USA > New Jersey > Cape May County > The history of Cape May County, New Jersey : from the aboriginal times to the present day > Part 3
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Other authorities say that the Townsends and Spicers were the oldest white settlers and individual land owners of the county, and that John Townsend and Jacob Spicer came from Long Island in 1680, and that Richard, son of John Townsend, was the first white child born within the limits of the county. Bancroft's "History of the United 'States" gives the settlement of Cape May Town, or Town Bank, as forty years earlier than Dr. Beesley's positive
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
knowledge. The records of the whalemen, which appear im New Haven, show that there was no permanent removal from that place to Cape May until 1685, and that about one- fifth of the old family names of Cape May and New Haven are similar. It is probable, however, that from 1640 there- was a sheltering and resting place at Town Bank for these whalemen from Connecticut and Long Island. The names. of residents of East Hampton, L. I., at that time are like- those who are first mentioned as residents of Cape May county, also.
The whaling period extended from the middle of the seventeenth century to the early part of the eighteenth cen- tury. As early as 1658 there is said to have been fourteen. skilled pilots who led the whalemen. The whalemen had troubles of their own, which at times got into the courts,. and a search of the manuscript records of the earliest court at Burlington, where Cape May business was then (1685); transacted, bring to light the following cases, which are. given condensed to show the grievances heard:
Burlington Court, 4th 7th month, 1685. Caleb Carman & Jno Carman
VS. Evan Davis.
Edward Pynde testified that he was at the plantation of Evan Davis, who told him that he had bought a fish of an "Indian called Nummy." Davis invited Pynde to go with him to see the fish, saying that the deponent should have a share therein if he did so. Pynde accordingly went, and "comeing to ye s'd ffish sayth it was a whale ffish and yt hee- saw an Iron (with warp thereat) in ye said whale ffish, which Iron & Warp ye s'd depon't knowing them to belong to. s'd Caleb Carman & Company," Pynde accordingly would have nothing to do with the matter. Whereupon "Davis seized upon ye s'd whale ffish and Tackling and hid ve same. from s'd Carman and Company."
Then Caleb Carman, binding himself in the sum of 40S, presents the complainant.
A warrant was issued to Alexander Humfreyes, as deputy sheriff or under sheriff, to take Davis into custody for his
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THE PIONEERS AND WHALING.
appearance in Burlington. At the same time Abraham Wegton, wife and children, to answer, as well as Margrett, servant of Davis, as well as any others who "can give infor- mation," although it seems Wegton had had nothing to do with the whaling matter, but was summoned for abuse of the children.
At the court held the 12th of the 3d mo., 1686, "Evan Davis by his & Daniell England's Bond to appear at this Court" in the Carman matter fails to present himself, where- upon he forfaits his recognizance, disposing of the case.
At a court held 12-16, 3rd month. 1688, Jno. Skene, Dep- uty Governor, the Grand Jury present, "Caleb Carman and sonnes, John Peck & (others) concerned for taking, breaking up & disposing of Dubartus whales on this shore contrary to Lawe."
Divers persons by indictment were called to the bar. Among them was Caleb Carman, who "Pleads not guilty & referres himselfe to God and ye Countrey, whereupon ye Jury before are called and all accepted & attested, ye jury finde him not guilty in manner & forme as hee stands In- dicted, and hee thereupon afterwards was cleared by P'cla- mation."
During the same court, Carman, his sons and Peck are presented by the Grand Jury. They claim they have sold no Dubartus whales, except they had permission from Tho: Mathews.
In the evidence Jno: Throp bought a supposed Dubartus. whale, of which eleven barrels of oil were made. Rich'd Starr said Throp bought the whale of the Carmans, who. claimed to own it. Henry Johnson said that Throp had' agreed with the Carmans only for their labour. Sam'll' Mathews said that Ezekiell Eldridge. "(who had p'te of ye .- fish) said he had sold his'p'te to Throp for 10s & ye rest had' done ve same, and that they sold ye fish as theirs." Jno .. Dennis said he "heard said Carmans say that all drift whales that came ashore there belonged to them by Thomas Ma- thews order." Jury find Carman and the rest concerned "not guilty."
In passing, it may be worthy of note to record that, at this court. among the "Constables p'sented & chosen" one
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
was selected "about Cape May," in the person of Sam'l Mathews. He was duly attested. This is one of the earliest selections of officials for Cape May of which there is any record.
At a private session of the court held on the 16th of Feb'y, 1688, at the house of Richard Basnett in Burlington, at the request of Philip Richards, of Philadelphia.
