USA > New Jersey > Salem County > History of the counties of Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland New Jersey, with biographical sketches of their prominent citizens, vol. 1 > Part 28
USA > New Jersey > Gloucester County > History of the counties of Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland New Jersey, with biographical sketches of their prominent citizens, vol. 1 > Part 28
USA > New Jersey > Cumberland County > History of the counties of Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland New Jersey, with biographical sketches of their prominent citizens, vol. 1 > Part 28
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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 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88
Vineland ...
103
GENERAL HISTORY.
Delaware, and Cape May, on the ocean, the tempera- ture is higher than it is at either Philadelphia. New- field, or Vineland, and the reason for this is to be found by the relative location of the several places,
Also, that the temperature during the summer months at Philadelphia, Newfield, and Vineland is higher than at Greenwich or Cape May, and the rea- son for this is to be sought for in the relative position of the several places as to nearness or remoteness from water as before stated. The water takes in and holds the heat in summer and gives off the same slowly but continuously in winter, hence water is the great climatie equalizer.
I have no data for late and early frosts outside of Vineland, but give the following for it, and this may approximate the interior of the area named in a like way as showing the cycle of vegetation for South Jersey :
Frost.
Year.
Latest.
Earliest.
Intervals.
Number of frosty
Snow, Inchea.
Snowy days.
Kuiny daye.
Amount of rain
in inchos.
1866
April 10
October 24
178
92
231/
1
40.52
1867
40
1
164
91
443%
15
11%
1868
24
64
18
177
113
40
13
117
1869
March 24
21
210'
101
131
111
52.70
1870
April 20
19
1×2
76
15
7
99
49.43
1871
41
24
21
180
113
491,
11
107
45.03
1573
27
=
185
92
1512
3
105
54.94
1875
11
18 :
=
13
178
101
50
104
45.90
1×76
19
12
176
91
251 -
5
103
51.87
1877
3 .
29
2018
79
361
5
100
50 9
1878
March 26
29
218
75
71
3
100
47.99
1879
April
3
26
: : 17
92
11
4
94
45 72
ISSI
6
6
183
97
93
26
8
95
46.06
This table enables any farmer to form a judgment as to when he may sow or plant certain crops with safety in this whole region so as to escape frost. It likewise shows the cycle of vegetable life from frost to frost. Also the number of frosty and rainy days, the amount of snow and rain in the year, or an ap- proximation thereto.
The average indications by the psychrometer is 77 per cent. of moisture. The barometer is an instru- ment of importance in this region as showing the , vated by a preponderance of northwest winds that
fluctuations preceding, accompanying, and following storms, but to tabulate its indications to any great extent would occupy too much space with figures that most readers would regard a> more dry than edifying. A few special maxima and minima may be given to show the range to which it sometimes reaches in this region. In February, 1876, it reached an elevation of 30.932, and in December, 1874, it was 30.784. A few of the lowest points reached by it are as follows : 28.656 and 28.820; thus showing a range of over two
indications the Signal Service would be like the mari- ner without the chronometer in finding his longitude. To make it of practical value, however, it must be observed and studied for years, and that not alone, but in connection with winds, with seasons of the year, with the hour of the day, etc., and all its fluctuations must be carefully noted, and the broadest generaliza- tions known to science will reward the conscientious and painstaking student.
Much has been said about the protracted dry weather to which this region of country is liable, but the observations made heretofore on the atmos- pheric supply of moisture here show that drouths can be as well borne here as in any equal area in the United States without serious injury to crops.
The following table will give an idea of the fre- queney and duration of these dry periods during the time from 1866 to 1881. These are only the longest periods happening within these months, and no notice is taken of shorter ones, as this would require too much space. This fractional form of expression is for econ- omy of space, and may be relied upon as strictly ac- curate. Only the growing months are used.
APRIL.
Year ..
1871 1876 1877 1878 1879 11 13 10 13
1850 11
1881 12
MAF.
Year.
1$66
1868
1872 1877 11
14
21
JUNE.
Year.
1968 1870
1873
1874
13 1878 1879 16
1880 1882 13 11
Number of dry days ...
13
13
14
14
11
15
1878 1879 1851 13
11
AUGUST.
Year.
1º69 1870 1871
1874
1876
1877
1880
18-1
Number of dry days ....
13
15
12
13
14
11
12
18
From this table we see that May, 1880, had twenty- four consecutive dry days (this embraced two days of April), this being the longest period without rain during the growing season in seventeen years; and of course the grass, clover, and strawberry crops suffered to a considerable extent that year, and this was aggra-
month.
