USA > New Jersey > Hudson County > History of the county of Hudson, New Jersey : from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 25
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The title of the act of incorporation of 1820 reads, "An Act to incorporate the city of Jersey, in the county of Bergen," while the body of the act reads " Jersey City."3 By this act the " tax- able inhabitants" were authorized to elect annually five free- holders to conduct the affairs of the city, and to be known as " The Board of Selectmen of Jersey City." The act named Doctor John Condit. Samuel Cassedy, Joseph Lyon, John K. Goodman and John Seaman as the first board.
road, the owner, at one time, of the entire tract of land now known as East Newark, and for many years expended large sums of money in the introduction and improvement of blooded stock, both horses and cattle. He died in 1859, at his residence, in what is now a part of Jersey City, at a good old age.
1 In noticing this new enterprise, a paper of that date says : " Who knows but that a very few years will make it the emporium of trade and commerce of the State of New Jersey ?" Centinel of Freedom, March 13, 1804.
" By this act of incorporation the Clerk of Bergen County was required to appoint a Deputy Clerk for Powles Hook, to keep the records and record the deeds, &c., in that place. Samuel Cassedy was appointed.
3 It is said that the Board of Selectmen, who prepared this bill, were desirous to have the place named " The City of Jersey," but it was altered as in the text by the representative of Bergen county.
288
HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY.
On the 23d of January, 1829, the corporate name was changed to " The Board of Selectmen and Inhabitants of Jersey City," although the old name "City of Jersey " was still retained in the title.
On the 22d of February, 1838, the name was changed to the " Mayor and Common Council of Jersey City." Up to this time the place had remained a part of the township of Bergen. It now became a separate municipality.
On the Sth of March, 1839, its boundaries were extended westerly along the northerly side of First street to the centre of Grove street, thence sontherly into Communipaw bay to the line of South street extended.
On the 18th of March, 1851, the city received a new charter. which extended its boundaries so as to inelude the township of Van Vorst. The aet was not to take effect until a majority of the electors in each municipality voted in favor of annexation. The vote was taken on the 27th of March, with the following result :
Vote in Jersey City.
Whole number of votes, 495
" Charter," 489
" No Charter," 3
Rejected, - 3
Vote in Van Vorst.
Whole number of votes, 426
" Charter," 377
" No Charter," 47
Rejected, - 2
By this charter the city was divided into four wards, each entitled to four aldermen.
On the 2Sth of February, 1861, the fifth and sixth wards were erected ; on the 21st of March, 1867, the seventh ward, and on the 17th of March, 1870, the eighth ward.
From 1820 to 1838, the officers of the " Board of Selectmen " were as follows :
Presidents.
Clerks. Joseph Kissam, 1820.
Joseph Lyon,1 1820-3.
William Lyon, 1824.
Philip R. Earle, 1821-4. A. Ogden Dayton, 1825.
Joseph Kissam, 1825.
George Dummer, 1826-30.
Robert Gilchrist, 1826-S.
1 Died at Lyon's Farms, March 21, 1829, aged 65.
JERSEY CITY. 289
Presidents.
Clerks.
David C. Colden, 1831-2.
Peter Me Martin, 1829 32.
William Glaze, 1833.
Peter Bentley, 1833.
Edmund D. Barry, jr., 1834.
William W. Monro, 1835.
Henry D. Holt, 1836-7.
Since 1838, the officers have been :
MMayors.
Dudley S. Gregory, 1838, 39, David S. Manners, 1852-6. 41, '58, '59. Samuel Wescott, 1857.
Peter McMartin, 1840.
Thomas A. Alexander, 1842.
Peter Bentley, 1843.
Phineas C. Dummer, 1844-7.
Henry J. Taylor, 1848-9.
Robert Gilchrist, 1850-1.
Charles H. ('Neil, 1868, '70-4.1 William Clarke, 1869.3
('lerks.
Henry D. Holt, 1838, '40-4. Thomas W. James, 1839.
Edgar B. Wakeman, 1845-7. John H. Voorhis. 1848-50.
