USA > New Jersey > Hudson County > Paper read before the historical society of Hudson County. 1908 > Part 30
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posing of their farm products and procuring the few luxuries they craved. Therefore, notwithstanding their partial isola- tion, the inhabitants of the township were well informed of transpiring events, for on his return from the city the traveler was eagerly questioned at the nightly corner store gathering, concerning what he had seen and heard. Along the shore, even to Bergen Point, the farmer fishermen were attracting to their numbers many who were allured by their evident thrift and comparative prosperity. The Bayards had left Hoboken, their estates confiscated, and its natural attractions were al- ready drawing to the river banks varied accommodations for pleasure seekers from New York. The upper part of the township still remained in almost primitive wildness, with here and there a low rambling farm house seemingly hiding under the overhanging trees, thus showing the gradual advance of civilization.
The City of New York was already foreshadowing its great commercial importance, and the territory on the west bank of the river was attracting attention not only because of its proximity and convenience of access, but because of the possibility of its future development. The extended water front presented unrivalled facilities for commercial and manu- facturing enterprise, while from its location it was the natural distributing point for the products of the whole nation. Stage lines had already been established and the increasing traffic with the south and intermediate points suggested a more rapid development. Through the shrewd foresightedness of Anthony Dey, John B. Coles and Col. John Stevens, the respective ter- ritories of Old Paulus Hook, The Duke's Farm and Hoboken were being developed, and many were attracted to these shores for a place of residence. Improved ferry accommodations to the neighboring city aided in the development, and the influx of population, especially along the water front, indicated a populons community in the near future.
The part of present Hudson County first attracting atten- tion from the outside world was what was then known as Paulus Hook, afterward Old Jersey City. Its great advant- ages as being the natural outlet for the whole nation, and its proximity to the City of New York, gave it a special value not only for commercial purposes, but likewise, because of its
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desirability as a place of residence. Under its former appella- tion it was a small agricultural community, and as has been seen, served as a landing place for travellers to and from the South and West.
It will be remembered that in the early days Cornelius Van Vorst had become possessed of Harsimus and Paulus Hook, which tracts were confirmed to him by Governor Car- teret on the English acquisition of New Netherland.
A considerable tract adjoining these tracts had been designated as "The Dutch West India Farm." As this was included in the grant of Peter Stuyvesant to the Town of Ber- gen, January 3d, 1658, of the lands purchased by him from the Indians, it became a part of the lands held and enjoyed in com- mon by the inhabitants of said town. Although the rights of property was conceded to the then owners by the concessions of 1664, when the English came into possession of New Nether- land, Governor Nichols by proclamation dated June 15th, 1665, claimed this farm was confiscated to the English crown. Un- der the charter of Charles Second to James, Duke of York, the whole of New Jersey (which eventually came into posses- sion of "The Twelve Proprietors") was ceded to him and hence, as part of his property, it became known as "The Duke's Farm." In 1724 one Archibald Kennedy claimed title to this farm through "The East Jersey Proprietors," but as it was part of the common lands of the Township of Bergen, his title was opposed by the "Freeholders of Bergen." After much litigation the title was determined to be in "The Trustees of the Township of Bergen" and the controversy ended. Feb- ruary 4th, 1804, the said Trustees sold the same to John B. Coles, a New York merchant, for the sum of fourteen thou- sand two hundred and eighty-five dollars and seventy-five cents, but the title was not entirely perfected until 1809, when the Proprietors relinquished their claim for a lump sum.
Shortly after the purchase of "The Duke's Farm" by Coles, Anthony Dey obtained from Cornelius Van Vorst a per- petual lease for Paulus Hook, as expressed in the conveyance, "Bounded on the east by the Hudson's river, on the north by the said river or the bay commonly called Harrimus Bay, on the south by said river or the bay commonly called Communipaw, and on the west by a line drawn from a stake standing on the west
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side of said tract to Harsimus Cove aforesaid, with the right of ferry from the said tract or parcel of land across Hudson's river and elsewhere, and the right and title of the said Cornelius Van Vorst under the waters of Hudson's river and the bays aforesaid opposite said premises, as far as his right to the same extends."
