The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 126

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards
Number of Pages: 1220

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728

HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Charles French, a son of Charles French, owned and occupied a large tract of land in the easterly part of this township, whereon stood a grist- mill. A large portion of this tract is now occupied by Albertson Lippincott, but the mill has been taken down. It is bounded by the county line, the south branch of Pensaukin Creek, from which stream the pond was raised. Charles French was a progressive man, and his specialty was "straight roads," and he was the terror of all the old fogies in this region, who were willing to let well enough alone. Many amusing anecdotes are told of him in this connection. One of his neighbors was so aggrieved by having new roads cut through his lands and timber that he sold out to get clear, as he said, of "French's straight roads." He purchased another tract of land near Blackwoodtown, and, as he thought, entirely beyond the reach of his old enemy. Things went smoothly for several years, but one day the old man found Charles French, Anthony Warrick, John Hyder, John Clement (as surveyor) and others standing in his door-yard prospecting for a line whereon to place a straight road going toward Blackwoodtown. After some talk he concluded to accept the situa- tion, and admitted the impossibility of getting away from the progress of things in general and Charles French in particular. On another occa- sion, when the opponents of a road were hotly pressing the advocates, and were likely to defeat the improvement, he, to keep with the surveyors, left his horse and carriage in the woods. The proposed road was several miles long, and in the excitement Charles French forgot his horse and carriage and rode home with one of his neighbors. After supper the woolly head of Bob, his old ser- vant, was seen in the door-way. He said, " Boss, whar's de hoss and wagon ?" After some reflec- tion the old gentleman told old Bob where he left them hitched in the woods, to which place the colored man resorted and found everything safe, but the horse restive and cold. He was an exten- sive dealer in ship stuff and heavy lumber, sup- plying Philadelphia builders with their keels and largest pieces. His teams were of the best, and his drivers and axemen would relate many incidents of his energy and resources when fast in the swamps, with wagons broken, horses mired and men discouraged. In his later years he removed to Moorestown, where he died at a ripe old age, respected by all who knew him.

William Bates, who was one of the colony that settled Newton in 1682, before his death, which occurred in 1700, purchased land in Delaware township, which was left to his son William, who

married an Indian girl and settled upon the land now owned by Joseph C. Browning. His descend- ants were numerous, and some of them still reside in the township, in the village of Batesville.

The foregoing sketch of the early settlers of Del- aware township may not include all of the original families, but enough has been shown to locate the first settlers on most of the lands embraced within the present limits.

OLD HOUSES .- The most conclusive evidence of the early settlement of the township by well-to-do people is the character and the substantiality of the early residences, many of which are still in a good state of preservation. Among them are those of Amos E. Kaighn, built in 1736 ; Hannah Lip- pincott's, 1742, built by Thomas and Letitia Thorn ; J. Ogden Cuthbert's, 1742, built by Samuel and Mar- tha Coles; Edward Burrough's, 1761, built by Jos. Burrough.

This township being peculiarly an agricultural one, many of the farms are known by names which in many instances have been handed down from generation to generation. Among those familiar- ly known are the following :

Brookfield Farm, owned and occupied by Isaac W. Nicholson.

Cherry Hill Farm, owned and occupied by heirs of Abram Browning.

Cooperfield Farm, owned and occupied by Amos E. Kaighn. Cedar Grove Farm, owned and occupied by Samuel L. Burrough. Murrell Farm, owned and occupied by Samuel M. Heulings. Woodland Fsrm, owned and occupied by Edward Burrough. Pleasant Valley Farm, owned and occupied by Joseph Hinch- man.

Woodbine Fsrm, owned and occupied by William C. Wood. Locust Grove Farm, owned and occupied by Elwood Evans. Deer Park Farm, owned and occupied by Joseph O. Cuthbert. Green Lawn Farm, owned and occupied by Elwood Rockhill.

Thorndale Farm, owned by Hannah D. Lippincott and occupied by her son, William T. Lippincott.

New Orchard Farm, owned and occupied by Joseph H. Coles. Hickory Hill Farm, owned and occupied by George W. Moore, Alexander Cooper and Edward W. Coffin.

Locust Hill Farm, owned and occupied by Aquilla Hillman and brother.

