USA > New Jersey > Essex County > Newark > Narratives of Newark (in New Jersey) from the days of its founding > Part 11
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29
The Newark forebears were generously inclined, as the story of the first indigent proves. If storehouses were filled with harvest yield they did not complacently smile in selfish opulence; if their cup of contentment was filled to over- flowing they sought others with whom they might share their blessings. They did not make display of their charity. The
143
PURITAN SYMPATHY DISPLAYED
unfortunate position of Richard Hore aroused every kindly sympathy, and at the end of his life, a few stepped forward and performed the last kindly offices, an important matter in the Colonial days. Richard Fletcher, the grave digger, prepared the resting place for his fellow townsman, and a goodly company assembled for the committal services. "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord," even though bereft of worldly goods.
CHAPTER XXVII
A TERRESTRIAL CANAAN
The heavens do declare
The majesty of God; Also the firmament shows forth His handiwork abroad.
Day speaks to day, knowledge,
Night hath to night declared:
There neither speech nor language is,
Where their voice is not heard.
-From Addison's Version of the 19th Psalm.
E INCOURAGEMENT was given families living in Eng- land and Scotland to settle on "ye banks of ye Pesayak River," from the very moment of settlement. Men adept in letter writing were cordially welcomed at Johnson's tavern where there was no lack of creature comforts, and the atten- tion given visitors who had come "to write us up," was al- ways most courteous.
Publicity committees and boards of trade were unknown, but the colonial letter writer acted well his part. One en- thusiastic person, in 1680, was absorbed in admiration of beautiful Newark in its fourteenth year, writing:
If there be any terrestrial happiness to be had by any people, especially of an inferior rank, it certainly must be here. Here one may furnish himself with land and live rent free, yea with such a quantity of land that he may weary himself with walking over his fields of corn and all sorts of grain, and let his stock amount to some hundreds he need not fear their want of pasture in the summer, nor fodder in the winter, the woods affording sufficient supply, where you may have grass as high as a man's knees, nay as high as his waist, interlaced with peavines and other weeds that cattle much delight in, as much as a man can pass through.
144
145
A TERRESTRIAL CANAAN
And these woods also every mile or half mile are furnished with fresh ponds, brooks or rivers, where all sorts of cattle during the heat of the day quench their thirst and cool themselves.
These brooks and rivers, being environed on either side with several sorts of trees and grapevines, arbor-like interchanging places, and crossing these rivers do shade and shelter them from the scorching beams of the sun.
Such as of their utmost labors can scarcely get a living may
Indian Battle Axes found near Midland Avenue and Dodd Street, East Orange
here procure inheritances of lands and possessions, stock them- selves with all sorts of cattle, enjoy the benefit while they live, and leave them to their children when they die.
Here you may not trouble the shambles for meat nor bakers and brewers for beer and bread, nor run to a linen draper for a supply, every one making their own linen and a great part of their woolen cloth for their ordinary wearing.
And how prodigal (if I may say so) hath Nature been to furnish this country with all sorts of wild beasts and fowl, which every one hath an interest in, and may hunt at his pleasure, when be- sides the pleasure of hunting he may furnish the house with ex-
146
NARRATIVES OF NEWARK
cellent fat venison, turkeys, geese, heath hens, cranes, swans, ducks, pigeons and the like, and when wearied with that he may go fishing, where the rivers are so furnished that he may supply himself with fish before he can leave off the recreation.
Here one may travel by land upon the same Continent hun- dreds of miles and pass through towns and villages and never hear the least complaint for want, nor hear any one ask him for a farthing.
But that which adds happiness to all the rest is the healthful- ness of the place, where many people in twenty years' time never know what sickness is; where they look upon it as a great mor- tality if two or three die out of the town in a year's time.
Besides the sweetness of the air, the country itself sends forth such a fragrant smell that it may be perceived at sea before they can make the land. No evil fog or vapor doth any sooner appear but a northwest or a westerly wind immediately dissolves it and drives it away.
Moreover you shall scarce see a house but the south side is begirt with hives of bees, which increase after an incredible man- ner so that if there be any terrestrial Canaan, 'tis surely here, where the land floweth with milk and honey.
Numerous families, descendants of which are Essex County residents to-day, were induced to undertake the perilous trips in sailing vessels across the Atlantic in response to the encouraging letters sent abroad.
These letters, passed from village to village, were eagerly read by the peasants who, though rugged in character and in faith, were poor in worldly estate. The desire to seek their fortunes in the new world resulted in the immigration of ex- cellent stock from Northern Europe to Newark and sur- rounding villages.
