The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 128

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

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Ellwood Evans was educated in the schools of the neighborhood and at the Westtown (Chester County, Pa.) Academy, which he attended for four years. The next four years were spent on the farm ; he being very fond of machinery, was about to secure a place in Baldwin's Locomotive Works, when his only brother dying suddenly and his father being in poor health, and unwilling to leave his farms, necessitated his remaining at home. He was chosen one of the committeemen of histownship when only about twenty-five years of age. When twenty-nine years of age he removed to Marlton, where he was soon afterwards elected collector, which office he held until his return to Delaware, in 1876. About that time, his father and wife's father dying within a period of a few months, large responsibilities were thrown upon Mr. Evans and he was obliged to decline political and

official honors, though frequently urged to accept offices of honor and profit. From this time to the present his mill, farm and several kindred interests have received his entire energies and he has de- veloped the fine tract of land on which his home is located, near Cropwell-so called because of the great productiveness of the region-into one of the most valuable farms in this rich region. The farm consists of about three hundred acres, of which two hundred and fifty are under cultivation. He has erected all of the buildings upon this property except one barn-four houses, three barns and a steam saw and feed-mill. One of the barns has a storage capacity of three hundred tons of hay and grain. In the mill Mr. Evans does a large amount of custom work and he also carries on a lumber business of considerable pro- portions.

He is a farmer of the advanced and progressive type. His purchase of imported Jersey and Guern- sey cattle and the introduction of steam as a motor for machinery in his farm buildings, was regarded . by his neighbors as a venture not warranted in his calling, and which would end in loss. This was not the case, however, for soon others indulged in Jersey and Guernsey herds and also concluded that the application of steam saved much labor and time about their plantations. What was several years since regarded as of doubtful economy in his case, may now be found of practical utility among agriculturists throughout the county. He is a member of the American Jersey and of the Amer- ican Guernsey Cattle Clubs, and of other organiza- tions of like aims.

He was one of the projectors of the Philadelphia, Marlton and Medford Railroad, and did much to bring about its completion, advancing considerable sums of money at a period when few persons had faith in the success of the enterprise, and when the other directors and the president refused financial aid, thus relieving the company from serious em- barrassment and insuring the speedy completion of the road. This project at first was considered of doubtful success, but it has opened one of the best sections of West Jersey to markets and travel, and been of much benefit to the farmers and dairy- men. Mr. Evans adheres to the religious belief of his ancestors.

On March 27, 1873, Mr. Evans married Sarah L. Evens, only child of Thomas Evens, a descend- ant of one of the earliest representatives of the Evans family in America, though the name was, through some person in the line, changed from the commonly accepted spelling. She is a descendant of the eighth generation from William and

738

HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Elizabeth Evans, through the Thomas Evans branch. He married Esther Haines. Their son William, who married Sarah Roberts, had a son Jacob, who married Mary Cherrington. Their son Thomas married Mary Eves, and among their children was Joseph, who married Rebecca Rob- erts. Thomas, their son, married Sarah Lippin- cott, and she was their only child.

BENJAMIN B. COOPER, in 1803 the first post- master at Camden and who later resided near El- lisburg, in Delaware township, and died in 1835, was an enterprising and representative man. He was a son of William and Ann (Folwell) Cooper, and was born March 22, 1779. He owned and occu- pied the farm first settled by Wm. Cooper, who emi- grated from England, from whom he traced his lineage in a direct line. As a farmer he was al- ways in advance with any improvement that ap- peared. He gave much attention to fruit and had the largest orchards of choice varieties in the county. He was always an authority on cattle and horses and dealt largely in both. In the poli- tics of the county. and State he took much inter- est, representing the county several times in the Legislature and was a leading man in the Board of Freeholders for several years. General Jackson, as President of the United States, was the one person who met his notions of a statesman,

He had scarcely attained man's estate before a leading characteristic of his life developed itself- speculation in land. The first piece of property he purchased was in 1803, and his dealings were continuous until his death, the records of Glou- cester County alone showing the entry of one hundred and fifty-eight deeds of purchase and one hundred and thirty-seven deeds of sale, many of which conveyances contained several tracts of land. His transactions extended to Cumberland, Salem and Cape May Counties, in West Jersey, and Sussex, Warren and Monmouth Counties, in East Jersey.

