History of the city of Paterson and the County of Passaic, New Jersey, Part 113

Author: Nelson, William, 1847-1914
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Paterson : Press Printing and Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 466

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John Garritson

To prevent a conflict of authority this document was given:

This is to Certifie that all the Hay and Grain Mr. John Codmes has to spare is Engaged for the Forrage Store at Pompton

Peter Kinman Purchg: Fore. Masr. at Pompton

May 20th, 1778-

John Codmus [Cadmus], of Slooterdam, appears to have been favored by the authorities, being perhaps employed in the public service, as this pass would seem to indicate:

Head Quarters 23. Octr 1780

Permit John Cadmus to pass to Slaughterdam To all Concernd D Humphreys A D Camp

This precious bit of paper, brown with age, and soiled with creases, is significantly endorsed on the reverse:

New Jersey State?

Bergen County § SS Permit the Bearer, John Codmus, To pass and Repass from this place to Slotterdam, the Re- spectif place of his Abode- Unmilisted he behaving as becoming a friend to his Country ₹ Me

Abrm Ackerman, justice

Pomtan. Novemr 6.th 1780}

To whom Concerned

What was John Cadmus doing at Washington's Head- quarters at Preakness, on the day before the intended

VIII., 421-2, 425, 458, 474, 491 ; D. Humphreys, Rocky Hill, Aug. 30, 1783, to Gen. Hand, MS.

1 Conversation with Samuel A. Van Saun, cir. 1875. Mr. Van Saun had the story from his grandmother, whose house in Water street was plundered by the invaders. The incident is doubtless the same as that described on p. 279.

movement against Staten Island ? Had he important in- telligence to communicate ? Was he a spy in the employ of the commander-in-chief ? It may be added that he was af- terwards taken prisoner by the British, and confined for months in the Sugar House in New York, whence he was released only to die two weeks later from liis cruel treat- ment.

A field lying at the base of the mountain, a mile or two west of Wanaque, is locally known as "the Jersey Camp," or "the Camp." A few mounds, still distinguishable, are supposed to mark soldiers' graves. It is more probable that they are ruins of winter huts.

On the east bank of the Pequannock river, about a mile above Pompton, a bold cliff has been called "Federal Rock" from time immemorial. Fifty years and more ago it was the custom to celebrate the Fourth of July by burning great piles of brushwood at night on the summit of this hill.

A tradition is preserved in the Doremus family of Lower Preakness, of a rude party of soldiers entering the house of one of the family mentioned, and demanding something to eat. The good housewife set before them a toothsome pumpkin pie. The foragers-doubtless foreigners-did not know what it was, and with brutal disdain threw it in the face of their startled hostess. She ever after had a realiz- ing sense of the force of the proverb, as to the folly of throwing pearls before swine.

Near the former Hamburg turnpike, at Upper Preakness, in 1806, was "the Comb Makers' heap"-perhaps the relic of an encampment in Revolutionary days of the artificers connected with the artillery.

CHAPTER XIV.

PATRIOTS AND TORIES.

What heroes from the woodland sprung, When, through the fresh-awakened land, The thrilling cry of freedom rung, And to the work of warfare strung The yeoman's iron hand !- Bryant. ,

FAVING detailed the military movements in the present Passaic county during the Revolution, it may be of in- terest to give some account of the part taken by the citizens in the great contest.

While many of the people were content to form "Associa- tions," and "Committees of Correspondence," others felt that these efforts would be ineffectual unless supported by a military organization. Accordingly, on June 28, 1775, three militia companies were enlisted in Acquackanouk township,

446

HISTORY OF PATERSON.

to be attached to Col. Philip Van Cortland's Essex county regiment, and the following officers were chosen:

First Company-Capt. Henry Garritse, jun .; Ist Lieut. Thomas Post; 2d Lieut. Michael Vreeland, jun .; Ensign Abraham Van Houten.

Second Company-Capt. Robert Drummond; Ist Lieut. Tunis Joeralmon;1 2d Lieut. Richard Vreeland; Ensign Anthony Waters.

Third Company-Capt. Francis Post; Ist Lieut. Peter Van Ness; 2d Lieut. Cornelius Spier; Ensign Richard Stanton.

In a general way, it may be said that the First Company was officered from the Wesel, Goutum and Bogt neighbor- hoods; the Second Company from the localities at and be- low and west of Passaic Bridge; and the Third Company from the vicinity of Little Falls and Cedar Grove.