ELLISBURG .- The originators of the hamlet of Ellisburg may be traced to the days when a mania for straight roads pervaded the land, when the old crooked and indirect highways were heing abandoned and the people were seeking a better and quicker means of traveling. The new road from Evesham to Camden crossed the land of Isaac Ellis, and soon after the road from Moorestown to Haddonfield was laid and found to intersect the before-named highway on the land of the said owner. This at once became a public place, and a tavern, blacksmith-shop and some dwellings were soon erected there and the surrounding property advanced in value. It is in the midst of a good agricultural neighborhood, and the descendants of

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THE TOWNSHIP OF DELAWARE.

many of the old families occupy the ancestral acres still. The old Burlington and Salem road passed a short distance to the east of the town and crossed the north branch of Coopers Creek about half a mile above the present bridge. This old bridge had its tradition, for Dr. Tommy, the only physi- cian of that day in the neighborhood, in returning home one night after visiting a patient at the tav- ern at Haddonfield, missed his footing as he was crossing the bridge, and was drowned. His body was found the next morning, but the place was " haunted " ever after that time, and Dr. Tommy's ghost was often seen by those passing, especially if they had indulged in the "hot toddy " as fur- nished by the landlord of the hostelry before named. Some of the oldest and most influential people of the county lived in this neighborhood. Benjamin Burrough owned and lived where William Graff now resides; Edward Collins owned the Logan Paul plantation and lived there; Charles Ellis owned the land late Job B. Kay's, and lived near the creek ; Samuel Ellis and Isaac Ellis occupied land near by; and Samuel Kay, Mathias Kay and John Kay lived higher up the creek; and Benjamin B. Cooper, always an active and progressive man, occupied the old Cooper homestead, west of the Ellis land. John Coles, Samuel Coles and others had farms father north, but were considered neigh- borhood folks, and were always at funerals, har- vest and hog-killings.

The village is located at the intersection of the Moorestown and Haddonfield road and the Cam- den and Marlton turnpike, near the centre of the township, on a part of the land embraced in the first purchase of Simeon Ellis from Margaret Hugg, a daughter of Francis Collins. Simeon died in 1773, and left this tract to his son Isaac, who first settled here and built part of the present tavern- house. Before the days of railroading this hos- telry did a thriving business, being a place of resort for drovers and stock-dealers, which at times made it a sort of bazar for the farmers of the surrounding country, and thousands of cattle, sheep and horses have been sold from the stable and yards attached to the hotel. In 1831 the township of Waterford and the school district united in erecting a building for school purposes, in which. the town-meetings and elections were also held until 1885. In the spring of that year William Graff, a near-by resident farmer, who has acquired most of the Ellis farm, which was formerly attached to the hotel, donated a lot of land ad- joining the school property to the township of Delaware, upon which to erect a Town Hall. This offer was accepted, and the present building

erected during the year, and finished in time to hold the annual fall election in it. Mr. Graff also donated another lot adjoining the Town-House lot to the Baptist Sunday-school of Haddonfield, provided they established a Sunday-school and built a chapel thereon, which offer was also ac- cepted, and the present neat edifice erected. The old school-house still stands on the land donated by the present Joseph Ellis in 1831, and although raised to the dignity of a two-story building and a graded school, and equipped with modern school furniture, the old foundations still remain, and the marble slabs over the doorway and in the end of the building bear evidence of its former use. The hotel building is still kept as an inn and tavern, yet much of its former glory has departed. The post-office is located in the store of Thomas Rexon, which is the only mercantile establishment in the place. The carriage and blacksmith-works of William Heaney are new buildings and are doing a thriving trade. Joseph Ellis is the only person of the name still residing in the village. He is the son of Isaac Ellis, and a great-grandson of Simeon, who died in 1773. He is now nearly four-score years of age, yet possesses a memory still fresh and vigorous and replete with many interesting episodes of his early manhood. He kept the hotel for a number of years, and afterwards directed the operations of his farm. He married Nancy, a daughter of Joseph Champion, who is still the companion of his advanced years. His remaining children are all daughters,-Martha, who married James Wills; Sarah, who married Samuel M. Heulings; Elizabeth, who married George C. Kay; and Hannah, who remains sin- gle. His son, Joseph C. Ellis, died in 1885, leav- ing one child to bear the name.

