USA > New Jersey > Passaic County > Passaic > The Passaic valley, New Jersey, in three centuries.. Vol. 1 > Part 22
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EBOR
IBERT,
NEO
EXCEL.S
COLONIAL COIN.
CHAPTER XXVIII
IRVINGTON, MONTCLAIR, AND THE ORANGES
ERY soon after the date of the settlement of New- ark the colonists began to immigrate into the ad- jacent country. One of the descendants of Will- iam Camp, an original settler, went two or three miles southwesterly from Newark and founded what from his time until fifty years since was called Camptown, but is now known as Irvington. Land at the foot of the Orange Mountain was plotted and divided to some of the original settlers. As early as 1667 widow Hannah Freeman had a farm of forty acres allotted to her. By the description of Mrs. Freeman's loi it is learned that other lands had been apportioned to Richard Harrison, one of the original set- tlers. In August, 1675, Robert Symon, as the name ap- pears, received a lot of forty-four aeres bounded by the mountain and by the lands of John Baldwin, Samuel Swaine, and Richard Harrison. Baldwin and Swaine were also of the original immigrants. This name Symon is un- doubtedly an error. No such name appears among the signers of the fundamental agreement, but the name Rob- pri Lymens does.
In the same month of August, 1675, John Baldwin ob- tained forty acres " near the mountain," bounded by lands of John Ward, Captain Samuel Swaine, John Catlin, and
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Richard Harrison. These undoubtedly were divisions made subsequently to the first allotment, as all of these men appear as settlers who had received lots within the bounds of Newark proper. It is quite certain that before the beginning of the eighteenth century dwelling houses had been built at what was known during the Revolution as Tory Corner, now within the bounds of West Orange. Among these later divisions were some which are described as being on the upper branch of Rahway River. The set-
tlers on these and other lots in the vicinity of the mountain were some of those who founded the localities now known as Orange and West Orange. The Harrisons, Dodds, and Williams have always abounded in all the Oranges.
These outside settlements gradually increased until Belle- ville, Bloomfield, Orange, and Springfield became well known and recognized localities. But when they were first settled can not be accurately ascertained. They were all of gradual growth-first, a solitary settler reared his log cabin, a beginner, perhaps, in his manhood career and plan- ning for the future; then came another until at last the set- tlement assumed such proportions that it required a name. One of these had its origin in the erection of a dwelling near the east side of the mountain, between Bloomfield and Caldwell, by a descendant of Azariah Crane, a prominent first settler in Newark. Others of the same patronymic gathered around him, and the name Cranetown adhered to the locality for more than a century. It has now spread, and a beautiful town has climbed up the east side of the mountain and occupied the valley beneath. Newcomers of taste and wealth appreciated the desirable sites for resi- dences and utilized them for their permanent homes. It is now called Montelair, and has grown from the insignificant hamlet to a town numbering, as will appear by the last
"GLENMONT ": THE RESIDENCE OF THOMAS A. EDISON.
M
-
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national census, 13,962 people, living in four wards. It is a town of residences mostly, with no great manufacturing interests. The facilities of travel afforded by the two rail- roads which reach it from New York, its beautiful situation and healthful air, make it a desirable place of residence,
THE DOREMUS HOUSE AT BLOOMFIELD.
and many have availed themselves of the opportunity thus given.
Between Montclair and Newark, in an extensive valley spreading over nearly its whole surface, more than a hun- dred years ago was a small village peopled largely by Dodds and Baldwins, all descended from the Baldwins and Daniel Dod, who came to Newark in 1666. The name Bloomfield was given to this village in 1796 in honor of Governor
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MONTCLAIR AND BLOOMFIELD
Joseph Bloomfield, one of the most distinguished men of his time in New Jersey.
Governor Bloomfieldl was an officer in the Revolutionary Army, a lawyer of excellent reputation, the compiler of a volume of the statutes of New Jersey, and governor and chancellor of the State for several years. Bloomfield is still strongly controlled by the element representing its first settlers, who possess the uprightness and adherence to principle and right of their ancestors.
