USA > New Jersey > Cape May County > The history of Cape May County, New Jersey : from the aboriginal times to the present day > Part 6
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Oldmixon. 1708, says: "The tract of land between this; (Cape May) and Little Egg Harbor, which divides East and. West New Jersey, goes by the name of Cape May County .. Here are several straggling houses on this neck of land, thice- chief of which is Cox's Hall: but there's yet no Town. Most of the inhabitants are fishermen, there being a .. whalery at the month of the Bay, on this as well as the op- posite shore."
The name of Ezekiel Eldredge, Sr., is first mentioned March 12-16, 1688, as a witness before the Grand Jury at a court held in Burlington, on a whale case. He purchased in 1689, of Dr. Coxe, 80 acres of land; was Sheriff of Cape May county from 1697 to 1700, and his "car marks" were recorded in 1706 for the preservation of his roaming stock .. He wa: a member of the Legislature from 1708 to 1709.
At this time Richard, John and Robert Townsend owned a square-sterned sloop called the "Dolphin," which was built at Cape May, and whose master was George Crafford. On June 23. 1709, more officers were appointed for the militia. Ezekiel Eldridge was made a captain in Colonel Coxe's regiment, William Shaw, lieutenant, and Humphrey Hews, ensign. Seven days later Major Jacob Spicer was commissioned to be "Captaine of a Company of fuzileers rased for the Expedition against Canada. You are there- fore to take the said Company into Your charge," and Spicer was also to be whaler from Sandy Hook to Cape May, but one-half of the proceeds were to go to Governor Richard Ingoldsby. David Strongham and Lew Hooton were to be first and second lieutenants respectively of
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LIFE EARLY IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.
Spicer's company. It was this year that Jacob Spicer first entered the Assembly, of which he was a member until 1723. A letter dated July 14, 1711, telling of the proceed- ings of the Council and Assembly of the province, says:
"Major Spicer who went on the Expedition to Canada, is Superseded by Justice Tomlinson in Gloster County, and one Townsend a Quaker made Judge in Cape May Coun- ty."
What Cape May county at this time paid in to the treas- ury of the Province for the support of the government can be proportioned when it was ordered to pay 199 tax out of a total of £3000 to be raised in the State. That year John Page and Barnebas Cromwell, or Crowell, were given the work of making the assessment on the land holders, and Joseph Weldon was made the collector.
Thomas Gordon, Receiver-General of the province, in his reports of cash received for His Majesty's Revenues of New Jersey from June 23d, 1710, to March 26th, 1719, credits as having received from Cape May for the support of government the following amounts: 1711 and 1712, £49: II: 0; 1714 and 1715, £34: 7: 10; and 1716, 1717 and 1718, £105: 05: 04.
Owing to the uncertainties of many of the boundary lines in the province, several were changed on January 21, 1710, for the reason given in this preamble :
"Whereas by the uncertainty of the Boundaries of the Counties of this Province great Inconveniences have arisen, so that the respective Officers of most of these Coun- ties cannot know the Limits of them," etc.
Cape May's boundary was changed to conform to the following bounds:
"Beginning at the mouth of a small creek on the west side of Stipson's Island, called Jecak's Creek; thence . up the same as high as the tide floweth; thence along the bounds of Salem County to the southernmost main branch of Great Egg Harbor River; thence down the said river to the sea; thence along the sea-coast to Delaware Bay, and so up the said Bay to the place of beginning."
It seems the inhabitants on the western side of Maurice River, the Cape May boundary, were without any legal
68
HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
control until 1707, when an act was passed annexing the in- habitants between the river Tweed, now Back Creek (being the lower bounds of Salem county), and the bounds of Cape May county to Salem county, putting them under its juris- diction. The act of 1710 extends Salem county, and cur- tails Cape May county, to Stipson's Island, or West Creek. Its greatest length, N. E. and S. W., was 30 miles; great- est breadth, E. and W., 15 miles; form, semi-oval; area, 252 square miles, or about 161,000 acres.
