USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > Old times in old Monmouth > Part 21
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" The eulogy of the Monmouth journal," says one writer. "will remain Freneau's highest distinction He was the popular poet of the Revolution."
The following extract from a brief no- tice by Anna Maria Woodhull, of Freneau, is from the MONMOUTH DEMOCRAT of May 29th, 1873 :
" He first saw the light in the city of New York and was graduated at New Jer- sey College. For some time a resident of Monmouth, he was frequently the guest of the late Col. Elias Conover, grandfather of William H. Conover, Sr., of Freehold. At the time of his death he owned and occu- pied the house now belonging to Mr. Jolin Buck situated about two miles below the town. He was a great admirer of Shakes- peare. I own an old copy, formerly in his possession (Theobolds, London, 1772.) which I prize highly ; also an autograph bold and free, dated 1781."
In his volume of poems before referred to, printed and published by himself at Mount Pleasant in this County, he gives vivid local descriptions of a Monmouth county printing office in the olden time, and of other iocal matters which deserve preservation in our local history, and in another chapter we purpose quoting them
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and also a few'other pieces as specimens of his style and as giving his sentiments on politics, temperance and religion and oth- er subjects.
The most recent volume of his poems was published in 1865 by W. J. Middleton, New York, with an introductory memoir by Evert A. Duyckinck, to which we are indebted for many of the facts in the fore- going outline of his life. Though this vol- ume only gives his poems relating to the Revolution yet the fine likeness of the po- et prefixed make it a work which would be highly prized by many of our readers.
In the collection of his poems published in 1809, we find the list ofsubscribers which he procured for it headed by the names of James Madison then President, and Thom- as Jefferson ; and in Monmouth County we find the following subscribers, viz : Middle- town : Jehu Patterson, Esq., Capt Hen- drick Hendrickson, James Mott, Esq., Col. Jarrett Stillwell, Capt. Isaac Van Dorn, Capt. Denise Hendrickson, B. Gen. Rich- ard Poole. Middletown Point : Cornelius P. Vanderhoof, Esq., Dr. William Reynolds, Capt. John Hall. Near Middletown Point, John Van Pelt, Merchant. Peter Johnson, William Walton.
Allentown, Richard Stout, Merchant, Frechold, John Quay, Esq., Mr. David Cook. Monmouth, Hon. James Cox.
OLD MONMOUTH DURING THE REVOLUTION
Historians generally concede that no state among the old thirteen suffered dur- ing the war more than did New Jersey ; and it is generally admitted that no coun ty in our state : uffered more than did old Monmouth. In addition to the outrages to which the citizens were subjected front the regular British army, they were con- tinually harassed by depredations com- mitted by regularly organized bands of Refugees, and also by the still more law- less acts of a set of outcasts known as the Pine Woods Robbers, who, though pre tending to be Tories, yet, if opportunity of- fered, robbed Tories as well as Whigs.
The Refugees, or Loyalists as they call- ed themselves, were generally native born Americans who sided with the British, regularly organized, with officers commis- sioned by the Board of Associated I oyal- ists at New York, of which body the Presi- dent was William Franklin, the last Tory governor of New Jersey, an illegitimate son of Dr. Benjamin Franklin. The Ref-
ugees had a strongly fortified settlement at Sandy Hook, the lighthouse there de- fended with cannon and British vessels of war always lying in the vicinity. From this settlement or " Refugees' town," as it was sometimes called, these marauders would sally forth to plunder and murder in the adjoining county. To show the perils by which the citizens of old Mon- mouth were surrounded and the outrages to which they were subjected, we append some extracts chiefly from ancient papers, which though plain and unvarnished yet will give a vivid idea of life and times in this county in the dark days of the Revo. tion.
REFUGEE RAIDS IN OLD MONMOUTH .- PROM- INENT PATRIOTS ROBBED, CAPTURED AND MURDERED.
"June 3d 1778. We are informed that on Wednesday morning last, a party of about seventy of the Greens from Sandy Hook, landed near Major Kearney's (near Key port, ) headed the Mill Creek, Middle- town Point, and marched to Mr. John Burrows, made him prisoner, burnt his mills and both his store houses-all valua- ble buildings, besides a great deal of his furniture. They also took prisoners, Lieu- tenant Colonel Smock, Captain Christo- pher Little, Mr. Joseph Wall, Captain Jo- seph Covenhoven (Conover) and several other persons, and killed Messrs Pearce and Van Brockle and wounded another man mortally. Having completed this and several other barbarities they precip- itately returned the same morning to give an account of their abominable deeds to their bloody employers. A number of these gentry, we learn, were formerly in- habitants of that neighborhood."
