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 43
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 43
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 43
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Accompanying this certificate is a deed of manu- mission. filed with thirty or forty others. The fol- lowing is a copy of the one bearing the latest date:
" To all to whom these presents shall come or may concern, I, Simon Wilmer, Rector of the Swedish Lutheran Church at Swedesborough, in the County of Gloucester, and State of New Jersey, Send Greeting. Know ye that I, the said Simon Wilmer, for divers good canses and cou- siderations thereunto moving, have and by these presents do hereby manumit and Set free my negro Slave, Lydla Bradley, of the age of thirty-seven years on Christmas day next ensuing the date hereof, she being at this time of sound mind and under no bodily incapacity of ob- taining her support. So that neither I myself, my heirs, executors, and administrators can hereafter have claim or demand on the sand Lydia, ur her labour or services as a slave. In witness whereof I have here- unto set my band and seal this seventeenth day of June, in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty.
Trial of Singleton Mercer .- In the old court- house at Woodbury, forty years since, occurred the ; trial of Singleton Mercer for the murder of Hutchin- son leberton, who had abducted and seduced the sister of Mercer, then only sixteen years of age. Both families were residents of what was then known as Southwark, in Philadelphia, and both were reckoned among the aristocracy. Heberton was arrested, and the proposition was made to him to marry his vietim, which he refused to do. Young Mercer, then not "S. WILMER. "Scaled and delivered in presence of Tho, Wirkiss, W. HARRISON." twenty years of age, challenged him to fight a duel, which he declined, and the brother, thus repulsed The Repaupo Meadow Company was incorporated by an act of the Legislature passed Feb. 2, 1831. This act repealed an act for the same purpose which was passed June 4, 1787. and a supplement thereto passed Feb. 3, 1817. The law empowered the " owners and possessors of the meadow, marsh, and swamp lying on and adjoining Repaupo Creek in the county of Glou- were empowered " to erect, cast up, make, and com- plete good and sufficient banks, dams, flood-gates, sluices, and every other work neces-ary and proper and driven to madness, threatened to take his life at . the first opportunity. To escape his fate Heberton tried to fly from the city. He ordered a carriage, and attempted to cross the Camden ferry. Mercer. who was watching him, entered a cab, and ordered the driver to follow, and not lose sight of the car- riage. While crossing the ferry, and when near the : cester" to choose committee-men and managers, who Camden shore, Mercer fired into the carriage from a six-barreled Colt's revolver four shots in quick suc- cession, and one of these took effect in lleberton's : heart, causing his death almost immediately. Cam- ; to keep out the tide at all times" from such lands as were liable to be overflowed by the tide. It also
den County had not then been set off from Glouces- . ter, and the trial took place at Woodbury. The , authorized assessments upon the owners of lands thus State was represented by Judge T. P. Carpenter, of ! reclaimed of such sums as were necessary to construct and keep in repair these works, and prescribed the methods by which the objects of the corporation were to be accomplished. Camden, proseenting attorney for the county, assisted by Attorney-General Molleson. Eminent counsel from Philadelphia and New Jersey conducted the defense, and through their strenuous efforts Mercer Under this and similar acts thousands of acres of tide marshes have been reclaimed and made arable. was acquitted. The case elicited great interest : throughout the country, and the excitement in Phil- i The Population of Gloucester Connty at the com- mencement of each decade since 1783 has been as follows : adelphia and in this vicinity during the trial was intense. The result was generally hailed with satis- faction.
A few years since Mr. Mercer, in response to an appeal to the North for aid, went to Norfolk, Va., as a volunteer nurse in the yellow fever then prevailing there, and fell a victim to the disease.
Manumission of Slaves .- Among the documents filed away in the office of the county clerk of CHlouces- ter County may be found the following :
"GLOUCESTER COUNTY, 88.
" We do hereby Certify that on this Tenth Day of May, Anno Domini One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Eight, Joseph Hugg, of the
1790 13,363 ' 1840 25,4.38
1:00.
16,115
1850
11.035
1×10.
13,744
1900
18,444
1×20
21,071 1870
21,502
1830
28,431
1880 25,846
Of these aggregates there were of slaves in
1790
191
1820
39
1-00
1:1
1830.
4
1810. 74
i
168
HISTORY OF GLOUCESTER COUNTY.
CHAPTER XXXVIL
CITY OF WOODBURY.1
[IN compiling a history of Woodbury City for this work, we are indebted to ex-Judge Benjamin F. Car- ter, of this town, for the many extraets we have been permitted to make from his history entitled " Wood- bury and Vicinity."]