At a meeting of the captains, lieutenants and ensigns, held at Newark, July 8, 1775, the following field officers were chosen: Colonel-Philip Van Cortlandt; Lieutenant Colonel-Joseph Alling; First Major-Caleb Camp; Adju- tant-Daniel Neil. The Colonel was from Second River; . that a substitute was hired for the appellant within three Neil from Acquackanonk; Alling and Camp from Newark.

Abraham Godwin, of Acquackanonk, Richard Dey, of Preakness, Obadiah Seward, of Sussex, and John Van Hou- ten, probably of Totowa, memorialized the Provincial Con- gress thus, February 7, 1776: "They are ready, able and willing to enter into the service of the United Colonies as officers of a company in the next Regiment or Battalion to be raised in this Province, and are desirous to show their courage and fidelity in the preservation of their country, and support of American liberty and in counteracting the usurp- ers of the rights and privileges of America, and humbly pray that a warrant may be granted to Abraham Godwin, Cap- tain; Richard Dey, First Lieutenant; Obadialı Seward, Second Lieutenant; and to John Van Houten, Ensign." The Committee of Acquackanonk, by Michael Vreeland, chairman, and Nicholas Roche, Clerk, recommended that the above request be granted, but no action was taken on it.

Other militia companies were organized, of which we have no record. The officers were not always enthusiastic or efficient. Gerrit Van Wagoner, who was chosen as Second Lieutenant in Capt. Thomas Sigler's company, wrote, Aug. 16, 1776: "As these times requires a man of activity to stand hardships your memorialist humbly prays that no commission may be granted, as his declining state of health prevents his doing duty almost in any capacity." Jacobus Post, Major of a regiment of light horse, resigned Feb. 3, 1776.

Many of the officers selected flatly refused to turn out when the militia was summoned for duty .. On Oct. 21, 1776, Adjutant Samuel Hayes, of Newark, was given a war- rant by Col. Edward Thomas, authorizing him to distrain and sell the property of the officers and captains in the sec- ond battalion of the Second Regiment, who had refused to do military duty when ordered by their superior officers, the

1 Lieut. James Joraleman was wounded in the action near Springfield, June 7, 1780, and the Legislature subsequently ordered paid Samuel Dodd's bill of {21 15s. for nursing him. Was this the same Joraleman ?

recalcitrants being Capt. Francis Post, Capt. Richard Van Riper, Capt. Henry King, and Capt. Henry Garritse. It may well be that the delinquents had valid excuses to offer, for the court records of the day show that the local justices of the peace were prone to impose fines illegally upon per- sons whom they summarily adjudged delinquents. At the January term, 1778, of the Essex common pleas there were a number of appeals from such judgments, which had been given on the complaint of Capt. Fleming. For instance : Cornelius Van Winkle, fined £75, 3s. 6d. for not appearing in the militia, had his fine remitted. Henry Garritse, jun., fined the same amount, on the evidence of Capt. Fleming and sergeant Post, had the fine remitted, it appearing that he was never warned. Marinus Van Riper and John A. Post had the like good fortune, under like circumstances. Peter Kipp, who had paid 200} dollars fine to constable William King, had the fine remitted, on Dr. Roche's evi- dence, "on account of inability of body." Henry Garritse, jun., paid £75, 35. 6d. fine to Constable William King, but on appeal had the fine remitted, "it appearing to the Court Days after notice." Capt. Joraleman was the complainant in this case, and also in the case of Cornelius Ederson, who was fined 201 dollars "for substitute money," which he had been unable to pay, and was therefore in custody. At the April term, 1778, Elias Vreeland and Jacob C. Vreeland, fined £75, 35. 6d. "for not appearing in the militia last De- cember," had their fines remitted, on the evidence of Henry Garritse and John A. Post. At the January term, 1779, Cornelius Van Houten and Hessel Peterse, fined £19, 17S. 3d. "for not doing duty in the militia when called on," had their fines remitted. These proceedings indicate that harsh and illegal methods were frequently resorted to by the mili- tia officers. But what excuse can be conjectured for the fol- lowing case of gross and profane insubordination, set forth with amusing simplicity ?

Sir

According to Your orders I proceeded to order the Officers & Men of my Company to Equip themselves, & to proceed down to Camp but on my speaking to Lt V. Houten he swore he'd be dam'd if he would,. likewise he has also neglected his duty on the Alarm at English Neigh- bourhood, when there was real Call for him.

