USA > New Jersey > Cape May County > The history of Cape May County, New Jersey : from the aboriginal times to the present day > Part 8
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"The Upper precinct, to be the residue of the said county,. excepting the Cedar Swamp, which is to be at the generall charge of the county."
In 1723 Aaron Leaming, Ist, purchased of the English owners Seven-Mile Beach, which had been first surveyed in May, 1721, and what was after that time known as Leam --- ing's Beach for about a century. He gave £606 for the same, .. amounting to about $2500 of present United States money ...
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ANCIENT LOANS AND TAXES.
His deed for the property is here given in its full text, as follows:
"This Indenture made the Twenty forth Day of December in the ninth year of the Reign of George over Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith &c Between Charles Dockminique John Bennet Edward Richier Robert Mitchele Thomas Skinner and Joseph Brooksbank Gentle- men all of the City of London in the Kingdom of Great Britain and other Proprietors of the Western Devition of the Province of New Jarsey Commonly Called & known by the name of the New Jarsey Society of the one part and Aaron Leaming of the County of Capmay & Providence of New Jarsey yeoman of the other part witnesseth that for an in the Consideration of the sum of six hundred & Six pounds of the old Currency of the western Devition of the province of New Jarsey or Seventy nine pounds & ten Shillings in mony according to our Late Queens Proclamation in hand paid to Lewis Morris Esqr agent and Attorney for Charles Dockminique John Bennet Edward Rechter Robert Mit- chele Thomas Skinner and Joseph Brooksbank the Precept whereof is hereby acknowledged and the said Aaron Leam- ing his heirs executors & Administrators of the same and of every part and parcell thereof is acquitted Released ex- onerated and Discharged forever have Granted Bargained Sold Released enfeoffed and Confeirmed and by these pres- ents Do fully absolutely and Clearly Grant Bargain Sell Re- leas Enfeoff and Confeirm unto him the said Aaron Leam- ing his heirs and asigns all that Tract of Land Beach and Marsh Lying and being in the County of Capmay and prov- ince of New Jarsey called or known by the name of the Seven mile beach it being an inlire Island from three Quar- ters flood to one Quarter Ebb Bounded as followeth (viz) Bounded on the Southeast by the main ocean or Sea on the Southwest by the Inlet Called Little hereford Inlet, and on the Northwest by the Creeks and Sounds that are flowed with water from three Quarters flood to one Quarter Ebb, and on the northeast by the Inlet Called Townsends Inlet Together also with all and all manner of woods under woods "Trees mines minerals Quarres Haukings Huntings Foulings
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
Fishings fences Buildings Improvements heireditaments and. appurtenances whatsoever thereunto belonging or in any ways appurtaining and all the estate right title property pos -- session Intrest Claim and Demand whatsoever either in law or Equity of them the said Charles Dockminique John Ben -- net Edward Ruchier Robert Mitchell Thomas Skinner and Joseph Brooksbank and the Rest of the proprietors of the Western Devision of the Province of New Jarsey known by the name of New Jarsey Society their or either of their heir heirs of in too unto or out of the above Bargained and Grant -. ed or the hereby intended to be Bargained and Granted premises and every part and parcell thereof TO HAVE. AND TO HOLD all the above Bargained and Granted or the hereby intended to be granted Land Marsh or Beach and promises unto him the said Aaron Leaming his heirs and asigns forever To the Sole and only proper use Benefit and Behoof of him the said Aaron Leaming his heirs and asigns forever and the said Charles Dockminique Jolin Bennet Ed- ward Richier Robert Mitchell Thomas Skinner and Joseph Brooksbank for themselves and each of them severrally for their respective heirs Executors and administrators Do Covenant Grant Bargain promise and agree to and with the said Aaron Leaming his heirs and assignes that all the time- of the ensealing and Delivering of these presents those called and known of the, New Jarsey Society above mentioned Stand Lawfully Seized of the above Granted or Intended to. be Granted Land Marsh & Premises of a Good sure perfect & undefeizable Estate of inheiritance in the Law in fee sim- ple and that they the Said Charles Dockminique John Ben- net Edward Richier Robert Mitchell Thomas Skinner and Joseph Brookebank have in them Selves good Right full" power and absolute authority (all the time of the ensealing & Delivering of these presents) to Grant Bargaine Sell Con- vey and Confeirm the above Granted or the hereby intended to be Granted Land marsh & premises unto him the said Aaron Leaming his heirs & asigns as is above mentioned to be Granted Bargained Sold &c and that the above Granted and Bargained primises in the Quiet and peaceable posession of him the said Aaron Leaming his heirs & asigns free & clear & frely & Clearly acquited &
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ANCIENT LOANS AND TAXES.