At the time the boundary was changed the requisites of an Assemblyman were raised to one thousand acres of land, or to be worth £500 current money, in either real or per- sonal estate.
John and Peter Corson came to Cape May about 1685. The second generation was Peter, Jr., John, Jr., Christian and Jacob. Peter represented the county in the Assembly in 1707. This family, all of whom are descendants of Peter and John, numbered in the county, at the census of 1850, 295 souls; 253 of whom belong to the Upper Town- ship, 6 to Dennis, 26 to the Middle, and Io to the Lower Township.
The Hand family was well represented amongst the early settlers, there being eleven persons of that name previous to 1700.
Dr. Beesley says (1857):
"Another of the early settlers was William Golden. He emigrated to Cape May in or about 1691. He was an Irishman, and espoused the cause of James against William and Mary, and fought as an officer in the battle of the Boyne, in 1690. As he soon after came to America, he was most likely one of those stubborn Jacobite Catholics that William, in his clemency, gave permission to flee the coun- try, or abide the just indignation of the Protestant author- ity for the part he took in said battle to promote its down- fall. He, with Rem Garretson, located 1016 acres of land at Egg Harbor, now Beesley's Point. He was one of the justices of the court, and occupied other prominent stations. He died about 1715, leaving but few descendants, one of whom, his great grandson, Rem. G. Golding, now past eighty years old, lives near the first and original location,
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LIFE EARLY IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.
and has in his possession at the present time the sword with which his ancestor fought, and the epaulette which he wore at the battle of the Boyne."
As early as 1710 Goshen was known as a village, its name being then applied to it. About this time Henry Stites pur- chased the land about the point of Cape May, which was known as Stites' Beach, until 1876, when it was called Sea Grove, and later Cape May Point. In 1610 Colonel Daniel Coxe was appointed judge, with jurisdiction in Cape May.
CHAPTER V.
DEVELOPMENT OF RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS.
The first Baptist church in Cape May was that established at Cape May Court House in 1712. Morgan Edwards, in his sketch of Baptists in New Jersey, published in 1792, says of the history of the Cape May church:
"For the origin of this church we must take a retrospect of affairs to the year 1675, in which year a vessel, with emi- grants, arrived in Delaware from England, who settled, some at the Cape and some elsewhere; among the first were two Baptists, viz., George Taylor and Philip Hill. Taylor kept a meeting in his house, and with his exhortations, reading the Bible, expounding, etc .. enlightened some in the article of believers' baptisms. After his death, in 1702, Mr. Hill continued the meeting to 1704, when he also died. Soon after Mr. George Eaglesfield visited the Cape and made more proselytes. These went to Philadelphia to receive holy baptism, as appears in the association book. In 1688 Rev. Elias Keach paid a visit to these parts and ordained one Aston (Ashton, I suppose) to be a deacon, who also ex- horted. In the fall of 1711 Rev. Thomas Griffiths (of Welsh- tract) went to the Cape with a view to purchase land and settle among the people for life; but, failing of his design, he quitted them next spring, and recommended to them Rev. Nathaniel Jenkins, who had just arrived in the country. Mr. Jenkins came, and pleased the people, and June 24, 1712, he and they were constituted a church by Rev. Timo- thy Brooks, of Cohansey, and his elders, Dickison Sheppard and Jeremiah Bacon. The names of the constituents fol- low, viz .: Rev. Nathaniel Jenkins, Arthur Cresse, Seth Brooks, Abraham Smith, William Seagrave, Jonathan Swain, John Stillwell, Henry Stites, Benjamin Hand, Richard Bonns, Ebenezer Swain, William Smith, John Taylor, Abraham Hand, Christopher Church, Charles
V
DEVELOPMENT OF RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. 71
Robison, Easter Jenkins, Ruth Dean, Lydia Shaw, Elizabeth Hand, Jeruthy Hand, Hannah Wildair, Sarah Hiscox, Elizabeth Stillwell, Elizabeth Taylor. Hannah Tay- lor, Hannah Stites, Margery Smith, Elothes Smith, Ruth Swain, Mary Swain, Mary Cresse, Mary Osborn, Abagail Buck, Elizabeth Robison and Mary Jennings. Two years after the constitution this church joined the association.