A longer dry period than the above has been met with in other than the growing months, as in Novem- ber, 1874, a period of thirty days passed without rain or snow; twenty-four dry days also in December, 1877.
As respects the matter of clouds in this region, a single year may be taken as a type of all the rest. In 1879, thirty-one days were entirely clear; in ten hundred and ninety-five observations three hundred
JULY.
Year ..
1860
1868
1869 1873 1874 1877
No. of dry days. 12
11
10
10
12
53.03
1872
"
17
=
12 29
15
169
92
17
3
12.38
Number of dry days.
15
11
16
0
19
181
100
30
7
101
52.02
Averages ...
IS7
+
3632
11
113
48.17 56.33
1874
30
9
1879 1980
Number of dry days.
178
duys,
inches, as follows : 30.932 - 28.656 = 2.276. The average of this instrument for seventeen years is 29.940, at an elevation of one hundred and five feet above tide level. The barometer is an element of un- the two former being on or nearer the water than the ' told value to the weather observer, and without its latter.
104
HISTORY OF GLOUCESTER, SALEM, AND CUMBERLAND COUNTIES.
and forty-nine were clear, seven hundred and forty- six were cloudy, and on a scale of ten the degree of clondiness for the year was six hundred and twenty- four.
A few general considerations on the climatology of Sonth Jersey, and we will elose.
If the wind comes from the south, southwest, south- east, east, or northeast, the hygrometer indicates a large degree of moisture, if not complete saturation ; . over France or Hamburg will be charged with abun- but if the wind changes suddenly to west, northwest, : dance of watery vapor. The prevailing winds in both or north, the hygrometer shows at onee the dry state : continents are westerly, but the results must be diverse on animal and vegetable life, -- ride the giant pines of California, oaks in Michigan, and as compared with the same genera and species in England, Spain, and Germany.
of the atmosphere. These varying states of the air are quite as obvious in rainy weather as any other, so that the number of rainy days in a given time, or the vertical depth of water, would not be a safe criterion of the hygrometrie state of the locality. The course
Our elimate invites the invalid from all parts of of the wind and the hygrometer itself tell more . the country, as here is to be found the golden mean clearly than aught else the state of the atmosphere as I between the enervating miasms of the South and the to moisture.
A southeast, east, sonth, or northeast wind bring to us the same elimatic conditions that a west, southwest, i
or northwest wind carries to Spain or England, viz., a breeze charged with the contents of the Gulf Stream.
The annual quantity of rain falling in England is 32 inches : at San Antonio, 32.7 inches ; in France, 25 inches ; in Vicksburg, 48.4; Hamburg, 17; Mo- bile, 61 ; and yet Mobile has a dryer atmosphere than Hamburg, -no contradiction here. A northwest wind bearing down on San Antonio and Mobile passes over a wide scope of dry inland country, which must ren- der the atmosphere dry ; but the same wind sweeping
fieree cold and snow of a five- or six-monthy' winter.
Here we have no tornadoes, but the healthful breezes that cheer and invigorate both mind and body, and a climate that invites to our midst every nationality under the sun.
HISTORY OF GLOUCESTER COUNTY.
CHAPTER XXIV.
ORGANIZATION AND SUBSEQUENT DIVISIONS OF THE COUNTY.
THE Province of West New Jersey had, in 1682. become quite populous, and for convenience in the administration of justice, it was in May of that year, divided into two jurisdictions or counties, with a Court of Quarter Sessions, a sheriff, and a elerk in each. They were named from the two towns which they included, Burlington and Salem. It was still found inconvenient for the people of the third and fourth tenths, or precinets, to transact their business at distant places, and they availed themselves of the first opportunity which disturbanees in the provincial government afforded to remedy this inconvenience for themselves.
Nov. 25, 1685, the 1-sembly met, but on the same day adjourned, ostensibly on account of the sharp- ness of the weather, "to some fit and seasonable time." No record appears of the proceedings of this Assembly at any session afterwards till the latter part of 1692, though there is reason to believe that regular sessions were held.
Perhaps no better account can be given of the or- ganization of this county, and the early action of the courts and anthorities therein than that of Mickle,1 which is here substantially copied.
Organization of the County .- On the 26th day of May, 1686, the proprietors, freeholders, and inhabi- tants generally of the third and fourth tenths, or the territory between the Pensaukin and Oldman's Creeks, met at Arwames, and organized a jurisdiction or county by the adoption of what may be termed a county constitution. This curious instrument, which had ten brief paragraphs, erected the two precincts into a county, ordained a regular court, provided officers, and prescribed the minutiæ of legal practice, and also provided regulations for the marking of hogs and other cattle. The following is a literal copy of this constitution :
"CONSTITUTION OF GLOUCESTER COUNTY.