He was agent for the Holland Land Company, whose possessions were in Pennsylvania, and had large individual interests in that State, at one time owning nearly the whole of Clearfield County. He was also attorney for the Pemberton and Kirk- bride possessions in New Jersey. In 1814 he pur- chased of Thomas Cadwalader, agent of the West New Jersey Society, all the shares of propriety owned by that corporation. At the time of his death his landed estate was large and valuable. He disposed of it by will. His wife was Sarah Van Meter, of Monmouth County, N. J. Three children survived him,-Ralph V. M., Sarah Ann and W. Morris. His remains and those of his wife lie buried in the "Sloan" part of the old Newton grave-yard.

THE TOWNSHIP OF STOCKTON.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Its Separation from Delaware-Jurisdiction over River Islands- Early Settlement-The Coles, Spicers, Woods, Willards, Nichol- Bons, Morgans, Ruddrows, Fishs, Horoers, Brownings, Staros, Oslers and others-Bethel Methodist Episcopal Church-Old Tev- erns-Schools - Fisheriss-Pavonia-Wrightsville -Cramer Hill Dudley - Morchaotville -Stockton-Delair-Manufacturing Io- terests.

THIS township lies on the Delaware and extends eastward between Coopers Creek and Pensaukin Creek. It was taken from Delaware township by act of Legislature approved February 23, 1859; the dividing line was declared as beginning at a point in Coopers Creek at a corner to the farms of Joshua Barton & Bro. and Hewlings Haines and fol- lowing the line of Barton's farm to a corner in the Whiskey road, near the village of Homesteadville; thence diverging in a straight line to a corner in the Moorestown turnpike in the centre of the crossing of the Sorrel Horse and Haddonfield roads; thence along the turnpike to the county line. In the spring of 1859 the committees of the two townships met at the hotel of Benjamin Mar- tin and organized by electing Joseph A. Burroughs chairman and Benjamin W. Cooper secretary, and agreed upon the following article of settlement :

" ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TOWNSHIPS OF STOCKTON AND DELAWARE. .

" Articles of agreement made and entered into between the town committees of the townships of Stockton and Delaware, in pursn- ance of an act of the Legislatore, entitled an act to establish a new township in the county of Camden, to be called the township of Stockton. We, the undersigned town committees of the said townships of Stockton and Delaware, this fourteenth day of March, sighteen hundred and fifty-nine, at the house of Benjamin Martin, in the said township of Stockton, having proceeded to ascertain the proportions of taxes assessed in each part of the township of Del- aware, that now constitutes the townships of Stockton and Dela- wars, find that two-fifths of the taxes assessed as aforesaid was assessed in that part which constitutes the township of Stocktoo and that three-fifths wers assessed in that part which now con- stitutes the township of Delaware, and we find and ascortain that

there is an indebteduess for which the two townships aforesaid ars liable amounting to the sum of seven hundred and fifty-dios dol- lars and fifty-six cents, of which the township of Stocktoo shall pay the sum of two hundred and niosty-nine dollars and ninety- ons cents and the township of Delaware the suoi of four hundred and forty-nine dollars and seventy-thras cents; and we find that there are two grave-yards, and that the one located in the town- ship of Stockton shall belong to the township of Stockton, and the ons located in the township of Delaware shall belong to the township of Delaware. We also fiod the following towoship prop- erty to be divided as the taxes, viz. : The town-hougs valued at $200.00. The pound, $10.00. Road-scraperss, $20.00. Dirt machines, $11.00. Books, $11.00. Total, $252.00. The two-fifths of the above property belonging to the township of Stocktoo is $100.80, and the three-fifths belonging to the towoship of Delaware is $151.20.

" There ars tax warrants in the hands of E. H. Fowler, con- stable, oo which a part may probably be collected, and such sums as may be collected are to be divided io the same proportioo as the other property. The indebtedness of the township of Stockton to the towoship of Delaware is $299.91. The share of the above said towoship of Stockton in the above-mentioned property, $100.80 being deducted, leaves $199.11, to which is added the value of one road-scraper, $5.00, making the balance of the indebtedness $204.11.

" Committee of Stockton township. Committee of Delaware township .

" William Folwall. Asa R. Lippincott.

Benjamin W. Cooper. Joseph C. Stafford.

Josiah Starn.

Job B. Kay.

Bsojamio Horner.

Thomas P. Clement.

Joseph A. Burronghi. Isaac W. Nicholson.

" A trus copy,

"SAMUEL B. GITHENS, Clerk.