Richards complained that having loaded the sloop "Sus- anna" (Peter, Lawrison, Master) New York to Philadelphia -the said sloop "came on shore to the norward of Cape May.". The master and men went ashore for relief and in the interim Caleb Carman and his sons went aboard, and vi et armis prevented the sailors from entering the sloop. The Carmans claimed half the goods for saving the wreck. Being overpowered, the sailors consented, whereupon the Carmans carried away the goods of the said Richards. At the request, of Richards, Justices Edw: Hunlake, Jr: Mar- shall, Rich'd Basnett and Dan'll Wills order the appearance of the Carmans at next Quarterly Sessions. The sessions was held May 7, 1688, but no action was taken, nor at sev- eral subsequent sessions. It is to be presumed that the mat- ter never came to trial.
Burlington Court June 3, 1690. Justices on the bench werc John Skene, Edward Hunlak, Wmn. Biddle, James Marshall, Daniel Wills, Sr., Richard Basnett and William Myers, with the following Traverse Jury: Symon Charles John Day, Eliakim Higgins, Peter Basse, William Budd, George Parker, Thos. Butcher, Christop: Weatherill, Bery: Wheate, Sam'll Ogbourne, Issac Horner, John Warwin, Joshua Humphries. Same Court June 4th.
John Dubrois, Plaint; Peter Perdrain, his wife Elizabeth; Elizabeth Meningault; Andrew Laurance, his wife Mary: Daniel Lucas, Augustus Lucas, Defendants. Action in slander and defamation. Jury as above.
Samson Gallois "ye Interpretter to ye ffrench people ar- rested."
In the testimony :-
James Monjoy said he heard Mrs. Rame and Mr. Per- drain say to Andrew Lawrence that Andrew should go to Burlington to "undoe John Dubois." Mrs. Rame further
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THE PIONEERS AND WHALING.
said that if Laurance did not do so "shee would never eat of s'd Andrew Laurance's bread more, and y't shee s'd this because they had no lodging at Cape May." Perdrain also said that Dubois would run away and that they would en- deavor to have an English overseer.
Isiah Lebake said he heard Lawrence and Perdrain say in a boat coming from Cape May that Dubrois had an in- tention to run away.
James Peyrard said that Laurence remarked last Decem- ber in the Burlington bake house that he (Laurence) would tell false things of the plaintiff Dubrois.
Benjamin Godfrey remarking to Laurence that his "tes- timonials such as hee declared against Dubrois was enough to hang him," s'd Lawrence answered "why then Mr. Dut- brois wants only the Rope." Godfrey also repeated Mon- joy's testimony against Mrs. Rame.
John Gilbert said all the defendants, except Augustus Lucas, had stated that Dubrois would run away and convert Dr. Coxe's goods to his own use.
Peter Rendard testified that Perdrain had told manager and plaintiff Dubrois that he (Dubrois) intended to run away. Rendard supposes to have been occasioned because Dubrois did not provide such a house as they expected. Perdrain also claimed rights as overseer and had several times threatened Dubrois by shaking his fist.
John Corson reiterated the testimony concerning Mrs. Brame and speakes of Andrew Laurence as "her sonne," presumably "in law."
Nicholas Malherbe attested that Peter Perdrain and Dan- iel Lucas, Sr., had said that Dubrois intended to take Dr. Coxe's property and escape.
Testimony for defense-
Heter Sespine testified that Dubrois had said "that he would get what he could out of Mr. Tatham's hand and then he would laugh at him." Lawrence told the testator the same. The son of Augustus Lucas had told Sespine that the manager wanted to go shares with the younger Lucas and made the proposition at John Teqts in Philadel- phia. It was also proposed to send the sloop to Boston, Dubrois going therein with Captain Eberad.
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
Nicholas Martines testified that Dubrois said "that when he gott the Asse (Dr. Coxe) by the Tayle he knew how to lead him."
David Lillies testified that the whalery had ill success because Dubrois took the sloop up the River and the whale was consequently lost. The whalers said amongst them- selves that Dubrois would "make the best of ye Doctor's Concernes for himself."
The Jury find for the plaintiff £5 damages, costs and charges.
Same Court and Jury, June 5th.
John Tatham on behalf of Dr. Dan'l Cox, plaintiff. John Dubrois defendant. Action upon the case. Entered June 3, two days allowed by court and plaintiff for defendant to consider the charge.
The Defendant pleads so that Tatham has no power to call him. The Court decided for the plaintiff. On request a letter of attorney from Dr. Coxe to Tatham was read. . In the matter of fraud charged upon the defendant, a com- mittee of Justices were to view the accounts and render de- cision on the 20th of the month.
