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 31
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 31
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 31
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To defray the expenses of this improvement the grand jury levied a tax of one shilling upon every hundred acres of land, for every horse and mare more than three years old sixpence per head, for neat cattle two pence for each, three shillings for each freeman in service, and three shillings for each negro over twelve years old,
"to be paid in current silver money, or corn, or any other country pro- duce, at money price, to be delivered and brought in to the county treas- urer at his dwelling house."
Second Court-House and Jail .- Pride crept in : to the house of Mary Spey, by reason of the cold."
among the people, and they were not long satisfied with their public buildings, even after they had been improved. On " the fifth of the second month, called April," 1715, it was resolved by the justices and free- holders to build
"a goal twenty four foot long in the cleare, and the wall in the full height from the foundation nine foot high and two foot thick, well done with good mortar of lime and sand. And to lay the upper and under Doors with the planks of the old prison, to make a good rouf to it, and necessary doors and windows. And to remove the court house where the new prison is to stand, and to repayve the same as shall be needful." i tion shall be Proceeded in against ye sd. Thomas Sharp for Paying ye third and last Payment before itt became die."
This new county capitol was finished in 1719, but for some reason it was not satisfactory to the justices and freeholders, who, in December of that year, con- : 1722: tracted with Abraham Porter and William Harrison as follows : i
" Allen it is agreed by this meeting yt the Prisson as it is now built, being defective, shall be pulled Down to ye lowwer thoor, & Rebuilt upon the same foundation, with good fresh Lime & Sand, ye same highit it now is, with coruer Chimneys at Eich End, cros turred with Iron in Esel funnell, to prevent Escapes, A ptition in ye Middle of three iuch Mank, as allso a house of office, each Prisson made in ye manner of a well with brick six foot Deep & boarded for yt. purpose. Together with a Port at ye entrance, with a secon ] Door into ye prison, for the better Security.
" A Court house built upon it of well burnt Brick, and half thick wall, Laide in Good Lime & Sand, nine foot in the hight, A Payre of Substan- tiall Stone Stayers at ye East inside, of Hewn Stone of four foot Long with a peddimeut over them, two transom windows, on yo South Side a Casement. In Each window the Lights agreeable to ye building, one of the Same Kinde on ye North Side, & a casement, a Large ffobling Door- case, & Doors with Lights over it at the head of the stayers for an En- trance, the walls of the Court house well plaistered & whitewasht, the Lower flors of the Court house well joyced planked upou them, & a floor of inch boards, well Plained & Nailed down upon them the floor above ye joyces of Pine, Plained on beath sides, with inch boards, a Payer of Stayers up iu to the garret, and a window in Each Gable End . well Rooft & Shingled & to Jutt over a fout on Each Sule & to be Con- sidable Sett of under the Eves A Gallery at the Westt End from Side to Side well Pailed with Stayers at Each End, A table & Bar Philed yt it may Sufficiently arcomodate the Justices, Clerk, Atturneys, & Jurys, allso to finde Glass, bailes Iron Work, Lucks, hinges, & to finish the whole Building as is Convenient & Suitable to such a work, and yt all the timber Except boards & ye upper Joyce of the Court house be Good white oak. It is allso Conelnded yt this meeting is adjourned until the first day of the Sixth Month next, to meet at Gloucester, theu & there . to Inspect the work Doo, & to allow or disallow ye same according as it is acted."
If this house was not satisfactory it was certainly not for lack of " plans and specifications."
First Stocks and Whipping-Post .- A desire for the maintenance of good order was manifested by the county Legislature, as appears by the following entry in the clerk's book, about this time, of a further pro- vision for the punishment of malefactors :
"It is agreed by this meeting that a payer of substantial stocks be erected near the prison, with a post at each end, well fixed and fastened, with a hand cuff iron att one end of them for a whipping-post."