Because of Van Vorst's close connection with the early history of the territory here treated of, it would seem appro- priate to here make of him some special mention. He was the fifth in line of descent from Pauw's Superintendent. Al- though a great lover of outdoor sports, he did not neglect the cultivation of his farm. He kept strict rule over his dusky retainers and required of them their full stint of work, yet at the same time realizing their simple natures demanded some recreation, he many times not only relaxed his strictness but aided them to gratify their simple desires and received on this account better service than he would otherwise have obtained. In 1753 he laid out a race course on the high ground near present Montgomery and Varick streets, where at that time a sand hill rose from the marsh to a moderate height. This was frequented by not only the residents of Paulus Hook, Aharsi- mus and neighborhood, but attracted many lovers of sport from the City of New York. In order to facilitate transporta- tion from the city, and at the same time bring him a goodly recompense, in 1764 he established the Paulus Hook ferry, as we find advertised in the New York Mercury of July 2nd, 1764. "The long wished for ferry is now established and kept across the North River from the place called Paulus Hook to the City of New York. Good crafts will be ready at each ferry to convey over all persons who may incline to see the races. Good stables with excellent hay and oats will be provided for the horses and good accommodations for the grooms. To start at two o'clock precisely each day."
The same year a stage line was established in connection with the ferry from Paulus Hook via Bergen Point and Eliza- beth, to Philadelphia in three days. In 1768 we are informed that "a stage wagon between Paulus Hook ferry and Hacken- sack will begin on Friday, the 14th of October, to set out about seven in the morning and will proceed to Paulus Hook, from whence the wagon will set out on its return
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at two o'clock in the afternoon, which stages will be regularly performed every Monday and Friday, and the best usage given to passengers, each paying two shillings from one place to the other."
In 1769 a new route was opened to Philadelphia via New- ark, Elizabeth and Bound Brook. In 1772 John Mersereau left Paulus Hook Tuesdays and Fridays at or before sunrise and went to Princeton, there meeting the stage from Philadel- phia, and returning the next day.
From the above citations we may readily perceive the meagre transportation facilities afforded the people in those early days, but still apparently sufficient to meet the demands of the then travelling public.
Afterward Michael Cornelissen and Abraham Mesier be- came proprietors of the ferry, but it seems neglected to pro- cure a license to land from the Common Council of New York City, whereupon question was raised "whether the people of that part of Jersey called Paulus Hook, have any right of ferriage from this city." Archibald Kennedy, who claimed to be owner of "The Duke's Farm," taking advantage of the con- troversy, immediately made application dated May 3rd, 1765, to the Common Council, for the exclusive right of ferry be- tween New York and the west shore of the Hudson at Harsi- mus, but Van Vorst remonstrated so strenuously and to such good purpose that the application was denied on the ground that he (Van Vorst), had expended a considerable sum of money not only in erecting a landing, but in laying out and maintaining an approach to the ferry on the Jersey side (New- ark avenue) and he finally secured the right of ferriage.
Two years later the same privileges were offered at auction March 23rd, 1767, but connected with the obligation to main- tain and keep in repair "a causeway one-half mile long and a lane nearly twice as long." After a time the purchaser found the expense attending the necessary repairs, together with the heavy rental, were too great to enable him to run the ferry profitably and hence March ist, 1770, abandoned it.
Subsequently Abraham Mesier secured it for three years at a rental of thirty pounds per year. At the expiration of this term, or May Ist, 1774, the lease was continued, but at a higher rate. Shortly after this Mesier died and the ferry be-
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came part of his estate. Doubtless during the revolutionary war, the ferry operated very irregularly, but after the evacua- tion of Paulus Hook by the British November 27th, 1783, operations were regularly resumed, and we find that in 1786 Mesier's widow petitioned for "the repairs of the ferry stairs on the New York side." We find that Van Vorst had contin- ued to reside at his old home in Harsimus during the revolu- tion, notwithstanding its occupancy by the royalists, and on this account was suspected by some of having royalistic ten- dencies, but events proved otherwise. To save his family from annoyance and insult he removed them temporarily back in the country, but to protect his property remained at home. His intercourse with the soldiers was none too peaceful, and on one occasion, during a controversy with an officer, he did him bodily harm. For this he was arrested and locked up in "The Old Sugar House Prison" in New York. Fortunately for him, Sir Henry Clinton, who was in command at New York, heard of his plight, and being an old acquaintance, released him with a reprimand. But his independent nature could not brook the insolence of the British officers, and he was again imprisoned with the same result.
