USA > New Jersey > Mercer County > Trenton > History of the city of Trenton, New Jersey : embracing a period of nearly two hundred years, commencing in 1676, the first settlement of the town, and extending up to the present time, with official records of the population, extent of the town at different periods, its manufactories, church history, and fire department > Part 29
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" And the committee further report, that, convinced of the
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propriety of having the governor, as well as the heads of depart- ments, to reside at the seat of government, the convenience which will necessarily result to persons having business in chan- cery, the immediate access which the executive at all times have, and the frequent necessity of recurring to the public documents, are of such importance, and we trust so obvious, that the legis- lature will at all times hold out the inducement of a good and convenient house, for the immediate accommodation of the governor. For the above reasons it is the opinion of your com- mittee it would be inexpedient to sell the same at present.
" By order of the committee.
" CHARLES CLARK, " JOHN DEY."
ยท Which report was adopted.
Again, on the 8th of November, 1802, a motion was made in the house for the appointment of a committee to inquire into the expediency of selling the government house, which was de- cided in the negative.
February 16th, 1811, a resolution was again offered for the appointment of a committee to inquire into the expediency of selling the government house in the city of Trenton, which was agreed to.
January 23d, 1817, a bill was presented to the house, author- izing the sale of the government house and lot, in the city of Trenton, and on the 12th of February, it was decided in the negative,
January 10th, 1818, the house passed a resolution appointing Messrs. William Coxe, of Burlington, Robert McNeely of Hun- terdon, and John S. Darcy, of Morris, a committee to inquire if any, and what encroachments have been made upon the prop- erty of the state, in the city of Trenton, and empowered them to employ a surveyor, if in their opinion it was necessary to effect the purpose of their appointment.
April 2d, 1845, Samuel R. Gummere, Samuel R. Hamilton, and Stacy A. Paxson were appointed commissioners to make sale of the house and lot on Second street, in the city of Tren- ton, conveyed to the state of New Jersey by Moore Furman, by deed bearing date March 12th, 1798.
2 E*
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HISTORY OF TRENTON.
On the 29th of February, 1804, the legislature passed an act incorporating the Trenton Water Works, by the name of "The President and Directors of the Trenton Water Works."
The original corporators were James Ewing, Peter Gordon, Thomas M. Potter, Gershom Craft, and Alexander Chambers. James Ewing was chosen the first president, and Peter Gordon and Thomas M. Potter, directors.
They were given authority to lay and extend their aqueduct through such of the streets of the city as. they may think neces- sary, and to open and dig in such parts of said streets as may be convenient and necessary.
They were, however, limited to having open not more than four rods at any one time, which should not be kept open more than six days, and it was to be filled up at the expense of the company, and rendered as good and safe for travel as though the surface of the street had not been disturbed.
On the 8th of February, 1811, an act was passed to incorpo- rate the proprietors of the Trenton Aqueduct Company. An- drew Reeder, Charles Rice, Stacy Potts, Joseph Broadhurst, and Peter Howell were the original corporators.
The object of this company was the supplying of the city of Trenton with good and wholesome water. They were incorpo- rated as "The President and Directors of the Trenton Aqueduct Company." Andrew Reeder was chosen president; Charles Rice, treasurer, and Stacy Potts, Joseph Broadhurst, and Peter Howell, directors.
Their charter allowed them to open only four rods at a time in any of the streets of the city, not to be kept open more than three days at a time, and to be filled up at the expense of the company, and to be rendered as good as if the same had not been taken up and removed. They were not to lay their main trunk through the streets of Trenton upon the same level with the trunks of the present company of the Trenton Water Works, but either higher or lower, that they might not impede them in carrying off their cross trunks. The capital stock was not to exceed three thousand dollars, and was to be appropriated ex- clusively to the purpose of supplying the city of Trenton with good and wholesome water.
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HISTORY OF TRENTON.
February 29th, '1848, a company was incorporated for more effectually supplying the city of Trenton and borough of South Trenton with water, with a capital stock of thirty thou- sand dollars, with the privilege of increasing the same to fifty thousand dollars. The stock was divided into shares of fifty dollars each. The corporators were John McKelway, William Halstead, Samuel McClurg, Charles Wright, Xenophon J. May- nard, John Sager, and Alexander H. Armour.
