USA > New Jersey > Cape May County > The history of Cape May County, New Jersey : from the aboriginal times to the present day > Part 10
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"Attended the Baptist meeting house according to prom- ise, to receive the advice of my constituents upon the sub- ject of the Governor's calling the Assembly. It was expect- ed he would insist on great matters to be done for the de- fense of the country, but so trivial was this affair that only Messrs. James Whilldin, Jeremiah Hand. Thomas Leaming, John Leonard, and some others, to the number of eight or ten, attended, whereas but a short time before I happened to be riding past by ye Court House on a court day and saw a great number of people, by estimation not less than 200, which to all appearances were drawn by idle curiosity, or trifling speculation. It is not astonishing that man dignified
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
by nature should esteem himself so little as to pass his time in trifling speech, pitching of a bar, throwing of a stone, hopping, jumping, dancing, running, and at the same time not think himself obliged to attend to the defense of his "country, or his exemption from debt bondage."
In March the following officers were appointed to con- mand a regiment of foot: Henry Young, colonel; Ebenezer Swain, lieutenant-colonel; Jeremiah Leaming, major; John Shaw, adjutant; and the officers of the company for the ""Lower Precinct" were Silaw Shaw, captain ; Jeremiah Hand, lieutenant, and Daniel Swain, ensign: while those to com- mand the officers of the "Upper Precinct" were Jacob Hand, captain; Lewis Cresse, lieutenant, and Jacob Richardson, ensign. On November 12 the order was given to Nicholas Gibbon to have the Cumberland and Cape May company ready.
For the clothing and feeding of the "Second Expedition" "(probably to Canada), according to the accounts of the col- ony's treasurer, Jacob Spicer received these sums at the several times as recited:
1755 .- Sept. 27 .- "for cloathes," £768:12:00.
Oct. 6 .- "for cloathes," £574:02:06.
Oct. 18 .- "for cloathes," £55:07:00.
Nov. 5 .- "for provisions," £753:15:00.
Dec. 5 .- "for provisions," £573:15:00.
Dec. 17 .- "for supplies," £544:00:6.
1756 .- March 5 .- "for tents, kettles, &c.," £526:10:00. March 29 .- "for -," £25:00:0.
May 4 .- "for lead, &c.," £100:00:00.
Samuel Smith, treasurer of West Jersey, reports of having received from Jeremiah Leaming, collector, by the hands of Josiah Hand, on November 22, 1755, the two separate sums of £25:11:054 and £50:02:06, as Cape May's share for the support of the government. This year Cape May lands, by law, were not to be valued above 20 nor below 5 acres to the fioo. The share of the colony assessment was fixed at £25:11:053. This year Jacob Spicer received £27:18:00, and Aaron Leaming received £15:18:00 for their services in attendance as members of the General Assembly.
The agitation for a punishment of those who sold "strong
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JACOB SPICER AND HIS SAYINGS.
drink" to the Indians culminated in the General Assembly's passage of an act in 1757, imposing a penalty upon such of- fenders. Spicer and Leaming were supporters of the meas- ure. Spicer also had his opinions upon the too liberal use of liquor among the white people, too, and this is what he says about the habit in his diary, under date of July 16, 1756:
"I am informed that within two months past Henry Hand and Thomas Walker, James Reney and Marcy Ross, brought each of them into the Lower precinct a hogshead of rum. Hand's and Walker's is expended, and it is sup- posed that Reney and Ross have sold between them I hhd. in two months, consequently 18 in a year in the Lower pre- cinct. But as it has been harvest time and the consumption something greater than common, the rate is, say, 12 lihds. in a year to the Lower precinct, or 1200 gallons, which at a moderate retail price of three shillings and six pence per gallon, is £210 per year in cash, a larger sum than ever I have received in money for goods both wet and dry, since I have traded in the said precinct, upwards of two years.
"So that it's not the dry goods, but the rum is our hurt, since it is frequently bartered for the industry of the popu- lace, and sold for long credit."
While Spicer was a merchant he did much farming, and on July 5, 1757, he made the following note of the yield of corn on one of his fields: "I planted 12 acres of Indian corn in the orchard near my dwelling and it was esteemed good, especially near the house, and it yielded by measure but 27 bushels of good and 6} do. of offal corn, being 33} bushels in the whole, and at the rate of 17 bushels per acre, good and bad together. I am much at loss to reconcile what I have sometimes heard with respect to the greater yield of ·corn. I am sure 20 bushels per acre may be estecmed very good corn."
