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 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. 2 > 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. 2 > Part 31
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During the time from 1803 until 1827 they were dependent on the occasional services of visiting brethren for the preaching of the gospel; nor from the seanty records can it be told how often these visits were made.
In 1818 they petitioned the Association to aid them with supplies, that they might celebrate the Lord's Supper at least three times a year. In compliance with this request, Messrs. Smalley, Thompson, May- lon, Clark, and Mulford preached for them at stated intervals.
The second pastor, Rev. William Bacon, united with the church by letter from Salem in May, 1827, and was at once called to the ministry. He was or- dained in August, 1829.
On April 9, 1831, Mr. Bacon divided his labors between the churches at Piti-grove and Woodstown, and preached for both until 1833, when he assumed charge of the Woodstown Church alone.
The third pastor, Rev. William Pollard, was called to the pastorate of the church June 7, 1833. He retained his connection with the church two years.
John S. Eisenbrey, the fourth pastor, commenced his pastorate in October, 1837, and continued until March, 1842. He preached statedly twice on the Sabbath in the meeting-house, morning and evening, while on Sabbath afternoons he preached alternately at Deerhell, Pennytown, Washington school-house, near Alloway-town, and at the parsonage, and sonictimes he went out in the pine woods to a dis- tance of twenty miles to preach. He was a faithful, energetic pastor, and a zealous advocate of temper- ance. Conjointly with his pastoral labors he farmed the parsonage, taught the district school and a class in mu-ic.
In the spring of 1812 the church extended a call to Charles Kain, Jr., a licentiate of the Moorestown Baptist Church, to become their pastor. His pastor- ate was very successful.
The present house of worship was erected and sixty-one persons baptized into the fellowship of the church during the pastorate of Mr. Kain.
After having visited the church, Rev. William F. Brown was called to take pastoral charge of it in March, 14-17, and was ordained pastor in August of the same year. While he was their pastor the
church built a new dwelling-house on the parsona. and repaired the other buildings. lle closed l .: Jabors with the church in March, 1850.
The seventh pastor, Rev. Abel Philbrook, heg.u his pastoral labors in February, 1851, and close) them in February, 1854.
In May, 1854, Rev. Daniel Kelsay began his labor- with this church, and continued to be their pastor for the ten succeeding years. He was born in Green- wich, Cumberland Co., and was grandson of the lis. Robert Kelsay, so closely identified with the history of the older Baptist Churches of West Jersey, and particularly with that of Pitt-grove.
Rev. A. B. Still, the ninth, united with the church and began his pastoral labor- on Oct. 1, 1864. After a pastorate of nearly three years he closed his labor- and removed to Danville, Pa.
Rev. Levi Morse, from Newton, N. J., was settled as pastor from Nov. 18, 1867, to April 2, 1871.
To Rev. Charles A. Mott the church gave a call in July, 1571. It being accepted, he at once began hi- pastoral labors, and was ordained on the 15th of August, following. He resigned his charge in fann- ary, Is7J, which became effective on the 1st of April, 1874, following.
On the third Sabbath of July, in compliance with an invitation from the church, the twelfth pastor Rev. Morgan Edwards, began his pastoral labors with the Pittsgrove Church. On Ang. 1, 1874, the church extended to Mr. Edwards a call to become pastor. Hle accepted, and remained until December, 1.4. Rev. Levi Morse again became pastor in 1875, and continued the relation until the spring of 1878. July 16, 1878, Rev. John J. Reeder became pastor, serving the church until November, ISSO. Rev. T. G. Deuch- field acted as supply in 1580 and 1881. For a year past the church has been without a pastor.
The present deacons of this organization are C. F. H. Gray, S. D. Hitchner, Thomas R. Coles, and J :. L. Sheppard.
Friendship Methodist Episcopal Church .- Den- jamin Abbott was the father of Methodisin in Salem County, and was certainly one of the most remarkable men of his generation. He married in early life and located in Pittsgrove township. His wife was a member of the Presbyterian organization centering at Daretown, and he occasionally went with her to church. In the fall of 1772, in the fortieth year of his age, he was converted, under the preaching of Abraham Whiteworth.
At that time he was a hired laborer for Benjamin Van Meter, a prominent farmer in the neighborhood. who, according to tradition, employed him solely on account of his musenlar strength, for otherwise he wa- objectionable, being at times intemperate, and whil. so quarrelsome. There lived in the same neighbor- hood John Murphy, a member of the Presbyterian Church, and a man of considerable intellect and ex- tensive reading, whose house appears to have been a
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TOWNSHIP OF UPPER PITTSGROVE.
home for the Methodist itinerante, and one of their earliest preaching-places in the county.