Another picture of early Newark is given by A. Vander- donck, a Hollander, who made the Dutch map of New Jersey.
"Chestnuts would be plentier," he writes, "if it were not for the Indians, who destroy the trees by stripping off the bark for covering their houses. They and the Netherlanders also cut down the trees in chestnut season and cut off limbs to gather the nuts which lessens the trees.
147
A TERRESTRIAL CANAAN
"The mulberries, persimmons, wild cherries and crabs are better, sweeter than ours, and ripen earlier. Several kinds of plums, hazel nuts, black currants, gooseberries, blue Indian figs, strawberries, in abundance all over the country, black- berries and raspberries flourish. The English (Puritans) brought over quinces.
"The land is full of many kinds of grapes and it is a pitiful sight to see the grape vines run up the trees, over the bushes and hidden among the woods, neglected, untrimmed and uncultivated."
An established custom at the beginning of the new year, generally in the first week of March, was "bush burning." The entire town turned out for the purpose of keeping the flames within bounds. This spring clearing was made a town affair on March 9, 1668, by the selection of two super- visors.
"The Town hath Chosen and deputed Nath'l Wheeler and John Curtis to Take the Care of Burning the Meadows and upland for this year," we read in the record of a meeting held on that date, "and to take pay for it out of the Treasury."
On one occasion the event was deferred till May according to resolution adopted on February 28, 1672:
Sarj't Ward and Stephen Davis for their end of the Town-Lieut. Swain and Stephen Freeman for the Middle of the Town-Henry Lyon and Thomas Johnson for their End of the Town are chosen to appoint a fit Season to burn the Woods, Also it is Agreed that every Male from Sixty Years to Sixteen, shall go out one Day to Burn Woods, Also it is Agreed that whosoever doth not attend that day (which is to be in May) if they do not go before, he or they shall forfeit his or their Day's work upon the proof thereof and pay it to the Treasurer.
Item-if any Man shall set fire on the Meadow before the Tenth of March by Gunning or any other ways, he shall be fined Ten Shillings, Half to the Informer and Half to the Town.
Vanderdonck was overwhelmed as he looked upon one of these "stirring bush-burning scenes" of early Newark.
148
NARRATIVES OF NEWARK
"It presents a grand and sublime appearance," he com- mented, "facilitated the growth of new vegetation, enabled the hunter to track his game more readily, and, by thinning out the woods and destroying the dry branches, caused him to move with greater celerity and with less fear of discovery by the animals he might be pursuing."
"Bush burning" continued for many years under town management.
Colonial Kitchen
CHAPTER XXVIII
NEWARK'S FIRST HISTORIAN
G YEORGE SCOTT, a Scotchman, in 1685, writing "The' Model of the Government of the Province of East Jersey in America," said:
Newark, alias Milford, is a Town distant to the Northward over Land from Elizabeth Town, about six or seven myles. It lies on a River called Newark River, which emptieth itself into the Bay about 4 or 5 myles down; Opposite to the Town on the .North Side of the River lyeth a great tract of Land belonging to Mr. Kings- land and Capt. Sandford, the quit-rents whereof are purchased.
There is another tract of Land taken higher up on the River, by Captain Berrie, who hath disposed of a part of it. There are several Plantations settled there. It is said he hath about 10,000 Acres there; further up the water there is an island of about 1,000 Acres belonging to Mr. Christopher Hoagland, of Newark, if it `be not an Island it is tyed by a very narrow slip of Land to the Continent.
Above that again is a greater tract of land, above 8 or 9,000 Acres, purchased by lease of the Governor, according to the Con- cessions, by Captain Jacques Carterlayne and partners, who have begun some settlement. All these tracts of land are within the jurisdiction of Newark. In this Town hath been a Court of Sessions, held between this and Elizabeth Town.
It is the most compact Town in the Province, and consists of about 100 Families and of about 500 Inhabitants. The Acres taken up by the Town may be about 10,000 and for the Out Plan- tations over and above Mr. Kingsland's and Captain Sandford's 40,000.
The Proprietors of East Jersey from the seat of govern- ment, in Elizabeth Town, wrote to prospective homestead- ers, in England, in 1682:
149
150
NARRATIVES OF NEWARK
To say anything in the praise or much in the description of a country so well known would seem endless.
The conveniency of situation, temperature of air and fertility of soil is such that there are no less than seven considerable towns, viz .: Shrewsbury, Middletown, Bergen, Newark, Elizabeth Town, Woodbridge and Piscataway, which are well inhabited by a sober and industrious people, who have necessary provisions for them- selves and families and for the comfortable entertainment of strangers and travelers; and this colony is experimentally found to agree with English constitutions.