Yr. HI. St. Henry Van Blarcom Capt

In the First Battalion of the "Jersey Line," organized by the Provincial Congress, Nov. 7, 1775, to serve in the Con- tinental army, Yellis Mead was first lieutenant of the 5th company. He was of the family which afterwards gave its name to Mead's Basin, now Mountain View, in Wayne township. He was prompt and energetic in enlisting his. complement of men at the outset of the war, winning the favorable notice of Lord Stirling. He was an ensign, but received his lieutenant's commission, Jan. 12, 1776, and was commissioned captain, Oct. 29, 1777, serving until the close of the war. 1

In the Third Battalion, "Jersey Line," organized Feb. 6, 1776, Col. Elias Dayton, the Ist company was officered from

1 Stryker's Roster, 14 ; Minutes Provincial Congress, 328, 336.

447

CAPTAIN DANIEL NEIL.

this vicinity, the men composing it being doubtless enlisted here. Captain-Samuel Potter; First Lieutenant-Rinear Blanchard; Second Lieutenant-Josiah Quimby; Ensign- Cornelius Hennion. Potter was discharged with the battal- ion. Blanchard resigned, and went over to the enemy. Quimby lived near the Great Notch. Hennion was pro- moted to second lieutenant, July 19, 1776; to first lieuten- ant, Nov. 29, 1776, and captain about the same time. He was severely wounded at Short Hills, N. J., June 26, 1777, and was discharged on account of wounds, April 1, 1778, being allowed half-pay. He was doubtless of the Preakness family of Hennions.

In addition to the troops contributed to the Continental army, New Jersey organized the militia, some of the com- panies being liable to duty, when needed, not only in this, but in other States. Of these bodies one was the Eastern Company of Artillery, and among the officers chosen, March I, 1776, was Daniel Neil, of Acquackanonk, as Captain- Lieutenant. By an act passed Nov. 27, 1776, a battalion was ordered raised in Bergen, Morris and Essex counties, of which Richard Dey, of Preakness, was Major; he subse- quently resigned.

The militia of the State were regulated by an act passed June 3, 1775, providing for the enrolment and equipment of "minute men," ready to turn out at briefest notice for ser- vice. By ordinance passed June 14, 1776, five battalions were ordered raised, to reinforce the American army at New York, and Richard Dey, of Preakness, was appointed Major of one of the battalions. By subsequent legislation several regiments were organized. In that of Bergen coun- ty Theunis Dey was Colonel; Richard Dey was First Major; and George Ryerson was Adjutant. In the Second Regi- ment of Essex county, Dr. Nicholas Roche, of Acquack- anonk, was Surgeon of the South Battalion.

CAPTAIN DANIEL NEIL, OF ACQUACKANONK.

A melancholy interest attaches to the career of Daniel Neil, who has been mentioned several times, from the fact that he is the only officer from Old Acquackanonk, or indeed from the present Passaic county-who was killed in battle during the Revolution. Some years before the war he was engaged in mercantile business in New York city, probably in a small way, as the newspapers of the day and other cur- rent sources of information do not mention him. While still a resident of New York he married Elizabeth Mallam, spinster, his marriage bond being dated January 10, 1769. 1 The young merchant came to Acquackanonk in the fall of 1773 or early in 1774, as appears by a deed dated Oct. 16, 1773, acknowledged Jan. 12, 1774, from Thomas Griffith and Lydia his wife, of Acquackanonk, who for £900 conveyed to Daniel Neil, of the city of New York, "all that certain Dwelling house and piece, parcel or Farm of Land, Situate, lying and being at Acquackinong aforesaid, Butted and Bounded as follows, Northerly by Land of Francis Van

