USA > New Jersey > Cape May County > The history of Cape May County, New Jersey : from the aboriginal times to the present day > Part 20
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The sea ran so high that it wet those in the round-top; and although many efforts were made, on Saturday, to res- cue them, it was found impossible, as the boats would upset by turning head over stern, subjecting those in them to great danger. Capt. Snow lost his life in attempting to swim ashore. On Sunday the sea fell a Ettle, and those on the wreck were made to understand they would have to build a raft of the spars, and get on it, or they could not be saved. The mate had fortunately secured a hatchet, with which one was constructed; by which the survivors (except a negro who was washed overboard, and reached the shore in safety, whilst making the raft), were rescued by the boats. There were four saved out of the seventeen souls on board, viz: one passenger, who was badly frozen, the inate and two of the crew, including the negro. Three perished in the round-top, and were thrown over.
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
Mr. Cologne, who was in the rigging, and unable to de- scend from the shirouds, let go and fell into the water, and was caught as he came up by his hair, and thus towed ashore. He lived only three days after, though every pos- sible attention was paid him. He and his niece, the young French lady, were buried side by side in the Goldin burying- ground, at Beesley's Point. An eye witness, Dr. Maurice Beesley, from whom the above account is derived, says: "I saw this young and beautiful female after she had been trans- ferred from the beach to the main. Her features were per- fectly natural; her cheeks bore the crimson tinge of life ; and it was scarcely possible to realize that, instead of a concen- tration of all the graces of the female form, animated by the fervor of life, I was gazing upon a cold and lifeless corpse."
In 18:5, during the summer season, a sleep was run regu- larly from Philadelphia to Cape May for the conveyance of passengers. In 1816 Thomas H. Hughes, whom we will mention later, built the first Congress Hall.
In 1818 postoffices were established in the villages of Goshen and Fishing Creek, at the former place on June 5. and at the latter place fifteen days later. Richard Thomp- son, Jr., was the first postmaster at Goshen and Robert Ed- munds at Fishing Creek.
The Sheriff of Cape May county during the War of 1812, or from 1812 to 1815, was Aaron Leaming, 3d. He was really the sixth Aaron Leaming, and was a son of Persons Leaming, and grandson of the famous Aaron Leaming, 2d. Sheriff Leaming was born May 15, 1784. and died January 7, 1836. He, like his grandfather, had large landed pos- sessions.
Spicer Hughes, in 1815, succceded Aaron Leaming, 3d, as Sheriff. He served until 1818, and was a second time in that office, from 1821 to 1824. He was born in 1777 and died in 1849.
Nathaniel Holmes, who served in the Assembly from 18II to 1812, was born March 17, 1757, in Ireland. He landed in Philadelphia on August 8, 1773, and during the month came to Court House, where he settled. He died -there January 28, 1834.
By the census of 1820 Cape May county's population had
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PROGRESS AFTER THE WAR.
grown to a total of 4265, of which 28 were slaves and 205 were free negroes. The inhabitants were then mostly en- gaged in agriculture : wheat, rye, cats and Indian corn being the principal crops. Large quantities of timber were then annually exported to market, and the traffic in salt hay gath- ered from the meadows was of considerable extent. A great
MARINE VILLA, CAP MAY CITY.
MARINE VILLA
deal of lumber was "mined" from the sunken cedar swamp about Dennis creek.
Beginning about the middle of the seventeenth century negro slavery began to grow, and it flourished until it be- came a part of the New Jersey social system. All the peo- ple in the State were not, however, satisfied with this con- dition of servitude which had grown up in their midst by
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
degrees, almost imperceptibly. At first everybody who. could afford it owned slaves, and the Quakers. of which there were some in Cape May county, bought the negroes. as did the other colonists; but about the end of the century some of the Quakers began to think that property in human being was not a righteous thing, and the Jersey Quakers united with those of Pennsylvania in an agreement recom- mending that they should no longer employ negro slaves, or else, at least not to import them thereafter.
A strong party among the Quakers of New Jersey op- posed slavery for many years following, and the system be- gan to be denounced regularly by them at their yearly meet- ings. By the middle of the eighteenth century the practice had been discouraged among the Society of Friends, and a rule made against it. As years passed on the other resi- dents of the State began to think as did the Quakers, and the feeling became very strong against the custom at the beginning of the present century. Finally, in 1820, an act was passed by the Legislature for the emancipation of the slaves. They were not set free all at once and turned into the world to make livings for themselves, but the emanci- pation was to be gradual, by which young people obtained their freedom when they became of age, while the old ne- groes were taken care of by the masters as long as they lived. By this method slavery was abolished in Cape May county, and in 1830 there were but three slaves within its territory, that being the last date that any are reported in the census.