The town is located at the head of navigation on Woodbury Creek, eight miles south from Camden, thirty-nine from Trenton, one hundred and forty-five from Washington, D. C., and is the county-seat of Gloucester County. The court-house was built here in 1787, over one hundred years after the place was set- tled. The county clerk and surrogate's offices were built in 1820, all of which are still occupied for the purposes for which they were erected, and an addi- tion to the rear of the clerk's office was built in 1873.
Woodbury was settled as early as 1681, or about the time of the settlement of Philadelphia, by a brother of Riehard Wood, a native of Bury, in Lan- cashire, England. John C. Smallwood said that in looking over various surveys he could not find the time when "Woodbury Creek" was not so called. The Indian name was " Piscoyaekasingz-kill," which Smallwood finds as far back as 1681. Such being the ease, Woodbury must have been settled at that date, and in all probability some time previons. If such was the case, then it was not named after, or in : honor of Jonathan, or some other Wood that came here in 1684, as is claimed by " Historieal Collections of New Jersey." However this may be, it is very , previous to trial they are willing to go on board the
evident that Richard Wood settled about a mile far- ther down the creek, in the middle of the year 1681, and that his brother, whatever his name might have been, came here the same year, and located upon land now covered by the city of Woodbury, and from him, and the place whenee he came, the ereek and town were named.
The Christian name of the brother of Richard Wood is not given, but Judge Carter has reason to believe it was either Henry or Jonathan. In 1688 four hun- dred and thirty-two acres of land on Woodbury Creek was surveyed to Jonathan Wood. Mr. Smallwood also informed Judge Carter that from a copy of records he learned that the "Woods" came from a place in England called " Bury."
For nearly or quite a century following the settle- ment of the place we are left in the dark as to who came, and when or where they settled, if they did settle at Woodbury. There is no doubt, however, that the many attractions in this immediate locality induced more persons than Mr. Wood to make this beautiful and healthful locality their home, though then in the forest.
We will, therefore, board the limited express train
"Time," and quickly pass along down to the last quarter of the next century, when we shall find that Woodbury had become a place of historic interest. During the last hundred years many of the subjects of the crown had crossed the deep deep sea, and snitied the fresh, invigorating air of freedom, and had fully decided to cast off the yoke of British op- pression and unjust taxation, and become free men indeed. All are by this time familiar with the scenes that followed the declaration of independence and of war, and during that period Woodbury became one of the strategetic points or outposts of the British army.
Woodbury in the Wars of 1776 and 1812 .- During the Revolutionary war Brig .- Gen. Silas New- comb was stationed in Woodbury for a time, in charge of three hundred of the State militia, by order of Governor Livingston. He wrote from here to the Governor, August, 1777, asking "Whether, as the movements of the enemy are so precarious, the · orders given me might not be more diseretionary, as I am always on the spot. and the distance so great that the service might suffer before proper orders | could be procured from your Excellency ?" He asks for directions as to the manner in which certain cases shall be tried. It appears that three inhabitants of Cumberland County had been favoring the designs of the British, and that they had been on board the enemy's ships; had met the enemy on shore, and treated with him; and that they had laid a plan to seize upon Gen. Newcomb in the night, and take him on board the enemy's ships. He asks whether, if Continental fleet, they may be permitted to do so? Gen. Neweomb received a reply from Governor Livingston, then at Haddonfield, speaking of the bravery of the militia and the terror they were to the enemy, and thought they would " be of es-ential service in opposing the progre-> of the enemy to- wards Philadelphia. and orders those at Woodbury, under command of Capt. Potter, to march to help reinforce the army under the command of his Excel- Iency George Washington." The Governor compli- ments Gen. Newcomb, and thinks " his presence will be neee-sary in the State, in case the enemy attempts to ravage our coasts."
Oct. 22, 1777, the battle of Red Bank was fought, and many of the wounded Hessians were brought to Woodbury, and cared for in the old brick school- house on Delaware Street, where many of them died, and were buried in the northerly part of the grounds known as the " Strangers' Burying-Ground."
During the winter of 1777, Lord Cornwallis was at Gloucester with five thousand troops collecting pro- visions for the British army, and for a time in Wood- bury, with quite a large body of troops. His head- quarters were in the dwelling now owned and oeeu- pied by the family of the late Amos Campbell, Es. The soldiers pried open the doors and cupboards with
I By W. H. Shaw.
169
CITY OF WOODBURY.
! «ir bayonets, marks of which still remain upon the i taverns seemed to be necessary to accommodate the furniture.