PETTYS' ISLAND.1-In 1848 the question of

1 This island was in the possession of William Peon for some years prior to 1700. 00 the 25th of October, 1701, ha conveyed it to Thomas Fairman, of Shackamaxon, reserving the right of way for four coach horses. Upon his death it passed to his wife, Elizabeth, and later, to a son, Benjamin, who, May 24, 1732, sold it to Joho Pattys, from whom it took its name. On the 11th of May, 1745, it was sold to Joho Dobbins. Io 1816 the island was owned by Humphrey Day, Charles H. Fish, Benjamin Loxley, Isaac Hoxey, William Cooper, Jacob Evaul, Joseph Cooper, Abra- ham Browning, Jonathan Biles aod others. In 1824 the land of Charles H. Fish passed to Isaac Fish, aud that of Humphrey Day to Jeremiah Fish, and later to Messrs. Sanderson & Sons.

Between the years 1860 and 1870 the west shore of the island was used as a dock for repairing and for a ship-yard. Doughty & Keppela, shipwrights and canlkers, built at the place ing- boats and schoooers and had thirty-six thousand dollars invested

739

740

HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

jurisdiction over the islands on the Delaware River was agitated, and the following preamble and resolutions were adopted at the annual town- ship meeting :

" Whereas, by an act of Legislature of this State, passed Novem- ber 26, 1783, entitled an act to annex the several islands situated in the river Delaware belonging to this State, to the respective counties and townships to which they lie nearest ; it is provided said islands shall hereafter be deemed and considered as part and parcela of euch counties and townships to which islands or insu- lated dry lande do or doth lie nearest, except Petty's, which shall be annexed to the township of Newton, in the county of Glouces- ter ; and whereas, the said township of Newton as at present con- stituted, has no part on the river Delaware withio two miles of Pettya' Island, but said island lies opposite the township of Dela- ware. Therefore be it resolved, by the inhabitants of the township of Delaware, in the county of Camden, in town-meeting assem- bled, tbat application be made to the next Legislature of this State for a law to annex Pettys' Island to this township, where it legitimately and of right helongs.

"Resolved, That the township committee he and they are hereby instructed to lay the foregoing preamble and resolutions before the next Legislature and use all honorable means to procure the pae- sage of a law such as mentioned above.

" Resolved, That the foregoing resolution and preamble be signed by the moderator and attested by the clerk.

"Attest, JOHN RunDEROW, Clerk.

"CHARLES KNIONT, Moderator.

Nothing further appears to have been done in the matter until the next year, when Joseph Kay, Benjamin W. Cooper and Charles Knight were appointed a committee to go to Trenton and secure the necessary legislation ; in this they must have been very successful, as the jurisdiction of the township was extended over the island, and in 1859, when the township of Stockton was created, the island was conceded to it and still remains a part of that township.

EARLY SETTLEMENT .- The first settlement by the whites within the limits of Stockton township was made at the mouth of Pensaukin Creek, where Eriwomac, an Indian, was then chief over a small body of Indians. Charles I., of England, in 1634, granted to Sir Edmund Ployden the territory lying between New England and Maryland. A vessel commanded by Captain Young, a nephew of Rob- ert Evelin (afterwards famous as the author of the account of " New Albion," published in 1642 and 1648), and thirteen traders, about the same time, went to Virginia, and in the same year, 1634, came up the Delaware and settled at the mouth of Pen- saukin Creek and built there a fort, which they named Fort Eriwomac, after the Indian Chief. They remained at the place four years. In 1636 Sir Edmund Ployden sent out to the "Province

of New Albion " Beauchamp Plantagenet, who sailed up the Delaware River sixty miles and did not reach Fort Eriwomac, where Captain Young and Robert Evelin had set up a fort and govern- ment and were patiently waiting for Sir Edmund to come over from England to take formal posses- sion of the province.

In 1637, tired of waiting, Evelin and his men abandoned the settlement and went down the river and near what is now Salem, they found Plantage- net, who had settled there and had sent a glowing account of the province to Earl Ployden. The Earl came over in 1641, but the settlement of Fort Eriwomac was notagain made by the English under the Earl. Soon after 1637 Bogot, a pioneer of Minuet's colony of Swedes, settled, with a few Swedish founders, upon the site of the fort, where a few of them remained until the title passed to the proprietors, in 1664. Bogot held out induce- ments to settlers by insisting that a gold mine was in the vicinity, which was laid down in early maps as being near Rancocas Creek. This project failed and the settlement was again abandoned.

The first location in the limits of this township made under the proprietors was one of five hundred acres of land embracing the site of Fort Eriwomac, at the month of Pensaukin Creek. This was granted to Samuel Jennings (afterwards the first ! Governor of New Jersey). Some of the Swedish founders living farther up the stream, in what is now Burlington County, remained under the pro- prietors, purchased lands and some of their de. scendants, in after-years, drifted into what is now Stockton township. The Toys, Fishs, Stones, Wal- laces and others are descendants of the early Swe- dish families. William Cooper, who, in 1682, settled at Pyne Point (Coopers), was from Coles Hill, England. At the same place lived Samuel Coles, a haberdasher and hatter and an old friend and neighbor of William Cooper.