Evidence for Plaintiff :
George Taylor testifies that manager Dubrois took the sloop from Cape May to New Castle when the whalery has occasione for her. In the meantime a whale was captured and held for six or eight days, but for want of a sloop the whale was lost.
For the defense :-
Isaac Matikett and others on depositions taken before Justices Salaway and Anthony Morris in Philadelphia show the reason why the manager went to New Castle, (reasons not amplified).
Isaiah Ebrad deposes before Justice Skene why Dubroise came to Burlington.
Benjamin Godfrey attested that Dubroise sold beef for the whalery's account and that the whalers needed provis- ions and salt. "Mr. Tatham makes it appear they had 26- bushels of salt down at Cape May."
Oliver Johnson thinks "ye whalery men below, on Doc- tor Coxe account had provision enough to serve ye win-
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THE PIONEERS AND WHALING.
ter." He stayed until the 25th of March and heard no com- plaint.
George Taylor said there was a vessel in the stocks at Cape May begun in the times of James Budd, but since Budd's death nothing has been done therewith. Manager Dubroise wanted whalemen to saw plank to complete her, but it was not done, although the whalemen had promised so to do.
Peter Perdrain says Dr. Coxe's boat was lost at Cape May for want of help from the shore.
The Jury find for the defendant and give him the costs of the suit.
CHAPTER III. THE SETTLERS AND THEIR NEW HOMES.
On November 3-12, 1685, Cape May was first created a county, which included its present bounds, together with all that country embraced in a line drawn from a point about twenty miles up the Maurice River to the most northerly point of Great Egg Harbour. Justices of the peace and other officers for the county were appointed for keeping the peace and trying causes under forty shillings. The county was to so remain until a court was established, which was constituted in 1693. In civil or criminal actions, where declarations and indictments were to be traversed, were to be taken to the Salem Quarterly Sessions, but the Cape May justices could, if they wished, sit in hearing such cases with the Salem justices.
The first inventory on file in the Secretary's office at Trenton, from Cape May, is that of John Story, dated the 28th of ninth month, 1687. He was a Friend, who died in Lower township, and left his personal estate, amounting to f1Io, to his wife, he having no heirs. A copy of the inven- tory is here given to show the prices of various articles at that time. The original spelling is preserved:
lbs. s. d.
A chest, and small things 16 0
A gon
IO 0
2 bras citles an on frying-pan
IO 0
2 axes an on shobel
5 6 On sadell 0 IO 0
On blanket O
2
6
On hous an improvments .IO O
On stier, 4 yer ould 5 O
2 stiers goin to yer ould 4 0
On bull 2 IO O
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THE SETTLERS AND THEIR NEW HOMES.
lbs. s. d. 3 IO o
On helfer whit calfe
Prased by us,
JOHN BRIGGS, ALEXANDER HUMPHRIES.
The next inventories filed are those of Abraham Weston, November 24, 1687, and John Briggs in 1690.
John Townsend, ancestor of all in the county of that name, emigrated with three brothers to Long Island pre- vious to 1680. They were members of the Society of Friends. One settled in New England, one in New York and John and the other came to Leed's Point, near Little Egg Harbor. The reason for John's coming to Leed's Point was that he had been banished from New York for harboring Friends or Quakers. For the first offense he was fined £8 and put in jail for a limited time. for the second £12 and imprisonment, and for the third offense fioo and imprisonment for a time. Yet, by his actions, he defied
NER
INCREMENTIA
FIDES ..
TOWNSEND COAT OF ARMS.