In 1736 the board ordered the addition of a yard, a watch-house, a work-honse, and a pump to the public property. No further material improvements appear to have been made to the logg house. That the court- house was never very comfortable appears by the fol- lowing minute, made Dec. 19, 1721 : " Proclamation being made. the Court of Common Pleas is adjourned
At the meeting held on the 27th day of the first month, 1722, the following resolution was adopted :
" WHEREAS, by a mioute off this Board, dated ye thirteenth day of ye Second month, Anno Domini, 1;13, Abraham Porter and William Har- rison was appoyntel managers ffor Building ye Pri-on & Court house, under ye Pennalty off fifty Pounds Each in y? ton Performance off the same, which they att ytt time Consented and agreed to, being ytt mem- bers off the Same Bodily, aud the Work as yett Lying & not Compleate.1 ; . Ordered yt Thomas Sharp, if they neglect ye Perfecting off itt by ye twenty-Eighth of ye third month next, shall Prosecute them the ed. Manniger- for their Deffect uppon yt account, or otherwise a Prosecu-
At the meeting on the fifth day of the fourth month,
"The order against Abraham Porter and William Hurtism & Thomas
Sharp, by ye Last Meeting, aboutt finishing ye Court-house & Stone
1
116
HISTORY OF GLOUCESTER COUNTY.
Stayers, Respited untill ye next courtt, but when finished wholely to be Sett a Side."
It appears from the minutes of the board of justices and freeholders that repairs of the prison and court- house were frequently ordered, and commissioners or managers were appointed to carry into effect these orders.
The following entry appears under the date June 15, 1736 :
" At which meeting ye Board orders that a yard and a Watchhouse, and also a Workhonse be built and erected before the front of the Prison at Gloucester, that is on the south side of så. Prison, and also a cellar the whole bigness of the watchhouse, and also a well to be sunk within the said yardt, and a Pump to set therein. The yard, watchhouse, and work house to be erected and built according to ye Dementions of a Praft that is lodged with the clerk of this Board."
" And that the sum of two hundred pounds be raised for defraying the charge thereof in the manner following." etc.
At the meeting, July 10, 1750, it was
"agreed yt ye Prison be enlarged 10 foot in ye Cleare into ye Road, ye Walls to he sunk three foot into ye Ground, to be 2' , foot thick, & a Partition carried up ye first story, ve floar to be Pitched with long stone, two foot deep, filled up with morter, & flvared over yt with two inch Plank."
Samuel Cole was manager to see the addition built "as soon as conveniently may be." At the next meet- ing it was ordered that the whole prison be " floared over in ye same manner as ye new."
In January, 1852, the same managers were ordered "to Ereet & Build a pair of Stocks and a Whipping Post."
In March, 1853, the managers were ordered to pur- chase for the court-house a new bell of one hundred pounds weight, and " dispose of ye old one to help pay for ye same."
The erection of new stocks and whipping-post was ordered in 1774, and Joseph Ellis was appointed manager to erect them.
1
In 1782 certain repairs to the court-house and jail were ordered, and such repairs to the county-house as to make it tenable.
County-House .- The first mention of a county- house in the minutes of the ju-tices and freebolders was June 10, 1765, when William Hugg and Samuel Harrison were allowed £02 16s. 2d. for materials, workmen, wages, and commissions in repairing the same. Again, in 1770, repairs were ordered. Where this county-house was located, or what were the regu- lations, if any, concerning it. does not appear.
Court-House Injured by Fire .- In the justices' and frecholder,' minutes for Feb. 8, 1778, appears the following :
" WHEREAS, by the axedent of fire, the Roof of the Courthouse is Burnt of, and other Damag is Done to ye sd house, it is Ordered By the Bord that all Nesery Utentials Be l'urchesed, and all Nesery Repairs be inade to the Court house and Jail in or near the manner it was Before the Consumtion by the od hre, with all Convenient Speed; and accordingly Isaac Mickle and James Hinchman is apinted Managars to Purches Metcarals and llier Workmen, and See the work is Done," etc.
Court-House and Jail Burned .- From time to time, after that date, repairs were ordered, till, in March, 1786, the following entry appears :
" The Question was weather the Courthouse & goal Lately Consumed by fire should be Repaired, or weather a Petition be sent to the Legis. lature for a law to be l'assed to enable the Inhaletants to build a new Courthouse & Goal. The votes being called there was a majority for having them Built new. It was then agreed by the Board That a peti- tion should be sent from så Board praying the Legislature To piss n law for the Building of a Courthouse & Goal In such place in sd county as a majority of the Inhabitants thereof shall Determine lyy a free and in :- partial Election-that sd Petition be Drawn immediately , atd signed by The Clerk on behalf of the board-winch was done accordingly. '
When the fire alluded to occurred is not known, but it is believed to have taken place early in March, 1786. Aug. 3, 1786, James Brown. John Jesop. and Samuel IIugg were appointed managers " to agree with work- men and purchase materials for the building of the Goal and Court house at Woodbury;" a tax of £108 68. Sd. was ordered to defray the expense.