The "Greers " above mentioned. it is said, were Refugee or Loyalist Jerseyman who joined the British. Their organiza- tion was sometimes called " the New Jer- sey Royal Volunteers" under command of General Cortlandt Skinner, of whom some farther particulars may be given hereafter.
" April 26th, 1779. An expedition con- sisting of seven or eight hundred men un- der Co !. Hyde went to Middletown, Red Bank, Tinton Falls, Shrewsbury and oth. er places, robbing and burning as they went. They took Justice Covenhoven and others prisoners, Captain Burrows and Colonel Holmes assembled our mili- tia and killed three and wounded fifteen of the enemy. The enemy however suc-
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ceeded in carrying off horses, cattle and other plunder."
In the above extract the name of Jus- tice "Covenhoven " is mentioned. The names of different members of the Coven- hoven family are frequently met with in ancient papers and records among those who favored the patriot cause. Since that time the name has gradually changed from Covenhoven to Conover.
In May, two or three weeks after the above affair, some two or three hundred Tories landed at Middletown, on what was then termed a " picarooning" expe- dition. The term "picaroon " originally meaning a plunderer or pirate, seems to have been used in that day to convey about the same idea that "raider " did in the late Rebellion.
" June 9th, 1779. A party of about fif- ty Refugees, landed in Monmouth and marched to Tinton Falls undiscovered, where they surprised and carried off Colo- nel Hendrickson, Colonel Wyckoff, Cap- tain Chadwick and Captain Mcknight, with several privates of the militia, and drove off sheep and horned cattle. About thirty of our militia hastily collected, made some resistance but were repulsed with the loss of two men killed and ten wounded, the enemy's loss unknown.
April Ist, 1780. About this time, the Tories made another raid to Tinton Falls, and took off seven prisoners. Another party took Mr. Bowne prisoner at Mid- dletown, who, but three days before, had been exchanged, and had just got home.
About the last of April, the refugees at- tacked the house of John Holmes, Upper Freehold, and robbed him of a large amount of continental money, a silver watch, gold ring, silver buckles, pistols, clothing, &c.
June Ist, 1780. The noted Colonel Tye, (a mulatto formerly a slave in Monmouth Co.) with his motley company of about twenty blacks and whites, carried off pris- oners Capt. Barney Smock, and Gilbert Van Mater, spiked an iron cannon and took four horses. Their rendezvous was at. Nandy Hook
Shortly after this Colonel Tye aided in the attack on Capt. Joshua Huddy, at h's house at Colts Neck. The particulars of this affair, we purpose publishing in a sketch of Captain Huddy. Colonel Tye, (or Titus, formerly a slave belonging to John Corlies,) though guilty of having a skin darker than our own, yet was generally ac- knowledged to be about the most honora-
ble, brave, generous and determined of the refugee leaders. Like our forefathers. he fought for his liberty, which our ancestors unfortunately refused to give him.
October 15, 1781. A party of refugees from Sandy Hook landed at night, at Shrewsbury, and marched undiscovered to Colt's Neck, and took six prisoners. The alarm reached the Court House about four or five o'clock, P. M., and a number of in- habitants, among whom was Dr. Nathaniel Scudder, went in pursuit. They rode to Black Point to try to recapture the six Americans, ar d while firing from the bank Dr. Scudder was killed. Dr. Scudder was one of the most prominent, active and use- ful patriots of Monmouth, and his death was a serious loss to the Americans.
About the beginning of August, 1782, Richard Wilgus, an American, was shot be- low Allentown. while on guard to prevent contraband trade with the British.
February 8th, 1782. About forty refu- gees under Lient. Steelman, came via San. dy Hook to Pleasant Valley. They took twenty horses and five sleighs. which they loaded with plunder ; they also took sever - al prisoners, viz: Hendrick Hendrickson and his two sons. Peter Covenhoven, or Conover as the name is now called, was made prisoner once before in 1779, as be- fore related, ) Garret Hendrickson, Samuel Bowne and son, and James Denise. At Garret Hendrickson's a young man named William Thompson, got up slyly and went off' and informed Capt. John Schenck, of Col. Holmes' regiment, who collected all the men he could to pursue. They over- took and attacked the refugees, and the before mentioned William Thompson was killed and Mr. Cottrel wounded. They however took twelve refugees prisoners. three of whom were wounded. But in re- turning, they unexpectedly fell in with a party of sixteen men under Stevenson, and a sudden firing caused eight ot the priso- ners to escape. But Capr. Schenck ordered his men to charge bayonet, and the tories surrendered. Capt. Schenck took nine- teen horses and five sleighs, and took twen- ty-one prisoners.