The country is plentifully supplied with lovely springs, rivulets, inland rivers and creeks which fall into the sea and Hudson's River, in which also is much plenty and variety of fish and water fowl.
There is a great variety of oak timber, fit for shipping and masts for ships and other variety of wood, as chestnut, walnut, poplar, cedar, ash, fir, etc., fine for building within the country.
The land or soil varies in goodness and richness, but generally fertile, and with much smaller labor than in England; it produceth plentiful crops of all sorts of English grain besides Indian corn, which the English planters find not only to be of vast increase but very wholesome and good in use; it also produceth good flax and hemp which they now spin and manufacture into linen cloth.
There is sufficient meadow and marsh to their uplands; and the very barrens there, as they are called, are not like some in England; but produceth grass fit for grazing cattle in summer season.
The country is well stored with wild deer, conies and wild fowl of several sorts, as turkeys, pigeons, partridges, plover, quails, wild swans, geese, ducks, etc., in great plenty.
For its soil is proper for all industrious husbandmen, and such who by hard labor here, on rack rents, are scarce able to main- tain themselves, much less to raise any estate for their children, may with God's Blessing on their labors, live comfortably and provide well for their families.
For carpenters, bricklayers, masons, smiths, millwrights and wheelwrights, bakers, tanners, tailors, weavers, shoemakers, and hatters and all or most handicrafts, labor is much more valued than in these parts.
151
NEWARK'S FIRST HISTORIAN
Gawen Lawrie, Deputy Governor of East Jersey, observed on March 2, 1684:
Now is the time to settle people here. There is an abundance of provisions, Pork and Beef at 2d per pound, Fish and Fowl Plenty, Oysters, I think would serve all England, Wheat 4 shillings per bushel, Indian wheat 2s 6d per bushell.
It is exceeding good food every way and 2 or 300 fold increase; Sider good and plenty for 1d per quart. Good drink that is made of water and molasses stands in about 2s per Barrel, wholesome like our 8s Beer in England. Good venison, plenty, brought us in at 18d the quarter. Eggs at 3d per Dozen, all things plenty.
Charles Gordon, attracted by the above glowing accounts of Newark and vicinity said, in writing on March 5, 1685, to his cousin, Andrew Irvine, in Edinburgh, Scotland:
If any pleases to tell me what their scruples are, I shall endeavor to answer them, if servants knew what a Countrey this is for them, and that they may live like Lairds here, I think that they would not be so Shey as they are to come; and during their service they are better used than in any place in America I have seen.
Fishing by the inhabitants is very plentiful; the fish swim so thick in the Creeks and Rivers at Certain seasons of the year that they bail them out of the water with their hands.
Several thousand people are here already, and no want of good company, as in any place in the world. I intend to follow Plant- ing myself, and if I had the small stock here I have in Scotland, with some more servants, I would not go home to Aberdeen, for' a Regencie as was proffered me; neither do I intend it; how- ever, hoping to get my own safely over.
We are not troubled here leading our pitts, mucking our Land and Ploughing 3 times; one Ploughing with 4 or 6 oxen at first breaking up with two horses only thereafter, suffices for all; you may judge whether that be easier Husbandrie than in Scot- land.
CHAPTER XXIX THE THIRD PASTORATE
TI THE people were weary of the contentions during the latter part of Rev. Mr. Pierson's pastorate. There- fore it was not surprising that the call was unanimously offered to the one chosen as his successor. He was a verit- able shepherd, a leader in whom every trust was reposed, and at the end was "encompassed about by a cloud of wit- nesses." He was also destined to experience unpleasantly the conflicting sentiments respecting the form of religious government. Pausing at the harvest season, on August 23, 1692, the settlers issued their call in this whole-hearted manner:
It is consulted and consented, unanimously agreed that Mr. John Pruden should be called to be their Minister; and in Case he should come and settle among them in that Work, they would freely and readily submit themselves to him, and to his Dispensa- tions and Administrations, from Time to Time, in the Discharge of his Ministerial Office and Works, as God shall assist and direct him therein by His Word and Spirit, for their Spiritual Good and Edification.
Born at Milford in 1645, Rev. John Pruden was the son of Rev. Richard Pruden, a Connecticut Puritan. He had preached at Jamaica, L. I., several years but was acquainted with many families in his new charge. Mr. Pruden in- herited his father's strong Puritan tendencies and was a class- mate of Rev. Mr. Pierson second, at Harvard College. The committee arranging the "treaty" with him was com- posed of John Ward, Mr. Johnson, John Curtis, Azariah Crane, Jasper Crane, Thomas Luddington and Stephen Bond.
