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Papers 

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Proceedings 


1914--1915 

NUMBERTEN 


Bergen  County 
Historical  Society 


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F'/fZ 


CORRECTIONS  TO  BE  MADE  IX  YEAR  BOOK  1915. 


First — On  page  7  date  of  the  erection  of  the  Andre  Prison 
should  be  1755  instead  of  1775. 

Second — On  page  40,  fifth  line  from  bottom,  for  the  year 
1628  should  be  substituted  the  year  1682. 

Third — The  following  criticism  by  Mrs.  Frances  A.  Wester- 
velt  has  been  made  on  Mr.  Christie's  papei'.  On  page  46  he 
is  in  error  when  he  states  that  David  Demarest,  who  he  found 
was  an  elder  in  the  Old  Dutch  Church  at  Hackensack,  June, 
1750,  was  a  son  of  the  French  pioneer.  It  is  a  long  waj^  as 
far  as  human  life  is  concerned  between  1677  and  1750. 
From  manuscript  volume  of  Debaun's  records  from  original 
notes,  Yost  Debaun  married  Elizabeth  Drabba,  came  to  this 
country  1680.  Their  daughter  Matie  maryied  David  Dema- 
rest, son  of  Samuel  Demarest,  one  of  the  original  settlers  (son 
of  David,  the  pioneer),  November  lOtli,  1705.  Was  read  in 
church  membership  Hackensack,  April  6th,  1706,  and  Matie, 
his  wife,  the  same  date.  The  David  Demarest  mentioned  as 
an  elder  in  the  Hackensack  Church,  June,  1750,  was  a  son  of 
Samuel  and  grandson  of  David,  Sr.,  of  1677.  This  is  from 
original  document  in  the  possession  of  the  Bergen  County 
Historical  Society. 


Papers  and  Proceedings 


OF 


The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society 

\9U-1915 

NUMBER  TEN. 


List  of  Officers.  -----         1914-1915. 

The  Andre  Prison  House  at  Tappan,  N.  Y. 

William  Alexander  Linn. 
Petition  from  Bergen  Co.,  to  the  New  Jersey 

Provincial  Assembly  of  1755. 
Church  Days  in  Old  Schraalenburgh. 

Mrs.  Frances  A.  Westervelt. 
Early  History  of  Bergenfield     -     -     -     Walter  Christie. 
An  Incident  of  Bergen  County    -    Rev,  John  C.  Voorhis. 
Report  of  Archive  and  Property  Committee. 
Supplement  to  1914  Catalogue. 
The  Amended  Constitution  and  By-laws. 
List  of  Ex-Presidents. 
List  of  Members. 


illustrations. 


The  Old  South  Church,  Schraalenburg,  N.  J. 
Andre  Prison  House,  After  Restoration. 
Andre  Prison  House,  Before  Restoration. 
The  Old  Stone  Church  of  Saddle  River,  N.  J. 


'-'  'i 


OfC  20  iste 


OFFICERS   FOR  THE   YEAR. 


PRESIDENT. 

Mrs.  Frances  A.  Westervelt,        -        -        Hackensack. 

VICE-PRESIDENTS. 

William   O.   Allison,     -        -        -        -        Englewood. 

R.  A.  Adams,        -        -        .        .        .        Saddle  River. 
H.    I.    CoGGESHALL,  -         -         _         _         Wortendyke. 

M.    W.    Jacobus,         -----        Ridgefield 

F.  H.  Crum,    ------        River  Edge. 

Edward  Stagg,        ------        Leonia. 

Cornelius  Doremus,        _        -        -        _        Ridgewood. 
Abram  DeBaun,      -----        Hackensack. 

W.  A.  Linn,    ------        Hackensack. 

Byron  G.  Van  Horne,     -        -        -        -        Englewood. 

SECRETARY  AND  TREASURER. 

C.  V.  R.  BoGERT,        -         167  Main  Street,  Hackensack. 

EXECUTIVE   committee. 

Robert  T.  Wilson,        -  -        _        .        Saddle  River. 

Everett  L.  Zabriskie,      -  -        -        -        Ridgewood. 

Howard  B.  Goetschius,  -        -        -        Little   Ferry. 

Matt.   J.   Bogert         -  _        -        _        -        Demarest 

ARCHIVE    AND    PROPERTY    COMMITTEE, 

Mrs.   F.   a.   Westervelt,  -  -  -  Hackensack. 

Hon.   Wm.   M.  Johnson,  -  -  _  Hackensack. 

John  L.  Marinus,        -  .  -  -  Rochelle  Park. 

Arthur  Van  Buskirk,  -  -  -  -  Hackensack. 


Official  Photographer, 


Charles  Curtis. 


The  Publication  Committee,  after  deliberating  with  the 
Executive  Committee,  was  authorized  to  draw  on  the  fund 
given  to  the  society  by  Mr,  William  O.  Allison,  of  Engle- 
wood,  for  the  expense  of  the  publication  of  this  book, 
otherwise  there  would  have  been  no  year  book  this  year. 
Acknowledgment  is  hereby  made  of  the  generosity  of  Mr. 
Allison. 

The  Executive  Committee  also  advised  that  the  book  be 
not  published  until  some  time  after  the  annual  dinner. 

It  had  been  thought  that  the  publication  of  an  orderly 
book  of  General  Green,  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  for  the 
midsummer  of  1776  would  be  a  valuable  addition  to  the 
year  book.  The  book  had  been  recently  purchased  by  the 
society  and  all  the  members  would  thus  have  a  better  op- 
portunity of  knowing  the  contents  of  it.  But  on  investi- 
gation it  was  found  that  it  was  not  a  history  of  events  that 
tianspired  in  Bergen  County,  nor  of  contiguous  territory, 
but  of  Brooklyn ;  therefore,  it  was  deemed  inadvisable  to 
incorporate  it  in  the  year  book.  As  there  were  several 
pages  that  had  become  quite  faded  and  some  words  that 
had  become  almost  illegible,  a  typewritten  copy  of  the  old 
manuscript  was  made,  consisting  of  thirty-nine  pages  of 
closely  written  legal  cap,  and  filed  away  with  the  original 
in  the  society's  rooms  in  the  Johnson  Library  in  Hacken- 
sack. 


ANNUAL  REPORT. 


By  C.  V.  R.  BoGERT,  Secretary  and  Treasurer. 


During  the  past  year  seven  new  members  were  elected 

into  the  Society,  making  the  total  enrollment  no  regular, 
9  life,  and  3  honorary. 

The  Treasurer's  report  was  as  follows: 

Balance  on  hand,  Special  Account    .  . .  $1,030.20 

Balance  on  hand,  General  Account  ...  125.15 

Outstanding  Dues   166.00 


Total  Assets   $1,321.35 

The  thirteenth  annual  meeting  and  dinner  of  the 
Society  was  held  at  the  Union  League  Club,  Hacknesack, 
on  Saturday  evening,  April  17th,  191 5.  Ninety-five  mem- 
bers and  guests  sat  down  to  dinner,  after  which  reports 
from  the  various  Committees  were  read. 

The  President  introduced  Mr.  P.  C.  Staib,  of  Hacken- 
sack,  who  delivered  an  interesting  and  entertaining  ad- 
dress, after  which  he  acted  as  master  of  ceremonies. 

Judge  William  H.  Speer,  of  Jersey  City,  was  the  prin- 
cipal speaker  of  the  evening  and  delighted  his  audience 
with  a  very  scholarly  address  upon  the  importance  of  a 
knowledge  of  history. 


Andre   Prison   House,  After  Restoration, 


THE    ANDRE    PRISON     HOUSE 
AT    TAPPAN.    N.    Y. 


By  William  A.  Linn. 


Any  one  passing  north  through  the  main  street  of  the 
village  of  Tappan,  N.  Y.,  will  notice  on  the  left,  just  south 
of  the  road  branching  east  to  Piermont,  an  old  stone  build- 
ing, bearing  on  its  front  a  signboard  with  this  plain  but 
conspicuous  inscription : 

ANDRfi  PRISON 

76  HOUSE.  '^^ 

Erected  lyi^. 
Restored  1897. 
This  old  house  was  the  place  of  imprisonment  of  Major 
John  Andre  during  his  trial  as  a  spy  by  the  Court  of  In- 
quiry, and  from  this  house  he  was  conducted  to  the  place 
of  execution,  a  short  distance  west  of  the  village. 

From  the  time  of  its  erection  to  this  day,  except  for 
some  years  after  1857,  when  it  was  out  of  repair,  the  build- 
ing has  been  used  as  a  tavern,  Casparus  Mabie  having  been 
the  original  tavern  keeper.  About  the  year  1857  it  gave 
evidence  of  its  age,  the  moss-covered  roof  partly  caved  in, 
and  it  was  closed  until  1897,  when  the  present  owner,  R.  T. 
Collignon,  gave  it  a  new  roof,  made  some  enlargement  of 
the  front  piazza,  and  added  a  bowling  alley  in  the  rear. 
The  house  stands  practically,  however,  as  it  was  erected, 
even  the  bar  in  use  today  being  unchanged. 

Architecturally  unattractive,  it  is  a  plain  stone  building 
of  the  Dutch  design  of  the  day,  one  story  in  height.  The 
bar  room  occupies  the  south  front,  and  a  hall  extends  part 
way  through  to  the  rear.    In  Andre's  day  a  ball  room,  be- 


8      THE  ANDRE  PRISON   HOUSE  AT  TAPPAN,   N.   Y. 

hind  the  bar,  extended  back  of  the  hall,  to  a  small  room 
which  Andre  used  as  a  bedroom,  and  in  front  of  this  was  a 
larger  room  which  he  used  as  a  reception  room.  The  bed- 
room has  since  been  thrown  into  the  ball  room.  "No  other 
building,"  says  William  Abbatt,  in  his  "The  Crisis  of  the 
Revolution,"  "can  boast  of  more  historic  interest  for  the 
same  period  than  can  this  plain,  heavy  Dutch  tavern.  Al- 
most, if  not  quite,  every  general  officer  of  the  left  wing  of 
the  army  (and  possibly  Washington  also)  was  a  visitor  to 
it,  when  it  was  Greene's  headquarters  during  the  autumn 
of  1780."  It  is  a  matter  of  regret  that  no  means  have  been 
found  to  rescue  this  building  from  private  ownership,  and 
make  sure  of  its  preservation. 

John  Andre  was  born  in  London,  England,  in  1751. 
His  father  was  a  native  of  Switzerland,  and  his  mother 
was  French.  The  boy  had  every  educational  advantage, 
spoke  several  languages,  and  had  a  knowledge  of  military 
science,  as  well  as  of  literature,  music  and  art.  When  a 
lad  he  entered  his  father's  counting  room  in  London,  and 
when  his  father  died,  he  took  charge  of  the  business.  Mer- 
cantile pursuits  were  not,  however,  to  his  taste,  and  in  1772 
he  was  commissioned  a  lieutenant  in  the  British  army.  In 
1774  he  joined  his  regiment,  the  Royal  English  Fusiliers,  in 
Canada,  making  the  journey  for  some  reason  by  way  of 
Philadelphia.  It  has  been  suggested  that  he  took  this  route 
at  the  suggestion  of  Gen.  Carleton,  Governor  of  Canada, 
in  order  that  he  might  pick  up  useful  information  on  the 
way.  When  Montgomery  captured  the  fort  at  St.  Johns 
Andre  was  made  prisoner  and  with  the  other  captives  was 
removed  to  Pennsylvania.  His  pleasing  manners  and  his 
accomplishments  enabled  him  to  make  friends  with  the  best 
people  of  Lancaster  and  Carlisle,  and  he  enjoyed  many 
social  privileges.  Exchanged  in  1776,  he  joined  Gen. 
Howe's  army  in  New  York  City,  where  his  good  address 


THE  ANDRE  PRISON  HOUSE  AT  TAPPAN,  N.  Y.      9 

soon  obtained  for  him  the  rank  of  captain  as  aide  to  Gen. 
Gray.  He  was  in  Philadelphia  with  the  British  in  1778  and 
easily  secured  there  the  position  of  a  leader  in  social  affairs. 
His  pen  was  always  busy  with  verse  and  with  art  sketches. 
After  the  evacuation  of  Philadelphia  by  Clinton,  Andre 
accompanied  Gen.  Gray  on  an  expedition  to  New  Bedford. 
When  Gray  returned  to  England  in  1778,  Andre  became 
aide  to  Gen.  Clinton,  and  in  1779  he  was  promoted  to  the 
position  of  Deputy  Adjutant  General  of  the  British  Forces 
in  America.  In  New  York  City  at  that  time  he  wrote  his 
well-known  poem,  "The  Cow  Chase,"  and  a  prose  com- 
position, "A  Dream."  Accompanying  G«n.  Clinton,  he 
assisted  in  the  capture  of  Stoney  Point  and  Fort  Lafayette, 
on  Verplank's  Point,  in  1779.  It  was  in  that  year  that 
the  anonymous  correspondence  between  Arnold  and  Clin- 
ton began. 

Gen.  Benedict  Arnold,  his  natural  disposition  excited  by 
what  he  considered  unjust  treatment  and  unfounded 
charges,  including  the  refusal  of  Congress  to  act  on  a  re- 
port exonerating  him  from  some  of  these  charges,  sent  a 
letter,  signed  "Gustavus,"  to  Gen.  Clinton,  who  succeeded 
Gen.  Howe  as  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  British  Forces 
in  America,  saying  that  the  writer,  an  army  officer  of  rank, 
might,  through  disgust  wtih  the  American  alliance  with 
France,  "and  other  proceedings  of  Congress,"  transfer  his 
services  to  the  British  for  a  consideration.  This  corre- 
spondence was  continued  for  some  time,  the  replies  to 
Arnold's  letters  being  written  by  Major  Andre  over  the 
signature  "John  Anderson." 

To  carry  out  his  plan  as  matured,  Arnold  obtained  from 
Gen.  Washington  the  command  of  West  Point,  where,  after 
Burgoyne's  defeat,  strong  fortifications  had  been  erected. 
Clinton  had  not  at  first  known  the  real  name  of  his  corre- 
spondent, but  now  Arnold  grew  more  definite  in  his  sug- 


10    THE  ANDRE  PRISON   HOUSE  AT  TAPPAN,  N.  Y. 

gestions,  and  Clinton  embarked  troops  on  the  Hudson  to 
be  prepared  to  take  over  the  West  Point  defenses  when 
Arnold  was  ready  to  deliver  them.  To  bring  these  negotia- 
tions to  a  head,  arrangements  were  made  for  an  interview 
between  Arnold  and  Andre  while  Washington  was  making 
a  trip  to  Connecticut.  The  two  conspirators  met,  on  the 
night  of  September  20,  1780,  in  a  piece  of  woods  about 
four  miles  below  Stoney  Point.  Andre  was  sent  up  the 
river  by  Clinton  on  the  sloop-of-war  Vulcan,  and  Arnold 
sent  his  own  boat  to  convey  him  to  the  place  of  meeting. 

Now  the  happenings  began  which  led  to  Andre's  cap- 
ture and  to  the  undoing  of  Arnold.  Their  interview  was 
so  prolonged  that  dawn  was  breaking  when  Andre  was 
ready  to  return  to  his  vessel  and  the  American  boatmen  re- 
fused to  row  him  back  to  the  \'ulcan.  He  and  Arnold 
therefore  walked  up  the  river  some  two  miles  to  the  house 
of  one  Joshua  Smith,  about  whose  exact  sympathies  in  the 
war  there  is  some  uncertainty.  They  were  to  pass  the  day 
there  and  Andre  was  to  have  been  sent  back  to  the  Vulcan 
at  night.  The  American  commander  of  a  fort  on  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  river  interrupted  this  plan  by  opening 
fire  on  the  British  vessel  and  compelled  her  to  drop  down 
stream.  Andre,  however,  did  not  think  there  would  be 
much  difficulty  in  boarding  her  at  the  place  where  she  would 
anchor,  and  Arnold  supplied  him  with  the  following  pass : 

"Permit  Mr.  John  Anderson  to  pass  the  guards  to  the 
White  Plains,  or  below,  if  he  chooses,  he  being  on  public 
business  by  my  directions. 

B.  Arnold,  M.  Gen." 

Then  Smith,  who  was  to  accompany  Andre,  interfered 
with  the  programme,  declaring  himself  unwilling  to  run 
the  risk  of  being  fired  on  in  attempting  to  board  the  \'ulcan, 
but  offering  to  accompany  Andre  in  an  all  night  ride  by 
land   to  the    British   lines.      He,   too,    was   provided    with 


THE  ANDRE  PRISON  HOUSE  AT  TAPPAN,  N.  Y.    11 

passes.  Andre,  it  is  stated,  with  reluctance  accepted  this 
proposition. 

And  here  mistakes  began.  Andre  borrowed  some  of 
Smith's  clothes  as  a  disguise,  and  he  disregarded  the  advice 
received  from  Clinton  not  to  carry  any  compromising 
papers.  He  accepted  from  Arnold  descriptions  of  the 
West  Point  fortresses  and  forces,  in  Arnold's  handwriting, 
and  before  starting  on  his  ride  concealed  these  papers  be- 
tween his  stockings  and  his  feet. 

Smith  and  Andre  crossed  the  river  at  King's  Ferry  and 
rode  south  until  they  reached  White  Plains,  where  Smith 
turned  back,  Andre  riding  on  alone  toward  Tarrytown. 

What  was  called  "the  neutral  ground,"  extending  north 
from  King's  Bridge  almost  to  the  Croton  River,  was  over- 
run by  bands  of  men  who  preyed  rather  indiscriminately  on 
the  country.  The  so-called  Cow  Boys  and  Skinners  paid 
little  regard  to  property  rights,  the  Cow  Boys  making  a 
special  business  of  driving  cattle  into  the  British  lines.  On 
Friday,  September  23,  seven  young  men  belonging  to  the 
American  militia  obtained  leave  of  absence  and  set  out  from 
Salem  (which  lay  about  nine  miles  west  of  Peekskill)  on 
an  independent  scouting  expedition.  Arriving  at  Tarry- 
town  the  next  morning,  they  obtained  breakfast  at  a  private 
house  and  then  continued  their  march  to  a  place  where 
two  roads  led  to  New  York  City.  Three  of  the  party — 
John  Paulding,  David  Williams  and  Isaac  Van  Wart — 
were  stationed  on  one  of  these  roads,  above  Tarrytown. 
Toward  them  rode  Andre.  When  Paulding  presented  his 
musket  and  brought  the  rider  to  a  stop,  a  few  questions  led 
Andre  to  believe  that  his  captors  were  British  sympathizers, 
and  he  said,  *T  am  a  British  officer;  have  been  up  the  coun- 
try on  particular  business  and  would  not  wish  to  be  de- 
tained a  minute."  He  showed  Arnold's  pass.  There  seemed 
to  the  militiamen  to  be  some  contradiction  in  his  declaration 


12    THE  ANDRE  PRISON  HOUSE  AT  TAPPAN,  N.  Y. 

that  he  was  a  British  officer  and  the  possessor  of  a  pass 
from  Arnold.  Paulding  has  been  quoted  as  saying,  "I  would 
have  let  him  go  had  he  shown  his  pass  first."  His  captors 
thought  it  best  to  search  him,  and,  taking  him  into  the  shel- 
ter of  a  wayside  thicket,  they  found  Arnold's  papers  con- 
cealed in  his  stockings.  This  discovery  convinced  Paulding 
that  the  man  was  a  spy,  and  they  set  out  with  him  at  once 
for  the  nearest  outpost. 

They  kept  off  the  main  road,  Andre  going  along  quietly, 
but  seemingly  much  depressed.  Lieut. -Col.  John  Jameson 
was  in  command  of  Sheldon's  dragoons  at  the  time,  and 
they  found  him  at  Sand's  Mill,  in  the  town  of  Armonk. 
Jameson  accepted  Arnold's  pass  as  entitling  the  bearer  to 
proceed  "on  public  business,"  and  when  Andre  requested 
him  to  inform  Arnold  of  his  detention,  Jameson  wrote  a 
note  to  Arnold,  explaining  the  circumstances  of  the  cap- 
ture, detailing  Lieut.  Allen  and  four  men  to  conduct  the 
prisoner  to  Arnold,  but  sending  a  messenger  to  Gen.  Wash- 
ington, who  was  returning  from  Connecticut,  with  the 
papers  found  in  Andre's  stocking.  Andre's  hopes  rose 
again.  Soon  after  his  departure,  however.  Major  B.  Tal- 
mage  returned  to  the  headquarters,  and,  on  being  told  of 
the  capture,  at  once  declared  his  belief  that  Arnold  was  a 
traitor  and  Andre  a  spy,  and  he  took  the  responsibility  of 
ordering  Andre's  return.  A  messenger,  riding  at  top 
speed,  overtook  Lieut.  Allen  near  Peekskill,  and  by  nine 
o'clock  that  evening,  when  he  was  within  an  hour  of  safety, 
Andre  was  brought  back  to  Sand's  Hill  and  thence  sent  to 
Sheldon's  headquarters  at  South  Salem. 

Jameson,  who  seems  to  have  been  of  a  very  unsuspicious 
disposition,  while  consenting  to  Andre's  recall,  deemed  it 
proper  to  inform  Arnold  of  Andre's  capture  and  of  the 
documents  found  on  him,  sending  his  dispatch  by  a  mes- 
senger.   This  letter  was  handed  to  Arnold  at  the  Robinson 


Andre  Prison  House,  Before  Restoration. 


THE  ANDRE  PRISON  HOUSE  AT  TAPPAN,  N.  Y.    13 

House,  opf>osite  West  Point,  as  he  was  breakfasting  with 
Hamilton  and  others  of  Washington's  party,  all  of  whom 
were  to  have  met  Arnold  that  morning  on  their  way  from 
Connecticut.  As  soon  as  Arnold  acquainted  himself  with 
the  contents  of  Jameson's  letter,  he  placed  it  in  his  pocket, 
and  remarking  that  he  was  suddenly  recalled  to  West 
Point,  he  went  up  to  his  bedroom,  where  he  told  his  wife 
that  he  was  ruined,  and,  entering  his  barge,  was  rowed 
rapidly  down  the  river  some  eighteen  miles  to  the  Vulture, 
which  conveyed  him  to  New  York.  But  for  Jameson's  let- 
ter he,  too,  would  have  been  a  captive. 

From  his  place  of  confinement  at  Salem,  Andre  wrote 
a  letter  to  Washington,  "to  rescue  myself  from  an  imputa- 
tion of  having  assumed  a  mean  character  for  treacherous 
purposes  or  self  interest."  He  confessed  to  his  correspond- 
ence with  an  American  commander,  his  meeting  with  this 
officer  and  the  events  which  led  to  his  own  capture.  Hamil- 
ton, after  reading  this  letter,  Jameson's  communication  and 
the  papers  found  on  Andre,  had  no  doubt  of  Arnold's 
treachery,  and  it  was  from  Hamilton  that  Washington 
learned  of  the  conspiracy  and  of  Arnold's  flight. 

From  the  Robinson  House,  to  which  he  was  conducted 
on  the  morning  of  Monday,  September  26,  Andre  was  taken 
under  a  strong  guard  to  West  Point,  and  thence  by  boat 
to  Stoney  Point  and  by  land  to  Tappan,  where  he  arrived 
on  Thursday,  September  28. 

Washington,  who  reached  Tappan  on  the  same  day, 
ordered  a  Court  of  Inquiry,  consisting  of  five  major- 
generals,  including  Lafayette  and  Steuben,  and  eight  briga- 
dier-generals, to  "report  a  precise  statement  of  his  case, 
together  with  your  opinion  of  the  light  in  which  he  ought 
to  be  considered,  and  the  penalty  which  ought  to  be  in- 
flicted." The  verdict  was  that  Andre  "ought  to  be  con- 
sidered a  spy  from  the  enemy.     .     .     and  to  suffer  death." 


14    THE  ANDRE  PRISON  HOUSE  AT  TAPPAN,  N.  Y. 

The  report  was  approved  by  Washington  on  September  30, 
and  Andre's  execution  was  ordered  to  take  place  the  next 
day  at  5  p.  m.  The  execution  was  postponed  to  October  2 
in  order  that  a  communication  from  CUnton  might  give 
Washington  "a  true  state  of  facts."  But  all  efforts  to  save 
Andre's  life  were  in  vain. 

At  noon  on  the  appointed  day  a  large  number  of  people 
("many  hundreds,  if  not  thousands")  assembled  in  Tappan 
to  witness  the  execution.  Some  five  hundred  troops  filled 
the  street  on  which  the  prison  house  stands,  and  Gen. 
Greene  and  all  the  other  generals  concerned  in  the  trial 
(with  the  exception  of  Washington  and  his  staff)  were 
drawn  up  along  the  road.  Andre,  dressed  in  a  British  offi- 
cer's uniform,  was  escorted  from  the  building  and  the  pro- 
cession took  up  its  march.  Turning  to  the  west  at  the  first 
road  to  the  north,  they  proceeded  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile, 
and  then  turning  south  reached  the  appointed  place.  It  is 
a  sightly  spot,  with  the  village,  as  it  was  then,  lying  below, 
and  a  long  extent  of  the  west  face  of  the  Palisades  visible 
to  the  east  across  an  intervening  valley.  At  the  head  of  the 
procession  was  an  army  baggage  wagon  containing  the 
coffin. 

Andre  had  requested  that  he  be  shot,  and  is  said  to  have 
exclaimed,  on  seeing  the  gallows :  "This  is  too  degrading," 
adding  that  the  method  of  his  death  would  be  a  mortifica- 
tion to  his  mother  and  sisters. 

I  follow  now  Abbatt's  account  of  the  execution : 

"The  gallows  had  been  made  by  setting  up  two  forked 
trees,  with  a  third  laid  across.  It  was  unusually  high,  and 
under  it  stood  the  cart,  or  two-horse  army  baggage  wagon, 
in  which  was  the  coffin.  Andre  waited  a  moment.  His  first 
attempt  (to  get  on  the  wagon)  failing,  he  said  a  few  words 
to  his  servant  who  was  standing-  by,  overcome  with  grief, 
and  then,   putting  one  hand  on  the  wagon  body,  made  a 


THE  ANDRE   PRISON   HOUSE   AT  TAPPAN,   N.   Y.     15 

determined  spring  and  succeeded.  Stepping  on  his  coffin, 
he  deHberately  surveyed  the  scene,  surrounded  by  the  five 
hundred  and  fifty  infantry  on  guard  and  a  great  number 
of  additional  soldier  and  civilian  spectators,  including,  un- 
fortunately, women  and  children. 

"Col.  Scammell,  as  adjutant,  read  the  order  for  execu- 
tion in  a  loud  voice.  Then  the  commanding  officer — Glover 
— said:  'Major  Andre,  if  you  have  anything  to  say  you  can 
speak,  for  you  have  but  a  short  time  to  live.'  Standing 
with  hands  on  hips,  the  prisoner  bo\yed  to  him  and  replied 
in  clear,  unfaltering  tone:  'I  have  nothing  more  to  say, 
gentlemen,  than  this — I  pray  you  to  bear  witness  that  I 
meet  my  fate  like  a  brave  man.' 

"The  hangman,  a  Tory  named  Strickland,  who  was  un- 
der arrest  and  had  been  promised  liberty  for  performing 
the  odious  office,  had  disguised  himself  by  smearing  his  face 
with  stuff  like  shoeblacking,  producing  a  hideous  effect. 
Some  of  the  stuff  probably  adhered  to  his  hands,  for  on 
approaching  Andre  he  was  repulsed  with  the  sharp  com- 
mand, 'Take  off  your  black  hands.'  Removing  his  gold- 
laced  cocked  hat  and  handing  it  and  his  watch  to  his  ser- 
vant, who  stood  by  the  wagon,  he  next  took  off  his  white 
neck-cloth  and  put  it  in  his  coat  pocket,  unbuttoned  his  shirt 
collar  and  turned  it  down.  Taking  the  noose  from  Strick- 
land's hands  he  put  it  over  his  head  and  drew  it  close  around 
his  throat ;  then,  taking  a  handkerchief  from  his  pocket,  he 
bandaged  his  eyes  and  stood  awaiting  death.  The  hang- 
man fastened  the  rope  to  the  cross-beam,  when  the  com- 
manding officer  suddenly  ordered  Andre's  hands  to  be  tied. 
Andre  immediately  pushed  the  handkerchief  from  his  eyes, 
took  a  second  one  from  a  pocket  and  handed  it  to  Strick- 
land, first  replacing  the  one  over  his  eyes.  The  hangman, 
having  bound  his  arms  behind  him  with  the  handkerchief, 
for  an  instant  the  slight  figure,  attired  with  coat  of  bright 


16    THE  ANDRE   PRISON   HOUSE  AT  TAPPAN,   N.   Y. 

scarlet,  faced  with  green,  waistcoat  and  breeches  of  buff, 
and  top  boots,  stood  bareheaded,  sharply  outlined  against 
the  clear  sky  and  the  forest  covering  the  distant  hills.  The 
multitude  was  perfectly  silent,  overcome  with  emotion. 
Then  Col.  Scammell  signalled  the  wagoner,  by  dropping  the 
point  of  his  sword,  the  horses  were  led  forward,  and  the 
pinioned  figure  swung  violently  at  the  end  of  the  rope." 

The  body  was  wrapped  in  a  shroud  and  buried  near 
the  gallows.  As  late  as  1818  stones  without  any  inscription 
marked  the  head  and  foot  of  the  grave.  When  in  1821 
Governor  De  Witt  Clinton,  of  New  York  State,  gave  the 
British  authorities  permission  to  remove  the  remains  to 
England,  a  party,  led  by  James  Buchanon,  the  British  con- 
sul at  New  York  City,  found  the  grave  in  a  cultivated  field, 
marked  only  by  loose  stones,  two  cedars  and  a  peach  tree, 
the  latter,  it  is  said,  planted  by  some  lady.  Buchanon's  re- 
port of  the  removal  of  the  remains  says : 

"As  soon  as  the  stones  were  cleared  away  not  a  tongue 
moved  among  the  multitude — breathless  anxiety  was  de- 
picted on  every  countenance.  The  earth  was  removed  with 
the  hands,  as  we  soon  discovered  the  coffin  lid  was  broken 
in  the  center.  With  great  care  this  was  removed,  and  there 
lay  the  bones  in  perfect  order.  The  roots  of  the  peach  tree 
had  completely  surrounded  the  skull,  like  a  net.  After  al- 
lowing all  to  pass  round  and  view  the  remains  as  they  lay, 
which  very  many  did,  with  unfeigned  tears  and  lamenta- 
tions, the  bones  were  carefully  removed  and  placed  in  the 
sarcophagus  of  mahogany  lined  with  crimson  velvet  (which 
had  been  provided  by  the  Duke  of  York).  I  did  not  find  a 
single  button,  nor  any  article,  save  a  leather  string  that  had 
tied  the  hair,  in  perfect  preservation,  coiled  and  tied  as  it 
had  been  on  his  hair  at  the  time.  This  I  forwarded  to  his 
sisters  in  England.     The  sarcophagus  was  borne  amid  the 


THE  ANDRE   PRISON   HOUSE  AT  TAPPAN,   N.   Y.     17 

silent  and  unbought  regret  of  the  numerous  assemblage,  to 
Mr.  Demarest's  house." 

The  remains  were  conveyed  to  England  on  the  frigate 
Phaeton,  and  interred  in  Westminster  Abbey. 

The  grave  was  refilled  and  later  a  small  boulder,  marked 
"Andre — Executed  Oct.  2,  1780,"  was  placed  on  the  spot. 
This  in  time  disappeared.  In  1879  Cyrus  W.  Field,  at  the 
suggestion  of  Dean  Stanley,  erected  a  monument  on  the 
place  of  execution.  Some  local  objection  was  made  to  the 
erection  of  this  monument  to  "a  British  spy,"  and  soon 
afterward  an  attempt  was  made  by  two  men,  perhaps  in- 
spired by  others,  to  blow  it  up  with  dynamite.  Little  dam- 
age was  done  by  this  explosion,  but  two  years  later  a  much 
larger  charge  was  exploded  under  it,  which  blew  it  to  pieces, 
except  the  upper  stone  of  the  pedestal,  with  the  inscription. 
This  was  replaced  on  the  foundation,  and  it  rests  there  to- 
day, surrounded  by  a  high  iron  fence  of  circular  shape. 


ANDRfi  BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Crisis  of  the  Revolution. — Abbaft. 

The    Two    Spies,    Nathan    Hale    and    John    Andre. — 
Lossing 

Life  and  Career  of  Major  John  Andre. — Sargent. 

Andreana. — Smith. 

Vindication  of  the  Capture  of  Major  Andre. — Benson. 

History  and  Capture  of  Major  Andre. — Bolton. 

Minutes  of  a  Council  of  Inquiry  Upon  the  Case  of  Major 
John  Andre. 

Last  Twelve  Days  of  Major  John  Andre. — Oglesby. 

David  William  and  the  Capture  of  Andre. — Raymond. 

Authentic  Narrative  of  the  Causes  Which  Led  to  the 
Death  of  Major  Andre. — Smith 

A  very  full  bibliography  of  Andre  will  be  found  in  Ab- 
batt's  "Crisis  of  the  Revolution." 

2 


PETITION   FROM   BERGEN  CO..   TO 

THE  NEW  JERSEY  PROVINCIAL 

ASSEMBLY  OF  1755 


Introduction  by  H.  B.  Goetschius 


In  the  course  of  the  researches  made  by  Gen'l  Sadler 
and  Chancellor  Walker,  for  the  purpose  of  properly  re- 
storing the  Barracks  at  Trenton  to  their  original  state, 
the  subjoined  petition  was  found  and  brought  to  the  atten- 
tion of  Senator  Hennessy  of  Bergen  County.  Recognizing 
its  historical  interest,  he  requested  the  writer  to  transmit 
it  to  the  Bergen  County  Historical  Society  for  publication, 
along  with  the  other  matter  finding  place  in  the  Year- 
Book  of  their  transactions.  This  petition,  addressed  to 
the  Provincial  Assembly  of  New  Jersey,  was  received 
April  8th,  1755,  and  by  that  body  "committed  to  a  com- 
mittee of  the  whole  House." 

While  papers  of  this  sort  seem  often  to  be  more  inter- 
esting than  valuable,  consideration  of  them  frequently 
serves  to  throw  new  light  on  the  life  and  conditions  of  a 
vanished  time,  and  to  clear  away  the  obscurities  in  the 
general  story  of  a  given  period.  In  this  petition,  for  ex- 
ample, we  find  177  names  representing  many  of  the  most 
important  people  of  the  County.  The  signers  declare  their 
intense  loyalty  to  the  English  Crown  and  gratitude  for 
the  "inestimable  privileges  of  Englishmen  which  they  have 
enjoyed."  Yet  these  names  are,  for  the  most  part,  Dutch. 
They  are  the  names  of  those  whose  fathers  were  conquered 
by  a  foreign  power  and  who  might  be  supposed  to  cherish 


20  PETITION   FROM    BERGEN   COUNTY 

a  bitter  enmity.     Yet  this  and  other  documents  all  go  to 
show  that  there  was  comparatively  nothing  of  this  senti- 
ment.   These  thrifty  New  Netherlanders,  who  were  wont  to 
part  with  money  only  after  fasting  and  prayer,  cheerfully 
recommended  a  levy  of  many  thousand  pounds,  in  aid  of 
a  power  that  had  subjected  them;  and  this,  as  may  be  seen, 
with  many  complimentary  allusions  to  the  government  at 
London.     And  this  was  no  politic  attitude  on  the  part  of 
the  Dutch,  but  a  real  sentiment  of  esteem  for  a  government 
which  they  had  gradually  come  to  look  upon  as  a  barrier  in 
Europe  against  what  they  considered  dangerous  enemies  of 
civil   and   religious   liberty.      Moreover,    English   rule   had 
proven  profitable,  and  these  careful  traders  and    farmers 
were  ever  prone  to  give  the  golden  calf  an  honorable  place 
beside  the  tables  of  the  law.     Besides,  over  three-quarters 
of  a  century  had  now  passed  by,  with  ever  increasing  ship- 
ping beside  the  docks ;  and  of  this  the  descendants  of  the 
Holland  settlers  had  received  their  share,  being  at  the  same 
time  set  free  from  the  domination  of  the  Dutch  West  India 
Company,    and   the    annoyances    of    government    under    a 
trading  trust.     The  English  rule  had,  in  general,  not  been 
unfavorable    to    the    original    settlers.      Intermarriage    be- 
tween those  of  the  two  nationalities  was  not  infrequent, 
and  all   these  circumstances  working  together  had  helped 
to  form  a  Dutch  aristocracy  in  New  York  whose  influence 
extended  throughout  the  New  Netherlands. 

It  is  curious  to  notice  that  while  the  English  were  grow- 
ing more  and  more  restless  under  government  from  Lon- 
don, the  Dutch,  faithful  to  their  conservative  instincts  and 
influenced  by  the  causes  already  noticed,  were  largely  in- 
dififerent  to  the  agitation.  This  state  of  mind  might  have 
continued,  and  might  have  become  a  serious  menace  to 
Revolutionary  success,  if  a  di.sturbance  which  arose  among 
themselves  about  ten  years  before  the  date  of  this  petition 


PETITION   FROM   BERGEN  COUNTY  21 

and  culminated  about  the  same  time  as  the  rebelHon  of 
the  colonies,  had  not  influenced  many  of  them  to  throw  in 
their  lot  with  the  patriots. 

This  dispute  concerned  with  the  right  claimed  by  the 
Synod  of  North  Holland,  to  govern  the  Dutch  Reformed 
churches  in  America  without  representation  (so  to  speak) 
and  therefore,  without  effective  information  as  to  the  needs 
of  the  people  here,  led  to  the  formation  of  an  American 
Classis  known  as  the  Coetus,  and  to  a  violent  strife  within 
the  congregations,  which  was  adjudicated  by  the  Classis 
of  Amsterdam  just  prior  to  the  Revolution.  But  no  con- 
troversy can  go  on  for  a  generation  as  violently  as  did  this 
one,  without  every  question,  remotely  or  directly  connected 
with  it,  being  brought  out  into  the  light;  and  as  a  result  it 
was  seen  that  the  rights  of  self-government  in  the  church 
and  in  the  state  were  one,  and  that  in  the  great  movement 
for  separation  from  England,  and  its  demand  for  the  power 
to  solve  our  own  problems  in  our  own  way  was  included 
the  only  real  and  lasting  settlement  for  their  own  difficul- 
ties. So  when  the  great  day  of  cleavage  came  those  who 
had  fought  the  fight  for  freedom  within  the  church  were 
found  later  outside  in  the  field  of  war,  fighting  the  same 
battle  for  the  freedom  of  the  state. 

Nevertheless,  this  change  of  sentiment  had  not  been  uni- 
versal, and  considerable  numbers  of  the  Dutch  continued 
loyal  to  Britain,  some  remaining  here,  but  many  joining 
the  English  tories  in  Nova  Scotia,  as  related  in  the  inter- 
esting article  by  Dr.  Byron  G.  Van  Home  in  a  previous 
Year  Book. 

This  petition,  therefore,  showing  as  it  does  that  those 
of  Dutch  descent  had,  contrary  to  common  opinion,  become 
at  least  as  English  as  the  English,  has  a  unique  value  in 
appraising  the  state  of  mind  existing  in  the  colonies  as  the 
revolutionary  movement  took  form. 

The  general  anxiety  concerning  the  state  of  the  militia 


?? PETITION  FROM   BERGEN  COUNTY 


is  reflected  in  it,  also.     The  Indians  had  been  fairly  quiet 
on  our  borders  for  many  years,  and  to  the  great  bulk  of 
colonists  had  ceased  to  be  a  menace,  but  this  war  roused 
them  to  activity  and  revived  memories  of  what  had  been 
both    sleeping   and   waking,    an    ever-present    fear   of   the 
earlier  times.     Stories  were  circulated   of  atrocities  com- 
mitted, and  along  with  these  others  of  the  inefficiency  and 
unpreparedness  of  the  colonial  militia.     So  poor  were  they 
that  Washington,  who  had  abundant  experience  with  them, 
declared  later  that  they  were  next  to  useless  as  a  depend- 
able arm  in  either  defensive  or  offensive  operations.     The 
document,  illuminative  of  this  posture  of  affairs,  speaks  of 
the  insufficient  drilling  and  so  on,  and  prays  for  additional 
legislation  as  a  corrective,  unaware  then,  as  each  generation 
that   has   followed,   that   legislation   by   itself  accomplishes 
little.     Finally  the  receipt  of  this  and  other  petitions  of  a 
like  tenor  caused  the  Provincial  Assembly  to  take  some  ac- 
tion, and  one  result  was  the  erection  of  the  Trenton  Bar- 
racks, the  restoration  of  which  at  the  present  time  led  to 
the  resurrection  of  these  and  other  ancient  records.     After 
the  French  and  Indian  War  had  become  more  than  a  dispute 
of  the  Colony  of  Virginia  with  French   fur  traders,  and 
had  grown  into  a  contest  between  the  two  great  nations 
of   the   world    for   supremacy    in    Septentrionale   America, 
troops  had  been  sent  hither  and  quartered  on  the  inhabi- 
tants, and  this  was  complained  of  by  the  citizens  of  Trent 
Town,  who  found  the   practice   "very  annoying,"  and   the 
"habits    and    morals    of    the    soldiery    undesirable."      The 
Colonial  Assembly  was  in  consequence,  requested  to  build 
barracks   for  the  housing  of  the   forces,  and   eventually   a 
portion  of  the  monies  rai.sed,  according  to  the  recommenda- 
tion of  this  and  other  petitions,  was  used  in  the  erection 
of  the  Barracks,  which  were  completed  in  1758  under  the 


PETITION   FROM    BERGEN   COUNTY  23 

authority  of  the  Hon.  Jno.  Reading,  President  and  Com- 
mander-in-Chief of  the  New  Jersey  Colony. 

