USA > New Jersey > Hudson County > Paper read before the historical society of Hudson County. 1908 > Part 6
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Succeeding the first little log church and school (for it was used for both purposes) alluded to by Dr. Brett: a substantial stone building was erected on the plot corner of Vroom Street and Bergen Avenue in the year 1680. It was octagonal in form and surmounted with a belfry. The sexton stood in the centre of the building when ringing the bell, and permanent seats were placed around the outer edge of the audience room for the male attendants, the centre space being reserved for the women, each of whom occupied a chair. This chair was the personal property of the occupant and in many in- stances, was carried by the slaves to and from the homes, as occasion required.
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Renewed efforts were now made to secure a permanent minister, but the number of authorized preachers who were conversant with the Dutch language was limited, and they must needs be content with such service as could be procured from New York. We find, therefore, in the church records, from time to time, such names as Selyns, Dubois, Megapolen- sis, Van Niewenhuysen, Van Zuren, and others, as having ministered to this congregation. At last it appeared as though their efforts were to be crowned with success.
In the Spring of 1650, one Peter De Windt applied as can- didate for the congregations of Bergen and Staten Island, which were then united. They joined in a call to him, a copy of which is still preserved in the archives of the Old Bergen Church. He was sent to Amsterdam for ordination, for the Home Classis had supreme control over the churches of New Netherlands, and there presented his "testimonium" as a can- didate. He was then ordained by the Classis of Amsterdam and sent back to New York for installation. Before this oc- curred, however, certain irregularities in his conduct had been discovered, and he was formally deposed.
Although somewhat discouraged through this unlooked-for result, the congregation issued a call to Mr. William Jackson on the 22d of June, 1753. He was a student under the Rev. John Frelinghuysen, at Raritan, N.J. In the Fall of the same year the call was accepted, and he was sent to Holland to pros- ecute his studies and be ordained under the auspices of the Classis of Amsterdam. According to the terms of the call he was to receive for his support while absent the sum of £100 ($500), and on his return, a parsonage in addition to his salary.
To the building of this they now gave their attention. It was located on the site of the present church, and before Mr. Jackson's return was ready for his occupancy. He returned in 1757, and on the 10th of September was duly installed, and thus, for the first time since their organizations in 1660, the congregations of Bergen and Staten Island had their own spir- itual head. Shortly after his return Mr. Jackson married An- na Frelinghuysen, the companion of his youth, and daughter of his old preceptor, and their names are found together upon many of the pages of the old Dutch Bible recently unearthed by our Historical Society.
The Rev. Mr. Jackson was a man of unusual ability, with
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a command of language and a personal magnetism that made lıim a most attractive and forceful speaker. It is related that upon occasions the throngs that pressed about him to hear the words that fell from his lips were so great, that he was obliged to station himself at the church door, so that the crowd without, as well as the audience within, could hear the message he brought.
The unsettled condition of land titles was causing the Church, as well as individual landholders considerable uneasi- ness and anxiety. This was, however, allayed by legislative act 1764 appointing Commissioners for determining the several rights, titles, claims, &c., "having regard to the rights and al- lotments due to the Church." In the report of these Commis- sioners the following plots were adjudged as belonging to the Church :
First. "The plot whereon the Church now stands, with the burying ground adjoining." (The present graveyard on the southwest corner of Bergen Avenue and Vroom Street.)
Second. "The plot on which the parsonage now stands, with the garden and a small piece of pasture land adjoining thereto." (The present Church property at Bergen and High- land Avenues, but at the time extending from Glenwood to about 125 feet north of Highland and running west practically to West Side Avenue.)
Third. "A farm lot lying southerly of the town of Bergen." (A plot on the west side of Bergen Avenue south of Clendenny.)
Fourth. "A lot of timbered land, &c." (At New Durham.)
Up to 1771 the Church had held allegiance to the Classis of Amsterdam, but the time had now come for independent action. The difficulties and delays attending the required edu- cation and ordination of their ministers in the fatherland led to the consideration of the question "whether they could not as well be properly equipped in this country." A bitter con- troversy ensued, which finally resulted in obtaining a royal charter in 1770 for Queens, now Rutgers College, and thus opportunity was at hand for the proper equipment of future ministers.
