ran wildly in every direction, and the 'wee one' was precipitated through a broken plank into the stream. The young student plunging in to save the child, was instantly killed. His body was found with his head wedged underneath the heavy plank, almost in the very spot where he had leaped into the water.
¡ Named for his great grand father, the printer; who, as his headstone in- forms us, " came over to America in 1682, before the city of Philadelphia was laid out." His first publication was an almanac, in 1687. In 1692, he was tried, for having printed the writings of George Keith ; but acquitted. The year following, he removed to New York ; and printed the laws of that colony. In 1704, the Wardens of Trinity Church lent him "£ 30 or £ 40 for six months, on security, without interest, for purchaseing paper to print Comon Prayer Books." The Rev. John Sharp, Chaplain of the Queen's Forces, became his security ; and, after a long time, there appeared a small quarto, (a copy of which may be seen in the Library of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania,) "Printed and sold by William Bradford, in New York, in 1710"-it being the first edition of the Book of Common Prayer printed on this Continent.
į East of Tatham street.
338
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
"The shock was too severe for the feeble frame of the elder sister. Six weeks after she too was taken from her earthly home to the abodes of bliss in Paradise. Through an inscrutable Prov- idence, on the day of her death, the body of the drowned child (which had hitherto escaped all search) suddenly came to the surface, and was rescued in a state of perfect preservation. Both children were interred in the same grave, beside their grand .. parent, in her family burial place, in the church yard of Perth Amboy."-MS. of Mrs. C. V. Clark.
THE REV MR. VANDYKE RESIGNS THE RECTORSHIP.
" On the 10th of August, 1796, the Rev. Mr. Vandyke re- signed the rectorship of St. Mary's, Burlington, having accepted a call to St. James', Newtown, Long Island, where he remained until his death, which occurred in 1811. He was buried in the family vault in Trinity churchyard, New York. Some years since a fine portrait of him hung in the library of the old Liv- ingston mansion, New York.
" He was a warm friend and supporter of Bishop Hobart, dur- ing the time of the controversy between him and Cave Jones. The Bishop ever reverted to his memory with the liveliest ex- pressions of esteem and love; of his purity of character, and untiring devotion to his Master's work; of the many happy and beneficial hours he had spent with him in his study; and partic- ularly of the quiet unselfish devotion of himself and family to the relief of the sick and dying through that fearful scourge of yellow fever in New York; how himself and son, guided by the great and good old Dr. Kearney Rodgers, used, day and night, to thread their way through pestilential streets, carrying Heavenly and temporal relief to the sick and dying; never flinching from their work, carrying words of cheer and sym- pathy even into the most loathsome localities.
" His wife survived him but two years. It had been her habit for many years to rise at four o'clock, and devote the early hours to sacred reading and devotion. It was at this early hour, still kneeling with her head resting on the open Bible, with the sweet impress of the soul's joy still illumining her countenance,
339
IN BURLINGTON.
that her faithful daughter found her-" asleep in Jesus." She was buried beside her husband in Trinity Church yard, New York. Of the surviving son and daughter-Richard Vandyke, married, had a large family, and lived to good old age. He died in 1856. Three children survive him, two sons and a daughter. Abby Vandyke never married-but with holy filial affection consecrated her life to her parents. She died in 1826, and was buried in St. John's burial ground, New York."-MS. of Mrs. C. V. Clark.
THE PARISH MAKE PROPOSALS TO THE REV. CHARLES H. WHARTON, D. D., OF DELAWARE.
The Vestry to the Rev. Dr. Wharton. " Burlington August 20, 1796. " REV'D SIR
" The Rev'd Mr. Vandyke having within a few days com- municated to the Vestry of St. Mary's Church his determination of immediately accepting a call from Newton on Long Island, and having in consequence resigned the office of Rector, it has become necessary on the part of the Vestry to apply to a Gen- tleman of respectable character and talents to supply his place. From the recommendation of several of your reverend Brethren in Philadelphia, and the opinion expressed by you during your visit to our Academy last Spring of the probability of your ac- ceptance of a call from this Parish should the Reverend Mr. Vandyke continue in his resolution of leaving Burlington, the Vestry have authorized us to request the pleasure of a visit from you in the hope that a farther acquaintance will lead to a con- nection mutually agreeable. .
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