USA > New Jersey > Passaic County > Passaic > The Passaic valley, New Jersey, in three centuries.. Vol. 1 > Part 20
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THE PASSAIC VALLEY
ply with the rules and ordinances they had established for their own government. In making this claim they asserted nothing more than the head of any family who had estab- lished a home and rules for its guidance might properly de- inand from any stranger who should seek a permanent shel- ter under his roof.
Impressed with the idea that all things must be made sub- servient to religion, pure and undefiled, and to the glory of Almighty God, they deemed it a sacred duty to bring family, community, and State into conformity with this ruling principle dominating their whole lives, public and private: that the Creator must be made the first object of their influence. So they enacted a law in their colonies along the Connecticut that no one in those colonies should hold office or own land or vote William Exalford unless he were a member of some Congregational Church, nor should any be admitted as set- tlers unless they could pass the scrutiny of the town meetings. These laws were annulled, and the sterner souls, who believed in such legislation, re- solved to seek another home where they could enforce this rule to its fullest extent.
About this time the " Grants and Concessions " of Berke- leyand Carteret were scattered abroad in New England, and the attention of the Connecticut people was directed to the glowing accounts they contained of New Jersey and the promises of toleration made by them. But these men were prudent, and undertook no hasty, impulsive action. A dele- gation of some of their very best men, with Robert Treat at its head, was sent to New Jersey to view the land, to make negotiations with Governor Philip Carteret, the agent of the lords proprietors, and if expedient to make the neces-
337
ARRIVAL OF THE PURITANS
sary arrangements for a purchase. Robert Treat resided at Milford, and was at that time one of the most prominent men in Connecticut. He afterward became governor of that colony and died while in office.
The delegation came to New Jersey, saw Governor Car- teret, explored the country as far as Burlington and the Delaware River, and finally fixed upon the land on the Passaic where soon afterward were laid the primitive foun- dations of the goodly City of Newark.
These were the men who settled in Newark. and these are the circum- stances under which that settlement was made. These immigrants came from Milford, Branford, and Guilford, and some from New Haven. The first movement for the contemplated exodus seems to have come from Milford. It is evident JOHN WINTHROP, OF MASSACHUSETTS. from all the records that the people of that locality were prominent in the enterprise.
Before the initiatory step was taken the blessing of God was invoked. No important action, indeed no action what- ever, of any character, could have been taken by those pious men withont first seeking counsel with their Father in Ileaven and fervently praying for His blessing.
Before starting on their hazardous journey it was agreed that certain fundamental agreements should be made. These were signed on the 13th day of October, 1666, by
338
THE PASSAIC VALLEY
twenty-three heads of families, and on the 24th of June fol- lowing by forty-one more, aggregating sixty-four signers- all, as is supposed, heads of families. No record of the number of these immigrants can be found, but, taking the usual average number of persons in families, it is probable that very nearly three hundred people, men, women, and
COLONEL JOSIAH OGDEN SAVING HIS HAY ON SUNDAY.
children, were gathered together in " our Town on the Pas- saick " within a year after the first settler landed.
The fundamental agreement is so peculiar that it is given in full for the benefit of the reader:
October 30th, 1666.
At a meeting Touching the Intended design of many of the inhabitants of Branford the following was subscribed;
Deut 1. 23 1st. That none shall be admitted as freemen or free Burgesses
Exod 18. 31 within our Town upon Passaic River in the Province of New Deut 17 15. Jersey but such Planters as are members of some or other of the Congregational Churches, nor shall any but such be chosen to Magistracy, or to
339
THE FUNDAMENTAL AGREEMENT
carry on any part of Civil Judienture, or as deputies or assistants, to have power Jerem. 16. 21. to Vote in establishing Laws, and taking or Repealing them, or to any Chief Military Trust or Office. Nor shall any but such Church Members have any Vote in any such elections; Tho' all others admitted to Be planters have right to their proper Inheritance, and do and shall enjoy all other Civil Liberties and Privileges, According to all Laws, Orders, Grants which are or shall hereafter be made for this Town.
PART OF NEW YORK IN 1666.
2nd. We shall with Care and Diligence provide for the maintenance of the purity of Religion professed in the Congregational Churches. Whereunto sub- seribed the inhabitants from Branford.
This is signed by the following :
Jasper Crane, Abra Poirson, Saml Swaine, Laurance Ward, Thomas Blatchly, Ebenezer Camfield, John Ward. Senior, Ed. Bull, John Harrison, John Crane, Samuel Plum, Josiah Ward, Samuel Rose, Thomas Peirson, John Warde, John Catling, Richard Harrison, Thomas Huntington, Delivered Crane, Aaron Blatehly, Richard Laurance, John Johnson, Thomas L. Lyon.