About 1820 Cape May Court House village is recorded as having eight houses, while Watson, two years later, in his "Annals," says that Cape Island "is a village of twenty houses, and the streets are very clean and grassy." Many of these houses, he says, were for the accommodation of sum- mer guests.
On November 28, 1822, the line of partition between Cape May and Cumberland and Gloucester (now Atlantic) coun- ties was changed "to begin at the place where the waters of Mill or Hickman's creek fall into the channel of Tuckahoe river, at the boundary line of Gloucester county, and run- ning thence directly into the mouth of said creek, continuing
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the same course by a line of marked trees (which by pres- ent position of the compass is south. fifty-seven degrees and about thirty minutes west) until it strikes Hughes' or the lower mill pond, on West or Jecak's creek, thence down the middle of the ancient water courses thereof, until it falls into Delaware bay, and thence continuing a due northwest course until it strikes the line of said counties, at the ship channel of the said bay."
The first light house in the county, built by the govern- ment, was Cape May light. This light is situated on the northeastern side of the entrance to Delaware Bay. It stands in latitude 38° 55' 59", longitude 74° 57' 39". Cape May light was originally built in 1823, and rebuilt in 1859. Its height of tower is 145 feet. and the elevation of its light is 152 feet above sea level. Its lens is of the first order, with white flash-light at intervals of 30 seconds, visible at a distance of 18 nautical miles. Arc illumination N. E. by southward to N. W. Its tower is painted gray. It is dis- tant 123 nautical miles from Cape Henlopen main light. and 174 miles from Five Fathom Bank lightship.
The third and present (1897) edifice of the Cold Spring Presbyterian Church was built in 1823, and was the first brick church in the county.
At this time Joshua Townsend was a prominent citizen of the county, and a member of the Legislature. He was a merchant at Seaville, and a son of Henry Young Townsend, captain in the Revolution. Joshua Townsend was born July 9, 1786, and when a young man was at first a lieuten- ant in Cape May company in the War of 1812, and later a captain in the Cape May regiment of militia. In 1819 he was first elected to the Assembly and served until 1821. He served in that body also from 1822 to 1823, and from 1827 to 1830. From 1831 to 1834 he was an active member of the Legislative Council. In 1840 he was a Presidential elector on the Harrison and Tyler Whig ticket, and was elected, casting his ballot for them. He died November 29, 1868. He built the schooner "Vitruvius."
In 1823 Israel Townsend, of Lower Township, was first elected to the Assembly, serving four years. And in 1827 he was chosen a member of the Legislative Council and
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
served in that body until 1831. For several years thereafter he served in the Board of Chosen Freeholders from Lower Township. He was a son of John Townsend, and was born. May 12, 1782, and died November 3, 1862.
In 1825 a new County Clerk's office was built by contract with Ellis Hughes, of Cape Island. This structure was used until the present brick building was erected.
The steamboat "Pennsylvania" was in July this year placed on the line from Philadelphia to Cape May, carry- ing passengers distinctly for the Cape Island House. The
JOSHUA TOWNSEND.
"Delaware" was also put on the line a few years later, and since that time steamboats have never ceased to run to Cape May during the summer season.
Dennis Township was formed in 1826, out of Upper. It was thirteen miles long, with an average width of about six. It is bounded N. by Upper Township, E. by the ocean, S. by Middle Township, and W. by Maurice River swamp.
The cost of running the county during this decade was an average of about $3000 per annum, according to the annual appropriations of the Board of Freeholders.
In 1827 Thomas P. Hughes, of Lower township, was
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PROGRESS AFTER THE WAR.
elected Sheriff, and he served three years. He was a son of Congressman Thomas H. Hughes, and was born Jan- uary 19, 1790; died September 9, 1863. He was a member of Assembly from 1838 to 1840, and of the Legislative Coun- cil from 18.40 to 1842.
In 1827 preachers of the Methodist denominat on first be- gan to travel in Cape May county regularly and preach. The county was then in the Cumberland circuit. Rev. Charles Pitman traveled over the district as presiding elder, preaching in private houses principally. The three preach- ers in the circuit were Reverends John Woolson, Sedge- wick Rusling and Robert Gerry, and they each received about $700.00 per year for their services.