"Remarkables.
"Cape May church may be deemed an original church, having sprang from none other, but having originated in the place where it exists. (2) It has now existed for eighty- three years, and has increased from 37 to 63. (3) In 1714 many of them died of a grievous sickness, which had well nigh depopulated the settlement. (4) In 1715 they built their first meeting house, on land purchased from Isaac Stratten, but his title being naught, they lost both house „and land."
"Rev. Nathaniel Jenkins became their min- ister at the constitution in 1712, and continued in the min- istry to 1730, when he resigned and went to Cohansey. He was a Welshman, born in Caerdicanshire March 25, 1678, arrived in America 1710, and in 1712 settled at the Cape. He was a man of good parts and tolerable education, and quitted himself with honor in the loan office (where he was a trustee), and also in the assembly (particularly in 1721), "when a bill was brought in to punish such as denied the doctrine 'of the Trinity, the divinity of Christ, the inspiration of Holy Scriptures, etc.' In opposition to which Mr. Jenk- ins stood up, and, with the warmth and accent of a Welshman said: 'I believe the doctrines in question as firmly as the promoters of that ill-designed bill, but will never consent to "oppose the opposers with law, or with any other weapon, save that of argument, etc.' Accordingly the bill was quash- ed, to the great mortification of them who wanted to raise in New Jersey the spirit which so raged in New England." He served in the Assembly from 1723 to 1733. Mr. Jenkins' wife was Esther Jones, who bore him nine children, one of which was Rev. Nathaniel Jenkins, 2d, his eldest son, who became his successor. The latter was born in Wales April II, 1710, and brought as an infant to America. He was
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
called to the ministry in 1744, ordained in 1747, when he took on him care of the church, but he continued not long therein, but fell into the power of hurtful spirits, which. brought on fits and a premature dotage. He died in 1796. He was succeeded by Rev. Samuel Heaton, who was pastor from 1756 to 1760.
Rev. John Sutton was pastor from April 1, 1764, to May 6, 1766.
Rev. Peter Peterson Vanhorn was pastor from April 7, 1770, to 1775.
Rev. David Smith, the next pastor, was a native of the place; ordained pastor March, 1776; died Februray, 1784. aged 54.
Rev. Artis Seagrave was pastor from 1785 to 1788.
Rev. John Stancliff was pastor from October, 1789, to. 1802, when he died.
James Carman, who was born at Cape May in 1677, was pastor of the Baptist church at Cranbury. N. J., and he was,. . no doubt, the son of Caleb Carman, who was justice of the. peace in 1685.
The Assembly of 1713 voted to tax the province £1730 in. two instalments. Cape May's apportions were f54 and £25. John Taylor and Major Jacob Spicer were the assessors; and Ephraim Edwards collector. On the 16th of March, this year, Richard Downs was commissioned to be a captain of militia for the upper part of the county, and David Weles; made his lieutenant and Arthur Cresse ensign, while Hum- phrey Hewes was commissioned six days earlier captain of the militia for the lower end of the county, with Ephraim Edwards as his lieutenant and Samuel Mathews ensign.
On March 17 John Townsend and Jacob Spicer were ap- pointed judges, with Humphrey Hughes, Timothy Bran- dreth, Joseph Weldon and John Page commissioners of the- pleas.
From old records at Trenton were gathered the following records of early marriages and their issues:
Justice John Townsend, June 6, 1715, married Cornelius: Schillinger. Jr., and Mary Stiles. Witness: Cornelius Schil- linger, Henry Stiles, Henry Stiles, Jr., Edmund Shaw, Johrza
DEVELOPMENT OF RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. 73
Taylor, Daniel Wiggins, John Willkiss, Richard Forteskue, Isaac Brooks, Jr., Benjamin Hand, Jr.
Isaac Strattron, Jr., married Mary Foster October 15, 1734.