A school-house was located upon the farm now owned by Samuel M. Heulings, as early as April 18, 1775, known as Murrell's School, but has long since been lost sight of by the present in- habitants. It was no doubt the forerunner of the Ellisburg School, which was built by sub- scription. The land upon which this building stood is not mentioned in the annals, although the date of the subscription is Fourth Month 16, 1806. The following were the subscribers: Samuel Ellis, Charles Collins, Isaac Cooper, Elizabeth Kay, Samuel Kay, Benjamin Burrough, Mahlon Matlack, Joseph Griffith, Samuel C. Davis, Ruben Burrough, John Cole, Isaac Luallen, Isaac Ellis, Abel Nicholson, Edward Collins, Mathias Kay, Samuel Murrell, George Marambach, Charles Ellis, Joseph Champion, Benjamin Cooper, James Zane and Samuel Thene.

730

HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

The post-office was established November 5, 1852, since which time the succession of postmas- ters, with the dates of their appointment, has been as follows :

Elwood H. Fowler, appointed November 5, 1852.

Simeon B. Ellis, appointed May 4, 1854.

(Discontinued February 25, 1855 ; re-established April 14, 1856.)

Elwood H. Fowler, appointed April 11, 1856.

Joseph Ellis, appointed August 19, 1867.

(Discoutinned February 10, 1868 ; re-established August 25, 1871.)

Joseph C. Ellis, appointed August 25, 1871.

William Graff, appointed October 29, 1872.

Thomas Rexon, the present incumbent, appointed September 21, 1874.

BATESVILLE .- The village of Batesville, situated on the western central border of the township, is the natural overflow of the borough of Haddon- field and is named after William Bates, who owned considerable property in that vicinity, laid out the land in lots and built the house at the junction of the Milford and Berlin roads, now kept as a hotel by his grandson, Robert Bates. The population of this village in 1870 numbered eighty-six, and since that time no distinct census of its inhabitants has been taken, although there is an evident in- crease in its population. Stores, blacksmith and wheelwright-shops have all been located in the place, but as the abilities of the proprietors in- creased they soon removed to Haddonfield or other localities. The growth of this place is caused by home-seeking citizens who enjoy the ownership of a quiet rural home where they can rear their families and enjoy the rewards of their toil in a peaceful and moral community.

COLESTOWN .- In the eastern part of the town- ship, and about a mile east of St. Mary's Church, is Old Colestown proper. But little remains to show what constituted the business of the place. The location is on the farms of Thomas Roberts, Jo- sephi C. Haines and the property of Watson Ivins. The attraction of the locality was a mineral spring with an unfailing supply of water. The owner of this stream had the water analyzed and the record of the analysis was cut in letters on a marble slab and set up beside the spring for all to read. The owner is supposed to have been Allenson Giffins, who built a hotel or sanitarium, which was known as the Fountain Hotel, and was the resort of num- bers of invalids and became quite famous in its day. This spring is located on the farm of Joseph C. Haines, but has become so filled up as to be difficult to find.

The Fountain Hotel property finally passed in- to the possession of Joseph Roberts, and was ac- quired by his son Isaac, who used it as a residence for several years, and his daughter Susanna, the wife of the present William D. Coles, was born in the old

hotel. About thirty-eight years ago Isaac Roberts moved the frame part of the building to the farm now owned by Joseph C. Haines, and with the brick and stone constructed the front of the pres- ent farm-house, while the original frame consti- tutes the remainder of this building and is now a substantial, modern edifice.

The marble slab that stood by the spring was removed by Joseph C. Haines, the present owner, and does service as a door-step at his residence, near Lumberton, Burlington County.

Allenson Giffins or his ancestors at one time kept a tan-yard near the hotel, but it has long since disappeared, although portions of its remains are at times discovered by the plowman. In late years Joseph Roberts owned a saw-mill near the hotel and its location is still discernible. Although the former prosperity of the place has long since departed, the location is beautiful in its quiet se- clusion, and if the mineral spring ever again comes into prominence its old-time popularity can easily be revived.

ST. MARY'S CHURCH .- In the eastern central part of the township, on a portion of the Samuel Coles estate, near the intersection of the Church and Moorestown and Haddonfield public roads, stands St. Mary's Protestant Episcopal Church, known as the Colestown Church. The history of this ancient edifice dates back into the beginning of the eighteenth century, and by some writers it is claimed that it grew out of the controversy of George Keith, which separated many Friends from the religious doctrines as laid down by George Fox. George Keith, in his journal, says that " on September 15, 1703, I preached at the house of William Heulings in West Jersey." As this house was but a short distance from where the church was built, it is accepted as the beginning of St. Mary's Church at Colestown. John Rudderow, who came from England about 1680, and settled in Burlington County, near the Pensaukin Creek, died in 1729, and left ten pounds by his will towards the building of "a church in that place (to be convenient hereaway)" in that neighborhood.

