USA > New Jersey > Passaic County > Passaic > The Passaic valley, New Jersey, in three centuries.. Vol. 1 > Part 10
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THE MORRISTOWN LIBRARY
appointed by the charter were about ready to receive sub- scriptions to the stock. He had accumulated a large for- tune, and had retired to his birthplace to enjoy the re- sults of his industry. He was a liberal giver to every good work, and it was hoped by the founders of the library that he would become interested in it. He soon became a very large stockholder, and enthusiastically supported the insti- tution with his advice, his active exertions, and large do- nations of money, throwing his whole heart into the work. Before his death his contribution in money was over thirty thousand dollars, and by his will he endowed the library with thirty-five thousand more. No one contributed as much to the final success as did this generous, liberal minded man.
Mr. King was of Revolutionary descent; his grandfather, Frederick King, was a trusted messenger during the War of the Revolution, carrying despatches, money to pay the troops, and other messages, and filling a position requiring a cautions, faithful, and wise person. He became the first postmaster of Morristown. William L. King survived his children and left no immediate descendant, but his place in the direction of the library has been worthily taken by his nephew, Vincent B. King.
Twenty thousand and more volumes are now on the shelves of the library, besides several thousand more of con- gressional publications, which are placed in a room spe- cially appropriated for them. The library is the depository for the congressional district in which Morristown is sit- wated. Connected with the institution is a light and airy school room, used for the preparation of youth for college, and capable of seating some sixty scholars. A large hall for lectures, concerts, and other entertainments is located in the second story, which is wholly used for these purposes.
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Reading and reference rooms are opened for the use of all who desire to read the leading magazines of the day or to refer to books. These rooms are opened free to all without any charge. Mr. William L. King was the first president, and was continued in that position until his death. Since that time he has been succeeded by John Whitehead.
Morristown is rich in Revolutionary memories, and in this it is excelled by no other locality in the republic. Washington and the patriot army were encamped here during two winters. The first encampment was that of 1777, after the first and second battles of Trenton and that of Princeton. Washington and his victorious soldiers left the battlefield of Princeton, January 3, 1777, and marched direct to Morristown, arriving there on the 6th of the same month. The commander-in-chief selected the Arnold Tavern for his headquarters. This cele- brated house was then situated on the west side of the " Green." and was in the occupancy of Major Jacob Arnold, a dis- tinguished officer in the Morris County DRAGOON OFFICER. Light Horse Dragoons. The position of innkeeper then was a respectable one in the community, and Major Arnold stood high in the confi- dence and esteem of his fellow citizens. Before his time a tavern had been kept by Jacob Ford, who, when he re- ceived a license, was one of the first judges of the county and generally gave the charges to the grand juries. The Arnold Tavern was a three-story frame structure, with a hall running through its center and two rooms on each side. The office and reception rooms of the general were on the
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WASHINGTON AND THE ARNOLD TAVERN
south side of this hall; on the other side were the bar and dining rooms, with the kitchen in the rear.
Washington spent the winter here, remaining until the early summer. Many of the soldiers were distributed among the loyal inhabitants, who opened their hospitable homes for their reception. Many built huts on Mount Kem- ble, as the elevation was called, extending southward for several miles toward Bask- ing Ridge, and on the adja- cent hills. The winter was exceedingly inclement and the soldiers suffered great hardships. This was a crit- ical period in the war. De- cisive events were transpir- ing in the history of the new republic which were des- tined to decide its future. The battles of Trenton and Princeton had determined the action of the French gov- ernment, and brighter pros- pects opened to the view of the patriots who were strug- In Washing For gling for freedom. Washing- ton and his faithful corps of officers were not idle while in this first winter's stay at Morristown. His correspondence with Congress and the governors of different States was very voluminous. He knew that cabals were attempting to wrest the chief com- mand of the army from his grasp; he fully appreciated the exigency of the situation; but his tenacions mind and his indomitable will preserved the natural serenity of his tem-
.
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perament and freed him from those discouragements which would have overwhelmed a man of different mould.