After a time Mr. Murphy united with the Meth- odist Society, which was formed at his house anterior to that of any other Methodist organization in the county. His friends opposed this action strongly, but he appears to have taken it solely on account of a conviction that he would be more useful as a Methodist than as a Presbyterian. Returning from a meeting at Murphy's, Abbott's wife is said to have been converted, sub-equently leaving ber Presbyte- rian alliance and becoming a Metholist. Others took similar action. Convert- were made among those who had previously not been professors of re- ligion, and from year to year the organization gained in strength, spiritual, financial, and numerical. About the beginning of this century a small one-story log church was built, which later gave place to better accommodations.
On the site of Murphy's house was erected, in 1862 and 1863, a comfortable church, which was dedicated Jan. 22, 1863.
This station had been for many years connected with the several circuits which from time to time in- cluded it, and was mini-tered to by many of the cir- cuit preachers, mentioned elsewhere in connection with other carly societies in other townships. In 1863 it was on the Pittsgrove and Woodruff charge. At this time it is connected with the Elmer and Olivet Churches, a similar relation having been sus- tained years ago, prior to its connection with the Woodruff Church. In 1843 the first regular pastor was appointed to the Friendship, Elner, and Olivet Churches in conjunction. This was Rev. Matthias German. The following-mentioned pastors have suc- ceded him in the order named : Revs. Noah Ed- wards, Joseph Atwood, John W. Me Dougall, Joseph Gaskell, Abraham Gearhart, Levi J. Roads, Charles W. Heisley, Samuel Hudson, Joseph Summerill, James Merell, Samuel Johnson, Charles W. Ileisley, H. S. Norris, M. C. Stoke, Edward II. Dearelle, J. B. Turpin, and J. H. Heilenman.
Industrial .- George M. Elwell established a dis- tillery at Daretown a number of years ago, which, since his decease in 1873, has been owned by his widow, and operated by Jacob Wies,
In 1879, William Cook established a small ma- chine-shop at Daretown and operated it about eigli-
teen months, since the expiration of which it has been closed. It is now owned by Dr. Joseph Cook. Sicam- engines and saw-mills were manufactured, and two ice-machines, one of which has been operated at Selma, Ala., by Clayton & Couk.
Eighty or one hundred years ago a tannery was es- tablished at Pole Tavern. The first occupant of whom any present resident has any knowledge was Joseph Cook, who was succeeded by Joseph Keteham. Elisha Heritage was proprietor from about 1849 to about 1855, and Henry Rouser later until 1857, when the present proprietor, Gottlieb Kress, took posses- sion.
The several blacksmiths and wheelwrights now fol- lowing their avocations in this township, as well as many of their predecessors, have been mentioned.
The agricultural interests of Upper Pittsgrove are well advanced, and in most parts of the township are to be seen farms vying in beauty of location, neat appearance, and productiveness with any in the county. Fruits, vegetables, melons, tomatoes, and the various cereals are raised in abundance. The land in Upper Pittsgrove was heavily timbered for some time after settlement began, and much lahor was expended in the early days in subdoing the for- ests and clearing the soil of obstructions to tillage. When placed under cultivation the land yielded large crops of wheat, rye, and Indian corn, but for lack of proper rotation of crops, after a time, became ex- hausted and measurably worthless. At this uufavor- alle period in the agricultural history of the town- ship, many of the earlier farmers became dissatisfied, sold their "worn-out" lands, and removed to more inviting fields of labor. Those who purchased of them did so with the full knowledge that the land was greatly deteriorated, and at a price which was probably fixed in accordance with this fact. But they and the obler settlers who stuck. to the ud ground where their forefathers had lived and duur. islied, were soon rewarded by the discovery of marl in l'ilesgrove, in quantities sufficient for its needs and those of Upper Pittsgrove and portions of other adja- cent townshins. The free use of this, and the frequent growth of clover, that great restorer of deteriorated soil, eventually brought Pittsgrove to its present stains as one of the finest cereal-producing townships in the county. A larger yield of English grapes is obtained here than in any other part of South Jersey.
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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
CHAPTER LXXVII.
DESCRIPTION.
CUMBERLAND COUNTY is the most southern county, excepting Cape May, in the State. It is bounded on the northwest and north by Salem County, on the northeast by Gloucester and Atlantic, on the southeast by Cape May, and on the southwest. by Delaware Bay. It is about thirty miles long, cast and west, and about twenty-eight miles in its greatest breadth, north and south. Its surface is generally level, sloping gradually to the different streams which pass through it.