The encampment of the British in Woodbury at that time was between Cooper and Bank Streets, Wat where the West Jersey Railroad is now located, and a battery was stationed near the Friends' meet- az. hon-e.
Like many other towns, considered at the time of -otte military importance by each army, Woodbury was occupied by both alternately.
We will now pass over another quarter of a century, and we find the British lion again aroused, and again trying to coerce his Yankee son into submission. At this time Woodbury had grown to the estate of man- hood, and resisted his majesty's demand by raising a company of infantry for the war of 1812, called " The
Mickle, of Camden, was a non-commissioned officer ..
He was also with the company encamped at Bil- lingsport, and afterwards was with a company at . the village tavern. Cape May, of which his father, John Cade, was captain.
The quality of the religions element of the town in 1815 was probably as good as at present, yet the A company of cavalry was also raised at Woodbury Moore White was captain, and Isaac Browning, father of ex-Sheriff Joshua Browning, was first lieutenant. variety, that gives spice to many things, was not as luring the war of 1812, of which the late Judge John : great as now, there being then only the Friends and Presbyterians to enjoy the comforts of religion, while to-day there are eight or nine denominations of Christian worshipers. There was, however, a di- lapidated building standing in "Jericho Lane," as it was called, that had been occupied at some former period by the Methodist .. En 1515 the Dept- ford free school for boys was taught by Samuel Web- ster, and the academy by William Rafferty, or Na- thaniel Green Todd, both Presbyterian clergymen.
Woodbury in 1815 .-- At that date ( 1815; the see- ond little misunderstanding between the mother- country and her independent son had just come to a satisfactory termination as far as the son was con- cerned, and Woodbury, with the rest of the nation, was rejoicing at the happy termination of the diffi- culties. Bonfires were lighted, speeches were made, : and a jubilant feeling pervaded the whole commu- nity. Among the prominent lawyers residing here at that time were Gen. Frank Davenport. Robert Pierson, John Moore White. Elias D. Woodruff, Robert L. Armstrong, and Isaac W. Crane, who, with the community generally, took part in the jubilee.
Woodbury at that early date had not assumed the dignity or proportions of a city, and all there was of the town lay along either side of what is now Broad Street, except two or three houses down what is now Delaware Street. The surrogate and clerk's offices were then in the court-house, and the sheriff, like that official of old in some other counties, carried his office in his hat. Although the population of the town was small compared with the present, yet four
traveling and local trade. These old hostelries were kept by Jesse Smith, Randall Sparks, John Dyer, and Samuel H. Runyan.
The merchants at that time were William Sailer, Caldwell Fisher, Thomas Saunders, James Saunders, William and James Roe, and Job Brown.
The physicians of Woodbury in 1815 were Thomas Hendy, and Drs. Ayres and Hopkins. Dr. Fithian, who was afterwards prominently identified with the interests of Woodbury, had not then located here.
The carpenters were John Zane, Amos Campbell, Jacob Medara, and John and James Sterling. The blacksmiths were Isaac Ballinger. Daniel J. Packer, Samuel Wheaton, and David Carson. The wheel- wrights were William Hopper, Amos Archer, Ira Blues of Gloucester County," of which Robert L. ! Allen, and Joseph D. Pedrick. John Simmermau, Armstrong, a prominent lawyer of that day, was the captain. He was the father of the late Robert L. Armstrong, of Woodbury. Samuel L. Howell was first lientenant, and Randall Sparks second lieuten- Benjamin Whitaker, James Dorman, and William Seott were the cabinet-makers; Oliver Davis and Simon Sparks, the shoemakers ; and William Crump, John Gibson, and John S. Silley were the village ant; Henry Roe, Jr., was ensign, and John W. tailors. The stone- and briek-masons were Apollo Woodward and a man by the name of Page, while
Among the enlisted men from Woodbury were , the saddle- and harness-makers were Martin Stille and Simon Sparks, Samuel Cole, Joseph Scott, William Scott, William Roe, Robert Roe, John Simmerman, Aaron MI. Wilkins, and Charles Wilkins. A well- known citizen of Woodbury. Thomas Jefferson Cade, was the " drummer boy."
Charles Ogden was then the county clerk and post- master, and James Matlack, surrogate and justice of the peace. The sheriff in 1815 was Joseph V. Clark, of Clarksboro, a small hamlet then known by the name of " Death of the Fox," that being the sign on Samuel Reeve.
