History of the counties of Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland New Jersey, with biographical sketches of their prominent citizens, vol. 2, Part 2

Author: Cushing, Thomas, b. 1821. cn; Sheppard, Charles E. joint author
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 920

USA > New Jersey > Salem County > History of the counties of Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland New Jersey, with biographical sketches of their prominent citizens, vol. 2 > Part 2
USA > New Jersey > Gloucester County > History of the counties of Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland New Jersey, with biographical sketches of their prominent citizens, vol. 2 > Part 2
USA > New Jersey > Cumberland County > History of the counties of Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland New Jersey, with biographical sketches of their prominent citizens, vol. 2 > Part 2

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Joseph Smith, of the fourth generation from John Smith, of Amblebury, became the possessor of the lot that joined the Wyatt lot. It contained ten acres, running to the town meadow. Joseph was a cabinet- maker, following his trade in the town of Salein until his death, which took place about 1809.

Adjoining the lot last mentioned, Benjamin Acton purchased ten acres lying on East Broadway. It ap- pears that Benjamin Acton was one of the prominent young men in the settlement of Fenwick's colony. There is no record showing the date of his arrival in Salen :. About 1678 he is first mentioned in records of the colonial affairs. Hle is thought to have been

well educated. He was a land surveyor by profession, and by trade a tanner and currier. He built a house and established a tan-yard on the lot mentioned, and carried on the tanning business until the close of his life. His worth and ability were early appreciated by the Society of Friends, of which he was a consistent member. As early as 1652 he and another Friend were appointed to repair and build an addition to the meeting-house, so that it should be large enough to accommodate a Yearly Meeting. When Salem was incorporated, in 1695, he was chosen recorder. In laying out a public highway, in 1705, from Salem to Maurice River, he was one of the commissioners and surveyors, and he was likewise appointed, in 1709, to lay out a public highway from Salem to Greenwich, by way of Hancock's Bridge. In 1706 he had been a commissioner to lay out a road, beginning at what is now known as Yorke Street, and passing on into Elsinboro. Hle was also largely employed by private landholders in doing their surveying. After the death of Nevill and Tindall, James Logan, the principal agent of Peny's heirs, appointed Benjamin Acton to resurvey a tract of one thousand acres south of Gravelly Run, including the pre-out site of Jericho. The orter was given by the urgent request of Samuel Derming, of Maryland, who had previously sold the tract to John Brick. In his report, rendered Sept. 13. 1729, Benjamin Acton stated, "The land is now resur- veyed with the assistance of John Brick and his two sons," and that the work " proved more chargeable" than he expected. "Signed by me, Benjamin Acton, surveyor of Fenwick Colony and Salem Tenth." In his old age he built a residence on Fenwick Street, a brick structure with a "hip"-roof, still standing, owned by Joseph Test.

In 1724, Benjamin Acion, Jr., built a house, much larger than his father's, on the same lot, which in the last generation was owned by the Gibbs family. It was remodeled by the late George Rumsey, but the old walls remain. In this house lived Benjamin Acton, Jr., who was a tanner by trade, occupying the vard devised to him by his father, and was succeeded in time by his son John. Samuel, a son of John, learned the tanner's trade with his father. For a time, in partnership with his brother Clement, he was a merchant in Salem, occupying the George W. Gar- rison store. After they decided to abandon trade, Samuel purchased the old Haddonfield tan-yards and removed thither, but he did not long survive. Richard M. Acton, now living, was another descendant of Ben- jamin Acton, who was a tanner in Salem. Clement, eldest son of Samuel Aeton, born in 1796, learned the hatter's trade of Caleb Wood, of Salem, and followed the business for some time after he attained his ina- jurity at the old David Smith shop on Market Street. He won abandoned his trade and became a dealer !! fur, and later bad a lumber-yard and a steam saw- mill on Penn Street, near Fenwiel: Creek, which way burned. During this period he built a large brick