The knitting of mittens in those days occupied all the spare moments of the housewives and the ambitious maid- en, but a great deal of the encouragement of the develop- ment of this industry is given to the wife of the eminent Benjamin Franklin.
Mrs. Franklin sent down to one of the fair daughters of the neighborhood of Cold Spring a cap of the fashion then
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
in vogue. It was worn to meeting. The other maidens: saw it and wanted caps like it. The people saw in it an op- portunity to knit mittens and send them up to the "village- on the Delaware," to exchange for caps and gaudy ribbons.
The effect of Mrs. Franklin's gift cannot be better ex- plained than by the reading of a letter which Dr. Franklin sent to Benjamin Vaughan from Passy, France, on July 26, 1748, while discoursing "on the benefits and evils of lux- ury." The letter in part said :
"The skipper of the Shallop, employed between Cape May and Philadelphia. had done us some service for which he refused to be paid. My wife, understanding he had a daugh- ter, sent her a present of a new-fashioned cap. Three years afterward this skipper, being at my house with an old farm -- er of Cape May, his passenger, he mentioned the cap and how much his daughter had been pleased with it. But." said he. 'it proved a dear cap to our congregation,' How so? 'When my daughter appeared with it at meeting it was so- much admired that all the girls resolved to get such caps from Philadelphia, and my wife and I computed that the whole would not have cost less than froo.' 'True,' said the farmer, 'but you do not tell all the story. I think the cap was, nevertheless, an advantage to us, for it was the first thing that put our girls upon knitting worsted mittens for sale at Philadelphia that they might have wherewithal to- buy caps and ribbons there, and you know that that industry has continued and is likely to continue and increase to a much greater value and answer better purposes.' Upon the- whole, I was more reconciled to this little piece of luxury,. since not only the girls were made happier by having fine- caps but Philadelphians by the supply of warm mittens."
In 1756 Jacob Spicer advertised to barter goods for all kinds of produce and commodities, and among the rest par- ticularly designated wampum. He offered a reward of £5, to the person that should manufacture the most wampuni, and advertised: "I design to give all due encouragement to- the people's industry, not only by accepting cattle, sheep and staple commodities in a course of barter, but also a. large quantity of mittens will be taken, and indeed a clan». shell formed in wampum, a yarn thrum, a goose quill. a.
121
JACOB SPICER AND HIS SAYINGS.
horse hair, a hog's bristle, or a grain of mustard seed, if tendered, shall not escape my reward, being greatly desirous to encourage industry, as it is one of the most principal ex- pedients under the favor of Heaven, that can revive our drooping circumstances at this time of uncommon but great and general burden."
In his household, according to his records, he had a mi- nutely systematic way of business. Under the superinten- dence of a tailor, tailoress and shoemaker the apparel of his family was made. The sons were taught to cobble shoes, the daughters to make clothing and knit. In 1757 Spicer speaks thusly in his diary of his household expenses:
"It is conceived that £14 13s. 4d., as above estimated, will be adequate to furnish all the boys with leather for breeches, a vest for Elisha, a coat and vest for Jack, calico for long and short gowns for all the girls, stripe linen and stripe linsey for short gowns and petticoats for the said girls, and a tammy quilt for Judith, for defraying of which £14 135. 4d .- 220 pairs of mittens at 16d. per pair, will be needed, which will require 44 pounds of wool, which will take 44 days' work of two girls to spin, and I'll pay for that or hire equivalent in the knitting if the girls will do the re- mainder of the service.
.
"I must pursue the following maxims invariably for the present year. I must fabricate 220 pairs of mittens, and for the present and future year, if I live, I must supply my boys with leather for winter breeches; about £3 8s. will be suffi- cient to furnish them all-24 pounds of grey skin at 2s. per pound, and 2s. 6d. for dressing and freight of cach skin, supposed to consist of 8 skins, tho' I think summac red or short grey will be most profitable to buy as the hair is al- most nothing, which is not so when the skin is fully coated.
"In the next place I must buy my leather and heels, and spin my shoe thread, and have all my shoes made up in the house, for I find if I even hire 'em made out, find my leath- er, the shoemaker gains, in all probability a profit of 3s. on the leather of a man's pair of shoes, waste in cutting cx- cepted, for which I should think 4d. a large allowance, and the scraps of sole leather may be converted into lists; and an eye may be seen to the cutting, and the thread may be
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
had from the family labour. And when I am shoeing my family it is requisite to supply each individual with two pairs, to prevent shoes being worn too green. And as a farther advantage in purchasing my leather, I can at all times take care that it be of good quality, and by having it made up together and in my house will avoid the loss of time in run- ning after the same; and so I should get one of the boys in- structed so as to mend shoes, to save money and prevent loss of time. The shoemaker should be obliged to do his day's work or pay for his board.