On the 24th of June, 1667, the same fundamental agree- ment was signed by the following :
Robert Treatt, Obadiah Bruen, Matthew Camfield, Samuel Kitchell, Jeremiah Pecke, Michael Tompkins, Stephen Freeman, Henry Lyon, John Browne, John
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THE PASSAIC VALLEY
Rogers, Stephen Davis, Edward Rigs, Robert Kitchell, J. B. Brooke, Robert Lymens, Francis F. Linle, Daniel Tichenor, John Banldwin, Senior, John Bauld- win, Junior, Jona Tomkins, Geo. Day, Thomas Johnson, John Curtis, Ephram Burwell, Robert R. Denison, Nathaniel Wheeler, Zachariah Burwell, William Campe, Joseph Walters, Robert Daglish, Hans Albers, Thom: Morris, Hugh Roberts, Eph'm. Pennington, Martin Tichenor, John Browne, Jr., John Sear- geant, Azariah Crane, Samuel Lyon, Joseph Riggs, Stephen Bond.
Most of these names are represented in the present resi- dents of Newark, and many citizens of the State of New Jer- sey can trace their genealogies back to one or more of these original set- tlers.
The lords pro- prietors, who claimed to own the land where the im- migrants purposed to locate their new colony, had fully agreed that the landing might be made and a certain extent of country AN INDIAN CHIEFTAIN. used for the new settlement. The colonists, therefore, supposed they would have no difficulty in landing. But as they came to the bank of the river and went on shore they were met by some of the Hackensack Indians, who hunted over the lands in the north- ern part of New Jersey and fished in its rivers. These Indians refused to allow the immigrants to remain, and demanded that the goods which had been brought upon the land should be returned to their vessels. Governor Treat was armed
341
ARRIVAL OF THE PURITANS
with a letter from Governor Carteret to the chiefs of the tribe, but they insisted that the land was theirs, that it had not been bought from them, and disclaimed any author- ity of Berkeley and Carteret to sell, and still warned the newcomers to return. A few years afterward Robert Treat thus told the story in his own quaint way :
But no sooner was the Company present got on the Place and landed some of their goods than I, with some others, were by some of the Hackensack In- dians warned off the Grounds, and (they) seemed troubled and angry that we landed any of our goods there, tho' first we told them we had the Governor's order, but they replied the land was theirs and was unpurchased, and then we put our goods on board the vessels again. and acquainted the Governor with the matter.
Subsequently peace was made with the lack- ensarks, their claim was honestly met by the colo- nists, and the land deed- ed from the river to the foot of the Orange Moun- tains, and extending AN INDIAN KING. southward to the boundary line of Elizabethtown and northward in an indefinite manner, but sufficiently described so as to include the modern cities of Newark, Orange, and East Orange, the boroughs of Glen Ridge, Irvington, and Vailsburgh, the towns of Bloomfield, Mont- clair, and West Orange, and the townships of Belleville, Clinton, Franklin, Livingston, and South Orange. Other purchases were subsequently made from the Indians which
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THE PASSAIC VALLEY
included the rest of the present County of Essex. The con- siderations paid to the aborigines for these purchases were ridiculously insignificant according to modern ideas of values, but at the time, taking into consideration all the circumstances surrounding the transactions, they were abundant and the sellers were entirely satisfied.
The second purchase was confirmed by a deed so quaint and so interesting, and giving a specimen of the mode of conveying in those days, that it is copied into these pages and given verbatim et literatim, et puncteratim:
Know all men by these presents that Wee, Wapamnek the Sakamaker, and Wamesane, Peter, Captamin, Wreaprokikan, Nasseam, Perawac, Seasom, Mamns-
INDIAN TOTEMS.