About 1800 Major Hunt leased the ferry and hotel prop- erty and erected additional sheds and stables for the accommo- dation of the stage lines centering at this point. These were the only buildings in Paulus Hook at that time, the entire pop- ulation numbering fifteen persons of all ages. For the pur- pose of creating a holding company for the development of the property, April 16th, 1804, Anthony Dey conveyed to Abraham Varick of New York City, the property at Paulus Hook, who the next day conveyed it to Richard Varick, Jacob Radcliff and Anthony Dey, as shown on a map made by Joseph Mangin of the City of New York "also, the present wharves and rights of soil from high to low water mark to extend from north to south the breadth of 480 feet on Hudson street, and the right and title to land under water in Hudson's river opposite to the premises above granted, together with the exclusive right of ferry from Paulus Hook and elsewhere."
November 10th, 1804, an act was passed by the State Legislature, incorporating the above named persons under the name of "The Associates of Jersey," giving them a perpetual
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charter with almost absolute rights and power. The property was laid out in lots, which were offered for sale at the Tontine Coffee House in New York City, under a most attractive and alluring description, but notwithstanding the efforts to attract investors the development of the property was slow. Robert Fulton was among the first to take advantage of the new order of things. He located his ship yard and dry dock on the river bank at present Greene and Morgan streets, receiving a deed therefor November 3rd, 1804. Other industries followed and several of the lots sold and dwellings erected thereon.
In 1807 a building was erected on the north side of Sussex street, west of Washington, which was used both for educationl and religious purposes. May 12th, 1808, "The Jersey Acad- emy" was incorporated and Reuben Winchell served as pre- ceptor. The school convened in the lower part of the building, the upper story contained a hall in which religious services were held. In the basement the unruly were confined.
In 1815 Isaac Edge obtained a grant of land from the Asso- ciates, on which he erected a grist mill, among the first of the industries located at Old Paulus Hook. In 1824 the glass works were established at the foot of Washington street, cor- ner of Essex, and the next year The Jersey City Pottery located one block west, on the corner of Warren. These were noted institutions in their day, not only for producing superior wares, but furnishing employment for a majority of the wage earners of the city. The oldest industries of our city having a continu- ous life are Colgate & Co. and the Joseph Dixon Crucible Co. These enterprises have developed into the most extensive manufactories of their respective products in the world, and the uniformly superior quality of their productions have given them a well deserved world wide reputation.
November 13, 1819, the Associates applied to the Legisla - ture for the passage of an act to incorporate "The City of Jer- sey in the County of Bergen," which act was passed January 28th, 1820. The city now passed under the control of five free- holders called Selectmen. The limits of the city were deter- mined upon as follows: "Bounded on the west by a creek between the Associates of Jersey and the lands of Cornelius Van Vorst (about on a line with the present Warren street), east by the middle of Hudson's river, north by Harsimus Cove,
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and south by Communipaw Cove and South street." The Selectmen met at the hotel in Grand street, paying for all accommodations the sum of one dollar for each meeting. This amount was met in part by the imposition of fines upon them- selves, viz: twenty-five cents for tardiness and fifty cents for absence from any meeting. September 9th, 1823, a tax of one hundred dollars was authorized, but being without power to enforce payment of same, only thirty-seven dollars and eighty- seven cents was collected. January 23rd, 1829, the above act was repealed and an act incorporating "The City of Jersey City in the County of Bergen" was passed, granting additional powers. May 11th the first watchmen were appointed. The following September the first regular provision was made to guard against destruction by fire, through the formation of a "bucket brigade" consisting of volunteers. The equipment was several leather buckets, which were provided by the Se- lectmen. Public cisterns were dug at convenient points for the collection of rain water for use in case of fire, while the water for drinking was obtained from private wells mostly, although a few public wells were likewise dug.