Winkle, west by Land of John Sipp, southerly by Land of John Sipp and of Richard Ludlow & of Christopher Van Norstrand, and Easterly by Passaick River. Containing 37 acres and a half of an acre." Neil paid the consideration money at once, but in order to raise most of tlie sum needed he and his wife gave a mortgage on the same property, Oct. 25, 1773, to Isaac Rosevelt, of New York, merchant, "for the security of the said Daniel Neil and Elizabeth his wife their conveying in fee simple on or before November 10, 1775, a certain house and lot of ground in Montgomery Ward in the city of New York aforesaid at the northwest side of Queen street bounded southeast by Queen street, northeast by the house and ground of William Depey- ster, southerly by ground of said Isaac Rosevelt, con- taining in breadth in front 23 feet 3 inches in rear 15 feet 3 inches in length on each side 244 feet;1 or if said Elizabeth should happen to die before said November IO, 1775, for the repayment unto said Isaac Rosevelt of the sum of £640 New York currency with lawful interest from October 17, 1774." The Acquackanonk property purchased by Neil was situated on the Passaic river, and is now inter- sected by the Erie railroad, at Passaic Bridge. It extended about one hundred feet south of Westervelt place, westerly to Franklin avenue, or thereabouts, and northerly about to Lafayette avenue; it was somewhat irregularly shaped. On the west side of the River road, and just north of the present Westervelt place, stood a small stone house, about 32x24 feet, one story high, with attic, two rooms deep, with kitchen extension about 14x16 feet in area. This was the residence of Daniel Neil. In all probability he kept a country store on the premises, and did some shipping on the river, his neighbors-Richard Ludlow and Christopher Van Norstrand-having considerable docks on the river also. When James Leslie was licensed, April, 1775, to keep the tavern at Acquackanonk Bridge, Daniel Neil was one of his sureties. We have seen that Neil was selected as one of the General Committee, at the meeting of Acquackanonk patriots at Leslie's tavern on May 3, 1775. Probably his bold stand for the country caused his Tory creditors to press him, for at the next term of the Bergen and Essex courts three judgments were entered up against him, for comparatively small sums. On July 8, 1775, he was chosen adjutant of Col. Philip Van Cortlandt's Essex county regi- ment. When he was transferred to the artillery, March I, 1776, as Captain-Lieutenant, he was promptly called into active service, and was stationed at Perth Amboy during a portion of the ensuing summer. It is probable that he served in the Battle of Long Island, and in the subsequent movements on Manhattan Island, and the retreat through the Jerseys. When Washington executed his second mas- terly sortie across the Delaware and attacked the British at Princeton, on January 3, 1777, one of the victims of that brilliant victory was Capt. Daniel Neil, who fell gallantly fighting at the head of his artillery company. As Gen.

1 She was doubtless a daughter of Capt. William Mallam, mariner. The marriage bond was in the sum of 6500; it describes Neil as a mer- chant. It was also signed by Alexander Maccullough, gentleman, of New York, and was witnessed by Francis Child.

1 This property was situate on Queen (now Pearl) street, near Beek- man, "on the highway to the Fresh Water." It was purchased May 10, 1753, by Capt. William Mallam, mariner, from Peter Lott and wife .- N. Y. Deeds, Liber 38, f. 179.

448

HISTORY OF PATERSON.

Henry Knox, commander of the Continental Artillery, wrote from Morristown, December 7, 1780: "This is to certify that Captain Neill of the Artillery of the United States, & belonging to the State of New Jersey, was killed at the head of his Company while nobly supporting the Liber- ties of his Country, at Princeton, on the third Day of Janu- ary, 1777." His widow was granted a pension (half of his pay), in January, 1780. On February 6, 1780, she married Major Samuel Hayes, of Newark. He was a sturdy fighter in the days of the Revolution, the terror of the Tories, and from his rough and ready manner was given the soubriquet, "Old Bark-Knife." She died prior to 1782. Her property appears to have passed into the hands of Isaac Rosevelt, probably by foreclosure of mortgage. In 1805 it was bought by Dr. Benjamin R. Scudder, for $2,755, and on his death, in 1819, it descended to his four daughters. The former farm of thirty-seven acres is now intersected by the Erie railroad, and is divided among scores of owners, none of whom ever heard of Captain Daniel Neil. The public park adjacent to the Passaic Bridge railroad station is the very spot whereon stood the residence of this patriot hero of the Revolution. How fitting it would " be were there set up here a statue, a monument or a tablet to perpetuate the memory of the gallant soldier from Ac- quackanonk, 1 who fell while bravely fighting at Princeton!

THE GODWINS.

The story of the Godwins has been told on previous pages2 -how Abraham Godwin, senior, and his son, Captain Hen- ry Godwin, gave up their lives for their country; how the two younger sons, Abraham Godwin, the younger, and Da- vid Godwin, served during the war as fifer and drummer, and how the wife and mother, the daughters and sisters, endured the greatest hardships during the absence of their natural protectors.

ROBERT ERSKINE, OF RINGWOOD.