tome, Cacanakque, and Hairish, Indians belonging now to Hackinsack, the known acknowledged proprietors of a certain tract of Land Lying on the west of Pesayak River, being parties on the one side, and Mr. Obadiah Brnen, Mr. Samuel Kitchell, Michael Tomkins, John Browne and Robert Denison, with the consent and advice of Capt'n Philip Carteret, Governor of the Province of New Jersey, and in behalf of ye Inhabitants now being or to be, ye possessors of the tract of Land Inserted in this Deed of Sale the other parties, Doe make this In- denture the Eleventh day of July, in the year of our Lord 1667 (being the en- larging and perfecting of a deed of Sale made With the Indians, the year before the present ) in manner and form following, viz .:
THAT WEE, the said Wapamuck the Sakamaker, and Wamesane, Peter, Captamin, Wreaprokikan, Nasseam, l'erewac, Sessom, Mammustome, Cacanakque, and Harish, doe for ourselves and with consent of the Indians, Bargain, Sell and Deliver, a certain tract of land, Upland and meadows of all sorts, Wether Swamps, Rivers, Brooks, Springs, fishings, Trees of all sorts, Quaries and Mines or Metals of what sort soever, With full liberty of hunting and fouling npon the
343
THE INDIAN DEED
same Excepting Liberty of hunting for the above said proprietors, that were upon the upper commons and of fishing in the above said Pesayak River, which said tract of Land is bounded and Limited with the bay Eastward and the great River Pesayak Northward, the great Croke or River in the Meadow running to the head of the Cove and from thence bareing a West Line for the South bound wh. said Great Creek is commonly called and known by the name Weequachick, on the West Line backwards in the Country to the foot of the great moun- THE Indian Primer taine ealled Watchung, being as is Judged O R. The way of training up of our Indiay Youth in the good knowledge of God, in the knowledge ofthe Scriptune and in an ability to Beade. about seven or Eight miles from Pesayak towne; the said Moun- taine as Wee are in- formed bath one branch of Elizabeth Towne Compofed by J. E. River running near the above said foot of the : L'un. 3 14,15. But kemmag- ivullen for nich naheuns warth kh palikastanaich, wab: «åt mountaine; the bounds northerly, viz, Pesayak River reaches to the 15, With watch kummakki fris- Ment Romabuio wanncetupara_ Mamme wuffkwhorgin. de. Third River along above the towne, ye River is called Yan- Cambridge, Primed 1667 .. takah, and from thenee upon a northwest line to the aforesaid moun- taine: all which before mentioned Lands for the several kinds of FAC-SIMILE OF THE TITLE-PAGE OF THE_PRIMER.OF.1669. them, and all the sin- gular benefits and Privileges belonging to them, with ye several bounds affixed and expressed herein, as also free liberty and range for Cattle, horses, hoggs, and that though they Range beyond any of the bounds in this deed Expressed, to feed and pasture Without Molestation of or damage to the owners of the eatthe &e aforesaid. Wee the above said Indians, Wapamuk &e. doe sell, Alienate and Confirm all our Right, Title and Interest of us, our heirs and Successors for- ever Unto the said Lands &e as above mentioned to Mr. Obadiah Bruen, Mr.
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THE PASSAIC VALLEY
Samuel Kitchell, Michael Tomkins, John Browne, and Robert Denison, townsmen and agents for ye English Inhabitants of Pesayak, to them their heirs and associates for Ever, to have, hold and dispose of, Without Claim, let or Molestation, from ourselves or any other Whatsoever. These Lands &c are thus solde and deliv- ered for and in consideration of fifty double hands of powder, one hundred barrs of lead, twenty Axes, twenty Coates, ten Guns, twenty pistolls, ten kettles, ten swords, four blankets, four barrells of beere, ten paire of breeches, fifty knives, twenty howes, eight hundred and fifty fathem of wampem, two Ankors of Liquers or some- thing Equivalent and three troopers Coates; these things are received, only a small remainder Engaged by them by bill. To the true and just performance accord- ing to ye true intent of our bargain, Wee ye said Obadiah Brnen and the rest above said doe for ourselves and onr heires, Ex'tors, Adm'n'tors, or Assigns, to the said Wapamuk &c the true proprietors of the said Lands doe bind and Covenant. Wee the said Wapamuk and the rest of the Indians above said doe fully sur- render, pas over and Yield up all our Right, privilege and power in the same, and to free the above said Lands from Claim, Incumbrances of What kind soever, all the above mentioned purchase Wee doe grant and deliver to Oba- diah Brnen and ye rest above said to them, their associ- ates, heires and all the lawful possessors. And for the full Ratification and testification of the above said bargain and agreements about the aforesaid traet and parcells of Land so bounded, Wee the said parties above mentioned INDIAN VASE. have hereunto Enterchangeably, sett our hands and seales, the day and year above said in the presence of Us Wit- nessing. Moreover Wee doe grant them free liberty to take what timber and stones they please in any of our Lands where Wee the above said Indians have propriety.
Obadiah Bruen, Michael Tomkins, Samuel Kitehell, John Browne, Robert Denison, Wapamuk, his marke, Harish, his marke, Captamin, his marke, Mamus- tome, his marke, Peter, his marke, Wamesame, his marke, Wekaprorikan, his marke, Caecanakrus, his marke, Sessom, his marke, Perawae, his mark.