the Governor, and when the Friends came around again he not only harbored them, but invited thera to preach in his house and went around with his horse and cart giving notice of the meeting to the inhabitants. This made the Governor so wroth that he was brought before the court and banished from the State, and if he returned was to be tied and whipped in the streets. He first came over to Monmouth and from thence to Cape May county, where he resided until his death. His wife, Phebe, lies buried in the old burying ground near Thompson Vangilders, and was the first white woman ever buried in the upper town- ship. About or previous to 1690 John (the other brother having gone to Philadelphia) traveled to Somers Point,
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
crossed the Egg Harbor River, and followed the seaboard down about ten miles until he came to a stream of water that he thought would do for a mill. He returned to Egg Harbor, bought a yoke of oxen, got them across the river, took the yoke on his back, as there was not room for the timber to drive his oxen abreast, and drove them before him down an Inchian path to the place of his future resi- (lence. They cleared land, built a cabin and a mill on the sight of the land of the late Thompson Van Gilders, near Ocean View. He died in 1722 and left three sons, Richard. Robert and Sylvanus. It is related of John Townsend that when he built his cabin, he traveled a great distance and found two other settlers to help him raise it. While they were doing this some Indians came around and also helped. The three white men, who wanted to impress the Indians of their superior strength, decided to demonstrate it upon the Indians. Among the three one was very strong and an excellent wrestler. The two weaker ones proposed a wrestling match, which had been previously planned. The wrestling began, and the strong man allowed himself to be easily thrown by the two ordinary men. Then the Indians decided they would like to wrestle with the sup- posed weak man. They began tugging at one another, when suddenly the first and only Indian that tried to wres- tle was tossed into the crotch of a tree. The Indians then assumed if the weaker man could do such an act so easily they concluded that the others could not be moved. This little incident served to prevent any trouble between the whites and natives. John and Peter Corson were the first of the name that came to the county, and were here as early as 1692. The second generation was Peter, Jr., John, Jr., Christian and Jacob. This family became numerous. There were fifty-two families in 1840 of that name in Upper township.
Shamgar Hand settled at what is now Court House in 1690, on a farm of 1000 acres, which he purchased of Dr. Daniel Cox, agent of the West Jersey Society. Others set- tled there were the Stiteses, Crawfords, Ludlams, Hewitts and Holmeses.
All the Townsends in the county descended from John
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THE SETTLERS AND THEIR NEW HOMES.
Townsend, all the Corsons from Peter and John Corson, all the Leamings from Christopher Leaming, all the Lud- lams from Joseph Ludlam, all the Schellingers from Cor- nelius Schellinks, all the Hughes from Humphrey Hughes, all the Whilldens from Joseph Whillden, all the Hewitts from Randall Hewitt, all the Stites from Henry Stites, all the Cresses from Arthur Cresse, all the Willets from John Willets, all the Goffs from John Goff, all the Youngs from Henry Young. all the Eldredges from Ezekiel Eldredge, all the Godfreys from Benjamin Godfrey, all the Matthews from Samnel Matthews.
John Reeves was one who rented land in the county. He leased 200 acres on the sound side on the 23d of May. 1690, from Jeremiah Basse, "now of burlingtown in ye province of West New Jersey, merchant," as agent of the West Jer- sey Society. The rental was a fee of £20 and yearly rental which was to consist of two fat hens on Christmas Day. "The indenture was recorded on July 2, 1695, and bore the following memorandum: "That, whereas the rent of two fat hens or capons is menshoned in the with menshoned deed itt is a greede that the Rent for the futor shall be only on Eare of Indian Corne if Demanded." The memorandum is marked as being recorded December 20, 1699.
During the changes in proprietorship which had been going on in the province of New Jersey from 1675 to 1690 there were really so many rulers in the colony that it was a difficult matter to know whom to acknowledge as officers with authority. "The condition of New Jersey," says one authority, "was deplorable." and "for ten years thereafter the colony was vexed and distracted with the presence of more rulers than any one province could accommodate."
After a while Edward Byllinge, one of the Quaker pur- · chasers of West Jersey, died in 1687, and the next year Dr. Daniel Coxe, of London, England, who had already be- come a large landholder in the province, purchased the in- terests of Byllinge's heirs in the soil and government. In the latter year, 1688, he also having become an acknowl- edged West Jersey proprietor, purchased 95,000 acres in Cape May county. The line commenced at the Hammocks below Goshen Creek, on the bay shore, and in its passage
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
across the county came between Joseph Falkenburge's and John McCrea's, and thence on a direct line northeast by north over the head of Dennis Creek to Tuckahoe River, and included in the tract all the land southeast of this line. In April, May and June, 1691, John Worlidge and John Budd, from Burlington, came down the bay in a vessel and laid a number of proprietary rights, commencing at Cohansey, in Cumberland county, and so on to Cape May. They set off the 95,000 acres to Dr. Daniel Coxe, which was the first actual proprietary survey made in the county. In the copy of the original draft of these surveys and of the county of Cape May, made by David Jamieson in 1713, and from another deed made by Lewis Morris in 1706, Egg Island, near the mouth of Maurice River, is laid off to Thomas. Budd for three hundred acres. "Since this survey was. made," says Dr. Beesley, in 1857, "the attrition of the wa- ters has destroyed almost every vestige of it-scarcely- enough remaining to mark the spot of its former magni- tude. Upon this map likewise is laid down Cape May Town, at Town Bank on the bay shore, the residence of the. whalers, consisting of a number of dwellings, and a short distance above it we find Dr. Coxe's Hall, with a spire, on. Coxehall Creek, a name yet retained by the inhabitants. As no other buildings or improvements are noted upon this- map than those above mentioned, it is to be presumed there were but few, if any, existing except them at this day. The. only attraction then was the whale fishery, and the small town of fifteen or twenty houses marked upon this map, upon the shore of Town Bank, in close contiguity, would' lead us to infer that those adventurous spirits, who came- for that purpose, preferred in the way of their profession to- be near each other, and to make common stock in their op- erations of harpooning, in which, according to Thomas and' others, they seemed to be eminently successful."