The  letter  following  is  from  the  Adjutant-General  of  the 
State,  setting  forth  the  circumstances  under  which  the  res- 
toration of  the  Barracks  and  other  historical  buildings  was 
undertaken. 

State  of  New  Jersey. 
Office  of  the  Adjutant-General. 

Trenton,  March  19,  191 5. 

About  six  years  ago,  while  I  was  President  of  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce  of  this  City,  I  decided  to  attempt 
to  get  the  City  and  the  State  to  buy  the  forty-five  acres 
of  swamp  land  lying  in  the  rear  of  the  State  House  and 
between  it  and  the  Delaware  River,  fill  it  and  make  it  into 
a  park. 

It  struck  me  that  we  could  gain  a  splendid  entrance  to 
the  park  by  restoring  the  Old  Barracks,  which  was  built 
in  1758,  by  purchasing  the  old  Masonic  Temple,  which  was 
built  in  1793  and  which  stood  directly  across  the  alley  from 
the  Barracks,  and  moving  it  to  the  entrance  to  the  park, 
and  purchasing  the  Douglass  House,  which  was  the  build- 
ing in  which  Washington  held  his  famous  conference  the 
night  before  the  Battle  of  Princeton. 

I  managed  to  get  the  Legislature  to  provide  money  for 
the  purchase  of  the  property  on  Delaware  Street,  and  after 
these  purchases  were  made  called  on  Chancellor  Walker  to 
get  him  to  assist  me  in  preparing  a  resolution  to  present 
to  the  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution,  who  were 
holding  their  annual  meeting  at  Morristown.  When  I 
took  up  the  subject  with  the  Chancellor,  I  found  that  he 
had,  a  few  weeks  before  and  unknown  to  me.  had  a  reso- 
lution passed  by  the  Sons  of  the  American  Revolution  to 


24 PETITION    FROM    BERGEN   COUNTY 

the  effect  that  the  Barracks  should  be  restored,  and  we  at 
once  joined  hands  on  the  project  and  have  been  working 
together  since  that  time.  Forty  buildings  surrounded  the 
Barracks,  all  of  which  have  been  bought  and  removed. 
The  streets  have  been  closed  and  the  restoration  is  almost 
complete,  and  to  no  one  do  we  owe  more  thanks  than  to 
Senator  Hennessy  for  his  earnest  and  hearty  co-operation 
in  the  matter,  because,  as  Chairman  of  the  Appropriation 
Committee,  he  went  out  of  his  way  to  assist  in  this  very 
laudable  undertaking. 

I  don't  know  whom  to  name  as  the  man  who  has  been 
most  helpful  in  moving  the  Masonic  Temple  and  the  Doug- 
lass House,  as  many  have  been  of  great  service. 

Nelson  B.  Gaskill,  the  ex-Assistant  Attorney-General, 
has  conducted  all  of  the  legal  proceedings  without  charge. 

When  the  Douglass  House  is  moved  it  will  be  turned 
over  to  the  State,  and  the  Masonic  Temple  will  be  turned 
over  to  the  Grand  Lodge,  and  the  Barracks  will  be  run  by 
the  patriotic  women  from  all  sections  of  the  State,  who 
bought  that  part  of  the  building  which  stood  on  the  south 
side  of  Front  Street,  in  1902,  when  it  was  about  to  pass 
into  the  hands  of  contractors,  who  expected  to  erect  a  row 
of  brick  dwellings  and  use  the  stone  of  the  historic  old 
structure  for  foundations. 

Very  truly  yours. 

W.  F.  S.VDLER.  Jr. 

To  the  Hon'ble  the  Representatives 

for  the  Colony  of  New-Jersey  in  General  Assembly  conven'd 
The  Petition  of  the   Freeholders  &  Inhabitants  of  the 
County  of  Bergen  in  Behalf  of  themselves  and  the  rest  of 
the  Freeholders  and  Inhabitants  of  the  said  County 
Humbly  Sheweth 


PETITION   FROM    BERGEN   COUNTY  25 

That  Whereas  Your  Petitioners  are  informed  that  the 
French  and  Indians  in  their  AlUance  have  for  some  time 
past  made  Encroachments  on  several  of  his  Majesty's  Ter- 
ritories in  America  and  particularly  have  invaded  and 
Erected  several  Forts  upon  his  Land  within  or  near  the 
Governments  of  Virginia  and  Pensilvania  and  have  actu- 
ally in  open  violation  of  the  most  Solmn  Treaties  com- 
mitted Hostilities  agains  his  Majestys  Subjects  sent  from 
Virginia  with  commission  to  check  their  Insolent  progress 
and  disposses  them  of  their  Lands  so  taken  into  their  pos- 
session by  means  of  which  Lawless  and  Hostile  proceed- 
ings Your  Petitioners  know  not  what  Bounds  so  treacherous 
and  perfidious  an  Enemy  intends  to  prescribe  to  their  In- 
vasions and  Hostilities  or  how  soon  they  may  presume  to 
extend  their  Arms  &  Incursions  into  this  his  Majesty's 
province  of  New  Jersey. 

And  Whereas  Your  Petitioners  do  humbly  conceive 
that  his  Majesty's  approbation  of  the  Bill,  lately  agreed 
upon  by  this  Honourable  House  for  providing  the  Sum  of 
Ten  thousand  pound  for  his  Majesty's  use  (which  may 
probable  be  presumed  to  Supercede  the  Necessity  of  any 
other  Supplies)  cannot  be  depended  upon  with  sufficient 
certainty  to  create  an  Objection  against  making  farther 
provision  for  the  good  ends  thereby  proposed  But  are 
furthermore  apprehensive  (considering  the  great  Activity 
of  the  French  &  their  restless  indefatigable  Zeal  in  defiance 
of  plighted  faith  &  the  Laws  of  Nations  to  Enlarge  the 
Territories  of  the  Rapacious  Monarch)  even  was  there  the 
utmost  certainty  of  the  said  Bill  receiving  the  Royal  appro- 
bation that  the  Monies  thereby  proposed  to  be  raised  would 
come  too  late  to  answer  the  present  Exigencies  of  this 
Colony  which  at  this  Critical  &  precarious  Juncture  require 
the  most  speedy  and  expeditious  provision 

And  Whereas  Your  Petitioners  observe  by  his  Excel- 


26  PETITION    FROM    BERGEN   COUNTY 

Icncy's  last  speech  to  the  Council  and  Assembly  of  this 
province  that  our  Militia  is  greatly  deficient  in  the  Military 
Art  (which  must  Necessarily  afford  our  well  disciplined 
Enimies  an  Infinite  advantage)  partly  arising  from  the 
want  of  more  frequent  musters  and  partly  from  the  lowness 
of  the  fines  for  non  appearance  by  means  whereof  the 
Militia  act  as  it  now  stands  is  found  insufficient  either  to 
enable  the  Officers  to  instruct  the  Men  in  martial  discipline 
o'  to  compell  Delinquents  to  their  duty,  Whence  Your  Pe- 
titioners Humbly  infer  that  this  Hon'ble  House  will  con- 
ceive it  Necessary  for  his  Most  S?cred  Majesty's  service 
and  the  safety  &  defence  of  the  Inhabitants  of  this  prov- 
ince, to  revive  &  amend  the  said  Act  in  the  particulars 
Above  mentioned 

And  Whereas  our  most  Vigilant  Sovreign  (whose 
righteous  designs  against  the  Enemies  of  his  Imperial  Dia- 
dem and  the  tranquillity  of  his  American  Dominions  may 
the  King  of  Kings  abundantly  prosper)  hath  been 
graciously  pleas'd  out  of  his  Royal  Bounty  and  paternal 
Affection  to  order  Several  Regiments  to  the  assistance  of 
his  Colonies  &  therefore  undoubtedly  expects  their  oppps- 
ing  themselves  vigorously  in  maintaining  the  Honour  of 
his  Crown  by  raising  Men  &  money,  as  he  has  been  pleased 
to  shew  himself  in  protecting  their  lives  liberties  and  prop- 
erties without  which  dutifull  Junction  &  concurrence  there 
i">  great  reason  to  fear  that  his  generous  &  Salutary 
measures  may  prove  inefifectual  to  the  completion  of  his 
great  and  princely  purposes. 

And  Whereas  Your  Petitioners  out  of  Zeal  for  his  most 
Sacred  Majesty's  Intrest,  and  from  Hearts  inspired  with 
Loyalty  &  gratitude  to  the  best  of  Kings  as  well  for  the 
Service  of  their  most  gracious  Sovreign  &  the  Honour  and 
dignity  of  his  Crown  as  the  preservation  of  their  own  lives 
and  Fortunes  &  the  inestimable  priviledgc  of  English  Men 


PETITION   FROM    BERGEN   COUNTY 


27 


uninteruptedly  enjoy'd  under  his  glorious  and  Auspicious 
Reign  are  willing  to  the  utmost  of  their  power  to  contribute 
towards  all  Necessary  preparations  to  repel  any  Invasions 
that  may  be  made  by  the  said  French  or  Indians  against 
his  Majesty's  Colonies  and  to  drive  them  from  our  Fron- 
tiers, for  what  is  Life  in  Slavery?  or  property  under  a 
Popish  arbitary  Prince? 

We  therefore  Humbly  pray  this  Hon'ble  House  that 
they  would  be  pleased  to  pass  such  Bill  or  Bills  as  will  be 
Effectual  for  the  purposes  aforesaid  in  such  full  propor- 
tion as  this  Colony  ought  to  bear  in  the  expence  with  the 
Neighbouring  Colonies  and  in  such  manner  as  to  this 
Hon'ble  House  shall  seem  meet  and  Reasonable 

And  Your  Petitioners  shall  ever  pray 


Peter  Bourdett 
?Yanter  Huyn 
Ryer  Ryerson,  Ju. 
Jacobus  Bargin 
Hendrick  Boesch 
Harman  Lucan 
John  Van  Houten 
David  Hennion 
John  Vreeland 
Jacob  Hoppe 
John  Fr.  Ryarson 
Robbert  van  Houten 
Cornelus  Bogert 
Arent  Schuyler 
Jorys  Vrelant 
Stephen  Rauldwin 
Waling  Van  Winkle 
Yan  Durie 
Roelef  Westerhelt 


David  Jacobus  Demerest 

John  Allen,  Senier 

David  L.  Ackerman 
Judges  of  the  George  Ryerson 

S^QSatfr   S  J/~bus  Peek 
ions  for  the  Coun-  Samuel  More,  Junier 
ty  of  Bergen.  Lowrance  Van  Boshert 

Johannis  Van  Boshert 
Egbert  Ackerman 
Cornalus  Ackerman 
Abraham  Van  Boshert 
Johnnis  Cadmiss 
Gerrcbrant  Van  Houte 
?Johannis  Van  Rijsejse 
Cornalus  Van  Deen 
Joarge  Everse 
Ram  Simmense 
Theunis  Dey 
Joost  Beam 


28 


PETITION   FROM   BERGEN  COUNTY 


Helmigh  Post 
Yacob  Toers 
George  Ryersa,  Jr. 
William  van  Blarcom 
Hessel  Van  Wagenen 
Abraham  Toers 
Jon  Dorremus 
Helmigh  Van  Houten 
Hessel  Dorremus 
Jacobus  Post 
John  V :  Houten,  Lent. 
Gilyeen  Bertolf 
Joseph  Woolcox 
John  Rattan 
Albert  V.  Voorheese 
Casparus  Schuyler 
John  Range 
Dou'as  Rattan 
-  -an'r  Ratten 
John  Anderson 
Sam'el  Smith 
Chris'r  Tice 
Elias  Crowfoot 
Joseph  Board 
Ab'm  Bean 
Joost  Beam 
Chris  Trickey 
Josep  Hagan 
John  V :  Voorhees 
Elis'r  Franssisco 
John  Kerrest 
Edward  Martin 
Herry  Ridner 
Jacob  Franscisco 


Lowrence  Egbert  Acker- 
man 
?Jacob  Von  Venken 
Stephen  Bourdett,  Sinior 
Fauconnear  Volleau 
Lucas  Lozier 
John  van  Boskerck 
Job  Smith 
Isaac  Schuyler 
Par  Parmyter 
Jost  Van  Boskerk 

Thomas 

Nicholas  Kip 
James  Board 
Peter  Schulyer 
John  Burden 
Samuel  Sidham 
John  Rush 
Andris  Debow 
John  Myer 
Peiter  Wannemaker 
William  Ginkins 
John  Parliment,  Sen'r 
Mattey  Barbery 
David  Harris 
John  Bartolf 
John  Berry 
Phillip  Berry 
Samuel  Berry 
Abraham  Berry 
William  Berry 
Nathanel  Earl 
Thomas  Rardon 
John  Freeland 


PETITION   FROM   BERGEN  COUNTY 


29 


Peter  Stott 

Jacob  Roelfse  \' :  Houte 
John  linheus 
John  Mangle 
Wm.  Belsher 
Paul  Rattan 
Andries  Hennyon 
Cornelis  Westervelt 
Gerrit  Van  Houten 
Yan  Van  der  Beck 
Harnianus  Van  Bosse 
Johannis  Van  Winkle 
Staets  Degroodt 
Hartman  Blinkerhoef 
William  Day 
Johannes  Waldron 
Rorlof  Westervelt 
Casparus  Teindus 
Jacobus  Bartholf,  Jun'r 
Dirrick  Terheunen 
Samuel  Degroot 
Lowrence  Ackerman 
Jacob  Oldwater 
Jacobus  Bartholf 
Jacob  Roomer 
Ab'm  Brower 
Tobias  Rykman 
Enoch  Sealand 
Thomash  Vanboscarch 
Albert  Banta 
Steven  Zabriskie 
Peter  Post 
Tomas  Vanriper 
Jacobus  Bartolf 
Cornalus  Gerretse  Vanvoost 
Peter  Demeray 


Arye  Boos 
Charles  Kingsland 
John  Schuyler 
William  Kingsland 
Josiah  Hornblower 
Roger  Kingsland 
Stephen  BourDett,  June'r 
David'n  Provoost 
Theodore  Valleauz 

Isaac  Kingsland 

Egbert  Van  Emburgh 

John  Oldwater 

William  Ennis 

Hendrick  Rys 

Hessel  Brower 

?Semion  Orelant 

Lendert  Degrauw 

Isaac  Kingsland,  Sene'r 

FGerebrandt  -- 

Jacobus  Boogaert 

Guelyan  Bertholf 

John  Williams 

Morris  Earle 

Jacobus  Huysman 

Isaac  Concklin 
David  Damarast 
Abraham  Gouvernear 
William  Provoost 
?Jacob  -  -sort 
Johannes  Rcyerse 
William  Earle 
Abraham  Ackerman 
Peter  Van  Deburgh 
Jacob  Van  Piese 
Jacobus  Jan  Bogert 
Gerret  Post 


The 

Grand 

Jurors 
^for 
'the 

County 

of 

Bergen 


30  PETITION   FROM    BERGEN  COUNTY 

—  Endorsements  — 

Fiom  Bergen  County  Bergen  County 

One  Hundred  &  Seventy  Seven  Names  Petition's 

are  Annexes  to  the  within  petition  for  Raising  Forces. 

177  read  &  Considered 


The  illustration  on  the  opposite  page  is  a  recent  one  and  shows 
the  church  as  it  is  today,  1915.  It  was  re-modelled  in  the  year  1866 
at  a  cost  of  eighteen  thousand  dollars  ($18,000).  The  re-modelling 
consisted  of  extending  the  rear  end  of  the  church  northward  thirty 
feet.  A  slate  roof  replaced  the  shingle  one,  a  gallery  was  put  in 
on  the  east,  south  and  west  side.  Prior  to  that  time  the  church  had 
no  gallery.  An  arch  was  sprung  in  the  south  end  over  the  gallery 
and  under  the  steeple.  The  space  under  this  arch  was  allotted  to 
the  colored  people  of  the  congregation.  The  old  pulpit  was  discarded 
and  a  modern  one  erected  in  the  new  extension.  The  large  windows 
which  had  extended  to  the  ground  in  the  south,  or  road,  end  were 
reduced  in  size  by  having  the  lower  portions  made  into  doors,  so 
that  the  present  church  has  three  doors  on  the  south  side  instead  of 
one  in  the  center,  as  in  the  old  church. 


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CA3 

CHURCH  DAYS 
IN  OLD  SCHRAALENBURGH. 


(Courtesy  of  Dumont  High  School  Booklet  Association.) 


By  F.  a.  Westervelt. 

There    was    an    organization,    South    Dutch    Reformed 
Church,  in  1724. 

First  church  built  in  1725,  a  few  rods  east  of  present 
site. 

Second   church  built  in   1728. 

First  marriage  records,  1724. 

First  baptismal  records,   1724. 

In  1730  the  original  congregation  of  83  members  were 
seeking  a  regular  pastor  and  teacher.  He  was  to  preach 
the  word  of  the  Lord  in  its  purity,  and  to  take  charge  of 
the  catechetical  exercises ;  to  administer  the  Lord's  Supper 
four  times  a  year  and  visit  the  members  twice  a  year,  etc., 
and  was  to  receive  a  yearly  salary  of  sixty  pounds  ($300) 
of  current  New  Jersey  money — thirty  pounds  from  each 
congregation  (Schraalenburgh  and  Peremis),  payable 
every  half  year.  He  was  to  have  a  good,  substantial  par- 
sonage, built  with  a  stable  for  horse  and  cow,  attached,  to 
be  built  at  Schraalenburgh  or  Peremis.  They  wrote :  "We 
wish  with  all  our  hearts  that  we  were  able  to  promise  your 
Reverence  a  higher  salary,  but  our  poverty  prevents  us. 
Nay,  only  our  love  towards  your  Reverence  has  made  the 
salary  as  much  as  it  is." 

The  Rev.  G.  W.  Manicus  accepted  the  call  in  1731. 
The  church  was  very  small,  built  of  stone,  with  one  en- 


34        CHURCH    DAYS    IN    OLD    SCHRAALENBURGH 

trance.  The  pulpit  had  spiral  stairs  leading  up  to  the 
Pastor's  seat  and  Bible  desk.  There  was  a  high  canopy 
of  wood  covering  the  speaker  and  desk.  There  were  no 
seats  in  the  building.  Each  person  carried  his  own  chair, 
and  those  who  went  by  wagon  used  their  chairs  as  wagon 
seats.  There  was  no  stove.  In  cold  weather  the  ladies 
carried  foot  stoves.  They  were  tin  boxes,  seven  inches  long, 
five  inches  high  and  six  inches  wide,  the  sides,  top  and  door 
being  perforated.  Inside  was  a  small  tin  box,  in  which  the 
hot  coals  of  hickory  wood  were  placed.  The  box  was 
fastened  in  a  frame  of  wood-work,  with  a  wire  handle. 
The  feet  were  placed  on  the  frame  and  were  kept  very  warm 
for  a  long  time.  These  were  home-made  and  a  very  popu- 
lar gift  to  a  sweetheart  or  bride,  as  their  initials  could  be 
combined  with  the  favorite  designs  of  hearts  and  ring.s, 
shown  in  the  perforations. 

For  lap  robes  they  used  the  beautiful,  and  now,  highly- 
prized  blue  and  white  homespun  bed  blankets,  called  in 
"Jersey  Dutch"  Batte  Clates.  These  were  carried  in  the 
church  and  placed  on  the  chairs. 

"It  was  an  old-time  habit  to  reach  church  early.  The 
horses  having  been  hitched,  the  worshippers  collected  in 
groups  under  the  trees  or  about  the  church  doors,  when 
greetings  all  around  were  in  order  and  inquiries  made  about 
absent  relatives  and  acquaintances.  It  cannot  be  denied 
that  the  state  of  crops,  the  condition  of  the  market,  and 
the  aspect  of  politics  were  occasional  features  of  these  pe- 
culiar gatherings." 

The  services  began  at  ten  o'clock.  The  "Voorleser,"  or 
"head  reader"  (also  schoolmaster),  stood  on  the  floor  be- 
low the  pulpit  and  opened  the  services  by  reading  the  Scrip- 
ture selection.  The  chorister,  or  "fore  singer,"  lined  out 
the  verses  of  the  hymn ;  then,  with  the  use  of  a  tuning 
fork,  started  the  singing,  the  entire  service  being  in  Dutch. 


CHURCH    DAYS    IN    OLD    SCHRAALENBURGH        35 

The  sermons  were  long  and  doctrinal,  the  prayers  fervent 
and  loud. 

The  collection  was  taken  up  with  a  bag  fastened  on  a 
long  stick.  Sometimes  it  had  a  bell  on  the  bottom  of  the 
bag  to  "awaken  the  sleepers."  At  twelve  o'clock  the  ser- 
vices closed.  As  the  dinner  was  always  taken  along,  it  was 
then  eaten  and  a  general  visiting  time  was  indulged  in.  The 
horses  were  fed  where  they  were  lined  up  on  each  side  of 
the  Schraalenburgh  Road,  in  front  of  the  church  and 
around  the  corner  on  the  River  Edge  Road.  There  would 
be  one  hundred  or  more  wagons.  At  one  o'clock  the  ser- 
vices began  again,  the  Pastor  expounding  the  catechismal 
text  according  to  the  order  of  the  Heidelburg  Catechism. 
At  four  o'clock  they  disbanded. 

The  girls,  in  winter,  wore  homespun  woolen  under- 
garments, dresses,  coats  and  hoods ;  home-knit  mittens  and 
stockings,  hand-made  leather  shoes  with  leather  laces  and 
copper  toes.  Their  pantalets  were  made  of  nankeen, 
fastened  at  the  knee  and  hung  to  their  shoe  tops.  In  the 
summer  they  wore  the  homespun  linen  undergarments, 
calico  dresses  and  pantalets,  also  sun  bonnets. 

It  was  a  progressive  age  and  we  next  learn  of  the 
building  of  another  church  in  1728,  the  stones  from  the  old 
building  being  incorporated  in  the  new.  We  learn  of  pews 
with  high  backs  and  no  cushions,  each  having  a  little  door. 
Holland's  color  was  in  evidence  in  the  paint  on  them,  yellow 
with  orange  rails. 

The  first  stove  was  just  inside  the  door  and  was  a  long, 
high  iron  box  with  a  door  at  each  end,  with  the  pipe  ex- 
tending across  the  church,  entering  a  chimney  behind  the 
pulpit.  There  was  a  ''wood  box"  well  filled  with  large 
sticks.  There  were  circular  seats  at  each  end  of  the  stove, 
where  the  people  sat  to  get  warm  before  going  to  their 
pews. 


36        CHURCH    DAYS    IN    OLD    SCHRAALENBURGH 

When  there  was  a  death  among  their  members  the 
Sexton  went  far  and  near  over  the  church  district  to  notify 
the  people  of  the  event  and  time  of  funeral  and  inviting 
those  who  were  to  act  as  pall-bearers. 

At  each  funeral  the  Pastor  and  Doctor,  side  by  side, 
preceded  the  corpse  to  the  grave,  each  wearing  a  homespun 
white  linen  sash,  three  yards  long,  across  the  body  from 
the  right  shoulder  to  the  left  hip,  the  ends  hanging  loose. 
On  the  shoulder  and  hip  was  a  large  black  rosette  made 
of  lute  string,  three  inches  wide.  The  sashes  were  the  gift 
of  the  family,  and  the  richer  the  family  the  finer  the  linen. 
The  families  of  the  Pastor  and  Doctor  used  the  linen  for 
special  clothing.  The  son  of  one  of  the  Pastors,  when  mar- 
ried over  fifty  years  ago,  wore  a  shirt  made  from  a  funeral 
sash.  The  shirt,  beautifully  made,  with  a  tucked  bosom, 
was  a  fine  specimen  of  hand  sewing.  It  is  in  perfect  con- 
dition and  is  to  be  loaned  to  the  Bergen  County  Historical 
Society. 

One  of  the  chairs,  150  years  old,  that  was  carried  to  this 
church  in  the  early  days,  is  still  in  use  by  a  grand-daughter 
of  the  first  owner. 

The  Revolutionary  Period  stirred  the  hearts  of  the 
people  in  those  days,  in  church  as  well  as  home  affairs, 
and  it  was  not  unusual  for  the  early  ministers  to  wear 
cocked  hats  and  swords,  which  they  took  off  and  laid  be- 
hind them  in  the  pulpit. 

A  five-inch  cannon  ball  that  was  ploughed  up  on  the 
farm  of  David  Kipp,  of  Schraalenburgh,  has  been  loaned 
to  the  Bergen  County  Historical   Society. 

Note. — To  Mrs.  Margaret  Demarest  Westervelt,  112 
Sus.sex  Street,  Hackensack,  N.  J.,  credit  is  given  for  much 
of  the  data  in  the  foregoing  article.  Mrs.  Westervelt  is 
now  seventy-nine  years  of  age  and  is  a  daughter  of  the 


CHURCH    DAYS    IN    OLD    SCHRAALENBURGH        37 


Rev.  and  Mrs.  C.  T.  Demarest.  Mrs.  C.  T.  Demarest  was 
Margaret  Lydecker,  daughter  of  the  old  Cornelius 
Lydecker,  whose  homestead  is  at  Englewood,  N.  J.  Her 
parents  attended  the  South  Church.  The  early  history 
given  by  Mrs.  Westervelt  is  from  her  mother  and  grand- 
mother's stories  of  its  early  days.  The  history  of  the  linen 
scarfs  was  given  Mrs.  Westervelt  by  her  father,  and  she 
has  a  piece  of  the  last  scarf  given  him  in  Bergen  County, 
as  in  New  York  City  it  was  not  the  custom. 

Much  of  the  early  church  customs  was  given  to  Mrs. 
Westervelt  by  her  father,  Rev.  C.  T.  Demarest,  her  mother, 
Margaret  Lydecker,  and  her  grandmother,  Cornelia  Brink- 
erhofT,  and  their  ancestors,  all  of  them  attendants  at  the 
South  Church,  Schraalenburgh. 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  BERGENFIELD 


By  Walter  Christie 


The  name  of  Bergenfield  was  given  to  this  place  in  the 
year  1872,  not  by  popular  choice  nor  by  approval  of  its 
citizens,  but  by  the  order  of  the  leading  officials  of  the 
Jersey  City  and  Albany  Railway  Co.,  the  details  of  which 
I  will  give  you  later  in  this  article.    The  first  municipality 
within  the  limits  of  New  Jersey  was  erected  by  order  of  the 
Director  General  Stuyvesant  and  his  council  of  New  Am- 
sterdam on  September  5th,  1661,  and  christened  "The  Vil- 
lage of  Bergen."     The  exact  location  of  the  original  vil- 
lage of  Bergen  was  a  point  mid-way  between  where  the 
Marion  depot  of  the  Pennsylvania  R.  R.  is  located  and  the 
Hudson  River  on  a  line   directly   east  of   Marion.      The 
origin  of  the  name  "Bergen"  rests  in  some  doubt.     Some 
writers  claim  it  to  have  been  derived  from  "Bergen,"  the 
capital  of  Norway  prior  to  the  year  1815,  while  others  as 
confidently  assert  it  to  have  been  derived  from  "Bergen  op 
zoom,"  an  important  town  in  Holland.    I  am  of  the  opinion 
Bergen  was  named  after  the  latter  town,  as  Hollanders  and 
their  descendants  predominated  in  the  early  settlement  of 
this  county,  and  it  is  not  likely  Dutchmen,  with  memories  of 
the  fatherland,  would  name  any  of  their  new  settlements  in 
honor  of  a  city  of  a  country  foreign  to  the  fatherland.    You 
will  notice  that  the  erection  of  the  •'Village  of  Bergen'"  by 
Stuyvesant  was  in  1661,  which  was  towards  the  end  of  his 
administration  as  Director  General  of  New  Amsterdam,  or 
Manhattan  Island,  and  I  have  wondered  what  impelled  him 


40 EARLY   HISTORY  OF   BERGENFIELD 

to  act,  and  am  led  to  believe  he  intended  at  least  that  the 
"Village  of  Bergen"  should  forever  be  controlled  by  the  in- 
fluence of  New  Amsterdam,  if  not  annexed  to  it  and  made 
a  part  of  it.  During  the  seven  years  following  the 
christening  of  the  "Village  of  Bergen"  new  settlers  rapidly 
purchased  and  located  on  lands  outside  the  Village,  and  it 
also  should  be  noted  that  the  control  of  New  Amsterdam 
had  been  wrested  from  the  Hollanders  by  the  English,  and 
that  in  1665  Stuyvesant  returned  to  Holland.  It  is  also 
interesting  to  note  that  with  the  change  from  Dutch  to 
English  control  of  New  Amsterdam,  Jersey  remained  under 
control  of  New  York,  not  having  a  complete  separate  Gov- 
ernment of  her  own  until  the  year  of  1738.  The  many 
families  who  had  settled  outside  "The  Village  of  Bergen," 
desiring  better  protection  from  the  ravages  of  the  Indians 
and  wishing  to  be  in  closer  touch  with  the  authorities,  in- 
duced Governor  Philip  Carteret,  an  Englishman,  and  his 
council,  on  April  7th,  1668,  to  incorporate  the  Town  and 
Corporation  of  Bergen.  This  new  town  comprised  all  the 
territory,  now  a  part  of  Hudson  County,  lying  between  the 
Hudson  and  Hackensack  Rivers,  and  extending  from  Bell- 
mans  Creek,  on  the  North,  and  to  Constable  Hook,  on  the 
South. 

As  time  went  on  and  the  population  increased,  courts 
became  necessary ;  and  as  all  the  Colonial  officials  were  Eng- 
lishmen and  many  English  immigrants  had  settled  in  the 
community,  it  was  but  natural  that  they  should  desire  tlie 
adoption  of  the  English  system  of  County  Government ; 
therefore,  on  the  seventh  of  March,  1628,  the  pro- 
vincial Legislature  passed,  and  Deputy  Governor  Rudyard 
approved,  an  act  under  which  New  Jersey  was  divided  into 
four  counties,  viz.,  Bergen,  Essex,  Middlesex  and  Mon- 
mouth. 

You  will  notice  that  the  names  given  to  the  counties 


EARLY   HISTORY  OF  BERGENFIELD  41 

upon  their  erection  were  all  English  except  Bergen,  and  I 
presume  the  name  "Bergen"  given  to  our  County  was  due 
to  Dutch  influence  solely,  and  that  had  the  Dutch  not  made 
their  influence  felt  at  that  time,  the  English  rulers  would 
have  given  our  County  another  and  an  English  name. 

The  County,  as  erected  in  1682,  comprised  all  the  lands 
lying  between  the  Hudson  River  and  the  Hackensack 
River,  extending  from  Constable  Hook  to  the  North  most 
bounds  of  the  province,  which  was  the  New  York  State 
line,  which  line  was  then  in  dispute.  Bergen  was  the  small- 
est in  area  of  the  four  original  counties,  and  later  a  part 
ot  Essex  was  annexed  to  it,  and  again  later  Passaic  County 
and  Hudson  County  were  erected  out  of  Bergen's  territory. 

All  of  the  earlier  records  were  recorded  and  filed  in 
New  Amsterdam,  and  the  oldest  record  I  have  been  able  to 
locate  in  our  County  is  written  in  English,  is  dated  171 5, 
and  contains  information  regarding  County  Government 
and  transactions  relating  to  the  building  of  a  Court  House. 

As  the  court  was  established  under  English  procedure, 
in  17 1 5,  it  may  interest  you  to  know  how  the  same  was 
constituted. 

The  records  of  our  County  from  that  date  are  in  Eng- 
lish and  all  crimes  were  tried  before  Justices  of  the  Peace, 
whose  judicial  acts  were  all  in  the  name  of  the  King  of 
England.  The  office  of  the  justice  is  very  old  and  is  an 
office  borrowed  from  English  custom  and  law,  and  while 
still  a  constitutional  office,  has  lost  much  of  its  former  im- 
portance and  dignity. 

In  1716  the  inhabitants  elected  five  Justices  of  Peace, 
viz.,  David  Provoost,  Thomas  Lawerence,  George  Ryerson, 
John  Berdan  and  Martin  Powlson,  the  first-named  being 
the  presiding  Justice. 

The  following  persons  were  elected  Freeholders :  John 
Stagg,  Ryer  Ryerson,  Rutt  Van  Home,  Cornelius  Blincker- 


42  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  BERGENFIELD 

hoff,  Nicholas  Lozier  and  John  Bogart.  These  two  bodies, 
acting  jointly,  constituted  the  Court,  the  Freeholders  act- 
ing as  lay  Judges. 

The  small  cases,  such  as  petty  thieving  and  assault,  were 
tried  before  any  single  Justice,  but  grave  crimes  such  as 
arson,  atrocious  assault,  murder,  etc.,  were  tried  at  the 
Court  House  before  the  full  bench  of  Justices  and  the  Free- 
holders. 

Scarcely  fifteen  years  after  a  comprehensive  County 
Judicial  system  had  been  established,  they  were  called  to 
try  a  murder  case,  which  was  held  December  13th, 
1 73 1.  The  accused  was  a  negro,  named  Harry,  a  slave  oi 
one  Garret  Hoppe,  who  supposedly  had  killed  another  negro 
slave  named  Sepeo  by  treating  him  to  a  drink  of  poisoned 
whiskey.  Sepeo  was  the  chattel  of  one  Col.  William  Pro- 
voost.  There  was  a  full  attendance  of  the  Court  sitting 
at  the  trial.  The  verdict  being  that  Harry  was  guilty,  the 
Court  ordered  the  Sherifif  to  hang  him  by  the  neck  till  dead, 
on  December  14th,  1731. 

You  will  notice  that  the  date  set  for  his  execution  was 
the  very  next  day  following  the  trial  and  conviction. 

On  April  26th,  1732,  the  Court  met  again  to  make 
awards  and  pay  the  bills  incurred  for  the  trial  and  execu- 
tion. 

The  records  show  that  they  awarded  Garret  Hoppe,  the 
owner  of  Harry,  the  slave,  30  pounds  sterling  for  his  loss, 
that  being  the  current  price  of  a  healthy  young  male  slave. 
Paulus  Van  Derbeek,  who  was  Sherifif,  was  awarded  5 
pounds  for  his  services  as  hangman.  The  Court  awarded 
themselves  5  pounds  for  their  services,  and  5  pounds  was 
paid  in  constable  and  other  fees,  making  a  total  cost  of  45 
pounds  sterling,  or  $219  in  our  coin. 

For  meeting  this  extraordinary  expenditure  a  special 
assessment  was  ordered  to  be  levied  on  the  taxpayers  of 


EARLY  HISTORY   OF   BERGENFIELD  43 

the  County,  to  be  paid  within  30  days  from  date  of  sitting 
of  the  Court. 

Having  given  you  a  brief  historical  outline  of  the 
geography  and  government  of  our  County,  I  will  now  give 
you  the  early  history  of  Bergenfield.  Prior  to  and  after 
the  Revolutionary  War  and  up  to  the  year  of  1872,  this  lo- 
cality was  known  as  Schraalenburgh. 

Schraalenburgh  was  known  as  all  that  territory  lying 
west  of  the  Tenakill  Brook  and  extending  to  the  settlements 
on  the  east  side  of  the  Hackensack  River  and  extending 
from  the  village  of  Harrington  Park  on  the  north  to  Tea- 
neck,  which  then  included  West  Englewood  on  the  south, 
and  originally  embraced  lands  given  in  the  year  of  1669  un- 
der patents  by  Governor  Carteret,  numbered  17,  18,  19  and 
20,  also  part  of  patent  No.  16.  Each  one  of  these  patents, 
or  grants,  contained  an  area  of  approximately  2,000  acres, 
and  each  patent  or  grant  was  bounded  on  the  east  by  Tena- 
kill Brook  and  on  the  west  by  the  Hackensack  River.  What 
is  now  Bergenfield  was  in  patent  grant  No.  17,  and  its 
boundary  was  the  New  Bridge  Road  on  the  south.  River 
Edge  Road  and  Hickory  Avenue  on  the  north,  through  to 
Tenafly.  This  section,  or  grant,  was  given  to  one  Matthew 
Nicols,  in  the  year  of  1669. 

These  grants  contained  a  stipulation  that  the  patentee 
should  settle  on  his  patent  a  certain  number  of  families 
within  six  years.  All  the  patentees  failed  to  comply  with 
the  stipulations  and  their  lands  were  forfeited. 

In  the  month  of  June,  1677,  or  eight  years  later,  and 
just  two  years  after  forfeiture,  David  De  Marest,  Sr., 
a  French  Huguenot,  appeared  upon  the  scene  as  a  landed 
proprietor.  The  four  patents  having  been  forfeited, 
Demarest  did  not  attempt  to  secure  patents  from  the  Gov- 
ernor for  them,  but  quietly  bought  up  approximately  6,000 
acres  of  land  from  the  Hackensack  and  Tappan  Indians. 


44  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  BERGENFIELD 

This  was  a  shrewd  move,  as  it  at  once  put  him  in  a 
peaceful  relationship  with  the  Indians,  who  were  a  factor 
to  be  reckoned  with;  also,  it  put  him  in  undisputed  pos- 
session at  once,  and  as  the  patentees  had  failed  to  comply 
with  all  the  requirements,  nevertheless,  it  was  undoubtedly 
a  question  in  Demarest's  mind  whether  by  a  partial  com- 
pliance the  patentees  did  not  have  some  equity  in  these 
lands,  for  it  is  a  matter  of  record  that,  after  having  pur- 
chased and  paid  the  Indians  for  these  lands,  he  sought  to 
complete  his  title  by  patent  grant,  and  did  succeed  in  get- 
ting grants  for  sections  i8  and  19. 

The  four  original  grantees,  or  patentees,  imder  Gover- 
nor Carteret  were  all  Englishmen,  and  I  know  of  few  in- 
stances where  Englishmen  have  been  outdone  by  the 
French,  but  this  is  one  of  them. 

The  area  of  Schraalenburgh  was  co-extensive  with  the 
area  of  Demarest's  lands,  but  as  Demarest's  lands  were 
sometimes  known  as  Old  Hackensack  and  sometimes  as 
Schraalenburgh,  it  is  difficult  to  determine  when  or  how 
the  name  became  applied.  My  own  notion  is  that  when  it 
was  originally  conveyed  it  was  known  as  Old  Hackensack, 
and  that  after  the  death  of  the  original  owner  (David 
Demarest)  his  children  and  grandchildren,  having  nearly 
all  of  them  married  Holland  descendants,  they  renamed  it 
Schraalenburgh. 

The  name  is  Dutch,  and  means  a  barren  knoll  or  hill. 
The  first  church  erected  in  Schraalenburgh,  as  then  com- 
prised, was  built  by  this  pioneer,  and  was  located  on  the 
southeast  corner  of  New  Bridge  and  River  Roads  and  north 
of  it  on  lands  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Hackensack  River,  be- 
tween River  Edge  and  New  Rridge  their  cemetery  was 
located  and  still  can  be  seen  from  the  wagon  roads  along 
the  Hackensack  River,  and  is  known  as  the  French  Ceme- 
tery. 


EARLY   HISTORY  OF  BERGENFIELD  45 


Having  now  given  you  early  history  which  I  can  cor- 
roborate from  various  sources,  I  will  pass  along  to  the 
Revolutionary  Period  and  paint  a  picture  in  your  mind  of 
what  this  place  contained  in  the  way  of  roads,  railroads, 
schools,  churches  and  dwellings  and  industries  during  that 
time,  and  will  take  them  up  in  this  order. 

ROADS. 

Bergenfield,  as  its  boundaries  are  laid  out  today  (and 
they  have  never  been  changed  since  the  date  of  incorpora- 
tion, 1894),  in  revolutionary  days  had  only  six  roads,  as 

follows : 

( I ) .  The  Schraalenburgh  Road,  now  known  as  Wash- 
ington Avenue. 

(2).  West  Clinton  Avenue,  running  from  the  east  side 
of  Washington  Avenue  to  Tenafly. 