Discharged from all former & other Grants Bargains Sales Leases Releases Mortgages & all other incumberences in the Law whatsoever shall forever remain and the said Charles Dockminique Edward Richier Robert Mitchill Thomas Skinner John Bennet & Joseph Brooksbank for themselves & each of them severally for their respective heirs Executors and administrators Do furder Covenant Bargain and promise and agree to & with him and said Aa- ron Leaming his heirs and asigns that all the above Granted or the hereby intended to be Granted Land marsh & prem- ises with all the appurtainces thereunto belonging in the pcacable & Quiet possession of him the Said Aaron Leam- ing his heirs & asigns. against any manner of person or persons that shall ever Lay any Just or Lawfull Claim unto the same or to any part or parcell thereof by vertue of any Right had in the same any time before the Day of Date of these presents they will & shall forever warrant and De- fend and each of their Respective heirs as above said the same in Like manner Shall forever warrant & Defend in the peacable & Quiet Possession of him the said Aaron Leaming his heirs and asigns after the same manner as is above men- tioned and that all any time within the term of tenn years Next ensuing the Date Hereof they every of them and their agent for the time being Shall make and execute at the . proper Cost and Charge in the Law of him the said Aaron Leaming his heirs and assigns all such furder and other deed & conveyances for the better asureing and confeirming the above mentioned Land & premises unto him the said Aaron Leaming his heirs and asigns forever as shall be by him the said Aaron Leaming his heirs or asigns or by any of his or their councells Learned in the Law advises Devised or Re- quired.
In Witness whereof the Said Partyes to these presents . have interchangeably put their hands & seals the Day and year first above mentioned
Thomas Skinner Joseph Brooksbank John Bennet
Robert Mitchell
Charles Docminique Edward Richier
Signed Sealed and Delivered in the presents of us Ir S Hooper ( Richard Ashfield
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HEIST. BRY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
September 19th 1723-Received of Aaron Leaming the Consideration money mentioned in the within deed by mon- ey formerly Paid and a bond now given for the Remainder I say received by me Lewis Morris Agent.
In 1726 the first census of Cape May county was given, and there were then but 668 persons residing within its ter- ritory.
The census is abstracted from a letter of May 9, that year, from Governor Burnett to the Lords of Trade in London, and shows the total number of white residents to have been 654, of which 209 were males above 16, 156 females above 16, 148 males under 16, 141 females under 16, and the total number of negroes to have been 14, of which 8 were males above 16, 5 females above 16, and one male under 16. The total population of the State was 32,442, of which 2581 were negroes.
But the residents must have been a thrifty and pious set, because they seemed to accomplish a great deal with the little which they had to do. In the matter of religion they were a devout people. There had, with that small popula- tion, been established three meeting houses in the county, all on the one long main road which by that time had ex- tended from Town Bank to Cold Spring, on by the Baptist church at Court House, and the old Cedar Quaker meeting house at Seaville to Beesley's Point. From the journal of Thomas Chalkley, a traveling Friend from England, who visited Cape May this year, it appears to have been a wil- derness between Cohansey and the main road, but Chalkley. under date of 2d month, 1726, of his journey here:
"From Cohansey I went through the wilderness over Maurice River, accompanied by James Daniel, through a miry, boggy way, in which we saw no house for about forty miles, except at the ferry; and that night we got to Richard Townsend's, at Cape May, where we were kindly received. Next day we had a meeting at Rebecca Garretson's, and the day after a pretty large one at Richard Townsend's, and then went down to the Cape, and had a meeting at Jolin Page's, and next day another at Aaron Leaming's; and sev- eral expressed their satisfaction with those meetings. I
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ANCIENT LOANS AND TAXES.
lodged two nights at Jacob Spicer's, my wife's brother. From Cape May, we traveled along the sea-coast to Egg Harbor. We swam our horses over Egg Harbor River, and went over ourselves in canoes; and afterward had a meeting at Richard Sumers, which was a large one as could be ex- pected, considering the people live at such distance from each other."
In this year the tax levied upon Cape May was £157 19S. 8p., and Richard Townsend was entrusted to collect it. This was an average of four shillings for each inhabitant, or about $1.25, so that the tax was not very heavy upon them. On April 9th this year Benjamin Hand was commissioned a lieutenant in Captain Downes' company. On August 30, 1733, the following were appointed a Commission of the Peace: Jacob Spicer, Humphrey Hughs, Robert Townsend, William Smith, Richard Townsend, Henry Young, John Hand, Samuel Eldridge, William Seagrave, Henry Stites, Richard Stites, William Eldridge and Anthony Ludlam, and the judges selected were Jacob Spicer, Humphrey Hughs, Robert Townsend and William Smith.