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store and dwelling on Market Street, on the site of ing. Edward was the first of the Kea-bey family'in the old John Denn mansion, which he removed, and. this country. He was a young man when he cam. in company with Thomas Cattell, kept a hardware- from England, about 1694. This family intermur- ried with others in the vicinity, notably the Quin- tons, Holmes, Bradways, and Gibbons, and subre. quent representatives were widely known and highly esteemed. About seventy years ago Delzin Kearbes was living in the old Keasbey mansion, and had a hatter's shop on Market Street. store some year-, Isaac Oakford Acton, second son of Samuel Acton, learned blacksmithing in Pennsyl- vania, and after he became of age established him- self as a blacksmith on Griffith Street, prospered, and Inter engaged in business as an iron merchant and found.r. The names only of some descendants of Benjamin Acton who have been prominent in local history have been mentioned. Others have been scarcely less well known, and numerous others have been and are among the most respected citizens of the county.

Robert Zane purchased of John Fenwick, in 1070, the twenty-aere lot adjoining the Aeton lot. Robert Zane left Salem the following year and purchased a large tract of land in Newtown township, Gloucester Co. He married, in 1675, at Burlington, the daughter of an Indian chief. Tradition says they lived very happily together and had several children. 1lis son Robert became the owner of his father's lot in Salem. The old mansion still exist- as a monument of ancient times. It was built of logs, with a Mansard roof, and stands near the corner of Yorke and Keathey Streets. Lewis Goodwin married Rebecca, the granddaughter of Robert Zane, Jr. She inherited the lot in Salem. Lewis and his wife had two children, John and Susan Goodwin. John Goodwin became the owner of the Zane lot. He sold it about 180-1. A representative of this family removed to Ohio and became the founder of the flourishing city of Zanesville, in that State.

On the King's Highway, leading from Salem to Co- hausey, the celebrated Thomas Killingsworth owned about fifty acres, cornering on East Broadway and Yorke Street. This man was in some senses so re- markable as to require more than a passing mention. According to such meagre accounts of him as have been handed down to the present generation, he ap- pears to have been a scholar of more than ordinary attainments for that time, and a man in whose good judgment and integrity the first immigrant- to this section had the most implicit confidence. He ap- pears to have been well versed alike in theology and English law. A Baptist preacher.of much power and influence, he was instrumental in organizing the first Baptist Society in Salem, in which he was aided by Obadiah Holmes, and it is a remarkable fact that these two were also the judges of the first courts or- ganized at Salem, in 1703, soon after East and West Jersey were united under one government. Mr. Kil- lingsworth held this conspicuous position until 1706, when declining health led to his resignation, and he was succeeded by William Hall. He died in 1709, leaving no children.

Adjoining Judge Killingsworth's land on the west was the purchase of Edward Kebey, on which, in 1725, be erected a brick dwelling which is still stand-

William Hancock, of Elsinboro, son of William Hancock, the emigrant, purchased a lot adjoining the Richard Johnson property, which he left to his son, Thomas Hancock. In 1770 the members of the Salem Monthly Meeting of Friends thought their house of worship in the graveyard too small, and purchased the property of Thomas Hancock, two years later building their present meeting-house thereon, Across East Broadway, at the corner of Walnut Street, stands an ancient brick house, in good condition, which was purchased by Dr. Samuel Dick considerably more than a hundred years ago.

With several others, Richard Johnson came in the ship " Mary" from his native land, anchoring at El- sinboro, March 13, 1675. He was a native of Surrey, England, and a young man of marked ability, who later rendered great assistance to the Proprietor. After the incorporation of salem he was one of the burgesses of that town, and he was also one of the judges of the Salem County courts, a justice of the Court of Quarter Sessions, and a member of the State Legislature of New Jersey. His place of residence was on East Broadway, on the site of the Rumsey block. His house was a brick one, with a "hip"-roof. Wil- liam Parrott bought this property about 1790, and soon afterward removed the ancient dwelling and erected in its stead a large two-story brick house Richard Johnson was a large landholder in Salem and other portions of the county, owning five hundred acres south of Alloways Creek. His death occurred in Jannary, 1719, when he was in his seventy-fir-i year.