Signed, Sealed and Delivered in presence of Samuel Edsall, Pierwim Sachem of Pan, his marke, Edward Burrowes, mark of Richard Fletcher, Classe, his marke.
In 1677-S another deed was made by the Indians which ex- plains itself, as will appear by the following copy :
WHEREAS by the original deed of sale made by the Indians to the inhabitants of the town of Newark, bearing date the Eleventh day of July, 1667, it is said to the foot of the Great Mountaine, called Watchung, alias Atchunek, Wee Win- ocksop and Shenocktos, Indians, and owners of the said Great Mountaine, for and
345
THE SECOND INDIAN DEED
in consideration of two Guns, three Coates, and thirteen kans of rum to us in hand paid, the receipe Wereof Wee doe hereby acknowledge, doc Covenant and declare to and with Mr. John Ward and Mr. Thomas Johnson, Justices of the peace of the said towne of Newark, before the Right Hon'ble Philip Carteret, Esq., Governeur of the Province of New Jersey and the other witnesses here under written, that it is meant, agreed and intended that their bounds shall reach or go to the top of the said Great Mountaine and that Wee the said In- dians will marke out the same to remaine to them the said inhabitants of New- ark their heires or assignes forever. In Witness Whereof Wee the s'd Indians have hereto set our hands and seales the 18th of March, 1677-8.
Winoeksop, his marke, Shenoektos, his marke, Signed, Sealed and Delivered in the presence of James Boller, Secretary, Hendrik Drogestadt, Sammel Har- rison.
This aeknowledge before me the day and yeare above written.
PHI. ('ARTARETT.
By these two deeds it is apparent that the settlement on the Passaic had no name at the time of the execution of the first deed, and that it had received the name of Newark be- tween the time of the date of the first deed and that of the second. It is generally supposed that the town was named after the city of that name in Yorkshire, England, where the Rev. Mr. Pierson, the first pastor of the church at New- ark, once lived.
O
SIGILL : CIVIT
NOV : EBORAC:
1383
SEAL OF NEW YORK IN 1686.
NY ENG 10
CHAPTER XXVI
THE FOUNDING OF NEWARK
N THE 13th of October, 1676, a warrant was issued by the proprietors " to lay ont for the use and bene- fit of the Town of Newarke so much Land as shall be convenient for Landing places within the said Towne, Land for a School House, for a Town house, Meeting House, a Market Place or Market Places, and two hundred Acres of Upland and Meadow in proportion for a Parson- age." This warrant was confirmed by a deed dated Decem- ber 10, 1696, which conveyed several other tracts besides the several parcels of land mentioned in the warrant, and also made this other conveyance: " the streets of the sayd towne of Newarke as they are now layed ont, viz: the high street to remaine about two chaine more or less in breadth and in length from Hugh Roberts brooke to the mill brooke thorow the Middle of the Towne; and the rest of the streets to be as they are now in breadth."
This street described as running from Ingh Roberts's brook north to Mill Brook or First River is undoubtedly Broad Street. Hugh Roberts's allotment was at the end of what is now Lincoln Avenue at the bifurcation of the road, where one highway goes to Elizabethtown and the other to Irvington. A small brook once ran across the street at his lot and made its way to the Salt Meadow.
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THE PASSAIC VALLEY
On the 7th day of " Apreill," 1713, a charter was granted by Queen Anne to Newark. In that charter the bounds of Newark are thus described :
All that Tract of Land now known by ye name of Newarke, Bounded Easterly by a Great Creek that Runs from Hackinsack Bay through ye Salt Meadow called by the Indians Wequahick and now known by ye name of bound Creek, and Continuing from ye head of Said Creek to the head of a Cove to a Markt Tree, from thence it Extended Westerly upon a Straight line by computation seven miles be the same more or Less to the End or foot of the Great Mountain and with Ridge thereof Called by the Indians Waechung, Near where runs a branch of Raway River, from thence extending on a Northerly course along the
NEWARK IN 1832.
Ridge of the said Mountain to a heap of Stones Erected to Asertain the Bound- ary between the s'd Town of Newark and the Town of Acquickatnunek, from thence Running a South East Course by Acquickatmuinck Bound to where the brook or Rivolet Called by the Indians Yantokah, but now known by the name of Third River, Emptieth itself into Pasayack River, and from thence Continu- ing Down along by the said Pasaiack and Hackingsack Bay to the mouth of said Bound Creek.
This Bound Creek was at one time navigable for small vessels, sloops, and periaguas of light burthen. A dock had been built on the east side of the road to Elizabethtown,
349
THE FOUNDING OF NEWARK
from which, in the early part of the nineteenth century, con- siderable trade with New York was conducted in wood, hay, and farm products. It also then abounded with fish of sev- Pral varieties, but it is now shrunken in its proportions and its waters are so polluted that all fish have been driven away.