In case of fire a line was formed to the nearest cistern, or in case it was more convenient, to the river bank, and the buckets filled with water and passed from hand to hand to the place of conflagration. The first regular volunteer fire company was organized in Mccutcheon's hotel on York street, east of Wash- ington, in 1829. The Volunteer system continued until 1871, when the present paid fire department was organized.
In 1832 an event occurred that has left a lasting impress upon our city, whether to its actual advantage or not is perhaps debatable. The New Jersey R. R. and Transp. Co. (since ab- sorbed by the Penn. R. R. Co.) located its terminal in Jersey City, and its progressive occupation of much of the territory, its absorption of the water front, and exemption from taxa- tion, in part at least has prevented other improvements that would probably have been to the more lasting benefit to our city. The road was incorporated March 17th, 1832, being designed to provide the then new facilities of railway travel between Trenton and New York "and to restore the old colonial and revolution- ary route over New Jersey through Newark, Elizabeth, Rahway, and New Brunswick to Princeton and Trenton." The work of excavating through Bergen Hill was tedious, and during the interval the cars were drawn by horses over the hill from present Marion, where the track terminated until the completion of the
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cut. In order to save an expense of $100,000 an old ravine was followed at the eastern end, the direction of which may still be seen in the "S" like curve east of the Summit avenue tube station.
To show that the difficulties of operation is not entirely of modern origin, an extract from a letter of one of the officials is here given. "February 5th, 1836, as regards the trains to Rah- way, you observe that the arrangement is made for the future, and that as soon as we run a locomotive to Bergen Hill, they have no more to do with Newark than with Elizabethtown, For the present I am desirous to have you see to their getting on properly, changing horses, etc. Another difficulty seems to have been in properly distributing the cars. There is but one car here to go out at 11.30 o'clock. Please remember the cars must not get all at one end, and that the two train cars must not go except in their trains. As there is but little business doing, why not have a portion of the cars at Jersey City."
At this time wood was used for fuel and was brought by vessel and unloaded on the unfinished dock. "February, 1836, we have two loads of wood at Jersey City, one pile at the end of our Bulkhead, and the other on the South Ferry dock. If the ice is firm enough to have it carried ashore, it had better be done now." December 2nd, 1836. - has sent me word that he wishes to clean his pumps on Sunday. Please find out if it is absolutely necessary to stop, and if so send the mail by sleigh."
The Jersey City Gasette of 1835 states as follows: "The public is informed that the N. J. R. R. is now open for public use between Newark and New York, and cars will commence run- ning to-morrow, eight trips each way daily, fare 3772 cents, ferry to New York 674 cents. Morristown stages will leave Newark every day at half-past one o'clock, so that passengers who leave New York in the morning by the Hoboken stages, the steamboat Newark at 10 o'clock, or the railroad car at half-past eleven, will be in time to dine at Newark, and take the stage for Mor- ristown." The whole road from Philadelphia was finished and engines operated the entire length January 1st, 1839. The Pat- erson and Hudson R. R., a line to connect the city of Paterson and vicinity with the ferry at Paulus Hook, was incorporated January 21st, 1831, and went into operation June of the follow- ing year. Its termination was at Marion, (its route being the
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same as the present New York and Susquehanna R. R.) where it connected with the New Jersey R. R. and Transportation Com- pany's line (now the Pennsylvania R. R.) The road was an- nounced as being equipped with "Three splendid commodious cars, each capable of accommodating thirty passengers and drawn by fleet and gentle horses, a rapid and delightful method of travel." Afterward steam was introduced as a means of pro- pulsion, which called forth the following announcement: "The steam and horse power are so intermixed that passengers may make their selection, and the timid ones avail themselves of the former twice a day." This road was afterward absorbed by the Erie and was the route by which that road reached tidewater at Jersey City, until the completion of the Erie Tunnel in 1861.