In 1677 he purchased part of a share of propriety in West Jersey of the trustees of Edward Byllynge, and in March, 1682, with his wife, Elizabeth, and two children, he emigrated to America, and doubt- less came at once to the home of his old friend and neighbor, William Cooper. He located five hundred acres of land on the north side of Coop -: ers Creek, opposite the tract of his friend and extending up the Delaware River. The land was surveyed to him on the 13th day of the Third Month (May), 1682, and in that year he cleared a small tract and erected a house, where he settled, but lived in it a short time, for in the latter part of the same year he sold one hundred acres and the house to Henry Wood, who at once came there to

Joseph Rilot, also a shipwright, had bere in 1870 a marine railway. Jacob H. Ambruster, about 1865, erected a building and manu- factured chains. At present the island is owned by James Man- derson, Dr. Samuel Pancoast and others. The upper part of the island is fitted up as a summer resort and is known as Willow Grove. The island contains over one hundred acres.

741

THE TOWNSHIP OF STOCKTON.

reside. He probably built upon the remaining portion, as he remained there a few years. In 1683 he was chosen to represent the Third Tenth in the Legislature of New Jersey, and in 1685 was ap- pointed one of the commissioners to fix the line between Burlington and Gloucester Counties.

In the year 1687 he conveyed the remainder of the tract to Samuel Spicer, and having purchased, in 1685, four hundred acres of land of Jeremiah Richards, on Pensaukin Creek, near the property of William Matlack and Timothy Hancock, now in Delaware township, which he named "New Or- chard " (now Colestown) and to which place he moved and purchased other tracts adjoining. A few years later business required his attention in England and he visited his native country. On his return the vessel stopped at the Island of Barbadoes, where was a settlement of Friends. At this place he was taken sick and died.

A learned writersays : "The extended distance of the voyage and consequent delay therefrom not being known to the wife, she made frequent visits to Philadelphia to meet her husband and welcome him to his family again. Tradition says that she would stand for hours by the water's edge looking anxiously down the river for the sail that would bring the father of her children. These visits and watchings at last attracted the attention of a young mariner who frequented the port, and who was not long in discovering the cause of her anxiety. Sympathizing with her, he extended his inquiries on her behalf and at last discovered that her hus- band had died on his return. Her grief for this sad bereavement entered his feelings, and finding that she was about to return home alone in her boat, he offered to accompany her and manage the same. This offer she accepted and he sailed the craft up the river to Pensaukin Creek and thence nearly to her residence, thus hearing the sad news to her children and neighbors. This man was Griffith Morgan, who, after a proper interval of time, sailed his own skiff up the creek to offer his consolations to the widow and to interest himself about her children and estate. This solicitude soon assumed another shape and culminated in the marriage of Griffith Morgan and Elizabeth Cole. Samuel Coles left two children,-Samuel and Sarah -from whom the family of the name in this region have descended."

Among the many of the name of Wood who emigrated to New Jersey about the time of the settlement under the proprietor was Henry Wood, who came to this place from Newport, R. I., and on the 4th of September, 1682, purchased of Samuel Coles a tract of one hundred acres of land on the

north side of Coopers Creek, adjoining the land subsequently sold to Samuel Spicer. The deed describes the place as "situate at Arwawmasse, in West Jersey ; also the dwelling-house or tenement which he, the said Samuel, inhabiteth, with the folds, yards, etc., excepting one cow-house." The farm fronted on Coopers Creek and the Delaware River, and was named by him "Hopewell." He was a member of the Assembly in 1683-84, and in the latter year was appointed commissioner for laying out land, and in 1685 for opening highways. In 1683 he purchased three hundred and fifty acres of land on the north side of and fronting Coopers Creek, and in 1686 sold it to Mathew Burden, who was a resident of Portsmouth, R. I., and a connection of Henry Wood. In 1711 Richard Burden, a son of Mathew, conveyed the land to John Coxe, and later part of it was in- cluded in the farm of Abraham Browning. Henry Wood died in April, 1681, leaving as children Henry, James, Richard, Judith (who married Thomas Willard in 1689), Abigail (who married Daniel Cooper, a son of William, in 1693), Hannah (who married Joseph Nicholson in 1695), Eliza- beth (who married Stephen Newbie, son of Mark, in 1703) and Benjamin (who married Mary Kay, daughter of John, in 1707). The homestead, in 1699, came to Joseph Nicholson, who lived adjoin- ing from James Wood, a grandson of Henry. At the time of Henry Wood's death he was in posses- sion of considerable land near the homestead tract, which was divided among his children. His son Henry died in 1754, single, and left his portion to his brothers and sisters. Benjamin purchased the home farm on which Joseph Nichol- son had lived, and upon his death, in 1738, left it to his son Henry, who devised it to his son Henry, who sold part of it, February 1, 1788, to Samuel Haines, who died in 1789, and John Haines and Dr. John H. Stokes, his executors, sold one hun- dred and eighty-four acres of it to Daniel Cooper. Henry, at his death in 1814, left three hundred and sixty-eight acres to his two sons, Henry and Zachariah. He died June 18, 1814, aged fifty-six years. His wife, Hannah, survived him and died August 23, 1856, aged eighty-seven years. Zach- ariah died May 5, 1847, aged fifty-four years. Other children of Benjamin Wood, who died in 1738, were Mary (who married Joseph Coles and Richard Matlack), Hannah, Abigail, Benjamin, John, Judith and Jane.