A powder mill had been built at Morristown, where Colonel Jacob Ford, Jr., was busily engaged in manufactur- ing gunpowder under a contract with Congress, by which he agreed to manufacture a certain number of pounds of that material in return for a loan made to him by the gov- ernment. This mill and the presence of the commander-in- chief at Morristown were great incentives to the enemy to destroy the one and capture the other, and frequent at- tempts were made in those directions, but they always failed. The soil of Morris County was never pressed by the fort of a British or Hessian soldier except after his capture. Colonel Ford, while on parade very soon after Washington's arrival, was seized with a sudden illness from which he never recovered, but died on the 17th of January, 1777.
The Arnold Tavern is called in modern histories by other names. In Bryant's "Popular History of the United States " it is called the " Freeman " Tavern. De Chastel- Ine, a French traveller, who was in Morristown at the time of Washington's residence there, speaks of this hostelry, calls it by its right name, and praises a meal which was served to him there. This historic building is still exist- ent, saved from destruction by the patriotic efforts of a lady now living here, and utilized for the purposes of All Souls Hospital, having, however, been removed nearly a mile from its former position. It has been much altered and additions made, and has lost most of its former appear- ance.
Washington again visited Morristown with his army in the winter of 1779-80. On this occasion he was welcomed by Mrs. Theodosia Ford, the widow of Colonel Jacob Ford,
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
. STEK LENOX AND ILDEN FOUNDATIONS
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WASHINGTON AND THIE FORD MANSION
Jr., to the elegant mansion which her husband had built a few years before the War of the Revolution broke out. It was situated on a commanding site east of the town, overlooking a charming landscape in what- ever direction the view might be taken, and was beyond question the most desirable residence in the vicinity. Wash- ington reached it on December 1, 1779. This second win- ter was more severe even than the first, and the soldiers
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THE ARNOLD TAVERN.
(First headquarters of Washington at Morristown in 1777.)
suffered intense hardships. Washington strove to the ut- most to alleviate the distress of the troops, and was un- wearied in his attempts to afford the men all possible relief. The dwelling he occupied, though so capacious, was not capable of accommodating the great number of his military family and of his own servants and those of his hostess.
Great inconvenience was felt in the financial condition. The Continental currency, consisting simply of the prom-
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ises of the Congress to pay with no security to the holder, depreciated enormously, so that a month's pay of a soldier would hardly provide a day's provision for his family. At- tempts were made by the local authorities to establish a regular price for provisions and the common ordinary neces- saries of life, but the efforts were fruitless, as all such ex- periments have always proved to be. The citizens, espe- cially the women, of Morristown and of the county bravely bore the burden imposed upon them by the presence of the army. Fuel, provisions, forage, clothing, and stores of various kinds were fur- nished without murmuring to the great discomfort of the families of the inhabitants, for Morris County was patriotic to the core and did not hesitate when the demand came to aid in succoring the distressed men who were peril- ling all for the cause of freedom. Good Parson Johnes's wife and Silas Condict's wife set the exam- STATUE OF WASHINGTON IN WALL STREET, NEW YORK. ple of laboring for the relief of the troops. Mrs. Condict kept an old fashioned kettle of huge dimen- sions filled with a savory stew, steaming hot, hanging from the crane in her capacious fireplace, and by its side a bar- rel of cider with a pewter mug, to meet the wants of the hungry and thirsty soldiers. The parson's wife knit stock- ings for the barefooted men and encouraged others to do the same.
The Ford mansion is still standing, in excellent repair, unchanged from what it was when occupied by Washing-
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THE FORD MANSION
ton, but filled to overflowing with mementos of the great man who onee slept within its walls, and of the great war which he conducted to a successful termination. The edi- fire and the grounds around it have been purchased by a number of patriotic gentlemen for the purpose of preserv-
UNIFORMS OF BRITISH OFFICERS, 1776-79.
ing them as memorials of the presence of Washington at Morristown. They have gathered an innense mimber of articles connected with and commemorative of those times when the new born republic was in such peril. The pur- chasers became incorporated by a special act of tlie Legisla-
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ture of New Jersey, in addition to which an annual appro- priation of twelve hundred dollars is made by the State for the purpose of aiding the association.