December 20, 1771, a charter was granted to the Church by George III. in the name of "The minister, elders and dea- cons as follows: Rev. William Jackson, Minister; Abraham Diedrichs, Robert Syckles, George Vreeland and Abraham
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Syckles, Elders, and Johannis Van Wagenen, Hendricus Kuy- per, Johannis Van Houten, and Daniel Van Winkle, Deacons." To them was given the power of appointing a schoolmaster and such other officers as were necessary. It is thus readily seen how intimately the church and school were connected in the early days, the latter being considered a part of, and not merely an adjunct of the church.
The Consistory exercised full control. Not only choosing a schoolmaster, but as appears among the items of expenditure preserved in the church books: superintending the erection of a school-house and attending to the general repairs of the building. Following entry appears:
"On Tuesday, May 11, 1708, Mattheus Benson has made a beginning with the new school-house and commenced with the foundations. Andrien Vermeulen laid the corner-stone." The following contributions are recorded :
Johannis Michelse
Io loads of stone
Cornelis Blinkerhoff
Io loads of stone
Maritze Hartmans Io loads of stone
Johannis Thomasse
5 loads of stone
Frederick Tomasse
I load of clay
Uldrich Brouwer
4 loads of stone
Johannis Pouwelsse
8 loads of stone
Johannis Pouwelsse
3 loads of clay
Matheus Demott
I load of stone
Matheus Demott Io loads of clay
Jacob Jacobse Van Winkle. 5 loads of clay
Jacob Jacobse Van Winkle 5 loads of stone
Robert Segelse I load of clay
Jan Lubberse
5 loads of sand
Jan Lubberse
I load of clay
Jan Lubberse I load of lime
This building was erected on Bergen Square, the site of present No. 11, and was doubtless occupied until the erection of the Columbian Academy on the same site in 1790.
The Rev. Mr. Jackson's ministrations were very success- ful, and the octagonal building became inadequate for the ac- commodation of the growing congregation. Consequently a larger building became necessary and was decided upon. Not- withstanding the threatening aspect of the times, the work was commenced and a commodious, substantial building of
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stone was erected on the same site in 1773. Over the front door a stone bearing following inscription was placed in the wall :
"Kirk gebouwt In het yaer 1680. Her Bouwt in het yaer 1773." (Church was built in the year 1680. This church built in the year 1773.)
This stone is still preserved in the south wall of the pres- ent church edifice, which was erected in 1840.
That education has always been considered of the utmost importance, it may be noted that the schoolhouse and church appeared simultaneously, or rather that religious services were in the very early days held in the school-house. The Pastor or Elders visited the school, and catechised the pupils in the ele- mentary truths of religion, in which they were to be instructed by the schoolmaster, as well as in the elementary branches of education.
October 30, 1693, bills were passed by the State Assembly "for settling a school and schoolmasters in every town and throughout the province," and as noted in the public prints, "By a law passed the last sessions a public lottery is directed for a further provision toward founding a college for the advance- ment of learning within this colony, to consist of 5,000 tickets of 30 per cent each: 1,094 of which to be fortunate, 15 per cent. to be deducted from the prizes. As such a laudable de- sign will greatly tend to the welfare and reputation of this col- ony, it is expected the inhabitants will readily be excited to become adventurers. Public notice will be given of the pre- cise time of putting the tickets in the boxes, that such advent- urers as shall be minded to see the same done, may be present at the doing thereof. Such as forge or counterfeit any ticket or alter the number, and are thereof convicted, are by the act to suffer death as in case of felony. Tickets are to be had at the dwelling houses of Messrs. Jacobus Roosevelt, and Peter Van Burgh Livingston, who are appointed managers. The mana- gers would acquaint the public that upwards of 1, 000 tickets are already engaged to the Hand in Hand and America Fire Companies in this city (N. Y.) to whom the tickets are already delivered. The prosperity of the community greatly depending upon the regular education of youth, it is not doubted but the lottery will soon fill. Those, therefore, that design to become
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adventurous, are desired speedily to apply for tickets or they may be disappointed."
The gambling instinct seems to have been just as deeply implanted in human nature in those early days as at the pres- ent time, and "venturing" was considered of eminent respecta- bility, for we find advertisements offering inducements to "ad- venturers," as they are called, for the benefit of churches, schools, hospitals, and in fact almost any object that required financial support.