Rev. Nathaniel Jenkins married George Taylor to Lydia Shaw May 8, 1720. Issue: William, b. June 7, 1722; "eldest daughter," b. Feb. 22, 1723-4; daughter, b. Jan. 24, 1726-7.
William Shaw married Lydia Parson April 8, 1695, by Jeremiah Crowell, in presence of Henry Stiles, Hannah Stiles, Abram Smith and others. Issue: William, b. Aug 24, 1697, d. Dec. 13, 1714; Richard, b. Oct. 29, 1699; Lydia, b. Sept. 14, 1703; John, b. Feb. 4, 1705; Joshua, b. Mar. 26, 1707; Nathan, b. Dec. 23, 1710.
James Briggs and Margery Taylor, married by Justice Thomas Hand March 22, 1713. Issue: Mary, b. Aug. 19, 1715; Elizabeth, b. July 3. 1717; Keziah, b. Aug. 30, 1719; Martha, b. Aug. 10, 1721; Sarah, b. May 31, 1724.
Joseph Crowell married to Anne Eglesfield by Justice John Townsend March 2, 1709. Issue: Mary, b. March 14, 1711; Edward, b. June 7, 1713; Joseph, b. Sept. 6, 1716.
Justice John Townsend, 1706-7, married Benjamin Hand and Ann Chew. Issue: Isaac, b. Aug. 14, 1709; Pocianci, b. Aug. 9, 1711 : Jacob, b. April 21, 1714.
Josiah Crowell married Mary Whelding, daughter of Jo- seph Whelding, December 17, 1708.
Richard Bass (?) married Elizabeth Duncan (?) May 11, 1709, before Captain Mathews and others.
Justices John Townsend, Humphrey Hughes, John Paige and Joseph Whillden married Thomas Bancrofts and Eliz- abeth Matthews April 6, 1715, in the presence of Richard Downes, John Taylor, John Buck, John Hughes, Mary Matthews, John Cresse, Zelophead Hand, William Scagrave.
John Taylor and Lydia Schillux were married October 14, 1722, by Rev. Nathaniel Jenkins. Issue: Mary, d. Aug. 5, 1723. Lydia, his wife, died November, 1725, and John mar- ries "againe" to Deborah Gavinson, by Rev. M. Jenkins, May 8, 1726.
John Taylor, son of George Taylor, married Elizabeth Bolsher, of Boston, April 5, 1697, "after the maner of ye Church of England." Witnesses: George Taylor, justice;
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
Elizabeth Taylor, Jno. Worlidge, Tim Brandreth, clerk. Is- sue: Margery, b. Aug. 16, 1698; George, b. Dec. 11, 1699; John, b. June 14, 1704; Mary, b. April 25, 1707, d. Oct. II, 1711; Samuel, b. March 27, 1710, d. Oct. 11, 1711 ; Jeremiah, b. Aug. 14, 1713, d. Dec. 22, 1713.
Children of John Osbornes: Abiah, b. Sept. 9, 1692; Rutlų b. Feb. 20, 1698; Bezabeel, b. Jan. 21, 1704; Nathan, b. Feb. 2, 1706; Ananias, b. Feb. 5, 1708.
Children of Joseph Hints: Thomas, b. Aug. 31, 1707; Mary, b. Dec. 18, 1708; Hester, b. Feb. 4, 1711; Anne, b. Oct. 10, 1712; Joseph, b. Jan. 26, 1715.
Robert Champion and Mary Mayps married at Cape May June 17, 1715, by "John Townsend, one of his Majesty's Jus- tices of the Peace."
John Willits and Martha Corson married by Justice John Townsend October 5, 1716.
William, son of William Seagreaves, born October 14, 1716.