The corporation was called the Trenton and South Trenton Aqueduct Company.
They were authorized to use the water of the Delaware river, or the Assanpink creek, below the dam.
They were not to take away, divert, or in any manner injure or impair the supply of water in the fountains used by the Tren- ton Water Works Company.
Thursday, March 2d, 1786, a petition from John Fitch was read in the house, setting forth his proposal of applying the force of a steam engine to the use of navigation, by impelling vessels to go through the water with considerable rapidity with- out the assistance of wind or current, and many other useful purposes, and praying that a committee be appointed to examine his proposed plan, and grant him such encouragement, on the report of the committee, as his proposals may appear to deserve, which petition was dismissed, but on Thursday, March 19th, the bill entitled " An act for granting and securing to John Fitch the sole right and advantage of making and employing the steamboat by him lately invented, for a limited time," was introduced, read a second time, debated, and ordered to be en- grossed for a third reading, and on the same day it passed the house, thirty-three representatives voting in the affirmative, and one, (Mr. Jacob Terhune, of Bergen,) in the negative ; and on Saturday, the 18th of March, it was passed by the council.
On the 3d of November, 1813, the legislature passed an act concerning steamboats, the preamble of which was set forth as follows :
" WHEREAS, the legislature of this state, in and by an act entitled ' An act for granting and securing to John Fitch the sole use
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and advantage of making and employing the steamboat by him lately invented, for a limited time,' passed at Tren- ton, on the 18th day of March, 1786 ; and in order to pro- mote and encourage an improvement and discovery so useful, and as a reward for his ingenuity, application, and diligence, did vest in the said John Fitch, his heirs, executors, adminis- trators, and assigns, the sole and exclusive right and privilege of making and navigating boats impelled through the wate: by force of fire or steam, in all waters within the territories and jurisdiction of this state, for fourteen years then next to come ; which said John Fitch constructed a steamboat of con- siderable size, which ran on the river Delaware, through the water, at the rate of about four miles by the hour at least ; and the said John Fitch, having departed this life without having received from his said exclusive right any adequate recom- pense or reward for his great expenses, ingenuity, application, and diligence as contemplated by the law aforesaid ; and whereas, Gideon Hill Wells, of the city of Trenton, admin- istrator of all and singular the goods and chattels rights, and credits, which were of the said John Fitch, by an instrument of writing, under his hand and seal duly executed, hath granted, assigned, and conveyed unto Aaron Ogden, for good and valuable consideration, all the right, title, and interest which was derived, or which ought now to be derived, to the said John Fitch, from the introduction of the improvements before mentioned," &c., &c.
The same privileges were conferred upon one Daniel Dodd, of this state, as had been previously conferred on John Fitch.
December 5th, 1823, an act was passed giving Edward Clark, of Philadelphia, " the privilege of navigating any or all of the rapids in the river Delaware, between the bridge at Bloomsbury, and the northwest corner of the state, the current of the river to operate on water or paddle wheels, and any other apparatus he might deem it proper to employ, to propel boats against rapids."
Friday, August 20th, 1784, a petition was presented to the house of assembly from the inhabitants of Trenton and its vicin- ity, accompanied by a bill entitled "An act for erecting part
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of the township of Nottingham, in the county of Burlington, and part of the township of Trenton, in the county of Hunter- don, into a city, and for incorporating the same by the name of the city of Trenton, and for declaring the same a free city and port, for the term of twenty-five years."
This bill passed the house on Tuesday, November 15th, 1785, and on Thursday, the 25th of February, 1786, the act was re- jected by the council.
Thursday, March 2d, 1786, a petition from sundry inhabi- tants of the townships of Nottingham and Trenton was pre- sented to the house, " praying that a part of the township of Tren- ton and a part of the township of Nottingham may have the benefit of a corporation, with the power of making by-laws for their internal police and government ;" whereupon leave was given them to present a bill agreeably to the prayer of their peti- tion.
Saturday, March 4th, 1786, a petition from sundry inhabitants of the township of Nottingham was presented to the house, praying that if a charter of incorporation should be given to the inhabitants of Trenton, the township of Nottingham may not be included, which was read and referred.