CHAPTER VIII. THE RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSIES.
After Rev. John Bradner, the first pastor of the Cold Spring Presbyterian Church, ended his labors there in 1731,. he removed to Goshen, Orange county, New York, where: he died two years later. His estate was purchased for the church in 1721 by the following persons: Humphrey Hughes, Barnabas Crowell, Nathaniel Rex, George Hand, Jehu Richardson, Yelverson Crowell, John Parsons, George Crawford, Josiah Crowell, Colonel Jacob Spicer, Benjamin Stites, William Mulford, Shamgar Hand, Jeremiah Hand, William Matthews, Joshua Gulicksen, Samuel Eldredge, Samuel Bancroft, Samuel Johnston, Recompence Hand. Jonathan Furman, Eleazer Norcault, Constant Hughes. - Ezekiel Eldredge, Cornelius Schellenger, Eleazer Newton- Joshua Crawford, Jehu Hand, Nathaniel Norton, John Matthews.
After the removal of Mr. Bradner the church was without a pastor till 1726, when the Rev. Hugston Hughes was set- tled and stayed one year only, as he was given "to too strong drink."
From Aaron Leaming's, 2d, manuscript we read:
"My father's father, Christopher Leaming, was an Eng- lishman, and came to America in 1670, and landed near or at Boston; thence to East Hampton. There he lived till about the year 1691, and then leaving his family at Long Is- land, he came himself to Cape May, which, at that time, was a new county, and beginning to settle very fast, and seemed to promise good advantages to the adventurers. Here he went whaling in the proper season, and at other times work- ed at the cooper's trade, which was his occupation, and good at the time by reason of the great number of whales caught in those days, made the demand and pay for casks certain. He died of a pleurisie in 1696. His remains were
99.
THE RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSIES.
interred at the place called Cape May Town, was situated next above now New England Town Creek, and contained about thirteen houses; but, on the failure of the whale fish- ery in Delaware Bay, it dwindled into common farms, and the graveyard is on the plantation now owned by Ebenezer Newton. At the first settlement of the county, the chief whaling was in Delaware Bay, and that occasioned the town to be built there; but there has not been one house in that town since my remembrance. In 1734 I saw the graves; Samuel Eldredge showed them to me. They were then about fifty rods from the bay, and the sand was blown to them. The town was between them and the water. There were then some signs of the ruin of the houses. I never saw any East India tea till 1735. It was the Presbyterian pai- sons, the followers of Whitefield, that brought it into use at. Cape May, about the year 1744-5-6, and now it impoverish- eth the country."
"Aaron Leaming (the first), of the County of Cape May, departed this life at Philadelphia, of a pleurisie, on the 20th of June. 1746, about five o'clock in the afternoon. H. was born at Sag, near East Hampton, on Long Island, Oct. 12th, 1687, being the son of Christopher Leamyeng (as he spelt his name), an Englishman, and Hester, his wife, whose maiden name was Burnet, and was born in New England. Christopher Leamyeng owned a lot at Easthampton, but he came to Cape May, being a cooper, and stayed several years and worked at his trade; and about 1695-6 he died at Cape May, and his land fell to Thomas Leamyeng, his eldest son; the rest was left poor."
Dr. Beesley says:
"Aaron Leaming was bound to Collins, a shoemaker in Connecticut, but did not serve his time out, and came into the Jerseys at about sixteen years of age, very poor, help- less and friendless; embraced the Quaker religion, lived a time at Salem, came to Cape May while yet a boy (in 1693), settled at Goshen, raised cattle, bought a shallop and went by water, gathered a considerable estate, but more knowl- edge than money. The 12th day of October, 1714, married Lydia Shaw, widow of Wiliam Shaw, and daughter of John Parsons. By her he had four children, Aaron, Jeremian,.
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
Matthias and Elizabeth. He was first a justice of the peace at Cape May. In 1723 he was made clerk of Cape May, and in October, 1727, he was chosen assemblyman, and served in that post till July, 1744. He died June 20, 1748, aged 58, and his remains lie in vault 50, in Christ Church yard, Philadelphia. He was universally confessed to have had a superior knowledge; he amassed large possessions, and did more for his children than any Cape May man has ever done. He left a clear estate, and was buried in the church-yard in Philadelphia. At Salem and Alloway's Creek he became acquainted with Sarah Hall, an aged Quaker lady, mother of Clement Hall. She herself was an eminent lawyer for those times, and had a large collection of books, and very rich, and took delight in my father on account of his sprightly wit and genius, and his uncommon fondness for the law, which he read in her library, though a boy, and very small of his age (for he was a little man), and could not write; for the Presbyterians of New England had taken no other care of his education than to send him to meeting."