Montelair has received so large a volume of immigration of other blood than that found in its early settlers that the influence of the ancestors has in a great measure given place to that of the newcomers. But this has occasioned no loss of benefit to the interests of the municipality or of its citizens. Bloomfield in 1900 had a population of 9,668, and is divided into four wards.
The representatives of the first immigrants into Bloom- field are permanent in their habits and residences, and hold fast to the sturdy characteristics of their progenitors. They are steady supporters of their church organizations and gladly maintain their institutions of learning. The Pres- byterian denomination has sustained successfully for many years a seminary at this place for the education of German young men for the ministry. There are some manufactures in the town which have interjected an element possessing several qualities of mind and action somewhat foreign to those of the majority of the people, but there has been no serions clashing of the two classes. Bloomfield was, until the year 1812, a part of Newark, and was known as Bloom- field Ward.
In 1806 its southern line was established, but it was not until 1812 that it became an independent township. In all
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its history, especially prior to 1812, it was closely identified with Newark.
West Orange was incorporated in 1862, and was formed by adding together portions of Orange, Caldwell, and Liv- ingston. In the act of incorporation it was first called Fair-
ENTRANCE TO LLEWELLYN PARK.
mount. In 1863 its boundary lines were altered and its name changed to West Orange. It is situated very nearly in the center of the county, and has within its bounds the beautiful residential locality known all over the country as Llewellyn Park, established many years ago by Llewellyn S. Haskell, now dead, whose first name was adopted as its title.
Llewellyn Park is beautiful for situation, and is embel-
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LLEWELLYN PARK
lished by many dwellings of a very high order of archi- lecture, both as to erection and as to details. The park contains over eight hundred acres, and is situated in the eastern part of the township near the line of Orange. Mr.
BUST OF LLEWELLYN S. HASKELL.
Haskell came to New Jersey in 1855, and surveyed the ground now covered by the park. He appreciated at once the great natural beauties of the locality, and understood how it might be utilized by art combined with its natural aspects into one of the most desirable situations for the
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erection of residences. Every possible detail of an inviting landscape was there-mountain, brook, vale, copse, forest, ground rising from the valley up the side of the mountain, rock, and springing grass.
Mr. Haskell mapped out in his artistic fancy the future of the scene, the creation of lake, winding roads, laby- rinthine paths, vine-clad rocks, sheltered nooks, and the necessary adjuncts to homes of taste and elegance. He first bought five hundred acres and afterward three hundred more, and at once began his oper- ations. The result has been the creation of one of the most won- derfully complete and romantic grounds, fitted exclusively for the residences of those who de- light in such scenes as there surround them.
Mr. Haskell died in 1872, but he lived long enough to see his Thomas a Edison dream fully realized in the lo- cation he had so beautified by his artistic taste. It is now filled with the happy homes of those who have profited by the forethought and wisdom of the founder of Llewellyn Park. The dwellers in this fairylike scene have mani- fested their gratitude to Mr. Haskell by placing his life- size bust on a granite pedestal at its entrance.
Thomas A. Edison, the famous inventor, has a residence here, and many wealthy business men of New York have reared their permanent homes and adorned them with all that wealth could procure or taste invent.
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SAINT CLOUD AND WEST ORANGE
Saint Cloud, a small hamlet situated on a high elevation of First Mountain, was the residence of General George B. Me- Clellan for several years and at the time of his death. Through his exertions a handsome church edifice devoted to the worship of God according to the forms of the Presby- terian denomination was erected at this place and a con- gregation gathered within its walls. The general contribu- ted largely to the erection of this building and to the sup- port of the services of the sanctuary, and was one of the ruling elders of the organization.
The population of West Orange is somewhat seat- tered over its northern part, but at its southern end there is a compact- ness of buildings, once part of Orange proper, but taken from that city when West Orange GEORGE B. M'CLELLAN. was incorporated. At this southern extremity is the Episcopal Church of Saint Mark's, whose congregation have experienced many vicissi- tudes in their history. Beginning with a very small member- ship, they have now become one of the strongest and most prosperous organizations of their denomination in New Jer- sey. The Rt. Rev. William R. Whittingham, for many years Bishop of Maryland, was in his early manhood the rector
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of Saint Mark's, receiving a salary of four hundred dollars. The Williams and Harrison families, many of whom resided in this vicinity, were its liberal supporters and really its founders. One of the Williams family, the Rev. James A. Williams, D.D., for many years, from the time he was or- dained deacon and up to his death, was its rector.