The taverns in those days were places of resort for farmers at certain seasons of the year, and for many of the settlers on Saturdays or Saturday after- noons, which were devoted to gatherings at these places, not for any pecuniary benefit that might arise therefrom, but to participate in and enjoy the " sport." Among the sports of the pioneer were horse-racing, wrestling, quoit-pitching, and occasionally a trial of the " manly art." Almost all kinds of liquors were cheap in those days, and it would take an ordinary man nearly all day to get in the same condition in which the sweet singer of Israel was often found. The principal beverage in those day- was New Eng- land rum, known throughout this section as " Boston Particular," a beverage that was harmless, yet quite
170
HISTORY OF GLOUCESTER COUNTY.
exhilarating in its effect. General training was the lowing is a copy of the act incorporating the city of "big day" for Woodbury. The officers would appear Woodbury ; with their gaudy uniforms and equipments. while the private soldiers would appear in their every-day elothes, some with an oldl " flint-lock" mu-ket, some with rifles, and some with cornstalks in place of either; and many of the solhers would appear in their bare feet, which gave the troops of that day the name of " barefoot militia." The wars were over, and they stood not upon ceremony any longer.
In 1815 there were only seventy-one dwellings in Woodbury, and among them were those of James Roe, John C. Smallwood, John M. Watson, John Mickle, Robert K. Matlack, Thomas Jefferson Cade, Dr. Benjamin P. Howell, and the following
Pioneer Dwelling-Houses in Woodbury .- The oldest dwelling-house now standing in the city of Woodbury is the Joseph Franklin residence, on Broad Street. Its style belongs to the better class of house- built here in the early part of the last century.
The next in order of age is the dwelling occupied by John M. Saunders, built in 1762. This was for- merly the residence of Samuel Mickle, who was, in his day, much esteemed for his integrity, exactness, and promptness as an executor, administrator, guard- ian, etc.
The Joseph l'anl house is next in age. This house was for many years the home of those much-loved and highly-respected citizens, Michael C. and Mary R. Fisher. It was built in 1763. Following this is the residence now occupied by John S. Jessup, E-q., which was built in 1765. The present residence of John C. Smallwood was built in 1766.
Balcony House .- Among the pioneer landmarks in Woodbury that have been removed to make room for something more modern, was an old brick build- ing known as the "Balcony" House, that stood on the site now occupied by the soldiers' monument. It was so named because of an elevated veranda in front of the first story, which had the appearance of a balcony.
The corner of this house was the point of depart- ure in the description of the original county lot pur- chased from Bispham. The old Balcony House was removed when the county clerk's office was built, in 1820.
Woodbury Incorporated as a Borough. - In 1854 Woodbury was incorporated as a borough, and at the first town-meeting James L. Gibbs was elected mayor, and for Council, David J. Gri-com, William E. Cooper, Thomas D. Clark, Benjamin Schroyer, Benjamin Lord, and Benjamin F. Carter. For clerk, Jolin Starr. Of these only two are living. The population then was about thirteen hundred.
Ogden Fund .- In 1863 the late venerable Joseph Ogden left by will to the borough one thousand dol- lars, for the purpose of creating a fund for the sup- port of indigent women residing in the town.
"I. Be dendehed by the S not and General Assembly of the State of Nute Jersey. That all that part of the township of Deptford, known as the Bor- ongh of Woodbury, lying and being in the county of Gloucester, begin- ning in the middle of Woodbury creek, at a station twenty-nivo fort westerly rat right angles' of the course produced of the westerly line of Sidney Dyer's Int, on the Red Bank turnpike road, and from thence northeisteriy, the same course of and parallel with said line, running twenty-five feet westerly thereof, through lands of William E. Tatum, mitil it strikes land late Anna How .If's; thence easterly along the sontheily line of >aii Howell's land and E. Maun's lot to the line of Sanmel H. Ladil's lund; thence suntherly along the line between the lands of said Ladd and late E. Barson's to a coruri between said Ladd. Burson, and John W. Cloudl; thence southwesterly along the line be- tween said Burson, John W. Cloud, and Samuel P. Watkins, to the line of other land of samuel P. Watkins; thence sontherly along the line between said Watkins and L. Cloud, ton corner between them at the head of a branch ; thence down the main water course of said branch to the middle of Woodbury ereck aforesaia; thence up the middle of said creek, crossing the Good Intent turupike, to the corner of Lewis Lard- ner's and late Joseph