Passaic county furnished another important supporter of the Revolutionary cause, in the person of Robert Erskine,

of Ringwood. The younger son of the Rev. Ralph Erskine, a distinguished Scottish divine, who is buried at Dryburgh Abbey, in Scotland, Erskine engaged in mercantile business in London, in which he sunk his patrimony, and became much involved. He then turned his attention to surveying and engineering, and especially mechanics. In the last- named field he was the author of several inventions, one of which, a centrifugal engine, he fondly believed, to his dy- ing day, would rehabilitate his shattered fortunes, and win for him lasting fame. About this time he appears to have sought a Professorship in the University at Glasgow. His abilities as a business man and his talents as an engineer now attracted the notice of the London Company of capitalists who owned the mines and iron works at Pompton, Ringwood and Charlottesburg, whose business had become involved, and he was sent over to America to take charge as general manager, and in the course of time straightened out mat- ters, greatly to the satisfaction of his employers. When mutterings of the Revolution began, two or three years later, he found himself in a trying position. On the one hand he felt constrained to protect the interests en- trusted to his care. On the other, his Scottish love of free- dom enlisted all his sympathies in the American cause. His letters indicate a clear prevision. Writing in June, 1774, to his employers in London, he says : "I have no doubt that total suspension of commerce with Great Britain will certainly take place. Such I know are the sentiments. of those who even wished a chastisement of Boston. If in want of friends here it will be difficult even with micro- scopic search to find them." On June 17 of the same year he writes : "The Virginians, who are the soul of America, take the lead. We have not yet heard from the southward, but from what has appeared hitherto, tlie whole colonies seem to look on that of New England as a common cause." And in October: "The Oliverian spirit in New England is effectually roused and diffused over the whole continent, which though it is now pent up within bounds, a few drops of blood let run would make it break out in torrents which 40,000 men could not stem. . . The rulers at home have gone too far." A year later he thus expresses his views : "The communication with my native country may soon be cut off. The prospect is very gloomy and awful. God in his providence seems to have determined the fate of the British Empire, which is likely to be rent in pieces. I do not believe, however, that there is a man of sense on this. continent who desires such a disjunction, provided they are not drove to it by absolute necessity, but if forcible meas- ures are persisted in the dire event must take place, which may God in his mercy yet prevent. . The situation of this country and my own makes me truly anxious. . . The generality of people at home are totally wrong in their ideas of this country and its inhabitants, who being now in arms must by next spring be looked upon as equal to the same number of regular troops, not only to do them justice, but that their opponents may have proper ideas of the bus- iness they go upon if the enterprise of subduing them be persisted in, which, however, I hope in God will not be the case. Perhaps the petition of Congress may afford a prop-

1 Since the foregoing was written, the author finds that his sugges- tion was anticipated by Governor William Livingston, who addressed a message, Sept. 15, 1777, to the Legislature as follows :

" I lay before you with this Message, the Petition of Mrs. M'Niel, the Widow of the late gallant Major M'Niel, who, with invincible Fortitude, fell fighting for his Country ; together with an honourable Testimonial of several respectable Magistrates and Freeholders of the County of Es- sex, in her Behalf. That her present Situation is truly deplorable, and that she is an Object worthy the Attention of this Honorable House, considering the important Services and illustrious Fall of her late Hus- band, can, I think, admit of no Doubt. And while you are extending your Munificence to the distressed Widow and Orphans of that brave Officer, it will reflect Honour on this State, in whose Service he first entered, as well as excite others to emulate his distinguished Valour, to perpetuate his own Memory by some sepulchral monument ; which is agreeable to the Practice of all civilized Nations, and a Kind of Tribute due to those who nobly fall in Defence of Liberty and their Country."

The message, "with the Petition of Mrs. Niel," was read and or- dered to a second reading. Nothing more appears to have been done in the matter. The writer has no doubt that the message refers to Cap- tain Daniel Neil, of Acquackanonk. The Legislative minutes, it will be noticed, speak of "Mrs. Niel," and not "M'Niel."

2 Pp. 275-280.

This history ends with page, 448, but is as published. Mr. Nelson died before the completion of the work and his manuscript was published in its incomplete form. Wilder letter, June 4th, 1925

BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 9999 04657 721 7

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History of the city of Paterson and the County of Passaic, New Jersey, Part 113

Author: Nelson, William, 1847-1914 Publication date: 1901 Publisher: Paterson : Press Printing and Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 466

Author: Nelson, William, 1847-1914
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: Paterson : Press Printing and Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 466