Streams .- The principal of these are Maurice and Cobansey Rivais. Maurice River has its rise in Gloucester County, and pas-ing out of that county becomes the boundary line between Pittsgrove town- ship, Salem Co., on the west, and Landis township, in this county, on the cast, and then crosses through the eastern portion of Cumberland to the Delaware Bay. Jis general course is almost directly south, and its whole length is about forty-five miles, and with its branches it drains a basin of about three hundred and sixty square miles. The Cohansey has its rise in Salem County, and flowing a southerly course into Cumberland, becomes the dividing line between the townships of Deerfield and Hopewell, flows through the city of Bridgeton, separating the Third Ward from the First and Second, then becomes the bound- ary line between Fairfield on the cast and south, and Hopewell and Greenwich on the west and north. At Fairton, four miles below the city of Bridgeton, it makes a turn at a right angle to the west, and follows that general course to the town of Greenwich, from which its remaining course is south by southwest. Its length is thirty-one miles, and it drains a basin of about one hundred square miles. Stow Creek, on the northwest, forms part of the boundary line with Salem County; West Creek, on the southeast, partly the boundary with Cape May. Back, Cedar, Autuxit, : and Dividing Crecks, all emptying into Delaware Bay, are the next largest streams.
Marshes .- Along the whole shore of the bay ex- ' tends a strip of marshy land, in breadth from half a mile to one and two miles. Its surface is usually covered with different varieties of salt grass and sod, and is near the level of ordinary high water, while extra high tides frequently cover it. These marshes
are generally of soft mud underneath the sod, an.l frequently so miry that horses or cattle cannot wall: over them. The mud varies from a few inches i. thirty feet in depth, and is underlaid by firm gravell; or sandy soil. These marshes also extend up the dif- ferent streams for several miles. Considerable por- tions of them, mostly along the Cohansey and Mat- rice Rivers, have been ditched and banked in from the tides, and are now fresh meadows, producing large crops of fresh hay and of grain and vegetables. Be- tween the different streams necks of upland project into the salt marsh almost to the shore of the bay.
Soil and Productions. - The soil of the county i. of' alluvial formation, an l is in general a sandy loam. West of the Cohansey it is heavier, being more inter- mixed with clay, and on it large crops of wheat, oats. and corn are grown. Between the Cohansey and Maurice Rivers it is somewhat lighter, and while pro- ducing good crops of grain. it is better adapted to the growth of fruits and vegetables, immense quantities of which are annually raised. East of the latter river are large tracts of quite sandy soil, formerly thought to be entirely useless for agricultural pur- poses, but which, under the increasing knowledge and resources of agricultural science, have been made. during the last twenty years, to produce large crops of fruits and vegetables.
The western portion of the county is mostly under cultivation, the timber remaining consisting of white. black, and red oak, hickory and pine, but in the. eastern portion there are still large tracts of onins- proved land, pine constituting a much larger propor- tion of the timber than in the western. Most of this has been cut off for lumber and firewood several times since the settlement of the county. Along the upper portions of the different streams, above the salt marsh, were formerly tracts of cedar swamp, many of then: quite extensive and of great value; most of these have been cut off and the cedar timber convert ... l into shingles, siding, rails, etc.
The elevated ridges between the streams are under- laid in many places with a brown sandstone and con- glomerate, which consists of a sand or fine gravel cemented by oxide of iron. This stone i- quarried as a building material in many places. When freshly quarried it is frequently soft and ermabling, but on exposure to the air becomes hard and firm enough for use, and is in general use in the construction of cellar walls and foundations. It is sometimes asod for the
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GENERAL HISTORY.
499
walls of buildings, but is not generally employed for that purpose.
On both sides of Stow Creek the soil is underlaid with marl in beds from six to fifteen feet thick, covered with from three to fifteen feet of dirt. The-e beds outcrop along the stream for a distance of about three miles, along which distance are numerous openings or pits where it is dug.
A bed of white sand, known as glass-sand, underlies the surface gravel throughout the whole of the south- ern end of the State, and has it- outeropping- in dif- ferent portions of this county, but principally in the vicinity and to the eastward of Maurice River. The artion of rains and the different streams in carrying off the surface gravel which formerly overlaid this bed has given origin to the sandy tracts which cover a large portion of the county east of Maurice River. Numerous openings have been made into this bed, and immense quantities of it are used every year in glass- making in this county, and shipped to other points for the same purpose.