(3).     Church  Street. 

(4).  Prospect  Street,  from  Church  Street,  north  to 
Madison  Avenue  in  Dumont. 

(5).     Old  Bridge  Road,  from  Prospect  Street  to  River 

Edge. 

(6).     New  Bridge  Road,  from  Washington  Avenue  to 

Cherry  Hill. 

RAILROADS. 

There  were  no  railroads. 

SCHOOLS. 

There  were  no  schools.  What  is  now  Dumont  con- 
tained the  school  site  for  generations.  My  parents  and  my- 
self attended  schools  that  were  located  at  the  junction  of 
Madison  and  Washington  Avenues. 

CHURCHES. 

There  was  one  church— the  old  South  Church.  This 
building  stood  about  250  feet  east  of  the  present  structure 


46  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  BERGENFIELD 

in  what  is  known  as  the  old  burying  ground,  and  its  erec- 
tion was  completed  in  the  year  1725.  This  building  was 
used  continuously  until  the  year  of  1799,  when  the  present 
building  was  erected. 

David  Demarest  had  erected  a  church  probably  not  later 
than  1680,  and  of  which  little  is  known  historically.  I  am 
of  the  opinion  that  both  the  French  and  Holland  Dutch 
language  was  used  by  its  pastors,  for  the  following  reasons : 
First,  that  Demarest,  being  a  Frenchman,  naturally  sur- 
rounded himself  with  French  helpers  as  well  as  neighbors, 
which  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  numerous  graves  are  to 
this  day  visible  in  that  old  burying  ground,  and,  secondly, 
that  he  himself  spent  some  time  in  Holland  to  escape  re- 
ligious persecution,  and  had  acquired  a  mastery  of  the 
Dutch  language,  and  as  his  children  and  grandchildren 
nearly  all  married  Holland-Dutch  descendants,  it  is  rea- 
sonable to  suppose  that  they  insisted  that  the  services 
should  at  least  be  alternately  held  in  the  French  and  Dutch 
language. 

It  is  also  reasonable  to  suppose  that  with  the  erection 
of  the  old  South  Church  in  the  year  of  1725,  and  fifty  years 
after  the  establishment  of  the  French  Church  and  practi- 
cally the  entire  population  being  Dutch,  that  it  filled  a  popu- 
lar need,  and  I  was  not  surprised  in  searching  the  old 
records  at  the  County  seat  to  find  that  on  June  ist,  1750, 
the  Elders  were  David  Demarest,  Garret  De  Baun,  Jacobus 
Peek  and  Cornelius  Lydecker;  the  deacons  were  Abraham 
Lydecker,  William  Bogert,  Arrie  Banta  and  David  Christie, 
the  David  Demarest  above  mentioned  being  the  son  of  the 
French  pioneer. 

Of  the  Consistory,  as  constituted  at  that  time,  nation- 
alities were  divided  as  follows:  French  (2),  Demarest  and 
De  Baun;  English  (i),  Peek;  Holland-Dutch  (4),  Bogert, 
Banta  and  the  two  Lydeckers;  Scotch   (i),  Christie. 


EARLY   HISTORY  OF   BERGENFIELD  47 

In  1730  the  old  South  Church  congregation  secured  the 
services  of  a  minister  direct  from  Holland,  and  again  in 
1768  sent  to  Holland  for  a  pastor. 

Its  pastor  during  the  Revolutionary  War  was  one  Dirck 
Romaine. 

The  Dutch  language  was  used  exclusively  until  about 
the  year  1827,  and  from  that  date  the  English  language  was 
used,  although  not  exclusively  until  a  later  date,  which  I 
am  not  able  to  fix. 

As  the  North  Church  at  Dumont  was  not  built  until 
after  1799,  and  as  the  French  Church  had  long  since  de- 
cayed and  crumbled,  it  is  a  fact  established  beyond  dispute 
that  the  old  South  Church  was  the  only  church  building 
within  not  only  the  boundaries  of  Bergenfield  as  comprised 
today,  but  of  the  vast  territory  known  as  Schraalenburgh 
in  Revolutionary  days. 

DWELLINGS. 

The  only  dwellings  that  I  can  be  sure  of  having  been 
located  in  the  Borough  are  the  following:  The  South 
Church  parsonage,  which  was  a  brown  stone  building,  many 
of  the  stones  of  which  were  used  in  the  construction  of  the 
foundation  and  the  south  wall  of  the  present  parsonage;  a 
stone  house  which  stood  on  the  hill  about  400  feet  north  of 
Church  Street,  about  100  feet  west  of  Ann  Street ;  a  stone 
house  on  the  east  side  of  Washington  Avenue,  just  north 
of  the  present  residence  of  Ex-Mayor  E.  Howard  Foster; 
the  stone  house  which  stood  at  the  head  of  West  Clinton 
Avenue  on  the  west  side  of  Washington  Avenue,  owned 
by  Mr.  Hough.  This  house  was  built  by  a  great  uncle  of 
mine  for  hotel  purposes  and  was  occupied  as  an  inn  and 
tavern  for  many  years,  and  it  is  said  that  George  Washing- 
ton stopped  there  at  various  times.     A  stone  house  stood 


48  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  BERGENFIELD 

on  the  very  spot   on  which  Councilman  Head's  house  is 
located. 

I  do  not  know  whether  the  frame  house  which  stood  op- 
posite the  South  Church  parsonage  was  built  before  the 
Revolution  or  not,  but  am  inclined  to  think  it  was.  I  am 
quite  sure  that  the  house  now  occupied  by  old  Mr.  Derfuss 
is  the  oldest  house  in  the  borough,  and  that  perhaps  its 
erection  antedates  the  revolutionary  period. 

INDUSTRIES. 

The  oldest  industrial  sites  were  located  on  the  two 
streams  in  the  central  part  of  the  town,  one  of  them  being 
on  the  south  side  of  Church  Street. 

Doubtless  you  have  noticed  that  just  south  of  the 
southerly  side  of  Main  Street  there  starts  what  to  the 
casual  observer  might  appear  to  be  a  ditch.  This  ditch  or 
canal  parallels  the  brook  all  the  way  from  south  of  Main 
Street  northward  to  the  bridge  on  Church  Street,  and  as 
you  follow  the  canal  northward  from  its  source,  you  will 
notice  the  canal  becomes  deeper  and  the  embankment  be- 
tween the  canal  and  brook  grows  higher  and  heavier.  As 
you  stand  on  the  bridge  on  Church  Street  and  you  look 
south  you  will  notice  an  opening  through  the  embank- 
ment; to  the  east  of  this  opening  directly  south  of  my  old 
homestead  stood  a  mill  operated  by  water  power,  and  the 
water  wheel  which  furnished  the  power  was  located  in 
that  opening  in  the  bank,  and  the  water  used  to  furnish  the 
power  was  gotten  by  shutting  off  the  water  in  the  stream 
south  of  Main  Street  and  sending  it  through  the  canal.  I 
suppose  there  are  many  persons  who  have  walked  down 
the  stream  passing  under  the  railroad  by  Ex-Mayor 
Stumpp's  place  and  at  a  point  about  400  feet  west  of  the 
railroad  on  the  property  of  Mr.  Umenhofer  who  have 
noticed  on  each  side  of  the  stream  two  high  mounds.    This 


EARLY   HISTORY  OF   BERGENFIELD  49 

also  was  a  mill  site  and  extending  from  these  mounds  on 
either  side  was  a  dam  long  since  levelled  by  time.  When 
I  consider  the  sparsely  settled  condition  of  this  neighbor- 
hood, I  am  convinced  in  my  own  mind  these  were  gigantic 
operations  for  their  day,  as  a  large  portion  of  the  base  of 
the  canal's  west  bank  is  of  stone,  and  I  feel  sure  their  erec- 
tion was  by  the  help  of  slave  labor  in  vogue  and  legalized 
at  that  time. 

I  have  been  told  that  the  mill  on  Church  Street  was  a 
flour  and  feed  mill,  while  the  mill  on  the  Umenhofer  prop- 
erty was  used  for  wood  working.  The  erection  of  these 
mills  antedated  the  revolutionary  period. 

I  will  now  pass  along  to  the  time  when  I  came  upon 
the  scene.  The  first  event  of  which  I  have  any  recollec- 
tion, outside  of  daily  home  affairs,  was  the  reconstruction 
and  enlargement  of  the  South  Church  in  the  year  of  1866, 
the  details  of  which  are  too  lengthy  to  recite. 

At  the  age  of  seven  I  was  sent  to  school.  As  this  whole 
section  was  under  Township  government,  the  school  dis- 
tricts were  erected  out  of  Townships  without  any  regard 
to  Township  or  any  other  lines,  and  the  Schraalenburgh 
District,  known  officially  as  District  No.  11,  extended  from 
the  southerly  line  of  Haworth  south  to  the  southerly  line 
of  what  is  now  the  Oser  farm,  and  from  what  is  now  the 
westerly  line  of  the  Borough,  to  a  line  about  500  feet  east 
of  the  Knickerbocker  Road,  and  as  I  have  previously  stated, 
the  school  was  located  opposite  the  North  Church  on  Madi- 
son Avenue  in  Dumont. 

To  trudge  this  distance  winter  and  summer  was  no  light 
task,  and  was  a  lonely  trudge  as  well,  for  there  were  only 
17  houses  in  all  the  distance  from  my  old  home  at  the  bridge 
to  the  school.  There  were  no  streets  intersecting  Church 
Street  nor  Washington  Avenue  except  Hickory  Avenue  and 
Maple  Street,  consequently  no  houses  were  in  sight  except 


50  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  BERGENFIELD 

my  own  house  on  Church  Street  and  the  houses  along 
Washington  Avenue.  I  traveled  over  that  same  route  lately 
and  found  49  houses,  to  say  nothing  of  more  than  150  new 
dwellings  that  I  counted  in  sight  along  side  streets  inter- 
secting Church  Street  and  Washington  Avenue. 

School  opened  then,  as  now,  at  9  A.  M.,  but  we  were 
all  kept  at  work  till  4  P.  M.  The  building  was  one  story 
in  height  with  but  two  rooms,  built  without  a  cellar,  with 
a  large  cylinder  stove  to  heat  it  during  the  winter — quite 
a  contrast  to  modern  methods  of  heating.  This  stove  was 
located  in  one  end  of  the  building,  and  on  very  cold  days 
was  entirely  inadequate.  The  teacher  on  such  days  would 
fill  it  with  fuel  and  start  up  the  draught  until  the  stove  be- 
came red  hot,  and  then  shift  the  scholars  around  the  room 
from  time  to  time  so  that  they  alternately  froze  and 
thawed. 

Just  before  I  entered  school  the  district  furnished  the 
building  with  a  janitor,  but  during  the  school  days  of  my 
sisters  and  a  brother,  who  were  older  than  I,  the  girls  were 
obliged  to  do  the  cleaning  and  the  boys  to  cut  and  bring  in 
the  fuel.  Not  only  did  I,  with  other  children,  have  to  walk 
to  Dumont  to  school  five  days  in  the  week,  but  six  days 
as  well,  for  I  have  already  told  you  there  was  no  post  office 
in  Bergenfield ;  it  was  necessary  to  make  the  trip  on  Satur- 
day to  get  the  mail,  the  nearest  post  office  being  at  Du- 
mont. There  being  no  railroad  through  this  section,  the 
mail  reached  us  by  being  brought  over  the  Erie  Railroad 
to  Tenafly,  and  from  thence  it  was  brought  to  Dumont  by 
a  postman. 

Nobody  in  country  or  rural  districts  read  daily  papers 
those  days,  but  nearly  every  family  was  a  subscriber  to  a 
New  York  weekly  and  a  weekly  county  paper,  and  they 
were  all  published  on  Fridays,  arriving  in  Saturday's  mail, 


EARLY   HISTORY  OF  BERGENFIELD  51 

so  you  can  imagine  how  important  it  was  to  make  the  trip 
to  Diimont  on  Saturday. 

The  building  of  a  railroad  through  this  locality  was 
agitated  immediately  after  the  close  of  the  Civil  War.  The 
fact  that  local  capital  and  enterprise  had  succeeded  in  ac- 
complishing the  construction  of  the  Northern  Railroad  of 
New  Jersey  through  the  Northern  Valley,  also  New  Jersey 
and  New  York  Railroad  through  Hackensack  Valley,  the 
leading  citizens  and  property  owners  of  this  section,  by 
persistently  keeping  at  it,  finally  succeeded  in  raising  a 
large  amount  of  money  by  sale  or  by  popular  subscription 
of  bonds  and  stock  in  a  corporation  known  as  the  Ridge- 
field  Park  Railroad  Company,  which  had  secured  a  charter 
from  the  New  Jersey  Legislature  to  build  a  line  of  railway 
from  Ridgefield  Park  to  the  New  York  State  Line. 

The  road  opened  in  1873  with  great  ceremonies.  The 
day  before  the  road  was  opened  for  regular  traffic  a  train 
consisting  of  a  locomotive  and  three  cars  started  from 
Ridgefield  Park  with  a  brass  band  aboard,  and  all  the  rail- 
road officials  and  such  persons  only  as  were  holders  of 
stocks  and  bonds.  The  train  stopped  at  every  station  along 
the  line  to  take  on  bond  and  stockholders,  and  as  my  father 
was  one  of  them,  he  saw  to  it  that  I  was  taken  aboard,  and 
I  believe  I  am  the  only  person  alive  in  Bergenfield  today 
who  rode  on  that  train,  and  I  am  sorry  I  am  unable  to 
remember  who  besides  my  father  and  I  boarded  the  train 
at  this  place.  Arriving  at  Tappan  we  found  the  place  in 
gala  dress.  The  band  headed  the  parade,  followed  by  the 
reception  committee  of  citizens  of  Tappan. 

The  line  of  march  was  from  the  station  at  Tappan  down 
to  the  open  space  on  the  west  side  of  the  Reformed 
Church  there.  A  platform  had  been  erected  and  from  it 
speeches  were  made,  and  after  the  conclusion  of  speech- 
making  we  were  all  invited  to  inspect  the  old  '76  house, 


52  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  fiERGENFIELD 

and  from  thence  return  was  made  to  the  train  and  we 
started  homeward. 

Two  trains  a  day  were  run  over  the  road,  the  pas- 
senger coaches  being  switched  at  the T^idgefield  Park  junc- 
tion of  the  Susquehanna  Railroad  and  attached  to  the  Sus- 
quehanna trains  and  hauled  into  the  Pennsylvania  Rail- 
road depot  at  Jersey  City. 

The  enterprise  was  a  failure  and  no  dividend  was  ever 
paid  on  the  stock  nor  interest  on  the  bonds,  but  the  men 
back  of  it  had  faith,  and  they  went  back  to  the  legislatures 
of  New  Jersey  and  New  York  and  secured  a  charter  for  a 
corporation  known  as  the  Jersey  City  and  Albany  Rail- 
road, under  promise  that  they  intended  ultimately  to  build 
the  line  to  Albany,  and  through  the  influence  and  liberality 
of  the  late  Governor  Samuel  J.  Tilden  and  Ex-Treasurer 
Conrad  N.  Jordan,  both  of  whom  had  acquired  lands  along 
the  line,  money  was  again  poured  into  the  enterprise  and 
the  road  was  extended  to  Haverstraw,  the  mountain  at 
Haverstraw  being  crossed  by  a  switchback  instead  of  by  a 
tunnel  as  at  the  present  time. 

This  was  to  be  the  first  link  in  the  line  to  Albany  to 
be  constructed  by  local  capital.  When  Haverstraw  was 
reached,  however,  the  railroad  people  encountered  a  new 
experience,  the  townspeople  being  hostile  to  the  project. 

The  New  Jersey  and  New  York  Railroad  had  already 
tapped  it,  and  as  several  freight  and  passenger  steamboat 
lines  touched  at  this  point  and  river  traffic  had  already  suf- 
fered by  the  entry  of  one  line  of  railroad,  they  at  once 
started  a  systematic  campaign  against  the  entry  in  their 
territory  of  a  second  railway,  and,  of  course,  the  influence 
of  the  New  Jersey  Railway  people  was  exerted  against  fur- 
ther railway  encroachment. 

The  switchback  had  been  surveyed  and  the  building  of 
the  road  completed  to  the  foot  of  the  mountain  at  a  point 


EARLY   HISTORY   OF   BERGENFIELD  53 

about  50  feet  below  the  north  entrance  of  the  present  tunnel 
and  from  that  point  they  had  started  to  build  the  roadbed 
up  to  the  village  line  about  2,000  feet  north  of  the  tunnel, 
and  reached  a  narrow  stretch  of  land  crossing  the  line  of 
the  road  and  belonging  to  a  party  having  large  steamboat 
interests. 

This  man  believed  he  could  stop  the  Company  from 
crossing  his  land  and  thus  block. entrance  into  the  town,  and 
in  order  to  accomplish  his  purpose  dug  a  ditch  about  30 
feet  wide  and  15  feet  deep  across  the  roadbed. 

The  Railroad  Company  laid  their  tracks  on  their  road- 
bed right  up  to  the  ditch,  then  brought  up  several  old  racks 
ot  cars,  and  one  evening,  when  everybody  had  quieted 
down,  hitched  an  engine  to  the  cars  and  sent  them  bowling 
down  the  tracks  into  the  ditch,  levelled  off  the  debris  and 
built  their  tracks  over  the  wreckage  before  he  had  time  to 
get  an  injunction. 

Upon  the  completition  of  the  road  to  Harrison  all  the 
Bond  and  Stockholders  again  had  an  outing,  and  it  was  my 
good  fortune  to  be  taken  along  on  that  trip  by  my  father 
and  to  ride  in  the  first  passenger  train  that  passed  over  the 
Haverstraw  mountain  switchback. 

The  reception  given  the  railroad  officials  and  their 
backers  at  Haverstraw  was  tame  in  comparison  with  the 
reception  given  them  at  Tappan  a  few  years  before.  The 
owners._of  the  road  were  sober  and  grave  on  the  return  trip, 
and,  as  .a  financial  crisis  was  upon  the  country,  they  spoke 
of  the  enterprise  as  one  likely  to  fail — quite  in  contrast  to 
their  former  demeanor. 

Several  trains  were  put  on  the  schedule,  but  the 
schedule  was  shortlived  and  the  second  failure  was  worse 
than  the  first. 

The  rolling  stock,  consisting  of  two  engines  and  five 
passenger  coaches  and  a  few  freight  cars,  were  sold  to  pay 


54  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  BERGENFIELD 


pressing  debts  of  the  Company.  A  third  attempt  was  made 
by  inducing  the  Ontario  and  Western  Road  to  operate  it 
with  their  roIHng  stock. 

This  they  would  not  consider  unless  a  certain  sum  of 
money  was  subscribed  and  paid  into  their  treasury  to  save 
them  from  a  financial  loss,  as  they  were  willing  to  give  the 
use  of  an  engine  and  a  few  cars,  but  they  did  not  want  to 
lose  actual  cash.  Accordingly  a  meeting  was  called  at 
Dumont  in  a  building  used  as  a  private  school  and  owned 
by  Isaac  Dixon. 

As  the  owners  of  the  road  had  all  lost  their  money,  only 
such  persons  as  were  commuters  or  shippers,  as  well  as 
stockholders  and  a  few  commuters  who  were  not  stock- 
holders, attended  this  meeting. 

Mr.  Isaac  Dixon  and  Mr.  William  P.  Tyson,  both  of 
them  commuters,  who,  by  the  withdrawal  of  train  service 
from  the  road,  were  obliged  to  drive  over  to  the  Erie  Rail- 
road morning  and  night,  led  the  movement  and  subscribed 
liberally  toward  a  fund  for  the  Ontario  and  Western 
Management,  and  they  again  opened  up  the  train  service 
between  Louden  and  Ridgefield  Park. 

As  no  money  was  subscribed  by  persons  living  north  of 
Dumont,  and  as  the  country  north  of  the  north  line  of 
Dumont  was  sparsely  settled,  it  was  not  thought  wise  to 
open  up  train  service  beyond  Louden.  No  doubt  Louden 
is  a  new  name  to  many  of  you,  so  I  will  tell  you  all  about  it. 

A  man  by  the  name  of  Mr.  John  Sloat,  who  lived  in  and 
owned  the  house  in  which  Captain  Fessenden  now  resides, 
sunk  every  dollar  he  had  in  the  world  in  the  railroad,  and 
as  a  partial  reward  for  his  enterprise  the  company  estab- 
lished a  depot  in  the  deep  cut  or  pit  just  west  of  Captain 
Fessenden's  place.  Here,  also,  the  original  Railroad  Com- 
pany built  a  pumping  station  and  a  water  tank,  and  there- 
fore, in  this  last  desperate  effort,  those  people  who  were 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  BERGENFIELD  55 

willing  to  make  further  attempt  to  open  the  road  once  more 
for  traffic,  decided  that  Louden  should  be  the  terminus  of 
the  road.  The  rolling  stock  furnished  by  the  Ontario  & 
Western  Railway  consisted  of  one  engine,  two  passenger 
coaches  and  two  box  freight  cars,  and  the  service  consisted 
of  an  early  morning  train  down  from  Louden  to  Ridge- 
field  Park,  where  the  passengers  were  unloaded,  or,  rather, 
unloaded  themselves,  as  it  was  too  expensive  to  pay  the 
other  roads  to  haul  in  the  coaches. 

A  return  trip  was  made  back  to  Louden,  and  at  about 
8  o'clock  the  second  train  departed  southward  to  Ridgefield 
Park ;  then  a  freight  train  was  made  up,  consisting  of  such 
carload  lots  as  might  have  been  brought  over  the  Susque- 
hanna, together  with  such  parcel  freight  as  had  been  trans- 
ferred from  the  Susquehanna  road  into  the  two  box  cars 
before  mentioned. 

The  only  car  load  lots  of  freight  that  passed  over  the 
road  those  days  was  the  manure  for  the  farmers  and  coal 
for  the  coal  yards  of  J.  Z.  Demarest  &  Co.  at  Bergenfield 
and  for  the  yard  of  David  Demarest  at  Dumont.  In  the 
afternoon  the  schedule  was  reversed,  the  freight  train  leav- 
ing Louden  at  2  P.  M.,  and  at  5  P.  M.  we  had  a  train  north- 
ward ;  at  5  130  P.  M.  a  passenger  train  southward,  and  at 
6:30  P.  M.  a  train  again,  and  the  last  for  the  day  from 
New  York  or  Ridgefield  Park  junction  northward. 

This  service  lasted  as  long  as  the  fund  raised  by  sub- 
scription and  such  revenue  as  was  collected  from  traffic  held 
out,  and  then  the  road  closed  down.  Many  people  thought 
it  would  never  open  again. 

The  Bondholders  foreclosed  and  the  entire  line  from 
Ridgefield  Park  to  Haverstraw,  including  roadbed,  rails, 
depots  and  rights  of  every  sort,  was  sold  for  $19,000.00. 
As  near  as  I  can  judge  the  road  was  sold  in  1876. 

In  1877  a  panic  had  overtaken  the  country,  due  largely 


56  EARLY  HISTORY  OF  BERGENFIELD 

to  land  speculation.  Industries  were  paralyzed,  mechanics 
were  out  of  work,  and  so  general  was  stagnation  that  my 
father  hired  journeymen  carpenters  to  do  farm  work  at 
$i.oo  per  day,  and  we  hired  darkey  farm  laborers  at  75 
cents  per  day,  and  under  such  conditions  during  the  year 
the  railroad  was  sold  under  foreclosure,  and  for  several 
years  after  when  any  enthusiast  spoke  of  the  rehabilitation 
of  the  railroad  he  was  looked  upon  as  a  joker;  and  when 
in  1880  it  began  to  be  noised  about  that  the  road  might  be 
pushed  through  to  Albany,  people  who  took  stock  in  the 
talk  were  regarded  as  fit  subjects  for  an  insane  asylum.  I 
need  not  here  recite  the  fight  which  took  place  between  Pull- 
man and  the  Vanderbilts  which  led  Pullman  with  his  friends 
to  build  the  West  Shore  Railroad.  But  in  1883  the  road 
was  again  opened  under  the  auspices  and  management  of 
the  West  Shore  Railroad,  only  to  fail,  and  while  there  was 
no  interruption  in  traffic  the  road  passed  into  control  of 
the  Vanderbilt  or  Central  Railway  system,  and  I  want  to 
say  it  has  been  my  belief  that  had  not  the  early  settlers 
along  the  line  started  the  little  old  Ridgefield  Park  Railway 
the  West  Shore  would  never  have  existed,  for  this  line  with 
its  franchise  was  an  inducement  for  Pullman  to  carry  out 
his  vindictiveness,  which  has  proven  a  distinct  benefit  to 
this  section. 

The  first  and  only  man  who  served  as  agent  or  depot 
master  during  the  early  struggles  of  the  road  was  John  J. 
Christie,  who  donated  the  land  to  the  company  for  a  depot 
site. 

He  served  from  the  opening  of  the  original  road  till  it 
was  sold  under  foreclosure,  and  in  1883  Harry  B.  Sugden 
was  placed  in  charge  as  agent,  serving  several  years  and 
graduating  as  a  full-fledged  United  States  Government  em- 
ployee. 

During  the  period  just  prior  to  the  completion  of  the 


EARLY   HISTORY  OF  BERGENFIELD  57 

first  railway,  the  inhabitants  of  this  neighborhood  began 
to  reahze  that  we  could  no  longer  be  known  as  Schraalen- 
burgh,  as  what  is  now  Dumont  was  destined  to  hold  the 
old  name  Schraalenburgh,  in  consequence  of  the  old  post 
office  being  located  there,  and  naturally  the  people  did  not 
want  to  give  up  the  old  name,  and,  of  course,  the  United 
States  Government  would  not  change  the  name  of  the  post 
office  without  some  action  of  the  people  in  that  immediate 
section. 

Many  of  the  people  in  this  section  wished  to  name  this 
place  South  Schraalenburgh,  while  others  opposed  it 
through  prejudice  and  some  others  opposed  it  because  the 
name  was  too  lengthy. 

No  agreement  could  be  reached,  and  with  the  opening 
of  the  railroad  for  traffic  the  company  issued  a  time  table 
designating  this  depot  by  the  name  of  Bergenfield  and  sent 
a  ticket  stamp  here  with  the  die  cast  Bergenfield.  When 
the  West  Shore  was  about  to  begin  to  operate  the  road 
early  in  1883  an  attempt  was  made  to  change  the  name 
to  Avon,  but  no  action  was  taken  by  the  railroad  and  very 
shortly  after  the  post  office  was  established  in  the  store  of 
J.  Z.  Demarest  &  Co.,  in  the  same  building  now  occupied 
by  Mr.  Demarest  as  a  general  grocery  store. 

With  the  establishment  of  the  post  office  under  the  name 
of  Bergenfield  all  agitation  for  changing  the  name  ceased. 

In  concluding  the  railroad  history  I  pay  a  tribute  in 
honor  and  in  memory  of  the  foresight,  public  spirit  and  lib- 
erality of  the  following  men:  George  Foster,  Samuel  S. 
Demarest,  Major  Samuel  D.  Demarest,  Cornelius  J.  Wester- 
velt  (familiarly  known  as  "Tony"),  Albert  A.  Terhune, 
Tunis  R.  Cooper,  Andrew  D.  Westervelt,  John  D.  Wester- 
velt,  James  Kipp,  Cornelius  Christie  and  William  P.  Tyson. 
Some  of  these  men  contributed  liberally  toward  the  build- 
ing of  the  road,  while  others  contributed  toward  the  erection 


58 EARLY  HISTORY  OF  BERGENFIELD 

of  the  first  and  finest  depot  along  the  hne  of  the  road  and 
presented  it  to  the  Railroad  Company,  and  a  few  con- 
tributed to  both  projects.  Of  the  list  here  given  Mr.  Tyson 
is  the  sole  survivor. 

Having  concluded  the  railroad  history,  I  must  relate  an 
incident  of  a  somewhat  personal  nature  and  connected  with 
railroad  matters.  The  assurance  that  a  railroad  was  to  be 
built  through  this  section  boosted  land  values  every  week, 
if  not  oftener.  A  neighbor  who  owned  the  farm  to  the 
east  of  my  father's  saw  a  strong  probability  of  the  road  be- 
ing built,  and  approached  my  father  with  a  proposition  that 
as  the  road  might  be  surveyed  and  laid  out  on  a  line  on  one 
side  of  the  dividing  line  between  the  farms  and,  in  that 
case  one  or  the  other  of  them  would  be  shut  ofif  from  the 
railroad  by  a  narrow  strip  of  land,  that  they  agree  upon  a 
certain  price  per  acre,  at  which  the  one  so  shut  off  by  the 
strip  could  purchase  from  the  other,  and  they  agree  upon 
a  price  at  the  rate  of  $500.00  per  acre.  This  neighbor  was 
not  a  contributor  to  the  railroad  enterprise  and  feared  my 
father  would  have  influence  enough  with  the  railroad  and 
its  surveyors  to  have  the  railroad  bed  entirely  on  his  prop- 
erty, and  therefore  desired  a  low  value  placed  on  the  land. 
This  agreement  was  not  placed  in  writing  and  was  purely 
a  gentleman's  agreement.  After  the  survey  had  been  made 
it  was  found  that  the  west  line  of  the  right  of  way  of  the 
railroad  was  two  feet  east  of  the  line  of  my  father's  farm 
on  the  south  end  of  the  farm  and  about  20  feet  east  on  the 
north  end  of  the  farm,  leaving  a  strip  containing  about  one- 
quarter  of  an  acre  of  our  neighbor's  land  between  my 
father's  east  farm  line  and  the  railroad  line.  Immediately 
after  the  road  was  completed  my  father  requested  him  to 
deliver  his  deed  for  the  strip  and  receive  his  money.  There 
was  delay  and  after  waiting  several  weeks  my  father  called 
on  the  neighbor  to  ascertain  why  the  deed  had  not  been  de- 


EARLY   HISTORY   OF  BERGENFIELD  59 


livered  as  requested.  His  answer  was  that  he  thought  he 
had  been  very  hasty  in  agreeing  to  fix  a  value  of  $500.00 
per  acre ;  that  as  land  had  steadily  risen  in  value  he  thought 
he  should  get  at  the  rate  of  $1,000.00  per  acre,  and,  more- 
over, he  had  just  discovered  that  there  was  a  very  valuable 
shell-bark  hickory  tree  standing  on  the  strip. 

My  father  replied,  saying  that  he  did  not  think  the  tree 
was  a  very  heavy  bearer,  and  reminded  him  of  their  pre- 
vious understanding  and  agreement.    To  this  the  reply  was 
that  the  tree  was  good  and  would  bear  for  many  years  to 
come,  which  should  be  taken  into  consideration,  and  finally 
my  father,  seeing  he  had  a  hard  nut  to  crack,  paid  nearly 
$300.00  for  a  narrow  strip  of  swamp  land,  and  at  the  rate 
of  $1,000.00  per  acre,  in  order  to  have  a  railroad  frontage. 
Many  were  the  time  during  the  twenty  years  he  owned  that 
tree  that  he  reminded  me  of  what  sweet  nuts  it  bore,  and 
jokingly  remarked  that  he  hoped  that  the  tree  would  fur- 
nish hickory  nuts  for  the  Christies  for  ever.     I  am  sorry 
to  inform  you  that  while  that  tree  looks  as  healthy  as  it 
did  forty  years  ago,  it  does  not  bear  as  well,  and  I  fear  my 
father's  wish  will  not  be  fulfilled. 

I  believe  I  have  wearied  you  with  too  long  an  article, 
but  I  have  not  told  you  one  half  the  interesting  things  I 
know  about  Bergenfield,  and  at  some  later  date  I  will  favor 
you  with  another  chapter. 


AN  INCIDENT  OF  BERGEN  COUNTY 

By  Rev.  John  C.  Voorhis 


Suppose  one  of  the  worthy  burghers  of  our  good  County 
of  Bergen  some  ninety  years  ago  had  decided  that  he  wished 
"to  shake  the  Schraalenburg  dust  from  his  feet"  and  move 
to  the  then  expanding  metropoHs  of  New  York,  do  you 
think  he  would  have  called  to  his  chauffeur  and  say  to  him : 
"Charles,  get  my  family  Hmousine  ready  to  take  the  chil- 
dren, and  see  that  my  automobile  trucks  are  packed  with  my 
furniture  and  other  effects,  as  we  intend  to  move  to  New 
York  today." 

Oh,  no.  He  would  have  called  his  hired  men  (or  per- 
haps his  slaves)  and  instructed  them  to  load  these  same 
effects  on  his  old  hay  wagon  and  see  that  the  oxen  were 
properly  hitched  to  it  so  that  they  might  safely  be  taken 
to  the  dock  either  at  the  Old  Bridge  or  New  Bridge  and 
there  stowed  on  the  sloop  which  he  had  hired  for  the  pur- 
pose of  their  transportation. 

Such  was  the  case  with  one  of  the  old  "Christies"  of 
Schraalenburgh  (William  by  name).  Born  in  this  County 
May  6th,  1776,  living  the  quiet  farmer  life  of  those  days, 
working  as  those  farmers  did,  from  daybreak  to  very  late 
candle  light,  rearing  a  family  of  eight  sturdy  children  (four 
boys  and  four  girls),  he  decided  in  March,  1827,  about  four 
months  after  the  death  of  his  wife,  Catherine  Westervelt, 
that  he  would  go  South,  to  New  York — (Horace  Greeley 
had  not  as  yet  given  that  advice  of  his  to  "go  West")  — 
and  we  can  imagine  him  calling  his  little  flock  around  the 
old  open  fireside,  and  impressing  on  their  minds  the  neces- 
sity of  leaving  the  old  farm  so  that  they  might  have  in  the 


62  AN  INCIDENT  OF  BERGEN   COUNTY 

then  great  City  of  New  York  opportunities  for  their  ad- 
vancement and  well-being  that  they  could  not  in  "old 
Schraalenburgh." 

After  due  consultation  and  many  tears  shed  on  account 
of  the  severing  of  the  old  ties,  they  consent ;  and  in  our 
mind's  eye  we  see  them  bundling  together  the  treasures  so 
dear  to  them  by  life  associations  and  packing  them  on  the 
sloop  awaiting  that  purpose. 

Their  journey  starts  auspiciously  and  they  sail  down  the 
then  majestic  Hackensack,  speeded  on  by  the  Spring  breezes 
(their  motive  power)  until  they  reach  the  turn  in  the  river 
at  Hackensack  opposite  "Bogert's  Dock,"  from  which  some 
of  us  have  caught  crabs  and  also  fine  fish  (when  the  river 
was  not  polluted  by  sewage  as  it  now  is),  when  all  of  a 
sudden  a  strong  gust  of  wind  comes,  swings  the  boom  of 
the  sloop  around,  striking  the  father  of  this  family  in  his 
back  and  knocking  him  overboard,  and,  although  he  was 
celebrated  as  an  expert  swimmer,  yet  his  injuries  were  so 
severe  that  his  expertness  was  of  no  avail.  The  waters  of 
the  river  claimed  him  and  he  was  drowned  in  the  presence 
of  all  his  sorrowing  children. 

Thus,  the  untimely  ending  of  one  of  Bergen's  Christies 
in  the  prime  of  life.  Every  day  that  we  now  scan  our  papers 
we  read  of  numerous  accidents  from  the  speedy  automo- 
bile. The  above  shows  that  accidents  can  (and  do)  also 
happen  from  the  slow-moving  sloop. 

This  ancestor  had  made  a  grand  determination  for  the 
future  welfare  of  his  growing  family.  He  decided  that 
benefits  they  could  not  receive  in  the  old  "burg"  should 
be  theirs  in  the  new  home,  yet  God,  in  His  Providence,  dis- 
posed otherwise. 

As  a  matter  of  history  connected  with  this  subject  of 
our  sketch,  let  us  here  name  his  children : 


AN  INCIDENT  OF  BERGEN    COUNTY  63 

Isabella  (Balcha)  ;  born  August  4th,  1798;  married  John 
Demarest. 

Margaret  (Peggy);  born  September  12th,   1800;  mar- 
ried John  Christie. 

Deborah   (Debby)  ;  born  January   15th,   1803;  rnarried 
Daniel  Cole. 

John  Christie ;  born  January  5th,  1805. 

Peter  Christie;  born  September  5th,  1807. 

Henry  W.  Christie;  born  January  19th,  1811. 

Cornelius  W.   Christie ;  born   February  20th,   1814. 

Maria  Christie;  born  August  6th,  1818;  married  Blanch 
Smith. 

"A." 


Old  Stone  Church,  Saddle  River,  N.  J. 

Built  1789.     Re-built  1812 


ARCHIVE  AND   PROPERTY  COMMITTEE 


REPORT  AND  ACTIVITIES 


The  value  of  this  committee  is  so  vital  it  can  be  called 
the  heart  of  the  Society.  To  it  flow  gifts,  purchases  and 
the  tangible  results  of  the  work  of  the  standing  committees. 
From  it  is  diffused  the  real  essence  of  its  valuable  proper- 
ties, ii]  the  form  of  exhibitions,  historical  information,  use 
of  books,  manuscripts,  photographs  and  antiques,  to  those 
doing  historical  research  work,  not  only  from  Bergen 
County,  but  many  other  places. 

It  is  very  encouraging  to  receive  the  many  letters  of 
appreciation  and  praise  of  our  valuable  collection  from 
those  who  have  been  assisted  by  information  given  and  hav- 
ing had  access  to  our  archives. 

That  it  may  keep  alive  to  the  fast-growing  demands  be- 
ing made  upon  it,  it  is  very  necessary  that  every  member 
and  friend  of  the  Society  help  sustain  it  by  gifts. 

Our  Year  Books  have  been  presented  to  our  members 
and  are  on  file  at  the  Congressional  Library,  and  ex- 
changes have  been  made  with  many  Historical  Societies  and 
Libraries. 

To  Miss  Bogan,  the  Librarian  of  the  Johnson  Public 
Library,  and  her  assistants,  the  Misses  Labagh  and  Shot- 
well,  a  vote  of  appreciation  is  given  for  the  courtesy  and 
attention  shown  to  our  visitors. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

Frances   A.   Westervelt. 
Wm.  M.  Johnson. 
John  A.  Marinus. 
Arthur  Van  Buskirk. 


66  ARCHIVE  AND   PROPERTY  COMMITTEE 

On  June  17th,  1914,  Hackensack  had  a  "big  day,"  en- 
tertaining 500  Exempt  Firemen  of  the  State,  in  connection 
with  the  local  firemen's  annual  parade. 

By  invitation  there  were  a  number  of  floats  in  line.  Our 
Society  was  represented  by  one,  in  three  sections,  the  main 
one  bearing  in  an  historical  setting  descendants  of  the 
Bergen  County  Indian  and  slave,  first  white  settler,  early 
minister,  Revolutionary  War  Captain,  War  of  1812,  Judge, 
Sheriff  and  a  G.  A.  R.  Officer  82  years  of  age;  also  the 
historic  Court  House  bell,  1792- 191 2.  which  was  rung  en 
route  by  a  veteran  court  officer. 

In  August,  1914,  by  invitation  from  the  managers  of 
the  Bergen  County  Fair  Association  of  Hohokus,  for  five 
days  this  Society  had  an  exhibition  of  one  hundred  antiques. 
This  exhibition  was  the  means  of  interesting  many  young 
persons  and  brought  forth  many  reminiscences  of  the  early 
days,  by  the  elderly  grandsons  and  granddaughters  of  those 
who  had  lived  in  the  period  of  the  antiques. 

At  Thanksgiving  time  was  given  a  two-day  exhibit,  with 
talks  on  Early  Hearth  Stone  Doings.  Around  the  fireplace 
in  the  children's  room  in  the  Johnson  Library  on  tables 
were  many  articles  relating  to  the  oven  and  fireplace  cook- 
ery— a  Dutch  roasting  oven  containing  a  chicken ;  waffie 
irons  and  waffies ;  wafer  irons  and  wafers  made  from  a 
recipe  one  hundred  years  old  that  forms  the  modern  ice 
cream  cone ;  earthen  pie  dishes  holding  pumpkin  pie ;  fire- 
place toaster  and  bread  toasted  on  it.  There  was  a  pie  filler 
made  by  the  slaves  of  the  Kipp  family  more  than  one  hun- 
dred years  ago.  It  was  a  one-quart  wooden  bowl  with  a 
handle  six  feet  long,  and  was  used  to  fill  the  pie  dishes  con- 
taining the  bottom  or  lower  crust  that  had  been  placed  in 
the  large  brick  oven  (a  dozen  at  a  time),  with  the  equally 
long-handled  shovel. 


ARCHIVE  AND   PROPERTY   COMMITTEE  67 

In  the  large  room,  decorated  with  home-spun  coverlets, 
etc.,  occupying  the  center  of  the  room  on  a  rag  carpet,  were 
antique  chairs  around  a  Colonial  table.  It  was  covered  with 
a  home-spun  linen  table  cloth,  set  with  historic  china,  pew- 
ter, glass,  silver  and  early  cutlery. 