George W. Cassedy, 1850-64. John E. Scott, 1864 until the present time.
On the 2d of April, 1869, an aet was approved providing for a vote by the electors of the several cities and townships in the county, east of the Hackensack river, to decide upon consolidat- ing the several municipalities into one, under the name of JJersey City. The election was held on the 5th of October, with the following result :
1 In 1868 an act was passed by the Legislature extending the Mayor's term of office to two years. Mr. O'Neil, who had been elected a few days before its passage, refused to hold the office beyond the time for which he had been elected.
2 Appointed by the Common Council.
19
John F. Ellis, 1834.
Robert Gilchrist, 1835.
William Glaze, 1836-7.
. Cornelius Van Vorst, 1860-1. John B. Romar, 1862-3. Orestes Cleveland, 1864-6.
James Gopsill. 1867.
290
HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY.
Charter.
No Charter.
Jersey City,
2,220
911
Hudson City,
1,320
220
Bergen.
815
108
Hoboken.
176
893
Bayonne,
100
250
Greenville,
24
174
Weehawken,
0
44
Town of Union,
123
105
West Hoboken.
95
256
North Bergen.
SO
225
Union Township.
140
65
-
Thus Jersey City, Bergen and Hudson City became one. On the 17th of March, 1870, the Legislature made provision for the government of the consolidated city. The territory was divided into sixteen wards, the eight wards of Jersey City numbering from one to eight inclusive ; the wards of Hudson City, begin- ning with the first, numbering from nine to twelve inclusive, and the wards of Bergen, beginning with the first, numbering from thirteen to sixteen inclusive. In 1871 the local govern- ment was reorganized, the wards abolished and six aldermanic districts erected in their stead, each district being entitled to two aldermen. In 1873, the township of Greenville was an- nexed to the city by legislative act, and became part of the sixth district.
Captains of the Watch.1
Benjamin F. Champney.
Charles J. Farley, 1854.
1851-2. Thomas B. Kissam, 1854-5.
John R. Benedict. 1852-3.
Chiefs of Day Police.
Hiram H. Fenn, 1854. Charles J. Farley, 1855.
1 September 19, 1845, the city watchmen were directed at each hour, from the " setting of the watch until the hour of calling off arrive," to call the hour.
291
JERSEY CITY.
Chief's of Police.
Thomas B. Kissam, 1856-7.
Benjamin Haines, jr., 1857-8. Jacob Z. Marinus, 1859-61. Edward D. Riley, 1862-4. Patrick Jordan, 1864.
Joseph McManus, 1865-8. Nathan R. Fowler, 1868-71. Edward Mc Williams, 1871-2. Benjamin F. Champney, 1873.
Columbia College Scholarship.
On the 13th of July, 1846, the Trustees of Columbia College gave "to the Corporation of Jersey City " the privilege of having one student educated in the college free of charges for tuition. The gift was accepted on the 17th. On the 26th of March, 1847, the Common Council passed " an ordinance concerning the ap- pointment of a student to the scholarship in Columbia College." The following have had the benefit of this scholarship :
William T. Van Riper, appointed August 3, 1852.
William R. Ilillyer, December 2, 1856.
Charles V. Hillyer, October 4, 1864.
William Holdane, 1868. S. T. S. Henry, June 24, 1872.
JERSEY CITY AS A PORT OF ENTRY .- By Act of Congress, March 2, 1799, Hudson County was placed within the district of Perth Amboy. This district included all of East Jersey, except such parts as were within the district of Little Egg Harbor.
March 8, 1806, " The town or landing place of Jersey, in the State of New Jersey," was made a port of delivery, within the district of Perth Amboy.
March 2, 1811, the whole county was annexed to the district of New York.
June 30, 1834, the westerly part of the county was annexed to the district of Newark.
From 1811, Colonel Aaron Ogden was Assistant Collector, residing in Jersey City. In 1845 the office was abolished.
Feb. 21, 1863, the whole county was annexed to the district of
292
HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY.
New York. This act provided for an Assistant Collector to reside in Jersey City, with power to enter and clear vessels, but subject to such rules and regulations as the Collector of New York might establish. Phineas C. Dummer was appointed.