The steamboat traffic on the Delaware now became a thriving industry. The boats for Cape May stopped at New Castle to take up the Baltimoreans and Southerners who would come down on the old Frenchtown and New Cas- tle Railroad-the first railroad ever run in this country. They would come over in carriages from Baltimore to Frenchtown, in Maryland, on the Susquehanna, near Havre de Grace.
Tuckahoe was provided with a postoffice on January 14, 1828, and John Williams was the first postmaster, and on August 27 the following year an office was established at Green Creek, and Matthew Marcy was first chosen to keep the office.
In 1837 a new gaol, or jail, was built, and Richard Thompson, of Middle township, was appointed to superin- tend its construction. In the same year the bridge at West Creek was ordered built, and Nathaniel Holmes, of Den- nis township, ordered to superintend the work.
May 26, 1829, the new jail was completed and accepted by the Board of Freeholders. It was after the architecture of Strasburg Cathedral. Its floor was of wood, but owing to the escape of prisoners later, an iron floor replaced the wooden one. It was used until 1894.
Probably the most popular man in Cape May at this time was Thomas H. Hughes. As a citizen he had been promi- nent for his thrift and enterprise, and was a man of large ex- perience. He was the son of Ellis Hughes, the first post-
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
master at Cape Island, and was born at Cape May on Jan- uary 10, 1769. His first office was that of Sheriff, which he hield from 1801 to 1804. Following this, in 1807. he was elected to the Assembly, and served one year. He served there also from 1809 to 1810, and from 1812 to 1813. In 1816 he built the first Congress Hall at Cape Island. The people laughed at him for his folly in erecting so large a building in those times. He predicted that the time would come when a purchaser would have to cover every inch of land with a dollar to obtain sufficient space on which to crect a dwelling. His predictions have almost been veri- fied. In 1819 he was again chosen by the people to the Legislature, but this time to the Council, and served there until 1823, and again from 1824 to 1825. He was also prominent as a trustee of the Cold Spring Presbyterian Church, and in the temperance cause. A man of command- ing presence and large frame, he was noticed. He was blind in one eye, but this did not detract from his popularity. His fame had gone abroad over the State.
In the debates in Congress in 1828 thie tariff question turned up-the question of levying duties on imported goods to produce a revenue for the government and to raise the price of articles from foreign countries in order to stim- ulate home industries was taken up. This was the begin- ning of the protective tariff. President John Quincy Adams favored this tariff, and in that year the duties on for- eign made goods were greatly increased. This was the be- ginning of a new political epoch in the United States. The political partisan elements of the country had been whiling about in a choatic condition, but it now resolved itself down to the two quickly forming parties-the Whig and the Dem- ocratic. The people of the Eastern and Middle States favored the tariff, and were allied to the new Whig doctrine, while the agricultural States of the West and South were op- posed to the tariff. John Quincy Adams was a candidate for re-election as President on the new Whig platform, and his opponent was Andrew Jackson, the Democratic nomi- nee.
In New Jersey the Whigs named as their candidates for Congress Thomas H. Hughes, of Cape May; Richard M.
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Cooper, of Gloucester; Lewis Condict, of Morris; Isaac Pierson, of Essex: James Fitz Randolph, of Middlesex, and Samuel Swan, of Somerset. When the election took place they were chosen, and New Jersey's electoral vote was cast for Adams for President and Richard Rush, of Pennsylva- nia, for Vice-President, but Jackson was elected. Mr. Hughes served in the 21st and 22nd Congresses, or from 1829 to 1833. One of his colleagues in the two sessions was Henry Clay. The tariff question was reopened and oc- casioned great excitement in Congress and throughout the country. Daniel Webster and Senator Hayne, of South
COUNTY JAIL, ESED FROM 1839 To 1894.
Carolina, had their great debate during Hughes' second term. In the stirring scenes of 1831-2, when South Carolina declared her right to nullify the laws and Constitution, he was present. In Mr. Hughes' second term ex-President John Quincy Adams became one of his colleagues as a rep- resentative from Massachusetts. After he retired from Congress he remained in private life until he died on No- vember 10, 1839, aged 70 years. His remains lie in Cold Spring Cemetery.