" GLOUCESTER ye 28th May 1686.
" By the Propryetors, Freeholders and Inhabitants of the Third and Fourth Tenths (Alias county of Gloucester,) then agreed as followeth : "Impriori --- That a Court be held for the Jurisdiction and Limits of the aforesaid Tenths or County. one tyme at Axwamus alias Gloucester and another tyme at Hed B.enk.
1 Reminiscences of Old Gloucester, 1844.
"Item-That there be fawer courtes for the Jurisdiction aforesaid held in one year at ye dayes and tymes hereinafter mentioned viz : uppon the first day of the first Month, upon ye first day of ye fourth month, on the first day of the seventh month and upon ye first day of the tenth month.
"Item-That the first Court shall be held at Gloucester aforesaid npon the first day of September next.
"Item-That all warrants and summons shall be drawne by the clarke of the Courte and signed by a Justice and soe delivered to the sherriff or his Deputy to Execute.
"Item-That the bodye of each warrant rte. shall contayne or In- timate the nature of the action.
"Item-That a coppy of the Declaration he given along with ye war- rant by the Clerke of the Court, that soe the Defendant may have the longer tyme to Considder the same and prepare his answer.
" Item-That all summons, warrants, etc. shall be served and Declara- tions given at least ten days before the Court.
" Item-That the sherriffe shall give the Jury summons six dayes before the court be held on which they are to appear.
"Item-That all persons within ye Jurisdiction aforesaid bring into the next conrte ye mark of their Hoggs and other Cattell, in order to be approved aud recorded."
This was the origin of OLD GLOUCESTER, the only county in New Jersey that derived its existence from the direct action of its own people.
Early Administration of Affairs .- " It would seem," says Gordon, "that the inhabitants of the connty deemed themselves a body politic, a democratic commonwealth with full powers of legislation."
It will appear by the extracts from the county records, to be hereafter given, that such was their opinion. The courts and grand juries which sat at Red Bank and Arwames would have been formidable tribunals hut for the stern integrity with which they exercised extraordinary authority. It must be ad- mitted, however, that the justices chosen by the peo- ple under the concessions appear to have been too complaisant to the juries under their direction. Whether it was a verdict changing a freeman to a slave, or a presentment laying the most inconsiderable tax, the entry by the clerk was the same. "To all which ye Bench assents."
"By the joyntt consent of the proprietors," who. during the interregnum in the provincial government, fixed everything, the county-seat was fixed at Ar- wames.
Recognition of the County .- One statute erect- ing the county of Cape May in 1692, by reciting that the province had " been formally divided into three counties," gave an indirect sanction to the irregular proceedings of the inhabitants of Glouces- ter County in forming them-elves into a county with- ont the action of the provincial Legislature. An act passed the same year partially defined the boundaries
105
106
HISTORY OF GLOUCESTER COUNTY.
of the county, by making the Pensaukin the division line between it and Burlington, but this was repealed at the next session of the Legislature because of "a great inconvenieney seen in that aet." In 1694 two laws relating to Gloucester were passed. The first enacted
"that the two distinction- or divisions, heretofore called the Third and Fourth Tenths, be and is hereby laid into one conuty named, and from henceforth to be called, THE CorSTY OF GLOUCESTER, the limits whereof, bounded with the aforesaid river, called Crapwell (forutterly called Peut- sawkin), on the north, and the river Berkley (formerly called Oldman's Creek) on the south."
It was probably intended that the eastern boundary of the county should be a right line drawn from the head-waters of the Pensaukin to the head-waters of Oldman's Creek. It is certain that Gloucester did not originally reach to the ocean, for the second law, enacted the same year, set forth :
EGG HARBOR ANNEXED TO GLOUCESTER.
"Forasmuch as there are some families settled upon Egg Harbons, : constituted the almshouse property, was to be owned
and of right ought to be under some jurisdiction, be it enacted by the authority aforesaid that the inhabitants of the said Egg Harbour shall be and belong to the jurisdiction of Gloucester, to all intents and pur- poses, till such time as they shall be capable, by a competent number of inhabitants, to be erected into a county, any former act to the contrary notwithstanding."