The area of the county, as given in the Geological Survey of the State, which was made before Com- mercial township was formed from Downe, and before the small portion of Maurice River township was set off' to Cape May County in 1878, is as follows :
Tide Maish.
Total Area.
Sq. M.
Acres.
AcriA.
Kringeton
15.39
9,819
Deerfield.
41.05
2,65G
Duwne ...
33.62
21,517
$0.13
57,0)3
Tutrhold.
22.15
14,170
75 30
44,132
Gireruwich.
6.80
4.310
lifewell.
2.93 1
1,575
30 00
19,200
Maurice River.
11.21
7,174
105.56
Millville ..
1.8L
1,13%
50.335
32.224
Stow Creek.
1.20
17.93
11,475
Total.
79.8]
51,078
515.75
330,0-0
Aronof New Jersey
461.62
295,474
$576.68
4,249,069
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LAND TITLES.
Titles to land in New Jersey are derived from the British Crown. Among the nations of Europe it was a settled principle that all uninhabited countries, and also those inhabited by savage tribes, became the property of the nation who first took possession of them. In the case of an inhabited country, no ju-ti- fication of this principle of law can be found except that " might makes right." The rights of the Indians as possessore of the soil for ages past were made sub- ordinate to that of the sovereign who claimed that he had taken possession of the land by some of his subjects sailing along its shores and exploring its rivers and harbors. All the right, of property, and the principles which arise from occupation and use of and recognized to some extent even among savage trihex, and withont which society, even in its simple-t
forms, cannot exist, were held as of no binding force. The one well-recognized principle among all people has been that discovery of a new land has vested the right to the soil in the nation making the discovery, and taking even a theoretical, although not a practical, possession of it.
It is true that the rights of the Indians to the soil of New Jersey were bought by the first Proprietors. Although they claimed a legal title from the Crown, both policy and the inherent sense of right, which could not be entirely set aside by the teachings of centuries or the desires of avarice, prompted them to make some compensation to those whom they found in the actual possession of the land they wished to occupy. The friendship of the savages was worth a great deal to the few and scattered settlers. Their own safety was a powerful adjunet to that inborn fcling that the natives had some rights, however slight they might be. To these incentives to pur- chase the rights of the Indians was added the chance to buy those rights cheaply. Large portions of the lands were only used for hunting, and the goods and trinkets offered them by the new-comers were of wonderful value to them, although costing the set- tlers little. Immense tracts of land, the most fer- tile and valuable to the settlers, although no more valuable to the Indians than the poorer portions, were sold for a few banbies. Their rights were in- deed bought, but the compensation was grossly inad- equate. But however small was the price paid, and however much the ignorance and vanity of the In- dians was taken advantage of, yet no part of New Jersey was ever taken from them by force, but all was acquired by voluntary sale. In these sales rights of hunting and fishing on uninclosed lands were often reserved, but even those rights were extinguished by the State in 1832, by the payment of two thousand dollars, although the last of the Indians had removed from the State and abandoned those rights many years before.
The right of individuals to purchase directly from the Indians without the consent of the Proprietors was not recognized, and laws were carly passed for- bidding it. The right to extinguish the Indian claims was exercised only by the Proprietors, under their grants from the Crown, and from them alone could a legal title be obtained. Deeds from the Indians were, however, obtained by some of the settlers for the lands in their possession, but unless surveys were also obtained their legal title rests upon po-session, and not upon the deeds.