A well-known deseendant of Richard Johnson was Robert G. Jolinson, who, in his old age, wrote a brief but valuable " Historical Account of the First Settle- ment of Salem, in West Jersey," which was published in 1839. He was a man of pleasing address, was one of the judges of the Salem courts for many years, a member of the State Legislature two or three times. and held other important offices. llc died Oct. S. 1850, aged seventy-nine. His son, Robert Carney Johnson, was the first mayor of Salem. Thoma- Johnson, who is thought to have been a cousin of lichard Johnson's, bought ten acres of land in Salem in 1686, and lived in the town.

James Nevill came to this country as early as Io? from England, and became a leading man in the colony. He had been a weaver of Stepney, England. Jle was a married man when he arrived, but there re- mains no evidence that he had any children, He ws-

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a man of much talent and some legal acquirements and abilities, was elerk of the Salem courts, and held other positions of trust. and had the entire confidence of William Penn. He purchased twenty-nine seres of land of the Proprietor, on a street that led from the King's Highway to the town wharf. On account of his business qualifications and unquestioned integrity Nevill was chosen by Penn as the latter's agent after he had purchased John Fenwick's right to the unsold land in the T'enwick tenth in 1682.

Thomas Kent was quite a distinguished man in his time. Hle purchased ten acres of land at the corner of Kent and Nevill Streets in 1655, and by subsequent purchases became a somewhat extensive land-owner in the county.

William Wilkinson was an early comer. In 1685 he purchased ten acres of land in Salem, and built a house thereon, subsequently becoming a large land- owner in the county. Richard Penn sold one bun- dred and twenty acres of laud within the precincts of Salem to one of Wilkinson's sons. The family of Wilkinson was well known in Salem for two or three generations, though there are few, if any, in the county bearing the name at this time who are de- scendants of William Wilkinson.

Nicholas Gibbon, son of Arthur Gibbon, was born in England, and rame early to Cumberland County. Thence he removed to Salem, having married the widow of Samuel F. Hedge, and danghter of Alexan- der Grant. They lived in the old Grant house on Market Street, and he became a merchant, and was collector of the port, surrogate of Salem County, and a colonel of militia, in command of the militia of the lower counties. He died in 1755. his wife in 1760. Grant Gibbon, their second son, was born Nov. 25, 1731, and was collector of the port after his father's death, and held the offices of surrogate, judge, and justice of the peace. He was also a merchant, and a man of culture and prepossessing manners. He was a warm patriot. Oet. 13, 1771, while the Bostonians were suffering from the oppression of Gen. Gage, at a " meeting of the inhabitants of Salem town and county," it was " Resolved, That Grant Gibbon, E-1., who is known to be one of the most popular and effi- cient men in the county, and a patriot in whom the public have unbounded confidence, be the man who shall take the burthen and trouble in soliciting from our people." He succeeded in collecting about seven hundred dollars, a large sum at that time, which was sent for the relief of the distressed of that city. Ile died in June, 1776, about one week before the Decla- ration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia.

Among the patriotic men of the last century who took an active part in the troublou- scenes of the Revolution was Dr. Samuel Dick, of Salem. He was of Scotch-Irich de-cent, and was born in Maryland in 1740. He was highly edneated, being especially pro- ficient in languages, and was graduated from one of the medical institutions of Scotland. He served in