By 1830 the population of Cape May had increased to 4936 souls, of which there were but three slaves, and 225
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
free colored persons. The census of that year exhibited the following facts concerning the county :
Number of acres, 161,500; acres of improved land, 59,528 ;. lots of and under ten acres, 188; householders, 669; single men, 188; taxables, 1000; merchants and traders, 29; grist mills. run of stone, 8; saw mills, 16; carding machines, 2; male slaves, 2; chairs, sulkies and Dearborns, 72; covered wagons, 148; two-horse stage, I ; poor tax, $1,125; road tax, $1,650.
At this time large quantities of cord wood was being shipped to Philadelphia and New York. Rye and corn. were the most abundant crops.
From a writer of 1830 we gather the following concern- ing the county then :
"That portion of the State (Cape May county) has not generally been holden in due estimation. If its inhabitants be not numerous, they are generally as independent as any others in the State, and enjoy as abundantly the comforts of life. They are hospitable, and respectable for the pro- priety of their manners, and are blessed, usually, with excel- lent health. Until lately they have known little, practically, of those necessary evils of social life, the physician and the. lawyer. Morse assures us that their women possessed the power not only of sweetening life, but of defending and prolonging it, being competent to cure most of the diseases. which attack it."
Of the villages the writer notes:
"Cape May Court House contains a court house of wood, a jail of stone, fire-proof offices of brick, 2 taverns, 8 or 10 dwellings, and a Baptist church of brick. It is called Middletown in the post office list."
"Cape May Island-It is a noted and much frequented watering place, the season at which commences about the first of July and continues until middle of August or first of September. There are here six boarding houses, three of which are very large; the sea bathing is convenient and ex- cellent, the beach affords pleasant drives, and there is ex- cellent fishing in adjacent waters."
"Marshallville-several mills there."
"Tuckahoe contains some 20 dwellings, 3 taverns, several'
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stores. It is a place of considerable trade in wood, lumber and ship building."
"Cold Spring contains I tavern, 2 stores, 15 to 20 dwell- ings, an Episcopal church (Presbyterian). It derives its name from remarkable spring near it, which rises in the marsh, and is overflowed at every tide."
"Dennis's Creek-contains 30 to 40 dwellings, 2 taverns, 5 stores, a tide grist mill. Town built on both sides of creek, about a half inile. Ship building and trade in lum- Ler are carried on extensively here."
"Etna, furnace & forge & grist mill. On Tuckahoe river, 15 m. from sea."
"Goshen contains tavern, 2 stores, a steam saw mill, 12 or 15 dwellings, a school house, in which religious meetings are held."
"Beasley's Point, Upper township, on Great Egg Har- bor Bay. There are here, upon a neck of land, between the salt marshes of about one mile wide, 2 taverns and several farm houses, where visitors to the shore may find agreeable accommodations."
The bridge over West Creek, on the road between Lees- burg and Dennisville, was built about 1830. On September 25th the Chosen Freeholders of both counties met at West Creek to inspect the structure.
It was during this decade that the first spring carriage was built in Cape May county. John Farrow, who was a carriage wright and keeper of a public house, at Court House, was its builder. He was the father of William Far- row, who is now chief of police of Cape May City.
Jeremiah Leaming was elected to the Assembly in 1830, and was prominent in the affairs of the county. He was a son of Persons Leaming, and a grandson of the second Aaron Leaming, having been born May 26, 1792. He served in the Assembly from 1830 to 1834, and then in the upper branch of the Legislature, the Council, from 1834 to 1836. He interested himself in securing pensions for the survivors of the Revolutionary War, and for the widows of these patriots. In 1836 he was candidate on the "Demo- cratic Whig Ticket" for Presidential elector, and was elec- ted, casting his vote for Harrison and Granger. On the
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
Democratic-Republican ticket the same year James Ma- guire, of Goshen, was a candidate for Presidential elector against him. Mr. Leaming died April 26, 1839, from being overheated by fighting a fire on his plantation.
Richard Thompson, who in 1830 was elected Sheriff, and served three years, was the son of Richard Thompson, cap- tain of Fishing Creek artillery in 1814, and was born in this county December 3, 1795. The first position he held was that of County Clerk from 1824 to 1829. When he was chosen Sheriff he was a member of the Board of Chosen Freeholders, and the Director (President) of that body. From 1834 to 1836 he was a member of the General Assem- bly, and during the two years following sat in the Legisla- tive Council. From 1847 to 1851 he served as a Middle township member in the Freeholders again. He was Loan Commissioner of the county from 1840 to 1844, and again in 1856. He died at Cape May Court House, September 27, 1857.