There are some manufacturing interests in West Orange, but outside of the vicinity of Saint Mark's Church the peo- ple are agricultural and residential. A branch of the Rah- way River rises in its northern part and runs through the valley between the two ranges of mountains in the township of Milburn, affording at one time, when water power was more desirable than at present, large facilities for mills.
West Orange is divided into four wards, and in 1900, ac- cording to the census, had a population of 6,889. It was the home of Anthony Thompson, the last slave in Essex County. He was born in Raritan, Somerset County, in 1798, and was sold when an infant with his mother to Samuel M. Ward, of Montclair, who freed him by his will. He bought his mother's freedom for one hundred dollars when he was twenty-six years old. He lived with the Williams family at Tory Corner, and died in 1884, near Eagle Rock. At nineteen years of age he united with the Presbyterian Church and continued his membership until his death. He lived and died respected and beloved.
South Orange was identified with Newark, forming part of that town, its inhabitants voting with the other inhabit- ants of that very large township, until 1806, when Orange Ward was created, but the ground covered by that ward was still a part of Newark. The elections during many years prior to 1806 were held at different places in the township-one day at Orange or at some other locality out- side of Newark, and the other day at Newark, generally
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DIVISION OF NEWARK INTO WARDS
at some tavern, but in later times one day at the court honse.
It will probably be interesting to readers to know the division of Newark into these wards. At the town meet- ing held April 14, 1806, it was resolved that the " Township Committee, together with the Assessors, be authorized to divide the Township into three districts, for the purposes
THE BALDWIN HOMESTEAD.
of Assessment and collection, and that each person be taxed in the Destrict where he resides for all his taxable property in the Township." On May 9, 1806, this report appears in the town records :
Agreeable to the fifth Resolve passed at the last annual Town meeting, a meeting of the Township Committee and Assessors was held at the house of Samuel Munn in Orange on the ninth day of May 1806-when it was agreed that the following should be the division lines., Beginning at the Green Island in Pasaik River; and running from thence to the Boiling Spring on lands of Phinehas Baldwin, Dec'd and from thence to the Bridge of the Slough between
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the houses of Jonathan Baldwin and Elihn Pierson and from thence to the Bridge near Silas Dodd's, and from thence to the Bridge near Martin Richards, and from thence to Turkey Eagle Rock on the top of the first Mountain, which we agree shall be the division line between the Bloomfield Ward and the Wards of Newark and Orange. And also that the line between Newark Ward and Orange Ward shall begin at the af'd Boiling Spring; and from thence run- ning to Pecks Bridge on Green Meadow Brook ; and from thence to the Bridge called Coleman's Bridge, and from thence following the River called Elizabeth or Elizabeth River to the line of the Township of Elizabeth. Wit- ness our hands this ninth day of May 1806.
D. D. Crane, Thos. Baldwin, Stephen Hays, Stephen D. Day, Township Com- mittee. Elias A. Baldwin, John Dodd, Nathan Squier, Assessors.
STONE HOUSE AT SOUTH ORANGE.
South Orange was undoubtedly settled by immigrants from Newark. In 1680, September 27, the town meeting made this resolve :
Item: Nathaniel Wheeler, Edward Riggs and Joseph Riggs have a Grant to take up Land npon the upper Chestnut hill hy Raway River near the Stone House, provided they exceed not above fifty Aeres a piece.
This certainly was within the bounds of what is now Milburn, or near there in South Orange. A very ancient stone house is still standing on the line of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, near Maplewood, at which sixty years ago there was a stopping place. It seemed
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SOUTH AND EAST ORANGE
no older then than it is now. Whether this is the edifice referred to in the description just quoted can not be ascer- tained. The existence, however, of a stone house in that part of the township of Newark so early as 1680, only four- teen years after the settlement at Newark, proves satis- factorily that the migrations from the parent colony had already reached a point distant several miles from New- ark, and gives some evidence of the time when South Orange began to be peopled. That date can be reached in no other way. This old stone house in one point answers the description of the one mentioned in the record of the town meeting of September 27, 1680. It is situated near a brook, and a stream called the Stone House Brook is mentioned in an old description of some land in that vicin- ity. The names most prominent in the early settlement of South Orange are Ball, Brown, Baldwin, Pierson, Tillou, Moore, Freeman, Riggs, Tichenor, and Tompkins, all New- ark names.