Dr. Daniel Coxe, son of Daniel Coxe, was born in 1640 or 1641, and died January 19, 1730, in his goth year. He was a most eminent physician of his day, a prolific writer on chemistry and medicine and was physician to Charles II and afterwards to Queen Anne. Although he never came- to America, he acquired large possessions, and was nomi-
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THE SETTLERS AND THEIR NEW HOMES.
nally governor of the province from 1687 to 1691. He also acquired title to a tract imperial in its dimensions lying between latitude 31 degrees and latitude 36 degrees, and ex- tending from the Atlantic to the Pacific, on which he spent a fortune in exploration, his vessels being the first to ascend the Mississippi from its mouth. This was called Carolina. He was a staunch Church of England man and interested himself in attempting the establishment of that church in West Jersey. He, like all other purchasers in New Jersey, did not take the land from the Indians without reimbursing them. While he had his titles from the English settlers, he, in 1688, made also a second purchase of the land from the Red Man. Thirce separate purchases were made and dated March 30, April 30 and May 16, 1688, respectively, and covered his proprietary purchases in Cape May and Cumberland counties. Dr. Coxe built Coxe's Hall. near Town Bank and Cold Spring, in 1691.
The late Judge John Clement says :
"Coxe Hall was sufficiently large for all the assemblages of the people, and with rooms for offices and other like purposes. It was two stories, and finished with a tower or observatory, intended for use more than ornament, as from it objects could be seen across the bay and far out on the ocean. Although built of wood, it remained for many years after its usefulness as a public resort had departed and was at last converted into dwellings for workmen, who neither knew nor cared anything for its uses in former days.
"As a public building Coxe Hall had various uses. Here it was that ministers of his own religious persuasion dis- seminated the doctrines belonging thereto, and where the Society of Friends were invited to assemble and proclaim their own tenets. The Baptists, a few of whom landed from Wales at an early date, were given the use of this building for regular service, and those of any other religious persua- sion who were seeking proselytes in the wilderness country were welcome as well. The first court for the county (March 20, 1693) was convened here. John Worledge. Jeremiah Bass, John Jarvis, Joseph Houlden and Samuel Crowell were the judges. Timothy Brandreth was sheriff and George Taylor clerk.
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
"Where Coxe Hall stood, surrounded by a few dwellings, was given a name in the court records called Portsmouth."
Dr. Coxe soon became the largest holder of proprieties within the territory. He was a man of enlarged views and sought to develop the advantages of the new country as rapidly as possible. He encouraged emigration among the better classes of people, and was liberal in his inducements toward them. He was not slow to discover where his own interests lay, and ventured much to secure their greatest benefits, and although a strict adherent to the established Church of England, nothing appeared to show that any differences arose between himself and his Quaker asso- ciates touching their religious views.
While his proprietary interests were more than any one individual in the colony, yet he never fell into disputes with his associates as to the location of his surveys, for, in fact, the rules laid down in the "concessions and agreements" were suspended so that he could secure large tracts of land in one body and be safe in his title thereto. From the trus- tees of Byllinge and others holding under them, Dr. Coxe became the owner of nineteen whole shares of propriety in West Jersey, and began the development of his purchases. In 1691 he secured his title in severalty to portions of the land, and no doubt had already erected the hall, for Budd and Worledge marked the same on their maps, placing it some distance above Cape May Town and near the mouth of Wilson's Creek.
It is recorded that Dr. Coxe's servants sued him for wages on the 3d of June, 1690. The court sat at Burlington to hear the case. The servants had attached the tools of the plantation, which they wanted sold and proceeds applied to their accounts. The servants were brought, it seems, from Gravesend in 1688, and their contract was written in French, which the court at the time was compelled to have trans- lated. George Taylor and John Dubrois, according to evi- dence recorded, were Coxe's overseers. The servants sailed vessels and were coopers. Later we find that Dubrois him- self sued Coxe and was given judgment. Either disheartened by the difficulties he had experienced or tempted by an of- fer that would cover the disbursements he had made, Coxe
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