The first of the foregoing extracts, rela- ting to a raid of the British in Middletown township, in 1778, and landing near Ma- jor Kearneys, in the vicinity of Keyport, is probably the affair referred to in a tradi- tion given in Howes collections, which we give below, as it explains why the Refu- gees fled so precipitately. It will be no- ticed, however, that the tradition does not
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agree with extract quoted as to damage done ; but we have no doubt but that the statement copied from the ancient paper (Collins Gazette) is correct, as it was wirit- ten but a few days after the affair took place.
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" The proximity of this part of Monmouth county to New York rendered it, in the war of the Revolution, peculiarly liable to the incursions of the British troops. Many of the inhabitants, although secretly favor- able to the American cause, were obliged to feign allegiance to the crown, or lose their property by marauding parties of the refugees, from vessels generally lying off Sandy Hook. Among those of this descrip- tion was Major Kearney, a resident near the present site of Keyport. On one occas- ion a party of thirty or forty refugees stopped at his dwelling on their way to Middletown Point, where they intended to burn a dwelling and some mills. Kear- ney feigned gratification at their visit, and falsely informed them there were probably some rebel troops at the Point, in which case it would be dangerous for them to march thither. He ordered his negro ser- vant, Jube. thither to make inquiry, at the same time secretly giving him the cue how to act. In due length of time Jube, who had gone but a short distance, returned and hastily entered the room where Kear- ney and the Refugees were, and exclaimed : "Oh Massa ! Massa ! the rebels are at the Point thick as blackberries I They nave just come down from the Court house and say they are going to march down here to night. The ruse succeeded ; the Refu- gees, alarmed, precipitately retreated to their boats, leaving the Major to rejoice at the stratagem which had saved the proper- ty of his friends from destruction."
The probability is that the ruse prevent ed the Refugees from doing as much dam- âge as they had intended, although they remained long enough to inflict, considera- ble injury, as has been related.
ATTACK ON THE RUSSEL FAMILY.
As the outrage was an unusually aggra- vated one, even for Refugees, and as it will be necessary to refer to some of the parties concerned in it hereafter, to ex- plain other events, we give the particulars as derived from various sources. The first extract is from Collin's New Jersey Ga- cette :-
" On the 30th of April, 1780, a party of negroes and refugees from Sandy Ilook landed at Shrewsbury, in order to plun-
der. During their excursion a Mr. Rus- sell, who attempted some resistance to their depredations, was killed, and his grandchild had five balls shot through him, but is yet living. Captain Warner, of the privateer brig Elizabeth, was made prisoner by these ruffians, but was releas- ed by giving them two half joes. This banditti also took off several persons, among whom were Capt. James Green and Ensign John Morris, of the Militia."
The annexed additional particulars are from Howe's collections-" Mr. Russell was an elderly man, aged about 60 years ; as the party entered his dwelling, which was in the night, he fired and missed .- William Gilian, a native of Shrewsbury, their leader, seized the old gentleman by the collar, and was in the act of stabbing him in the face and eyes with a bayonet, when the fire blazed up, and shedding a momentary light upon the scene, enabled the younger Russell, who lay wounded on the floor, to shoot Gilian. John Farnham, (A Refugee named Farnham was after- wards captured, tried and hung at Free- hold-we presume it was the same man,) a native of Middletown, thereupon aimed his musket at the young man, but it was knocked up by Lippincott, who had mar- ried into the family. The party then went off. The child was accidentally wounded in the affray."