Morristown is remarkable in other directions. It was the scene of the first ex- periments made with the telegraph. It is claimed by many that a Morristown citizen, Alfred Vail, is equally entitled with Pro- fessor Morse to the credit of inventing this appliance to man's com- fort. It is un- doubtedly cer- tain that Mr. Vail and the professor first e s t a blished, by actual ex- periments, that the tele- graph was practicable. Mr. Vail, in 1837, was a THE FIRST TELEGRAPH LINE. student in col- lege when xMorse brought the invention to his notice. His inclina- tions were strongly in the direction of electrical studies, and he soon became very much interested in its operations and aided the inventor in various ways, pecuniarly and by
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NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS AT SPEEDWELL
some very important and necessary improvements of his own. His father, Stephen Vail, at that time was a large iron manufacturer at Speedwell, near Morristown, where ample opportunity could be given for experiments.
Morse was invited to put up his poles and string his wires at Speedwell. Three miles of poles were erected and the necessary wires strung. On January 6, 1838, messages were sent over these wires by electricity, and the practicability of transmitting messages by that motive power for indefinite distances was demonstrated beyond doubt. The inventor and Mr. Vail were little aware of what possibilities there were in the future for their invention. But Alfred Vail has not received the honor he deserved for his part in the enter- prise. He is now dead, but he went to his grave with the full consciousness that injustice had been done to him. He was, however, a modest man, and chose rather to suffer wrong than to resort to courts to be righted.
Speedwell at one time was notable for other achieve- ments in the iron manufacture. Here, in 1819, was made the boiler used in the machinery which propelled the first steam vessel across the Atlantic. The English newspapers, especially the London Times, noticed in glowing terms the arrival of this boat, the " Savannah," in one of their ports, and described its beautiful proportions, the elegant and com- fortable provision made for the passengers in their state- rooms, the wonderful speed of the vessel, and its ability to move in any direction without the aid of sails.
CHAPTER XII
IIANNOVER TOWNSHIP
5 ANOVER TOWNSHIP was established by the order of the County Court in March, 1740, the year after Morris County was formed. It is bounded on the north by the Pequannock River, which divides it from Boonton and Montville, east by the Passaic River and Montville, south by Morristown and Chatham, and west by Rockaway. It is one of the largest in the county, contain- ing 29,747 acres. The ground in the eastern part is general- ly level, slightly inelining towards the river, with some occa- sional low grounds, but all easily cultivated. In the west are found some considerable elevations. Extending north- erly, nearly through the center of the township, are very extensive tracts of meadow land, some of which pass over from Morris Township, such as the Black and Beach Mead- ows. The Troy and Lee Meadows, however, are confined ex- clusively to Hanover. A portion of Hatfield Swamp crosses the river, extending from Caldwell in Essex County. There are about three thousand acres of this character of land. They are valuable possessions for the farmer, affording crops of excellent grass, and are easily drained and culti- vated.
Hanover was at one time connected with Hunterdon Coun- ty, forming part of what is now Morris when that was one township and called Hanover, and retained at its formation
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as a township in 1740 the name Hanover, then including a much larger extent of country than is now within its bounds. It is well watered by several streams, some of which come from other parts of the county; others have their entire course in Hanover. The Pequannock skirts its whole northern boundary and is a most important stream. It and its greatest tributary, Whippany, rise in Morris; Black Brook comes in from Chatham and joins its waters with the Whippany. Troy, Stony, and Parsippany Brooks are Han- over streams, as are several other streamlets, which all, in one way or another, finally end their course in the Passaic.
The population of this township is mostly agricultural and generally permanent in their residence. Lying outside of all railroad facilities for travel, it has not in- creased either in population or in manufactures, or in the valuation of its real estate in the same proportions as other municipalities. Before railroads were laid it had, com- paratively speaking, more appliances for freighting goods and produce and for ordinary travel than now. Two great turnpikes ran through the township, over which any kind of freight could be transported to markets, but at the pres- ent the course of travel and transportation has been changed. Efforts are now being made by which, in the near future, the railroad may be brought to the doors of the people, when a change will come and greater prosperity awaken them to their possibilities.