By a supplement to the act ereeting the county of Camden, which supplement was approved April 1, 1846, Joseph Saunders, J. B. Harrison, J. K. Cow- perthwaite, Edward Turner, and J. J. Spencer were In this dependent condition the Egg Harbor region continued till 1710, when, by a legislative act, it was incorporated with and made a part of Gloucester. appointed commissioners to divide the publie prop- erty which belonged to the county of Gloucester at the time of the passage of the act erecting Camden Atlantic County erected .- A hundred and twenty years later the people on the seaboard had acquired, as they thought, "a competent number of inhabit- County, between the counties of Gloucester and Cam- den, excepting real estate and the movable property, which the act reserved for the county of Gloucester. ants" to be made a separate county, and accordingly . These commissioners met and made an appraisemeut Atlantic County was erected in 1837. A board of
of all the personal property, moneys, and effects, ex- commissioners, consisting of three from each of the , cept as excepted, and after deducting therefrom the new counties, was appointed to appraise the public . amount of the debts against the county at the time property of the old county and apportion the net ' of the passage of the act dividing the county of valne thereof to the new counties according to the . Gloucester, apportioned the balance to the two coun- population of each. The commissioners for Glonees- ter County were John Clement, Elijah Bowers, and James Saunders. They found the net valne of the publie property of the old county of Gloucester (after dedneting liabilities) to be $24,195.45, of which $17,247.69! was the amount apportioned to the new , county of Gloucester, and $6947.753 to the new county of Atlantic.
Attempted Removal of County-Seat .- From time to time during the early part of the present century the question of removing the county-seat to Camden was agitated, and on the 25th of November, 1824, an act was passed by the Legislature of the State author- izing an election in the county of Gloucester to de- termine whether or not the county-seat should be re- moved to or within one mile of Camden. The election was held on the 8th day of February, 1825, and the contest was a spirited one. The result was 2516 votes fer Woodbury and 1640 for Camden, a majority of 876 in favor of continuing the public buildings at the former place.
Erection of Camden County .-- As time went on
the convenience of the rapidly-increasing population in the northern part of Gloucester seemed to call for the erection there of a new county, and the measure was favored by some in order to secure to West New Jersey its just share of influence in the State govern- ment.
Accordingly, on the 13th of March, 1844, an act was passed by the Legislature erecting the township- of Camden, Waterford, Newton, Union, Delaware, Gloucester, and Washington, then constituting a part of the county of Gloucester, into a separate county by the name of Camden. So violent, however, was the opposition to the measure that the aet passed the Assembly by a majority of only one.
By the terms of this aet the court-house, jail, and other public property at Woodbury continued to be the property of Gloucester County, but the alms- house and the farm, and the personal property per- taining to them, as well as the other real estate which
. and occupied jointly by the two counties.
ties in the ratio of the county tax paid by the several townships which composed the counties in 1843. The surplus revenue of the United States which had been deposited with the county, and the interest thereon, was apportioned in the ratio of the State tax paid by the same townships in the year 1836, the year previous to that in which this deposit was accepted.
By this apportionment the county of Gloucester received of personal property, moneys, and effects a balance of 8872.10.
Of the bonds and mortgages for surplus revenue loaned, and interest thereon, there was apportioned to the county of Gloucester the sum of $23,867.80.
The personal property connected with the alm -- house was not taken into account in making this division, as it was not believed to come within the intent and meaning of the aet by which the commis- sioners were appointed.
Washington and Monroe restored to Glouces- ter .- The township of Washington, which was in- eluded in the county of Camden when that county was creeted, was subsequently divided into the town hips
107
GENERAL HISTORY.
of Washington and Monroe. By a law approved I. b. 28, 1871, it was enacted,-
"That all that part of the conuty of Comden comprising the t waships { Washington and Monroe (except that part of the township of Wash- ington included within the boundaries of the Conden almehouse farm. which is to remain a part of said county of Camden, and be annexed to and innde a part of, the township of Gloucester iu said county) shall be, and the same is, hereby annexed to and made a part of the county of (laur reter."
Geography and Topography. - The county as now constituted is bounded . on the northeast by Camden County, from which it is separated by Tim- her Creek, Four-Mile Creek, and Great Egg Harbor River : on the southeast by Atlantic County ; on the southwest by Cumberland and Salem Counties, Old- man's Creek from its source to its mouth separating it from Salem; and on the northwest by Delaware River.
It has the same general form that it had previous to the separation from it of Atlantic and Camden Counties,-that of a parallelogram extending from northwest to southeast. The water-shed which sepa- rates the streams running toward the east and west- a portion of what is sometimes called the " Backbone of New Jersey"-extends in a northeast and south- west direction across the county, near the line between Washington and Monroe, and through Clayton.
Divisions of Townships .- As the population of the county has increased the few original townships that were included within the limits of the present county have been divided and subdivided till now there are twelve, viz. : Clayton, Deptford. Frank- lin, Glassboro, Greenwich, Harrison, Logan, Mantua, Monroe, Washington, West Deptford, and Wool- wich.