"In the next place I should hire by taylor and Tayloress in the house, and oblige my girls to assist in the service, for by this means my diet and female service will become a part of the Taylor's bill; besides, their day's wages, as far as I can discern, are not proportionate to the sum in gross they ask for their service, and having the clothes made at home and together there may be an oversight of the cloth and cut, and the loss of time in going to have clothes taken measure for and tried on.
"The best time of hiring I think is such seasons of the year when the weather is not so cold as to need a fire.
"In the next place it will be requisite to consult a black- smith to know what allowance lie will make for iron and steel.
"Daniel Harcourt informs me that mittens sell for 3s. and stockings at 7s. York money, at Albany, without any regard to the colour, and many of 'em ordinary too-but wampum will not sell since the reduction of Oswego, before that it was in great demand, equal if not superior to silver in value, and there were 60 or 70 wampum shops in Albany."
What he charged himself with under the head of "wets" would now be considered expensive. In a year he charged himself with using "fifty-two gallons run, ten do wine, and two barrels cyder."
He gives us the following estimate of the resources and consumption of the county in the year 1758:
"And as my family consists of twelve in number, includ- ing myself, it amounts to each individual £7 3s. 83d. annual consumption of foreign produce and manufacture. But perhaps the populace in general may not live at a propor-
123
JACOB SPICER AND HIS SAYINGS.
zionate expense with my family. I'll only suppose their for- eign consumption may stand at £4 to an individual, as the county consisted of 1100 souls in the year 1746, since which time it has increased; then the consumption of this county of foreign manufacture and produce, will stand at £4400 an- nually, nearly one-half of which will be linens.
"The stock article of the county is about £1200
"There is at least ten boats belonging to the county
which carry oysters; and admit they make three trips fall and three trips spring, each, and carry 100 bushels each trip, that makes 6000 bushels at what they neat 2s. per bushel. 600
"There is 14 pilots, which at £30 per annum 420
Mitten articles for the present year. 500
Cedar posts 300
White Cedar lumber 500
Add for boards 200
Pork and gammons 200
Deer skins and venison hams I20
Furs and feathers 100
Hides and tallow
I20
Flax seed, neats' tongues, bees' wax and myrtle. 80
60
"Tar
Coal
30
£4430
Annual consumption of county £4400
Add public taxes 160
For a Presbyterian minister 60
For a Baptist minister 40
Education of youth 90
Doctor for man and beast. 100
£4850
£420
In arrear £420, to be paid by some uncertain fund, or left as a debt."
It appears by the above statement, the mitten article of trade in 1758 amounted to the sum of £500, which was quite a reward to the female industry of the county.
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
On June 28, 1758, he says: "Mr. Caleb Newton and his: wife propose to deal with me for a large number of mit- tens. 200 pairs and upwards. I told them if they were of extra quality I would give 18 pence in barter."
In another place he advertises for a thousand pounds of. woolen stockings to supply the army, then in war with the- French. Concerning stockings which sold the best, he wrote on July 5, 1757, that "Dark blue, light blue, and clear white, if large and fine, are the stockings that will sell best. Had mine been of that color they would have sold, the gen- erality of people preferring a knit stocking to a wove one. They wash stockings in soap lather and draw them on a stocking board, which gives them that fine proportion and gloss they generally leave."
Spicer succeeded in procuring a quantity of the wampum, and before sending it off to Albany, and a market, weighed' a shot-bag full of silver coin and the same shot-bag full of wampum, and found the latter most valuable by ten per cent. The black wampum was most esteemed by the In- dians, the white being of little value.
He wrote, June 14, 1758:
"Told Enos Schillinks that while I trade I would venture to take 3of value in wampum for such goods as I have wet and dry, and would endeavor to help him to provision if I conveniently could, and would suffer with him till his debt is paid to take out one-half of all such wampum as he should bring in supply of his wants." And on the same day he wrote: "I'll take in discount or barter a large quantity of" wampum, both white and black, if offered and good in quality, such as the pattern left with Mr. Leek and here ex- plained: It must be small, round and smooth, with square. ends not broken. The black must be clear black without white spots or threads interspersed, which lessens the value and renders it unsalable, for it can't be too black, and it must be strung 100 on a string, with a little tuft of red at the ends when tied together."