Feb. 25, 1865, the Assistant Collector was empowered to enroll and license vessels engaged in the coasting trade and fisheries, owned in whole or in part by residents of the Counties of IIndson and Bergen.
WATER WORKS .- The territory east of Bergen Hill, lying but little above tide water, and the most of it salt-meadow, was poorly supplied with water. The yield of the wells was. as a general thing, of an inferior quality. To supply this deficiency quite a business was, at one time, carried on in carting water from the hill, and selling it by the pail from door to door. As the city grew, the necessity for good water became more urgent. As early as March 1, 1839, the "Jersey City and Harsimus Aqueduct Company" was incorporated, with an authorized capital of $40,000, and authority to " search and bore for water " in Jersey City and Bergen, make reservoirs for the collection of water and lay pipes for its distribution through the city. Nothing, however, came from this company.
On the 1st of November, 1847, Clerk & Bacot, City Surveyors, recommended the taking of water from a small reservoir near the New Jersey Railroad, on the west side of the hill. But the supply to be had from that place was too insignificant to merit serions attention.
On the 18th of March, 1851, Edwin A. Stevens, Edward Coles, Dudley S. Gregory, Abraham J. Van Boskerck and John D. Ward were constituted a Board of Water Commissioners to sup- ply the townships of Hoboken and Van Vorst and Jersey City with pure and wholesome water. This Board selected William S. Whitwell, then late of the Boston Water Works, as engineer. He began his labors near Belleville, August 26, 1851.
Besides the plans already referred to several others were suggested to the Commissioners. One was, to dam the Hacken- sack River near the Newark turnpike bridge and thus keep out
293
JERSEY CITY.
the salt water, and pump from above the dam ; another, to bring the water from Rockland Lake; and another was to use the west- ern slope of Bergen hill for a gathering ground, and, by a system of underdraining, collect the water at the foot of the slope and then pump it up. Another plan was to bring it from the Passaic river above the falls ; another to take it from the Passaic above the Dundee dam : another to take it from the Morris canal on the level between Little Falls and Bloomfield. All these plans were, however, laid aside for the one now in operation. The Commissioners pronounced this the best plan. They had also received a report from Professor Horsford of New Haven, dated November 26, 1851, as to the quality of the water taken from the Passaic at Belleville. The following table exhibited its relative quality when compared with the water supply of other cities :
In one hundred thousand parts in
Passaic.
Schuyl- kill.
Croton.
Cochit- uate.
Jamaica.
Albany.
Troy.
Solid residue
12.7500
9.4170
18.7100
5.3400
5.3560
18.4800
11.8600
Inorganic
7.8500
7.2938
11.3265
2.9000
3.0560
14.5200
8.2400
Organic .
4.9000
2.1232
7.3735
2.4400
2.3000
3.9600
2.6400
The engineer submitted his plan on the 9th of December 1851. On the 25th of the following March legislative authority was given to construct the works. The enterprise was so far completed on the 30th of June, 1854, that water was let into the pipes from Belleville, and on the 15th of August distributed through the city. The cost of the works up to that time was $652,995.73. A grand water celebration was had Oet. 3, 1854.
Connected with the water works a general plan of sewerage was adopted. It was based on the plan of a tidal canal, extend- ing from Communipaw Cove to Harsimus Cove, generally on the line of Mill Creek and Hoboken Creek, which, when filled by the tide, was to be emptied through the sewers at low water. The canal is yet unbuilt, and every year adds to the difficulty and cost of its construction. Besides the benefit to sewerage which it would give to the city, proper locks would open it for naviga-
294
HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY.
tion, and on its banks would grow up lumber, coal and stone yards, besides foundries and factories. The dullest eye can see the benefits of such an enterprise.
