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 41
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 41
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 41
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In 1863 it was remodeled. The land was donated by Joseph Low. This school was established, and to be forever controlled, " by the Society of Friends." It was to be opened to the reception of children of all religions persuasions on condition of payment the following: "The teacher shall suffer no scholar in ye school that hath ye iteh or any other infectious distemper."
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The minutes of the trustees are still kept in the original book, and each leaf bears the royal impress of the crown and cro --.
About the year 1812 the Friends erected the present two-story building, which stands on the hill near the meeting house.
Woodbury Academy was erected in 1791. The money to build it was raised by lottery, which was a I common way at that time to raise money for such
1
and the punishment of crime. Look to your school- . The examiners were William Iszard, of Clayton; B.
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GENERAL HISTORY.
purposes. This building was torn down in 1879, and by subscription. The building was built of brick. the present publie-school building was erected on the thirty-four by forty-eight feet, one story in height, with a partition similar to those in the meeting- houses of the Friends. In 1874 the present substan- tial and commodious building was erected on the same -- site. lot. There are at present two buildings in the town for the white, and two for the colored children, and also a school for the latter at Jericho, under the con- ' trol of the trustees of District No. 1.
The late Dr. James Rush, of Philadelphia, and . The first school in Paulsboro was organized about fifty years ago, in a large brick dwelling now owned Commodore Benjamin Cooper were partially educated in the old academy; also Capt. James Lawrence, . by Mrs. Hledding, and that therein for the compensa- commander of the "Chesapeake," who resided with tion of three cents per day paid by each scholar. hi- brother, John Lawrence, Esq., in the house where . Master Joseph Hinchman furnished book-learning John S. Jessup, Esq., now resides. Commodore Ste- ; and hickory oil to the fathers and grandfathers of the present generation. The school was soon removed to the erib-house which adjoins what is now Matthew Gill's store.
phen Decatur was also enrolled as a member of this institution, his home being with the West family, at what was then called the Buck Tavern (now West -! ville).
About the year 1790 the Chew family established a -chool, known as "Chew's School," one mile from Mantna, on the Mantua and Glassboro road. The About 1831 the first house for school purposes was built. It was about twenty-five feet square, and cost two hundred dollars. It was situated a few yards to the right of the present building. In this house building was twenty feet square, furnished with long ", school was taught by Benjamin Lodge, who dressed wooden desks and a ten-plate stove. in red flannel shirt and homespun pants. In 1841 In 1817 a few prominent farmers organized a joint- stock company and built a union honse, also known A> Bee's, as it was situated at Bee's Corner. The schools were part of what now constitutes Mononga- hela District. another building was erected, size thirty by forty-five feet. In 1861 the present briek building was erected on the same site. In 1883 a wing containing two rooms was added. There are four teachers now en- gaged in teaching the pupils in this building.
About the year 1781, Constantine Lord and others ! _ One of the favorite punishments of bygone days built a house upon the land donated by said Lord, was to split a large goose-quill. straddle it across a and it was known by the name of " Lord's school- . boy's nose, and, with the feather end extending above house." It was a log structure. his head, oblige him to stand up and be laughed at.
In 1842 a few inhabitants met and formed them- selves into an association, under the name of " Con- tributors to Mantua Grove school-house." One article of the constitution was, " That no teacher be allowed to teach more than thirty pupils without an assistant." About sixty years ago a school was built, principaily by five members of the Society of Friends, at the junction of the Repaupo and the new Salem roads. There was an old school-house prior to this, which had been torn down a short time before in consequence The ground on which the school-house was built, and . of the land being claimed ander a deficiency in the still remains, was given by Joseph Tatum, a member of the Society of Friends, a man always interested in the cause of education, having been a trustee for a term of forty years. title. It stood about a quarter of a mile east of the present building, on the old Salem road, which had been formerly called the King's Highway, and still earlier the Indian path, near a small stream of water, A school-house was built in the year 1798 by an association, on the road leading from Paulsboro to Westville, about two and a half miles from the latter place. It was built of brick; size, twenty-six by and was called the Dutch Town school-house. Dur- ing the excitement on the slavery question (1845) eer- tain persons became unwilling that colored children should attend the school, and, after an un-necessful thirty feet. This is now known as Thoroughfare dis- ; attempt to elect trustees who would exclude them. triet. drew off and built another house in what is now known as Washington District.
The old brick school-house that formerly stood in the woods on the road leading from Red Bank to Woodbury is said to have been built prior to the Revolutionary war, and to have been used as a los- pital during and after the battle of Red Bank.