Thompson, in his history of Long Island, page 60, says: "The immense quantity which was manufactured here may- account for the fact that, in the most extensive shell banks left by the Indians, it is rare to find a whole shell; having"
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JACOB SPICER AND HIS SAYINGS.
all been broken in the process of making the wampum."
Commenting upon this Dr. Beesley says: "This curious fact applies especially to Cape May, where large deposits of shells are to be seen, mostly contiguous to the bays and sounds; yet it is rare to see a piece larger than a shilling, and these mostly the white part of the shell, the black hav- . ing been selected for wampum."
Writing of spinning on February 22, 1757, he noted that "It seems to be an advantageous way of spinning our on linen wheel if it be patched over on the back of the hatchel. If spun this way it will answer for warp, and may be boiled as linen yarn, the twist being harder-but if spun on the great wheel will only answer for filling."
Concerning the sizes of dwellings, and their cost in those days, Spicer, on the same day, wrote: "John Mackey's house is 40x20, single story, with a hip, for which Joseph Edwards is to get the timber, frame cover, make the window frames, sashes, put the lights in, make the outside doors, and lay the floors, for 16£, and find himself and workmen, Mackey to find the lath sawed and shingle fit for covering."
In the last three years of the reign of King George II, which ended in 1760, the laws passed by the Colonial As- sembly show that by act of 28 George II, Aaron Leaming was appointed one of the provision commissioners to equip five hundred men or "well affected Indians," to proceed to Crown Point, and that Cape May was to assist for three years in the expedition at £83:10:103 per annum. By act of 29 George II, Jacob Spicer was made sole Comniis- sioner for West Jersey to supply forces under Colonel Peter Schuyler. By an act of 31 George II, John Johnson was authorized to purchase stores in England for the protection of the colony. Cape May was to receive out of this pur- chase 33 guns, 33 pounds of powder, 132 pounds of lead and 132 flints.
By act of 32nd, George II, Jacob Spicer was named as one of the commission to settle Indian claims, which were to be regulated by lottery. On October 8, 1758, the con- ference began at Easton, Pa., at which were Governor Ber- nard and the five commissioners. Their object was that of extinguishing the Indian title in the State. The result
126
HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
was a formal release by the Indians of all the Jersey lands. claimed by them, excepting the natural right to hunt and fish in unsettled lands. The Minisink and Wapping In- dians of all their lands for f1ooo. Among the lands. claimed by the Indians were the following tracts in Cape May and Egg Harbor:
"One claimed by Isaac Still, from the mouth of the Great Egg Harbor River to the head branches thereof, on the east side, so to the road that leads to Great Egg Harbor; so along the road to the seashore, except Tuckahoe, and the- Somers, Steelman and Scull places."
"Jacob Mullis claims the pine lands on Edge Pillock Branch and Goshen Neck Branch, where Benjamin Spring- er and George Marpole's mill stands, and all the land be- tween the head branches of those creeks, to where the- waters join or meet."
"Abraham Logues claims the cedar swamp on the east side of Tuckahoe Branch, which John Champion and Peter Campbell have or had in possession."
"Also, Stuypson's island, near Delaware River."
The troubles, perplexities and trials the members of As- sembly endured previous to the Revolution, in visiting the seat of government at Amboy and Burlington, to attend the public service, cannot in this age of railroads and steam be appreciated or realized. A single illustration will suffice for all. Aaron Leaming gives an account of his journey- to Amboy in 1759, on horseback, as follows:
"March 3d. Set out from home: lodged at Tarkil: ar- rived at Philadelphia on the 5th. On the 6th, rid to Bur- lington. 7th. Extremely cold; rid to Crosswicks, and joined company with Mr. Miller; rid to Cranberry, where we overtook Messrs. Hancock, Smith and Clement (of Salem), who had laid up all day by reason of the cold. 8th. Got to Amboy. 17th. Had the honor to dine with his ex- cellency governor Bernard, with more members of the house. It was a plentiful table: but nothing extraordinary- The cheese he said was a Gloucestershire cheese; was a present to him, and said that it weighed 105 pounds when he first had it. He says it's the collected milk of a whole
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JACOB SPICER AND HIS SAYINGS.
village that makes these cheeses, each one measuring in their milk, and taking its value in cheese.
"19th. Left Amboy for home. 20th. Rid to Cranberry, and lodged at Dr. Stites'. 25th. Arrived home."