Location and Erection of the Present Court- House .- It is presumed that an election had been held, and that Woodbury had been selected as the county-seat, though no record of such action exists.
At a meeting held for the purpose, Sept. 29, 1786, the board
" proceeded to the Choice of a lot for the use of a Courthonse & Goal, when John Bispham offered a lot four Rods front and fifteen Rous Back for the purpose afsd; the votes where then called whether the board Ex- cept of sd Offer yea or nay-which was Called accordiugly & unani- monsly Excepted.
"Ordered that James Wilkins, John Wilkins Esq. & Joseph Reeves be a committee to see the lot laid out and take a Deed therefor.
"Ordered that the Goal be Built the same size of Salem Goal, and the Courthouse be 35 feet by 40 feet, and the yard 100 feet in length."
At a special meeting held Dec. 6, 1786, the man- agers were instructed to pay fifty pounds for the lot. and it was ordered that fifteen hundred pounds be raised "for the purpose of building the Court house and Goal." This sum was increased May 9, 1787, to seventeen hundred pounds. An additional sum of five hundred pounds was ordered at a special meeting. April 2, 17SS, to complete the court-house. The jail had been reported nearly finished. May 14, 1788, the managers were ordered to procure, and hang on the court-house, a suitable bell. Additional sums were ordered from time to time as the work progressed. When a final settlement was made with the managers, John Jessup, Samuel Hugg, and James Brown, on the 19th of June, 1790, it was found that the cost of the court-house and jail had been more than twelve thousand dollars.
May 9, 1792, furniture was ordered for the court- house, including among other articles " two sets and- irons, shovels & Tongs." At the same time provision was made for the erection of " Stocks, whipping post, and pillory, to be placed at the discretion of the man- ager," John Je -- up ..
The andirons, shovels, and tongs, included in the furniture of the court-house, were articles that are now seldom seen, except in museums of antiquities, and to those who have reached the age of threescore and ten years they are suggestive of the " blazing hearth" of their youthful days. The mention of the stocks, whipping-post, and pillory calls up reflections on
117
GENERAL HISTORY.
the times when " the rod for the fool's back" was the Brothers, of Philadelphia, for the iron cells, the prob- accepted doctrine, and when idiocy was believed to able cost of the whole to be sixteen thousand five be more widely prevalent than now, Public stocks were again ordered to be erected on the county lot in 1.22. hundred dollars. Theplans were accepted and adopted. and an additional appropriation of three thousand dollars for the purpose was made. These appropria- In 1858 an alteration was made in the court-house by removing a portion of the rear or west wall. and ' erecting a semicircular recess for the better accommo- dation of the bench, and for the enlargement of the court-room. Some changes were at the same time made in the interior of the court-room. The cost of these improvements was seven hundred dollars. tions were from time to time supplemented by others, making the total aggregate of twenty-two thousand dollars, including the cost of the iron cells, doors, windows, gratings, ete. John Pierson, Charles S. Knisell. Jonathan I. Smith, Abijah S. Hewitt, and Martin Madden were appointed a committee to su- perintend the erection of the jail. Except the iron cells it was built by day labor, under the immediate supervision and direction of this committee. It was completed and occupied in the winter of 1877-78.
Except these improvements, and some unimportant changes in the rooms in the second story, the interior of the house remains as when it was built. The stone steps, columns, etc. in front, were added many years
It is built of stone from quarrie- in Chester. Pa., since, and the belfry and steeple have been more than i laid in rubble-work (irregular), with dressed face, once rebuilt. In 1850 a committee was appointed " to . pointed with cement, and brownstone trimmings. get a plan for and superintend the erection of a new directed to " have it so constructed as to accommodate a town elock, should the inhabitants of Woodbury : walls two feet in thickness and twenty-five feet in and vicinity feel disposed to place one in it at their own expense." The dwelling has a front of forty-two feet and a steeple or belfry upon the court-house," aud they were . depth of forty-seven. In the rear of, and joined to this, is the prison, thirty-eight by fifty feet, with height. The floor of the prison is of broken stone aud cement, three feet thick, and solid as a rock. On this floor stands a block of cells, twenty-eight in number, built of cast iron. each plate being three-
The question of a new and more commodious and tasteful court-house is under consideration, and not many years will elapse before this venerable structure, ; fourths of an inch in thickness, and all joined to- which has survived several generations, will pass ; gether as butt-hinges, and securely bolted from top
away, as did the jail that stood just in the rear of it till the completion of the new jail.