On  sideboards  were  coppers,  brasses,  glassware,  an  his- 
toric New  Jersey  pottery  hound-handled  cider  jug  and 
tobies. 

The  talks  related  to  the  history  and  usages  of  the  fire- 
place articles  and  the  story  of  the  evolution  of  a  board  and 
its  furnishings  from  Colonial  days  to  the  modern  table  and 
its  furnishing.  The  fact  was  brought  out  that  very  few 
forks  were  in  use  before  the  Revolutionary  period,  fingers 
being  used  instead — hence  the  use  of  napkins  was  an  abso- 
lute necessity.     Over  500  attended  this  exhibit. 

The  Newark  Museum  Association  issued  a  call  for  loans 
for  exhibit  of  New  Jersey  pottery,  to  be  held  in  the  Newark 
Library  during  February  and  March.  A  special  request 
was  made  for  "historic"  pieces  made  prior  to  1876.  Our 
Society,  through  its  possessions  and  loans,  exhibited  the 
work  of  nine  historic  potters  and  a  large  collection  of 
Bergen  County  Indian  pottery  fragments.  Of  special  in- 
terest to  us  were  the  articles  and  histories  of  the  early  local 
clay  industries.  On  lower  Hudson  Street  Jacques  Mirgot 
had  a  pottery  bake  shop,  1869-72.  Four  flour  pots  from 
his  shop  have  been  given  us.  Near  River  Edge,  1830-50, 
George  Wolfkill  had  a  pottery  bake  shop.  Two  of  his 
earthen  pie  dishes  that  never  had  been  used  were  exhibited. 
These  are  such  fine  specimens  of  early  slip  decoration  the 
association  wants  to  purchase  one.  An  historical  article  on 
Bergen  County  clay  industries  on  the  Hackensack  River, 
1835-1915,  was  asked  for  by  the  association  and  given. 

Jersey  City  is  called  the  cradle  of  New  Jersey  pottery, 
and  it  is  very  interesting  to  know  that  Hackensack  had 


68  ARCHIVE  AND  PROPERTY  COMMITTEE 

quite  an  active  part  in  rocking  that  cradle,  through  a  colored 
woman  who  owned  land  on  lower  Hudson  Street.  She  sold 
clay  from  1847-69,  that  was  carried  by  boats  to  the  Jersey 
City  Pottery  and  other  places.  It  is  said  she  paid  $1,500 
for  her  land  and  sold  for  $15,000. 


CONSTITUTION  AND  BY-LAWS 


AS    AMENDED    TO    FEBRUARY    2$,    I915 


ARTICLE  I 


This  Society  shall  be  known  as  the  Bergen  County  His- 
torical Society. 

ARTICLE  II 

Its  object  shall  be  the  collection  of  natural  history; 
papers  incident  to  the  civil,  political,  military  and  general 
history  of  Bergen  County  and  adjoining  counties  in  New 
Jersey  and  Rockland  County,  N.  Y. ;  genealogical,  bio- 
graphical, and  topographical  information,  and  the  diffu- 
sion of  a  sound  historical  taste  and  the  encouragement  of 
a  patriotic  sentiment. 

ARTICLE  III 

The  Society  shall  be  made  up  of  resident  and  corre- 
sponding members.  Resident  members  shall  be  persons 
residing  in  Bergen  County;  corresponding  members  those 
residing  elsewhere ;  and  both  classes  shall  be  chosen  by  open 
nomination  and  election  at  any  regular  or  special  meeting 
by  the  Society  or  by  the  Executive  Committee  at  any  meet- 
ing thereof.  If  a  ballot  be  demanded,  a  majority  of  votes 
cast  shall  be  necessary  to  a  choice.  Any  corresponding 
member  may  become  a  resident  member  upon  filing  with  the 
Secretary  a  written  request  therefor. 


70 CONSTITUTION    AND    BY-LA\V1S 

ARTICLE  IV 

The  Society  shall  hold  the  annual  meeting  on  the  Satur- 
day nearest  the  19th  of  April,  at  which  a  general  election 
of  officers  by  ballot  shall  be  had  wherein  a  majority  of  the 
votes  cast  shall  constitute  a  choice;  and  immediately  there- 
after proceed  to  some  suitable  place  and  dine  together. 
Special  meetings  may  be  called  at  any  time  by  the  Presi- 
dent, and  at  all  meetings  nine  members  shall  be  a  quorum 
for  the  transaction  of  business. 

ARTICLE  V 

Each  member  shall  pay  on  or  before  the  twenty-second 
day  of  February  two  dollars  each  year,  or  in  satisfaction 
thereof  a  life  membership  fee  of  twenty  dollars ;  and  mem- 
bers in  arrears  for  dues  two  years  or  more,  after  notice  in 
writing  from  the  Treasurer,  shall  cease  to  be  members. 

ARTICLE  VI 

The  officers  of  the  Society  shall  be  a  President,  ten  Vice- 
Presidents,  a  Secretary  and  a  Treasurer.  The  office  of 
Secretary  and  Treasurer  may  be  held  by  the  same  person. 
These  officers,  with  the  ex-Presidents  and  the  chairmen  of 
the  standing  committees,  shall  compose  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee. The  officers  shall  be  chosen  by  ballot  at  the  annual 
meeting,  and  shall  hold  their  offices  for  one  year,  dating 
from  the  day  after  the  annual  meeting,  or  until  their  succes- 
sors shall  be  chosen.  Any  vacancy  in  the  list  of  officers  may 
be  filled  by  the  Executive  Committee. 

ARTICLE  VII 

The  following  Standing  Committees  shall  be  appointed 
by  the  President,  to  hold  office  for  one  year:  Archives  and 
Property ;  Publication ;  Historic  Sites  and  Events ;  Ancient 


CONSTITUTION    AND    BY-LAWS  71 

Cemeteries ;  Wars  and  Revolutionary  Soldiers'  Graves ; 
Topographical  and  Historical  Geography ;  Genealogical  and 
Biographical  Subjects ;  Colonial  Household  Furnishings 
and  Belongings ;  Membership.  The  person  first  named  on 
a  committee  shall  be  its  chairman  unless  the  committee  votes 
otherwise. 

ARTICLE  VHI 

The  President,  or  in  his  absence  a  Vice-President,  or  in 
their  absence,  a  chairman,  shall  preside  and  have  the  cast- 
ing vote.  He  shall  preserve  order,  decide  all  questions  of 
order,  subject  to  an  appeal  to  the  Society,  and  appoint  all 
committees  unless  otherwise  ordered. 

ARTICLE  IX 

The  Secretary  shall  keep  minutes  and  records  of  the 
Society,  make  and  furnish  certificates  of  membership,  and 
have  the  custody  of  papers  and  documents  deposited  with 
the  Society,  subject  to  the  authority  and  oversight  of  the 
Executive  Committee,  and  discharge  such  other  duties  as 
may  be  required  of  him  by  the  Society  or  the  Executive 
Committee ;  shall  make  a  report  of  the  transactions  of  the 
Society  at  the  annual  meeting,  and  shall  conduct  such  cor- 
respondence as  may  be  entrusted  especially  to  him  by  the 
Society  or  the  Executive  Committee. 

ARTICLE  X 

The  Treasurer  shall  collect,  receive,  keep  and  pay  out 
such  funds  as  may  come  to  the  Society,  subject  to  the  con- 
trol of  the  Executive  Committee,  keep  an  account  of  the 
receipts  and  disbursements,  rendering  a  statement  thereof 
to  the  annual  meeting,  and  shall  give  a  bond  with  approved 
security  for  the  faithful  performance  of  his  duty. 


72  CONSTITUTION    AND    BY-LAWS 

ARTICLE  XI 

The  Executive  Committee  are  charged  with  the  duty  of 
soliciting  and  receiving  donations  for  the  Society,  recom- 
mending plans  for  promoting  its  objects,  digesting  and 
preparing  business,  authorizing  the  disbursement  of  the 
Society's  funds,  and  generally  superintending  and  guarding 
the  interests  of  the  Society.  At  all  meetings  of  the  Execu- 
tive Commitee  five  members  shall  be  a  quorum.  The 
Executive  Committee  shall  be  convened  by  notice  from  the 
Secretary. 

ARTICLE  XII 

In  case  of  the  dissolution  of  the  Society,  its  books, 
papers  and  collections  of  every  sort  shall  belong  to  and  be 
delivered  to  the  Johnson  Free  Public  Library  of  Hacken- 
sack  for  the  use  and  benefit  of  that  association,  if  not  con- 
trary to  the  stipulation  of  the  donor. 

ARTICLE  XIII 

At  the  regular  meeting  of  the  Society  the  following 
order  of  business  shall  be  observed : 

1.  Reading  minutes  of  previous  meeting. 

2.  Reports  and  communications  from  officers. 

3.  Reports  of  Executive  and  other  committees. 

4.  Nomination  and  election  of  members. 

5.  Miscellaneous  business. 

6.  Papers  read  and  addresses  delivered. 

ARTICLE  XIV 

Alterations  or  amendments  of  this  Constitution  and 
By-laws  may  be  made  by  the  Society  or  by  the  Executive 
Committee  on  a  two-thirds  vote  of  the  members  present, 
provided  that  notice  of  the  proposed  alteration  or  amend- 
ment shall  have  been  given  at  a  previous  meeting. 


BERGEN  COUNTY  HISTORICAL 
SOCIETY 


LIST  OF  PRESIDENTS 


1902— 1915 

Hon.  W.  M.  Johnson   1902-03 

Cornelius  Christie 1903-04 

T.  N.  Glover  1904-05 

Hon.  Cornelius  Doremus 1905-06 

B.  H.  Allbee   1906-07 

Byron  G.  Van  Home,  M.  D 1907-08 

W.  D.  Snow    1908-09 

Hon.  D.  D.  Zabriskie   1909-10 

F.  L.  Zabriskie   1910-1 1 

H.  B.  Goetschius    191 1-12 

M.  J.  Bogert   1912-13 

Robert  T.   Wilson    1913-14 

Mrs.  Frances  A.  Westervelt   1914-15 

LIFE  MEMBERS 

Allbee,  Burton  H Paterson 

Allison,  William  O Englewood 

Cameron,  Alpin  J Ridgewood 

Foster,  W.  Edward Hackensack 

Green,  Allister  New  York 

Preston,  Veryl   New  York 

Voorhis,  Charles  C New  York 

Zabriskie,   A.   C New  York 


74  BERGEN    COUNTY    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 


HONORARY  MEMBERS 


Bogert,  Isaac  D Westwood 

Vroom,  Rev.  William  , Ridgewood 

Demarest,  Milton Hackensack 


MEMBERSHIP   LIST 


Abbott,  John  C Fort  Lee 

Ackerman,  Daniel  D Closter 

Adams,  Dr.  Charles  F Hackensack 

Adams,  Robert  A Saddle  River 

Asmus,  Grover  E West  Hoboken 

Bennett,  Henry  N Hackensack 

Bierbrier,  Edward Saddle  River 

Bird,  Eugene  K Hackensack 

Blauvelt,  J.  H Paramus 

Bogert,  Andrew   Englewood 

Bogert,  Matt  J Demarest 

Bogert,  Daniel  G Englewood 

Bogert,  Albert  Z River  Edge 

Bogert,  Cornelius  V.  R Bogota 

Boyd,  John  T.,  Jr Hackensack 

Brinkerhoff,  Charles  V Hackensack 

Britton,  William  R East  Orange 

Cafferty,  Charles   Hackensack 

Cane,  Fred  W Bogota 

Coggeshall,  H.  Ingersoll   Midland  Park 

Cooper,  Richard  W New  Milford 

Cosse,  Edwin  F Paterson 

Criss,  Hugo  F Hohokus 


BERGEN    COUNTY    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY  75 

Crum,  Fred  H River  Edge 

Crum,  Mrs.  Fred  H River  Edge 

Cubberly,  Nelson  A GlenRock 

Curtis,  Grover  D 51  East  58th  St.,  New  York 

Curtis,  Charles   Hackensack 

Dalrymple,  C.  M Hacknsack 

De  Baun,  Abram   Hackensack 

De  Baun,  Airs.  Abram Hackensack 

Delemater,  P.  G Ridgewood 

Demarest,  Jacob  R Englewood 

Demarest,  James  E Westwood 

De  Ronde,  Philip   New  York 

Diaz,  Jose  M Hackensack 

Doremus,  Cornelius   Ridgewood 

Eckert,  George  M Saddle  River 

Englehart,  Charles   Ridgefield 

Esler,  John  G Saddle  River 

Goetschius,    Howard   B Little  Ferry 

Goetschius,  D.  M Little  Ferry 

Grunow,  Julius   S Hackensack 

Haggerty,  M.  L Hackensack 

Haring,   Tunis    A Hackensack 

Hay,  Clyde  B Hackensack 

Hester,  Earl  L.  D Hasbrouck  Heights 

Howell,  Mrs.  Henrietta   D Hackensack 

Jacobus,  M.  R Ridgefield 

Jeffers,  Daniel  G Hackensack 

Jeffers,  Mrs.  Daniel  G Hackensack 

Johnson,  William  M Hackensack 

Johnson,  James  Le  Baron  Hackensack 

Kelder,  Rev.  Edward  Englewood  Cliffs 

Kipp,  James  Tenafly 

Keiser,  Isaac  B Hohokus 

Lang,  Dr.  E.  A Palisade 


76  BERGEN    COUNTY    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

Liddle,  Joseph  G New  York 

Linkroum,  Courtland    Hackensack 

Linn,  William  A Hackensack 

Mabie,    Clarence    Hackensack 

Mabon,   John  S Hackensack 

Marinus,  John  A Rochelle  Park 

Metz,  A.  Russell,  Jr Hackensack 

Meyer,  Francis  E Closter 

Morrison,  William  J.,  Jr Ridgefield  Park 

Morrow,  Dwight  W Englewood 

Packer,  J.  E Hohokus 

Parigot,  George  W Allendale 

Piatt,  Daniel  F Englewood 

Potter,  George  M Allendale 

Ramsey,  John  R Hackensack 

Richardson,  Myron  T Ridgewood 

Riker,  Theo  Paterson 

Rogers,  Henry  M Tenafly 

Sage,  L.  H Hackensack 

Sloat,  B.  F Ridgewood 

Spear,  William  M Leonia 

Snyder,  George  J Ridgewood 

Stagg,  Edward  Leonia 

Stewart,  Dr.  H.  S Hackensack 

Staib,   P.  C Hackensack 

Staib,  Mrs.  P.  C Hackensack 

St.  John,  Dr.  David  Hackensack 

Tallman,  William Englewood 

Terhune,  C.  W Hackensack 

Terhune,  P.   Christie    Hackensack 

Terhune,  Mrs.   P.   Christie    Hackensack 

Thompson,  Robert  W.,  Jr Ridgefield 

Vail,  Carl  M Ridgewood 

Vail,  William  L Fairview 


BERGEN    COUNTY    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY  77 

Van  Buskirk,  Arthur   Hackensack 

\^an  Home,  Dr.  Byron  G Englewood 

Van  Nest,   Rev.  J.   A Ridgewood 

Van  Winkle,  Arthur  W Rutherford 

Van  Wagoner,  Jacob   Ridgewood 

Voorhis,  Rev.  John  C Bogota 

Wakelee,  Edmund  W New  York 

Wandell,  Francis   Livingston   Saddle  River 

Wandell,  Mrs.  Francis  Livingston   Saddle  River 

Watt,  Salina  F Hackensack 

Wells,  Benjamin  B Hackensack 

Wells,  George    E Hackensack 

W^estervelt,  Mrs.  F.  A Hackensack 

Wilson,  Richard  T Ridgewood 

Wilson,  Robert  T Saddle  River 

Wood,  Robert  J.  G Leonia 

Woodman,   Charles    Ridgewood 

Wright,  Wendell  J Hackensack 

Zabriskie,  David  D Ridgewood 

Zabriskie,  Everett  L Ridgewood 


78 


BERGEN    COUNTY    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 


Bogart,  Peter  B.,  Jr Bogota 

Brinkerhoff,  A.  H Rutherford 

Christie,  Cornelius    Leonia 

Clark,  Edwin   Ridgewood 

Currie,  Dr.  Daniel  A Englewood 

Demarest,  A.    S.    D Hackensack 

Demarest,  Isaac  I Hackensack 

Dutton,  George  R Englewood 

Easton,  E.  D Areola 

Edsall,  Samuel  S Palisade 

Haggin,  Mrs.  L.  T 

Hales,  Henry  Ridgewood 

Holdrum,  A.  C Westwood 

Labagh,  William  O Hackensack 

Lane,  Jesse    New  Milford 

Lane,  Mrs.  Jesse  New  Milford 

Lawton,  L  Parker Ridgewood 

Nelson,  William  Paterson 

Romaine,  Christie Hackensack 

Sanford,  Rev.  Ezra  T New  York 

Shanks,  William  Hackensack 

Snow,  William  D Hackensack 

Terhune,  Peter  O Ridgewood 

Van  Buskirk,  Jacob New  Milford 


« 


SUPPLEMENT  TO  1914  CATALOGUE 


Gift  of  the  entire  publication  of  Volume  No.  Ten:  250 
Copies,  Year  191 5,  of  the  Papers  and  Proceedings  of  the 
Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 


Books 

Two  Vols.,  Officers  and  Men  in  the  Civil  War.— Gift  of 

Mrs.  H.  E.  Hamilton. 
Four  Vols.,   Johnson's    Dictionary,   Published    1804. — Gift 

of  A.  S.  D.  Demarest. 
The  Van  Winkle  Record.     Genealogical. — Gift  of  W.  O. 

Allison. 
Three    Vols.,    Holland    Society    Year    Books,    1904-5-6.— 

Gift  of  J.  G.  Ackerman. 
The  Star  Spangled  Banner.     Sonneck.— Gift  of  Library  of 

Congress. 
Bureau  of  Statistics  of  New  Jersey,  1913. 
Three  Vols.,  Architectural  Record,  containing  article,  illus- 
trated. Some  Early  Dutch  Houses  in  N.  J.— Gift  of 

John  Boyd,  Jr.,  the  author. 
Atlas  of  Bergen  County,  N.  J.,  1776-1876.    A.  H.  Walker. 

Revolutionary. — Gift  of  Mr.  Cruett. 
New  Jersey  Historical  Collections.     Barber.— Purchased. 
One  Hundred  B.  C.  H.  S.  Year  Books.     Catalogue. 
The  Chas.  G.  King  Collection  of  Books  on  Customs,  1914. 

Index.— Gift     of    the     Western     Reserve     Historical 

Society. 
Accounts  of  General  Washington  with  the  United  States, 

June,  1775-1783. — Gift  of  W.  A.  Linn. 


80  SUPPLEMENT  TO   1914  CATALOGUE 

The  Tribute  Book.  A  record  of  the  Munificence,  Self- 
sacrifice  and  Patriotism  of  the  American  People  during 
the  War  for  the  Union.  Frank  B.  Goodrich,  1865. — 
Gift  of  Mr.  Cruett. 

Almanac  and  Year  Book,  First  National  Bank,  Woodstown, 
N.  J.,  1915.     Historical. 

Two  Vols.,  Journal  Continental  Congress,  vols.  22,  23,  1782. 
— Gift  of  Library  Congress. 

History  of  the  Colony  of  Nova-Caesaria,  or  New  Jersey. 
Samuel  Smith.— Gift  of  W.  O.  Allison. 

The  John  Bogart  Letters,  1776- 1782.  Revolutionary. — 
Compliments  of  the  Pres.  of  Rutgers  College. 

Three  Vols.,  Proceedings  of  New  Jersey  Historical  Society, 
1908-09-09.     Van  Buskirk  Genealogy. — Exchange. 

Bound  Vol.,  Christian  Advocate  and  Journal,  Aug.  1825- 
1837.— Gift. 


Household  Articles 
Dutch,  or  Roasting  Oven. — Brinkerhoff,  Polifly  Road. 
Kitchen  Candle  Stick. — Brinkerhoff,  Polifly  Road. 
Foot  Stove. — Brinkerhoff,  Polifly  Road. 
Deed  Box,  decorated  tin. — Brinkerhoff,  Polifly  Road. 
Wafer  Iron,  with  Initials  "J.  B."  and  "E.  B." — John  Berry 

and  Elizabeth  Terhune. 
Four  Hand-made  Strawberry  Baskets. — J.  Berry. 
Waflle  Iron. — J.  Berry. 
Six  Hand-made  Baking  Tins. — J.  Berry. 
Indian  Hammer,  found  on  Brinkerhoff  Farm,  Woodridge. 

— Gift  of  Mrs.  Margretta  Berry  Conant. 
German    Silver    Ladle. — Gift    of    Mrs.    Margretta    Berry 

Conant. 
Framed  Picture  of  the  Brinkerhoff  Family  Reunion. — Gift 

of  Mrs.  Margretta  Berry  Conant. 
Colonial  Lock,  with  Brass  Knobs. — Gift  of  the  Misses  Kipp. 


SUPPLEMENT   TO    1914   CATALOGUE  81 

Four  Home-made  Wooden  Articles — Dipper,  Butter  Ladle, 
Butter  Stamp  and  Scoop. — Gift  of  the  Misses  Kipp. 


Colonial  Household  Articles 

Soup  Tureen  and  Platter,  "Willow"  design. — Gift  of  Miss 
Margretta  Westervelt. 

Sugar  Bowl,  early  glass. — Gift  of  Miss  Margretta  Wester- 
velt. 

Earthen  Pie  Dish,  with  slip  decoration  (never  used).  Made 
at  George  Wolf  kill's  Pottery  Bake  Shop,  1840,  below 
River  Edge,  on  the  bend  of  the  river. — Gift  of  W.  O. 
Allison. 


Miscellaneous 

Large   Wooden   Shoe,  bought  in   Holland.— Gift  of   Mrs. 

Catherine  Van  Buskirk. 
Section  of  a  Deer's   Horn,  used  to   splice   rope. — Loaned 

by  Mr.  J.  C.  Blauvelt. 
Cannon  Ball,  five  inches.     Plowed  up  on  the  Kipp  Farm, 

Schraalenburgh,    after    the    Revolution. — Loaned    by 

Mr.  J.  C.  Blauvelt. 
Collection  of  Bergen  County  Indian   Potsherds  and  Four 

Arrow  Heads. — Gift  of  Prof.  Frank  G.  Speck. 
Bricks,  from  site  of  first  yard  in  Hackensack.  1853. — Gift. 
Collection   of   "Dolls   of   All    Nations."— Loaned   by    Miss 

Florence  Angle  St.  John. 
Small   Trunk,    brass   studded,    100  years  old. — Loaned  by 

Mrs.   Francis  C.  Howell. 
Sand  Shaker ;  containing  sand  for  drying  ink  when  writing. 

Is  very  crude  in  workmanship,  and  old. — Loaned  by 

Mrs.  Francis  C.  Howell. 

6 


82  SUPPLEMENT   TO    1914  CATALOGUE 


One  Pair  of  old  Hand-painted  Button  Screws,  used  to 
hold  back  curtain. — Loaned  by  Mrs.  Francis  C.  Howell. 

Sugar  Tongs ;  silver,  hand-made,  about  1790. — Loaned  by 
Mrs.  Francis  C.  Howell. 


Revolutionary 

Hand-made  Bayonet  and  Crude  Leather  Case. — Gift  of 
Miss  Margrette  Westervelt. 

Powder  Horn ;  crude  leather. — Gift  of  Miss  Margrette 
Westervelt. 

Knapsack;  crude  leather;  marked  "T.  R.  U  STATES." 
Used  by  T.  Ralphson  in  Revolutionary  War. — Gift  of 
Miss  Margrette  Westervelt. 

Home-spun  and  Hand-made  Linen  Shirt,  made  from  a 
funeral  Scarf. — Loaned. 

Large  Collection  of  Samples  of  "Home-spun"  Linens  and 
Woolens. — Gift  of  F.  A.  Westervelt. 

Home-spun  Linen,  from  Berdan  Home,  that  stood  on  the 
site  of  the  Johnson  Library. — Gift  of  Mrs.  J.  W. 
Bogert. 

Specimens  of  Fine  Flax,  Bleached  Linen  Thread,  Un- 
bleached Linen  Thread,  and  a  piece  of  Home-spun 
Linen. — Grown  and  spun  on  Haring  Farm  at  Closter. 

Flax  Hetchel.— Gift  of  F.  A.  Westervelt. 

Trammel  and  Hooks  from  fireplace. — Gift  of  F.  A.  Wester- 
velt. 

Four  Sleys,  for  linen  weaving. — Gift  of  Mrs.  Henry  C. 
Smith. 

Embroidered  Cape. — Gift  of  Mrs.   M.   L.   Lutes. 

White  Marseilles  Wedding  Vest  (1830),  embroidered  with 
cooing  doves  and  flowers ;  hand-made. — Gift. 

China  Tea  Pot,  over  100  years  old ;  Lustre  decoration. — 
Loaned  by  Mrs.  C.  E.  Loper. 


SUPPLEMENT   TO    1914  CATALOGUE  83 

Antique  China  Plate. — Loaned  by  Mrs.  W.  E.  Harper. 
Two  Brass   Candle   Sticks. — Loaned  by   Mrs.   T.   E.   Van 

Stone. 
Brass,  Three-jointed  Swinging  Candle  Stick,  over  100  years 

old ;  formerly  fastened  between  the  oven  and  fireplace, 

and  could  be  turned  to  light  the  oven  or  pots  over  the 

fire. 
Steel   Candle   Snuffers,    75    years    old — Loaned   by   C.    D. 

Haring. 
Old  Two-tined  Fork. — Loaned  by  C.  D.  Haring. 
Dutch    "Double    Door"    Latch,    from    the    Baron    Steuben 

house,  built  1752. — Gift. 
Brass  Door  Knob.  Ames  house,   1800. — Gift. 
Hand-wrought  Sad  Iron  Stand ;  used  in  Peter  Bourdette's 

home   during   the    Revolutionary   period. — Loaned   by 

Mrs.  Allair. 
Four  Small  Flower  Pots,  made  by  a  potter — Jacques  Mirgot 

— on    Hudson   Street,    Hackensack,    1867-73. — Gift   of 

Nicholas  Shafer. 


Photogr-\phs  and  Pictures 

Photograph  of  the  Three  Sections  of  the  Bergen  County 
Historical  Society's  Float  in  the  parade  on  June  17, 
1914. — Gift  of  Charles  Curtis. 

Frame  for  Above. — Gift  of  W.  O.  Allison. 

Pictures  of  Historical  Buildings  Xow  (1914)  Standing  in 
Xew  York  erected  prior  to  1800. — Gift  of  Manhattan 
Banking  Company. 

Photograph  of  Rev.  Cornelius  Blauvelt,  of  the  True  Re- 
formed Church. — Gift. 

Copy  of  a  Rare  Print  of  Old  Xew  York,  the  earliest  pic- 
ture of  original  Xew  York,  1717. — Gift. 

Picture  of  Hoboken. — 1830. — Gift. 


84  SUPPLEMENT   TO    1914  CATALOGUE 

Framed  Photograph,  taken  from  an  oil  painting,  of  Rev. 
David  Marinus,  pastor  of  churches :  Acquackanonck, 
Totowa  and  Pompton,  1752-1773. — Gift  of  John  A. 
Marinus,  great  grandson. 

Framed  Copy  of  Declaration  of  Independence,  with  Coats 

of  Arms  of  13  States.— Gift  of  A.  R.  Metz,  Jr. 
Large    Photograph   of    (South)    Church,    Schraalenburgh, 

erected  1799. — Gift  of  Mr.  Chas.  Curtis. 
Cut  of  (South)   Church,  Schraalenburgh. — B.  C.  H.  S. 
Large  Photograph  of  the  Baron  Steuben  house,  with  insert 

of  photograph  of  the  tablet  that  was  on  the  house. — 

Gift  of  Mr.  Chas.  Curtis. 
Some  Early  Dutch  Houses  in  New  Jersey.     Illustrations  of 

doorways,  stairs,  mantles  and  interiors.     Published  in 

Architectural    Record. — Gift    of   John    Boyd,   Jr.,    the 

author. 

Historical  Engravings  of  Washington,  Jefferson,  Lincoln, 
Hamilton,  Franklin,  Marshall. — Gift  of  John  Mabon. 

Frames  for  Above. — Gift  of  W.  O.  Allison. 

Six  Half-tone  Plates  of  Appalachian  Indian  Pottery. — Gift 
of  Christopher  Wren,  Curator  of  Archeology  of  the 
Wyoming  Historical  and  Geological  Society. 

Photograph  of  the  ''76"  Stone  House,  Tappan. — Gift  of 
Mrs.  Bacon. 

Half-tone  Cut  of  Original  "76  House"  at  Tappan. — Gift  of 
W.  A.  Linn. 

Half-tone  Cut  of  the  Re-constructed  "76  House"  at  Tappan, 
—Gift  of  W.  A.  Linn. 

Six  Small  Half-tone  Cuts  of  Saddle  River  Houses. — Gift 

of  Robert  T.  Wilson. 
Large  Half-tone  Cut  of  Paranius  Church.— Gift  of  Robert 

T.  Wilson, 


SUPPLEMENT  TO   1914  CATALOGUE  85 

The  First  National  Bank  of  Woodstown,  N.  J. ;  50th  Anni- 
versary Pictorial  Souvenir,  1864- 19 14. 

Photographs  of  ex-Presidents  of  the  Society:  Hon.  W.  M. 
Johnson  and  Byron  G.  Van  Home,  M.  D. 

Illustrated  Souvenir  of  Hackensack  Dramatic  Association, 
May,  1894,  fifth  season. — Gift  of  W.  A.  Linn. 


Pamphlets  and  Newspapers 

Parable  of  the  Prodigal  Son,  in  the  Jersey  Dutch — Written 
and  presented  by  Hon.  John  D.  Prince. 

The  Bergen  County  Watchman,  Hackensack  and  Engle- 
wood,  February  22,  1873 ;  L.  D.  Hay,  editor. — Gift 
of  Miss  F.  Kipp. 

The  Daily  Citizen,  Vicksburg,  Miss.,  July  2,  1863 ;  printed 
on  wall   paper. — Gift  of  Miss  Isabel  Shotwell. 

List  of  Stockholders  of  Hackensack  Hall  and  Armory  As- 
sociation, December  21,  1887. — Gift  of  W.  A.  Linn. 

Song,  Tribute  to  Old  Glory.  (Gettysburg,  50  years  after.) 
— Composed  and  presented  by  John  A.  Marinus,  Ser- 
geant Co.  D,  22nd  Reg.,  N.  J.  Vol.  Inf. 


Pamphlets 


The  Pottery  and  Porcelain  of  New  Jersey ;  prior  to  1876. — 

Gift  of  Newark  Museum  Association. 
The  Clay  Products  of  New  Jersey ;  at  the  present  time. — 

Gift  of  Newark  Museum  Association. 
Ships  and  Shipping  of  Old  New  York. — Gift  of  the  Bank 

of  Manhattan  Company. 


Withdrawn,   1914 
Revolutionary  Gun  and  Doll's  Cradle. — By  Chas.  Curtis. 


^  =Mi 


Papers 

and 

Proceedings 


1915-1916 

NUMBER  ELEVEN 


Bergen  County 
Historical  Society 


Democrat  Print  <^^>  Hackensack.  N.  J. 


-z 


~-  ■■   o-f 


'-?. 


Papers  and  Proceedings 


OF  THE 


Bergen  County  Historical  Society 
1915^1916 

NUMBER  ELEVEN 


List  of  Officers 1915-1916 

Wind- Jammers  of  the  Haekensack     -     -      Eugene  K.  Bird 
''Facts  and  Figures"  from  Manuscripts 

Mrs.  Frances  A.  Westervelt 
The  Lutherans  of  Haekensack    -   David  D.  Demarest,  D.  D. 

Address  Made  in  Presenting  to  Leonia  the 
Washington  Commemorative  Tablet 

George  Heber  Jones,  D,  D. 
A  Bibliography  of  Publications. 
Reports  of  Committees  and  Officers. 
List  of  Ex-Presidents. 
List  of  Members. 
In  Memoriam. 

ILLUSTRATIONS. 
Wind-Jammers  of  the  Haekensack. 
An  Early  Demarest  Homestead. 
Cane  of  Peter  P.  Demarest. 
Signatures  to  Deed. 

Home  of  Jacobus  Demarest  at  New  Bridge. 
White  Blanket  of  1800. 
Indian  Blanket, 
Blue  and  White  Blanket. 
Strawberry  Baskets. 
Home  of  Abraham  DeVoe. 
Certificate  of  Loyalty. 
Homespun  Blanket. 


CORRECTIONS  TO  BE  MADE  IN  YEAR  BOOK  1915. 


First — On  page  7  date  of  the  erection  of  the  Andre  Prison 
should  be  1755  instead  of  1775. 

Second — On  page  40,  fifth  line  from  bottom,  for  the  year 
1628  should  be  substituted  the  year  1682. 

TJiird — The  following  criticism  by  Mrs.  Frances  A.  Wester- 
velt  has  been  made  on  Mr.  Christie's  paper.  On  page  46  he 
is  in  error  when  he  states  that  David  Demarest,  who  he  found 
was  an  elder  in  the  Old  Dutch  Church  at  Hackensack,  June, 
1750,  was  a  son  of  the  French  pioneer.  It  is  a  long  way  as 
far  as  human  life  is  concei'ued  between  1677  and  1750. 
From  manuscript  volume  of  Debaun's  records  from  original 
notes,  Yost  Debaun  married  Elizabeth  Drabba,  came  to  this 
country  1680.  Their  daughter  Matie  married  David  Dema- 
rest, son  of  Samuel  Demarest,  one  of  the  original  settlers  (son 
of  David,  the  pioneer),  November  10th,  1705.  Was  read  in 
church  membership  Hackensack,  April  6tii,  1706,  and  Matie, 
his  wife,  the  same  date.  The  David  Demarest  mentioned  as 
an  elder  in  the  Hackensack  Church,  June,  1750,  was  a  son  of 
Samuel  and  grandson  of  David,  Sr.,  of  1677.  This  is  from 
original  document  in  the  possession  of  the  Bergen  County 
Historical  Society. 


U?ho 


Bergen  Countg  Historical  Societp. 


Hackensack,  N.  J.,  September  11,  1916. 

My  Dear  Fellow  Member : 

The  Publication  Committee  takes  pleasure  in  presenting  to 
you  the  Society's  Year  Book  of  lesearch  work  done  during  the  past 
year.  This  is  a  record  of  interesting  and  valuable  historical  facts. 
Wj  trust  you  will  carefully  examine  its  contents  and  be  stimulated 
with  a  desire  to  assist  in  making  this  year's  efforts  of  the  Society 
equally  successful. 

Now  is  the  time  to  collect  and  record  Bergen  County  History. 
The  loss  of  documents  and  the  passing  away  of  the  older  residents 
makes  it  harder  each  year  to  supply  the  missing  links  in  the  chain 
of  historical  events.  Planning  for  the  future  comes  more  natural  to 
us  than  trying  to  recall  the  past,  but  a  knowledge  of  the  past  is  a 
valuable  asset  in  future  undertakings. 

Can  you  not  personally  assist  in  bringing  to  the  notice  of  the 
executive  committee  some  historical  facts  relating  to  Bergen  County? 
Can  you  not  recomm.end  for  membership  into  the  Society  residents 
who  would  like  to  see  a  more  complete  history  of  Bergen  County  ? 

This  is  the  fifteenth  year  that  the  Society  has  been  organized 
and  we  trust  that  you  will  help  make  it  the  best  we  have  ever  had. 
The  executive  committee  is  planning  to  have  a  meeting  of  the 
Society  in  our  new  quarters  at  the  Library  in  the  Fall  at  which  time 
the  Allison  prizes  will  be  awarded.  Further  notice  of  this  will  be 
given  and  we  trust  you  will  be  present. 

With  kind  regards  and  again  soliciting  your  interest  in  an 
active  year  for  the  Society,  1  beg  to  remain 


Faithfully  yours, 


C.  V.  R.  BOGERT. 

President. 


OFFICERS  FOR  THE  YEAR  1015-16. 


PRESIDENT 

Mrs.  Fr.\nces  A.  Westervelt Hackensack 

VICE-PRESIDENTS 

William  0.  Allison Englewood 

Robert  A.   Adams Saddle  River 

M.  R.  Jacobus Ridgefield 

Fred   H.   Crum River  Edge 

Edward   Stagg Leonia 

Francis  L.   Wandell Saddle  River 

Rev,   Edw^vrd  Kelder Coytesville 

David  D.   Ackerman Closter 

Eugene  K.  Bird Hackensack 

secretary  and  treasurer 
Cornelius  V.  R.  Bogert 167  Main  Street,  Hackensack 

the  officers,  ex-presidents  and  the  following  members 
compose  the  executive  committee 

WiLLL\M    A.    Linn Hackensack 

Rev.  John  C.  Voorhis Bogota 

Miss  Salina  F.  Watt Hackensack 

Arthur  Van   Busklrk Hackensack 

archives    and    property    COMMITTEE 

Mrs.  Frances  A.  Westervelt Hackensack 

Hon.  WiLLLiM  M.  Johnson Hackensack 

John  A.  IVIarinus Rochelle  Park 

Arthur  Van   Buskirk Hackensack 

publication  committee. 

Byron  6.  Van  Horne,  M.  D.,    Chairman Englewood 

WiLLLiM  0.  Allison Englewood 

Robert   T.   Wilson * Saddle  River 

Hon  William  M.  Johnson Hackensack 

Official  Photographer Charles  Curtis 


The  Publication  Committee  of  the  Bergen  County  His- 
torical Society  will  be  pleased  to  receive  any  authentic  his- 
torical data  or  arty  historical  article  relating  to  Bergen 
County, 

The  Committee  takes  it  for  granted  that  each  contributor 
in  presenting  data  or  papers  will  consider  it  of  sufficient 
value  to  have  it  published  in  the  year  book. 

To  be  of  historical  value,  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  the 
facts  stated  shall  be  accurate  and  the  dates  correct.  While 
the  Committee  will  use  every  care  to  eliminate  any  mistake 
that  they  may  find,  nev(!rtlieless  they  will  assume  no  re- 
sponsibility for  any  of  the  statements  or  accuracy  of  dates 
made  by  the  contributors. 

The  Committee  would  appreciate  it  very  much  if  any  one 
detecting  errors  or,  if  any  one  can  give  additional  informa- 
tion in  regard  to  any  paper  contributed,  he  would  communi- 
cate the  same  to  the  Committee.  It  will  add  much  to  the 
historic  value  of  any  article  to  tell  whence  the  information 
was  derived  and,  if  from  a  manuscript  or  book,  the  title  and 
page  be  given. 


-! 


L 


A  "Wind-Jammer"  of  the  Hackensack 


WIND-JAMMERS  OF  THE  HACKEXSACK. 

By  Eugene  K.  Bird, 

Editor  of  The  Hackensaek  Republican. 


"  Wind- Jammer "  is  a  derisive  term  applied  to  sailing 
vessels,  and  men  employed  on  them,  by  those  who  claim  the 
greater  dignity  of  association  Anth  steam  craft.  The  title 
goes  as  well  with  the  mean'est  Japanese  junk  as  with,  stately 
clippers,  majestic  full-rigged  ships  in  the  Far  East  and 
Atlantic  trade  that  jammed  on  all  possible  sail  to  make  quick 
voyages  and  thereby  gain  bonuses  offered  by  consignees  or 
owners  who  profited  by  getting  goods  on  the  market  ahead  of 
rivals. 

Wind-jammers  of  the  Hackensaek  were  far  different  vessels 
— they  were  piraguas,  sloops  and  schooners — unpretentious 
craft,  which  nevertheless  filled  quite  as  important  a  place  in 
their  humble  sphere  as  did  the  great  argosies  with  towering 
masts  and  wonderful  spread  of  canvas  braving  every  stress 
of  weather  on  the  seven  seas ;  even  the  uncouth  piragua 
(Spanish,  piragua;  French,  pirogue;  English  periauger;  a 
dugout  canoe;  the  same  widened  by  cutting  in  two  and  in- 
serting planks  in  the  bottom  and  at  the  ends ;  also,  a  two- 
masted  flat-bottomed  boat,  undecked  except  sometimes  at  the 
ends,)  had  its  legitimate  mission  in  former  days,  when  it 
was  frequently  an  object  of  interest  moving  sluggishly  with 
the  tide  and  such  wind  as  could  be  induced  to  fill  sail  or 
sails.  A  full-rigged  ship  under  all  canvas  is  said  to  be  one 
of  the  most  inspiring  sights  that  can  greet  the  eye  at  sea, 
and  when  to  the  picture  is  added  the  flag  of  one's  country 
floating  free  in  the  wind,  he  is  a  stolid  and  unpatriotic  clod 
who  does  not  feel  a  sensation  of  enthusiasm  akin  to  that  of 
meeting  friends  after  long  absence.  Such  a  man  would  be 
as  Peter  Bell — 

A  primrose  by  a  river's  brim 
A  yellow  primrose  was  to  him, 
And  it  was  nothing  more. 