The villages in Hanover are Whippany, Malapardis, Mor- ris Plains, Monroe, Littleton, Mount Tabor, Old Boonton. Parsippany, Troy or Troy Hills, Hanover, and Hanover Creek, all within the bounds of the Passaic Valley. Whip- pany, or Hanover as it was once called, is the most impor- tant of these. Its present title, derived from the river, was spelled Whipanong, the Indian name given to the stream,
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WHIPPANY VILLAGE
upon both sides of which the village is situated. It is essen- tially a manufacturing locality of nearly if not quite one thousand people, sustained by the factories and mills find- ing advantageous sites for ntilizing profitably the water power of the river. There are three churches here : Presby- terian, Methodist, and Catholic. Factories for manufactur- ing paper and bricks have been established for several years, and some other mills find profitable employment. A rail- road now running from Morristown to Whippany, used ex-
DEPARTURE OF THE BRITISH TROOPS.
tensively for carrying freight, has been lately built, and is affording excellent facilities for this growing and interest- ing town. In the near future this road may become an im- portant viaduct for travel and transportation to the great emporinms in the vicinity.
The possibilities of Whippany cannot be estimated or forecasted, but it is certainly within the bounds of proba- bility that greater success may reward the efforts of its lead- ing men.
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One of the most interesting features of New England life is the introduction of the library system of education into their manufacturing towns and even their small villages. This method of instructing the masses, whose advantage in that direction in early life were meagre, and who are eager In maturer days to acquire knowledge, is one of the most practical of public blessings of this time, and has been fully appreciated by some far reaching benevolent minds. One of these institutions has been introduced into Whippany, through the exertions of Mr. H. C. Reynolds, one of the leading citizens of that town. It belongs to the Pas- saic Valley and to its people as well as to the town where it is located, and deserves all honor. In 1893 a large corner lot was purchased for the purpose of " The Whipanong Hall and Library Association," as this institution is called, and under which name it has been incorporated. The design of its founders is to promote the intellectual, social, and recreative interests of the community, with especial and primary reference to the intellectual part of the plan. The lot bought for that purpose was properly graded, and on it has been erected a commodions one-story building, thirty- five by fifty-two feet, with basement designed for general public uses. Here the elections of the precinct are held; the town officers and the Board of Registration meet here for the transaction of public business. A library room of good dimensions, with two thousand volumes of well se- lected books on its shelves, known as " The Mrs. J. W. Rob- erts Memorial," occupies a large part of the main room or hall, with a stage at one end. The postoffice of the town is located in the basement, the postmaster acting as librarian and general caretaker of the whole building. A large part of the funds necessary for the purchase of the lot, its prepa- ration for the building, and the erection of the building
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THIE WILIPANONG LIBRARY
itself has been provided by the generosity of the citizens of the town and of some gentlemen who were born in Whip- pany, but have removed elsewhere-especially Edward F. C. Young, of Jersey City, A. K. Ely, of New York City, and Silas Tuttle, of Brooklyn. Mr. Jonathan W. Roberts, of Morris Plains, George E. Voorhees, of Morristown, and about sixty others, citizens of Hanover, have contributed also in money and materials. The whole amount thus raised is three thousand dollars. At the front angle of the lot, on the street, a flag pole one hundred feet high has been planted, from which floats the national omblem of the re- public.
The founders hope soon to extend their plan, add to the building, increase the library room and the number of vol- umes, and make further provision for the wants of the com- munity, making intellectual improvement always the fore- most object of their attention. There are many other locali- ties in the valley where this good example might well be followed.
The utilization of that subtle element, electricity, has lately received much attention from scientists. There are some who do not hesitate to assert that, in the very near future, it is to be the motive power of the world. Man has already laid his hand on this hitherto elusive and marvellous force. made it subservient to his will, and obliged it to do his bidding. What are to be its possibilities, what may it be made to perform, who can foresee or prophesy? The plan has lately been formed of utilizing electricity in an enter- prise which, if carried out, will have its main operations in the Valley of the Passaic. It is the construction of a " high speed, standard gange electric railway " practically through the length and breadth of the valley. Unlike other electric roads, its projectors do not propose to occupy any high-
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ways and will have but few, if any, grade crossings, and in no way interfere with the free use for vehicles of all kinds over newly laid macadamized roads, for the construction of which so much money has been expended.