A few years later another incident is related by Abigail Rudderow, widow of William Rudderow, a grandson of the first John (above mentioned). She was the daughter of Thomas and Rebecca Spicer, and always resided in the neighborhood. She says, " At nine years of age I was baptized at the church (which at that time was being built, the roof being on and weather-boarding up as high as the window-sills), by Dr. Jenny. The ground had been previously consecrated by Dr. Jenny, from Philadelphia." This lady was of remarkable

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THE TOWNSHIP OF DELAWARE.

intelligence and memory, and was conversant with the doings of that region of country. She was born in 1742, lived to be eighty-three years of age and left a large number of descendants ; her bap- tism occurred in 1751, and the circumstances attending it fixed themselves so indelibly upon her memory that it is safe to assert, upon her authority, that the edifice was erected during that and the following year. The building erected in 1751 or 1752 was repaired in 1825, without any change as to the interior arrangement, and again in 1866 the building was repaired by the liberality of a few of the descendants of the original families and the residents of the surrounding country, and its original features carefully preserved. The high pulpit, the small, narrow chancel, the galleries, with their high-backed wooden benches, and the boxed-in seats of the choir all remain in their original simplicity, a monument of the economy of past generations.

The Rev. Robert Jenny, A.M., came to New York as chaplain in the royal army stationed in that city. In 1722 he was chosen rector of the church at Rye, New York, and subsequently came to Philadelphia, and was made rector of Christ Church, a position he held until he died, in 1762, aged seventy-five years.

There is no continuous record of the ministers who, at various times, supplied the church, and such as are here mentioned seemed to act in the capacity of missionaries, the church standing in a thinly-settled neighborhood (at that time) and being several miles from any town. William Sturgeon, the assistant of Dr. Jenny, visited the people once each month while the house was in progress of erection. Nathaniel Evans, a young man of good education and good talent, had charge of St. Mary's and the church at Gloucester. He resided with his parents at Haddonfield, and preached for six years. He died October 29, 1767, aged twenty-five years. An interval of five years now occurred, when Robert Blackwell was selected, November 19, 1772. He also resided in Haddon- field, and during the Revolutionary War was chaplain in the army, which again left the church without regular service. Henry Miller, of Phila- delphia, was his successor ; he was soon followed by Rev. John Wade, who died in 1799. His remains were interred in front of the main entrance to the church, the stone that marks his grave at this day being buried beneath the soil. Samuel Sprague, who lived in Mount Holly, occasionally preached here. Andrew Fowler next followed. After him came Levi Heath, of Burlington, and Samuel Pussey, who caused much trouble in the

church and proved to be an impostor ; and then in succession came Daniel Hogbee, in 1807, and Richard Hall, who preached there in 1811.

The grounds belonging to the church embrace about three acres. At the time of the selection of the site there was no public road from what is now Merchantville to Evesham (formerly called Green Tree), and when the present road was laid it cut off a corner of the church property, from which fact the road was ever after called the Church road and is so recorded. The church stands on the south side of the road and nearly all the lands belonging to it have been occupied as a grave-yard since the erection of the church. The yard is almost full, and but few interments are now made within its limits, which fact, in some degree, led to the or- ganization of the Colestown Cemetery, whose grounds surround it on three sides and under whose management and care the property remains. The oldest legible stone now standing in the yard is that of Philip Wallace, aged eighty-two, who was buried there in 1746. The tomb of his wife, Mary Wallace, aged eighty years, is dated the same year. This aged couple were among the earliest settlers and were Friends until the Keithian controversy. In 1760, Humphrey Day and Jane, his wife, were buried here, aged respectively seventy-five and sixty-five years. Elias Toy was interred here in 1762, aged forty-seven.

Many of the rude, rough monuments erected here to mark the resting place of friends and families have yielded to time and exposure, show- ing at this date only parts of letters and figures from which nothing can be deciphered ; although those a few generations later are fairly well pre- served and include on them some striking epitaphs, of which the following are notable specimens.

"JACOD BROWNING. Died Oct. 22d, 1794 Aged 41 Years

Farewell my dear and loving wife My children and my friends Here I take up my new abode Where life it hath no end."