So,  with  all  its  unromantic  lines  and  general  unattractive- 
ness,  the  periauger  was  a  picturesque  object  when  seen  across 
the  meadows  as  it  moved  upon  the  water  with  only  mast  and 
sail  in  view.  The  broad  stretches  of  our  swampland  with 
thousands  of  acres  of  tall  grass  billowing  in  the  summer 
breeze,  and  the  ravishing  color  schemes  of  fall  flowers  that 


6  WIND-JAMMERS  OF  THE  HAavEXSACK 

set  the  borderland  aflame,  have  been  a  theme  for  many  de- 
scriptive and  poetic  pens.  Thus  Owen  Terry  writes  of  ''The 
Marshlands ' ' : 

Oh,  the  marshlands  of  New  Jersey: 

Oh,  the  broad  moors  near  the  sea, 
Where  the  salt  winds  off  the  ocean 

"Wander  far  and  fast  and  free ! 

Oh,  the  tides  in  winding  channels 

Hidden  in  the  meadow  grass, 
Where  with  hulls  unseen,  ghost  vessels, 

Gliding  schooners  bayward  pass ; 

And  the  nodding  and  the  lisping 

Of  the  zephyr-haunted  sedge, 
And  the  mallow's  flaming  petals 

On  the  sluggish  ditch's  edge; 

And  the  meadow  lark,  sky  scaler, 

Mounting  up  on  tiny  wings, 
Flooding  upper  space  with  music 

Largesse,  free,  but  fit  for  kings; 

And  the  fleecy  flocks  of  cloudland, 

Browsing  o'er  their  sunny  leas, 
And  the  flitting  of  their  shadows, 

Placing  with  each  vagrom  breeze ! 

Oh,  the  brave  life  of  the  marshes, 
Jersey's  moorlands,  green  and  ^^^de; 

And  the  brotherhood  that  crowns  it, 
Blowing  wind  and  flowing  tide! 

Between  these  marshlands  the  Red  Man  paddled  his  birch- 
bark  or  dugout  canoe  centuries  before  the  wind-jammers  of 
the  eighteenth  and  nineteenth  centuries  sailed  the  waters  of 
the  crooked  Hackensack.  And  those  who  came  in  (chiefly 
from  Holland)  to  occupy  the  lands  of  the  disappearing 
Indians  found  the  river  their  most  convenient  channel  for 
travel  and  transportation,  even  as  they  and  their  forbears 
had  utilized  the  rivers  and  canals  of  the  homeland.  It  may 
be  interesting  to  note  that  the  disreputable  looking  old  dug- 
out, found  buried  in  the  nuid  of  the  river's  bank  some  years 
ago  and  now  preserved  among  the  Historical  Society's  relics, 
is  a  ship;  for  the  etymology  of  the  word  shows  that,  in  its 
origin,  "ship"  was  something  shaped — as  the  trunk  of  a  tree 
scooped  out  and  shaped  to  glide  safely  and  smoothly  through 
the  water. 

But  to  the  " Wind-jammers  of  the  Hackensack,"  the 
periaugers,  sloops  and  schooners  that  connected  trade  of  the 


if 


WIXD-JAMMERS  OF  THE  HACKEN'SACK  7 

Hackensack  Valley  with  city  and  other  marts.  The  men  who 
manned  the  craft  were  a  rugged  class,  some  of  them  braving 
dangers  of  the  deep,  even  to  shipAvreck  and  destruction, 
while  others  pursued  the  safer  courses  in  the  bays  and  rivers 
around  Manhattan,  and  as  far  north  as  Albany  on  the 
Hudson ;  the  last  a  trip  barbarously  monotonous  in  seasons 
of  baffling  winds. 

The  old-time  boats  were  general  freighters,  especially  on 
the  return  voyage,  when  they  carried  all  manner  of  merchan- 
dise for  individuals  and  stores  as  far  up  the  Hackensack  as 
the  head  of  navigation  at  Xew  Milford.  There  Jacob  and 
Henry  Van  Buskirk  had  a  noted  grist  mill,  where  grain  was 
ground  for  individuals,  and  flour  as  well  as  animal  feed  were 
shipped  in  large  quantities.  In  addition  to  groceries, 
muslins,  boots,  shoes,  hardware,  farming  implements,  etc., 
liberal  supplies  of  "fire-water"  were  shown  on  the  manifests 
of  a  century  and  more  ago,  indicating  that  the  people  of  that 
period  were  not  concerned  about  prohibition  even  though 
they  may  have  been  temperate  in  using  the  cup  that  could 
cheer  and  inebriate — could  fiil  the  mind  with  rainbow  dreams, 
visions  of  houris  and  peris,  drive  out  carking  cares  of  life 
and  bring  in  beams  of  brilliant  sunshine;  for  all  of  which 
Natui'e  had  her  compensation :  when  the  veil  was  rent  by 
the  morning's  glow  ten  thousand  devils  reigned  in  the  brain 
cells,  drove  out  the  kaleidoscopic  visions  turning  the  inflamed 
grey  matter  with  redhot  forks  and  tapping  the  walls  with 
fiery  hammers.  Glancing  at  an  old  account  book  of  1797  it 
is  seen  that  one  sloop  carried  in  six  months  eight  hogsheads 
spirits,  two  tierces  spirits,  four  tierces  porter,  barrels  and 
"cags"  of  spirits,  many  pipes  of  wine;  two  hogsheads,  six 
tierces  and  five  barrels  of  " '  mathiglen. "  But  there  is  noth- 
ing surprising  in  this ;  nearly  everybody  drank  some  form  of 
liquor,  and  down  to  a  much  later  date  farm  hands  had  their 
"little  brown  jug"  of  rum  or  applejack  for  companionship 
in  hay  and  grainfield.  Xot  all  the  strong  drink  came  up  the 
river,  however:  large  consignments  of  applejack  (the  real 
article)  were  shipped  from  Bergen  County  distilleries  to  Xew 
York  and  the  South,  for  it  was  then  a  famous  beverage. 

River  Edge,  where  Captain  Stephen  Lozier  had  a  general 
store,  was  one  of  the  important  "ports"  of  the  Hackensack. 
Tradition  tells  us  that  two  substantial  sloops  were  launched 
from  a  "shipyard"  below  the  bridge  early  in  the  last 
centuiy.  Here,  in  the  winter  and  early  spring,  long  lines 
of  woodsleds  awaited  their  turn  to  unload,  and  by  the  time 
navigation  opened  thousands  of  cords  of  wood  in  great  rows 
were  ready  for  shipment  to  the  city  and  the  South. 

James  Blair,  a  gentleman  whose  years  carry  his  memory* 
far  in  retrospection,  tells  of  the  schooner  Charity,  which  ran 


8  WIND-JAMMERS  OF  THE  HACKEXSACK 

on  the  river  in  the  thirties  of  eighteen  hundred ;  and  he  had  a 
bill,  dated  March  24,  1842,  for  making  mainsail,  foresail, 
gafftopsail  and  jib  for  the  schooner  A.  C.  Zabriskie,  Avho  was 
owner  and  captain  of  the  boat.  Mr.  Blair's  father  was  the 
sailmaker;  he  and  a  partner  had  their  sail  lofts  on  West 
Street,  New  York,  where  they  fitted  out  many  clippers  and 
other  full-rigged  ships  that  won  fame  on  the  Atlantic  and 
Pacific. 

And  this  brings  us  to  the  vehicles  of  carriage  of  merchan- 
dise. One  of  the  best  known  up-river  boats  of  earlier  days 
was  the  Kate  LawTence,  OAAaied  by  the  Van  Buskirks  of  New 
Milford.  She  was  first  commanded  by  Captain  Joe  White- 
head, and  then  by  Captain  "Bob,"  a  colored  man  whose 
surname,  if  it  ever  existed,  does  not  appear  on  the  tablets  of 
time.  The  Kate  Lawrence  was  caught  in  the  ice  near  the 
Peter  I.  Ackerman  place  (north  of  Captain  Phelps'  Red 
Towers)  and  destroyed  by  fire.  Another  early  boat  was  the 
Stewart,  a  lumber  and  coal  schooner  of  which  Dick  Hawkey, 
one  of  the  most  fearless  men  on  the  river,  was  captain.  The 
Jasper,  owTied  by  the  Demarests  of  Old  Bridge,  was  a  noted 
freighter  that  afterward  became  the  John  Lovett  in  the  brick 
trade.  The  Farmer,  Captain  David  A.  Zabriskie  of  New 
Bridge,  owner  and  master,  plowed  the  raging  river  for  sev- 
eral years  and  then  laid  her  hull  to  rest  on  the  jagged  rocks 
of  Bergen  Point,  her  cargo  of  potatoes  going  to  feed  the  mer- 
maids of  Newark  Bay  and  the  Kills. 

Captain  David  A.  Bogert,  a  brother  of  Andrew,  also  ran 
a  schooner,  in  the  coast  and  Long  Island  Sound  trade.  He 
was  knoA^Ti  as  the  most  fastidious  captain  who  walked  the 
deck  of  a  Hackensack  sailing  craft.  It  is  told  of  him  that 
when  he  saw  a  vessel  approaching  which  would  pass  near,  he 
called  for  his  frock  coat  and  "stovepipe"  hat  (marks  of 
dignitj^  and  distinction),  and  thus  attired  would  salute  with 
the  grace  of  an  admiral  on  quarterdeck  parade.  But  in 
stress  of  weather,  when  winds  raved  and  sang  through  the 
rigging,  Dandy  Dave  Bogert  was  in  his  element,  as  cool  and 
masterful  as  the  captain  of  a  seventy-four  frigate  maneuver- 
ing to  pour  a  broadside  into  an  enemy.  He  carried  every 
thread  of  canvas  the  masts  would  stand  under,  and  caused  the 
foam  to  fly  from  the  bows  in  wide-rolling  waves. 

A  large  and  staunch  schooner  was  Christian  Cole's  Henry 
Brown  of  New  Bridge,  in  the  Albany  and  coast  trade  but 
doing  general  freighting;  a  fast  sailer  that  maintained  the 
lead  of  a  steam  freighter  from  New  York  to  near  the  flats 
south  of  Albany.  Barney  Cole's  Onward  carried  coal,  wood 
and  lime.  So  did  the  Caleb  Wood,  Captain  Tom  lianta,  her 
name  being  changed  to  that  of  her  owner,  Ira  W.  Hoover; 
she  was  subsequently  sailed  in   Chesapeake  Bay  trade  by 


WIND-JAMMERS  OF  THE  HACKENSACK  9 

Captain  Joseph  Kiiizley,  who  became  a  noted  veteran  of  the 
brick  fleet  on  the  river,  and  is  now  a  "land  lubber"  basking 
in  the  gathering  shadows  of  time,  enjoj'ing  well-earned  peace 
as  an  employe  of  the  connty. 

The  Two  Sisters  was  commanded  by  Captain  Henry  Berry. 
And  the  A.  0.  Zabriskie  was  run  by  Captain  Dave  Pareells, 
succeeded  by  Captain  Henry  Lozier,  two  of  the  most  cele- 
brated men  on  the  Hackensack. 

Among  some  noted  sailing  craft  of  the  sixties  and  seventies 
were  the  John  Anderson,  commanded  by  Captain  Berry  and 
later  by  Captain  Patrick  Brown,  father  of  "Strong-arm 
Bill"  of  the  Hackensack  police  force;  the  boat  was  in  the 
Carolina  trade,  bringing  north  many  cargoes  of  lumber,  and 
shingles  that  were  split  and  trimmed  here.  The  Mary  B. 
Kimball ;  the  Dr.  Hasbrouck,  named  after  the  noted  physician 
who  was  contemporaneous  with  Dr.  "Hen."  Hopper;  the 
Tradesman,  the  Fashion,  the  John  Lawrence,  the  Sunrise ; 
the  Mary  B.  Jewitt,  o^^^led  and  commanded  by  Captain 
Kinzley;  the  Mary  McCabe — all  came,  had  their  day  and 
passed  to  that  "haven  under  the  hill"  where  bleach  the 
keels  of  triremes  of  old,  stately  ships,  luggers  and  other  craft 
of  high  and  low  degree.  To  many  sailormen  their  ships  were 
sentient  entities,  and  their  loss  was  occasion  for  sorrow. 

In  later  years  a  considerable  fleet  of  brick  schooners  came 
into  being  and  ran  its  destined  course.  The  John  Schmults, 
Fancy,  Ophelia,  Magic,  William  Low,  Joseph  Hammond, 
Elizabeth  Washburn,  Robert  Blair,  Samuel  Cunningham, 
Albert  G.  Lawson,  Philip  Mehrhof;  Stephen  Underbill, 
changed  to  Annie  Mehrhof ;  Nicholas  Mehrhof,  Wm.  S.  Peck, 
Peter  Mehrhof.  Most  prominent  of  the  captains  was  Joe 
Kinzley,  Sr.,  w^ho  by  seniority  of  service  was  the  admiral  of 
the  fleet  and  retired  from  the  quarterdeck  a  year  ago  (1915)  ; 
Captains  Fred  and  John  Christie,  two  rugged  sea  dogs  and 
able  navigators ;  Captain  Mike  Brown,  Captain  Hank  Money, 
Captain  Louis  Bradbury;  Captain  George  IMehrhof,  one  of 
the  youngest  but  most  competent  sailors  of  his  day,  who  did 
not  live  to  attain  great  age,  but  had  the  esteem  of  all  river- 
men;  Captain  Jack  Fitzpatriek,  Captains  Patrick  and  Peter 
Fagan,  Captain  John  Orth,  Captain  Walter  Kinzley,  and  a 
few  others  not  recalled. 

Five  and  six  men  constituted  a  crew,  and  naturally  a  num- 
ber of  those  in  the  service  were  not  crowned  with  sainthood, 
for  the  life  was  not  conducive  to  the  development  of  high 
moral  or  social  ideals.  Many  are  the  wild  and  roystering 
incidents  related  regarding  them.  One  of  these  stories  con- 
cerns the  disregard  for  matters  religious  manifested  by  mis- 
chievous before-the-mast  men  who  foregathered  with  certain 
bibulous  chairmakers   of   Cherry   Hill    (North   Hackensack, 


10  WIND-JAMMERS  OF  THE  HACKEXSACK 

since  the  great  cyclone).  Instigated  by  the  Devil,  who  was 
assisted  by  his  insidious  ally  Apple  Jack,  these  rakehellies 
attended  a  Sunday  service  where  ''JMart"  Vreeland,  a  local 
preacher,  expounded  the  text,  "Look  not  upon  the  wine  when 
it  is  red."  Familiar  with  the  special  wickedness  of  some  of 
his  congregation  and  the  general  worldliness  of  most  of  them, 
the  preacher  seemed  inspired  on  that  bright  Sabbath  after- 
noon, with  the  world  bathed  in  the  smile  of  God.  He  de- 
nounced sin  in  all  its  hideousness,  telling  the  unregenerate 
what  port  they  were  steering  for,  and  how  some  of  them 
w^ould  be  engulfed  in  the  lake  of  fire  that  never  cools  unless 
they  took  a  true  course  for  the  harbor  of  salvation.  Just 
then  a  fuddled  wind-jammer  cried  out,  "That's  a  damn  lie." 
This  interruption  was  passed  by  with  a  rebuke  and  caution- 
ary admonition,  but  when  another  disturber  repeated  the  im- 
polite and  emphatic  contradiction  the  whole  party  w^as  sum- 
marily compelled  to  w'alk  the  plank  out  of  the  holy  temple. 
They  returned  to  their  cups  while  the  "dominie"  issued 
more  vigorous  fulminations  against  the  sons  of  Belial  and 
the  "three-cent  hell  fire"  that  w^as  "turning  them  into 
svidne. "  Billy  Sunday  could  not  have  given  the  incident  a 
more  lusty  and  waspish  turn  than  did  "Mart"  Vreeland, 
who  made  no  pretensions  to  sensational  evangelism,  counting 
himself  but  a  meek  follower  of  the  Master. 

Wind-jammers  continue  to  carry  brick  from  the  several 
yards  of  Schmults,  the  Mehrhofs,  the  Gardners,  and  others; 
but  the  glory  of  the  old  days  ended  with  the  passing  of  those 
who  were  actors  in  the  old-time  comedies  and  dramas  of  river 
life.  The  men  who  sailed  out  on  their  last  voyage  to  the 
haven  of  the  blessed  are  remembered  by  relatives  and  ship- 
mates who  expect  to  greet  them  wiien  their  own  craft  shall 
beach  upon  the  shining  sands  of  eternity. 

Few  serious  disasters  befell  the  Haekensack  River  sailor- 
men;  but  Captain  Andrew^  Bogert,  brother  of  Captain  David 
A.,  and  father  of  Cornelius  A.  Bogert,  now  a  resident  of 
Haekensack,  was  overtaken  by  the  fate  of  so  many  who  "go 
down  to  the  sea  in  ships."  Captain  Andrew  was  master  of 
the  300-ton  schooner  Judge  Baker.  He  sailed  from  Sandy 
Hook  on  a  Saturday  morning  in  November,  1855,  in  tow  by 
a  sea  tug  that  had  another  schooner,  and  he  hoped  to  get  to 
Philadelphia  in  time  for  church  on  Sunday.  A  terrific  storm 
came  up  after  they  W'ere  outside  Sandy  Hook  headed  south ; 
during  the  night  the  Judge  Baker  was  lost  by  her  tow  and 
went  ashore  near  Long  Branch,  proving  a  total  loss  with  her 
valua])Ie  cargo  of  dyestuft's.  On  Sunday  morning  the  bodies 
of  Captain  Jiogert  and  his  wife  were  washed  asliore  and  re- 
covered ;  no  member  of  the  crew  was  found.  Instead  of  hear- 
ing worldly   chimes  on   that   Sunday   morning,    the   devout 


WIXD-JA^^niERS  OF  THE  HACKENSACK  11 

captain  and  his  faithful  helpmeet  were  listening  to  the  music 
of  the  choir  invisible  that  sings  praise  to  the  Lamb. 

While  a  steam-propelled  vessel  is  not  a  wind-jammer,  it  is 
proper  that  reference  should  be  made  to  such  craft  as  played 
a  part  in  Hackensack  River  trade.  First  of  these  on  record 
w'as  the  Thomas  Swan,  owned  by  Schmults  &  Dunges,  but 
she  was  found  to  draw  too  much  water  for  the  shallow 
channel. 

Next  came  the  Hackensack,  built  at  Belleville  for  Judge 
Huyler,  John  H.  T.  Banta  and  John  S.  Lozier.  She  was  of 
175  tons,  110  feet  long,  23  feet  beam,  and  was  commanded  by 
Captain  Henry  Lozier,  then  a  young  man.  Intended  for  the 
coal  and  lumber  trade  between  Philadelphia,  Albany  and  the 
Hackensack  River,  the  boat  was  soon  diverted  to  the  more  im- 
portant and  profitable  service  of  carrying  suttlers'  supplies 
from  Philadelphia,  New  York  and  Washington  to  City  Point, 
Va.  The  Hackensack  was  at  City  Point  in  April,  1865,  while 
the  last  great  battle  of  the  Rebellion  was  being  fought  at 
Petersburg,  Va.  Captain  Lozier  tells  us  that  the  boom  of 
the  big  guns  could  be  distinctly  heard  when  the  wind  was 
right,  and  at  night  the  sky  was  illumined  by  the  flash.  It 
was  a  trying  time  for  the  Union  men.  General  Fitzpatrick, 
provost  marshal  at  City  Point,  ordered  Captain  Lozier  to 
have  his  boat,  the  only  steamer  there,  ready  to  tow  away  a 
fleet  of  sloops  and  schooners  in  case  of  disaster.  This  was 
unnecessary,  as  word  came  the  following  day  that  the  rebels 
were  defeated  and  in  retreat  for  Richmond. 

The  last  steamboat  to  be  owTied  and  run  by  Hackensack 
River  men  was  the  tug  Wesley  Stoney,  also  built  at  Belle- 
ville; she  was  the  property  of  Captain  D.  Anderson  Za- 
briskie,  who  was  pilot,  and  Captain  Henry  Lozier,  engineer. 
The  Stoney,  named  in  honor  of  a  gentleman  then  of  Cherry 
Hill,  became  known  to  all  rivermen  within  the  waters  con- 
necting with  New  York  harbor.  She  towed  hundreds  of 
scows  and  sailing  vessels  up  and  down  the  river.  After  be- 
ing sold  by  Captains  Zabriskie  and  Lozier  the  tug  was 
burned;  rebuilt  and  called  Elsie  K.,  she  continued  in  service 
until  1915,  when  she  was  sunk  and  her  then  captain  drowned 
with  her. 

There  is  prospect  that  the  silent  sail  of  wind-januuers  of 
the  Hackensack  wall  eventually  disappear — give  way  to  elec- 
tricity, the  propelling  power  of  the  future.  Then  will 
romance  and  adventure  have  ceased  to  lure  men  to  go  down 
to  the  sea  in  ships;  the  broad  reaches  of  the  stream  will  no 
more  see  spreading  canvas  stretched  abroad  to  catch  the 
favoring  wind.  River  life  will  be  void  of  interest — a  mourn- 
ful monotony. 


12  WIND-JAMMERS  OF  THE  HACKENSACK 

Xo  more  will  be  heard  the  sympathetic  exclamation  of  the 
old  tar  in  a  howling  gale: 

''A  strong  nor 'wester 's  blowing,  Bill; 

Hark !  don 't  you  hear  it  roar,  now  ? 
Lord  help  'em,  how  I  pities  them 

Unhappy  folks  on  shore  now!" 

Having  exploited  the  wind-jammers  proper,  it  may  be  ap- 
propriate to  pay  tribute  to  another,  more  dainty  style  of 
craft,  designed  for  pleasure  rather  than  to  forward  the  in- 
terests of  money-grubbers.  This  refers  to  the  yacht  class, 
those  beautifully  modeled  boats  that  "walked  the  water  like 
things  of  life."  With  tackle  trim,  sails  filled  and  streamers 
waving,  they  were  courted  by  the  winds  as  a  frolicsome  flirt 
alluringly  attired  drew  in  her  train  susceptible  gallants.  Of 
the  modern  yacht  there  need  be  no  mention,  but  going  back 
more  than  half  a  century,  here  is  a  local  item  from  The 
Journal,  a  Hackensack  weekly,  of  the  summer  of  1858 : 

"The  nautical  spirit  was  strong  upon  some  of  the  young 
men  of  the  day,  one  of  the  leading  spirits  being  John  J. 
Anderson — in  fact  Uncle  John  was  always  one  of  the  boys, 
ready  for  any  legitimate  diversion.  Thus  we  find  him  com- 
mander of  the  yacht  Ino,  largest  in  the  fleet  on  the  river, 
sailing  against  the  other  tars  of  the  to\\Ti.  Christian  Miller 
sailed  the  Rebecca,  George  Ackerman  the  Mary  R.,  R.  R. 
Hawkey  the  Ripple,  C.  Huyler  the  Flirt.  The  Ino,  being 
the  largest  boat,  had  to  give  her  competitors  a  handicap. 
The  course  was  from  Hackensack  to  Secaucus,  but  variable 
winds  made  it  impossible  to  meet  time  requirements.  So 
there  was  no  race,  and  the  beautiful  silver  cake  basket  was 
put  away  in  its  case," 

Let  these  vagrant  lines  pass  on  to  their  mission  with  a  brief 
appreciation  of  a  woman  who  was  as  much  at  home  on  or  in 
the  water  as  in  the  social  circle.  To  man  or  woman  his  or 
her  loved  one  never  grows  old.  When  sunset  days  crown  the 
beauty  of  serene  age,  and  the  bride  of  the  once  beardless 
youth  can  say  she  has  still  "lost  the  husband  in  the  lover," 
there  is  compensation  in  life  of  unspeakable  value.  So  the 
friends  of  Mrs.  John  W.  Schmults  see  in  her  smiling  face  and 
laughing  eyes  the  "Kittie"  Miller  of  earlier  days:  a  woman 
with  a  remarkable  record  as  a  Diana  of  the  chase,  adventur- 
ous traveler,  crack  shot  with  the  rifle,  expert  rower,  swimmer 
and  all-around  athlete;  and  the  first  woman  to  ride  a  bicycle 
in  Hackensack.  As  Kittie  Miller,  daughter  of  Captain  Chris. 
Miller,  she  took  part  in  a  sailing  race  on  the  river.  Her  little 
craft,  which  skimmed  the  water  like  the  flash  of  a  swallow, 
was  painted  black  on  one  side  and  gold  on  the  other,  thus 


WIND-JAMMERS  OF  THE  HACKENSACK  13 

proving  a  great  puzzle  to  the  judges,  who  failed  to  recognize 
the  "flicker"  as  it  returned  after  rounding  the  stakeboat. 
Mrs.  Sehmults  is  a  familiar  figure  in  Plackensaek  today,  and 
delights  to  recount  the  merry  days  of  the  La  Favorita  Boat 
Club,  when  there  was  real  life  on  the  then  clean  watei's  of 
our  river. 

Acknowledgement  is  made  to  Joseph  Kinzley,  Jr.,   son  of  Captain  Kinzley, 
for  valued  material  supplied  for  this  paper. 


HACKENSACK  TOWNSHIP, 

BERGEN  COUNTY, 

PROVINCE  OF  EAST  NEW  JERSEY, 

1693. 

Facts  and  Figures  from  Eight  Hundred  Manuscripts,  the 
Gift  of  Abraham  R.   Collins. 

Compiled  by  Frances  A.  Westervelt. 


These  manuscripts,  pertaining  to  the  Township  of  Hacken- 
sack,  date  from  1742  (and  by  inference  to  almost  a  century 
earlier)  to  1835  and  touch  on  the  lives  of  a  people  during 
three  periods:  Colonial,  Revolutionary  and  the  beginning  of 
a  government  "By  the  People." 

The  paper  used  (the  writing  being  mostly  in  English)  pos- 
sibly suggests  the  scarcity  and  value  of  paper.  Many  pieces 
bear  two  or  three  documents  dated  several  years  apart. 

They  are  written  in  ink,  some  still  dark  while  others  are 
faded.  The  spelling  and  penmanship  in  some  cases  are  good 
and  in  many  very  poor. 

The  signatures  to  the  instruments  are  also  interesting  for 
while  many  are  simply  "his  mark"  some  have  signed  their 
names  and  then  affixed  their  "thumb  mark"  (as  shown  by 
cut). 

The  deeds,  some  of  which  are  on  parchment,  alone  make 
an  interesting  collection  and  the  close  study  of  their  contents 
required  for  this  compilation,  produces  the  impression  that 
a  personal  acquaintance  has  been  made  of  these  worthy 
people  of  long  ago. 

On  the  following  pages  will  be  found  extracts  from  these 
manuscripts  and  it  is  the  intention  of  the  compiler  to  give 
to  the  Society  a  review  of  these  important  i)apers  and  to  so 
arrange  it  that  the  interest  of  the  reader  will  be  retained. 

"Dutchland,  beloved!     Dear  old  New  Jersey! 
Where  the  true  hearted  come  forth  as  of  yore; 
Winding  thy  rivers,  fertile  thy  lowlands, 
Upward  thy  Palisades  loom  evermore." 

INTRODUCTION  OF  BERGEN  COUNTY. 

1682. 

"The  first  session  of  the  Colonial  Assembly  was  held  at 
Elizabeth  Town  March  1st,  1682.     An  act  dividing  the  ter- 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  15 

ritory  into  four  counties — Bergen,  Essex,  etc.,  was  approved. 
For  the  first  time  commissioners  were  appointed  to  lay  out 
roads,  provide  ferries  and  bridges;  the  militia  was  established 
upon  a  sound  basis  and  jails  and  i)ounds  were  authorized  in 
all  counties." 

INTRODUCTION    OF   HACKENSACK   TOWNSHIP. 

1692-3. 

The  first  division  of  the  counties  into  townships  was  made 
pursuant  to  two  acts  of  the  Colonial  Assembly,  one  approved 
in  September  1692  and  the  other  in  October,  1693.  The  rea- 
son for  this  division  was  set  forth  in  the  preamble  to  the  sec- 
ond of  the  above  mentioned  acts  as  follows : 

''Whereas,  several  things  is  to  be  done  by  the  inhabitants 
of  towTis,  hamlets,  tribes,  or  divisions  within  each  county,  as 
chusing  of  deputies,  constables,  &c.,  taxing  and  collecting 
of  several  rates  for  publick  uses  and  making  orders  amongst 
themselves  respectively  about  swine,  fences,  &c. " 

"Whereas,  a  great  many  settlements  are  not  reckoned 
within  any  such  town  or  division,  nor  the  bounds  of  the  re- 
puted to^\^ls  ascertained  by  means  thereof  the  respective  con- 
stables know  not.  their  districts,  and  many  other  inconven- 
iences arising  from  them,  and  fore  as  much  as  the  act  made 
in  September,  1692,  for  dividing  the  several  counties  and 
townships  the  time  for  the  returns  of  the  said  divisions,  being 
too  short  and  the  method  of  dividing  by  county  meeting  in- 
convenient.   Therefore,  be  it  enacted,  &c. " 

"It  appears  from  this  act  that  the  ToAvnshhip  of  Ilacken- 
sack  (this  does  not  refer  to  the  village  of  Hackensack,  which 
was  in  the  County  of  Essex  and  Township  of  New  Barbadoes 
luitil  1709)  was  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  province  line  of 
New  York,  on  the  east  by  the  Hudson  River,  on  the  south  by 
corporation  line  of  Bergen,  and  on  the  west  by  the  Hacken- 
sack River."  It  was  ten  miles  long  and  from  three  to  five 
miles  wide.  It  covered  nearly  the  whole  tableland  of  the 
Palisade  Mountains,  and  the  beautiful  valley  of  the  Hacken- 
sack. The  scenery  of  this  region,  including  the  Palisades 
and  the  views  of  the  Hudson  and  its  valleys  from  their  sum- 
mits, is  picturesque  and  romantic.  Here  the  Indians  loved 
to  roam  before  the  advent  of  the  white  man  and  their  bark 
canoes  glided  down  the  smooth  waters  of  the  Hackensack  and 
Overpeck  to  their  summer  resorts  on  Staten  Island.  This 
was  their  avenue  from  Tappan  to  the  Kill  von  Kull  and  out 
among  the  inlets  and  bays  around  New  York." 


16  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

PERSONAL  HISTORY  OF  THE  DEMARESTS  APPEAR- 
ING IN  THESE  PAPERS. 

David  des  Marie,  whose  date  of  landing  in  America  is  taken 
from  an  entry  in  emigrant's  account-book,  is  as  follows: 

"David  des  Marie  from  Picardie  for  passage  and  board, 
when  he  came  here  on  board  the  Bonte  Koe — Spotted  Cow — 

the  16th  of  April,  1663 £39 

For  his   wife 39 

&  four  children  of  18— 11— 6— &— 1  y £175—10—0." 

This  David  was  the  pioneer  of  the  French  Demarest  fam- 
ilies who  settled  in  this  township,  1677. 

A  LETTER  RELATING  TO  THE  ANCESTRAL  PLACE 
OF  THE  NEW  JERSEY  FAMILY  IN  PICARDY. 

As  you  probably  count  among  your  readers  many  hun- 
dreds of  Demarests  in  Hackensack  and  Schraalenburgh,  you 
will,  I  hope,  accord  a  welcome  in  your  columns  to  an  account 
of  my  visit  to  the  ancestral  village  of  Beauchamps,  in  Pic- 
ardy,  from  which  Jean  Demarest,  the  father  of  them  all,  set 
forth  about  300  years  ago.  Last  week,  finding  myself  about 
to  travel  from  Paris  to  London,  I  determined  to  see  with  my 
own  eyes  the  village  which  I  had  so  often  painted  in  fancy. 
The  journey  is  quite  simple  and  may  be  accomplished  by  one 
day's  detour  on  branch  lines.  My  tickets  allowing  stop-over 
privileges  at  Abbeville,  I  left  the  fast  express  here  and  trans- 
ferred to  the  local  trains,  spending  an  hour's  interval  in 
wandering  through  the  picturesque  streets  and  churches  of 
this  ancient  city.  Here  I  came  upon  the  name  over  a  shop 
''Demarest."  A  ride  of  three  hours  in  the  local  train  Avitli 
the  loquacious  commercial  traveler  and  the  silent  priest, 
buried  in  his  tiny  Testament,  brought  me  after  dark  to  the 
town  of  En,  in  Normandy.  Here  I  spent  the  night  at  the 
excellent  provincial  Hotel  du  Commerce,  which  stands  on  the 
market  place  in  the  shadow  of  En's  famous  church.  Here 
already  I  began  to  feel  on  my  native  heath,  for  as  the  intelli- 
gent bookseller  of  whom  I  bought  my  guide  informed  me,  the 
town  is  swarming  with  Demarests,  and  its  towers  overlook 
the  plains  where,  about  four  miles  away,  lies  Beauchamps. 
An  early  morning  train  bi'ought  me  in  about  twenty  minutes 
to  Incheville,  and  upon  debarking  I  could  see  the  red-tiled 
roofs  of  Beauchamps  not  ten  minutes'  walk  away. 

The  village  is  well  named,  for  it  lies  snugly  in  beautiful 
meadows,  surrounded  by  high  hills.  The  tiny  river  Bresle 
curves  in  and  out  along  its  borders  in  the  shade  of  willows 


B.  H.  Allbee 


An  Early  Demarest  House  (builder  and  date  unknown) 
East  of  River  Edge 


FACTS  AXD  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  17 

and  poplars,  and  on  crossing  its  bridge  I  stepped  from  Nor- 
mandy into  Picardy,  and  found  myself  at  last  in  the  village 
of  my  ancestors.  As  I  walked  through  the  narrow  streets 
past  the  old  stone  cottages  people  came  out  to  stare  in  won- 
der, little  guessing  the  strange  nature  of  my  visit.  Many 
houses  seemed  old  enough  to  have  been  standing  when  our 
emigrant  Jean  Demarest  left  the  place  to  found  a  family  in 
the  New  World.  It  is  a  dull  and  sleepy  village  today,  but  as 
I  walked  my  imagination  was  busy  picturing  the  excitement 
of  the  old  days  with  their  fierce  quarrels  or  their  narrow 
escapes.  Passing  the  cafe,  where  one  or  two  market  wagons 
had  halted,  I  followed  the  road  up  the  hill  to  the  church. 
This,  except  for  a  very  new  slate  roof,  is  evidently  the  iden- 
tical old  structure  where  undoubtedly  Jean  and  his  fellows 
refused  to  worship,  a  simple,  unornate  building  of  ancient 
date.  As  we  approached,  a  flock  of  school  children  came  out, 
followed  by  the  cure,  who  disappeared  into  the  milliner's 
shop  opposite.  Thinking  he  would  be  as  intelligent  as  any 
one,  I  modestly  knocked  at  the  door  and  was  shown  into  the 
milliner's  parlors,  where  were  the  cure  and  several  women. 
They  were  very  much  interested  in  our  story  and  to  learn 
that  their  village  had  thousands  of  descendants  in  the  New 
World,  and  even  a  village  named  after  one  of  its  families. 
The  cure,  however,  evidently  loved  old  \nne  better  than  old 
facts — called  history — and  could  give  no  information  on 
either  church  or  village  archives.  If  any  records  still  exist 
they  would  be  found  at  Amiens. 

The  milliner  pointed  out  to  me  the  house,  four  doors  below 
bers,  which  he  called  "la  maison  Demarest."  In  it  lives 
Madame  Alphonse  Poignj-,  whose  maiden  name  was  Augus- 
tine Demarest.  Upon  knocking,  the  door  was  opened  by  a 
woman  of  sixty — Madame  Poigny  herself.  I  endeavored  to 
explain  to  her  the  strange  nature  of  my  visit.  As  I  put  it, 
she  and  I  were  undoubtedly  cousins  300  years  ago!  "And 
you  are  still  young!"  exclaimed  her  husband  to  me,  his  vil- 
lage mind  not  being  able  at  once  to  stretch  three  centuries 
and  to  comprehend  at  a  flash  so  extraordinary  a  reason  as 
mine  for  calling.  When  they  really  understood  who  I  was 
the  old  lady  was  much  interested.  I  asked  her  to  A\Tite  her 
name,  which  I  only  heard  pronounced  in  the  French,  like 
Demare,  and  to  my  surprise  she  wrote  "Demarest" — just  as 
we  spell  it  today  in  our  new  home.  This  is  undoubtedly 
the  correct  spelling.  The  most  astonishing  fact  about  the  old 
lady  was  that  she  had  never  heard  of  the  Huguenots.  How- 
ever, she  was  apparently  very  intelligent  and  well  educated. 
She  had  light  brown  hair  and  large  blue  eyes,  with  a  rarely 
sweet  smile,  and  was  evidently  of  an  ingenuous  and  un- 
worldly nature.    I  felt  towards  her  the  greatest  interest.    She 


18  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 


offered  me  the  frigid  hospitality  of  her  "salon,"  but  I  pre- 
ferred to  remain  in  the  living-room.  Here  was  a  fireplace  so 
big  that  we  could  sit  in  it  and  look  up  to  the  sky.  Over  the 
logs  hung  a  kettle  containing,  I  suppose,  the  family  dinner. 
There  was  a  tall  clock  and  old  copper  and  brass  utensils  shin- 
ing like  mirrors. 

This  Augustine  Demarest-Poigny  is  the  last  to  bear  the 
name,  her  daughters  bearing  just  the  name  of  Poigny,  then 
of  their  husbands.  As  this  house  had  been  built  by  her 
father,  Pierre  Demarest,  madame  directed  us  to  a  much  older 
one,  where  her  grandfather,  Pierre,  had  lived.  On  descend- 
ing from  the  church  I  turned  to  the  left  on  the  high  road  to 
Gamaches.  The  house  is  some  distance  along  on  the  right- 
hand,  opposite  the  Cafe  Le  Paul.  It  is  a  very  ancient  stone 
building,  Avith  hedge-bordered  gardens  running  down  to  the 
river  Bresle,  and  numerous  old  stone  barns.  It  is  at  present 
rented  to  a  man  named  Flamaud.  Whether  our  Jean,  300 
years  ago,  lived  in  this  house  on  this  site  we  mil  probably 
never  know,  but  the  present  structure  bears  evidence  of  being 
several  centuries  old.  Bidding  good-bye  to  madame,  my 
cousin,  I  recrossed  the  bridge  and  walked  over  the  "beautiful 
meadows"  to  the  station,  where  I  caught  my  last  glimpse  of 
Beauchamps,  nestled  in  the  trees.  The  visit  had  been  full  of 
interest,  knowing  as  I  did  that  I  was  treading  the  very  roads 
of  my  ancestors — men  of  whom  we  have  every  reason  to  be 
proud,  for  they  loved  home  and  country  and  suffered  perse- 
cution rather  than  prove  false  to  their  consciences. 

Comparatively  few  of  our  old  American  families  have  pre- 
served the  memory  of  the  names  of  their  native  villages,  and 
few  old  settlements  have,  I  fancy,  changed  less  in  300  years 
than  the  sleepy  little  hamlet  of  Beauchamps  in  Picardy. 

Caro  Lloyd  Withington, 

of  Nutley,  N.  J. 
London,  April  19,  1900. 

(Courtesy  of  Bergen  County  Democrat.) 

Ill  Peter  (Jean--Davidi) '  youngest  child  and  fifth  son  of 
Jean  and  Jacomina  (De  Ruine)  Demarest,  was  b.  at  Hacken- 
sack,  N.  J.,  in  1683;  died  at  New  Bridge,  Aug.  31st,  1763 
Buried  in  French  Cemetery. 

He  was  a  man  of  marked  ability  and  wealth  and  possessed 
large  tracts  of  laiul  in  and  about  Schraalenburgh.  His  will, 
a  (juaint  document  dated  April  1st,  1763,  can  be  seen  in  the 
archives  of  the  State  at  Trenton,  N.  J. 

His  eldest  son,  Peter  P.,  seems  to  have  been  the  most 
favored  of  all  the  children.     He  gave  him  his  walking  cane 

(marked  P.  M.  M.  R.,  1724) 
and  silver  buckles  for  his  birthright  and  twenty  pounds  New 


( 

The  cane  bequeathed  to  Peler  P.  Demaresl  in 
1763,  who  willed  it  to  his  son-in-law  Abraham  Ely, 
from  whom  it  has  descended  through  four  genera- 
tions to  William  Ely,  1916.  It  is  of  malacca  and 
has  an  ivory  top  and  silver  band. 


o      ^jr. 


m^cJ^ 


■'^^,u£{c>!>^^"- 


mf 


"Hands  and  Seals"  on  the  Article  of  Agreement 


FACTS  AXD  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  19 

York  currency  because  he  had  no  trade.  (He  was  the  only 
son  that  made  "his  mark.") 