In July, 1761, he attended the Assembly at Burlington on the 6th, and broke up on the 8th, and says: "July 9th. I set out homeward. IIth. Got home having been ex- tremely unwell, occasioned by the excessive heat. Almost ever since I went away, the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th, were the hottest days by abundance that ever I was acquainted with."
"Sept. 3d. A rain fell five inches on a level. The lower end of Cape May has been so dry that there will not be but one-third of a crop of corn-here it is wet enough the whole season."
"14th. Went a fishing and caught thirty-nine sheeps- head."
In the records of Pennsylvania Memuc au Hughes, of Cape May, is recorded as having been commissioned on May 2, 1759, a lieutenant, he having enlisted and become an ensign on the 20th of April. He served in Captain Johnson's company, belonging to Pennsylvania artillery, the regiment being Hon. William Denny's.
In the company of Pennsylvania militia which was mus- tered to serve for the campaign in the lower counties in that Statc, under Captain McClaughan, was Eleazer Golden, of Cape May, aged 34, who was a sailor by occupation, and enlisted April 25. 1758.
About the year 1760 there were numerous boats trading from the county to Oyster Bay, L. I., and Rhode Island and Connecticut, carrying cedar lumber mostly ; and others to Philadelphia, with oysters and produce of various kinds. Spicer shipped considerable quantities of corn, which he purchased of the people in the way of trade and cash, and forwarded to a market. He owned a vessel which he oc- sionally sent to the West Indies.
On March 1, 1760, Spicer wrote in his diary that "This clay agreed with James Mickel for a year's services, to com- mence when time expires with Reuben Ludlam, to be paid half in cash and the other half in goods at cash prices, and for the year, but if in any part employed by land and part
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
by water along the coast, including North Carolina and up the Delaware, then to have eighteen pounds for the year's services, but if he proceeds from North Carolina and thence to the West Indies when at home, or can send his linen and other clothes then to leave his washing. He is to attend to such various business as I shall need to employ him by sea or land. If he is fully employed on land to have sixteen pounds, he is to have twenty pounds for the year's ser- vices." The cost of vessels in those days can be approxi- mated by reading Spicer's experience recorded March 23, 1761: "Richard Willard, of Philadelphia, ship carpenter, told me he would build a vessel of 35 feet keel, 16} feet beam, 6} feet hold, for £70, and find the material. Besides he would set the mast, make the bulk head, cabin floor and quarter rail in the bargain."
In his diary Spicer made the following references to Cape Island, now Cape May City:
Feb. 25, 1761 :- "Agreed to let David Whilldin have pas- turage on the Island for a horse from the middle of April to the Ist of November for 15 shillings."
May 13, 1761 :- "Granted leave to Elizabeth Stevens to pasture a creature on the Island for a month, at the same rate David Whilldin gives." The time was afterwards en- larged.
Jan. 4, 1762 :- "Agreed with Salanthiel Foster for the small house on the Island, the privilege of keeping two cows and calves, and have dry or decayed wood, to be taken from the Neck farm for one year, for the sum of four pounds."
Feb. 2. 1750 :- "Applied to Mr. Thomas Hand, inform- ing him that it did not suit me to sell the Island, but if he wanted the money upon six months' notice he should have it, which was according to his promise, there being those that are obliged to make it up when he needs it."
In 1761 the total number of persons in the county who voted were 225. Aaron Leaming in his diary says:
"March 13, 1761, the election of Representatives began, and on the 14th it was ended, when the poll was: Jacob Spicer, 72; Aaron Leaming, 112; Joseph Corson, 41. Whole amount of votes polled, 225. Spicer and Leaming elected."
Spicer's popularity was waning, and he, at this time, was
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JACOB SPICER AND HIS SAYINGS.
being severely condemned by the people for what they be- lieved were a usurpation of their rights in purchasing the natural rights of the West Jersey Society. He was pub- licly arraigned by the people; the following account being from his own pen:
"Went to hear myself arraigned by Mr. Leaming and «Others before the publick, at the Presbyterian Meeting- house, for buying the Society's Estate at Cape May, and at the same time desired to know whether I would sell or 'not. I said not. He then threatened me with a suit in chancery to compel me to abide by the first association, though the people had declined it, and many of the original subscribers had dashed out their names. I proposed to abide the suit and told him he might commence it. If I .should see a bargain to my advantage, then I told the peo- ple I should be inclined to sell them the natural privileges, if I should advance myself equally otherwise; but upon no other footing whatever, of which I would be the judge."
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