USA > New Jersey > Cape May County > The history of Cape May County, New Jersey : from the aboriginal times to the present day > Part 21
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During the year 1839 there were within the bounds of Cape May county ten licensed .nns or hotels, kept by the following persons: Richard S. Ludlam, James J. Ludlam, Clark Henderson, Humphrey Hewitt, David Saint (?), Mackey Williams. Benjamin Owen, Mark A. Carroll, John Smith and Stephen Young.
The first signal of danger erected by the government off the Cape May coast was the Five-Fathom Bank lightship. This vessel is located near the shoal called the Five-Fathom Bank, off the entrance of Delaware Bay. She was establish- ed in 1839, and last refitted in 1855. She is now moored in twelve fathoms of water. She is supplied with a twelve- inch steam fog whistle, giving a blast of four seconds dur- ing each half minute. "Five-Fathom Bank" is painted in bold letters on each side. She has two lights, with reflec- tors, and two hoop-iron day marks, one on each mast. Her lights are a fixed white, forty and forty-five feet above sea level, and visible a distance of eleven nautical miles. Arc illumination, the entire horizon. She is painted a straw- color, and is distant 173 miles from Cape May light and 231 From Cape Henlopen main light. Shoal part of bank bears, per compass, N. W. & N., distant 2} miles. She is in latitude 38° 51' 20", longitude 743 36' 10".
The sheriff of the county from 1838 to 1841 was Samuel Springer, who was born September 5. 1800, and died March 7, 1877. He was a prominent resident of Middle township.
The population of Cape May county in 1840 was 5324, of which 218 were colored persons, all free. The conditions of the townships by that census are exhibited by the follow- ing:
"Upper-Population, 1217. Its surface is level; soil, sand and loam, and well timbered with cedar, oak and pine. It
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
contains four stores, one grist mill, four saw mills, five schools, 219 scholars.
"The village of Tuckahoe is situated on both sides of Tuckahoe River, on the county line, 18 miles from court house, It from the sea, 28 from Bridgeton and 13 from May's Landing. It contains three taverns, several stores, about sixty dwellings and a Methodist church. There are besides in the township one Baptist, one Methodist church and a Friends' meeting house. Wood, lumber and ship building constitute the business of the village.
"Dennis-This township, except that part cultivated, or meadow, is covered with oaks, pines and cedars. There are in the township seven stores, two grist mills, six saw mills, four schools, 205 scholars. Population, 1350.
"Dennisville is a post village, extending on both sides of the creek for a mile. It is eight miles north of Court House, eight south of Tuckahoe, and twenty-eight from Bridgeton. It contains five stores, about seventy dwellings, a neat acad- emy, the upper story of which is used for a lyceum and for religious meetings. Ship building and the lumber trade are carried on here. The Methodist church at this place was the first erected in the county. There is a Baptist church in the eastern part of the township. West Creek, four niles northwest of Dennisville, is a thickly settled agricultural neighborhood.
"Middle-About half the township is salt marsh or sea beach: the remaining portion is mostly sandy loan. The township contains twelve stores, two grist mills, two saw- mills, five schools, 328 scholars. Population, 1624. Go- shen, five miles northwest of Court House, has a Methodist church and about twenty dwellings. The village of Cape May Court House is in the central part of the township, IIO- miles from Trenton. and 36 southeast of Bridgeton, and contains a court house, a jail and the county offices, a Meth- odist and a Baptist church, and thirty or forty dwellings in the vicinity.
"Lower-A great portion of its surface is covered with a salt marsh and sea beach. On the ocean shore the soil is loamy, the bay shore is sandy, and the central part sandy loam. There is much young timber in the township. The
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PROGRESS AFTER THE WAR.
inhabitants are mostly engaged in agriculture or maritime pursuits. There are in the township six stores, three saw mills, six schools, 240 scholars. Population, 1133.
"Fishing Creek, on the bay shore, six miles southwest of Court House, is an agricultural village similar to Cold Spring. A survey has been made for a breakwater, at Crow's Shoal, in this township, near the mouth of the bay. When the wind is northeast a good harbor is afforded at that place, as sometimes as many as one hundred vessels are anchored off here. On a sudden change of the north- west vessels are frequently driven ashore. The breakwater, if built, would have been an effectual protection against winds from this direction.