The first school-house in Mantna district was built by Benjamin Allen on his farm, one mile southwest of Carpenter's Bridge. It was a plain, one-story, frame building. Some time about the year 1800 the house ceased to be used for school parpo-es, and was rented to a colored man by the name of Tony Hugg. The next school-honse was built in 1804. The land was given by Martin Turner. This house was built
The school-house in what is known as Clem's Run District was built about the year 1830. In this house Samuel French, who is a graduate of West Point, and rose to the position of brigadier-general in the regu- lar army, but, unfortunately, united himself with the Southern Confederney, was both a pupil and a teacher.
The history of Mullica Hill school may be traced back through a period of one hundred and fifty years. Five houses are known to have been built for the use of the children. The first of these edifices was known as the Spicer school-honse. Its walls consisted of cedar logs, and its window-lights, oiled paper. It was
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HISTORY OF GLOUCESTER COUNTY.
located within a few rods of the spot now occupied , purposes was about the year 1780. It was located by the Baptist parsonage.
The probabilities are that this building served its generation from about 1720 till 1756, when a frame house took its place. In the new house glass was substituted for the oiled paper. Old horn-books were also discarded, and the juveniles rejoiced in beautiful primers with interesting pictures.
In 1790 another house was built, twenty-five by thirty-five feet, upon the Friends' meeting-house lot. It was inelosed with cedar siding and roof, and lined with inch boards plowed and grooved. Ilitherto the school-house had been heated by means of a large, open fireplace, but house No. 3 was warmed by a genuine ten-plate stove, the first luxury of the kind ever known. This house did double duty for the school and meeting. In 1824 No. 4 was built. This building was brick-paned instead of being lined with boards. The frame of No. 3 was used in buikling No. 4. In 1855 the present two-story building was built. The first town superintendent was Joseph A. Shute, of Harrison township ; he was elected in 1849.
The first school-house in Battentown was erected in 1809 upon land given by Joseph Ogden. Its cost was 8291.60, which sum was raised by subscription. The building was twenty by thirty feet, and one story in height. In 1852 a new school-house was built, at a cost of $530.71, and in 1873 it was enlarged. In 1881 the building was moved nearer to the village on ac- count of the new railroad from Swedesboro to Salem taking a portion of the land. The house at the pres- eut time is too small to accommodate the children.
SWEDESBORO. [See history of Woolwich.]
About the year 1808 a school-honse was built near Repaupo, near the road leading from the river through the village, near the site of the present building. It was built of logs, one of which on each side being left out for the purpose of placing glass therein. This, like many of its companions in early days, was destitute of plaster; an open fireplace extended from side to side.
In 1807 a new house was built, the dimensions of which were twenty by twenty-two feet, and one story high, and was used without plaster until 1833. The children in all the early schools were obliged to sit upon seats without backs. Some of the early teach- ers are spoken of as being great tyrants, knocking boys over the heads with a large bamboo cane, others as drunkards, one having committed suicide in a fit
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north of the present village, and was made out of rough boards and furnished with the rudest kind of furniture. Bridgeport at this time was known by the name of Raccoon Lower Bridge.
After this building became unfit for use, the seho ds were held in private houses until 1832, when a nen house was built on land donated by Samuel W. Cooper. This was built of stone, and is still standing. In 1851 one story of the present building in the village was ereeted. Both schools were under the same board of trustees until 1855, when the district was divided at. i took the names of Bridgeport and Cooper. In 1872 an additional story was added, and eight feet placed on the front for halls and stairway.
UNIONVILLE .-- As far as we know the first school- house built in this neighborhood was in the year 1812. Size twenty by eighteen feet. It stood on the I site of the present Methodist Episcopal parsonage. It remained undisturbed until 1602, when it was moved seventy-five yards northeast, and an addition of ten by eighteen feet was built. It was sold in 1875 for forty dollars. The present nent two-story builling. thirty-seven by twenty-six feet, was built in 1873, at a cost of three thousand dollars.
CLAYTON. - The first school established in this neighborhood was in the year 1800. The village al that time was called Fislerville, but in 1866 the game was changed to Clayton. The school was taught in a private house by one Peter De Hart. He had eigh- teen pupils. In 1808 a district was formed and five trustees were appointed. A school-honse was built. twenty by twenty-four feet, at a cost of two hundred and fifty dollars. The building was erected in the grove where one of the present houses now stands. Onee when there were two applicants for the situ .- tion of teacher, the trustees decided that the appli- cants should toss a eent, and the one who had the most heads should be the teacher. The house was built in 1851. In 1563 a new buikling was elected, at a cost of five thousand dollars. The school having grown so large in 1868, the old Presbyterian Church was purchased, at a cost of two thousand five hundred dollars, and furnished two additional rooms, In 1883 another building containing two rooms was erected. There are at the present time (1883) six department> in the school.