The question of the proper observance of the Sabbath was even at this early date productive of much discussion, and a "Bill for the better observation and keeping holy the first day of the week," &c., which was passed by the Deputies, was re- jected by the Council for the following reasons:
"This act enforces people by pains and penalties to wor- ship, whether their worship is true or false. Better none than any."
"The bill obliges all persons to worship in public or pri- vate, or pay five pence. Every person who has not witness of his private worship must pay five pence. It seems unreason- able to take witness for private worship * * * " "If one man esteem a day above another, another esteems every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. Liberty of conscience ought to be preferred and licentiousness punished, which this bill seems not equally to secure."
The Presbyterian Church was at this time very active in its attempts to "disseminate Christian knowledge," and the Revs. Gilbert Tennant and Samuel Davies were sent abroad in the interest of the College of New Jersey. As a result of their efforts, although "emmisaries were employed both at home and abroad to blacken Mr. Tennant and frustrate his designs," through letter from Edinburgh dated May 31, 1754, we learn that collections were appointed to be made at the church doors of all the parishes in Scotland by order of the General Assem- bly, as they "were sensible that the encouraging of said col- lege is of great importance to the interest of religion and learn- ing, and the support and farther advancement of the Kingdom of Christ in those parts of the world."
Perhaps we may obtain a better conception of the general conditions prevailing at these early times through a few adver- tisements and selections from the newspapers of the day, than
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by a mere descriptive account. These oldtime journals still preserve a flavor which is to us not unpleasant in this hurried age: for much of the history of past centuries is reflected from their columns : and an accurate record of the moral, social, and political conditions may be found in the quaint advertisements that appeared in their issues.
We miss the flaming headlines with which the aggressive newspaper of to-day attracts public attention, but we turn with a sigh of relief to the plain matter-of-fact announcements, whether it be affecting the fate of nations, or the punishment of the neighborhood scold. The proprietor-as well as editor- gathered his own news from the taverns and coffee-houses along the wharves, where numerous "old salts" were ever ready to regale him with tales of wonderful adventures and hairbreadth escapes. What wonder, then, that in such con- genial companionship the flight of time was unheeded and the news so gathered adorned the columns of some later issue.
He was his own typesetter and laboriously worked off his sheets on his rudely-constructed hand-press. For recreation he followed up his delinquent subscriber and delivered his pa- per himself. Verily a contrast with the newspaper of to-day with its aggressive, strenuous reporters, pushing a recalcitrant victim to the wall, and worming out the shortcomings of a hith- erto unsullied life: to be run off on the multiple machine and scattered to the winds, for the delectation of countless break- fast tables. What a difference. Notice the calm confidence of the following appeal to the sympathy of the public:
"We have very little news and the post not expected until next Saturday, but as we have lately been obliged to give sev- eral supplements, we hope all such of our friends as are up- wards of one year in arrears, will now think it time to discharge the same, as the weather continues severe and the printer but illy provided to stand the brunt of a long Winter."
The disinclination of the early Dutch settler to part with his possessions or relinquish any of his hard-earned stivers without a proper "quid pro quo," compelled even the Medical fraternity to recognize the absolute necessity of furnishing him with full value received, as will be seen from following ad. of 1760, when inoculation as a preventive to smallpox was just being introduced. To prepare the victim for the process they generously prescribed.
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"The night before you inoculate, give a few grains of calomel well levigated with a like quantity of diaphoretic anti- mony unwashed, proportioning the amount of calomel to the constitution of your patient-from 4 to 10 grains for a grown person, and from 1 to 3 for a child-to be made up into a small bolus or pill, with a little conserve of roses or any common syrup. The next morning a dose of pulvis cornachini made with equal parts of diaphoretic antimony, scammon, and cream of tartar. Repeat the bolus or pill three times, that is, every other night after inoculation, and on the fifth day give a dose of Burhave's Golden Sulphate of Antimony-about 4 grains of it with 2 or 3 grains of calomel made into a small pill. In the intermediate days give 2 or 3 papers of the following powder: Diaphoretic antimony, 10 grains; salt pommel, 6 grains; calo- mel, I grain. Mix together for a grown person. Proportion- ate for children." Still quite a goodly number survived.