"Cold Spring, ten miles south of Court House, is a thickly settled agricultural neighborhood, containing about forty houses within the circle of a mile. It derives its name from an excellent spring of cold water flowing up from the salt marsh, which is much frequented by sojourners at Cape Island. It contains an academy, a Methodist and a Presby- terian church.
"The village of Cape Island is a favorite watering-place in the southern part of this township, thirteen miles south of Court House. It began to grow into notice as a watering place in 1812, at which time there were but a few houses there. It now contains two large hotels, three stories high and 150 feet long, and a third one, lately erected, four stories high and 100 feet long, besides numerous other houses for the entertainment of visitors. The whole number of dwell- ings is about fifty. In the summer months the Island is thronged with visitors, principally from Philadelphia, with which there is then a daily steamboat communication. It is estimated that about 3000 strangers annually visit the place. The village is separated by a small creck from the main land; but its area is fast wearing away by the encroachments of the sea. Watson, the antiquarian, in a MSS. journal of a trip to Cape Island in 1835, on this point says: 'Since my former visit to Cape Island in 1822, the house in which I then stopped (Captain Aaron Bennett's), then nearest the surf, has been actually reached by the invading waters. * The distance from Bennett's house to the sea
1
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
bank in 1822 was 165 feet; and in 1804, as it was then meas- utred and cut upon the house by Commodore Decatur, it was 334 feet. It had been as much as 300 feet further off, as remembered by some old men who told me so in 1822.' A large portion of the inhabitants of the village are Dela- ware pilots, a hardy and industrious race. About two miles west of the boarding houses is the Cape May lighthouse."
CHAPTER XX. NOTED MEN OF A GENERATION.
In 1840 Jonathan Hand. Jr., was appointed county clerk of Cape May by the Legislature, which position he held con- tinuously thereafter until 1890. He was a descendant of Shamgar Hand, one of two brothers who bought proprietary interests in Cape May county and settled here in 1685. He descended from Shamgar, down through Thomas, Recom- pence, Jonathan, his grandfather, and Jonathan, his father. His grandfather served in the Colonial Legislature from 1771 to 1776, and when the State's new Constitution was adopted was a member of the first Legislative Council, serving from 1776 to 1778. His father was commissioned a captain of the Cape May regiment in 1802, and is said to have served in the War of 1812 in the coast defense of Cape May county. His mother was Sarah Moore, a daughter of the Trenton ferryman. She, when a girl of twelve years, was selected and was one of the twenty-four girls who, in 1789. when George Washington was on his way to New York to become the first President of the nation, strewed flowers upon his path. When she was married to Jonathan, the second, she was a widow, Wilson by name. She lived at Cape May Court House until she died, in 1371, aged 93 years. She was a devout Christian woman, and a member ·of the Baptist denomination.
Jonathan, the father, had served as county clerk from 1831 to 1834, and Jonathan, Jr., had assisted his father, who died the latter year. From 1834 to 1835 he assisted Jacob G. Smith, the clerk, and was deputy clerk the five following years under Swain Townsend. In 1840 he was appointed by the Legislature, and was chosen by the people nine times, often receiving every vote in the county.
Jonathan. the third. as he will be known in history, was born at Cape May Court House December 22, 1818. In
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
early life he was a Whig, and later a member of the Repub- lican party. In 1862 Governor Olden appointed him a draft commissioner of the county to draw men for the service of their country in the Civil War, then in progress. In 1852 he was appointed a master in chancery of New Jersey. He died at his home at Cape May Court House on the morn- ing of March 2, 1897, aged 79 years. Of him it is said that he was a painstaking, systematic official, and was consid- ered by lawyers to have the best-kept office in New Jersey.
JONATHAN HAND.
The amount of the school fund of Cape May county in. 1841 was $484.48, which was divided according to the num- ber of scholars, pro rata, to the various townships: Upper, $III.93; Dennis, $120.20; Middle, $160.76, and Lower,. $91.59.
The next post office to be established in the county was that at East Creek in 1842, when John Wilson was appoint- ed postmaster on April 22.
By an act of the Legislature of March 13, 1844, a strip of Cumberland was thrown into Cape May. The bounds.