Another old record says:
"There was an Indian killed on Foxborough Hill, at Beesley's Point, in 1736, by old Joseph Golden, who got into a quarrel and probably unintentionally killed his oppo- nent. It is said the Indians were so enraged against Golden that he was for a long time obliged to secrete himself to avoid their vengeance. A suit was instituted against him in the county which was removed to Burlington, where he was tried and acquitted; but its great cost obliged him to dispose of that part of his place northwest of the main road to the Point, to Nicholas Stillwell."
Concerning this event "The Pennsylvania Gazette," of August 2-7, 1736, says:
"Cape-May, July 17. Yesterday the Coroner's Inquest view'd the Body of an Indian man, said to be kill'd by Jo- seph Golden, an English Inhabitant here. Isaialı Stites be- ing present and seeing the whole Difference, gave his Evi- dence to the Inquest, the Substance whereof was, That Golden having hired the said Indian with another Indian Man and Woman to pull some Flax, was to give them
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THE RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSIES.
three quarts of Rum for their Labour, with which they got Drunk and quarrel'd with Golden, who then bid them be- gone from his House, but they refus'd going and gave him ill Language, whereupon a Quarrel ensued, and many Blows passing on both sides, Golden got a small Stick of Cudgel to drive them away, but the two Indians fell upon him and got him down, beat him very much and twisted his Neck, so that he seemed in Danger of his Life: Stites en- deavored to part them; at length Golden (with Stites' help) got on his Legs, and then took a larger stick in his Hand to defend himself, bidding the Indians to keep off, but one of them coming violently at him, he struck him on the Head, knock'd him down, and he died without speaking a Word more: It appearing that there was no Difference be- tween Golden and the Indians, before that sudden Quarrel and that they had put him in fear of his Life, before he struck that blow, the Coroner's Inquest found it Man- slaughter."
Cape May county grew in its number of inhabitants from 668 in 1726 to 1004 in 1737-8, or an increase of 336 in eleven years. The whites numbered:
Males above 16 years
261
Females above 16 years
219
Males under 16 years 271
Females under 16 years 21I
Total whites 962
Negroes and other slaves:
Males above 16 years 12
Females above 16 years IO
Males under 16 years 9
Females under 16 years
II
Total slaves 42
Total in county 1004
The first cattle brought over Cedar Swamp bridge were, according to Aaron Leaming driven over it in the year 1729. The keeping up of the road was troublesome be- cause of the disputes over it. The three precincts of the
102
HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
county were each to care for a third of the road. But the lower precinct never did anything towards its maintenance, while the middle precinct did a small portion of the work. The bulk of the care fell upon the upper precinct, upon which the inhabitants of the others claimed the charge evolved. The others did not hesitate to use it when they wanted to use the only thoroughfare out of the county up the bay side.
The "Pennsylvania Gazette," October 16-23. 1735, con- tains the following advertisement:
"To be Sold,
"A very good Fulling Mill at Fishing Creek, in the Coun- ty of Cape May, with all the Materials, as Press, Sheers, Tenters, and Copper; With one hundred Acres of Land. Enquire of Richard Downs."
At this fulling mill homespun cloth was made, and the wool was gotten from the sheep raised on the place. Downs must have sold his place and retired. He had previously been a militiaman, sheriff, and was an industrious citizen. He died in 1747.
"The Pennsylvania Gazette," May 28, 1747, gives the following notice to his debtors and creditors:
"Philadelphia, May 12, 1747.
"All persons indebted to the estate of Captain Richard Downs, late of Cape May, deceas'd, are desired to make speedy payment: And those who have any demands against said estate, are desired to pay the same, within Six months from the date hereof, to
"ELISHA HAND, and "NATHANIEL FOSTER, "Executors."
At the Governor's Council, held on December 1, 1739, the following officers were appointed for Cape May county: Jacob Spicer, Humphrey Hughs, Henry Young, William Smith, Robert Townsend, judges of the pleas and justices of the quorum: Henry Stites, Richard Stites, Ebenezer Swain, justices of the quorum; Joseph Ludlam, Junr., William Smith, Junr, and Nathaniel Foster, justices: Elijah Hughs, clerk; Constant Hughes, sheriff, and John Stites, coroner.
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THE RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSIES.
The first recorded license, that of a house of entertain- ment on the seashore, was taken out by Jacob Ludlam, Jr., in the year 1740.