152
153
THE THIRD PASTORATE
Zachariah Burwell and Ephraim Burwell, for the south end of the town, and Samuel Harrison and Nathaniel Ward for the north end, were superintending the delivery of the minister's firewood on October 28, 1692. The call was promptly accepted by Rev. Mr. Pruden.
The town was in its second quarter of a century. Only a few of the Signers of the Fundamental Agreement were
The Plume Homestead (about 1710) now Rectory of House of Prayer
living and they were, for the most part, "the patriarchs of the household." New homes were erected in the outlying country and near the mountain slope large crops were an- nually harvested from extensive clearings.
Houses first built of hewn timber were changed in ap- pearance by alterations and additions. Incessant demand for firewood and building material cleared many acres of forest growth and Newark was industrious and increasing in population during the last decade of the Seventeenth Cen- tury. Though governmental conditions were topsy-turvy, the Newark planters, with fervent religious zeal, prospered
154
NARRATIVES OF NEWARK
as did no others in the province. Rev. Mr. Pruden was well installed in his new home before the winter snows appeared and his wholesome influence was firmly impressed upon the community life. He was in his fifty-fourth year when unable to withstand the dissensions among his people, he tendered his resignation, which was reluctantly accepted. Thus a pastorate of seven years was closed.
"Captain Curtis, Mr. Treat, Mr. Pierson, and Thomas Richards are chosen" at town meeting June 9, 1699, "by a full vote to return our thanks to Rev. Mr. Pruden for his hitherto services amongst us with a signification that we will speedily pay our Arrears due to him by our particular Sub- scriptions, and by a full Vote we declare our Desire of his Continuance among us and his Service at present in preaching the Word to us, till God shall favor us with some other Supply."
Rev. Jabez Wakeman, who began preaching on trial November 16, 1699, was the fourth pastor. He had unusual strength of physique and intellect, which were markedly shown when he ascended the pulpit stairs on a bright May Sunday in 1700. Just twenty-one years of age, he vigor- ously applied himself to the parish work. An immediate increase in Meeting House attendance on Sabbath and lec- ture days followed. His fame as a preacher spread through the provinces. In 1701 his salary was increased from 60 to 80 pounds per annum and ten acres of meadow and sixty acres of upland were also allowed him. One year later "it was voted that there shall be a gallery built at the North End of the Meeting House." The uncertainty of life was brought before the town in a realizing manner while the minister was electrifying all with his illuminating preaching of the Word. An epidemic of dysentery, spreading over the province in the autumn of 1704, invaded the parsonage. The Rev. Mr. Wakeman, stricken with the disease, was tendered every care within human power to bestow. Rev. Mr. Pruden constantly waited on the sufferer. Writing materials were brought to the bedside and the will carefully drawn.
155
THE THIRD PASTORATE
"Brought very low under the afflicting hand of God and not knowing how soon my change and dissolution might happen," wrote the elder clergyman at the young man's dictation, "I commit my soul immortal to God who gave it, to glorify Him and to be glorified by and with Him forever. My frail and corruptible body, made of the dust, I will to be decently buried in hope of glorious resurrection unto eternal life through Jesus Christ my Redeemer and Saviour, who was delivered for my offenses and raised again for my justi- fication, that I may, both soul and body, glorify God for- ever." Rev. Mr. Wakeman died on October 8, 1704, at the age of twenty-six years. Samuel, a son two years of age, was also taken on October 29, 1704, by the same disease. Rev. Mr. Pruden officiated at the funeral services. The remains of the minister were first interred in the Burying Ground and later transferred to the yard of the First Pres- byterian church. Four days after the young minister's death, at the town meeting on October 12, 1704, "it is agreed upon by vote that we will pay Mr. Wakeman's Salary for this Year as we paid the Last Year, or by the last Year's Rate." This was not the only provision made for the young widow. Nearly every home contributed to her com- fort while she remained in Newark.
Severe winter weather prevailed during the first decade of the Eighteenth Century, and because of the limited means for providing bodily warmth, the suffering among the chil- dren and the infirm was at times almost unbearable. Late in November, 1704, the thermometer registered at zero and lower, and there was no abatement of the temperature till the thaw came at the end of January. A freak condition of the weather was on April 5, 1708, when the cold was so intense that water thrown upon the ground at noon turned into ice.
Contrary to this unusual atmospheric condition was the mild winter of 1714, when, in February, wild flowers (and there were plenty of them) were picked in the woods and "rye was in the ear" on April 10. In the following year, 1715, a multitude of locusts swooped upon the town. They made
156
NARRATIVES OF NEWARK
so much noise, declared those then living, that the bells on the cows could not be heard.