The Lippencott above referred to was, during the late years of the war, quite a noted refugee leader-the same Captain Richard Lippencott who executed Cap- tain Joshua Huddy. (A New York pub- lication entitled "Tales and traditions of New York, says that Capt. Lippencott was among the Refugees who attacked and burned Tons River.) It will be noticed that a younger Russell is referred to as having been wounded and lying on the floor. This was John Russell, a very ac- tive member of the Militia, who at the time of this outrage was at home on a fur- lough with his parents and wife. This John Russell after the war removed to Ce- dar Creek, in Ocean County, where he lived to quite an advanced age. His ac- count of the affair is as follows :
There were seven refugees and he (John) saw them through the window, and at one time they got so near that he told his father he was sure they could kill four of them and wished to fire, as he be- lieved the other three would run. His father persuaded him not to fire, but to do so when they broke into the house .-
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When they broke in the father fired first but missed his aim ; he was then fired up- on and killed. John Russell fired and killed the man who shot his father. John Russell was shot in the side (the scars of the wound were visible until he died )- After being wounded he fell on the floor and pretended that he was dead. The refugees then went to plundering the house. The mother and wife of John were lying in a bed with the child; the child awoke and asked : "Grandmother what's the matter ?" A refugee pointed his gun at it and fired and said "that's what's the matter." Whether he really intended to wound the child, or only to frighten it, is uncertain, but the child was, as before stated, badly wounded, but event ually recovered,
As the refugees were preparing to leave, one of the number pointed his musket at young Russell, as he lay on the floor, and was about firing, saying he didn't believe he was dead yet; whereupon another knocked his musket up, saying it was a shame to fire upon a dying man, and the load went into the ceiling. After the ref- Ugees were gone, John got up, had his wounds attended to, and exclaimed to his wife : " Ducky ! I'll come out all right yet." He did come out all right, and we have good reason to believe before the war ended he aided in visiting severe ret- ribution on the Refugees, for their doings at this time. Among this party of Refu- gees was the notorious Phil White.
THE CAPTURE AND DEATH OF THE REFUGEE,
PHIL WHITE.
A correct version of the Affair. Slanders rc- futed and Patriots Vindicated. Affidavits of Aaron White, of Philip White's guards ; Statements of Gen. Forman, &c.
Though the death of the refugee Philip White, (commonly called Phil White) is occasionally referred to in modern works, there are none which give complete or correct accounts of the affair. In the brief statement given in Howe's collec- tions, unjust imputations are cast upon his guard, as will hereafter be seen.
When Capt. Huddy was so brutally mur- dered by the Refugees near the High- lands, it will be remembered that a label was fastened to his breast, the last sen- tence of which was
" Up goes Huddy for Philp White."
terous charge was at once shown to be an infamous falsehood, as when White was killed, Capt. Huddy was a prisoner, con- fined in the old sugar house, New York. (Duane's sugar house). The British assert- ed that "he had taken a certain Philip White, cut off both his arms, broke his legs, pulled out. one of his eyes, damned him and then bid him run." How much of this was true will be seen by coneln- sive evidence given below, before quoting. which we will give a version of the affair as given in Howe's collection, from a tra- ditionary source.
" White, the Refugee, was a carpenter, and served his time in Shrewsbury. Six days after Huddy was taken, he was sur- prised by a party of militia lighthorse, near Snag Swamp, in the eastern part of the township. After laying down his arms in token of surrender, he took up his mus- ket and kllled a Mr. Hendrickson. He was however secured, and while being tak- en to Freehold, was killed at Pyle's Cor- ner, three miles from there. He was un- der a guard of three men, the father of whom was murdered at Shrewsbury the year previous, by a band of reufugees, among whom was White, and he was therefore highly exasperated against the prisoner. Some accounts state that he was killed while attempting to escape ; others with more probability that they pricked him with their swords and thus to run and cruelly murdered:
There are several errors in the forego- ing and it is to be especially regretted that the untrue chargeof wanton cruelty. contained at the close of this extract, should have found a place in so useful a book as the one containing it. Correct versions of this affair are found in ancient papers, but for the present we will give several affidavits taken at the time as be- ing the most conclusive evidence. These affidavits were forwarded to Gen. Wash- ington, and by him transmitted to Con- gress, April 20th, 1782.
These affidavits are of Aaron White, who was taken prisoner with Phil. White, and of each of the three guards.
Deposition of Aaron White.