South Orange village is a portion carved out of the town- ship immediately surrounding the town, and was incor- porated with village powers. The township in 1900 had a population of 1,630, and the town numbered 4.608 in the same year.
East Orange is only a continuation of the City of Orange, the two cities being so intimately connected and identified in their history and progress that it is difficult to separate them historically. East Orange is not a suburb of Orange; it is really physically a part of it. The streets of each are common to both, and run from the territory of one into that of the other with the same names, continuing their course in the same directions until they end. Fifty years ago the country of this municipality was pastoral in its appearance, being occupied mostly by farmers. The ground
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was undulating, well adapted for agriculture. The dwell- ings were comfortable, but of ordinary architecture, and farmlike. In 1863 the bounds of the township as defined by its act of incorporation were these :
Beginning at a line between the town of Orange and the Township of Sonth Orange, where the centre of Centre Street in said town of Orange would inter- sect said line, thence in a Northerly or Northeasterly direction to a point in the north side of Main Street in the said town of Orange where the line between the land of Caleb G. Harrison and Nathan W. Piersen near the corner of Baldwin and said Main Street would intersect the north side of said Main Street, thence in a North or Northwesterly direction to a large oak tree, on the lands and near the residence of William Patterson, thence in a North- erly or Northwesterly direction to a point on the East side of Park Street in said town of Orange, where the angle in said street near the residence of Aaron Will- iams would intersect said point, thence on in the direction of the last mentioned line to the west side of said Park Street, thence in a Northerly or Northeasterly direction to a point in the centre of the bridge over the Nishayne brook, where the south side of Dodd Street (or the street running from David Riker's store to the Orange Cemetery ) would intersect the said point; thence in a Northerly or north Easterly direction to a point in the centre of the North side of the bridge near the residence of Henry Stickney and thence to the line of the last mentioned line to the line between the town of Orange and the township of Bloomfield, thence along the line between the said town of Orange and the town- ship of Bloomfield to the line between the town of Orange and the City of New- ark, thence along the line between the said town of Orange and the said City of Newark to the line between the town of Orange and the township of South Orange, thence along the line between the said town of Orange and the said township of South Orange to the place of Beginning.
The population formerly resident here is now represented, and the influence of these representatives is still felt and felt for the right.
For some time after the incorporation of East Orange as a township a large majority of its officers bore names which were unmistakably those of the first settlers in this part of Essex County, such as Munn, Harrison, Crane, Williams, Condit, Peck, Hedden, Ward, Doremus, and others. It is however, very doubtful whether these descendants of the old stock would have awakened to the beauty of situation
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EAST ORANGE
of East Orange, or to its desirability as a place of residence, had if not been for the impetus given to a new order of af- fairs and for the wisdom and forethought of the new ele- ment interjected into the town during the last years of the nineteenth century. That element was progressive, wisely
COUNTRY CLUB HOUSE : HUTTON PARK.
so, and under their guidance an nuparalleled stride in im- provements has been made. East Orange has become one of the most beautiful and best regulated municipalities in the State, and it may be safely said in the whole country. The improvements introduced have been made in the most
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judicious manner, with no mad, impulsive rush, but with forethought and judgment. Streets have been laid out and bettered for the benefit of the public; school houses and churches have been erected which are ornamental to the city, and at the same time have served the purposes of their erection; pure water has been introduced and placed with- in the reach of all; private dwellings have been built with taste and with all appliances for household purposes. Some of these have been noble, stately structures, equalled by very few in the State. It is apparent that the aim in all these improvements for city and public purposes has been made by practical and sagacious men.
East Orange is remarkable for the elegance of its church edifices, many of which are models in architecture and ap- pliances for the uses to which they are devoted. The city is unsurpassed in the facilities provided by the generosity of its people for the education of its youth and for the re- ligious needs of its citizens.