The plan as now outlined is extensive and far reaching. It is proposed to make, for the present, Newark the be- ginning point, thence pass over a private right of way, pro- cured by purchase, or condemnation if necessary, through such towns as Connecticut Farms, Springfield, Short Hills, Summit, Hanover, Whippany, Parsippany, Boonton, Rocka- way, and Dover, and terminate at Lake Hopatcong and Den- mark, with connecting lines on the west to Morristown and Mendham and on the east to Caldwell and Montelair. A further part of the plan is to make connections with exist- ing traction systems of three hundred miles in Essex, Hud- son, and Union Counties, and wherever practicable with established lines of ordinary railroads. It is claimed by the promoters of this road that means of forwarding freight and transporting passengers from their doors to the great emporiums can be afforded at cheap rates and by rapid transit by this new system of electric road, and also that through this mode of travel and transportation, by reason of its facilities, the price of coal and other necessaries of life will be cheapened, and the expense of travel for ordinary passengers lessened.
The greatest claim made on the citizens of the valley for support, however, is this: that those portions, which do not now have the benefits of railroads, by this plan will enjoy more advantages than though they could hear the scream of the steam whistle in their residences, as the introduction of this electric road, bringing it to the very doors of the in- habitants, will be the means of increasing the prosperity of all communities near or on its track, of appreciating the
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SETTLEMENT OF WHIPPANY
value of property, and stimulating generally att avenues of trade. The plan emanates from the busy brain of Mr. IL. C. Reynolds, the founder of the " Whipanong " Hall and Li- brary Association, who has given the subject the greatest at- tention, and has taken practical steps in developing the sys- tem, such as obtaining a charter, securing rights of way, and making surveys.
The history of Whippany is interesting for many reasons, especially for the character of its early settlers and the inthu- ence they had in directing the subsequent events which oc- curred in the county, in church, and State. Its set- tlement was How they took him prifoner inthe Caze 1607. undoubtedly the result of the investiga- tion of the &Smith bindeth afaluage tohis arme fighteth with the King of Pamaunkec and all his company, and flew 3 of tlum. " first discover- ers of Horse FROM AN OLD PRINT.
Neck, or Caldwell, and who suggested the purchase of that locality to the town meeting of Newark. Iron ore was to be found on the other side of the Passaic, and emigrants songht to reach the promised land. They came from Newark, from Elizabethtown, and the settlements adjoining. Whippany was reached; the beauty of its location and the advantages of the stream were seen and appreciated, and there these new comers pitched their tents. The ore was found at or near Succasunna, some fifteen or twenty miles distant. From there it was transported on the backs of horses to the forge at Whippany, and manufactured into iron, which was car-
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ried in the same primitive manner to market. This was in the beginning of the eighteenth century.
Here the first Presbyterian Church in the county was built. The story of that organization has already been part- ly related in these pages. The descendants of a few of these first settlers, if names are any indication, still linger in Whippany, such as Tuttle. Cook, Bates, Young, Shipman, and Freeman, and possibly Mills and Howell; but the larger part of the population bear names not carried there by any of the original immigrants.
Morris Plains is situated on a tableland elevated many feet above Morris Green, and embraces a large extent of country several miles square. The village proper is gath- ered in the central part of this tableland and south of the depot of the railroad, but the locality called Morris Plains stretches out from this central point in every direction. It is really situated in two townships, Morris and Hanover, but the larger part of it, especially that most thickly settled, including the State Asylum for the Insane, lies within the bounds of Hanover. Many wealthy persons have selected grounds in and near this locality for country and permanent residences, and lavished taste and money in their embellish- inent. A few of these may be mentioned : Richard A. Mc- Curdeg, Mrs. Stephen Whitney, Byron Sherman, Jonathan W. Roberts, George B. Raymond, Charles M. Marsh, and R. A. Granniss.
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