FRANKLINVILLE .- The first school in this vicinity was known by the name of Starling Bridge School. of delirium tremens, another died in the poor-house. : Tradition speaks vaguely of an earlier school. The A Mr. Key was the first to receive his pay from the | Starling Bridge house was built about the year 1790. State through the collector. Once when he was short of funds " he paid cows instead of money ;" like the writer of this article when out collecting his tuition fees, he was compelled to take chickens in lieu of ! money. In 1868 the present building was erected. It is a well-built and commodious house, well adapted to the wants of the district. It was a substantial frame house, twenty hy twenty- four feet, and accommodated the sparse population for a circuit of four miles. The teachers are spoken of as men beyond the prime of life, and generally foreigners. They were paid as the earlier teachers all were, by subscription, and boarded around. As the population increased two districts, Franklinville BRIDGEPORT .-- The first building used for school and Good Hope, were formed. The old house fell to
GENERAL HISTORY.
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the share of Franklinville, known for a long time as Little Ease. This building is -aid to be now standing on the hotel property, having at one time been used since as a still-house,-" To what base uses we may return." In 1829 a building, twenty by twenty-four feet, was built near the present two-story building. It was destroyed by fire after having been used as a school fourteen years. In 1843 another house was erected. This was replaced by a new two-story build- ing in 1871; size, twenty-eight by forty-two feet. The old house was converted into a church, and is now used by the Methodist denomination.
MALAGA .- The first school-house was built in 1783, at Sharp's Field, about half-way between Malaga and Little Ease, near the public road between these places. It was a small structure made of cedar logs, seated with hewed log benches. The present neat two-story building, containing four rooms, two of which are used for school purposes, was erected in 1872, at a cost of two thousand five hun Ired dollars.
CROSS-KEYS .- The first church or school was built in 1788, of cedar log-, on the land of Joseph Bates, one mile from Cro-s-Keys. It was built for a meet- ing-house for the Society of Friends, and was used also as a school-house. In 1832 it was found that the meeting-house did not answer the requirements of the school, and the children were afterwards taught in a: private house at the Keys. In 1842 a school-house was built, known as the Chestnut Ridge School,-a frame building, about twenty-six by thirty-six feet in
In 1842, while engaged in sinking a well, James D. Timberman discovered glass-sand, but the sand was not taken from the place until 1847. In 1850 there
"2. The object of this Society is to co-operate with similar institutions in supplying the whole world with the Scriptures of Truth, without note was a separation from the Chestnut Ridge School, . or comment, by augruenting the funds of the AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY. and the people of Cross-Keys built the present stone hou-e; size, twenty-six by thirty-two feet.
WILLIAMSTOWN .- The village of Williamstown is located upon a tract of one thousand acres of land granted to John, Thomas, and Richard, sons of Wil- liam Penn, in June, 1742. Soon after the land was purchased by John Williams. The place was known as Squawkum until 1841, when the citizens resolved to change the title to William-town, in honor of the first inhabitant. There is no record of the first house, but it is supposed to have fallen into disuse in 1795. Then a log hou-e, twenty feet square, was erected on the piece of land where the " Washington Hotel" is now located. There was a large, open fireplace, in which immense log- were burned. "Often," says one of our prominent citizens, "I have known the first requisite for one wishing to teach the school was to ; invite the trustees to the tavern and treat them to their satisfaction." With such an invitation the teacher could take a drunk as often as twice a week and be excused as a moderate drinker.
In those times " spirits" accompanied the rod; it : was "whiskey, liekin', and larnin'; " and it is no
wonder that the master's presence was dreaded. In 1 \32 a new house was built, at a cost of eight hundred and fifty dollars. During the summer of 1972 a two- 1 story building was erected, containing four recitation- rooms, at a cost of five thousand six hundred dollars.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATIONS IN GLOUCESTER COUNTY.
Gloucester County Bible Society.1-The Glouces- ter County Bible Society was organized in the old academy at Woodbury, April 20, 1816, and became auxiliary to the New Jersey Bible Society. One month later the American Bible Society was in-ti- tuted in New York City, and soon afterwards the Gloucester County Society, with some other county societies in this State, became auxiliary to it. From its vast resources and numerous auxiliaries the Ameri- can Bible Society is known as the parent society, but in this case the auxiliary is older than the parent.