He  also  received  a  part  of  the  woodland  and  clear  land 
where  he  lives,  bonding-  on  the  wood  edge  and  on  the  road 
which  leads  to  Schraalenburgh,  also  gives  him  forty  acres 
and  his  seat  in  the  "meeting-house."  Jacobus  receives  laud 
"where  he  now  lives,"  also  shares  in  real  estate;  carpenter 
tools,  wearing  apparel  and  farm  implements.  To  his  twelve 
daughters  he  left  all  his  movable  estate. 

He  married  1st  Marritje  Meet,  May  14,  1709,  at  Hacken- 
sack — he  a  young  man  and  she  a  young  daughter.  They  had 
many  children,  one,  Petrus  (P.),  b.  March  30th,  1715,  and 
by  second  wife  Maria — dau.  of  Jack  and  Margaret  (Sans) 
Batton,  b.  March  6th,  1704;  d.  Jan.,  1794  (she  married  2d 
Barant  Cole) — They  had  John,  b.  December,  1732  (a  Revo- 
lutionary soldier),  and  Jacobus,  b.  Apr.  21,  1735;  d.  1807; 
collector  and  justice  of  peace. 

Arlirlr  of  Agrrpmrnt,  made  and  concluded  this  sixteenth 
day  of  April,  one  thousand,  seven  hundred  and  sixty- 
eight,  between  Petter  (Peter)  Demarest,  John  Demarest 
(Eev.  soldier).  Jacobus  Demarest  (Esqr.),  David  Dema- 
rest and  Samuel  Demarest,  all  of  Hackensack,  in  ye  county 
of  Bargin  and  provence  of  East  Jersey,  are  as  fol- 
loweth  namely  where  as  we  have  made  a  division  of 
all  ye  lands  that  was  our  Honored  Father  Peter  Demarest, 
dec'd,  which  land  lieth  in  ye  Township  of  Hackensack,  we 
for  our  selves  and  our  heirs,  executors,  covenant  ])romise 
engage  to  each  other  and  their  heirs,  executors  &  admintra- 
tors  in  ye  Penal  sum  of  one  thousand  pounds  procklamation 
money  that  we  and  our  heirs,  executors  and  administrators 
shall  &  will  from  time  to  time  and  at  all  time  here  after  pay 
our  equal  proportion  (according  to  our  division)  of  costs  and 
charges  to  defend  our  said  land  against  all  ye  lawful  claims 
and  demands  of  any  person  or  persons  whatever,  in  witness 
hereunto  we  set  our  Hands  &  Seals  the  day  and  date  above 
said. 

COPY    OF    JACOBUS    DEMAREST,    ESQ.'S,    FAMILY 
RECORD,  WRITTEN  IN  DUTCH  BY  HIMSELF. 

Ik.  Jacobus  Demarest  ben  Gebooven  April  Den  21  n  1735 
Myn  Vrouw  Maria  Smith  is  gebooven  April  Den  1st  1741  Wy 
Syn  Getrout  February  De  26st  1758  (marriage)  onji  soon 
Peter  is  Gerbooven  January  13  1759  onje  soon  Phillip  is 
Gebooven  May  26st  1761  onje  soon  Jacobus  is  Gerbooven 
December  31st  1766  onji  sou  David  is  Gerbooven  June  lOd 
1769  onji  Doghter  Rebecka  is  Gebooven  September  26lh  1771 


v^.I^.^.  ..^iC./:-^.-'-  ''"^"''^ll  OC^^  w6^ 

•/  r^-^^  r^^  4^0  ^^A"*^      wtx-  vs^ 


"Hands  and  Seals"  on  (he  Article  of  Agreement 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  19 

York  currency  because  he  had  no  trade.  (He  was  the  only 
son  that  made  "his  mark.") 

He  also  received  a  part  of  the  woodland  and  clear  land 
where  he  lives,  bonding  on  the  wood  edge  and  on  the  road 
which  leads  to  Schraalenburgh,  also  gives  him  forty  acres 
and  his  seat  in  the  "meeting-house."  Jacobus  receives  land 
"where  he  now  lives,"  also  shares  in  real  estate;  carpenter 
tools,  wearing  apparel  and  farm  implements.  To  his  twelve 
daughters  he  left  all  his  movable  estate. 

He  married  1st  Marritje  Meet,  May  14,  1709,  at  Hacken- 
sack — he  a  young  man  and  she  a  young  daughter.  They  had 
many  children,  one,  Petrus  (P.),  b.  March  30th,  1715,  and 
by  second  wife  Maria — dan.  of  Jack  and  Margaret  (Sans) 
Batton,  b.  March  6th,  1704;  d.  Jan.,  1794  (she  married  2d 
Barant  Cole) — They  had  John,  b.  December,  1732  (a  Revo- 
lutionary soldier),  and  Jacobus,  b.  Apr.  21,  1735;  d.  1807; 
collector  and  justice  of  peace. 

Artirlf  of  Agrrrmrnt,  made  and  concluded  this  sixteenth 
day  of  April,  one  thousand,  seven  hundred  and  sixty- 
eight,  between  Petter  (Peter)  Demarest,  John  Demarest 
(Rev.  soldier),  Jacobus  Demarest  (Esqr.),  David  Dema- 
rest and  Samuel  Demarest,  all  of  Hackensack,  in  ye  county 
of  Bargin  and  provence  of  East  Jersey,  are  as  fol- 
loweth  namely  where  as  we  have  made  a  division  of 
all  ye  lands  that  was  our  Honored  Father  Peter  Demarest, 
dec'd,  which  land  lieth  in  ye  Township  of  Hackensack,  we 
for  our  selves  and  our  heirs,  executors,  covenant  promise 
engage  to  each  other  and  their  heirs,  executors  &  admintra- 
tors  iu  ye  Penal  sum  of  one  thousand  pounds  procklamation 
money  that  we  and  our  heirs,  executors  and  administrators 
shall  &  will  from  time  to  time  and  at  all  time  here  after  pay 
our  equal  proportion  (according  to  our  division)  of  costs  and 
charges  to  defend  our  said  land  against  all  ye  lawful  claims 
and  demands  of  any  person  or  persons  whatever,  in  witness 
hereunto  we  set  our  Hands  &  Seals  the  day  and  date  above 
said. 

COPY    OF    JACOBUS    DEMAREST,    ESQ.'S,    FAMILY 
RECORD,  WRITTEN  IN  DUTCH  BY  HIMSELF. 

Ik.  Jacobus  Demarest  ben  Gebooven  April  Den  21  n  1735 
Myn  Vrouw  ]\Iaria  Smith  is  gebooven  April  Den  1st  1741  Wy 
Syn  Getrout  February  De  26st  1758  (marriage)  onji  soon 
Peter  is  Gerbooven  January  13  1759  onje  soon  Phillip  is 
Gebooven  May  26st  1761  onje  soon  Jacobus  is  Gerbooven 
December  31st  1766  onji  sou  David  is  Gerbooven  June  lOd 
1769  onji  Doghter  Rebecka  is  Gebooven  September  26th  1771 


20  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

onji   Doghter   *Maria  is   Gebooven   January   18d   1776   onji 
Doghter  Margretie  is  Gebooven  December  lid  1778. 
(*Maria  married  William  Ely.) 

(Deaths.) 

Myn  Vaeder  Peter  Demarest  is  overleden  den  31st  Au- 
gustus 1763  out  Zyde  80  yaer  onje  Doghter  Rebeeka  is  over- 
leeden  Augustus  12  1780  Myn  Suster  Margretie  is  overleden 
November  18  1790  Myn  moeder  Demarest  is  overleden  Den 
January  6th  1794  onje  soon  David  Demarest  is  overleden  Den 
10th  September  1803 

"DEI^IAREST"     AND     THE     VARIOUS     SPELLINGS 

FOUND. 

1663 — des  marie. 

1722 — On  a  document  signed  is  David  de  marest. 

1724— P.  D.  M.  R.— Peter  De  Ma  Ra. 

1732— Mares. 

1754 — de  Marry. 

1755— piter  De  More  St. 

1768 — Demaree. 

Domorie. 

Mrs.  De  Wedue  Mareest. 

Demera. 

Demorest. 

De  Marest. 

Marest. 

De  Maretz. 

Dumorist. 

Demarest. 
1807 — Demamerest. 

1807  Death  of  Jacobus  Demarest,  Esq., 

Oct.  21,  1807. 

Death  of  Maria  Smith,  wife  of  Jacobus  Demarest, 
Oct.  12,  1829. 

Peter  Demarest  Bougt  of  Lucas  Van  Boswerck 
For  the  funeral  of  Esqr.  Demarest 
Oct.  22,  1807 

5  Gallons  of  wine £2.15.0 

1/2  Do  of  Spirits 5.0 

6  Doz.  of  pipes 0.  2.9 

3  half  pound  papers  of  Tobacco 0.  1.6 

Rec'd  payment 

Lucas  Van  Boskerck. 


Home  of  Jacobus  Demarest,  New  Bridge 


S.  Bennett 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  21 


1807  November  21th  1807 

Received  of  Mary  Demamerest  the  sum  of  three  Dollars 
and  twelve  Cents  for  tending  the  funeral  of  Jacobus  Dem- 
arest  Decease. 

Albert  N.  Van  Voohis. 

1807 

Rec'd  October  27  1807  of  Mary  Demarest  Excntrix  of  the 
Last  will  of  Jacobus  Demarest  Deceased  four  Dollars  fees  for 
proving,  Engrosing  Probating  Recording  &  filing  the  will  of 
said  Deceased  including  proof  to  be  taken  on  inventory. 
$4.00  John  A.  Boyd  Surogate. 

1807 

Rec.  Nov.  1807  of  Mary  Demarest  Executrix  Peter  Dem- 
arest &  William  Ely  Executors  of  the  last  will  of  Jacobus 
Demarest  Deceased  Ninty  six  cents  for  Recording  and  Filing 
Inventory  of  the  personal  estate  of  said  Deceased. 
$0.96.  John  A.  Boyd  Surogate. . 

1807 

Received  December  4th  1807  of  William  Ely  the  sum  of 
two  dollars  in  full  for  serving  as  auctioneer  of  effects  of 
Jacobus  Demarest  Esq — Per  Joh.   Johnson 
$0.96.  John  A.  Boyd  Surrogate. 

Received  Dec.  4,  1807  of  William  Ely  the  sum  of  one  shil- 
ling for  serving  as  Clerk  at  Vandue  of  effects  of  Jacobus 
Demarest  Esq  dececeased. 

(There  were  128  sales.) 

James  Heaton. 

1829 

Nov  4,  1829  Paid  John  Andersen  for  Sundrys  for  Mother's 

(in  law)   funeral $8.88 

Pade  Albert  Van  Vorhis  (undertaker) 3.00 

Pade  Dr.  Hopper 1-50 

"      Cornelus  Herring  for  the  Coffin 0.75 

' '      Black  Wooman  for  washing 50 

7)  $14.63 


$)  2.9 


22  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

SLAVE  PAPERS. 

From  a  fragment  of  the  1783  tax  list  the  following  is 
taken:  **In  1783  there  are  55  slaves."  The  names  of  only 
9  of  those  being  taxed  for  slaves  is  found : 

Peter  Degrot,  Charity  Etsell  (2),  Cornelious  Yreeland, 
Hartman  Brinkerhoff,  John  Brinkerhoff,  Abraham  Montanga 
(2),  Hendrick  Brinkerhoff,  Jacob  Demott  (2),  John  Benson, 
Esq. 

From  the  complete  tax  list  of  1784  the  names  of  those  taxed 
for  slaves  is  given: 

John  G.  Benson,  Peter  Degrote,  Aury  Westervelt,  Lisabeth 
Banta,  Johannes  Brinkerhoff,  Marte  Roelfse  (2),  Sibe  Banta, 
Roelef  Westervelt  (2),  John  Westervelt,  Hendrick  Brinker- 
hoff, J.  M.  Goetschius,  Eve  Banta  (A\adow),  Peter  D.  Dem- 
arest,  Daniel  J.  Demarest,  Daniel  Demarest,  John  Christie, 
John  Buskirk  (2),  Jacob  Lozier  (2),  Johannes  Van  Wagne 
(2),  Jacobus  Brinkerhoff,  Albert  Zabriskie,  Hendrick  H. 
Brinkerhoff,  Casparis  Westervelt,  Cornelius  Bogert,  John 
Powlese  (2),  Dirk  Banta,  Johnis  Bogert,  Jacobus  Bogert, 
David  Demare,  John  Buskirk,  Bakeman  Van  Buren,  Rachel 
Demare,  Isaac  Nicoll,  Jacobus  Demarest. 


DAVID  ACKERMAN'S  SLAVE  PAPER. 

Know  all  men  by  these  presents  that  I  David  Johanas 
Ackerman  of  Tapan  this  Goverment  of  New  York  Miller  for 
and  in  consideration  of  the  sum  of  twenty  pounds  current 
money  to  me  in  hand  pade  or  secured  to  be  pade  by  Petter 
Petterse  Demary  of  Hackensack  in  the  County  of  Bergen, 
Yeoman  whereof  I  do  here  by  acnoledge  and  my  self  fully 
sattisfied  and  pade.  Have  berganed  sold  and  let  over  and 
delivered  unto  the  said  Petter  Petterse  Demoray  one  negro 
boy  about  three  years  of  age  named  Less  In  plain  and  open 
market  according  to  the  due  form  of  the  law  provided  for 
that  purpose,  to  have  and  to  hold  the  said  Bargened  premises 
unto  the  said  Petter  Petterse  Demoray  his  heirs  executers 
administraters  and  assigns  to  the  only  proper  youse  benefit 
and  behoof  of  him  the  said  Petter  Petterse  Demoray  and  I 
the  said  David  Johanas  Ackerman  for  my  self  my  heirs  ex- 
ecuters and  administrate!^  the  barganed  primises  unto  the 
said  Petter  Petterse  Demory  his  heirs  exrs.  and  adminii*s. 
and  assigns  against  all  and  every  person  or  persons  what  so 
ever  and  will  wan-ant  and  for  ever  defend  and  by  these 
presents  in  witness  hereof  to  gather  Avith  the  delivery  of  the 
berganed  primisis  I  have  here  unto  set  my  hand  and  seal 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MAXUSCRIPTS  23 

this  thirteenth  day  of  June  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
sixty  seven  &  in  the  thirtieth  year  of  the  reign  of  our  Soveran 
Lord  George  King  Defender  of  the  Faith 

David  Ackerman 
(The  seal  of  black  wax  bears  a  coat-of-arms.) 

Signed  sealed  &  delivered 
in  the  presents  of  us 

John  Hk^ton.     Richard  Hkvton 

THE  PERRY  SLAVE  PAPER. 

Know  all  men  by  these  presents  that  we  John  Perry  Peter 
Perry  Isaac  Perry  Jacobus  Perry  and  Daniel  Perry  for  and 
in  consideration  of  the  sum  of  thirty  five  pounds  current 
laAvfull  money  of  the  Colony  on  New  York,  to  us  in  hand 
paid  by  Peter  Demarest  of  Hack  Hensack  in  the  County  of 
bargen  and  the  provence  of  East  new  Jersey  where  of  we 
do  hereby  acknowledge  the  riceipt  and  our  selves  thare  with 
fully  satisfied  have  bargained  sold  setover  and  delivered  and 
by  these  presents  do  bargain  setover  and  deliver  unto  the  said 
Peter  Demarest  a  negro  wench  named  Henn.  aged  about  forty 
jears  to  have  and  to  hold  the  said  bargained  premises  unto 
the  said  Peter  Demarest  his  executors  administrators  and 
assigns  to  the  only  proper  use  and  behoof  of  the  vSaid  Peter 
Demarest  his  executors,  administrators,  and  assigns  forever 
and  we  the  said  John  Perry,  Peter  Perry,  Isaac  Perry,  Jaco- 
bus Perry  and  Daniel  Perry  for  our  selves  our  heirs  execu- 
tors and  administrators  the  said  bargained  premises  unto  the 
said  Peter  Demarest  his  executors  administrators  and  assigns 
shall  and  will  warrant  and  forever  defend  by  these  presents. 
In  witness  whereof  we  have  hereonto  sett  our  hands  and  seals 
the  Fourth  day  of  October  In  the  eight  jear  of  his  Majesties 
Reign  and  in  the  jear  of  our  Lord,  one  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred and  sixty  eight. 

John  Perry  X    Isaac  Perry  X 
Petrr  his   Perry 
PP 
mark 

Jacobus  Perry  X 
Sealed  &  delivered  in 
the  presence  of  us 

John  Perry  Junier 
J.VRMiNis  ?  Van  bossum 
(John  Perry  was  of  Orange  Co.,  New  York.) 


24  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MAMJSCRIPTS 

PIETER  PIETERSE  DEMAREST. 

Slave  Paper. 

Know  all  men  By  these  Presents  that  I  Pieter  Pieterse 
Demarest  of  the  Pricent  of  Haekensaek  in  the  county  of 
Bergen  in  the  province  of  East  Newjersey,  farmer  for  in  the 
consaderation  of  the  sum  of  Nyninty  pounds  to  me  in  Hand 
paid  by  Dirck  Terhuen  of  the  Pricent  of  Sadel  Rievr  in  the 
county  and  provence  afore  said  before  insealing  and  delivery 
of  these  pryents  the  Recept  whereof  I  do  acknowledge  have 
bergained  and  sold  and  delivered  and  by  these  Prisents  do 
bergain  and  sell  into  the  said  Dirck  terhiun  a  Nigro  boy 
Named  Cezor  about  seventeen  years  of  age  to  Have  and  to 
Hold  the  said  Nigro  boy  named  Cezor  by  these  Presents  Have 
bergained  and  sold  unto  the  said  Dirck  terhuin  his  heirs 
excuitors  administrators  and  assigns  for  ever  and  I  the  said 
Pieter  pieterse  Demorest  for  myself  my  Heirs  Exucitors  and 
administrators  all  and  singular  the  said  Negro  boy  unto  the 
said  dirck  terhiun  his  heirs  executors  administrators  and  as- 
signs against  me  the  said  j^ieter  pieterse  Demarest  my  ex  cui- 
tors  administrators  and  assigs  and  against  all  and  every  per- 
son or  persons  what  so  ever  I  shall  and  will  warrent  and  for 
ever  defend  by  these  present  the  seal  of  the  said  nigro  boy. 
sound  and  in  good  Haelth  at  the  delivery  of  these  presents. 
In  witness  whereof  I  Have  sett  my  Hand  and  fixed  my  seal 
this  fifth  day  of  march  1771. 

ANNE  VENTON'S  SLAVE  PAPER. 

From  fragments  of  the  paper  it  is  shown  that  Anne  Ven- 
ton,  Bergen  County,  Provence  of  East  New  Jersey,  for  the 
sum  of  Forty  Pounds  sold  &  delivered  a  certain  Negro  wench 
named  Dinah  to  Abraham  Ely  &c.  In  witness  whereof  I 
have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  seal  this  twenty  fifth  of  Sep- 
tember seven  hundred  and  seventy  six. 

Anne  Venton     (Seal) 
Signed,  sealed  &  delivered 
in  the  presents  of  us 

Elenor  Maglocmly 
her  X  mark. 

SIR  JAMES  JAY'S  SLAVE  PAPER. 

Whereas  Glaus,  a  negro  man,  for  the  purchase  of  whom  I 
have  agreed  with  Richard  Ryerson  of  Pompton,  has  lived 
with  me  four  weeks  on  Trial,  and  is  so  well  satisfied  with  the 
usage  he  has  received,  that  he  declares  that  were  he  sure  to 
be  always  treated  in  the  same  way,  he  would  like  to  live  with 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  25 

me  all  his  life.  Now  as  the  usage  he  has  received  is  no  other 
than  I  have  always  held,  and  will  ever  hold  to  an  honest  and 
industrious  Slave  who  behaves  well,  as  he  has  during  the 
above  Trial :  and  as  it  appears  to  me  that  the  fears  he  has  of 
being  ever  afterwards  liable  to  be  treated  with  unmerited 
severity,  have  been  infused  into  his  mind  by  mischievous 
people,  I  am  induced  from  a  desire  of  removing  such  fears, 
and  quieting  the  mind  of  the  said  Slave,  to  promise,  that  if 
the  said  Claus  shall  within  a  year  from  the  date  hereof  show 
just  and  sufficient  cause  to  complain  of  ill  usage,  I  will  sell 
him  within  six  months  after  such  complaint,  for  the  money 
I  am  to  give  him  and  the  expenses  I  may  be  at  on  his 
account.  James  Jay. 

August  20  1790 

The  sum  to  be  paid  for  the  above  Claus  is  £81.17.4. 

THE  JAY  FAMILY. 

"In  1688  Col.  Jacobus  Van  Courtlandt  of  New  York  had 
a  grant  of  2120  acres,  in  Ilackensack  Percint.  In  1738  he 
conveyed  it  to  Abraham  De  Peyster  &,  Margaret  his  wife, 
John  Chambers  and  Anna  his  wife,  and  Peter  Jay  and  Mary 
his  wife  all  of  New  York  City.  The  wives  of  these  three  men 
were  daughters  of  Van  Courtlandt.  Mrs.  De  Peysters  third 
included  the  present  village  of  Tenafly.  Mrs.  Chambers  de- 
vised her  share  to  her  nephew.  Sir  James  Jay,  who  by  his 
father's  will  also  received  the  latter 's  third. 

Sir  James  devised  the  north  third  to  his  son,  Peter  Jay, 
and  the  other  third  to  his  daughter,  Mary  0  Kill. ' ' 

1784  Seacaucus  May  14  1784 

Dear  Brother 

I  understand  by  your  accounts  that  you  like  the  country 
very  much  and  that  you  have  seen  my  negro  France  and  that 
you  can  with  a  Bill  of  Sale  from  me  get  him  and  dispose  of 
him,  which  I  trust  that  you  will  sell  him  to  the  best  advantage 
and  for  that  reason  I  have  herein  enclosed  you  a  sufficient 
Bill  of  Sale,  and  if  you  should  sell  him  I  desire  that  you  vnll 
give  a  sufficient  order  upon  your  brother  George  Van  Geson 
for  the  sum  you  sell  him  for  and  he  will  pay  me.  If  you  can 
hear  anything  of  Daniel  Smiths  negro  Jack  I  desire  that  you 
will  send  word  by  your  next  letter  and  let  know  if  you  can 
with  an  order  from  him  sell  his  negro  so  no  more  at  present 
but  that  we  all  remain  in  good  health  at  present  except  your 
sister  Onchy  and  she  is  very  ill — I  hope  these  lines  will  find 
you  well  so  I  Remain  your  affectionate 

Brother 
Isaac  Van  Gesen. 


26  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

P.  S.  I  will  satisfy  you  for  your  trouble  and  defend  to  you 
the  property  of  the  said  Negro.  What  money  you  get  for 
him  you  can  dispose  of  at  your  pleasure  only  give  me  an 
order  upon  your  brother  George. 

1794  PAYMENT  ON  SLAVE. 

Reed.  New  Bridge  August  8th  1794  of  Jacobus  Demarest 
the  third  and  last  payment  for  negro  Benn  the  sum  of  twenty 
shillings  in  full  of  all  demands  til  this  day  pr.  me 

MORRES   ACKERMAN. 

DOCTORS'  BILLS  FOR  ATTENDANCE  ON  SLAVES. 

1799  July  15.    Mr.  William  Ely  Dr 

to  Doctor  Beekman  Van  Buren 

to  medicine  for  mothers  winch  £11 

Reed,  the  ful  contents  in  full  per  mee 

Beekman  Van  Buren. 

Received  of  Peter  Demarest  the  sum  of  twenty  shillings 
for  medicines  for  a  negro  child. 

Garret  J.  Van  Wagner. 

1782 

ELIAS  ROMINE'S  SLAVE  PAPER. 

Know  all  persons  whom  it  may  concern  that  I  Elias 
Romine  of  the  County  of  Bergen  and  State  of  New  Jersey 
for  and  in  consideration  of  the  sum  of  seventy  six  pounds 
ten  shillings  New  York  Currency  in  gold  and  silver  to  me 
in  hand  paid  by  Abraham  Ely.  The  receipt  whereof  I  do 
hereby  acknowledge  have  bargained  sold  and  released  a^id 
by  these  presents  do  according  to  the  due  form  of  law,  grant 
bargain  sell  and  release  unto  the  said  Abraham  Ely  a  Negro 
man  named  Tom  and  a  wench  named  Dinah  with  her  two 
children  named  Sam  and  Luce.  To  have  and  to  hold  the 
same  Slaves  unto  the  said  Abraham  Ely  his  executors  assigns 
and  administrators  against  all  persons.  Shall  and  will  war- 
rent  and  forever  Defend  by  these  presents,  provided  never- 
theless that  if  the  said  Elias  Romain  my  executors  adminis- 
trators and  assigns  or  any  of  us  do  and  Shall  Will  and  Truly 
Pay  or  cause  to  be  paid  unto  the  said  Abram.  Ely  his  execu- 
tors administrators  assigns  the  sum  of  seventy  six  pounds  ten 
shillings  with  interest  for  the  same  both  principal  and  in- 
terest in  Gold  or  Silver  on  the  first  day  of  May  next  ensuing 
the  date  hereof  for  redemption  of  the  said  slaves,  there  this 
present  bill  of  sale  to  be  void.  But  if  default  be  made  in 
payment  of  the  said  sum  of  seventy  six  pounds  ten  shillings 
in  part  or  in  the  whole  contrary  to  the  manner  and  form 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  27 

aforesaid  that  then  the  obligation  shall  remain  in  full  power 
and  virtue.  In  witness  whereof  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand 
and  seal  this  Twenty  second  day  of  May  one  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  eighty  two. 

Elias  Romain  (Seal) 
(Captain  in  the  Revolutionary  war.) 
Signed  sealed  &  delivered 
in  presence  of 

Marla.  Wessells 

Wessel  F.  Wessels 

1801  SLAVE  PAPER. 

Be  it  remembered  that  on  the  tenth  day  of  August  Anno 
Domini  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  one,  a  Negro  man 
slave  named  Sam  aged  about  thirty  three  years  belonging  to 
and  residing  with  Peter  Christie  of  the  Township  of  Hacken- 
sack  in  the  County  of  Bergen  and  State  of  New  Jersey  came 
and  appeared  before  me  Jacobus  Demarest  Esquire  one  of 
the  Justices  of  the  peace  in  and  for  the  said  County  of 
Bergen  and  being  privately  examined  by  me  declared  his 
consent  and  desire  to  have  his  residence  or  place  of  abode 
changed  to  the  City  of  New  York,  in  the  State  of  New  York 
and  assigned  as  reasons,  first  because  his  wife  resides  there 
and  secondly  because  an  opportunity  will  thereby  be  afforded 
him  of  obtaining  his  Freedom  after  eight  years  servitude. 

Jacobus  Demarest  Justice, 


28 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 


DEEDS  AND  MAPS,  ETC. 

1687. 

"The  oldest  deed  on  record  in  the  County  Clerk's  office  at 
Hackensack  is  one  from  John  Berry  to  Zuarian  Westervelt, 
dated  January  13,  1687,  conveying  a  portion  of  his  estate  in 
the  Old  Township  of  Hackensack,  March  6,  1687."  (Nelson) 


peter  peterse  De  Marest 

of  County  Bergen  and 

province  of  East  New  Jersey 

and 

Isaac  Ver  Veelen  of 

tappan  in  County  of  Orange 

in  the  Province  of  New  York, 


Bond— 1756 
the  sum  of  twenty  pounds 
current  Lawpful  Money  of 
the  province  of  New  York, 
etc.,  etc.,  Sealed  with  my  seal 
dated  the  fifteenth  Day  of 
May  in  the  twenty-ninth 
year  of  his  Majesties  Reign 
and  anno  Domini  one  Thou- 
sand Seven  Hundred  and 
fifty-six 

his 
Peter  Pieterea  X  DeMarest. 
mark 
Witness  (Seal) 

Petries  Haring, 
John  Haring. 


Jost    Van    Buskirk,    Gentle- 
men,  County  of  Bergen 
Province  East  New  Jersej^ 
to 
Peter  P.   Demarest   Youmen 
of  County  of  Bergen 
&  Provence  aforesaid 


Deed 

June  6,  1766 

Land  situated  next  to 

Lourense  L.   Van  Buskirk 

5  acres 

£18.50 


Peter   P.    Demarest,   Tavern- 
keeper,  County  of  Bergen 
Provence  of  East  New  Jersey 
to 
Abraham    Ely   of   the 
same  place   (  a  sou  in  law). 


Deed 
July  21,  1767 
Two     lots     of    land — Pre- 
cent   of   Hackensack,   Begin- 
ning  on    South   side    of    the 
New  Road  or  highway  which 
leads   from   the   New   Bridge 
Easterly  to  Teaneck  contain- 
ing   Twenty    one    acres    and 
Ffty  five  hundreilths. 
£178.13.9. 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANTJSCRIPTS 


29 


Peter  Demorest 

to 

Abraham  Accorman 

both  of  Hackeiisack  Precinct 


A  Note 
May  Is  1767 
£36.  currant 
Money  of  New   York- 
Interest  6  per  cent  one  year. 


Abraham   Ely,    Yeoman 

and 

Peter   P.   Demorest,    Farmer 

to 

John  Masseles,  Weaver 

all   of   Haekensack   Precinct. 


A  Note 

May  6,  1767 

£45. 


Peter  Pr.  Domorie 

"of  the  New  Bridge' 

to 

John   Perry 

Orange  Co.  N.  Y. 


A  Note 
October    3d    in    the    eight 
year  of  his  Present  Majesties 
Reign  Anno  Dom.  1768  £35. 


Abraham  Ely 

of  Haekensack 

County  of  Bergen 

Provence  of  East  New  Jersey 

to 

Jacobus   Van   Buskirk 

of     County     and     Provence 

aforesaid 


Deed 
Oct.  23-]  767. 
The   certains   lots    of   land 
herein  on  the  other  side  men- 
tion.      (Two    deed    on     one 
paper,   refers  to   deed   Peter 
P.     Demarest     to     Abraham 
Ely —  preceeding — 
£193.13.8. 


Peter   P.   Demorest,    Tavern- 
keeper 
Haekensack  Precinct 
County  of  Bergen 
Provenco  of  East  New  Jersey 
to 
Isaac  Vroomen,  Esq. 
Schonectedy  Albuny  Co 
Provence  of  New  York. 


Mortgage  Deed  1767 
To  all  Christian  People  to 
whom    these    Presents    Shall 
Come    Send    Greeting,    July 
2,  1767. 

Land  lying  &  being  in  the 
Precenct  of  Ilackensik  Be- 
ing part  of  the  farm  late  be- 
longing to  Lourans  P.  Van 
Buskirk  Deceased.  82.  acres 
more  or  less. 

£425.2.6. 


Abraham  Ely 

to 

Peter  P.  Demoree 

Both  of  Haekensack  Precinct 


Deed 

May  1st  1774 

Land  near  New  Bridge. 


30 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 


Sebe   Hen   Banta 

and  his  wife 

Layer 

of  English  Neighboorhood 

to 

John  Williams 

of   Hackensaek 

in  Precienet  of 

New  Barbadoes. 

John  Williams 

&  wife  Onte 

to 

William     Lazier     blacksmith 

all   of   Hackensaek   Precinct. 


Deed 
1775 

Land  in 
English  Neighborhood 


Deed 

March  17,  1783, 

in  the  8th  year  of 

American  Independence 

Land  in 

English  Neighborhod 


These  two  deeds  preceding  are  on  the  same  paper. 


William  Ely 

of  Newark 

to 

Abraham  Ely    (his  son) 

of   New   York    (formerly   of 

Hackensaek  Precenct) 

Walter   Clendene 

of  Bergen 

to 

Hendrich  Van  Der  hoof 

John  Campbell  & 

Jane  his  wife 

of   Hackensaek   Precienet 

to 

William  Charlton 

of  City  of  New  York, 

Pietor   Christee,   Sadler   & 

Elizabeth   his  wife 

to 

William  Ely  Yeoman 

All  of  Hackensaek  Precinct. 

William  Ely 

Precinct  of  Hackensaek 

to 

Catherine    Ely — widow   of 

Abraham  Ely. 

City  of  New  York 


Deed 

January  15  1785 

Land  in  Newark  on  the 

Peiassaig  (Passaic)  River. 


Deed 

July  16  1792 

Land    in    Bergen    Township. 

Deed 

March  15  1799 

House  &  lots  near  the  New 

Bridge.     £350. 


Deed 

May  2d  1800 

Property  situated  between 

the  New  &  Old  Bridge  in  the 

Precenct  of   Hackensaek. 

£528.10.0 

Bond 
May  14,  1800 
Twenty     fourth     year     of 
the  Independence  of  United 
States. 

$760.00 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 


31 


Mortgage 

May  15  1824 

Land 

Harrington   township 

"a    place    commonly    called 

and   Known    as    Closter    Old 

Dock. 


Land 


Deed 
January  1838 
in     Hackensack 
cinct— $175.00 


Pre- 


James  Kearney  & 
Rachel  his  wife 

to 

Jacob  Powles, 

All  of  Harrington  Township. 


John  Durie  & 

Eliza  his  wife 

of  County  of  Bergen  & 

Township   of  Hackensack 

to 

David   S.  Demarest 

of  same  place 


Map— 1864 
Map  of  the  property  late  of  Barant  De  Klyn  deed.     Situ- 
ated in  the  township  of  Hackensack  Bergen  Co  N.  J.     Con- 
taining a  description  of  the  shares  and  to  whom  allotted  to 
the  respective  original  tenants  in  common 
Surveyed  and  drawn  by 

Simeon  Zabriskie  A.  D.  1864 
Joseph  B.  Miller,  Alexander  Cass, 
Maurice  Fitzgereld  Commissioners. 


Map  of  Samuel  Demarest. 
No  date. 


Lot  of  meadow  and  woodland 


1787 

My  house  (Jacobus  Demarest  Esq.)  New  Bridge,  Septem- 
ber 11th  1787  appeared  before  me  for  trial  the  following 
persons,  viz. : 


Selvester  Yong  Plantitf 
Beekman  Van  Buren  Defd. 


they  agreed  among  themselves. 


Justice  Fee 

to    1    Summons £0-0-6 

to    3    Supeanas 0-1-6 


2-0 


Constables  fees 
to  Serving  a  Summons  £-2-0 
"    Ditto    3    Supeanas    0-6-0 


0-8-0 


1787 


The  above  Cost  paid  to 
the  Constable  P.  Dem^vrest. 


Bergen  County  State  of  New  Jersey.     "My  house,"  &c 
(A  paper  similar  to  above.) 


32  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

1788 

John  Van  Sice  Plaintiff  Isreal  Passel  Def.d 

The  plaintiff  appear  before  me  the  29th  Day  of  December 
1788  and  made  oath  that  Isreal  Passel  was  indebted  to  him 
in  the  Sum  of  one  Ponnd  Sixteen  Shillings  &  that  he  verily 
believes  that  the  said  passels  is  or  \^all  be  absconded  so  that 
he  is  afraid  to  loose  his  just  Due,  therefore  gave  Judgment 
for  the  Plaintif 

£1-16-0 
Cost  5.1 

Jacobus  Demarest. 
1790 

This  Day  personally  appeared  before  me  Sir  James  Jay 
who  being  duly  sworn  deposeth  &  saith,  that  in  the  month  of 
March  last  he  hired  Henry  Valentine  for  nine  months  from 
that  time  to  work  for  him;  and  that  the  said  Henry  Valen- 
tine this  day  positively  &  repeatedly  refused  to  do  the  work 
which  he  the  said  Sir  James  Jay  ordered  him  to  perform, 
&  that  the  said  Henry  Valentine  moreover  behaved  in  a  most 

insolent  and  profane  manner  swearing that  he  would 

not  do  the  work  &  stretching  out  his  arm  &  fist  in  a  threatin- 

ing  posture  toward  the  said  Sir  James  Jay,  said  to  him. 

James  Jay 
September  3d  1790  sworn  this  day  before  me 

Jacob  Demarest 
Justice  of  ye  P- 

IMPRISONMENT  FOR  DEBT. 
1790 

New  Jersey  State,  Bergen  County. 

To  any  constable  of  said  county  Gr.  tr.  Whereas  Jacob 
Smith  hath  recovered  before  me  against  William  Hammel  the 
sum  of  five  pounds  six  shillings  Debt  &  seven  shilling  &  one 
penny  cost,  these  are  therefore  to  require  you  in  the  name  of 
the  said  State  upon  sight  hereof  to  levy  the  above  sum  with 
costs  on  the  goods  &  chatties  of  said  William  and  for  want 
of  sufficient  Goods  &  Chatties  whereon  to  levy  you  are  to 
take  the  body  of  said  William  Hammel  and  him  safely  keep 
&  Deliver  to  the  Gaolkeeper  of  said  County  which  Gaoller  is 
hereby  required  to  keep  him  in  Close  Costedy  until  the  Debt 
&  Costs  is  paid  or  till  he  be  therefrom  Dilevered  by  due 
Corse  of  Law.  hereof  fail  not  at  your  perel  Given  under  my 
hand  &  seal  this  22  Day  of  March  1790 

Jacobus  Demarest     (Seal) 
Justice  of  ye  p- 
You  are  to  return  this  money 
within  twenty  days  from  Date. 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MAMJSCRIPTS  33 

1792 

State  of  New  Jersey,  County  of  Bergin 

Personally  came  and  appeared  before  me  Jacobus  Demar- 
est  Esc}  one  of  the  Justices  of  the  Peace  for  said  County 
James  Thompson  of  the  said  County  Esq.,  and  deposeth  on 
the  Holy  Evangelist  of  Almighty  god  that  on  the  Eleventh 

day  of  September  Margret,  wife  of  John  Ryersen  of 

Plaanty  yoeman,  asaulted  him,  the  said  Thompson  &  threw 
a  peice  of  timber  at  him  which  struck  him  betwen  the 
shoulders  &  threatened  him  much  injury  and  ill  usage  both 
in  her  actions  and  with  her  tongue,  in  bad  Language  which 
she  used  toward  him  with  provoking  indecncey  on  many 
occasions  at  sundry  times. 

James  Thompson 
Sept  13-  1792 
Jacobus  Demarest 
Justice  of  ye  p. 

1792 

"We  the  Judge  of  Elections,  Assessor  and  Collector  of  the 
Precinct  of  Hackensack  in  the  county  of  Bergen  do  hereby 
certify  that  having  proceeded  to  receive  the  votes  of  the 
electors  of  the  said  Precinct  of  Hackensack  the  following  is 
a  list  of  all  the  persons  voted  for,  of  the  appointments  pro- 
posed for  them  and  of  the  number  of  votes  for  each, 

FOR  MEMBERS  OF  THE  LEGISLATIVE  COUNCIL 

Number  of  Votes 
Peter  Manning  Esq. — Fourty  Three 
Isaac  Nicall  Esq. — Thirty  three 
John  Cutwater  Esq. — One 
John  Benson  Esq. — One 

FOR   MEMBERS   OF    THE   GENERAL   ASSEMBLY 

Henry  Berry  Esq — Forty  Seven 

John  Terhune  Esq — Forty  Six 

William  Kingsland  Esq — Thirty 

Richard  Day  Esq — Four 

Peter  Ward  Esq. — Four 

Benjamin  Blackledge  Esq. — Forty  eight 

FOR   SHERIFF 

Number  of  Votes 
William  M.  Bell  Esq.— Fifty  Eight 

FOR  CORONER — Number  of  Votes 
Adonja  Schuyler — Seven 
Alexander  P.  Waldron — Two 


34  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

John  Van  Horn — Six 
Dower  R.  Westervelt — Thirty  Three 
John  Earle — three 
Caspaus  Pryor — Four 
Elias — Bervoort — Fourteen 
The  whole  Number  Received 

In  Testemony  whereof  we  have  hereunto  Subscribed  our 
names  and  affixed  our  seals  the  tenth  day  of  October  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  ninety  two. 
Cornelius  Lydecker,   Collector     (Seal) 
Albert  C.  Zabriskle,  Assessor       (Seal) 

John  Poulison  Judge 
of  the  Election  (Seal). 

1792 

We  the  Judge  of  Election,  Inspector,  and  Clerk  of  the 
Township  of  Harington  in  the  County  of  Bergen,  do  hereby 
certify  that  having  proceeded  to  receive  the  votes  of  the 
Election  of  said  Tow^iship,  the  following  is  a  list  of  all  per- 
sons voted  for  as  Representatives  to  Represent  the  State  of 
New  Jersey  in  Congress  of  the  United  States. 