May 23d, 1792, a petition from the inhabitants of Hopewell, Maidenhead, and Trenton, in the county of Hunterdon, was read, asking that a law might be passed for incorporating a borough, to consist of the said townships, for the purpose of holding courts, and establishing a gaol and court-house within the said borough.
At the same session the inhabitants of Trenton presented a petition, praying leave to present a bill to incorporate said town, which was granted.
The boundaries were as follows :
" Beginning at the mouth of Assanpink creek, and running up the same to Bernard Hanlon's mill-dam ; from thence along the road to the line between Trenton and Maidenhead ; thence along the said line to the road leading from Trenton to Maiden- head ; thence on a straight line to the northwest corner of a lot late of David Brearley, deceased ; thence on a straight line to the northwest corner of the land of Lambert Cadwalader,
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whereon he now lives; thence down the same to the mouth of the Assanpink creek aforesaid, being the place of beginning, shall be distinguished, known, and called by the name of the city of Trenton."
A petition from a number of inhabitants of Trenton was also presented, setting forth irregularities in the said town which have taken place by sundry riotous and disorderly persons, at and near the Methodist meeting-house, and praying that some measure may be taken to prevent such disorders in future ; whereupon a bill was introduced, entitled " An act to preserve order and decency in places of worship," and on Wednesday, May 30th, 1792, the bill passed the house, and on Friday, June Ist, it was rejected by the council.
The bill to incorporate a part of the township of Trenton, in the county of Hunterdon, was taken up June Ist, and rejected. It was again revived at the following session, and passed the house November 5th of the same year, and on the 12th of the same month it was amended and passed by council, and on the 13th it passed the house, with the amendments made by council.
May 20th, 1793, a petition was received in the house from the inhabitants of that part of the township of Trenton not included within the corporation, praying that they may be set off from the township of Trenton into a township to be known by the name of the township of Independence. They were accordingly allowed to bring in a bill for that purpose on the third Monday of the next sitting, they previously advertising the purport of said bill, with a copy of this order, in three of the most public places in the township of Trenton, and also for three weeks immediately preceding that time in the Trenton newspaper.
The bill to create the township of Independence was taken up January 27th, 1794, when a remonstrance against it from the citizens of Trenton was read, but both parties agreed to submit the decision on the bill to the house ; whereupon, on the 3Ist of the same month, it was passed by that body, but on the 11th of February it was rejected by council.
November 2d, 1796, a petition from a number of the citizens of Trenton was presented to the house, praying leave to present
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a bill to authorize the mayor, recorder, and aldermen to hold a court of quarter sessions within the said city ; whereupon a bill was introduced, entitled " An act to incorporate a part of the township of Trenton."
January 10th, 1817, a petition from a number of inhabitants of Mill Hill and Bloomsbury, in the township of Nottingham, in the county of Burlington, was presented, praying to be incorpo- rated with the city of Trenton.
At the same time a remonstrance was presented by a number of the inhabitants of said places against the same.
March 6th, 1850, an act was passed providing for the election of a school superintendent and two trustees, and constituting the city of Trenton one school district.
March 18th, 1852, the fifth ward was erected.
February 16th, 1854, an act was passed requiring the city clerk, treasurer, clerk of the markets, street commissioner, and mar- shal to be elected by the people.
February 18th, 1856, an act was passed authorizing the city to purchase lands for a public square, for which purpose they were authorized to create a loan not exceeding fifty thousand dollars, and to issue bonds payable in twenty years, said bonds to bear interest at six per cent. per annum, and to be exempt from city tax, and not to be sold at less than their par value.
March 6th, 1856, the sixth ward was erected from that part of Nottingham township designated by the name of Lamberton, and the balance of the township of Nottingham was annexed to and made a part of Hamilton township.
March 11th, 1856, by joint resolution, the same privileges were granted to the clergymen of Trenton to use the books and papers belonging to the State Library as are enjoyed by the legal profession.
April 2d, 1867, the seventh ward was erected, and embraces all that part of the city which lies north and west of the Dela- ware and Raritan Canal and feeder.