Dr. Beesley says of the cedar swamps in the interior of Cape May :
"Between the years of 1740 and '50 the cedar swamps of the county were mostly located; and the amount of lumber since taken from them is incalculable, not only as an article of trade, but to supply the home demand for fencing and building materials in the county. Large portions of these swamps have been worked a second, and some a third time since located. At the present time there is not an acre of «original growth of swamp standing, having all passed away before the resistless sway of the speculator or the consumer. The annual growth is sufficient to fill our wharves yearly with many thousands of rails and sawed lumber."
In 1741 the Baptists at Cape May Court House erected their church, a brick structure, on the land of Jeremiah Hand, who the next year gave what is now the old cemetery to the amount of one acre and three rods, on which the church stood until burned in 1854-113 years. Morgan Edwards, in his sketch, says, 1792, of the church's history:
"This church receives its distinction from the promontory which forms the bay of Delaware on the northeast side; the meeting house measures 34 feet by 26; it was built in 1741; the lot on which it stands contains an acre and three perches, and was given by Jeremiah Hand, esq .; the house is finished as usual, and is distant from Philadelphia 82 miles towards the S. S. E .; there is a fine spring of water "by it, which is a great rarity in this part of the country; it is situated in the middle precinct of Cape May county; thie families, which usually make up the congregation, are about 90, whereof 63 persons are baptised and in the com- munion, which is here administered every other month; the church was raised to a body politic July 29, 1786; the min- ister is Rev. John Stancliff: the salary about 80 pounds .- "The above is the present state of Cape May, Apr. 19. 1790."
"Temporalities.
"Plantation, 70 acres, purchased by congregation; land, good; dwelling in tolerable repair: living at 80 pounds."
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HISTORY OF CAPE MAY COUNTY.
During the years 1742 and '43 there was an extended re- ligious revival throughout the county. The pastors of the Baptist church and of the Cold Spring Presbyterian church, who at that time was Rev. Samuel Finley, who acted as a supply from 1740 to 1743. Mr. Finley was a man of deep learning, having been educated at the famous "Log Col- lege" in Bucks county, Pennsylvania. He became in 176r the fifth president of Princeton College, and remained at the head of that seat of learning until 1766. The Baptist pastor and exhorter of that season were Nathanael Jenkins, Senr .. and his son, Nathanael, respectively. Morgan Ed- wards, the Baptist historian of the event, gives his version. of the event this way:
"In 1742, in 1743, the spirit of religion was raised high: at the Cape; owing partly to the preaching of Baptist min- isters, and partly to the labours of Presbyterian ministers of the new light order; but many of the latter's disciples. joining the Baptists caused much grumbling; and issued in a public dispute and polemical writings. The occasion was as follows: About 1742 there was, at the Cape, a remark- able stir of the religious kind; this stir was owing partly to the preaching of Baptist ministers, and partly to the labors. of Presbyterian ministers of the new light order; but some of one party's converts joining the other party caused a howling among the losing shepherds, and issued in a public challenge; Mr. Morgan (Rev. Abel Morgan, A. M.) accept- ed the challenge. His antagonist was Rev. (afterwards Dr.); Samuel Finley; the contest ended as usual, viz., in double triumph."
The courts were usually held in private dwellings previous to 1745. But a new court house had now been built, and the- first court held in it was on the third Tuesday of May, 1745. when the following officers and jurors were present: Justices; -Henry Young, Henry Stites. Ebenezer Swain and Na- thaniel Foster. Sheriff-Jacob Hughes. Clerk-Elijalz Hughes, Sr. Grand Jurors-John Leonard, John Scull, Noah Garrison, Peter Corson. Joseph Corson. George Hol- lingshead. Clement Daniels, Benjamin Johnson, Jeremiah' Hand, Thomas Buck, Joseph Badcock, Isaiah Stites, Joseph:
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THE RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSIES.
Edwards, James Godfrey, Thomas Smith, Isaac Townsend, Ananias Osborne, Robert Cresse and Thomas Hewit.
The number of residents of the county this year was 1188, according to the census taken by order of the Governor of the province. The population was divided as follows: 306 males above 16 years, 284 males under 16 years, 272 females above 16 years, 274 females under 16 years, 54 Quakers or reputed Quakers, 30 male slaves, 22 female slaves; 1188 whole number of inhabitants; 184 increase since 1737-8.
The Third French and Indian War (known as King George's War) was in progress from 1744 to '48, and there were several Cape May men commissioned. While none of them are known to have gone to Louisburg or the Cana- dian provinces, they were to be ready to do duty at home should the French marine come upon the Jersey shore. The commissions granted were:
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