POST OFFICE .- Previous to the establishment of a post office in Jersey City, the residents here received their letters through the post office of New York or Newark. The post office in Jer- sey City was set up in 1831. The post-masters have been
William Lyon, - - 1831-35
Samuel Bridgart, - 1846-49
William R. Taylor, 1835-37 David Smith, - - - 1849-53
Samuel Bridgart, - - 1837-41
Samnel M. Chambers, 1853-61
David Smith. - 1841-45
Henry A. Green, - - 1861-
John Ogden (resigned), 1845-46
BULL-BAITING .- About the year 1825, there was constructed on the south side of Sussex street, between Hudson and Greene streets, a large amphitheatre, capable of seating three thousand people. Here, for about two months, on every Friday, large numbers, mostly from New York, would gather to see the sport afforded by bulls, bears, buffaloes and dogs fighting. The price of admission was fifty cents.
FLOATING THEATRE .- About the year 1842 an attempt was made to introduce upon the Hudson and Connectient rivers what had proved a profitable enterprise upon the Mississippi-a float- ing theatre. It was construeted on the hull of a large barge, and would hold an audience of one thousand people. This thea- tre, in the summer of 1842, had been up the Hudson, and in February, 1843, was brought to Jersey City and moored in the Morris canal basin, in the rear of Judge Lynch's Thatched Cot- tage Garden, which was on the south side of Essex street. between Washington and Greene streets.1 The actors, during this " season," were mostly amateurs of Jersey City, well known for wit and humor. The audience, composed of the elite of the town, crowded the theatre from "pit to dome." The pieces
1 Samuel S. Lynch, then late of Castle Garden.
295
JERSEY CITY.
performed were, " The Rent Day," " Three Brothers" and " Bombastes Furioso." The casts in the several plays were as follows :
Rent Day.
Luke Warrington, Mr. William A. Townsend.
Cornelius Crimp. a lawyer,
- Mr. William Penny. Mr. John C. Morgan.
Old Grasp, -
Frank, - Mr. Charles A. Heckman.1 Mr. Joseph G. Edge.
Bolt, a roue, -
Mr. William Sanderson.
Harry Markham, his friend,
- Mr. David Scott.2
Arnold Headly, - Mary Warrington. Mrs. Scoville. - Mrs. Sharpe.
Susan. -
Three Brothers.
Philip, Mr. William A. Townsend.
Reginald,
Mr. John Bruce.
Steward of the Castle, eighty years old, - Mr. William Penny. Giles, a servant, Mr. David Scott. - Mrs. Sharpe.
Fanny, -
Bombastes Furioso.
King Artaxomines, General Bombastes, -
Fresbos, Distatina, -
- Mr. David Scott. - Mr. William Penny. Mr. John Bruce. Mrs. Sharpe.
It is said the parts " were rendered in a manner that actors of a lifetime might have envied." Between the play and farce a song was given by General Edwin R. V. Wright, James S. Gamble and William Penny. Mr. Penny, in order to render the song more effective, borrowed the black tights of the trage- dian Townsend. After the song, he found the " heavy man " sitting in the cold, with bare limbs, waiting for his tights. " Ah. my boy," said Penny, " do you hear the applause ? how did my
! Now General Heckman.
? Died Oct. 14, 1870.
296
HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY.
song go?" "Oh, curse your song," said the irate tragedian ; " give me my tights, I am almost frozen."
The entertainment was repeated in 1845 by the same company, many of whom are well known ; some of them have gone behind the scenes, while the others are yet before the foot-lights. The stage manager on the occasion was Gabriel Harrison, afterward manager of the Park Theatre, Brooklyn. The orchestra was composed of residents of Jersey City, the leader being William Robertson, the hardware merchant of Newark avenne, popularly known as " Pop " Robertson. The performance was nominally for the benefit of the poor, but, though the " house " was full at fifty cents a ticket, not a cent found its legitimate destination. It is yet a question among the old patrons of the "Floating Theatre " what became of the funds. Plato might mention the proverb, " One may see a great deal of money carried into Lace- dæmon, but one never sees any of it brought out again." On this last occasion the proprietor was subjected to a fine of fifty dollars for exhibiting without license from the city. He attempted to defend under a coasting license from the United States. The hull of the theatre afterward found its way to Coney Island, where, in the summer season, it was used for the more substantial purposes of a restaurant.