Rev. Nathaniel Bowers was installed fifth pastor in the autumn of 1710, but he survived only six years. He died in August, 1716, in the forty-third year of his age and in the fiftieth year of the settlement. While he was pastor the second Meeting House was erected and the town in- corporated by Queen Anne (1713). The edifice was built of freestone, forty-four feet square and sur- mounted with a belfry. The bell was placed later. Thirty years passed before the interior, having a seating capacity of 1,000, was completed. The Second Meeting House This ancient edifice was the rallying point of patriots in the struggle for national freedom, serving also as a temple of justice in its final days of usefulness.
Rev. Jedidiah Buckingham appeared as a pastoral candi- date during a portion of 1716 and 1717. His strong Puritan preaching alienated many of the congregation, but Rev. Mr. Pruden remained his staunch friend. The differences mani- fested in the second pastorate were now sharply defined. Presbyterianism was the form of church government desired by the people at the river, while nearly every family in the mountain inclined toward Congregationalism. It is not improbable that Rev. Mr. Pruden preached there before the young man arrived in the settlement. One can picture the scene on a quiet Sunday morning, the roadway but a bridle path, over which trod the elder and younger clergymen to officiate at Sabbath Day services in the "Mountains." The elder was three score and ten and the younger just arrived at manhood's estate, with his life's work waiting for his touch. The place of worship is unknown, but if it chanced to be a barn or in the open air the spirit of worship was as sincere as human heart could express. And so the First Church of Orange came into existence about 1718 as a separate parish
157
THE THIRD PASTORATE
the first offshoot from the parent organization. Rev. Mr. Buckingham was born at Saybrook, Conn., October 2, 1696, and was the third son of Thomas Buckingham, Jr. He graduated at Yale College in 1714, and was only twenty-two years of age when he settled at the Mountain. Five months after the birth of his son, which occurred October 14, 1719, the young minister died suddenly while visiting at Norwalk, Conn., where he was buried. Over his grave a memorial was placed, with this epitaph engraved thereon:
Here lyeth the body of Mr. Jedidiah Buckingham, late preacher of the Gospel at the west part of Newark in East Jersey, who departed this life March 28, 1720 aetatis (suae) 24.
Rev. Mr. Pruden lived to the age of 80 years. His remains are buried in the First Presbyterian Church Yard. The Mountain Society flourished, drawing its membership from a radius of ten miles. The first Meeting House was erected on land purchased of Samuel Wheeler, in 1720, and was located in the centre of the highway now known as Main Street. The original foundations, unearthed in 1904, were laid about 200 feet east of Cone Street. The Rev. Daniel Taylor was in- stalled as the successor of Rev. Mr. Buckingham, but there is no record of the ceremony. Mr. Taylor was prominent in public affairs, and served the people in writing wills, deeds of land, and other documents. The society later adopted the name of the Second Presbyterian Church of Newark and in 1811 was incorporated as the First Presby- terian Church of Orange. In 1869 the 150th anniversary of the parish was observed. Including the present pastor eleven ministers have occupied the office.
CHAPTER XXX MINING COPPER AND A SUNDAY HARVEST
PRESBYTERIAN form of church government was in- stituted in the settlement by the river when the Rev. Joseph Webb was installed sixth pastor of the Meeting House on October 22, 1719. This year also marked the discovery of copper on the estate of Arent Schuyler, near the Passaic River and opposite Second River (now Belleville). Over 1,386 tons of ore were sent to the Bristol Copper and Brass Works in England. As the Crown would not permit work- ing out of the ore in this country it was shipped across the seas as rapidly as mined and the product returned to the opera- tor, after a long wait. This led to the establishment of a number of forges without knowledge of the Crown officials, and various useful articles of iron and copper were manu- factured by the colonists. Copper was discovered later on the land of John Dod, in the section now included in East Orange. The opening was on the Second River, east of Brighton Avenue. A deed dated October 8, 1735, preserved in the Dodd family, "grants free liberty to work the mines on the property of John Dod for the sum of fifty pounds current Money of this Province." Gideon Van Winkle and Johannes Cowman received the grant for twenty-five years. Natur- ally these discoveries created no end of excitement and were the cause of an increasing population, metallurgists and others being attracted to the town. The mail between New York and Philadelphia was delivered once each week in the summer of 1729, and every fortnight in the winter by the post rider, who leisurely made the trip, stopping at taverns for refreshment and rest, and to gossip. This unsatisfactory ser- vice continued till 1754, when Benjamin Franklin, appointed Superintendent of the Mails, gave notice in October that until
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.