Thomas Leaming, in his manuscript, tells us of the severe epidemic which visited Cape May Court House in the win- ter of 1713-14. Some forty and more residents died. He says: "The disease came on with a pain in the side, breast, and sometimes in the back, navel, tooth, eye, hand, feet, legs or ear." Among the victims were Nicholas Stillwell, Arthur 1 Cresse, Sr., and Jr., Reuben Swain, Richard Smith, Samuel Garretson, Cornelius Hand, Joseph Hewit, William Shaw, John Reeves, Richard Fortesque, John Stillwell, James Gar- retson, Return Hand, John Foreman, Jedediah Hughes, John Matthews, Daniel Wells and over twenty others. It can scarcely be conjectured from the above recital of symp- toms what the true character of the disease could have been. It was a severe retribution in a population of some two or three hundred, and Providence alone, who saw proper to afflict, can solve the mystery.
The second oldest church established in this county was by the Presbyterians at Cold Spring in 1714.
The first Presbytery organized in this county was that of Philadelphia in 1705. The Cold Spring church was an out- growth of this body. The first minister was the Rev. John Bradner, who was licensed by Messrs. Davis, Hampton and
DEVELOPMENT OF RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. 75
Henry in 1714. Mr. Bradner, who lived on his own estate .and gave his name to the little stream near the church, was a Scotchman, who remained as pastor until 1721.
The first church was a small log building, erected in 1718. A writer says of the meeting houses of those days:
"The plain meeting house was in harmony with the way of worship which they had chosen. If the pulpits were high, it was because the ministers were expected to stand far above the people, and to be shining examples of Protestant princi- ples. They would have been afraid of low pulpits, lest they might tend toward popery and the service of the mass.
"Again, the meeting house was never lighted except by the sun, until singing schools made it necessary to intro- duce candles. Night meetings in the meeting house were considered quite improper, and the Presbyterian would have thought candles too suggestive of the superstitions of the Church of Rome. There were no fireplaces, or stoves, or other means of warming those old meeting houses for many years after the colony was planted. The people were exem- plary in their attendance on worship, and they went regularly to the religious services. It was the spirit of that age. Tlie Lord's day began at sunset on Saturday.
"The early ministers regarded the Sabbath as a time for the public worship of God and for religious instruction. "The people came together at 9 o'clock for the morning ser- vice. In early times they were summoned by the beat of the drum. Sometimes the voice of the town crier, or the blowing of a conch shell, or of a horn, served instead of the drum. "The old meeting houses were crowded, for the people were anxious to attend the services on the Sabbath. Inside the doors the most conspicuous object was the pulpit, with the things that belonged to it. In front of the pulpit, on a low platform, sat the deacons, facing the congregation. On a platform a little higher than the deacons sat the ruling elders. Above them in the pulpit itself sat the two ministers. This array of dignitaries, some of them, at least, in robes of office, looked down upon the congregation, and was looked up to by the people. The pastor began with a solemn prayer, con- tinuing about a quarter of an hour. After this the teacher Tread and expounded a chapter in the Bible. This exposition
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
of the chapter was one of the leading parts of the service. Then a Psalm was sung by the congregation. . No instru- mental music was allowed in the Puritan churches, partly because such music was very prominent in the services of the prelatical churches, and partly because it was believed to be contrary to the word of God. After the Psalm came the ser- mon by the pastor, and this was the great feature of the ser- vice. Its length was measured by the hour glass, which commonly stood on the pulpit. The minister turned the glass when he began to preach, and he was expected, on or- dinary occasions, to draw his discourse to a close when the last sands were running out from the glass. Yet there were intances when the glass was turned two or three times.
"Although they were carefully prepared, the sermons of the early ministers were not as in this day, written. The ser- mon being finished, the teacher made a short prayer, and another Psalm was sung. Then baptism was administered to children who were presented by their Christian parents. Once a month the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was ad- ministered, in connection with the morning services. The people were then dismissed with the benediction."
Among the first settlers of Cape May were many Qua- kers, notably the Townsends, Corsons, Leamings and Spi- cers. In 1716 a meeting house was built by that denomina- tion at Seaville. The principal contributors to the building fund were John Townsend and his son, Richard; Peter Cor- son and Aaron Leaming, of Cape May county, and John Somers and one Scull, of Gloucester (now Atlantic) county. Meetings are held quarterly in this ancient structure, Friends coming usually from Salem county to conduct the services. It is known among the Friends by the name of the "Old Cedar Meeting House."