We give below a copy of one of these old Indian deeds for a tract of land in Greenwich township. The deed is well written and in good preservation. The signatures of the Indians are by their marks, one of them being evidently an imitation of a bow. The
" KNOW ALL MEN by theAr present, that we Shawk-a-num and Et.bou Brethren and Indian Proprietors of that parcel of land called
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property, although well defined in all civilized nations, , obl style of capital letters and spelling is given :
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HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
knownetothe In fin Natives by the name of Ca-to-nun gut, lying ne ir Colandry un Delawareriver, Prand in Consideration of one Blanket -me double han lot of powder, two Parts of Lead, two knives. three penny-worth of paint, our lloc, one Ive, une looking glass, one pair of Sjzers, one Shirt and one Breech-luth, to its in han.l;ail les John Nicholls of Nicholl- Hartford veere Cohanzey afore -aid Pinter, at and before the endealiog & delivery hereof, the receipt whereof is hereby ackaun lodged, have granted, lurgiined, sild, alloned, rufcoffe.l and con- firoies-unto the maid John Nicholls his heirs and assigns forever, a parcel of land conteyning esteemacon one hundred aires the it more or less, Buttet anl bounded as fdfoweth, Beginning at Henry Jenings bounded free standing neere the little t'rooke, called the Gine at-tree Crock mark't with H. J. from thence Running West to the said Heury Jenings his bounded tree markt with the letter II. J. 121 peaches from thenes North North-West st pearches, to a little Hickory-tree being the Bounds of George Il uelew pods, Henry Jening. & Samuell Bacon & Hoere the bounded tree marked with the letters G. H., 11 J., S. B. & J. N., En.m thence ruuuing ou Samuell Bacons line south & by West 99 prarches to a Ked-oake-tive being the bounded tree of Samuel Bacon & the said John Nicholls mirk't with the letters S. B. & J. N. from thence Fast to the first meuconel tree 2nl pearches, to the C'recke called the Great-tree Creeke und running by the soll Creeke South East to Calanzey Hiver CO pearches, from thence done by Cohanzoy River Sonth Sonth-West to Sananell Bacons bounded treo standing by the landing, mark't wth the letters S. 11. & J. N. 45 prarches, from theuce to a Bed-Ouke-trio mark's with three notches in Samuel Bacons lyne running West 90 perches-Then Beginning at Samwell Dicons lyne in the Marish, at n post ent there mark't with the letter J. running South Hast by Caban- zey-river 20 pearches, from thence South-West to another post 22 parches marked with the letter J. frutu thence North-West to a post 3v peurches mark't with the letter J., from thence North- East tu the first niencoded past, 22 pourches, To HAVE AND TO HOLD all the said one hundred acres of land and mariah, together with the Creches, While. profits, Comunevilties & heredit sweats whatsoever thereunto belonging to him the si John Nicholls his heirs and nosigns forever, to his and their own proper ne und lichoof forever without the disturbance f ns Shawk-a-nun & lt-lome Brethren or either of us our heirs or assigns, or any other person or persons claymlu; lawfully to have any Iuntinu right, tit! er interest therein, and thereto we bind cumelves, sal our heirs, Joyofcity and severally In the penalty of Sixty Buckskinnes to be paid ly as our heirs of anesignes > I John Nicholls his helps of musiques In Witnesso whereut wee the parties ab we sd have Inter changeably put our hands nud Scales this 2th day of the fourth month in ye yeare according to the English acct.
the marke of Įbis mark ] Shawk-a-uut
the marke of [his mark] Fi-que
" Signed, scale l & Delivered in ye presence of
RicharJ Guy { Com'r. James Nevill
" Recorded the 14th day of July Auto Dominy ly me Senti Hedge " Record ?. "
By a royal patent, dated March 12, 166], King Charles Il. granted to his brother, the Duke of York, afterwards King Jame- II., the country between the western side of the Connecticut River and the east side of Delaware Bay, together with Long Island, the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, and also a large tract, including what is now the eastern part of Maine.1 This grant conferred upon the duke rights of government as well as rights of soil.
By deeds of lease and release, dated June 23 and 24, 1664, the duke conveyed to John Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret all that portion of his grant from the king included in this State, and gave it the name of Nova Casarea, or New Jersey," in honor of Carteret, who was born on the i-land of Jersey, and who also, as royal Governor, defended that island
against the forces of Parliament, it being the lat-1 place to lower the royal banner after the execution of Charles 1. In this grant all the rights of government which the duke held were also transferred to Berkeley and Carteret.
Lord Berkeley, by deed of bargain anil sale, dated March 18, 107;, conveyed all his undivided half of New Jersey to John Fenwick.3 This deed, upon its face, conveyed an absolute estate in fee-simple. but it was really purchased with funds belonging in large part to Edward Byllinge, and Fenwick was in equity a trustee for him. Fenwick claimed the whole as his absolute estate, but it was finally submitted tu William Penn as arbitrator, who decided that Fen- wick was entitled to one-tenth of the moiety or half part of New Jersey, and that the other nine-tenths belonged to Byllinge. In submission to this arbitra- tion, Fenwick and Byllinge, by deeds of lease and release, dated Feb. 9 and 10, 1674. conveyed to William Penn, Gaven Laurie, and Nicholas Lucas the undivided half part of New Jersey.' Laurie and Lucas were among the principal creditors of Byl- linge. This deed also was absolute in its terms, but it was agreed by all the parties thereto that they held ninety parts, the whole moiety being divided into one hundred parts, as trustees of Byllinge, for the purpose uf paying his creditors. A memorandum on the back of the deed, dated ith of 31 month (May). 1675, set forth that the remaining ten parts had been drawn by John Fenwick as his proportion of the moiety, and that he had accepted of the same, and the trusters for the other lots were satisfiedl therein.3
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