Canada as assistant surgeon in the colonia army in the French war, and was present at the surrender of Quebec in 1760. In 1770, with his mother, he came to Salem, and purchased property at the corner of East Broadway and Walnut Streets, where he died, and some of his descendants are living. In 1773 he married Sarah, daughter of Judge Andrew Sinnick- son, of Penn's Neck. In 1776 he was a member of 'the Provincial Congress of New Jersey, and one of the committee of five appointed to draw up a Cou- stitution of that State, and by that Congress he was given a commission as colonel of militia, and as such he served zealously during the long stinggle which followedl. He was surrogate of Salem County, 1780- 1801. He was elected to Congress in 1783, and served! through 1735, having been a member of the Congress of 1784, by which the treaty was ratified by which Great Britain acknowledged American independence. and was on a committee, with Jefferson. Blanchard, Gerry, Sherman, De Witt, Hand, Stone, Williamson, and Read, appointed to examine into che working. of the Treasury Department, and report such changes in its organization as they might deem advisable. He has been described as " a man of brilliant talents and great acquirements, refined taste and polished man- ners, a skillful surveyor and physician, a profound scholar, a discerning politician and zealous patriot." lle died in 1812.

Thomas, the oklest son of Andrew Sinnickson (80), was a merchant during the earlier years of his man- hood, on the site of the drug-store of Eakiu & Bal- linger, on Broadway, at the head of Market Street, and resided in Salem the greater part of his life. He took an active part in the Revolutionary war, and commanded a company in the Continental army. On account of his writings and his bitter opposition to British tyranny he was outlawed by Lord Howe, and a heavy reward was offered for him, dead or alive. At the organization of the government he warmly espoused the views of the ill-fated Hamilton, and became the recognized leader of the Federal party in this section during the administrations of Washington and the elder Adams. He frequently represented the county in the State Legislature, and was a member of the first United States Congress, which met in New York, and later a member of Congress (1796-98). He also served as judge, justice of the peace, and county treasurer.

William, youngest son of William Tyler (2d), was born in 1723. When between seventeen and eighteen years of age he apprenticed himself for four years to Benjamin Acton, of Salem, to learn the tanner and currier's trade. Soon after the expiration of hi- apprenticeship he sold property he had inherited from his father in Lower Alloway- Creek, and bought of Rebecca Edgil, of Philadelphia, property in Salem with a house thereon, which in the deed, dated 1746. is designated as " a new brick house," rendering it at least one hundred and thirty-six years old at this

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time, which is now the property of William David- of his family having intermarried with other repu- table families of Salem and vicinity.

son. Here he carried on the tanning business. Ilis descendants have been well known in Salem to the present day, and some of them have been identified almost constantly with the tanning and leather in- terest- there and elsewhere.

Richard Whitacar was one of Fenwick's Council of Proprietors to govern West Jersey, 1676-1702, and resided in Salem most of the time until 1600, when he removed to what is now Cumberland County.

Richard Woodnutt came from England about 1690, and located in Philadelphia. In 1695 he came to Salem. He was a bricklayer, and a member of the Society of Friends. About 1696 he came into pos- session of a portion of John Pledger's allotment in Mannington, by marriage or purchase, and removed thither. His descendants have for successive gener- ations been well known in Salem County.

The Yorkis of Salem are descended from an an- cient and important English family. Andrew, the second son of Thomas and Margaret Robeson Yorke, was born in Philadelphia in 1742, and came to Salem in 1773, and lived and kept store in the old building yet standing at the corner of York and Magnolia Streets. Ile was an ardent patriot, and served during the Revolution as aid to Gen. Newcomb.

Thomas Woodruff bought ten aeres in Salem in 1681, and is supposed to have built a house upon his Jut and lived in the town during the remainder of his days. Joseph Woodruff, brother of Thomas, bought another tru-acre lot in Salem, and lived thereon for some years.

June 13, 1685, Roger Smith bought of the execu- tors of John Fenwick a building lot of ten acres in Salein, and soon became the owner of considerable iand south of Alloways Creek, in what is now Quin- ton township. Ilis great-grand: on, Capt. William Smith, quite distinguished himself in the engagement at Quinton's Bridge in 1778. His descendants are quite numerous at this time in the lower part of Salem County.