February 28th, 1840, the act creating the borough of South Trenton was passed.
The bounds were as follows: "Beginning at the confluence of the Assanpink creek with the river Delaware, in the middle of
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said creek; thence up the middle of said creek, the several courses thereof, to the middle of the Delaware and Raritan Canal ; thence down the middle of said canal till it intersects the road running westwardly along the south side of the State Arsenal ; thence down the middle of said road to the end thereof, and continuing in the same direction in a straight line to the river Delaware, and thence up the river Delaware, the several courses thereof, to the place of beginning." James M. Redmond, was appointed first chief burgess ; James H. Sims and Bailey A. West, assistant burgesses ; Marshal C. Holmes, high constable, and Jacob B. James, borough clerk.
February 25th, 1847, an act was passed giving the burgesses the like, power, authority, and jurisdiction in all criminal mat- ters as the justices of the several counties.
March 19th, 1851, the borough of South Trenton was annexed to Trenton, that part lying to the east of the line running up the middle of Bloomsbury street, from the Assanpink bridge to its intersection with the middle of Lamberton street, and thence along the middle of Lamberton street to the line of the town- ship of Nottingham, to be called the third ward, and that part lying to the west to be called the fourth ward; the ward called the east ward was made the first ward, and the ward called the west ward, was made the second ward.
December 2d, 1801, the house resolved unanimously, " that the members representing this state, in the congress of the United States, be and they are hereby requested, if congress should re- solve to move, for the purpose of better accommodation, from the city of Washington, to use their best efforts to procure their removal to the city of Trenton ; and they are hereby authorized to proffer, in the name of this state, the State House and other public buildings belonging to the state for the use of congress and their officers, for any length of time that the congress shall wish to occupy them, and that his excellency, the governor, be requested to transmit a copy of this resolution to the members of congress from this state, to be used by them as occasion may offer."
The same day it was passed by the council.
November 4th, 1802, a petition was received from sundry
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inhabitants of Trenton, stating further objections to the election held in said township, and praying to be heard before the house, which was referred to the committee of elections, and on the 16th they reported, " that in the petitions against the election in Maidenhead, three objections are stated, viz. :
" Ist. That citizens of Philadelphia voted.
" 2d. That married women voted.
" 3d. That votes were given by proxy.
" As to the first point, your committee are of opinion it was not supported.
" As to the second point, it appeared to your committee that a married woman voted, whose husband had left her for several years, and she had retaken her former name, and under that name she voted and paid taxes.
" As to the third point, it was proved to your committee that two votes were given in by proxy, and that this practice had heretofore taken place in this township.
" That in the petitions and memorial against the election in the township of Trenton, eight objections are stated :
" Ist. That the poll was improperly moved.
" 2d. That the judge received votes in the open street from carriages.
" 3d. That persons under age voted.
" 4th. That non-residents voted.
" 5th. That negroes and actual slaves voted.
"' 6th. That aliens voted.
" 7th. That persons not worth fifty pounds voted.
" 8th. That married women voted.
" That in the opinion of your committee the first point was not supported. That as to the second point, the taking of votes in the street from carriages, your committee considering how much the practice may be abused, are of opinion that it was irregular, if not unlawful.
" They further report, that it appeared to your committee that this practice had heretofore, in certain places, prevailed at elec- tions in Trenton.
" That at the late election no objection was made to the mode, but that voters of all kinds, without regard to any political differ-
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ence of opinion, presented votes on that mode ; and your com- mittee further report, that as far as such a mode of election could be, it was conducted by the judge and inspectors with fairness and correctness, the votes being received singly, in open view, and openly conveyed to the box.
"That as to the six other points, your committee decided, at the hearing, that they would receive no evidence of such unlaw- ful votes being admitted unless they were challenged, or unless the judge and inspectors knew the votes to be unlawful.
"Your committee being of opinion that unless the voter was challenged, or they knew him to be unlawful, the law compels the judge and inspectors to put the ballot in the box.
" Your committee further report, that no evidence was offered to them of the judge and inspectors knowingly receiving unlaw- ful votes, which were not challenged ; and as to the votes which were challenged, your committee report, that the evidence offered does not warrant them to say that improper decisions took place.