From a few farm houses it has stretched its mass of com- pact buildings, public and private, over almost the entire surface of the city. It is divided into five wards and has a population, as indicated by the census of 1900, of 21,506, showing an increase in ten years of nearly forty per cent., the people in 1890 numbering 13,282.
LUM
TY & COM
ALBO
LEE
RCE
ONE
CENT
COLONIAL COIN.
71
K
CHAPTER XXIX
CLINTON, FRANKLIN, BELLEVILLE, VERONA, CALDWELL
LINTON TOWNSHIP was so identified with New- ark until 1835 that it is difficult to write of it his- torically prior to its creation. All the interests of the smaller corporation were merged in those of the larger. The territory now belonging to Clinton was controlled and parcelled out by the town meeting of New- ark precisely as that of any other part of the colony, and the officers of Newark governed the people of Clinton pre- vious to 1835.
The name Clinton was bestowed on the new township in honor of De Witt Clinton, the progressive governor of New York and the projector of the Erie Canal. But prior to the incorporation and for some time after that event the name Camptown had been appropriated by the small settlement made by immigrants from Newark in its early history. It was easy for any who desired to go out from among the first colonists in " our town on the Pesaiack " to reach the beautiful rolling grounds and the fertile valleys found only two miles southward.
There has been an attempt made to derive the name Camptown from some imaginary fact connected with the presence of Washington in Essex County during the Revo- Intion. But the attempt is not sustained by evidence. Will- iam Camp, one of the signers of the fundamental agreement, and who became prominent in the new colony, was granted
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land now lying within the bounds of Irvington, and many members of his family were born in this vicinity and became influential in public affairs. The name undoubtedly is de- rived from these circumstances. But it became unsavory. Some wags who delighted in mischief invented jokes and, perhaps, some alleged facts which rendered the name odious. Young bloods did visit the tavern at Camptown for a frolic or a dance, and might have indulged in some scenes worse than frolics or dances; but the inhabit- ants of the village and the adjacent country were sober, sedate, and Chris- tian men and women, and onght not to have suffered from the misdeeds of oth- er's.
"Campiown Navy Yard" was burlesqued and laughed about and flouted and jeered until Dowith Clinton discreet men, who really knew nothing about the facts, began to believe that no locality deserving the name really existed. In fact there was no real navy yard, but there was a veritable manufac- tory where sloops and periaguas were certainly built for a trade of some magnitude between New York and New- ark and the surrounding country. These vessels were manufactured at Vinegar Hill, near Bound Brook, carried from there to that stream, and launched on its waters to freight wood, hay, and farm produce to New York and bring
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CLINTON TOWNSHIP'
from there goods in exchange. This trade has long since been destroyed by the water in Bound Brook becoming too shallow to float the vessels.
The first settlers in Clinton came undoubtedly from New- ark, their names being Camp, Brown, Pierson, Harrison, Riggs, Tompkins, Lyon, Roberts, and Johnson. Many of these first settlers were men who aided in establishing New- ark and actually signed the fundamental agreement. One of these had granted to him a lot of land lying on Elizabeth River, which runs through the township from north to south and in the immediate vicinity of Ir- vington. This stream fifty years ago was largely utilized for water power. Three large ponds were dammed up on its course and quite extensive factories and mills established.
The eastern end of the township runs into the Salt Meadows and envelops 628 acres of tide marsh. From this extent of country Hair Bound Brook flows into the up- land. This stream is historical. CLINTON ARMS. It forms the boundary between Newark and Elizabeth- town. Just south of its entrance into Clinton upland is found, where the State fair grounds are established. On the west of these grounds it has been proposed to gather the waters of the brook into a lake, which has already been uamed Weequahick. A few houses and one or two hotels have gathered around the fair grounds and the title Waver- ley has been given to it.
In November, 1852, the name Camptown was obliterated
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and Irvington took its place in honor of Washington Irving, the accomplished American author, who has done so much to raise the standard of American literature in England and elsewhere. Irvington is now incorporated with town pow- ers, and is governed by trustees elected by the people. It has three churches : the Reformed, Christian, and Methodist -all well organized and flourishing. A school house of excellent proportions and well supplied with teachers and
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