The Reverend Moses Williamson became the pastor of the Cold Spring Presbyterian Church on July 6, 1831, and for forty years thereafter was a prominent citizen of the county. He was born at Newville, Pa., May 7, 1802, and obtained his education, a liberal one, at Hopewell Academy, Carlisle, Pa., Jefferson College, Conansburg, Pa., and at Dickinson College, in Carlisle, from the latter graduating with honors in 1824. He then took a full course of three years in the Theological Seminary, at Princeton, N. J., graduating September 22, 1828. He was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Carlisle six days later, and entered upon labors in Delaware and Maryland. When his health failed him a short time after he was advised to come to Cape May for his health, and did so, coming down the Delaware by steamer. On the Sabbath after his arrival at Cape May, August 16, 1829, he was invited to preach in Cold Spring Church, and did so. That day the pastor, Rev. Alvin H. Parker, resigned, Mr. Williamson was called upon as a supply, and acted as such for two years, excepting for six months when he was studying Hebrew scriptures at An- dover Theological Seminary. He then became the regu- lar pastor of the church, and remained with it until he was
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released at his own request, from the charge by the Pres- bytery of West Jersey, April 18, 1873. In his civil capacity he was one of the best of m. n. He was a thorough scholar, and had as his pupils those who afterwards became the fore- most men of the county. He was a county examiner of teachers, with Dr. Jonathan F. Leaming, for many years, from about 1845. He erected and conducted at much ex- pense and effort the Cold Spring Academy. During his pastorate 490 persons were added to his church, he married 250 couples and officiated at over 500 funerals. Besides
REV. MOSES WILLIAMSON
preaching at Cold Spring he conducted meetings at Cape Island and Green Creek. He died at Cape May City on October 30, 1880, aged 78 years.
On June 12, 1833, the Board of Freeholders ordered an almshouse built, 18 by 30 feet, and two stories in height. The committee who had charge of its construction were Jeremiah Hand, Samuel Springer and Samuel Matthews.
About 1834 the steamer "Portsmouth" began to make weekly trips to Cape May, Lewestown, from Philadelphia.
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
In 1837 the Board of Freeholders accepted Cape May's share of the "Surplus Fund," which was to loan out on se- curity. Robert M. Holmes was made Loan Commissioner, which position he held until he died ..
The "Surplus Fund" was composed of money which had accumulated to the government of the United States mainly from sales of government lands, and was not needed for its expenses. By an act of Congress it was divided among the several States and each State then divided its quota among its several counties. In 1829 President Jackson suggested the distribution and the House of Representatives' resolu- tion was passed next session, for distribution of proceeds of land sales among the States. Henry Clay advocated the measure in 1832, but it failed in the House. After much legislation, during which time (until 1836) the land sales reached a point giving $66,000,000 in the U. S. Treasury as surplus. Consequently Congress enacted a law in June, 1832, providing for the apportionment of the surplus yearly among the several States, reserving $5,000,000. This act was repealed in October, 1839, after $37,000,000 had been apportioned. By act of the State Legislature of November 4, 1836, the Governor, Speaker and Treasurer were ap- pointed to receive this State's share, and by an act of March 10, 1839, the method of its apportionment among the var- ious counties was defined.
During Andrew Jackson's administration the United States Government paid to the several States their share of the Surplus Fund. The amount paid to Cape May county was from $18,000 to $20,000. The Freeholders of the coun- ty received it and placed it in the hands of a Loan Com- mission, who loaned it out on promissory notes. Several of these note givers became bankrupt, causing a loss to the fund of several thousand dollars. The Freeholders then or- dered the Surplus Fund loaned only on bond and mortgage. Still, interest was irregularly paid and some losses on prin- cipal occurred. Several years ago the Freeholders abol- ished the office of Loan Commissioners, ordered the County Collector to take charge of the Loan Fund, then amount- ing to $12,349.14, and to pay to the several public schools
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PROGRESS AFTER THE WAR.
of Cape May county six per cent. annually on this sum, or $740.96 a year.
About 1840 there were fears that Cape May citizens might lose through the multiplicity of State laws their rights to the natural privileges in the sounds, and on the 5th of Febru- Gary, 1839, the Board of Freeholders authorized Jeremiah Leaming to go to Trenton to work for the passage of an act to preserve these privileges.
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