Tobias Quinton purchased a building lot in Salem, but, like other carly comers, did not long remain in the town.

James Rolfe, it is generally thought, first settled in East Jersey. He came to Salem about 1700, and was a man of considerable means. He purchased a lot on the west side of Market Street, and built thereon a two-story brick house with a Mansard roof, which was standing in 1820, and was used as a pottery after it ceased to do service as a dwelling. He died in Salem in 1792. Thomas Clement, his grandson, wa- for : time a merchant on Market Street, Salem, in a build- iug afterwards occupied by his youngest son, Samuel, who was for many years in partnership with Gideon Scull, Jr., and who was known extensively as " Hon- est Samuel Clement." Thomas Clement lived to an advanced age. Ho ba, well-known descendants liv- ing in Salem and elsewhere in the county, members

William Griffith purchased a ten-aere lot on Mar- ket Street, on which he built a house, residing there. it is thought, until the close of his life. During his time a street was opened from Market Street to Salomn Creek, running parallel with Broadway, which was named in his honor. He is thought to have been the son of the captain of the "Griffith," and was a man of ability and discretion, and was intrusted with im- portant publie concerns, becoming the first sheriil' of Salem County after East and West Jersey were united.

Alexander Grant arrived in Salem about 1700, pur- chased a lot adjoining the Edward Wade lot, on Mar- ket Street, and erected a brick dwelling, which is still in a state of good preservation. With John, Ralph, and Nathaniel Bradin, of Salem, and John Vining, ot Mannington, Alexander Grant was instrumental in organizing the Episcopal Church in Salem.

Near the foot of Broadway a street was laid out and opened by the Proprietors' direction, ninety feet wide. Juhın Worledge, the eminent deputy surveyor, pur- chased, on the southwest side of this street, a lot in 1691, on which, the next year, he built a plain brick dwelling, which stood until a little more than two years ago.

John Lawson, the ancestor of Mayor Charles S. Lawson and others of the name in Salem, was born in Liverpool, England, of Quaker parentage, in 1756. became a cooper, came to America and located in Salem, and, with William Perry, was engaged in the prosecution of his trade until the outbreak of the Hevolutionary war, when, casting aside the prejudices of his sect, he entered Capt. Helm's company of the First New Jersey Battalion. The present mayor of Salem is his descendant.

There was a large ancient brick building standing on Yorke Street, near the line of Salem and Elsinboro. It is not known when it was erected. The owner was Erasmus Fetters, a tanner, and a member of the So- ciety of Friends.

The following are the names of families and indi- viduals prominent in Salem from 1800 to 1830. Many of them are the names of well-known citizens at this time :

Acton, Allen, Austin, Archer, Ayres, Aert-en, An- drews, Bradway, Bailey, Burroughs, Bavis, Bartram, Baker, Bond, Bright, Busley, Cattell, Clement, Coron, Collins, Coffee. Cooper, Craven, Cloud, Challis, Camp, Counsellor, Dick, Dare, Dann, Dayton, Dennis, Dur- ling, Daniels, Durch, Dickey, Ellett, Elwell, Firth. Fowler, Fleming, Fithian, Freas, Fox, Garrison. Griscom, Groff, Gilmore, Gibbon, Guestner, Githens, (landing, Hufty, Harrison, Hill, Hutchinson, Hall, Holmes, Harvey, Hackett, Hazlehurst, Jones, Jacobs, James, Jeffries, Ivins, Kes- bey, Kean, Kiger, Kirby, Kitis, Kinsey, Kelly, Kirk, Loomis, Lawrence, L rene, Lawson, Lippincott, Mulford, Mason, MeDounel,

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Mairs, Mankins, Madara, Newell, Norton, Nicholson. Nichols, Orton, Overman. Parrott, Peterson, Patter- son, Ploughman, Prior, Pyle, Robinson, Rednold, Riley, Rumsey, Rowan, Reynolds, Ridgway. Smith, Shourds, Sinnickson, Seull. Sherron, Simpson, Smart, Sheppard, Sheldon, Surton. Scott, Sharp, Swing, Siek- ler, Shinn, Sterret, Tyler Teel, Truss, Thompson. Tuft. Trask, Tindall, Van Meter, Vanhorn, Walton, Wood, Wright, Williams. Yorke, and Young.