However, the Fraternity was just as considerate and as de- sirous of preserving the integrity of the Profession as at the present day, as is proven by the following Caution to the Pub- lic, published in 1771. "The impartial Public will not, I dare say, expect that I would expatiate on the excellency of Physic, nor bestow encomiums on those worthy gentlemen of the Facul- ty who are of the greatest utility to society. But I hope my injured fellow citizens will not take it amiss, when I expose to their view a few melancholy instances of the deadly effects that arise from the application of the sick, to illiterate, ignorant, boasting pretenders." * * (Here follow the melancholy in-
stances).
"'Tis not for me to make particular observations on the above cases, but I shall leave the feeling, tender heart to judge what a rueful train of calamities must inevitably succeed. The father destroyed, leaves to perish the poor widow and a num- erous offspring of helpless children. Mothers torn away from their tender babes, and children snatched from their distressed and mourning parents by the fraudulent deception of the venomous quack."
The members of the legal profession were charged with growing rich, "while belligerent creditors and harassed debt- ors were becoming poor." It was claimed that "law-suits were multiplied at the instigation of lawyers, whose fees not only swallowed up the moneys collected by them, but brought their
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clients and frequently the Sheriff in debt to them." Many pe- titions praying for relief against the lawyers came before the Assembly, and in some instances the popular feeling ran so high that the Courts were not allowed to convene.
June 15, 1775, a petition of the Freeholders and inhabitants of Bergen was submitted, asking that "Circuit Courts be ap- pointed yearly, complaining of the great delay of justice by the practitioners of the law, in demurrers, special pleading, and special verdicts."
A miniature riot is described in following dignified style in a New York paper :
"The young gentlemen rakes who broke so many windows at midnight, in this city, to show their unchristian rejoicing, may be assured if they don't make satisfaction for the wooden shutters broke on Beaver Street, their names will be put in this paper and they be proved house-breakers."
In describing an accident that had occurred in a down- town mansion, wherein a servant in falling down a long flight of stairs dislocated her neck, closes the announcement with the following in double-faced type: "It is said that this caused her death."
Note the delicacy of expression in following ad. :
"Taken away, supposed through mistake, from Mr. Ver- don Elsworth's, at Powles Hook, a neat saddle with plated stirrups and a double curb bridle with plated bits. The person that took them away left a very bad saddle in the room thereof."
In the New York Gazette, May 17, 1753, is the following : "Notice is hereby given that the widow of Balthazar Som- ner, late from Amsterdam, now lives next door to Mr. Lefferts on Potbakers Hill in Smith Street, New York. Grinds all sorts of optic glasses to the greatest perfection, such as micro- scope glasses, spying glasses of all lengths, spectacles, reading glasses for near-sighted people or others, also spying glasses of three feet long which are to be set on a common walking-stick and yet be carried in a pocketbook. All at reasonable rates."
Another from the Weekly Postboy, of June 4, 1753:
"Imported in last vessels from London and to be sold by Richard Smith, Schoolmaster, near the Fly Market, a neat as- sortment of men and women's gloves and mittens, woman's quilted Persian petticoats, callimanco stuff, ladies' new-fashioned black silk bonnets. A variety of long and short hoop petti-
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coats. , Choice Scotch snuff in 1b. and 1/21b. leaden canisters, &c."
This combination of Scotch snuff with other necessary ar- ticles of female apparel, would seem to indicate that the good Dutch vrouws were as little averse to this form of dissipation, as the modern devotee of Lady Nicotine is to indulgence in smoking, whether public or private.
The facilities for transportation is lucidly set forth in the New York Mercury of September 24, 1753:
"Notice is hereby given to all persons that are inclinable to transport themselves, goods, wares, and merchandise from the city of New York to the city of Philadelphia, that they may have the opportunity of obliging themselves that way twice a week, wind and weather permitting. Daniel O'Brien, with a commodious stage boat, well fitted for that purpose, will attend at the Whitehall Slip, near the Half Moon Battery, at the house of Scots Johnny, in New York, in order to receive goods and passengers, on Saturday and Wednesday: and on Monday and Thursdays will set out and proceed with them to Perth Amboy Ferry, where there is kept a good stage wagon ready to receive them, which will on Tuesday and Friday mornings set out and proceed with them to the house of John Predmore, in Cranberry, where there is kept a fresh set of horses and driver, who immediately proceeds with them to the house of Jonathan Thomas, in Burlington, where there is kept a commodious stage boat waiting for their reception, Patrick Cowan, master; who immediately sets out and proceeds with them to the city of Philadelphia."