When the first settlers in Newark left their Connecticut homes and came to their new habitation they brought with thom their beloved pastor, the officers, records, and com- munion service of their church, their wives and little ones, their old men and white-haired women. These they com- mitted with prayer to some rude vessels of the day, sailed THUS SE N LAND down the Connecti- 1632 eui River to Long Is- XII land Sound, then out into East River and to New York Bay, then through the Kills into Newark Bay, and thence up the Passaic River to their destination.
A romantic incident is connected with the debarkation. A young maiden, the daughter of Lieutenant Swaine, one of the prominent men of the company, and who afterward was honored by the colony with appointments to posts of honor, had promised to become the wife of losiah Ward, one of the passengers. The young lover had determined that his promised bride should be the first to put foot on the land of their new home. He so arranged matters that she was the first to land. She became the ancestress of the numerons and highly respectable family of Wards who are scattered all over the United States.
These first settlers in Newark were all men of substance,
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THE PASSAIC VALLEY
according to the notions of those days, and brought consid- erable wealth with them into their new home. Strange to say their minister, the Rev. Abraham Pierson, was the wealthiest man among them.
The site of the new town was soon settled, and then the colonists were confronted with the question as to what mode should be adopted for making a proper and honest division of the land among themselves. This problem seemed to have been solved without any great difficulty.
The method of governing the colony by the system of town meetings was introduced at once. These meetings were considered of the greatest importance. ONE CENT. Every citizen was The Corporation of the City of' New York promse to pay the Bearer ONE CENT on demand. obliged to attend. If 1 there were any ab- ONE CENT. sentees they were , New York 26th December; 1811 By Order of the Corporation . sought out by a com. Blucard. mittee expressly ap- pointed for the pur- ONE CENT. 1 Cent ONE CENT 1 Cent pose, and if no suffi- cient excuse could be given by the absentee he was promptly fined. Two persons were employed, one at the north and the other at the south end of the settlement, whose especial duty it was the day be- fore each meeting to give notice to all the inhabitants. At these assemblages all business relating to the colony and its interests, of every nature, was transacted, their ministers were called, their salaries settled, the schoolmasters were employed and their compensation fixed, plans for the erec- tion of school houses and church edifices were discussed and determined, courts of justice established, their judges and officers appointed and their fees limited, township offi-
351
WARD DIVISIONS
cors elected and their duties prescribed. This mode of gov- ernment was retained in Newark until 1836, when the Legis- Jature granted a charter which provided for the election of a mayor and common council. In 1832 the township had
Cock Loft Hali.
COCKLOFT HALL AND SUMMER HOUSE. I
been divided into four wards, which were each COCK LO represented by four alder- SUMMER HOUEL men. This arrangement of wards was retained in the charter; but now ( 1901) there are fifteen wards in the city, and many of these contain more population than there was in the whole city in 1832.
1 During the first decade of the nine- teenth century this property was owned by Gouverneur Kemble. It was a fav- orite resort of its young owner, the Irvings-Washington, Dr. Peter, and William,-JJames Kirke Paukhing, Cap- tain Porter (father of Admiral Porter), Henry Brevoort, and others, who made
the ancient mansion gay with their fun and frolic. It was christened " Cock- loft Hall" by Washington Irving, and called Mount Pleasant. The house was built by Nicholas Gouverneur, grand- son of Abraham Gouverneur, who mar- ried the daughter of Governor Jacob Leisler.
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THE PASSAIC VALLEY
At the first regular town meeting held October 30, 1666, partial arrangements as to the future government of the colony were made and the mode of dividing the land among the colonists discussed and settled. Streets were laid out, of which there were four principal ones : the broad street, running nearly north and south and as near the center of the prospective town as could be, with two parallel streets, one on the east and the other on the west. The broad street is now called Broad, that on the east,
first known as
the east back
lane, was named
Mulberry, and
that on the
west, first desig-
nated the west
back lane, was
named Wash-
ington. There
was also a road
running to the
WASHINGTON IRVING.
river, crossing the other three highways, which was then called the road to the ferry, but now known as Market Street. The land on these principal streets was then plotted into " Home " lots of about six or seven acres each. The land outside the town, that is the Salt Meadow and that on the hill, was thereafter to be partitioned into what were called " out " lots and divided. It was so ar-
353
DISTRIBUTION OF HOME LOTS
ranged by a vote of the town meeting that the inhabitants of the several towns in Connectient from whence they came should have their " home " lots together, in the same neigh- borhood, and adjacent to each other.
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