A grant was made by the executors of John Fen- wick, William Penn, Samuel ledge, and Richard Tindall to George Hazelwood, Thomas Woodrutt, and Richard Johnson, three freeholders of the town of Salem, in trust, upon the conditions that such free- holders as purchased property in "the town mark" should bind themselves to make an embankment, be- ginning at the town landing, afterwards called the old wharf, and running to "fast land" on the Windham or Holmes Dallas farm, and ercet two wharves,-one at the foot of Broadway, called " the town landing," to be made so complete that boats could come to and load at low-water mark ; the other on the Penn's Neck side of the ereck, opposite the foot of Broadway, for the accommodation of the inhabitants of Penn's Neck in their business intercourse with Salem. These con- ditions were accepted by twenty-three frecholders, owners of the marsh, who entered upon the work, and by assessment levied upon marsh-land owners erected a "tide-bank," and shut off the water from the low ground, and built the two wharves as required. This charter was made in perpetuity to the three freehold- ers named as trustces and their successors, and was dated Dec. 24, 1698. The wharf at the foot of Broad- way was of great benefit to the commercial ance-tors of some of the present residents of Salem, who ex- ported the productions of the county to the island of Barbadoes, to New York, and to Boston for some years, until Philadelphia became the rival of Salem, when the foreign trade of the latter place began grad- ually to dimini-h. On the decline of the export trade, that part of the landing at the foot of Broadway not occupied as the wharf of the present day was appro- priated as a market ground, and during one period fairs were held on it twice a year. It was also used in storing materials for vessel-, which for many year- after settlement begun were constructed there. Later some of this property passed into individual po-session, and became the lueale of enterprises known in the history of modern Salem.

Organization and Incorporation .-- The town of Salem was incorporated in 1695. The act under which it was organized created the office of burge-s. The burgess was invested with authority to hear and determine all civil cases where the sum claimed was under forty shillings, to grant and revoke tavern licenses at lis pleasure, and to punish all persons who might be convicted before bim of rudeness, pro- fanity, and vicious practices.

Early Officers .- The first officer» chosen under

the act creating the town of Salem were the follow- ing, elected in March, 1695: John Worledge, bur- gess; Benjamin Arton, recorder; John Jeffry, bailiff; Richard Johnson, surveyor of streets, bridges, and banks.

The office of burgess was perpetuated until 1703. The successive incumbents were John Worledge, Jonathan Bure, William Hall, Richard Johnson, and Thomas Killingsworth. Justices of the peace during this period were Jonathan Bure, Richard Darking, Obadiah Holmes, Ryneer Van Hyst, John Holmes, William Rumsey, John Bacon, and Thomas Woodruff.

All freeholders were required to be punctual in at- tendance at all meetings of the town officers, and ab- sentees were fined from ten ponce to five shillings cach, according to the frequency of their non-attend- ance and the urgency of their cause for the same.

The large proportion of Quaker inhabitants and office-holders rendered it necessary that some of the latter should have a substitute for the ordinary oath of office administered to such officers elect as were not troubled with conscientious scruples agaltist being sworn, and the class availed themselves of the "act to qualify oflivers who are not free to take an oath" by signing the following declaration of fidelity and faith :

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History of the counties of Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland New Jersey, with biographical sketches of their prominent citizens, vol. 2, Part 2

Author: Cushing, Thomas, b. 1821. cn; Sheppard, Charles E. joint author Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 920

Author: Cushing, Thomas, b. 1821. cn; Sheppard, Charles E. joint author
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 920