The following extracts are taken from a Friend's history of the meeting houses of that time:
"Great Egg Harbor.
" _?- A monthly meeting hath been held there for some years, composed of the Friends who live there and those of Cape May; they belong to Salem and Gloucester Quarterly Meeting."
"On the divis of Haddonfield Quarter from that of Salem,
DEVELOPMENT OF RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. 77
Great Egg Harbor and Cape May monthly meetings was embraced in Haddonfield. The monthly meeting was dis- continued in --?
"Great Egg Harbor.
"1702-The first convincement of Friends about Great Egg Harbor was about the year 1702, since which meetings have been settled there and two meeting houses built."
It is probable that one of the houses referred to was that at Cape May. The meeting at Great Egg Harbor has been discontinued and the few remaining members attached to Greenwich.
"Cape May.
"The meeting at Cape May was established early, and then formed a part of Great Egg Harbor monthly meeting."
The introduction to the Great Egg Harbor and Cape May monthly meetings says: "Several Friends of Great Egg Harbor and Cape May having for some time been under considerable inconvenience for want of a monthly meeting of men and women being erected amongst them for the well managing of the affairs of the church in the good and whole some Discipline, have endeavored in an expostulatory letter directed to the Quarterly Meeting of Gloucester and Salem to set forth the same to said meeting's consideration. (Which was done 16th of 7th month, 1726.) Granted that it should begin and be held on the first Second-day in each month, that is to say, to begin at Richard Somers', on Great Egg Harbour side, in the ninth month next, and in the tenth month at Elizabeth Garretson's, on Cape May side, and so on interchangeable until Friends there shall see cause to make any alteration for their own conveniency.
"Pursuant to which conclusion the Friends of Great Egg Harbor and Cape May met at Richard Somers' the 7th day of the ninth mo., 1726, and proceeded to the business of the meeting.
"At s'd meeting Richard Townsend was chosen clarke of s'd monthly meeting.
"At s'd meeting Peter White and Jonathan Adams was appointed overseers of the meeting held at Japhet Leeds's, Peter White's and John Scull's. And for the meeting held at Cape May Richard Townsend is appointed overseer.
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
"At our monthly meeting for Cape and Egg Harbour this. 5th day of the 10th mo., 1726.
"At s'd meeting Richard Somers and Judeth Letart Pub- lished their intentions of marriage with each other, etc."
These minutes were kept up until 1843.
Samuel Smith says: "The first convincement of Friends: about Great Egg Harbor was about 1702, since which meet- ings have been settled and meeting houses built."
"For many years there seemed to be a great openness on. the part of the inhabitants to receive the doctrines of Friends, and a number of Friends settling along the shore at vari- ous places, several meetings were established, viz .: Egg Harbor, Galloway, Tuckahoe and Cape May. These formed. Great Egg Harbor monthly meeting. Friends having died and others removed. none were left to sustain the meetings, and they have all been laid down or abandoned, and the properties sold or devoted to other uses, with a single ex- ception, that of Cape May, near Seaville, in that county. The meeting was established soon after 1700, and the meeting house built in 1716, by the Townsends, Leamings and others. It was rebuilt some years ago on a much smaller scale than formerly, and is still kept in repair, but, like the others men- tioned, it has no congregation. The old burial ground is. still kept up."
CHAPTER VI.
MAALTIME TENDENCIES AND CATTLE OWNING.
"On May 6, 1715," says Aaron Leaming, 2d, "the Cold Spring mill was first set to work." Here grist was ground. The old county road from Long Bridge to the head of Tuckahoe, and from thence to Gloucester Point, was made in 1716.
The Assembly of this year, of which Colonel Daniel Coxe was Speaker, made Christopher Hughes a captain of militia under Lieutenant Jacob Spicer, with Ezekiel Eldrigg (prob- ably Eldridge) and John Cresy ensigns, and Samuel Eldridg lientenant. An act was also passed during the session to prevent the firing the woods between February 14 and April 14, under a penalty of forty shillings.
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