WIND MILL .- This old landmark was built in 1815 by Isaac Edge, who for a long time was miller and baker for and distribu- tor of bread to the people of Jersey City. Burmley and Oakes were the contractors and millwrights who built it. It was con- structed in all partienlars like the mill of Mr. Edge's father in Derbyshire, England. Its location was about seventy-five feet north of Montgomery street and fifty feet east of Greene street. It was a prominent feature on the Jersey shore. At first the fans on the wings were of canvas, but the severe storm of September 3. 1821, tore them to pieces and broke one of the fans. Then Mr. Edge put in iron fans. When the track of the New Jersey Railroad was changed from the south side of Montgomery street to its present location, in 1839, the mill was taken down, its material put on vessels and conveyed to
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PAULU'S HOECK.
297
JERSEY CITY.
Town Harbor, Long Island, whence it was taken to Mill Hill, in the town of Southold. Here its walls were reared again, and it started anew upon its old career of usefulness. It was there known as The Great Western Flouring Mill. At one time a steam engine was put in, but it was soon removed and the old machinery restored. It was in use until between one and two o'clock on Saturday morning, June 25, 1870, when it, with $230 worth of grain, was consumed by fire. R. Villeferr was then owner.
In 1837 there were
Dwellings in Jersey City, - 213; in Van Vorst, - - 106. 9. 66
Stages and carriages,
22:
Horses,
145; .. - - 71.
Cattle.
- 14; -
60 - 100.
Dogs. - 57:
66
-
- 33.
In 1841, in Jersey City, they were 86 houses.1
9 coaches and stages.
53 chaises and wagons.
16 cattle.
71 dogs. 943 vacant lots. 206 single men. 20 merchants. 829 polls.
Of scholars there were in the Grammar Department
Primary Department
- 73.
Boys. Girls, - - - 33: Girls. 56.
In 1842 there were
450 dwellings.
1 bank.
1 lyceum. 1 classical school .?
5 taverns. 2 foundries.3
' I have no doubt that this is an error. It should probably be 386. But thus I find it in a newspaper of the day.
2 The old academy adjoining St. Matthew's Church was the first schoolhouse on Paulus Hoeck. It was in modern times used for a city prison. About fifty feet west of it was an Indian spring in the olden time.
3 One of these was Fulton's foundry, located on the corner of Morgan and Greene streets. It was erected in 1812, and managed by Fulton until his death, on the 24th of February, 1815. Here he also erected a dry dock.
91: Boys,
298
HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY.
40 stores.
1 candle factory.
1 glass house.1
1 firework factory.
1 pottery.2
THE FIRST CARTMAN in Jersey City was Fortunatus Stone. in 1812.
STREET LAMPS Were first used in 1843.
Streets were lighted with gas for the first time on the 4th of December, 1852 ; one hundred and seventy-four lamps being the number then required. Gas was first used to light houses in Jersey City, Dec. 1, 1852.
THE FIRST VESSEL built expressly for the Jersey City trade was the Dudley S. Gregory, launched at Burlington, on the Dela- ware; made her trial trip on the Hudson, July 11, 1845. She was of 180 tons burden, and cost $8,000.
BERGEN.
The bounds of the township of Bergen were fixed by the grant of Governor Stuyvesant in 1661, confirmed by Governor Carteret in 1668, and reconfirmed by the Charter of Queen Anne in 1714. It then conformed to the lines of the present county east of the Hackensack. By the erection of cities and other townships its territory had been greatly reduced, until on the 24th of March, 1855, its boundaries were the New Jersey Railroad on the north, Mill Creek and the bay on the east, the Morris Canal on the south, and Newark bay and Hackensack river on the west. It was then erected into " the Town of Bergen," with slight powers vested in a board of five councilmen. On the 11th of March, 1862, its charter was amended, its territory divided into three wards (Columbian, Franklin and Communipaw), and further
1 This was established in 1824 by George Dummer and others. Its location is now occupied by the New Jersey Sugar Refining Company.