From a pamphlet published in Philadelphia by Jane Aitkin in 1816, the following information is taken :
"At a meeting of a number of the inhabitants of Gloucester County, held at Woodbury on the 20th of April, A.D. 1816, for the purpose of forming a Bible society for the county of Gloucester. Joseph V. Clark size, with two rows of desks on each side of the room, ; was chosen chairman, and Elias D. Woodruff, seere- each desk accommodating five pupils. tary." A constitution was adopted. the second. third, and fourth articles of which read as follows :
"3. This Society shall be under the direction of no seet whatever, but shall afford all Christians the pleasing opportunity of forming a Bond of Union.
"4. Any person may become a member by paying, at the time of sub- , scribing, fifty cents, and six aod a quarter rents a month, to be paid quarterly or annually, and the payment of ten dollars shull constitute a member for life."
Twenty-four managers were elected for the first year, as follows:
Rev Simon Wilmer, Rev. William Rafferty, Joseph Clement, Frank- lin Davenport, Joseph V. Clark, Charles Ogden, Michael C. Fisher, Elias D. Woodruff, James B. Caldwell, John Tatumi, Jr., James Matlack, Moreton Sulle, Benjamin Cooper, John Clement, Samuel W. Harrison, Joseph Chatham, David Pidgeon, Samuel C. Stratton, John Gill ( Glouces- ter township), Nehemiah Blackman, Thomas Garwood, Elias Smith, Lewis M. Walker, John sickler, and Jacob Fislar.
The first officers of the society were Rev. Simon Wilmer, president ; Franklin Davenport, vice-presi- dent ; Joseph V. Clark, treasurer ; Charles Ogden, corresponding secretary ; and Michael C. Fisher, re- cording secretary.
Gloucester County then included the territory of Atlantic and Camden Counties, and at this first
1 Prepared by Wallace McGeorge, M. D., secretary.
11
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Is ew er. 51 as of id '2 d I-
ed of of he
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IHISTORY OF GLOUCESTER COUNTY.
meeting the following agents for the whole territory were appointed :
Waterford-Joseph Champion, Esj., John Rudrow, Joseph Burrough, Richard Stafford, Joseph C. Swett, Esq . James Wood, Joseph Roberts, Jr., Wilham Clement ; Nur Town-John Baxter, Esq .. Joseph Knight, Joseph Mickle, Isaac Mickle, Esq., Edward Sharp, Esq , Thomas Red- man, Dr. Bowman Hendrey, Samuel Clement, Esq. ; Gloucester Toan- Isaac Kay, Samuel Brick, Jesse Sparks, Samuel 1. Howell, Isaac Bur- rough, Isaac Browning : Gloucester Township-Christopher Sickler, Esq., James Lippencott, John Hyder, John Edwards, Esq , David B. Morgan, Mr. Elwell (storekeeper), John Albert-on, David $ Bassett, Esq., Josiah F. Clement, Thomas Thackary, E-]. , Weamonth-John Stechman, Esq , Thomas Donghty, Jeremiah smith, Thomas smith, Benjamim Weath- erby, Esq , Peter Steelman ; Deptford-John Rambo, Dr. Eli Ayres, R. L. Armstrong, Esq , Isaac Ballinger, Paul Cooper, Joseph Piłka, John Turner, Edward Turner, James Jaguard, Esq., Samuel Pierce, Thomas Bee, John Swope, Thomas Clark, Dr. Thomas Hendry, Stephen Simms, Samuel Mickle, John Marshall, Esq., John Morrow, Isaac Collins, Rid- dle Reeves, James Cooper, Jonathan Brown, Ephraim Miller; Green- trich-Gabriel Izard, Jeptha Abbott, David Wolf, Thomas Carpenter, Esq., Isauc Pine, Esq., John Atkinson, Moses Bradshaw, Joseph Lodge, Esq., James Ilinchmian, David Brown, Isaac Cade, William Lippincott, George Tatum, John Easley, Thomas Reeves, Edmond Weatherby, James Jessup, Matthew Gill, Jr., Esq., Jacob Hains, Robert Newell, Esq., JohnV. Clark, Esq., George Tonkins, David Cooper ; Woolrich-Matthew Gill, Esq., Samuel Killer, David Ilendrickson, Jr., Dr. Isaac Davis, Dr. Jo- sepb Fithian, Joseph Ogden, Daniel England, sanmel Black, Joseph Batten, Benjamin Lippencott, Charles Lock, Enock Allen, Josiah Moore, Esq , Samuel Fislor, William Porch, Esq., William Woud, Rob- ert Tittermiary, Philip Pew, David Owen, Nicholas Justice, Eeg , Enoch Agins, Caleb Kirby, John Gill, Jesse Avis; Galloway-Richard S. Ris- ley, Esq., William Erwin, Matthew Collins, Esq., Sceby Stuart, Esq., Japhet Leeds, Samuel Sooy, Esq., Jeremiah Higbee, Richard Hig- bee, Esqq., Dr. Ezra Baker, Jr .; Great Eggharbor-Joseph Risley, Esq., Samuel Leeds, Jr., Daniel Lake, Daniel Leeds, Enoch Risley, Thomas Doughty, David Somers, Isaac English; Hamilton-John Estell, Fred- erick Steelman, Uriah Gaskill, Enos Veal, William Ackley, Esq., John Smith, Of these, Dr. Joseph Fithian was the only one living in 1870.