to bottom. Each cell has a length of seven feet, a width of four feet six inches, and a height of eight feet ; and in each are iron ventilating columns, which
County Prison .- On the 18th of February, 1875, a committee of the board of freeholders, consisting of : connect with the smoke-stack or large chimney, and Charles S. Knisell, Edmund Jones, John Pierson, " afford perfect ventilation. Benjamin F. Siekler, and John M. Saunders, was ap- pointed to visit prisons " for the purpose of ascertain- ing a proper plan for a prison for this county, with power to employ an architect to draught a plan." etc.,
The ceiling of the prison is of >olid cast-iron plates, three-fourths of an inch thick, rendering the prison absolutely fire-proof. Over the block of cells are four boiler-iron tanks, having an aggregate capacity and to make an estimate of the cost of a new jail. of ten thousand gallons. Water is conducted into At a meeting in May this committee reported plans as instructed. No further action in the matter was : then taken.
these from the roof's of the prison and dwelling, and an ample supply is thus afforded for bathing, closet drainage, etc., all of which is carried six hundred and
At the annual meeting of the freeholders, May 9, fifty yards through an eight-inch terra-cotta pipe 1877, the following preamble and resolution were | and discharged into Woodbury Creek. The aggre- adopted :
| gate weight of the iron used in the construction of the cells is more than ninety-five gross tons, and the prison is considered a model of workmanship. The county has no debt.
Clerk's and Surrogate's Offices .- Nov. 24, 1797, Joshua Howell, Phineas Lord, John Blackwood, John Brick, John E. Hopkins, and John Thorn were made commissioners, and authorized to
" Whereas, The judges of the Court, at the April term, brought before the grand jury the condition of our county jail, and censured the board of freeholders of the county for keeping such a unisance, and re- i quested the grand jury to take cognizauce of the same, and that, after a careful examination of the same, saul grand jury recommended that this board take the matter under consideration ; therefore,
" Resolred, That we build on the county lot, in Woodlany, a new jail, with a dwelling-house attached for the use of the sheriff or jailer, with a sheriff's office attached, not to cost more than fifteen thousand dol- lara."
John Pierson, Jonathan HI. Smith, and Charles S. Knisell were appointed a committee to procure plans and specifications for the building.
" purchase a lott of ground (within the Town of Woodbury) on behalf of the County, and to erect thereop, or cause to be erected, a suitable Building for the keeping safe the records of the Conuty, and such other records as now is and may be recorded in the Clerk's office for th" county of Gloucester,"
On the 24th of the same month this committee re- ported plans, etc., furnished by Stephen D. Button, May 9, 1798, these commissioners presented to the for the building, which is of stone; and by Royer : board a plan, which was adopted, and they were ot-
118
HISTORY OF GLOUCESTER COUNTY.
dered to complete the building as soon as convenient. ' briek, eighteen inches in thickness ; the beams are of The plan was
"25 ft. 4 in. by 20 feet, an arched Sellar under the whole, Dour posts and window frames Stone, Poors and window shutters iron, and the Roof to be covered with copper."
An appropriation of one thousand pounds was made Jan. 8, 1799, for the erection of this building. The commissioners had purchased a lot for that purpose from Isaac and Rachel Wilkins.
The office was erected according to the foregoing specifications, and it still stands, on the east side of Broad Street, between Cooper and Hunter Streets, having undergone no change since its erection. In the transom the words " Clark's Office" were carved. The a in Clark's has been partially obliterated and e cut in its place by some modern vandal. Since 1820 it has been the surrogate's office.
In January, 1799, " was proposed to this Board for consideration the propriety of an Iron Chest of wrought Iron being purchased for the County Collector. the more safely to keep the money of sd County"; there- fore, "Ordered that the County Collector be author- ized to purchase one." The chest procured under this order has long since ceased to be used. It now lies in the attic of the court-house, along with other relics of " ve olden time."
Present Clerk's Office .- At a special meeting of the freeholders held on the 24th of February, 1820, it was
"Ordered that James Matlack, Job Brown, Joseph Kaign. Joseph V. Clark, and Joseph Rogers be a committee to procure materials, employ mechanics, and build a Surrogate's office on the County lot on the west side of Woodbury street, and that the same be built, not to exceed thirty-one feet in Debth, and twenty-four feet in width, and of the best materials that can be procured. one Room of which to be made com- pleatly fire proof, And that they take Down the Belcony House and apply the Bricks and other materials in the erecting the said office. Also to level the Public lot, and canse to be removed from the same all buildings nut belonging to the county, and fence said lot, and the sum of Two Thousand Dollars is appropriated to that service."