" The original name of this establishment was The Jersey Porcelain and Earthenware Company. It was started by George Dummer and others in 1825, for the manufacture of Staffordshire earthenware. Its location was between Morris, Essex and Warren streets.
299
BERGEN.
powers vested in a board of seven councilmen. On the 29th of March, 1866, the charter was still further amended. " The City of Bergen " was incorporated on the 11th of March, 1868, divid- ed into four wards, and the powers of municipal government vest- ed in a Mayor and Council. It was consolidated with Jersey City in 1870.
Mayors.
Henry Fiteh, 1866. John U. Cornelison, 1867. John Hilton, 1868.
Stephen D. Harrison, 1869.
Clerks. Henry Il. Newkirk, 1866-7. Samnel Me Burney, 1868-9.
When this was the only municipality between the Hudson and Hackensack rivers its affairs were managed by trustees chosen at first for life. afterward annually by a plurality of voices. At this annual town meeting the freeholders were acenstomed to gather and decide questions of general interest which were con- sidered too weighty for the trustees. This meeting was presided over by a moderator chosen for the purpose. The town clerk was clerk of this meeting.
The township was divided into road districts for the better regulation of the highways, and an overseer appointed for each. They were known by the names of Bergen, Gemonepa, Pem- erahpogh, Sekakes, Wehauk, Maisland (now New Durham). Bergen Woods, Bull's Ferry and Bergen Point.
For the accommodation of the people at elections, the polls would be opened in one part of the township for one day and then in another part for one day ; e. g., in 1803 the polls were opened at Widow Van Horn's, Bergen Woods, and closed at Peter Stuyvesant's. The latter place was a tavern, on the south- west corner of Bergen and Glenwood avenues. In 1804 the polls opened at the Three Pigeons, and closed at Peter Stuyvesant's : ditto in 1805 and 1806.
HARRISON
Township was, by the act creating the county of Hudson, set
300
HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY.
off from the township of Lodi. It embraced all of the county lying west of the Hackensack river ; also the township of Union, in Bergen county. In 1867 the township of Kearney was set off from the northerly part of it.
The neck of land lying between the Passaic1 and Hackensack rivers. and extending from their junction to the Boiling Spring (now Rutherford Park), was known among the Indians by the name of Mighgecticock. It was estimated to contain 5,308 acres of upland and 10,000 acres of meadow .? Captain William Sandford3 bought it of the Proprietors, July 4, 1668, for {20 sterling yearly, in lien of the halfpenny per acre quit rent, and on condition that he should settle on the tract six or eight fam- ilies within three years. On the 20th of the same month, with the consent of the Lords Proprietors, he bought of Tantaqua.4
1 Passaic, Paclisajeck, Pachsaick, Pechiesse, Pishawack, is an Indian word, and signifies " valley ;" also called the northwest Kill, to distinguish it from the Hackensack or north Kill. Long Isl. Hist. Soc., i., 156, 266. Winfield's Land Titles, 324.
" Captain William Sandford came from the West Indies ; resided in Newark in 1675 ; was member of the Council in the years 1681, '82, '84. In his domestic relations he seems to have loved "not wisely." In a deed to Mrs. Sarah Whartman, dated April 24, 1677, he acknowledges that four of his children were naturally born of her, and yet in his will, dated Jan. 2, 1690, he acknowl- edges her to be his lawful wife, " formerly Sarah Whartman, while some con- siderable reasons engaged us to consaile our marriage," and annexes thereto a certificate, which sets forth that the two were married " on board the Pink Susannah, in the river Surinam, March 27, 1667." He requested to be buried on his own plantation, and implored some of his friends " to assist and favour the concerns of a poor Ignorant Widdow and five Innocent Children with their best advice, help and Councill, to preserve them from those Vultures and harpies wch prays on the Carkasses of Widdows and fatten with the Blood of Orphans." He died in 1692. His children were Nedimah, married Richard Berry (Consta- ble of Aquackanonck and New Barbadoes in 1695) ; Catharine, married Dr. Van Imburgh ; Peregrine, married Fytje, daughter of Enoch Michielse Vreeland ; William. Grace, and Elizabeth married Captain James Davis.
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