Population .- The population of the county was in 1790, 3368; 1800, 16,115; 1810, 19,744; 1820, 23,071; 1880, 28,431 ; 1840, 26,438 ; 1850, 14,655; 1860, 18,444; 1870, 21,662; 1880, 25,886.
Land Titles. - The acquisition of the title to the iand here by the original proprietors, the extinguish- ment of the Indian title, and the changes which oc- rurred in the early proprietorship have been spoken of elsewhere. It is now exceedingly difficult, and in many cases quite impossible, for individuals to fol- low the chain of title to their lands back to these early proprietors ; for the reason that titles were not recorded here prior to 1785. In a few ea-es deeds re- cite this chain of title back, but in most of these few the recital stops short of the original proprietors.
CHAPTER XXV.
EARLY DOINGS OF THE COUNTY AUTHORITIES.
Extracts from Court Records .- The following extraets not only show that the inhabitants of old Gloucester considered themselves, for a time after the constitution was adopted at Arwames, an independent government, with power to prescribe penalties, levy taxes, determine boundaries, and exercise other gov- ernmental functions, but they illustrate to some ex- tent the moral and social condition of the carly Eng- lish settlers.
At the court at Red Bank, on the 10th of Decem- ber, 1686,
" Andrew Wilkie was brought to ye Bar, and the indictment against him for ffelony being read, he pleaded guilty in manner and form." A jury, however, " was empmannelled and attested upon his Triall and true deliverance to make between our Lord the King and the prisoner at the bar, etc. Verdict-The jury I rought in Andrew Wilke, the prisoner, Gnilty in the mauber and form: and that ye said prisoner ought to make pay to the prosecutor the sin of sixteen pounds. Sentence -- The Bench appoints that ye sail Wilkie shall pay ye aforestid sixteen pounds by way of servitude viz: if he will be bound by Indenture to ye prosecutor, then to serve him ye terme of four years ; but if he con- discended not thereto, then ye court awarded that be should he a ser- vant, and sve abide the terme of five years, and to be accommodated in the tyme of his servitude by his master with meat, drink, cloths, and washing according to be customs of ye county and fitt for such a ser- vant."
It is drained towards the east by Great Egg Har- bor River and several smaller streams, and towards The felony for which this double conviction was had was the theft of goods from Denis Sins, and the sentence was in accordance with the provincial law of 1681, which required thieves to make fourfold res- titution, "or be made to work for so long a time as the nature of the otfence shall require." Neither law nor custom, however, furnished anthority for the fol- the west by Timber, Woodbury, Mantua, Raccoon, and Oidman's Creeks and their affinents, all of which are navigable for some distance inward. Its greatest length between northwest and southeast is about thirty-nine miles, and its greatest width between northeast and southwest about nineteen. It has an area of about four hundred and thirty square miles. . lowing proceedings, which were had at a court held The surface is generally level and the soil is sandy. in Gloucester on the Ist of December, 1693 :
"The grand jury present William Lovejoy for that, contrary to the order and advice of the Bench, he doth frequent the house of Ann l'en- stone, and lodge there, none being in ye house but he and ye said Anu with the bastard child. William Lovejoy solemnly promises to appear at the next contt, to be held at Glencester, and to be of very good behaviour during the same time."
First Court .- The first court held under the county organization was in September, 1686. The justices present on the bench were Francis Collins, Thomas Thackera, and John Wood. The jury-list returned by the sheriff included the names of
William Hunt, William Bate, William Alvertson, William Lovejoy, Henry Wood, Jonathan Wood, John Hugge, James Atkinson, Thomas Sharp, Thomas Chantiers, George Goldsmith, John Ladde, Datnel Read- ing, John Ithel, John Bethel, In mas Matthews, William Palboe, An- theny Nerison, John Matson, Thomas Boll, John Taylor, William: Salis. bury, Matthew Modealfe, and William Couper. At this term, "6pm ye complayut of Rebecca Heinmond against her late master, Robert Zane, for want uf necessary apparell as alce his failure in some covenauts that he was obliged by his indenture to perform-it was ordered yt se said Rob. Zane, before ye first day of ninth month next, should finde and give to ye said hebecka Hammond appareil to the valing of thice pounds seven shillings and sixpence, ani I alsoe fifty neres of land to her und her heirs forerer ; and in casa ye i Hob, shall dislike this order then to dlund to and abide by ye ad of Assembly in the like wise provide; whereupon ye sd Rob. Zane did at last declare that be would compiy with ye aforesail order and answer ye sathe."
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