As may be imagined, the demand for prompt and regular mail service was extremely limited, and arrangements for the reception and distribution of letters very crude. In 1753 an ad. states:
"The postoffice will be removed on Thursday next to the house of Mr. Alexander Colden, opposite to the Bowling Green in the Broadway, where the Rev. William Pemberton lately lived, where letters will be received and delivered out every day (Saturday until the arrival of the posts, and Sundays ex- cepted) from 8 in the morning till 12 at noon, and from 2 in the afternoon till 4, except on post nights, when attendance will be given until 10 of the clock at night, and all letters for persons living in town that remain uncalled for on post nights
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will on Monday morning be sent out by a penny post provided for that purpose.
"N. B .- No credit will be given for the future for postage of letters."
The postal service was organized in 1710 by act of Parlia- ment. The Postmaster-General of the colonies was "to keep his chief letter office in New York, and other chief offices at some convenient place or places in other of Her Majesty's col- onies in America."
In 1753 Benjamin Franklin was appointed Postmaster- General for the colonies, and was guaranteed the sum of £600 for the salary of himself and assistants. It may be interesting to know that in 1790 there were but 75 postoffices in the coun- try, while in 1800, 10 years later, the number had increased to 903. The rates of postage in 1816 were: Single letter carried not over 30 miles, 634c; over 30 and under 80 miles, Ioc; 80 to 150 miles, 121/2c; over 150 and under 400 miles, 1834c; over 400 miles, 25℃.
The postal facilities of Bergen County, although rarely re- quired, were dependent upon the city of New York, and the denizens thereof were obliged to wait for their infrequent let- ters, until some accommodating neighbor on his business trip to the city collected them and on the following Sunday distributed them at the church. If the persons to whom they were ad- dressed were not present, some nearby neighbor undertook their delivery, or they were handed to the "voorleser," who delivered them as opportunity offered. We find following among letters advertized :
N. Y., July 5, 1763 "Rev. Wilhelmus Jackson" "Bergen."
The growth of the territory-now Hudson County-was mainly along the ridge of high ground that extends north and south throughout the whole limit of the county. This was hemmed in on either side by deep marshes somewhat similar to those now skirting the western slope of the hill. Hoboken was an island, isolated from the sur- rounding territory by deep and in many instances impassable marshes. Lower Jersey City was in much the same state. It consisted of four small islands, or sand hills that rose out of lagoons intersected with ditches and filled with yawning
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swamp holes. It can thus be readily understood why its early growth was retarded. For many years it was considered but a landing-place for occasional boats, and even this was of rare occurrence, as the old ferry established at Communipaw at- tracted the regular traffic.
At Castle Point stood the Summer residence and farmhouse of the Bayards. Here they lived in regal style. The farm cov- ered the whole of present Hoboken and extended into the boundary of Weehawken. It was well stocked and provided many rare fruits. Here were to be found all the delicacies of the season, and peaches, nectarines, grapes, plums, apples and pears of peculiar and delicious flavor, were distributed with a lavish hand, among the many and frequent guests from the city.
At Aharsimus Cove nestled the homestead of the redoubt- able Cornelius Van Vorst; and the waving corn and grain that covered the hills of Aharsimus gave evidence of the thrift of the owner. At Powles Hook, now lower Jersey City, was the ferry landing and hotel owned by Michel Cornellisse, and the passengers arriving here by stage, were often not unwillingly detained by the jolly host, whose business instinct suggested ways and means for delaying the departure of the boat or stage; a scheme that resulted in the further replenishment of his coffers.
At Mill Creek Point and along the shore at Communipaw were the homesteads of the Van Hornes, Bushs, Brittens, Posts and others, while along the road to Bergen other Van Hornes, Vreelands, and Brinkerhoffs had established their right to the soil.
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