Iszard's land; thence southwesterly along the line between said Lardner and others, and continuing on the same course thereof, through lands of William Griscom and late Wit. Dicker- son, crossing the Egg Harbor road, Ke-ter's Inanch and the Glassboro read to the line between said Dickerson and lauds of Joseph W. Reeves; thence westerly along sahl line to the corner between Susan W. Garri- gues and lite D. B. Cooper; thence southerly along the line between said Garrigues and Cooper, and continuing the same course through said Cooper's land to a point in the old northerly line of formerly Paul Cooper's Jand ; thence westerly along on said old line to a corner of Wil- liam Knight's land, stinding a little westerly or southwesterly of Wil- liam Atkinson's house: thence northerly and westerly along the east- erly and noitlerly lines of said Knight's land, and along the old line between svid Knight and late A Woodward'- fands till it comes in range of a certain line between the linds of Joseph That an. Jegtha Abbott, John H Bradway, and lands now or lite J. M. White's on the one side, and the sail Joseph Tutum, Thomas Glover, and Robert K. Neff on the other side; thence on the contse of and along suid line avrtheasterly to Delaware street, and continuing on the same couter, crossing sid street and through land- of John s. Twells to the middle of Woodbury creek aforesaid; thence up the middle of said creek to the place of be- ginning ; shall be and is hereby erected into a city. w. bich . ha !! be called and known by the name of ' The City of Woodbury,' and the inhabit- ants thereof shall be and are hereby incorporated by the name of . The Mayor and Conacil of the City of Woodbury,' and by that name they and their successors forever shall and may have perpetual succession ; shall be persons in law capable of sting and being surd, pleading and being impleaded, answering and being answered unto, defunding and bring defended in all matter of actions, -nits, complaints, matters, and canses whatever : may have a corporate seal, and alter the same as their pleasure, and try by their corporate name aforesaid, purchase, receive, bull, and convey any estate, real or personal, for the use of said corpo- ration."
Under this act, which was approved March 16, 1870, the Council of the city of Woodbury met at the court- house on the evening of March 21, 1871, at seven o'clock, when all the members were present, viz., John II. Bradway, Benjamin W. Cloud, J. Palmer Fullerton, George E. Harris, John M. Henderson, Thomas B. Joslin, Daniel J. Packer, Charle- W. Starr, and Samuel W. Stokes.
Having sub-cribed to and taken the official oath or affirmation required by said aet before Alexan- der Wentz, mayor, they proceeded to organize as the Council of the city of Woodbury for the ensu- ing year. Thomas Brooks Joslin was unanimously chosen president, and, after returning thanks for the honor conferred, he called the Council to order and
Woodbury Incorporated as a City .- The fol- i declared it ready for the transaction of business.
171
CITY OF WOODBURY.
The following was announced as the list of officers Flected at the first annual city election, held on Wednesday, the 15th day of March, 1871 :
Mryer, Alexander Wentz.
Ouzel, Jobu HT. Bradway, Benjamin W. Clond, J. Palmer Fullerton, George F. Harris, John M. Henderson, Thomas B. Joslin, Damel J. Picker, Charles W. Starr, Samnel W. Stokes.
. Loven Freeholders, John J. Estell, John M. Saunders.
Asexy, James H. Pierson.
G Pour, Adop W. Cattell.
(V. Clark, George E. Pierson.
Judges of Election, Edward W. Clayton, Samuel H. Kirly, M. Ware Scott.
Commissioners of Appeals, David M. Redfield, Joseph Tatum, Ira 1. Willianis.
Wirskal, William Watkins.
therseers of Poor, William Scott, John Clark.
Pound Keeper, William H. Clark.
The Council was divided by lot into three classes, as provided by law, when the following-named per- sons drew for the terms named :
To serve one year, J. Palmer Fullerton, Charles W. Starr, John H. Bradway; to serve two years, Samuel W. Stokes. Thomas B. Joslin, Benjamin W. Cloud; to serve three years, John M. Henderson, George E. Harris, Daniel J. Packer.
At the meeting of the Council held April 4, 1871, the following appointments were made :
City Solic itor, James Moore; City Surveyor, Samuel II. Ladd.
The following is a complete list of mayors, Council, city clerks, assessors, collectors, chosen freeholders, and marshals from 1872 to the present time :
MAYORS.
1572. Alexander Wentz. 1877-75. Wallace McGeorge. 1873-74. James HI. Pierson. 1579-82. Lewis M. Green. 1875-76. William D. Scott. COUNCIL.
1872. For three years, John II. Bradway, J Palmer Fullerton, Charles W. Starr; for two years, Thomas P. Mathers.
1873. Benjamin W. Cloud, Thomas B. Joslin, Samuel W. Stokes.
1574. John M. Henderson, Thomas P. Mathers, Henry R. Russell.
1-75 Saniuel H. Ladd, Lewis M. Green, Ner Sterling.
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