COUNTY OF MONMOUTH. SS :- Aaron White being duly sworn, deposeth :
That he was taken prisoner with Philip White, that the deponent left New York in company with Philip White, Jeremiah
Though the refugees at one time assert ed that Capt. Huddy had an agency in | Bell, negro Moses, John Fennimore and the death of Phil. White, yet this prepos- Robert Howell, on Thursday night, the
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28th day of March last; that they sailed from New York to the Hook, where they remained until morning, being Friday ; that the deponent understood that Capt. Huddy was then a prisoner ; that on the day following, being Saturday, the 30th, the deponent being off in a boat with Fen- nimore, and having observed that the said Philip White and Moses had an engage- ment with some of the troops on shore, he, the deponent, went in a boat to their relief, meaning to take them off; that when he came on shore he joined the said Philip White and negro Moses, and pur- sued one Thomas Berkley, with whom they had been engaged ; that in pursuit, the light horse came down, and the depo- nent with the said Philip White were made prisoners, that they were put under guard to be sent to Freehold for confine- ment ; that on the way from Colt's Neck to Freehold, .between Daniel Grandin's and Samuel Leonard's the deponent was told by one of his guards that Philip White was running away ; that the depo- nent looked back and saw the horsemen in pursuit of something, but being about half a mile distant, could not distinguish after whom or what the pursuit was; that the field in which they were pursuing was near the brook next to Mr. Leonard's ad- joining a wood; that Lieut. Rhea and George Brindley left the deponent under guard of two men and ran their horses back towards the place the other men were pursuing ; that the deponent after- wards understood that it is was Philip White they were pursuing, and that he was killed in the pursuit; that Joshua Huddy was not one of the guard or party, and the deponent understood and verily believes that he was then a prisoner in New York; and the deponent further and lastly declares, that the above is the truth as related without any fear, threats or compulsion whatever.
AARON WHITE. Sworn before me this 15th of April, 1782- DAVID FORMAN,
Justice of the Peace, Monmouth County.
That a clear idea of the order of the principal events referred to in these affi- davits may be obtained, we will here state that Capt. Joshua Huddy was taken pris- oner by the British at Toms River, on Sunday, March 24th, 1782; on Saturday, the 30th of March, six days after, Phil. White and Aaron, were taken prisoners by the Monmouth militia the same day
(March 30th,) Philip White was killed, at which time Capt. Huddy was confined in the sugar house prison at New York, where he had been put on Tuesday, March 27th, and remained until Monday, April 8th, when he was taken on board a sloop and put in irons, and four days later-on the 12th of April, 1782-he was hung near the Highlands; his body was delivered to the Americans, sent to Freehold, and buried with the honors of war. Three days after his death-on the 15th of April, these affidavits were taken, while the re- collections of all the circumstances refer- redto were fresh in the minds of the wit- ness.
ORIGIN OF FAMILY NAMES.
A surname is an additional name added to a proper or given name for the sake of distinction, and so called because original ly written over the other name instead of after it, from the French Surnom, probably derived from the Latin "Super nomen," signifying above the name.
Surnames have originated in various ways. Some are derived from the names of places; others from offices and profes- sions, from personal peculiarities ; from the Christian or proper name of the fath- er ; from the performance of certain ac- tions ; from objects in the animal, mineral and vegetable world, and from accidental "circumstances of every varied character.
According to Camden, surnames began to be taken up in France about the year 1000, and in England about the time of the Conquest (1066) or a very little be- fore.
Local names form the largest class of our surnames. First among these are those which are national, expressing the country whence the person first bearing the name came, as English, Scott, French, Ireland, Britain, Fleming (from Flanders) Gaskin, (from Gascony), &c. Names were taken from almost every county, town and hamlet, as Cheshire, Chester, Hull, Ross, Kent, Cunningham, Huntingdon, Preston, Compton, etc., so that local names of this class may number many thousands. For instance, a person whose native place was Chester, might remove to another place the inhabitants of which, to distin- guish him, would give him the surname of Chester, originally prefixing it with " of," frequently shortened to " O" or " A," sig- nifying from or at, as John of Chester, John O' Chester ; John at Kirby, John A'Kirby.
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The prefixes after a time were dropped and the names descended to children as simply Chester and Kirby.
Besides these we have a great number of local surnames which are general and de- scriptive of the nature or situation of the residence of the persons upon whom they were bestowed, as Hill, Wood, Dale, Park, &c. The prefix At or Atte was generally used before these names as John At Hill, meaning John at the hill or John who lived at the hill; James At Well, John At Wood, now Atwell and Atwood. In this way men took surnames from rivers and trees from residing at or near them, as Beck, Gill, Grant, Beach, Bush, Ash, Thorn.
Surnames derived from Christian or bap- tismal names are probably next in num ber to the local surnames; some of these are probably the most ancient of all sur- names, many of them varied by prefixes and suffixes. Of this class we have first, the names terminating in son, which was added to the name of the father ; John the son of William, was called John, William's son-John Williamson ; Johnson, John's son ; Thompson, Thomas' son ; Simpson, Si- mon's son ; Wilson, Will's son.
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