Elias  Boudinot — Twenty  Six 
Abraham  Clark — Thirty  two 
Jonathan  Dayton — Twenty  Three 
Aaron  Ketchel — Twenty  Six 
John  Haring — Sixty  Seven 
Lambert  Cadwallader — One 
John  Chetwood — One 
Thomas  Henderson — Two 

In  testimony  whereof  we  have  hereunto  subscribed  our 
Names  and  affixed  our  Seals  this  Fifteenth  Day  of  October. 
In  the  year  of  our  Lord,  One  Thousand  Seven  Hundred  and 
Ninety  Two 

Abraham  Haring  Judge  (Seal) 

Abraham  Demarest  Inspectors     (Seal) 
Thomas  Black  (Seal) 

Isaac  Morris  Clerk  (Seal) 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  35 


MARRIAGE  CERTIFICATE. 

1801 

I  do  hereby  certify  that  on  the  10th  day  of  March  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  eighteen  hundred  and  one  I  have  joined  in 
the   marriage   relation    John   Pettit   and    Elizabeth   Brower 
affirming  herself  to  be  wddow  of  Peter  Demarest. 
(Jane  Hardenbroeck  Witness) 

Given  under  my  hand  at  New  York  this  ninth  day  of  June 
eighteen  hundred  and  one. 

Signed) 

Jno.  N.  Abeel  one  of  the 
ministers  of  the  Protestant 
Reformed  Dutch  Church  in 
the  City  of  'New  York. 

1808 

ARTICLES  OF  SEPARATION. 

(Sequel  to  Above  Marriage.) 

Between  Peter  J.  Demarest  of  Tovmship  of  Hackensack — 
of  the  one  part — Elizabeth  Brower  formerly  the  wife  of 
Peter  J.  Demarest  &  John  Pettet.  of  City.  County  or  State 
of  New  York  of  the  other  part. 

Where  as  some  unhappy  difference  having  arisen  between 
the  said  Piter  Demarest  and  Elizabeth  his  former  wife  she 
the  said  Elizabeth  having  Eloped  the  bed  &  board  of  the  said 
Peter  Demarest  about  seven  years  past.  &  joined  her  self  in 
marriage  A^ath  the  said  John  Pettet  in  consequence  of  said 
Elopement  and  many  other  considerations  they  have  mutu- 
ally consented  and  agreed  to  live  seperate  and  apart  from 
each  other  &  do  by  thesie  presents  mutually  covenant  and 
agree  from  henceforth  for  &  during  their  respective  natural 
lives  to  live  separate  and  apart 

It  goes  on  to  say  Peter  Demarest  shall  not  frequent  her 
company  or  conversation  at  any  time  or  times  hereafter  with 
out  her  consent.  He  also  permits  her  the  said  Elizabeth 
from  time  to  time  to  live  apart  from  him  and  to  go,  reside 
and  be  at  or  in  such  place  or  places,  family  and  families  and 
\\dth  such  relations  and  friends  as  she  shall  from  time  to  time 
at  her  will  and  pleasure.  Notwithstanding  her  coverture 
with  the  said  Peter  Demarest  and  as  if  she  was  a  fcmme  sole. 

He  is  not  to  claim  at  her  death  plate,  rings,  clothes,  goods, 
chatties,  land  tenements  or  other  estates  which  she  shall 
hereafter  get,  acquire,  or  be  possessed  of,  or  be  devised  or 
given  to  her. 

And  Further  that  the  said  John  Pettet  &  the  said  Elizabeth, 
their  heirs,   executors  or  administrators   shall  &  will  from 


36 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 


time  -to  time  and  at  all  times  hereafter  well  &  sufficiently 
save  defend  and  keep  harmless,  and  indemnify  as  well  the 
said  Peter  Demarest 

She  was  to  have  no  claim  on  Peter  or  his  estate  since  her 
elopement  &  separation. 

In  witness  whereof  the  parties  to  these  presents  have  here- 
unto set  their  hands  &  seals  the  day  &  year  first  above 
written 

Peter  J.  Demarest  (Seal) 
Elizabeth   Pettit      (Seal) 

his 
John    X      Pettit     (Seal) 
mark 
In  presence  of 
William  Ely 
JosiAH  Johnson 

Sam.  L.  page  J.  R. 

1826 

Mr.  William  Ely 

Sir — I  summon  you  to  attend  at  the  Court  House  at  New 
barbadoes  on  the  24th  day  of  this  instant  at  10  oclock  A.  M. 
to  serve  as  Grand  Juror. 

Andrew  H.  Hopper  Sheriff. 
Signed 
Jan  9th  1826 

1827 

A  subpena  to  William  Ely — to  appear  before  me  in  your 
proper  person  at  Albert  P.  Alyeas  Inn,  in  the  Township  of 
Saddle  River  to  testify  in  case  between  Josiah  Johnson  & 
Catherine  Collins  (of  New  Bridge) — fail  not  under  the  pen- 
alty of  $20. 

Garret  P.  Hopper  J,  P. 


1829 
Sir 

You  are  hereby  notified  to  meet  in  conjunction  with  your 
colleagues  and  a  chosen  free  holder  of  the  Township  of  Her- 
ington  on  Saturday  the  4th  Day  of  July  at  the  house  of 
Samuel  P.  Demarest  in  the  Township  of  Hackensack.  three 
oclock  P.  M.  for  the  purpose  of  granting  a  Priviledge  of 
Driving  and  riding  to  my  lands  across  the  lands  of  John 
Anderson  and  Land  of  Jacob  Vershe  (Forshay).  In  ^ntness 
where  of  I  have  precents  set  my  haiul  this  2!)  Day  of  June 
In  the  year  of  our  Lord  Eighteen  hundred  and  Twenty  Nine. 

Samuel  P.  Demarest 
Mr.  William  Ely— 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  37 

1831 

To  William  Ely — one  of  the  chosen  freeholders  of  the 
township  of  Haekensack  You  are  hereby  reciiiested  to  meet 
in  conjunction  with  two  other  freeholders,  of  the  County  of 
Bergen  at  the  house  of  Richard  Ver  Valen  in  Closter  on 
Monday  the  seventh  day  of  this  instant  at  10  oclock  in  the 
forenoon  of  said  day — on  purpose  to  open  and  lay  out  an  old 
by  Road  which  I  &  others  have  used  for  many  years  back, 
laying  over  the  Land  of  Henry  Montanye  in  Closter  till  by 
my  Lots  of  Land  which  the  said  Henry  Montanye  has  partly 
shut  up,  and  refused  me  to  ride  through  said  by  road  which 
puts  me  to  an  immediate  inconvenience  and  difficulty,  there- 
fore apply  to  you  as  freeholder  to  open  the  same  agreeable 
to  the  Law. 

Signed 

Jacob  Jordan 

February  5  1831 

LIST  OF  OFFICIALS. 

AS  POUND  ON  THE  DOCUMENTS,  COURT  DOCUMENTS,  ELECTLON 
RETURNS,  ETC. 

1688 — "At  the  house  of  Lawrence  Andries  (Yan  Buskirk) 
of  New  Haekensack  w^as  to  be  held  the  court  of  small 
causes. ' ' 

1717 — "Ordered  that  there  be  raised  the  sum  of  ten  pounds 
proclamation  money  for  defraying  the  charges  of 
killing  wolves,  panthers  and  red  foxes  for  ensuing 
year." — 1715  Book  of  Records,  Freeholders  and 
Justices. 

JUDGE    OP    COMMON    PLEAS, 

1768 — Lourance  T.  Yan  Buskirk. 

CLERK, 

1763— William  Provost. 

1766—  " 

1767—  " 

1768—  " 

COLLECTORS. 

1758-93— Cornelius  Lydecker. 
1779 — Isaac  Yan  der  Beek. 
1779 — Abraham  Westervelt. 
1779-1783-1784— Jacobus  Demarest. 
1793— Cornelius  L.  Coe. 
1795— John  G.  Benson. 

Geder  Comes  (no  date,  but  early  names). 

John  H.  Anderson  (four  years;  no  dates). 


38  FACTS  AXD  FIGURES  FROM  MANTSCRIPTS 


1816- 


DEPT. 

-John  Westervelt. 


COLLECTOR. 


SHERIFFS, 

17-44 — "Procalus  Parmeton." 
1760 — Isaac  Kingsland. 
1826 — Andrew  H.  Hopper. 

JUSTICES  OF   THE  PEACE. 

1682-3 — "First  appointed"  after  county  organization. 
Hendrick  Joris  Brinkerhoff 

and 
Albert  Zabriskie. 
1685 — Samuel  Ettsal. 
No  date — Barant  Naugle. 
1738-48 — David  Jacobus  Demarest. 
1742 — Lourens  Van  Buskirk. 
1756 — Samuel  Moore. 
1786 — Garrett  Lvdecker. 
1786-87-88-89-90-92-95-97-1801— Jacobus      Demarest,       Esq., 

New  Bridge. 
1813— Joseph  Post,  Esq. 
1827 — Garrett  P.  Hopper. 
1756 — Bargin  County.     For  Peter  piet.  Demerest 

You  are  hereby  Supened  in  his  Majis.  name  to 
be  and  appear  at  my  house  Satterday  next  at  Twoo 
of  the  Clook  in  the  afternoon  to  give  your  Evedence 
in  an  action  depending  Between  Andre  vanboscark 
plantif  agst.  Andre  Conter  Defendant  hereof  you 
are  not  to  fail  on  pennilty  of  Twenty  poonds  under 
ray  hand  this  Twenty  second  Day  of  October  Anno 
Dom.  1756. 

Samuel  Moor. 


1785 

Jacobus   Demarest 

Planteve 

Dugles  Carrens 

Defendent 

Evidence    for    the 

Plantif — Sworen 

Jacobus    Bogert 

Rachel  Van 

Ilouten 

John  Demarest 

William  Ely 
John  Westervelt 


August  13th  1785  in  an  action  of  Debt. 
The  Plantif  Demanded  a  jury  and  a 
venire  was  granted  the  Plantif.  Moved 
to  the  Court  that  it  be  returned  and 
the  trial  came  on,  the  venire  was  Re- 
turned and  the  following  Jurors  ap- 
peared. 


1  Garrit   Lvdecker  Esq    7 

2  Aurie   Westervelt  8 

3  John  P.  Westervelt       9 

4  Dirck   Banta  10 

5  Daniel    S.    Demarest    11 

6  John   Christie  12 


Johanis  D.  Demarest 
Daniel  N.  Demarest 
Jacob   Bogart 
Henry  Bogert 
Cornelius   Bogert 
Stephen  Bogert 


FACTS  ANT)  FIGURE.S  FROM  MAXTSCRIPTS 


39 


And  were  Duly  Sworen  and  after  hearing  the  Evidence 
and  allegations  of  the  Parties  the  Jurors  Went  out  to  con- 
sider of  there  Verdiek  and  John  "Wester^'elt  Constable  Being 
Duly  Sworen  to  attend  them  the  Jurors  returned  into  Court 
ajad  Ware  Caled  over  and  Gave  their  Vardick  By  the  fore- 
men for  the  plantif.  Six  pound  fifteen  Dammages  Xew 
York  money  with  cost  of  Sute  and  Judgement  was  given 
agreable  to  the  Tardict 


Justice  fees 

Summons     £0.0.6 

Venire    0.1.0 

2    Supeenys    0.1.6 

Sware   Evedence 1.8 

Judgment    0.0.9 


Constables  fees 
Serving   a    Summons  £0.  2.0 
for  2  Supeenies  Sarv- 


0.6.5 


mgr    

0.  4  0 

Sarving  Teriire 

Evi- 

0.  5.0 

Juries    fees    i: 
dence    

0.11.0 
£0.12.0 

12   Juris    

2   Evedences    . 

0.  2.0 

0.  6.5 
0.11.0 

1.11.5 


17 


6 — There  is  14  Lycence  Granted  at  this  Court  June  1786 

out  of  which  money  I  have  received  £0.6.0. 

Jacobus  Demarest. 
1786 — A  tryal  at  Cornelious  Hogland. 
17S9 — Xov.  11 — The  court  was  adjourned  for  one  hour  then 

to  meet  at  the  house  of  Cornelius  Hogland. 
1789 — Trial  adjurned  to  appear  at  Hoaglands. 
1789 — A  summons  against  Henry  Oldis  who  Kves  nigh  W 

Fell  to  appear  2  oclock  in  afternoon  at  Hoaglands 

Xew  Bridge. 
1794 — If  a  constable  failed  to  subpoena  a  certain  party  the 

penaltv   was    twelve    pounds — bv    order    of    Adam 

Boyd,  J.  P. 


40  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MAMJSCRIPTS 

Q       t-i-Hr-IMOOterHr-l  OOC-HOOO-^OCfO         O05--I.-CC3M'-*         rf  OS  m  Ol        iHi-(Mt- 


B 

9 

O 

CM 

«^ 

OS 

G 

o 

saijuiBjja^ 
JO  junoiuy    ^ 

^ 

•^ 

■^ 

e 

SJtBiiQ  Snipijj 

^ 

saAB[g 

• 

§ 

naj^  aiSuig 

satjiaj 

•^ 

sniaABx 

^ 

4> 

«Il!K  *siJ£) 

Cm 

e 

SlIIH  ABg 

•w 

^japiOTiasnoH 

iiAarj  0% 

o 

no  ajaiiAV    W 

1 

e 

3in«0  paujoH 

;  Lo  00      o  iM         00  o  CO  o     u;  f  J 


ooiOLT     lo     o  lo     p         NioocoLTio     inioco     in     oom 


COrHiHCOiHIMCJ        rH        MiHCOiH(M't(MiHrH        iH        iH'*ClrH(M        NCOinCJ        IC        (MO) 

''''    '  3 'S  SS  1"  S9SJ0JJ  facJWi-icJiMNiHiH     co     ci  co     n  ihnn     ra     cococjim     PSiHCJin 

a 

«  OQ  JO  aniBA  2 

X 

sjjoq  puB  asnofi  2 

.  OQ  JO  ani'JA 

g    puBq  paAOJcIiuiu^ 

*3 

2         saaavpaapunH  o  w     o  o  «o 

q^        ja<I  OQ  JO  an[T!^  ■*  co     ■^  to  '^ 

»itf         puBq  paAoadm];  o 


CO 
CO 

CO  ^  fa| 


JO  sajoy 


oo 

t- 

O  b-O  o 

o 

O 

o 

(NO 

o  -^ 

(M 

t- rH  CO  O 

o 

o 

CO 

rH  ■<!< 

rH 

tH 

iH 

C4 

1-i 

(N 

00 

CO 

«  ^  s 

VM 

t~ 

OB 

^ 

a    Z    V    cs 
ca   t.  *^ 

3 

iS 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  41 


rmo      on      CO  01 '*      t-(  01  to 


'^^X    M    o<o««^on«c^«coco.nM,HrHO«oi«cio«oit-ocooific.;^«uit-<oo^ooco«5oiO 
JO  janoniv  "^"^  ,Hrtri     i-ir-i 


CjJ  HWCO         rH  pH  CO  lH  CO  M  n -"Jl         tH         ""I         N '^  «^ '^ 

Q 


1*         rj  rH  O  r-l  f ) 


JO  jnnoinv' 


o 


T)l       CJ  CI       •*  CO  00  CO 


(NO       O00C1-.SJ       ei-*  l.OIMT)l       (O«5f0^ 


nan  ^iSniS 
s«SJOH  ^ 

sajsABj, 
saija^ajg 

silIK  |suo 
BiapioqasnoH 

Q 
^a8t;  01 


M     <HiH     e» 


omio     oinm     oco 


^^^»H^co^t-««oi«     «o2^«j.^o,co^oocoo     t-2     3«g     o««     -^^^ 


ttj        comt-     CO  wo  N  t- 1- c- 1- 


3in«0  PanJOH  •HT*N.*H(Nco-*(Mcocot«<o     not-     t-wco-H-^cococortw     'f 


inintji     coiNin     ncqh 


«a  'S  SS  *B  sasjOH 
oa  JO  ^^V^A 

s%%(yj  puB  asTiOH 
oa  JO  3n\y}x 


Tfr^-^     cac^M 


NCOeO'tfO       NNHiniONNHCONCOCONCI       COpH       Nrmn       (NWpH       NtNW 


pnBq  paAOjdtniufi 

oa  JO  aniBA  o     ^5 

paBTpaAoacImi       o«,o     gooooooo     oo        oo«,ooo     ^     g        g     o^o     o     ^ 


JO  sajDV 


in  o  "o     «)  m  o  in  in  lo  >n  m     mo         o« 

r^r-l  r-ll-<rdi-liH  fl 


CO   ©    O    '^     c5 


42 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 


rH  1-1         CI         CI 

m  i-i  cj 

WCl 

in  CO  in  CO  -^  00 


'AVSauaAOQ   coci-h 

Q  CO  CI  O  ^  CO  >/3 


sasjOH  ^ 
Tiapj  aiSnig 

spjBi  HBX 

BDjaABJ, 

saSjoj 
sauaMaag 

eiI!K  isiao 
saapioipsnoji 


00  -f  00  r-l  '-':  I- 


t^  iH  t-  CO  •*  C-l 
l^  O  l^  lO  -H  (X) 
O  lO  o  CJ  w  M 


rH  rH  iH     I    O 


u 

x> 

oe 

o 

CO 

Xi 

O 

iH 

-< 

•M 

^  c; 


*^  I  u  P  ^-  "C  sa 


c:  o  o  o  t^ 

I     I     I     I     I 
oa  1— 1 1^  c^  o 


cr.  cc  c-j  cc  t^ 

I—  L^  T-H  CO  rH 
C:  L^  O  CO  O 
CC  "rhl  CO  I—  CO 

«+?  «rt  <«  5+Ji  crt 


■  ^O  T  ATT         ^^     — ^— ^^•WrfWJ»  r- 

»rf8JOJJ     LO-tCO00^CQ0O5         5^ 


03 


M  (M  O  OD  ■>+( 
^  (M  1— I  r-(  1—1 


M  O      >■ 

?       S       g  OrS"^ 

Ti     '^    Zj.  •^'~i    U 

c     Oj    «  O    «  Gu 


'*       C-. 


CO 

CO 


CO 


CO 

CO 


•rH   rt 


CO 

CO 


i-H  "^i     ^ 


w  KHl^Ka}!^    ^ 


o  pcj 


r3 

M 

K 

03 

X 

H 

cci 

H 

'i-^ 

o 

^ 

ra 

o 

ro 

O 

•  CO 

r^      . 

•  CO 

CO       • 

.  c^ 

t—      • 

•  1— ( 

tH       • 

o 

o     • 

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o      • 

:o 

^  : 

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. """ 

f— '  • 

o     • 

•    o 

t/J 

•    m 

'S    ; 

•K 

«    • 

I   X 

t^    . 

.   03 

H     . 

^ 


o  ^  o  o 

O!  ?^  W     0  05 

rH  CO  rH     F--  jH 

o  '^  o  5  o 


s    -"^     -Si 


p,  ^ 

cj    O 
Sh    i^ 


S  ri4 


c3 


O 


ca    S    C3 


^H 


c3 

a 


FACTS  AXD  FIGURES  FRO^^  ^fANT'SCRIPTS  43 


JO  jnnomy  r^  r-  " 


S3i}niBijaj 
JO  junoray     gn       o     nscnn     i-cc-t-t-     o         ■<!"     «t-i-T     ct-t-t-         l-c-     na 


sdsjon  9 

aajt  aiSnig 

sjessa^ 
saujaj 

SUjaABX 

siapioqasnoH 


XAaq  0}    a 
no  aaanw 


=^    rt     rt 


IBJOX 


aU  }B J  panjOH  ■*     nphm     Nr;T--i 

"a  "S  So  }B  sasaoH  ^^     ^     »     mtj^m 

■  0(j  JO  aniB_^ 

sjjoq  puB  asTioH 

OQ  JO  aniB^v^  o 

puBi  paAOjdniT  o     o  o     » 

JO  sajay  >-■=     f'  ;i;     " 


=    •^     r-t 


N  ra     c  r) 


-3  Mr;      N  M  CJ 


S-c^.^-z£.£:^~S~.^<~.'i'^'^-.-~-'~---~<'^^'^'^^'^-''^ 


44  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 


JO  innoTHV 


JO  junorav 


Q 


■^ 


t-WMt-CO  OOQOOOinC-  t-t-ooo 


•  sasioH  •? 

• sujaABX 

■siUH'Jsuo  H 

•  sjapioqasnoH 

1-1 
Q 


Xa37  0} 
uaqAV 
IB10X 


mm  loo  oint-     lo     oooooo  oo         oomoo     oioui  rf  oi 

no   ajaq^W       CQrH                      iH  r^rn  ,Hrtrt  iHiH               r-lT-lT-lr-(iH                      r-l 

COiHin  m  U)  r-l  T-l  ;D  iH  t- CO  >H  t- to  «  CO  t- N  00  1-1  00  eO  r-(  Tjl 

^  lO   in  (N  CO  t-»0  CON  lO  IN  t- t-N  00   Ui       Ui  CO 


'lUBQ  pgnjOJJ     CO'*-*       OlN       tHTf*N'*COCOW*'*t-t-N00H00       NCOCOIN       i-llM'*'<*C0in(M-*C0i-(r-l!O 

3     S   SS  ^l!  S9SJ0JJ    COCOIO       lO  Tl(-*M'*C3cOM'*'*COt-  M"  t14  nc^  rHHCONNincOHCOCJiHO 

•sjjoq  pnu  asTioH  "^ 

•oajoaniBA    l^ 

OOlO  CO  o  o  o  o  o  o  o  o  o  o 

lo  in  o  (D  m  oin  in  m  ■*  to  o  o         to 

IH  >H  IH         IH  IH  IM  T-*  iH  r-t 


►S   &^    ^    *- 
^    M    rH      0) 


■••■c5 •£         s „••'-£ 

-2>^ E^'o^ -"i,- 5C £ i„5a=^-°_„« i^l^ S^-^^' 


FACTS  A^^)  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 


45 


JO  ^nnotny 


t-c- 1- t-x 


COM  CO  CO       CO 


X  '—  00  X  ;o  X 


SOABig 

nan  8lSuiS 

S9SJ0H  ^ 

•  sauja  J 
saaaABx 


siapjoqasnoH       r-ir^rn  'H  ^     »h 

Q 

^A8q  0}  inoo  coinom         loooxirainiomio     w^o     o     moO     ^oinouJooot-ioN^ 

no  ajai^^       M  i-I,H  r-l         >Hrt  r-|r-l,-l         rH  rHr-l  rHrH         r-l         iHr-lrH         r-lrHrHrtrtrHT-lr-lT-lr-ll-11-1 

l^iOjj  ocon<co  coc-MO>      OkOcoxoioxft'HtortXi-iHtO'Ht-t-coO)     a"^?2«*^rIS!225SS2 

OJ     J^'^'^^"  t-lNCOTl"       (MincO       r-l        WIMr-lTt       (Ne<JC0lOT)t-*C0rt0>       CartCOr-l'-l-*(M<Nt-(MIMeO 

"SSSl^SaSIOH    in^lNlM  -"fmr-ICO       (M(MiMWiMC0<M(M'^CO       (MIM!N-*(N-<j<cOIMO      -CO0JCONC0iM(NiMI-OCO<MC» 

31UB0  paujOH  "*  =^  1^ '^  '"'°     '^      coco-i(Ncopaco-<l<      corHWMrHifiTjtcDtocoo      cjNMNNconcoin      NW 
•  OQ  JO  aniBj\.  <* 

lUoq  pnB  sasnoji  "^ 

■oajoaniBA^  S  iS  S  5  «5 

paBT  paAoadmi  ^,  ^f,^,°     q^SS""::     SSS§     SS     2§gSS2     E;S?Sg§§S  J§55 


X  "    S  Ch 
r^  Oh  »  -r 


tC  o   1^   ^    t/5  ■*^  ' 


®  «—  be 

^   ^    ^l'   =3        /v^    (U    CJ 

o  •  _^  2  ^     «  .« 

c  o  c:  t-  c:"i^ 

«£  5  o  t  -  t. 

>  O  !S  — -~  o  ? 


,M'H 


O    CS 

ffl 


<0'  a^ 


5  *-  -  o  fc.  X 


is 

■5o 


o.    2 
t-  o  -, 
ii  t;^  1.-2  V 

(i>  c  c  =1^.5  J5 


o  o^ 


c-2*  — •""—  ai:=! 


a 

OS  h 


>.  01      t<  03 


^ffl 


■^  «  a* 


*'-' 


;ep;^Q 


46 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 


JO  lunouiv 

Q 
JO  ^atiomv    CQ   co 


CO  r-l        N 


CO       CO  CO       CO       CO       CO 


t-       OOO       00       00       00 


sesaoH  sg 
naj5  3l3nig 


silIH  Jsuo 
siaptonasnojj 


uo  3JaUA\. 


OQ 


t-     iH     in 


9f'H'BQ  p3aJ0JI       eo'*'*(JqrH(N'^      cococoNco(Mt-iMiH'<teo'<*         cocoinco     <->     (N'<*'<j(©co     coioio'<*co>on 

'S  SS  1^  S3SJ0II         (j,^  COCOCO        Tl(C0IMC0CO(M'^(Nin'*CO-<tC0        CO(M'*(M        N        COCOCO'^'^        1ICOCO'*-<*ON 

^     OQ  JO  aniBA 


s%(yj  pae  sastiOH 

•  OQ  JO  aniBA      ^ 


puBT  paAOJcIinr       ooo      -^cDiorHOONioioiooinooooo     moioo 
inioc^     (Minc-iHoocoriNNioNinoiooo     «st~050> 

iH  iH         rH  rH  H  (N         COW         N  i-l  iH 


JO  sajoy 


OCO-<*OOOOOOOOOOr^OO 

oo>«D-<i<eocooT»io5coooiia 

iH  iH  iH  1-1  rH  00  iH        tH  i-l 


CO 

a 
o 

■*  o  t", 

■<1'  n 

00  ®  "(^ 

rH   B   C   a 

"^  f 

OQ 


:^  ••:•:•::::  :-S  :  :i  :::::  ::'g  ::•:::::::::::•:•  : 

s  I  «|  g  «|  s  a^l  «-||^  gl « E  c « =:  ^-^l  pll  g^Ss"  s  sill  «|^  se 

PlH  O  h,  ft  PLh  V,  Q  ►^  1^  q  «  1-3  Q  ?;  ►-.  hJ  ;^  H5  PL,  h,  v^  Kj  W  flH  K  02  fM  S  Ph  t-S  t-I  M  W  1-5  f4  P  P  ?- 1-5  1-5  0  M  o 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 


47 


o     'O     to'^o     CO      toco 


JO  ^unoiuv 


i-IOOi-l  r^iH 


iH         IH  iH         tC  CO  iH         « 


JO  innorav 


•<*        •«(  ■*        O  t-  T)(        CD 


saABig 

S9SJ0H  ^ 

naj^  aiSuig 
snjaABj, 

silIH  ^«S 
sjapioqasnoH 


no  8jaqA\.    03    --i  ^ 
lB}Oi 

CfJ      iH  lO  CQ  CI  ^  rH 

■gggjBsasaoH      t-wmcj 
OQ  JO  aniBA 


00     o     th     in  in     o     wt-inioo     o>  o  m     lomoo     wt-<M     "o     ooo 

i-i  tH  iH    r-l      iH    rH  iH      rH  rH    iH    tH  "H    r-l  iH  iH 


CO  fH  N  in  10  CO  IN  m  IN  N  CO  in  in  ca  00  o)  CO  rH  in  i-i  "-I 

lOcoiNCJinco     r-HcoiNNcoincoiNaocoTi(C5e<iN 


siioq  pnB  sasnojj 


oajoaniBA       gg 

puBq  paAOjflmi       SoS2 
JO  saaoy       i^        '-' 


•^  in  ^ 


CO© 

WKP4 


03  a^ 


03  03  g 


U  dj  <u  »  i* 

*^  ^  £    •   • 

j=  .5  o  (1,  Ph 

e       tS^TS  C  03 
f^  '^  ^*Z!  O  T   03*^ 


s 


a  = 


exQ 


aats 
0)  a  = 

a.. 


a;  ii> 

a  a 


m.fr 


"    ID 


^.o 


a '-' 


5  V._)  o: 


hjD  o  oj  tH  -T*. .—  t^  '^  ■ 
tomttia'S:>-'«c-' 
ipQ*^  o  W-a  =  t-r;  i 

'E  -r  **  a     E  c  ■-  s  ^ 


h  s.„._2 


•'5  ^ 


CD    S 


■><Pt 


> 
o' 


.  a  a  3 


48 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 


JO  junoiuv 

xn 

(Mm 

mj^o 

saijaiB^ja^ 

Q 

JO  junorav 

m 

in  00 

ooc-o 

O         tH         C] 


in     ■<i<     lo 


(N  OM  mcoONCo 


S3AB[g         ' 

n3jv[  3[3a!g 

sesjojj  Tj 
uajtf  a[3uig 

snjaABjj 

8II!K  ?Sur) 

8i3piot{osnoij   r-l 

Q 
uo  ajauAV    cc^^rtH     rt^^^;-;     rt' 

tCC0T)lr-4       t- iH  Tjliom  CC  O  O  tH  ONm  M  i-ICON  •* -"tCJ  O  rH  (N  CO 

Cfj  e0N(O        coco  (MNWOrHlO        CO        W  rH  iH  0>  CO  N  r-l  Ol  d        05  P] 

^IW^O  panjoH  co«o«50     mio  cqeocoo^co     •*     TitcocoocoTjiiHTji(M     t-co         co     TJ<(^q     n     ■<tco 


'     o»!a  JO  oniBA 
sjjoi  puB  sasnojj 

0(j  JO  anic^      o 


NNNlO       (N        CO       CONN  W^CJiH  IMM       Irt  (N  N        N  N        CO        Tf  T-t 


00     ©a 

1-1  W  ch*' 


Wo 


—   bo 

C>       Q     W 

>  uVX  <i/  m\ 
:  'h       be  a< 

!>2     (2 
•  '^  —  ». 

;     S;  '^  -■ 

■•^  p   J  c 

sail. 


Mffl^ 


;  S  c  M,^ 

'  i  c  o  ® 


o  o  >- 

<D  j;  c 
.2-coa 


—  C3      • 

>-      .     w  -4-" 


m' 


■'  i  c  °  * 
s<;W.-5bQ 


(5"!5 


S  n  oj 

Sea  e 

x  =  g 
.2o 
S  ^ 

O  c  c 
._   O   o 


C  s  c       "2   •      =s  2  o  ^r  ^ 

^     W)S£-C     a -r  ^•- *- J'c?  t- t- P  i- S 
o«-  o^  z^  -5*C3ri>-E-i4'4)r*^hfi 


Cud.  ^^■:;='aa3     PrS=i'Sj5i'~' 


c  t-  a 

fc.  o  5 


fflTJ 


3  P  >  a 

3   O   rt   c3 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 


49 


JO  ^unorav 


CO     CO         X     CO         a 


JO  jnnoiuv 

2nu3A03 

Sinn    A\BS 

siiBq3  SuipiH 

S8ABIS 

a3H  ai^nig  h 

S8SJ0H  ^? 
snaaABj,  ^ 

siUH  ;sHO 
SjapioqasnoH  '^'^'^  "^ 

Q 
no  3l3q;Vi    ^        *"     in  Lo  lo  in  in 

^'^*'^'^    crt    cqt-ooo-^t-mmpHt-o.cooo^cocooi^cnmS-'S'^SSSSS^'^S'^S     § 

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50  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

COLLECTOR'S  RECEIPTS. 

Belgrave  May  4  1779  Then  Received  of  Jacobus  Dumaree 
Collector  of  Haekinsack  Precinct  the  Sum  of  One  Thousand 
four  Hundred  &  Seventy  Pounds  Ten  Shilling,  and  Eight 
pence  Tax  Money  for  the  following  taxes  Viz  for  Raising 
the  Sum  of  One  Hundred  Pounds  &c  Passed  Dec  5  1775  for 
three  years  old  Sinking  fund — for  discharging  the  New  Jer- 
sey Expences  of  the  State  of  New  Jersey  Passed  the  26th  of 
March  1775  Together  with  three  Exempt  Taxes  Raised  agree- 
able to  Law  Pa  Abr.  Westervelt  Coltr. 
£1470..10..8 

Received  Totewah  November  23  1779  of  Jacobus  Demarest 
Collector  of  the  Precinct  of  Haekinsack  the  Sum  of  Seven 
thousand  two  hundred  and  Seventy  Seven  Pounds,  ten  shil- 
lings on  account. 

By  me — Isaac  Van  derbeek  Cont.  Colt. 

Reed.  Leberty  Pole  March  29  1793  of  Peter  J.  Demarest 
constable  on  a  return  to  Jacobus  Demarest  Justice  of  last 
years  Tax — the  sum  of  five  pounds  Nine  Shillings  and  ten 
pence    Rec.  per  me  Cornelius  Lydecker  Collector. 

John  Benson  Collector  this  day  28  day  of  January  1795 
made  oath  before  me  that  he  lawfully  Demandid  the  within 
Taxation  of  the  several  Persons  herewith  named,  &c — Rec. 
New  Bridge  March  10  1795  of  Jacobus  Demarest  the  sura  of 
Four  Pounds  four  shillings  &  two  pence  it  being  collected 
from  the  several  dillingquents  within  naraed  &c. 

John  J.  Benson  Collector. 

The  Poor    Tax   Raised   at   the    To^^^l   Meeting 
the  Second  Tuseday  in  March  1784 

Poor  Masters 

The  List  No.  1  amounts  to  £15 — 19 — 5  Daniel  Demarest 

"      "     "    2         "       "      7—18—9  Hendrick  Brinkerhoff 

"      ''     ''3        "       "      8—15—6  J.  M.  Goetschius 

"      ''     "    4         "       "    11—16—1  John  Demarest 

The  above  written  Dated  the  first  day  of  May  1784 

Jacobus  Demarest. 

1784 

Deducted  of  this  List  the  Sum  of  £0-11-0 
Deducted  the  above  Sum  of  J.  M.  Goetscheus 
which  w'as  a  mistake 
as  he  had  no  Nigro  man. 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  51 


The  Amount  of  the  July  Rate  1784 
The  Quotas  of  Hackinsack  Precinct 

Amount  of  State  Tax ^'^lo~]l~'  I 

Government  Suport  "    oT     nn     -in 

County  "    81-19-10 


Total  Sum 


453_  8—  6 


the  amount  of  State  Tax ol'~'^l~~'o 

Government  Soport     "     ^n       o     o 

County  "     •     ^9—  ^-^ 

Total  Sum   414—  6-4 

1784  ^„„^ 

The  Number  of  White  inhabitants J-^^^ 

the  Number  of  Blacks '^^^ 

Total ^^^'^ 

1865  .       „  _    ,  ,    ,     , 

"By  the  census  of  1865  the  Township  of  Hackensack  had 
a  population  of  7112,  and  by  the  cenesus  of  1870  which  was 
the  last  eneumeration  before  the  division  and  final  cessation 
of  the  Township  it  had  a  popolation  of  8.039. 

GEDER  COMES,  COLLECTOR^PAPERS 
They  bear  no  date  but  the  names  appearing  are  of  those 
active  before  the  Revolution.     The  great  amount  of  money 
recorded  is  of  interest. 
8  Paks  at  J.  V.  S.  of  £1000  each 

Johanna  Day  Due  to  me.  wid 12  Dols 

John  Jo.  Buskirk  Due  to  me 1     ^  ^ 

Jacobus  Brinkerhoff  Ditto 4     ^^ 

John  Poulese  Due  to  me 4  21 

I  am  Due  to  the  Tax 87  Dol 

Jacobus  Buskirk  Due  to  me ID        w  1 

Thomas  Harris  Due  to  me 1  Dol 

Marta  Myrs  Due  to  me 8  Dol     2T 

Samuel  Etsel  Due  to  me 3  Dol     IT 

Samuel  Etsel  Due  to  me  of  old  Tax 8  Dol     IT 

John  AVestervelt    ^l'"^—  2—6 

Samuel   Demarest    13       0     0 

William  Clark   "^'''""'"n     ^ 

Andris  Coole    7—  Q— Q 

30—12-6 


52  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

TAX  MONEY  IN  PAKS 

1  Pack  of  2666  Dol— 2F 

2  Ditto  "  2666      D— 2T 

3  Ditto  "  2666      D— 2T 

4  Ditto  "  2666     D 

5  Ditto  "  2666      D     2F 

6  Ditto  "  2666  Dol— 2T 

7  Ditto  "  2666  Dol— 2T 

8  Ditto  "  2666  Dol— 2T 

9  Ditto  "  2666  Dol 

1  Pack  of  1185  Dollars 
ditto  914  Dol 

ditto  31  Dol 

ditto  27  Dol  11  Pence 


2157     , 
Among  this  money  is  £26 — 12 — 6  of  old  Tax. 

Adam   V.    Norden £45—0—0 

Jacobus  V   Syle 8-0-0 

Richard   Dykeman 10 — 0 — 0 

These  men  is  gon  to  New  York  for  which  reason  there  Tax 
Cannot  be  Gadered  or  Collected. 

£50 — 0 — 0  in  Debted  to   me  Due  to  me 

Like  Wise  34  Dol  2T  IS  and  Reed,  to 

Reed  40  Dollars  Geder  Comes 

to  78—1- 


The  following  extracts  from  an  article  in  the  Newark  Even- 
ing News  will  show  the  present  day  taxpayers  of  Bergen 
County  something  about  the  methods  of  assessing  taxes  in 
said  county  in  1816,  that  is  one  hundred  years  ago. 

Jacobus  Demarest  whose  name  appears  several  times  in  the 
papers  contributed  by  Mrs.  Westervelt  was  according  to  data 
found  among  the  Collins  collection  a  tax  assessor  of  Hacken- 
sack  Precinct.  First  Collection  District  in  the  years  1779, 
1783,  1784,  and  no  doubt  his  assessments  were  made  very 
much  in  the  same  manner  as  John  Dodd  made  his  thirty 
years  later. 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANTTSCRIPTS  53 

ARRIVAL  OF  ITINERANT  TAX  ASSESSOR 

WAS  BIG  PUBLIC  EVENT  100  YEARS  AGO 


John  Dodd  j\Iade  Rounds  in  First  District  of  New  Jersey  on 

Horseback  in  June,  1816,  When  Householder,  Landholder 

and  Slaveholder  Gave  Exact  Accounting  of  Property. 


Townsfolk    Gathered    at    Pubijc     Taverns    and    Made 
Visit    a   Holiday. 


Assessors  of  property,  re?fl  and  personal,  are,  in  compliance 
with  the  law,  now  making  rounds  of  various  districts,  seek- 
ing new  valuations  and  arranging  the  figures  on  their  books 
to  meet  1916  requirements.  For  years  this  season  has  been 
devoted  to  this  foundation  work  of  the  public  financial  sys- 
tem. A  century  ago  John  Dodd,  principal  assessor  of  the 
First  District  of  New  Jersey,  was  the  most  thought  of  man 
in  this  section  of  the  state.  Then  there  was  a  state  tax  to  be 
met  every  year,  besides  the  one  levied  locally. 

His  formal  announcement  in  May  that  he  would  begin  his 
rounds  of  the  district  on  June  7  brought  about  more  or  less 
activity  in  the  respective  towns  visited.  Practice  was  at  that 
period  for  the  assessor  to  go  to  a  public  place,  swap  stories, 
indulge  in  refreshments  and  then  open  his  book  and  invite 
the  people  to  walk  in  and  declare  their  taxable  property. 

John  Dodd  was,  at  the  end  of  his  trip,  the  best  informed 
man  on  about  every  subject  in  the  district.  He  knew  of 
every  public  house  or  tavern,  every  home  and  much  of  the 
gossip.  Every  householder,  landholder  and  slaveholder  were 
required  to  give  an  exact  accounting  of  estates. 

The  first  day  was  spent  at  the  court  house  in  Newark, 
where  he  finished  the  w^ork  in  one  day,  making  additions  and 
subtractions  and  indulging  in  the  forecast  of  his  financial 
trip,  which  was  to  be  made  entirely  by  horseback.  Saddle- 
bags were  required  for  filing  books  and  papers. 

Arising  with  the  chickens  on  Monday  morning,  June  17, 
1816,  Dodd  Avas  again  in  the  saddle  and  on  his  way  up  Broad 
street  to  the  turnpike  road  (now^  Bloomfield  avenue)  and 
over  the  mountains  by  way  of  Pompton  turnpike  to  Pompton, 
a  place  equally  important  100  years  ago  as  now.  Here  the 
farmers  came  "in  from  the  outlying  territory  for  exchange  of 
produce  and  gossip. 

other    tavern    HExVDQUARTERS. 