Gen. Franklin Davenport was elected president of the society in 1827, and continued in that capacity till 1833, when Samuel Black was chosen. (The min- utes from 1827 to 1847 are missing.)
In 1847, Dr. Joseph Fithian, who had been con- neeted with the society from the time of its organiza- tion, was elected president, and continued to serve in that capacity till his deccase in 1881. He was always an earnest and efficient member.
A recent circular letter states, --
" In 1827 the Parent Society donated fifty Bildles and one hundred Testaments to the society in addition to the fifty Bibles and twenty-five Testaments that had been purchased. Later in the year, five hundred additional Bibles and Testaments were presented to this society by the Parent Society, in order that all the destitute in our midst might be supplied.
"In I:54 all the hotels in the county and the county jail were ordered supplied with Billes. In 1963 the society determined to supply every soldier from this county and all who should thereafter go from the county to the war with a Testament.
"In 1865 the society again decided to supply the county, and Rec. E. Shinn was engaged to do the work. He subsequently reported having visited three thousand and twenty-two families; found one hundred and eighty-two families destitute; supplied one hundred and seventy- eight families ; found one hundred and forty-four tudevoluals destitute : supplied one hundred and thirty-eight : sold two hundred and twenty- seven Bildles and two hundred and forty-four Testaments; donated ong hundred and sixty B.bles and one humulred and fifty six Testaments. Th" value of books sold was five hundred and thirty -hve dollars and eighty- one cents; value of Look- donated, one hundred and twenty-nine dollars and six cents.
"In 1871 the almshouse and county jail were supplied.
" In 1876 the society again determined to explore the county and sup- .
poly these destitute ; and in 1877, Judge B. F. Carter, Revs. Daniel Thack- ara, J. H. O'Brien, G. B. Sayder, and J. H. Hutchinson were appointed 4 central committee to see about the tesupply of the county, and this committee reported in 178, stating that in Deptford, Clayton, Mantua, Woolwich Township, and the city of Woodbury one thousand three hundred an i thirty-six families hal been visited, and one hundred and eight families and forty-nine individuals found destitute."
The following officers among others have -erved the society with zeal and fidelity : Alexander Wentz. E-q., seventeen years as secretary and ten years as vice- president ; James Moore, E-q .. secretary for ten years ; Dr. Benjamin P. Howell, manager and member of the executive committee many years ; and Dr. Joseph Fithian, agent, manager, and president from April, 1×16, till his death, in 1881.
The present officers are Judge Benjamin F. Carter, president ; A. S. Barber, Esq., vice-president ; Dr. George W. Bailey, corresponding secretary ; Dr. Wal- Jace MeGeorge, recording secretary ; and Charles P. Abbott, Esq., treasurer and depositary.
The executive committee consists of Rev. Daniel Thackara, Belmont Perry, Esq., Rev. C. F. Downs, John S. Jessup, Esq., Rev. J. H. O'Brien, Rev. S. M. Hudson, Rev. Edward Dillon, S. P. Londenslager, E-q., W. S. Cattell, James D. Hoffman, John F. Nute, William H. Bodine, Thomas P. Smith, John C. Tatum, Jacob II. Mounee, Job S. Haines, D. Wilson Moore, Thomas W. Lynnott, Rev. I. Y. Burke, and Rev. W. II. Johns.
Gloucester County Sunday-School Association.' -This association was formed several years ago, co- operating with the New Jersey Sunday-School Asso- ciation in its work, and proving to be one of its most valued auxiliaries. The early history of the associa- tion has not been accessible to the writer, but among the early workers in the cause were William H. Bodine, of Williamstown; Dr. George W. Bailey, of Wenonah; Rev. C. W. Duane, of Swedesboro, Rev. A. Proudfit, of Clayton; John F. Nute, of Franklin- ville; and M. Ware Scott, of Woodbury. Previous to 1875 the work of the society was mainly carried on by these gentlemen, asisted by active workers in several of the townships. In July, 1875, the first systematic effort was made to enlist the sympathie, and secure the co-operation of all Christian people throughout the county in the society's work.
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