The land purchased by Henry Wood in 1683, containing one hundred acres on the Delaware River, before 1790 came to Samuel Cooper, who also owned Coopers Point Ferry and other land

AUTOGRAPHS OF SETTLERS IN STOCKTON (OLD WATERFORD) TOWNSHIP.

Samuell Coles

A first settler. Died at Barbadoes, 1692-93, and left one son, Samuel.

Hey Wood

A first settler. Died 1691. Had sons Henry, James, Richard and Benjamin.

espilliam

A first settler. Died 1710. Had sons William, Joseph and Daniel.

Romas Hillary

Married Judith, daughter of Henry Wood. Died 1734. Had sons James, Henry and Thomas.

Som e Ricer

A first settler. Died 1692. Had sons Abraham, Jacob, Thomas and Samuel.

Esther Sice

Daughter of John and Mary Tilton, of Gravesend, and wife of Samuel Spicer. She was killed by lightning in 1703.

S . forces

Third son of Samuel and Esther the emigrants. Died 1759. Had sons Jacob, Thomas and Samuel.

Danwoll Mirhelfen

A first settler of Salem. Died 1685. Had sons Samuel, Abel and Joseph, who settled in Stockton.

Clorander Mougern

Only son of Griffith the emigrant. Died 1751. Had sons Joseph, Benjamin and Isaac.

Simson Pleis

A first settler of Ellisburg. Died 1715. Had sons Thomas, Joseph, William, Simeon and Jonathan.

John Hay

A first settler. Died 1742. Had sons John, Isaac, Josiah, Benjamin and Joseph.

Robo turner?

A first settler and wealthy operator in lands sold to Kaighn, Mickle and others.

i'mut.

Benj Clevoper

William B.lovopen

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TIIE TOWNSHIP OF STOCKTON.

adjoining. The house now owned by William B. Cooper, marked S. P. C. 1790, was built by Samuel and Prudence Cooper. It came to their son Ben- jamin, who, January 22, 1834, had the tract sur- veyed by Samuel Nicholson in two parts, called the northern and southern divisions. The northern part extended along the shore of the Delaware, from Coopers Creek to the Samuel Horner farm, including the fisheries on the river-front, and also the fisheries up to the Cove road. Benj. Cooper died 26th of 4th mo., 1842, aged sixty-seven years, and his wife, Elizabeth, died 21st of 3d mo. pre- ceding, aged sixty-six years, He, by will, devised the northern part, containing one hundred and seventy-five acres, including the flat marshes and fisheries, to Benjamin W. Cooper, his son, reserv- ing the half-interest of all privileges and profits of the fisheries for William B. Cooper.

The southern tract, containing one hundred and sixty-seven acres, fronting on Coopers Creek, was devised to William B. Cooper, with rights in the fisheries and meadows. The repairs on the banks of the latter were chargeable to both divisions. The northern division became the property of the Pavonia Land Association, an account of which will be found under the head of Pavonia.

BENJAMIN W. COOPER was the son of Benja- min Cooper, a lineal descendant of William and Margaret Cooper, who in 1678 emigrated from England with the first settlers who located in Bur- lington. A few years later he took up lands and settled at the mouth of Coopers Creek, which stream was named after him. The father of the subject of this biography was a progressive farmer of Waterford township (now Stockton), and after a life of activity and usefulness both in religious and civil society he died, in 1842. By his marriage with Elizabeth Wills, he had children, viz. : Re- becca, Prudence, Benjamin W., Elizabeth W. and William B. Cooper.

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The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 128

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