"Your committee are unanimously of opinion that it is not expedient, and would not tend to the public good to set aside the elections in the townships of Maidenhead and Trenton.
" By order of the committee.
" FREDERICK FRELINGHUYSEN."
Which report was sustained by the house.
October 29th, 1802, a petition was presented from a number of citizens and electors of the county of Hunterdon, stating illegal proceedings had at the late annual election in the county of Hunterdon.
At the assembling of the legislature, February Ist, 1804, the following message, a model for brevity, was communicated to the house by the governor :
"FEBRUARY Ist, 1804.
" On the 17th of December last, I received from the president of the United States an attested copy of 'An article of amend- ments proposed by congress, to be added to the constitution of the United States, respecting the election of president and vice president,' and which is submitted to the consideration of the legislature of the state of New Jersey.
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" The late revised laws of the state of New York, and a large map of the states, have been presented by the legislature thereof, and are herewith delivered.
" JOSEPH BLOOMFIELD."
February 6th, 1804, a petition was presented to the house from a committee of the " Trenton Resolution Fire Company," praying the house, as guardians of the public property of the state within the city of Trenton and its vicinity, to assist them in procuring an engine and other implements necessary to extin- guish fires.
On the 14th of November, 1804, the Trenton and New Bruns- wick Turnpike Company was chartered.
The original corporators were James Ewing, Joshua Wright, John Neilson, James Schuremann, and Thomas Hill.
The road was to be four rods wide from Trenton to New Brunswick, and they were to give security to the governor to pay the subscription money received by them to the treasurer of the company, and to be paid by the company for their ser- vices.
The subscriptions were two thousand shares, of one hundred dollars each, five dollars to be paid on each share at the time of subscribing.
January 27th, 1814, the council passed the bill to incorporate the Trenton and New Brunswick Turnpike Company, and on the 28th it passed the house.
Sundry petitions from a number of the citizens of Trenton and elsewhere were also presented to the house, praying, for reasons therein set forth, for a law authorizing a lottery for the purpose of removing the obstructions in the river Delaware, between Duck Island and the Pennsylvania shore; and on the 28th a bill was introduced in the house for that purpose, and on the 4th of November the bill was dismissed.
CHAPTER XIX.
The Old Jail-State Bank-Trenton Aqueduct Company-War of 1812-Trenton Library Company-Mayor's Court-Maun- facturing Companies-Mercer Cemetery-Riverview Cemetery - Temperance Beneficial Society-Trenton Insurance Company -Evangelical Reformed Church-Trenton Monument Associa- tion-Nottingham Schools.
I N 1808 the old jail was converted into the banking-house of the Trenton Banking Company, and on the 22d of Novem- ber of that year the legislature passed an act empowering the mayor, recorder, and aldermen of the city, or either of them, to confine violators of the law in the work-house, which was at that time being erected on Academy street, declaring the same to be the common gaol of the city, the keeper of which was to be ap- pointed by common council.
No magistrate was allowed to commit any offender to said city prison or work-house.
By this act the mayor, recorder, and aldermen were empow- ered as justices of the peace for the city, and their territorial jurisdiction was made to extend to the city of Trenton only.
On the 28th of January, 1812, an act was passed establishing state banks at Trenton, New Brunswick, Elizabeth, Newark, and Morris.
Stacy Potts, Peter Gordon, Charles Rice, William Scott, and John R. Smith were the corporators of the state bank in this city. They, in connection with Ellett Tucker, Reuben D. Tucker, Lucius Horatio Stockton, Evan Evans, Edward Yard, William Wood, Philip F. Howell, James J. Wilson, and Abner Reeder, were appointed the first directors.
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They were not allowed to issue notes of a less denomination than three dollars.
On the Ist of November, 1813, an act was passed allowing them to issue notes of a denomination not less than one dollar.
On the 27th of March, 1845, an act was passed to extend the charter of the State Bank at Trenton for the purpose of enabling them to close up and settle its affairs. Twelve years were given them from the 28th of January, 1842.
During the extension they were privileged to issue any bills of credit, bank bills, or other circulation of money, by loan or otherwise, in the form or style of banking business, in order to enable them to finally close up the concern.
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