" CATHARINE BROWNING

Widow of George Browning for 17 Years 1 Month and 1 week, who departed this life, March 26th, A.D. 1793, aged 62 Years Stop dear friends as you pass by As you are now so once was I As I am now eo must you be Prepare for death to follow me."

"Sacred to the Memory of

GEORGE BROWNING who departed this life April 11, 1835. As a husband-affectionate and Kind As a father-Indulgent and Careful As a neighbor-Obliging and Peaceable As a Citizen-Useful, honest and upright."

" HANNAII, wife of Benjamin Van Leer Died June 13, 1766. Transitory world farewell Jesue Calle with him to dwell."

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HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Other ancient graves are numerous, among them Samuel Browning, died November 25, 1806; Sarah Ogden Browning (his daughter), died 1794; John, son of Isaac Jones, died November 13, 1774, aged eighteen years ; J. Githens, 1772 ; Robert Fr. Price, died September 18, 1776; Mary Fr. Price, died July 14, 1787 ; George Hannold, died January 25, 1782 ; another rnde stone near these two last bears the simple inscription, cut in an unskilled hand, "W. B .- 1777 D. B .- 1775."

On the opposite side of the road, and on the small portion of the church property cut off when the Church road was laid out, stands an aged white oak, the only monumental witness of the transac- tions of the past ages, and under whose shade the worshippers in this edifice have lingered to exchange a kindly greeting ere they separated to their dis- tant homes. Along the King's Highway the con- tending forces in the Revolutionary struggle passed to and fro, and many stirring incidents took place in its vicinity, and in this ancient edifice the British officers under the standard of St. George listened to their chaplains, while resting on their march to meet their foe. And, in turn, also did the American commanders receive the benediction of their chaplains or the minister in charge as they paused in their pursuit of the enemy of their lib- erties and independence. It is a current tradition that the great Washington also attended service in this building several times during the war, and laying aside his sword, knelt at the little chancel and partook of the Holy Communion, after the rector had proclaimed "peace on earth and good will to men."

It is not known who constituted the choir dur- ing the periods of regular service in the church ; the last person remembered to have filled that position was John Fairlamb, an old resident of the neighborhood.

The size of this ancient edifice is thirty-four by thirty feet. The height to the eves is fourteen feet. The roof is of shingles. The main entrance is at the side and has double doors. Single doors are at each end of the building, and one window on first floor, with two in each end on the second story or galleries. A narrow window on each side of the chancel and two windows front and two back furnish abundant light. Probably the most noteworthy object of the interior is the stove. It was made in England ; the exact date cannot be made ont, but the figures seventeen and something resembling a six is clearly visible ; it is of cast- iron, in three cylinders of unequal size set one upon another, with a door in the centre one, and three short legs under the lower one. To the

casual observer it appears like a coal-stove, but the contrary is the case-it is a wood-stove. The fuel is set perpendicularly in it, the draft is perfect and its heating powers, notwithstanding its advanced age, are sufficient for the building in the coldest weather. The features of the interior are in good preservation, and in style and durability are characteristic of the age when the church was con- structed.

The communion service is now in possession of Trinity Church, Moorestown, and consists of two pieces, a paten and a chalice, both of solid silver, and the paten, or plate, in particular is very heavy ; the chalice has engraved on its foot "St. Mary's Church, Colestown," and the same inscrip- tion is inscribed on the bottom of the paten ; but instead of having been engraved it appears to have been scratched very carefully by some prudent church officer. When Trinity Parish, the child of St. Mary's, was established at Moorestown, these consecrated vessels came by right of inheritance into possession of the new church, and apart from their sacred character, they are treasured for their associations with the past. The Bihle was pre- sented to this church by Mrs. Dr. Jenny, the wife of its first rector (so far as known), in 1752, and was published in London in 1682. The book, although somewhat abused of late years, is now in the possession of Jacob Stokes Cole, of Haddon township, by whom it is carefully preserved and cherished for its asssociations. The church ser- vice, above alluded to, is reported to have been presented by Queen Anne to her loyal subjects at Colestown, in America, but the difference between the death of the Queen, in 1714, and our earliest data concerning the building of the church, in 1752-a period of thirty-eight years-renders it im- possible to assert this report with any degree of correctness, although it is highly probable that the service came from England, and was perhaps the gift of some official, either of church or state.

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The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 126

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928 Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards Number of Pages: 1220

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards
Number of Pages: 1220