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NOTED MEN OF A GENERATION.
were: Beginning at the Cumberland and Cape May line, where the old Cape May road intersects the same; and run- ning thence in a northiward course along said road to a sta- tion formerly called Souder Place; thence northwardly the most direct course to the Cumberland and Atlantic line; thence by the Atlantic line and the Cape May line to the be- ginning. The commissioners appointed to run the line were Francis Lee, James Ward and James L. Smith. Arrange- ments were made that the township committees should make division of the property, that Cumberland officers should hold power to second Monday of April, 1844, and after that time shall act as if appointed or elected from Cape May. provided judges and justices take the official oaths before May I. Judgments and legal actions were to be in no wise affected. On the 26th of February, 1845, the act was re- pealed and the bounds were once more made in conformity with "the ancient boundary line."
In 1844 the State of New Jersey was given a new Con- stitution. The people of Cape May sent as their delegate Joshua Swain, aged sixty-six, a farmer. This convention inet at Trenton on May 14 and continued its sessions until June 29, when it was voted for by the convention with but one dissenting voice. Mr. Swain voted in the affirmative. This Constitution was ratified by the people by a large ma- jority on the 13th of August following.
Joshua Swain was born February 2, 1778. From 1813 to 1814 he was a member of the State Assembly, and a mem- ber of the Legislative Council at three different times, from 1815 to 1819, from 1823 to 1824, and from 1825 to 1827. He was sheriff from 1809 to 1812. With his father, Jacocks, and brother, Henry, he patented the centre board in 1811. He died August 24, 1855.
On March 4, 1847, Harvey Shaw, Benjamin Tomlin, Jr .; Robert Baymore, Jr., and Ezra Norton, of Middle town- ship, were authorized by the Legislature to build a bridge over Cedar Creek at Goshen.
The Legislature in 1848 passed an act to better protect the propagation of oysters by prohibiting the vending of them in Cape May county from May I to October I. This law remained in force until 1853.
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
In 1846 the people elected James L. Smith a member of the State Senate, in which he served the county three years. He was a resident of West Creek when elected. He was born at Goshen January 28, 1795, and was educated for a surveyor at Bridgeton, in Cumberland county. He was the son of Abijah Smith, who was county clerk from 1804 to 1824. In 1819 he married Deborah Tomlin, and settled at West Creek. In 1866 he was appointed by Governor Ward one of the judges of the Court of Common Pleas of
JAMES L SMITH.
the county, holding the position until he died, in 1871. He was for years a member of the Board of Freeholders from Dennis township, as follows: 1833. 1835, 1839, and from 1841 to 1854. In private life he was a farmer, a director of the Cumberland Bank, and was a Methodist of the foremost type. He was one of the pillars of that denomination in this county.
From 1846 to 1847 Richard Smith Ludlam was the As- semblyman. He was a hotel keeper of Cape Island, who, in 1847, entertained Henry Clay at the Mansion House. He
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NOTED MEN OF A GENERATION.
was born at Dennisville in 1792, and conducted a general store there, as well as a cord wood business. While in the Legislature he secured the incorporation of Cape Island as a borough. He served in the Board of Freeholders from Cape Island in 1853, 1855 and 1862. He died at Cape May City on June 15. 1881.
He bu.lt the Mansion House in 1832, being the second large hotel erected. It stood on four acres of ground. He opened the first part of Washington street, which he then laid out only between Jackson and Peny streets. The Man- sion House was the first lathed and plastered hotel here, old Congress Hall being only weather-boarded and sheathed.
It was in 1847 that Henry Clay, the great Kentuckian, came to Cape May, and Mr. Ludlam years afterward said: "The big time was when Harry Clay came. He had been at the White Sulphurs, and said he had a notion to go to some of the Northern watering places; that was in 1857. So I sent him an invitation and he accepted, and stopped at the Mansion House for a week. It was in the latter part of Au- gust, and the people had before that thinned out. When, however, it was announced that Harry Clay was to be here, the place filled up to overflowing. Two steamboat loads came on from New York. They wanted him there. Hor- ace Greeley came down to see him, and the people from Salem and Bridgeton and all the country around flocked in their carry-alls to Cape May to see Harry of the West."
As soon as it was known that Clay was to become a vis- itor the people began to arrive from all over the Middle and Southern States. United States Senator James A. Bayard, of Wilmington, accompanied by Charles C. Gordon, of Georgia, was among the first to arrive. On the Saturday previous there came a large party from Philadelphia. Clay had come by stage and rail, so far as there was any, to Phil- adelphia, being greeted on his route by hosts of friends who had, and by others who had not, cast their ballots for him three years previous, when he ran for the Presidency against Polk. Clay came for rest, and to wear away sorrow which had come upon him by the killing of his son, who had just previously fallen in the Mexican War.