In 1835 "The Jersey Associates" donated the site on which the Jersey Academy stood, containing two lots of ground, to the city for school purposes. April 11th, 1836, a committee was ap- pointed "to take possession of the building now standing on the school lots and alter same for a town hall and lock-up." The trustees of the Jersey Academy, being indebted to St. Matthew's Church (which denomination had been occupying the building) in the sum of $100, this amount was ordered paid, and the city be- came sole owner of the property.
To show the gradual advance of improvements, the follow- ing is inserted. March 6th, 1835, in response to a petition of the citizens residing on Grand street between Hudson street and the public square (Washington street) for lamps to be placed in that locality, the Street Committee "was authorized to erect six lamps along Grand street, as requested, providing the residents along said street will bind themselves to furnish oil for said lamps for the space of two years."
Again the want of greater powers was felt, and February 22nd, 1838, Jersey City was incorporated as a separate and inde- pendent municipality. Up to this time it had been a part of the township of Bergen in the County of Bergen, but it now became a full fledged city under the title of "The Mayor and Common Council of Jersey City." March 17th, 1839, the westerly bound- ary of the city was extended to Grove street from First street on the north to Communipaw Cove on the south. The territory north and west of these division lines remained a part of Bergen Township.
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This is the first evidence of the dismemberment of the ter- ritory conveyed to Governor Stuyvesant in 1658 by the Indians and by him granted to the inhabitants of the village of Bergen, becoming afterward "The Township of Bergen." With the growth of the community, the different needs of the different localities became apparent, and hence the demand of each separ- ate settlement was in accordance with their actual wants. The more thickly settled portions of the territory needed a more ex- tended form of government with greater expense, than was required in the more sparsely settled rural communities. With these only a simple recognized authority, to whom appeal could be made in case of need, was necessary, in most cases being lim- ited to deciding upon the amount of money to be raised for school and road purposes, hence the growing demand for independent governments with power to legislate for the individual needs of each unit. A more extended description of those into which the present county is at present divided will be given hereafter.
The growth of population in the eastern part of Bergen township, and the increasing necessity for greater and more con- venient court accommodations led to an agitation for the division of Bergen County. Its extended area reaching from the Hud- son river and New York Bay on the east, to and beyond the present City of Paterson on the north and west, and the increase of population throughout this territory, especially along the eastern border, demanded immediate action to relieve the situation. With the court of the county located at an incon- venient distance, with inadequate means of communication, sub- jecting them to great outlay of time and expense, the residents of the eastern portion of the county began a systematic move- ment for better facilities for court procedure. As expressed in the petition for the creation of a new county "Because of the great increase of business from year to year, calling for the attendance of parties, jurors and witnesses at distances varying from 12 to 20 miles; and the proximity of the City of New York, requiring the exercise of a rigid police, they (the inhabitants) are at an inconvenient distance from the county town and courts of justice, etc."
A meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Bergen and vicinity was held at Drayton's Hotel (junction of Hoboken and Newark avenues) North Bergen, October 26th, 1839.
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Resolutions were adopted setting forth the inadequacy of court privileges and requesting relief from the Legislature, through the erection of a new county.
January 12th, 1840, a petition was submitted to the Legis- lature, for the passage of an act forming a new county out of the township of Lodi (which was located in Hackensack township) Bergen township and the city of Jersey City. February 4th following a bill was passed erecting the County of Hudson, de- fining its boundaries (as at present recognized) covering an area of 43 square miles, the smallest County in the State, now the most populous, and likewise dividing the new county into town- ships. "The present township of Bergen shall remain Bergen township. That part of the Township of Lodi lying within the limits of the County of Hudson, shall be known as the Town- ship of Harrison. Jersey City to remain a city in the County of Hudson."
The Chosen Freeholders of the townships of Bergen and Harrison, and of the city of Jersey City, shall constitute the Board of Chosen Freeholders of the County of Hudson. At a joint meeting of the Legislature held February 27th, 1840, fol- lowing persons were appointed officers of the new county:
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