In May of the same year this committee reported that the building was completed, at a cost of $3133.95 ; and that the old house had been removed, and the lot fenced and leveled, at an expense of $314.88. An ad- dition to the county lot of nearly three-fourths of an acre had been purchased, three years previously, from John Keen.
In 1821 the board of freeholders directed that the county clerk and surrogate exchange offices, and transfer their records and papers on or before the first day of October in that year.
Addition to the Clerk's Office .- In 1873, John J. Estell, C. B. Leonard, and C. C. Pancoast, the stand- ing committee of the board of freeholders on public . board of freeholders of Camden County finally as- property, and John MI. Saunders, director of the board, sented. Then the question arose as to the proportion and James Moore, clerk, were made a committee to , of rent to be assumed by each county, and several in- build an addition to the clerk's office.
The work was done under the supervision of John . Pending the discussion of this question the Glouces- M. Saunders; and the addition consists of an exten- sion from the real of twenty feet. The walls are of
iron, the roof of tin, and the floor of tiles. The win- dow-frames are of stone, and the shutters and doors are of iron, making the structure fire-proof. It was completed and first occupied in 1574, and its cost was two thousand seven hundred dollars.
Almshouse .- In May, 1799, a committee, consisting of Samuel Cooper, James Hopkins, and James Strat- ton, was appointed to make inquiry concerning a poor- house for the county, and to recommend a site for such house. This committee made no report, and on the 30th of August, 1800, another committee, consisting of Samuel Cooper, James Hurley, John Hider, Sam- uel W. Harrison, Amos Cooper, William Ford, James Stratton, John Collins, Richard Westcott, and Elias Smith, was appointed and instructed to purchase a site, if a majority agreed thereto.
On the 6th of December, 1800, this committee re- ported that they had
" purchased of Michael C. Fisher, in the township of Deptford, a Plan- tation Containing one bundred & twenty five Acres of Land at ten Pound- per acre, amounting to three thousand and thirty three dollars and thirty three cents, which was unanimously agienl to."
A committee, consisting of Samuel Cooper, Jacob Stokes, John Brick, Amos Cooper, Samuel P. Paul, Enoch Allen, Enoch Leeds, Thomas Somers, Elias Smith, Jr., and Isaac Tombleson, was appointed to take charge of this plantation and elaborate a plan for a poor-house, etc. This committee reported on the 28th of February
"a plan of a house to be built, seventy five feet by thirty five, two stories high, and a suller under, the whole to be built with stone, which was agreed to, and Amos Cooper, John Brick, and John Hider were ap- pointed Commissioners to Superintend the Building of sd House."
These commissioners contracted with Edwin Brewer and John C. Morgan for the building of the house for five thousand six hundred dollars. The house was completed and occupied in 1803.
In 1812 two hundred and forty-eight acres of wood- land for the county poor-house were purchased, at a cost of nine hundred and eighty-seven dollars.
A " mad-house," or building for the care of the in- sane poor, was erected in 1816.
The farm of Jedediah Morgan (deceased ), adjoin- ing the poor-house farm, was purchased in 1822.
Early during the joint occupancy and use of the alm-house property by the two counties of Gloucester and Camden the question as to the proportion of the expense to be paid by each county arose. It was found that a larger number of the paupers came from Camden than from Gloucester County, and the latter insisted on the assumption by the former of a corre- sponding proportion of the expense. To this the
effectual efforts were made to agree on this point. ter County board declined to ineur further expense in repairs or improvements.
119
GENERAL HISTORY.
Disposal of the Almshouse Property .- In De- to superintend the erection of the house. Till this vember, 1859, committees of the boards of chosen almshouse was completed the paupers of Gloucester County were cared for at the house that was sold to the county of Camden. freeholders in both counties were appointed to act jointly in effecting a sale of the out-lands and timber and a portion of the almshouse farm. In March, The contractors for building the alin-house were paid twenty-five dollars for extra work. The total cost of the almshouse property, including all expen- 1560, the-e committees reported that they had sold the timber for five hundred and forty-nine dollars and fif- teen cents, and ten acres of the land at twenty-five ; ditures on it for improvement, was 825,667.01. dollar- per aere.
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