On the morning of Monday, August 16, 1847, the great
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
statesman, with his party, left Philadelphia on the steam- boat then plying between that place and Cape Island, and arrived at the landing about one o'clock in the afternoon. The party was driven over the turnpike to the Mansion House, where a big dinner was in waiting for the distin- guished guests. The band engagement having expired be- fore this event, Beck's Philadelphia band was brought down on the boat with Mr. Clay. The old hotel register, which is still preserved, has upon it the names of the following Ken- tuckians, who came that day: Hon. Henry Clay (written in a big, round hand by one of the committee), Colonel John Swift, H. White and son, W. S. Smith, F. Lennig, Miss Riche, Miss Johns. Mr. Clay was given a rest on his arri- val, but the day following was his busiest while ou Cape May's grand beach. During the day many more arrived, and the Island was filled with country folks anxious to see the great man. Rev. Moses Williamson made the address of welcome, to which Mr. Clay fittingly responded in words that electrified his listeners. Among other things he re- marked to a friend that Mr. Williamson made one of the best addresses of the kind he ever heard, and made many inquiries about the good and well-known divine. Mr. Clay's magnificent language, says one who heard him, held the crowds spell-bound. After the speech-making there was hand-shaking and a grand feast. The speech-making took place in the old "Kersal," the music pavilion and ball-room of the hotel, which had been built in the spring of that year. Mr. Clay was received on the part of the county of Cape May by Dr. Maurice Beesley. During his visit there were more arrivals each day than there had been for any previous day of that summer.
While at Cape May Mr. Clay loved bathing and went in as often as twice a day, and it was while enjoying it that he lost a great deal of his hair. The ladies would catch him and with a pair of scissors, carried for just that purpose, clip locks from his head to remember him by. When he re- turned to Washington his hair was very short, indeed.
In Beck's Band, which furnished the music, there was the father, six sons and three others, and as it was at Cape Is- land season after season their names are here given: Jacob
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NOTED MEN OF A GENERATION.
WV. Beck, leader; L. Beck, C. Beck, H. Beck, J. M. Beck, G. Beck, A. Beck, J. W. Gaul, J. Leech, A. Fenner and B. Wilks.
Mr. Clay remained at Cape May for several days. "About seven o'clock this (Friday, August 20, 1847) morning," said the New York Herald, "the steamboat New Haven let fall her anchors opposite the place, having left New York the previous afternoon, with a number of eminent citizens, to invite Mr. Clay to visit that city. Among the visitors were Recorder Tallmadge, Nicholas Dean, M. G. Hart, Morris Franklin. Horace Greeley, Matthew L. Davis, James A. Coffin, Mr. Gammage and Mr. MeCracken, of New Haven. A surf boat was sent off and brought the committee ashore, who waited on Mr. Clay and received his promise to meet them at the Mansion House at noon. During the morning all the passengers came ashore from the steamboat. The mode of transit created great amusement and many jokes. Some called it the landing before Vera Cruz, and to see dig- nity perched on the shoulders of the boatmen, who, wading through the surf, deposited their loads on the beach, was truly laughable.
"The New Yorkers stopped principally at the Columbia House. At the appointed time Mr. Ludlam sent down his band from the Mansion House to accompany the procession, which soon arrived at the place appointed for the reception. The hall was filled with ladies and gentlemen, and 'mute expectation spread its anxious hush,' interrupted only by the strains of the band, until Henry Clay made his appear- ance. Then ensued such a shouting and cheering, and ap- plaudits from fair hands, and waving of handkerchiefs, as Cape May never saw before, and probably never will again. Old Ocean started from his noonday repose and lifted up his white locks to listen to the unwonted shout, and then there came wave after wave, spreading itself on the beach, as if doing joyous homage to 'the man and the hour.'
"Nicholas Dean, Esq., as chairman of the New York delegation, then arose, and in behalf of the citizens of New York, irrespective of party, expressed their appreciation of the long and eminent services of Mr. Clay, and requested an opportunity of tendering him an expression of their con-
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
fidence and esteem. In the name of the half million citizens. of New York, he invited Mr. Clay to visit the metropolis- he said thousands of tongues were waiting to give him wel- come, and the entire aggregate heart and pulse of the city was beating and throbbing to bid him welcome-thrice wel- come to the hospitality of New York.
"Mr. Clav, who had listened with much emotion to the glowing language and impassioned tone of Mr. Dean, after a silence of a few moments, arose to reply. Hushed then was every sound, lest one word that was to fall from those eloquent lips should be lost. He commenced by alluding to the presence of other committees, on similar errands to the one from New York-especially from Philadelphia, Trenton and New Haven-and then continued:
"'Fellow Citizens-The eloquent address which has just been delivered has had the effect almost to induce me to adopt the language which was used on a more solemn oct. sion. "Thou almost persuadest me" to go to New York. But in all that uprightness of my nature which I have ever endeavored to practice, I must tell you the objects and mo- tives which brought me to the shores of the Atlantic. I re- turned to my residence, after passing the winter at New Orleans, on the 23d or 24th of March last and a day or two afterwards melancholy intelligence came to me. I have been nervous ever since, and was induced to take this jour- ney, for I could not look upon the partner of my sorrow's without experiencing deeper anguish.'
"(Mr. Clay was here completely overcome by his feelings, covered his face with his hands and was silent for several minutes. At length with an effort he recovered himself and resumed.)
" 'Everything about Ashland was associated with the mem- ory of the lost one: the very trees which his hands assisted me to plant seemed to remind me of his loss. Had the stroke come alone, I could have borne it with His assist- ance, and sustained by the kindness of my friends and fellow- citizens, with meekness and resignation. But of eleven chil- dren four only remain. Of six lovely and affectionate daughters not one is left. Finding myself in a theatre of sadness, I thought I would fly to the mountain top and de-
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NOTED MEN OF A GENERATION.
scend to the waves of the ocean, and by meeting with the sympathy of friends, obtain some relief to the sadness which encompassed me. I came for private purposes, and for pri- vate purposes alone. I have not desired these public mani- festations, but have rather desired to escape from them. My friend and traveling companion, Dr. Mercer, will tell vou, that in Virginia, in every section of the State of my birth. I have been implored to remain if only for a few hours, to exchange congratulations with my friends, but I invariably refused and only remained in each place suffi- ciently long enough to exchange one vehicle for another. You may imagine that I made a visit to Philadelphia, but I was accidentally thrown into Philadelphia. When I ar- rived in Baltimore, I learnt that the most direct route to this place was by the Delaware. I had no public object in view in taking that route, and yet indifferent I am not nor cannot be to these manifestations of popular regard, nor to any- thing which connects me with the honor, welfare and glory of my country.
" .Gentlemen of the Committee of New York. I have truly and sincerely disclosed the purpose of the journey, but I cannot but deeply feel this manifestation of your respect and regard. It is received with thankfulness, and excites the warmest feelings of my heart, that I, a private and humble citizen, without an army, without a navy, without even a constable's staff, should have been met at every step of my progress with the kindest manifestations of feelings-feelings of which a President, a monarch or an emperor might well be pround.
"'No-I am not insensible to these tokens of public affec- tion and regard, I am thankful for them all. To you, gentle- men of the Committee of New York, who, in behalf of the 400.000 individuals whom you represent, have taken so much trouble, I am deeply thankful for this manifestation of your regard, but I must reluctantly decline the honor of your in- vitation. And you, gentlemen of the other committees, to your fellow-citizens of Trenton, New Haven and Philadel- phia, I must beg of you to excuse me, and trust to your affec- tion to do so, for if I do not place myself upon the affection of my countrymen, whither should I go, and where should
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
I be ?- on the wide ocean without a compass and without a guide !
"'I must beg of you, gentlemen of all these committees, to retrace your steps, charged and surcharged with the warmest feelings of gratitude-go back charged with warm- est thanks from me, and tell my friends that nothing but the circumstances in which I am placed, nothing-for we may as well mingle a laugh with our tears, and borrow the words of the Irish Ambassador, "situated as I am and I may say circumstanced as I am"-prevents the honor of meeting you. Tell them-and I hope that general response will be considered as a specific answer to each of the com- mittee-that you are charged with the expression of the best feelings of my heart. And you, gentlemen of New York, be assured that among the recollections of the incidents of this journey, this visit will be paramount, and the circum- stances which led to it.
".I wish you an agreeable voyage on your return, and pray make my apologies for being constrained to decline your kind invitation.'
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