Ryerson's  tavern  was  the  point  of  rendezvous  for  the  en- 
tire day.     On  June  18  the  sitting  was  at  Goodman's  tavern 


54  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

in  Paterson,  June  19  at  Van  Houten's  tavern,  Saddle  River; 
June  20,  Hopper's  tavern,  Hopper  Town,  June  21,  Dema- 
rest's  tavern,  Harrington;  June  22,  at  the  court  house  in 
Haekensack,  where  a  well-earned  rest  was  taken  till  Monday- 
morning. 

June  24  was  spent  at  Coulter's  tavern  in  Bergen,  and  June 
25  at  Vanderbeek's  tavern  in  Old  Haekensack. 

At  each  of  these  places  the  assessor  made  a  speech  to  the 
assembled  group  in  this  manner: 

"Fellow  citizens,  I  am  here  for  the  purpose  of  securing  in- 
formation that  may  be  furnished  as  to  the  changes  which  may 
have  taken  place  in  the  assessable  property  of  individuals 
since  the  last  assessment,  made  under  act  of  June  9,  1815,  and 
previous  to  the  first  of  June,  1816,  which  information  must 
be  given  in  writing  under  the  signature  of  the  person  whose 
tax  may  be  affected  thereby. 

''First — Assessable  property  omitted  to  be  assessed  at  the 
preceding  assessment  and  property  that  has  ceased  to  be  ex- 
empted assessment,  such  as  property  belonging  to  the  United 
States  or  a  state  or  otherwise  exempted,  which  on  its  transfer 
became  assessable. 

"All  such  property  is  now  to  be  assessed.  But  no  altera- 
tion is  to  be  made  in  the  previous  valuation  of  real  estate 
in  virtue  of  any  improvement  thereon. 

"Second — Transfer  of  real  estate  and  slaves  according  to 
w^hich  an  abatement  in  the  enumerations  and  valuation  of  the 
person  transfering  them  will  be  made  and  a  corresponding 
increase  in  the  enumerations  and  valuations  of  the  person  to 
whom  the  transfer  may  be  made. 

"Third — Change  of  residence.  These  will  merely  require 
a  transfer  on  the  books  from  the  list  of  residents  to  that  of 
non-residents  or  vice  versa,  as  the  case  may  be,  of  the  prop- 
erty in  the  ownership  or  agency  of  which  such  a  change  has 
occurred. 

"Fourth — Burning  or  destruction  of  houses  or  other  fixed 
improvements  of  real  estate,  for  which  an  abatement  equal 
to  the  injury  arising  from  these  changes  is  to  be  made. 

"Fifth — Exemption  of  property  ceased  to  be  assessable. 

"Sixth — Slaves  that  have  been  born  or  have  died  or  have 
run  away  or  have  otherwise  become  useless  since  the  pre- 
ceding assessment. 

"Any  person  becoming  the  o\\nier  of  a  slave  by  transfer 
to  liiin  from  a  collection  district  other  than  that  in  which 
he  resides  is  re(|uired  under  penalty  of  $10  to  render  a  state- 
ment, specifying  the  age  and  sex  of  such  slave,  who  is  to  be 
valued  according  to  his  or  her  existing  value." 

"Ahem!"  The  assessor  waits  for  the  citizens  to  walk  up 
to  his  desk  and  make  their  statements.     Tax  dodging  is  im- 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MAXI'SCRIPTS  55 

possible,  for  every  man  -watches  his  neighbor  earefiillv.  All 
are  on  trial. 

John  Dodd,  according  to  the  law,  was  the  arbiter  in  tax- 
ation from  whom  no  appeal  could  be  taken.  His  decision 
was  final.  Arguments  were  not  allowed  on  the  first  visit. 
Statements  property  made  were  submitted  as  meekly  as  the 
exigencies  required. 

Then  came  the  days  set  aside  for  appeal,  or  readjustment. 
Notices  were  sent  out  by  the  assessor  that  he  would  appear 
at  the  Newark  Court  House  on  Monday,  July  15 ;  Tuesday, 
July  16,  at  the  Elizabeth  Court  House;  Thursday,  July  18, 
at  the  court  house  in  Hudson  for  the  purpose  of  receiving 
appeals  that  may  be  made  in  writing  as  to  the  revised  enu- 
merations and  valuations. 

It  was  necessary  to  specify  Avith  minuteness  the  property 
of  the  individual  of  the  preceding  assessment  properly 
omitted  then  to  be  assessed  and  its  value,  including  transfer 
of  real  estate  and  slaves.  The  latter  were  thus  enumerated : 
Males  above  fifty  years,  below  fifty  years  and  over  twelve 
years  and  those  imder  the  latter  age,  and  for  female  slaves, 
between  twelve  and  fifty  years  and  under  twelve. 


TAVERNS. 
1763 

A  RATE  FOR  TA\^RN  KEEPERS — 1763 

(Can't 

A  warm  Dinner £0 — read) — 3 

Cold  Dinner 0  —  1  —  0 

Supper 0  —  1  —  0 

Breekfast 0  —  0  —  9 

Bottle  good  Meadeary  wine 0  —  5  —  0 

Common  wine    0  —  3  —  0 

1  quart  bool.  of  Good  Lime  Punch 0  —  1  —  6 

1  quart  Bool,  with  out  Limes 0  —  1  —  0 

1  quart  of  Good  Matiglum 0  —  1  —  6 

1  Gill  of  Rum    0  —  0  —  5 

1  quart  of  Beer  good   0  — '0  —  5 

1  quart  of  Syder  good  0  —  0  —  5 

1  (luart  of  Oats    0  —  0  —  3 

good  English  hay  for  one  night 0  —  2  —  0 

good  salt  hay  for  1  night  for  horse 0  —  0  —  9 

1  Gill  of  Brandy  or  Gellwine 0  —  0  —  8 

a  Lodging  one  night  for  Person 0  —  0  —  5 

Pastering  one  horse  Day 0  —  1  —  0 

By  Order  of  Court  April  Term  1763 

David  W.  Provoost,  Clerk. 


56  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

TAVERN  KEEPERS. 

1766 — Peter  Demorest 
1767 — Peter  Demeray 
1774 — Peter  P.  Demoree 
1783 — There  were  five  taverns 
1783— Mary  Day 
1783— Peter  Bordett 
1783— John  Hays 
1784— Michel  Teefer 

"  —Mary  Day 

"  — John  Benson  Jr 

"  — Cornelieus  Hogland 

"  — Jacob.  Campbell. 
1781     "Abraham  D.  Demorest,  on  the  road  to  Old  Hook  kept 

to  — a  general  store.    In  1809,  a  tavern  where  elections  were 
1799     held  &  other  public  business  transacted." 

Bergin  County  cfs 

Peter  Demarest  John  Christie  &  William  Christie  do 
jointly  &  severally  acknowledge  themselves  to  be  justly  In- 
debted unto  our  Sovereign  Lord  the  King  his  heirs  &  suc- 
cessors in  the  sum  of  Twenty  pounds  Proclomt.  money  of 
New  Jersey  to  be  Levyed  upon  their  &  Every  of  their  goods 
&  chatties  on  the  conditions  follo\^^ng. 

The   condition   of   the    above   Recognicance    is   such    that 

whereas  the  above  bonden  Peter  Demorest is  Licenced 

by  the  Court  of  General  Quarter  Sessions  for  the  County 
of  Bergen  to  keep  a  Tavern  or  public  house  in  &  at  the  place 
he  now  dwelleth  in  the  Precinct  of  Hackensack  in  ye  County 
aforsd.  if  therefore  ye  sd.  shall  not  game  hinself  nor  suffer 
any  person  to  game  in  his  house  for  money  or  the  Valine  of 
Money  but  Shall  during  the  s.  time  in  all  things  Respecting 
himself  as  a  pul)lic  house  keeper  use  and  maintain  good  order 
&  Rules.  &  find  &  provide  good  &  suffict.  Entertainment  for 
man  &  provisions  for  horses  then  the  above  Recognicance  to 
be  Void  otherwise  to  remain  in  full  force  &  Vertue.  Taken 
&  acknowledgd  before  me  by  order  of  Court.  June  Term — 
1766.  William  Provoost,  Clk. 

1767 

Bergen  County  cfs. 

At  a  Court  of  General  Quarter  Sessions  of  the  peace  Held 
at  New  Barbadoes  in  &  for  the  County  of  Bergen  on  the  ninth 
Day  of  Juno  in  the  Seventh  Year  of  his  Majesties  Reign 
Annoy-Domino  1767.  Present  Lawrence  L.  Van  Boskerk. 
Application  being  made  to  this  Court  by  Peter  Demeray  for 
a  Licence  to  keep  a  Tavern  &  Said  Peter  Demaray  being 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  57 

Recommended  to  the  Justices  in  such  manner  as  by  a  Law  of 
this  province  is  Directed  the  Justices  in  Session  have  thought 
fit  to  Grant  &  hereby  do  grant  him  full  Licence  to  keep  a 
Tavern  for  the  term  of  one  year  Entering  into  Recognizance 
Persuant  to  the  Directions  of  the  Act  of  Assembly  in  Such 
Case  made  &  provided. 

William  Provoost.  Clk. 
By  Order  of  Court. 


1766 

QUARTER  SESSION  APRIL  TERM 

To  the  honourable  Court,  in  and  for  the  County  of  Bergen, 
We  the  Under  Subscribers  Recommend  Peter  Demarest  Of 
the  precinct  of  Hackengsack  that  he  is  a  person  of  Good 
Repute  for  Honesty  and  temperence  and  is  Provided  with 
two  Good  Spare  feather  beds  More  then  is  Necessary  for  ye 
famlies  use.  and  is  well  aecomedated  with  house  Room,  sta- 
bling and  Pasture  (for  use  of  Drovers).  Agreeable  to  an  act 
of  Governor  Conneill  and  generall  Assembly  of  the  Province 
of  New  Jersey  Made  and  Provided  for  that  Perpose — 

(List  of  names  missing.) 

1798 

COPY  OF  ONE  MAN'S  TAVERN  ACCOUNT  FROM  A 
DAY  BOOK— NEW  BRIDGE. 

Oliver   Dr 

June  £      S..  D 

24      to  Grog,  Bitters  &  Milk  punch 0       3.  6 

24      to  Beer  &  Milk  punch 2.  6 

July     2      to  wine  Grog  &  Spirits 5  0 

7      to  wine  Sling  &  Sundry 4.  6 

24      to  Grog  &  Bitters 5.  3 

27      to    2  Supper  &  Dicker 12.  0 

29      to  wine  Wather  &  Milk  punch 2.  6 

Aug.  10      to  Licker  &  cord  wood.  &  Cafh 7.    16.  9 

11      to  Spirits  wine  &  Grog 5.  6 

15      to  Grog  wine  &  Gin 3.  9 

19      to  41/.  glases  Grog 2.  3 

Sept.  13      to  Cheair  (Riding  Chair)  hier  &  Milk 

Punch 9.  0 

to  1/2  Cheair  hire  to  fort  Lee  &  Licker  5.  6 

17      to  Brandy  &  Milk  punch 1.  5 

19      to  2  glases  Grog 1.  0 

23     to  Milk  punch   1.  3 


Oct. 

1 

5 

20 

25 

Nov. 

5 

Nov. 

6 

Dec. 

11 

2 

0 

3 

0 

4 

0 

5. 

0 

0 

8 

3. 

6 

2 

2 

.9 

58  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

to  4  Quarts  Cyder 0 

to  Dinner  &  Breakfast 0 

to  Cold  Supper  &  Dicker 0. 

to  Grog  Bitters  &  Cyder 

to  1  Glas  Gin  Grog 0 

to  Rum  Grog  Cyder  &  Bitters 0. 

to  Sundrys    1. 

to  1  Grog  &  half  Gil  Bitters 


VOCATIONS. 

1747 — Peter  P.  Demarest,  yeoman. 

1767 — Nov.  16 — Surveyor. 

This  Day  Received  of  Peter  Demoree  the  sum  of  four- 
teen shillings  6  pence  being  in  full  of  all  accounts 
to  this  day  Except  15  for  surveying  the  Dands  of 
the  heirs  of  Lourans  P.  Van  Buskirk  Desd.  &  if 
Isaac  Vrooman  is  willing  to  pay  me  for  the  same  & 
dos  pay  it  then  this  will  be  in  full  of  all  accounts 
whatsoever.  Jacobus  Van  Buskirk. 

1768 — Peter  P.  Demarest,  Farmer. 

1769— June  22— Blacksmith. 

Received  of  Pieter  P.  Demerast  in  behalf  of  Abraham 
ele  (Ely)  for  shoeing  of  1  slight  in  full — £.15.8. 
by  me —  John  Terhune. 

1773 — General  Store — George  Jansen. 

1780 — Carpenter. 

Reed,  of  Jacobus  Demaree  the  sum  of  fourteen  shil- 
lings for  making  a  coffen  for  the  Deceised  MoUey 
Goelet — Reed  by  me 

his 
Abraham    X    Devoe. 
mark 
1783 — There  was  one  Brewerie- 

1783— John  More  had  two  Grist  Mills 

1784 — William  Day  was  0A\Tier  of  1  vessel- 

1784— Isaac  NicoU  had  1  Saw  Mill 

1784^Grist  Mills 

William  Lozier,  Richard  Udall,  William  Udall,  Nicho- 
las Lozier,  Samuel  Demarest,  Simon  Simouse,  Ben- 
jamin Demare- 


»•  -  -    «.V0\-^i.I>J' 


White  Blanket.     Harin^,  Weaver.     1800 


C.  Curtis 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MAMJSCRIPTS  59 

1795— Apr  9— Fish  Dealer- 
Jacobus  Demarest. 

To  Abraham  Brower  Dr- 

£  S.  D 

To  200  clams     0  2  0 

"      ''        "        0  2  0 

''    500      "        0  5  0 

"    200      "        0  2  0 

"    500  &  50  "  harts 0  11..  3 

1..     1..     3 
Rec.  the  contents  in  full  by  me. 

Abraham  Brower. 

1779_Stone  Cutter- 
New  York. 
The  estate  of  Abr.  Ely  Dec.  Dr 

To  A,  Labagh- 

To  20  ft  of  steps  @  2  f £2.      0     0 

"    one  Grave  stone 1    .12.     0 

''    cutting  248  letters  @  11/2 1     11       0 

£5.      3.      0 
■Rec.  Payment  in  full.     A.  Labagh. 

1800— Nov.  25— Surveyor- 
Jacobus  Demarest 

To  Joh.  Johnson,  Dr, 

To  surveying  2^/2  Days $5. 

'  *    mapping 1 

'  *    writing  2  deeds 2 

"    21/^  Days  bearing  the  chain 1.25 

$9.25 
1801 — Sebe  Brinkerhoff,  Carpenter 

1802 — Jacobus  Demarest  paid  0.4.0  for  a  pair  of  shoes  made 
for  him. 

1806 — John  J.  Demarest,  Shoemaker 

1807 — Lucas  Van  Buskirk  sold  Liquor. 

1807 — Luke  Cooper,  Blacksmith 

1807 — David  Brower  made  two  bbls.  cider — 0:1.3 


£     S. 

D 

1 

0 

3 

0 

2 

0 

0 

9 

0 

6 

1. 

0 

0 

6 

0 

3 

4. 

6 

60  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

1808 — John  Ileatou  a  metal  worker — 

To  putin  an  Ear  to  a  bucket 

cleaning  a  Sword 

puting  an  eye  to  a  hoe 

mending  a  link 

' '  a  watering  pot 

soddering  a  kettle 

mending  a   scissors 

wire 

making  a  Coat  For  William  Ely. 

13.     6 

1820— July  5— Undertaker 

Eec.  of  William  Eale,  one  of  the  executors  of  Peter 
Demarest  Dec.  the  sum  of  three  dollars  for  tending 
the  funeral.  Albert  N.  Vanvoorhis. 

1820 — Joh.  Johnson  received  65  cents  in  full  for  auctonure- 
ing  Goods. 

1821— Stone  Cutter 

To  a  Head  &  footstone  £2.16.0  for  Peter  J.  Demarest 
Dscd.  Old  Bridge-  John  P.  Demarest. 

1821 — Samiel  Freeland  to  making  a  boat.  £0.16.0 

One  of  the  earliest  vocations  was  that  of  lumbering.  Men 
from  New  York  took  up  large  tracts  of  land,  including  the 
Palisades,  very  early  and  began  cutting  the  timber,  which 
was  "pitched"  down  the  Palisades  to  the  shore  and  then 
rafted  away.  There  was  a  "Pitching  Place"  on  the  Corne- 
lius Lydecker  property  near  the  site  of  the  Mountain  House, 
Englewood. 

1767 — John  Masseles,  weaver. 

Jacobus   Demarest    Esq.    Dr   for   w^eaving    17    els    of 

woolen,  £0.11.4. 
Mis  Leacraft  for  weeven  35  els  of  linnen-  £1.3.4. 

1779 — An  Old  Inventory. 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  an  inventory  of 
Johannes  l^lauvelt  of  Harrington,  made  in  1779: 

£  S. 

57  yards  homespun  linen 57  00 

15  yards  tow  cloth 15  00 

59  shirts  84  08 

Boots,  jackets  and  breeches 80  00 

2  hats,  stockings  and  mittens 22  00 

2  rugs 18  00 

6  woolen  shirts 14  08 


1 

1 

; 
-  •■-'  -^ 

'^^^H 

^^^■^^^i^if^ 

7 '' 

^^^^■L  '- 

X'^^^^^iSi^liig?! 

4 

^K.\fe:--i 

r";-  ■^^:;--.-^:^.  '^ 

li 

il 

Cheriokee  Indian  Rose  Blanket 


C.  Curtis 


Blue  and  White  Blanket 

DaTid  D.  Haring,  Weaver 


C.  Curtis 


FACTS  AXD  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  Gl 


IS  lineu  sheets oi  12 

13  tow  sheets 31  04 

4  table  clothes 6  08 

12  pair  pillow  cases 14  08 

1784 — Sold  at  a  vandue.  1  Bush.  Flaxseed — £0.5.4. 

1807 — Apr  14 — Luke  Van  Buskirk  Dr.  to  Peter  J.  Demarest 
for  weeven  Seventy  Nine  and  half  els   (91  yards) 
of  linnen— £2.13.0.' 
John  Xaugle  weaver 

1S07 — At  death  of  Jacobus  Demarest  Esq — the  following  was 

sold  at  the  vandue — 

To  a  weavers  Loom   £0.    19. 

To  a  Crackle    0  2  3 

'•   ••   Hetchel 0  1  0 

''  a  Spool   Wheal   Swift 0  3  0 

"  "  lot  of  gear 0  4  0 

"   "  R^al    0  6  9 

"  4  Shuutes   0  0  1 

3        "          0  0  1 

''  a  Cask.  &  flaxseed 0  5  0 

"   "  Wooling  wheel    0     10.  0 

"''   Lot  of  Spools  &c 1  4.  6. 

1812 — Abraham  Brass  to.  Spinning 

one  lb.  of  flax    £0.  3.  6 

four-^   '•     '•         0.  10  0 

•'    ''   "     '•        0  10.  0 

Spining  7  lbs  of  toe 8.  0 

1824 — James  P.  Demarest 

for  weaving  9.  ells  of  linnen  0.6.0 

1825 — James    A.    Haring    Weaver — West    Norwood,    called 
Back  neighborhood,  Old  Tappen.  Quilts  &  Coverlets. 
(Many  in  fine  state  of  preservation — 1916.) 
David  D.  Haring  Weaver  same  neieghborhood  made 
Coverlets — Table — covers :    rugs    with    tufted    sur- 
faces— Indian  Rose  blankets  &c. 

1815— July  5— William  Ely  and  William  Bettel  and  Robert 
Adams  the  executers  of  Robert  Berahill  Decesed  Dr 
to  John  J.  Demarest 

for  Proving  the  Will 0.      4       0 

for  taken  the  invetory 0.      6       0 

for  Going  to  Hackensack  for  wine  and 

pipes  for  the  funel 0.    12.      0 

for  Bringing  the  Corps  to  Hackensack.  .0      S.      0 


£1.    10.      0 


62  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

1820 

STRAWBERRIES. 

Mr.  James  C.  Demarest,  92  years  old  (1916),  gave  the  fol- 
lowing facts  in  regard  to  strawberries:  Bergen  County  was 
the  first  to  send  the  berries  to  market.  The  demand  was 
great.  His  grandfather,  Samuel,  and  father,  Cornelius,  were 
raising  them  about  1820.  There  was  an  early  variety,  which 
did  not  do  well.  The  standard  was  the  "Scotch  Runner." 
"I  will  never  forget  the  fragrance  from  them  when  a  wagon 
passed  on  its  way  to  market."  They  carried  a  thousand 
baskets  at  a  time  as  a  load,  and  for  the  first  shipments  they 
received  fourteen  dollars  for  a  thousand  pints.  As  the 
money  from  the  berries  was  the  first  to  come  in  after  a  long 
winter,  the  best  of  care  was  given  to  the  beds,  that  were  laid 
out  in  rows  with  a  path  wide  enough,  that  the  pickers  could 
work  comfortably  from  both  sides.  The  small  baskets  were 
placed  on  wooden  trays  and  the  berries,  without  the  hulls, 
were  placed  in  them.  Before  packing  for  market  each  basket 
had  a  green  leaf  tied  over  the  berries.  The  pickers  received 
one  cent  per  basket.  School  children  that  asked  the  privilege 
were  excused  from  school  during  this  season. 

From  The  Bergen  County  Journal,  July  2,  1858: 

"Capt.  R.  R.  Hawkey  informs  us  that  1,100  wagons  con- 
taining 1,500,000  baskets  of  strawberries  passed  the  second 
gate  (toll)  last  week." 

STRAWBERRY  BASKETS. 

Some  of  the  farmers  made  their  own  baskets  during  the 
winter,  the  women  of  the  families  assisting.  Our  people  hired 
a  man  from  Manicus  (above  Ramsey)  who  was  a  basket- 
maker.  He  came  in  the  fall  and  from  the  woods  gathered 
the  hickory  timber  and  worked  it  up  into  splints,  and  during 
the  winter  made  thousands  of  the  baskets  for  the  berries  (and 
for  other  use).  Each  shipper  had  his  own  mark — applied 
wdth  paint  to  each  basket — to  assure  its  return.  Some  used 
initials,  others  made  a  stripe  of  some  color,  around  or  up  and 
down,  and  others  a  color  on  the  bottom,  etc.,  and  even  then 
they  miscarried,  from  the  variety  of  marks  seen  on  a  collec- 
tion lying  in  an  attic. 

The  shippers  in  the  section  near  Old  Dock — Closter  Land- 
ing— sent  by  the  Periogus  to  the  other  side  of  the  Hudson 
and  to  New  York.  Others  sent  via  Fort  Lee,  also  Hoboken. 
At  one  time  wooden  bowls  and  then  pottery  cups  or  bowls 
were  used  to  ship  the  fruit  in. 

The  apple  crop  was  one  of  the  most  important  of  the  town- 
ship products.     Many  peaches  were  raised,  and  the  thrifty 


Strawberry  Baskets 


C.  Curtis 


These  baskets  were  used  for  strawberries,  the  berry  being  stemmed  and  oak  leaves 
laid  over  the  top  to  preserve  them 


H.  W.  Phillips 

The  home  of  Abraham  De  Voe  and  Elizabeth  Parsells,  his  wife.     1771. 
Now  the  home  of  Mrs.  Andreas 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  G3 

housewives  spent  the  evenings  peeling  and  slicing  them  for 
drying,  as  Avell  as  the  apples. 

1854 

CLAY  INDUSTRIES. 

Brickyards  in  the  Township. — At  Bogota,  on  the  river,  on 
Mnnn's  property,  was  a  yard  owned  by  John  Marclis — after- 
ward owned  by  John  Smultz  until  1869. 

1855 

]\Ioses  and  Andrew  Sears  started  a  yard  in  1855  on  the 
Kipp  property  on  the  Hackensack  River.  In  1860  it  was  dis- 
continued as  the  clay  gave  out. 

1867 

On  the  island  at  Ridgefield  in  1867  a  firm  started  a  yard 
to  make  pressed  face  brick.  They  installed  steel  ovens,  etc. ; 
expended  a  large  sum  of  money  digging  a  hole  80  feet  deep. 
After  three  seasons  it  was  declared  a  failure. — From  article 
on  "Clay  Industries  of  Bergen  County,"  F.  A.  Westervelt. 

1776 

ABRAHAM    DE    VOE    AND    ELIZABETH    PARSELLS, 

HIS  WIFE. 

Abraham  DeVoe  bought  a  small  farm  near  New  Bridge, 
1771.  He  worked  on  his  farm  and,  being  a  carpenter,  also 
worked  at  his  trade  in  the  surrounding  country.  The  battle 
of  Long  Island,  however,  changed  his  plans. '  His  country 
wanted  his  services :  one  of  his  sons  had  became  large  enough 
to  help  his  mother,  and  with  her  consent'  her  patriotic  hus- 
band joined  the  American  army  in  a  company  under  Cept. 
Demarest,  where  he  shortly  after  became  an  under  officer. 

It  was  not  long  after  when  Tory  thieves  were  organized 
and  began  to  steal  cattle,  horses,  hogs,  fowls  and  everything 
that  was  at  all  valuable  in  the  surrounding  country!^  His 
premises  were  several  times  visited  by  both  the  black  and 
white  desperados,  who  took  his  cattle,  robbed  his  house, 
abused  his  family,  especially  his  brave  wife,  who  would  not 
disclose  to  them  where  his  money  was  hid.  He  having  con- 
siderable gold  and  silver,  part  of  which  was  from  the  sale  of 
Fort  Washington  property,  he  concluded  to  invest  it  in  Con- 
tinental money,  just  then  issued,  and  this  he  held  until  it 
became  almost  worthless,  and  in  the  end  he  lost  the  greater 
part  or  all  of  it. 

Several  interesting  facts  have  been  handed  do\ni  to  and 
through  his  generations,  one  of  which  (a  great-grand-daugh- 


64  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

ter)  gives  an  account  of  his  sufferings  and  his  wife's  bravery- 
Cleaving  out  names),  which  appeared  in  the  press  under  the 
head  of  "A  Perilous  Night." 

In  the  year  1776,  at  the  time  the  English  troops  were  en- 
camped near  Hackensack,  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  there 
stood  on  the  old  Hackensack  road  a  large  and  commodious 
farm-house.  One  night,  just  at  dusk,  there  might  have  been 
seen  a  man  dressed  in  the  uniform  of  an  American  officer 
cautiously  wending  his  way  toward  it.  As  he  entered  he 
was  joyfully  welcomed  by  the  family,  for  his  wife  and  chil- 
dren were  rejoiced  to  have  the  husband  and  father  spend  the 
night  with  them. 

At  midnight  they  were  suddenly  aroused  by  the  tramping 
of  horses  and  the  sound  of  voices.  In  an  instant  the  husband 
and  ^vife  were  on  their  feet,  and  looking  from  the  window, 
perceived  a  large  company  of  English  soldiers  surroimding 
the  house.  Already  a  soldier  was  stationed  at  every  window 
except  one — a  small  window  leading  from  a  store  closet, 
which  was  so  completely  overgrown  with  shrubbery  as  to 
be  unnoticed  by  them. 

"This  is  your  only  chance,"  exclaimed  the  wdfe;  "go  at 
once."  "No,"  replied  the  sturdy  soldier.  "T  will  stay  here 
and  defend  my  family."  "Stay  and  be  slain  or  taken  pris- 
oner," replied  his  wife.  "I  wdll  do  all  the  defence  that  is 
necessary;  for  my  sake  flee."  Thus  urged,  he  dropped  noise- 
lessly from  the  window.  Hat  and  shoes  were  handed  him  by 
his  wife,  and  he  crept  silently  away,  expecting  every  moment 
to  be  taken  prisoner  by  the  enemy. 

In  the  meantime  the  British  soldiers  were  thundering  at 
the  door,  loudly  demanding  admittance;  but  the  lady  of  the 
house  was  in  no  hurry  to  admit  them,  knowing  mat  if  her 
husband  could  but  reach  the  woods  he  might  so  make  his 
way  to  the  fort  and  be  safe.  Finally  she  withdrew  the  bolt 
and  the  leader  demanded,  "Where  is  your  husband?"  "He 
is  not  here,"  she  replied.  "Don't  tell  me  that;  we  saw  him 
come  here  at  dusk  and  we  have  sworn  to  have  him  dead  or 
alive. ' ' 

They  searched  the  house  from  attic  to  cellar  and  Avhen  they 
discovered  that  he  had  really  escaped  they  were  filled  ■\\dth 
rage.  The  leader  flashed  high  his  sword  before  the  lady, 
angrily  exclaiming:  "Woman,  do  you  see  this  sword?"  "I 
do."  "Well,  to-day  I  broke  it  over  your  rebel  son's  head, 
and  I  would  have  served  your  husband  the  same  could  I  have 
found  him." 

For  an  instant  the  mother's  heart  failed  her;  then,  think- 
ing he  had  said  this  merely  to  frighten  her,  she  again  took 
courage.  Had  she  known  that  her  eldest  son  had  been  taken 
prisoner,  was  wounded  and  apparently  dying  in  the  Englisli 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  65 

camp  at  Fort  Lee,  her  courage  might  have  forsaken  her. 
After  helping  themselves  to  every  eatable  in  the  house  they 
departed. 

The  lady  did  not  again  retire,  but  at  dawn  dressed  herself 
for  a  walk,  leaving  the  children  in  charge  of  the  faithful 
colored  servants.  She  took  her  youngest  boy  by  the  hand  and 
walked  quickly  to  the  English  camp.  Arriving  there,  she 
demanded  an  audience  with  the  chief  officer.  A  little  sur- 
prised, they  admitted  her.  As  soon  as  she  entered,  the  officer 
arose  and  re(iuested  her  to  be  seated,  for  he  was  as  quick  to 
recognize  the  true  lady  in  the  woman  as  she  was  to  perceive 
that  he  was  an  English  gentleman  of  the  old  school.  Declin- 
ing the  proffered  seat,  she  inquired :  ' '  Sir,  did  you  come  to 
this  country  to  fight  men,  or  to  rob  and  plunder  women  and 
children  ?"' 

' '  To  fight  with  men,  madam ;  it  is  only  villains  and  cowards 
who  will  harm  defenceless  w'omen  and  children." 

She  then  recounted  the  events  of  the  previous  night,  add 
ing:     "This  is  the  third  time  your  soldiers  have  entered  my 
house   and  despoiled  it  of  everything  they   thought   would 
prove  to  their  advantage." 

"And  was  your  husband  at  home  when  the  soldiers  ar- 
rived?" inciuired  the  officer.  "He  was."  "And  did  you 
assist  him  to  escape ? "  "I  did ;  I  should  not  have  been  a  true 
Avife  if  I  had  not." 

The  officer's  face  lit  up  with  admiration  as  he  replied:  "J 
must  say  j^ou  are  a  brave  woman  to  come  and  tell  me  +his. ' ' 

Then,  calling  two  of  his  most  trusty  soldiers,  he  com- 
manded them  to  escort  the  lady  home  and  to  guard  her  house 
day  and  night  as  long  asi  they  were  encamped  there;  and  if 
ever  she  was  again  troubled  by  his  soldiers  he  would  require 
an  apology  at  their  hands.  But  she  was  never  again  molested 
and  ever  after  was  heard  to  speak  in  the  highest  terms  of  the 
English  gentleman. 

After  peace  was  declared  Abraham  DeVoe  was  found  on 
his  small  farm  and  hard  at  work  at  his  trade.  Among  his 
papers  appeared  a  bill  made  out  in  1799  for  119  days'  work 
on  the  " Scaullenburgh  Church"  at  10s.  per  day,  now  called 
the  "South  Church,"  alongside  of  which  is  the  burial  place 
or  cemetery  where  lie  the  remains  of  Abraham  DeVoe  and 
his  brave  wife — she  dying  in  1818,  while  he  lived  on  to  the 
great  age  of  91  years,  as  he  died  in  the  year  1826, 

Abraham  and  his  wdfe  had  but  five  children  to  grow  to  the 
age  of  maturity,  named  Mary,  John,  Elizabeth,  Sarah  and 
Abraham  A. — From  the  history  of  the  DeVoe  family — 1885. 

Abraham  DeVoe  was  the  descendant  of  Nicholas  de  Vaux, 
a  Huguenot  refugee,  who  wdth  others,  came  to  this  country 


66  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

in    1674,    accompanying    the    new    Governor,    Sir    Edward 
Andros. 

Nicholas  de  Vaux  went  first  to  Harlem  but  afterward 
joined  other  French  refugees  (Daniel  du  Voor,  Jean  Durie, 
Jacques  Laroe)  on  the  Demarest  purchase,  commonly  called 
"The  French  Patent,"  where  David  des  Marest  was  en- 
deavoring to  form  a  French  colony,  but  succeeded  only  in 
building  "The  French  Church  of  Kinkachemeck. "  The 
house  of  worship  was  built  near  upon  a  knoll  just  below  the 
Old  Bridge,  where  still  remains  "The  French  Burying 
ground." — Riker's  Revised  History  of  Harlem;  chapter  21-22. 

Note — ^While  the  oath  was  taken  at  an  earlier  date  the 
entry  was  evidently  made  after  the  preceding  ones  and  per- 
haps shows  the  fallibility  of  man. 


1776 

The  following  is  from  some  leaves  of  a  diary.  The  grand- 
father referred  to  was  Cornelious  Lydecker,  and  it  was  writ- 
ten by  the  Rev.  Cornelious  T.  Demarest,  his  son-in-law: 

"Grandfather  Lydecker  when  the  Rev.  war  broke  out 
moved  his  family  1st  to  Goshen  and  lived  there  with  Capt. 
Bradnor  who  had  served  in  the  French  War.  When  Howe 
put  out  his  proclamation  Bradnor  told  Gr.  that  he  could  take 
advantage  of  it.  Grandfather  said  'Not,  so  long  as  he  could 
find  a  quarter  part  of  America  Free,'  &c. 

"He  went  to  several  places  &  then  returned  to  Bergen  Co. 

"Grandfather  Ly  was  here  yet  when  Fort  Washington  was 
taken  for  he  stood  on  a  point  (Palisades)  &  saw  it.  Wash- 
ington was  at  Fort  Lee  at  that  time.  Col.  Peters  and  Major 
Stephen — fine  men — put  up  here  at  Grandfather.  Soldiers 
slept  in  the  Barn — very  dirty  and  lousy.  Col.  Peters  ad- 
vised Grandfather  to  take  his  family  back  into  the  country 
which  he  did  that  fall,  and  came  back  again  &  staid  here 
until  the  British  landed  at  New  Dock,  and  he  had  to  leave 
all.  The  two  horses  of  Peter  &  Steven  were  let  go  by  the 
Negroo.  They  thought  if  they  could  get  over  the  New  Bridge 
they  would  be  safe.  The  negroo  and  his  wife  remained  and 
went  with  the  British.  Grandfather  had  30  fat  hogs  a  large 
number  of  cows  and  sheep  a  large  Barrack  stood  where 
meadow  hay  lays  E.  of  Barn  full  of  wheat — clean  wheat  in 
his  garret — a  Barn  full  at  the  Lower  place,  all  fell  in  the 
hands  of  the  British. 

"He  put  in  his  horses,  tied  3  greys  behind  the  waggon — 
was  so  confused  could  think  of  nothing,  left  new  hat  and 
every  thing  behind — the  3  horses  broke  loose  &  lost  them  too. ' ' 


%.  A. 


Certificate  of  Loyalty 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  G7 


1776— Nov.  23 

Taken  from  Jacobus  Deraoray 
4  waggon  load  of  hay  by  order 
of  Corporal  Sampson 

Quartermaster  Richardson. 
Also  taken  from  him 

14  sheep 

3  heffers 

5  hogs 

2  pigs. 

1780— Sept.  1st 

This  may  Certify  that  Cobus  Demeris  has  furnished  to 
dragoons  ^^•ith  hay  and  oats  to  S.  I.  Belonging  to  Capt.  Bed- 
kins  troop  Light  Dragoons  Being  Detached  upon  the  rear 
Guard  William  Reynolds 

D.  D.? 

to  Cornelus  herry  ?    forage  master. 

1783— Feb.  11 

Received  of  Jacobus  Demarest  the  sum  of  3£  9s,  4d.  in 
part  of  cost  of  the  money  taken  of  John  Lyie  Prise. 

Cornelius  Huyler. 

To  the  Justice £2.  0.  0 

to  the  "Waggoner 0  12  0 

to  William  Day 

for  expenses 1  12  0 

7       14 
Paid  to  Comelious  Huyler  for  costs. 

1776 

The  oath  of  adjuration  of  the  kingly  authority  is  in  the 
words  following — to  wit. 

"I,  A.  B.,  do  sincerely  profess  and  swear  That  I  do  not 
hold  myself  hound  to  hear  allegiance  to  the  King  of  Great 
Britain.     So  help  me  God." 

The  following  is  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  popular 
government : 

"I,  A.  B.,  do  sincerely  profess  and  swear  That  I  do  and 
will  hear  true  Faith  and  Allegiance  to  the  Government  estah- 
lished  in  this  State  under  the  authority  of  the  People.  So 
help  me  God." 


6S  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

1787 

The  following  Persons  has  taken  the  oaths  of  Abjuration 
and  Allegniance  before  me  the  14  day  of  Nov  1787 — 
Jacobus  Bogart 
John  J.  Bogart 
John  Ackerman 
The  14  Day  of  May  1787 
Jacob.  J.  Banta 

1788 

The  30th  Day  September  1788 
John  Walker,  Schoolmaster 

Jacobus  Demarest. 

"During  the  Revolutionary  War  when  the  word  was  re- 
ceived that  'the  British  are  coming'  the  famlies  gathered  up 
their  valuables,  silver,  jewelry,  &  c.  &  hid  them  in  many 
places.  At  Liberty  Pole  (now  Englewood)  Cornelious  Ly- 
decker  owned  a  farm — part  of  it  lying  on  what  is  now  Pali- 
sades Ave.  In  front  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  site  was 
w^hat  the  Dutch  called  a  Slankey  (ravine).  In  its  depths  & 
at  the  foot  of  the  large  trees  many  valuables  were  hidden  and 
for  many  years,  occasionally  articles  that  had  been  left  would 
be  found." 

"In  the  To^vnship  stood  Fort  Lee,  Howe's  Headquarters, 
Closter  Dock  and  the  old  Block  House  so  famous  as  the  place 
of  refuge  for  a  band  of  the  most  unscrupulous  Tories  of  the 
Revolution. ' ' 


,'. // 


^ 


^^, 


•'/»>, 


•*''.'»i»  *^ 


Vv^  •■ 


Remnant   of   Homespun    Woolen   Blanket  bearing 
Crown  of  Kine  George 

From  home  of  Peter  Burdett.  Fort  Lee 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 


69 


TO  MISS  CATY  VAX  GEISEN 

AT 

PULIFY— 

The  above  address  is  on  the  outside  of  a   folded   paper 
sealed  with  red  wax,  and,  within,  the  following: 


I  Justify  Every  part  of 
of  Whig  with  all  my  heart 
for  to  support  I'll  try 
the  Friends  of  Liberty 
I  think  the  Association 
An  honour  to  the  Nation 
It  Swells  my  heart  full  big 
For  to  be  stiled  a  Whig 
I  wish  the  Best  success 
Unto  the  Grand  Congress 
All     Luck     below     the     sun 

To       General       Washington 

To  General 

Caty  Van  Geisex — 


king    and    parliament 
I  hate  the  Curst  Intent 
Friends     of     Administration 
are    troubles    of    the    Nation 
a     cruel     Base     Intent 
The     act     of     Parliament 
When    I    am    called   a    Tory 
Is  more  a  shame  than  Glory 
to  North  and  his  conclusion 
the   worst   of    all    Confusion 
To  Manissgle  bute   &  North 

(Mansfield) 
Destruction       &       so      forth 

Washington 


This  appears  the  sentiments  of  a  Whig,  but  when  you  pay 
no  attention  to  the  dividing  line  and  read  the  full  line,  the 
Tory  sentiment  is  strongly  shown. 

This  information  is  given  in  regard  to  the  above  "From 
the  original  Journal  of  Nathaniel  Croudy  of  Reading  Mass. 
this  song  was  copied."  It  was  a  revolutionary  song  by  Enoch 
Benson  Carter  (died  on  Prison  Ship)  (supposed  to  have  been 
written  while  regiment  was  at  Liberty  Pole). 

REVOLUTIONARY  SOLDIER  AND  WIFE 
WILLEMPIE  BOGART. 

"Jan.  Demarest,  son  of  Peter  Demarest  &  Maria  Batton 
(see  genealogy)  was  a  Revolutionary  Soldier  serving  as  a 
private  in  the  Hackensack  Company.  It  is  said  his  wife 
Willempie  Bogart  was  a  strong  and  fearless  woman.  They 
lived  in  the  neighborhood  when  the  plundering  and  persecu- 
tions of  the  Tories  was  a  constant  menace.  Mrs.  Demarest 
is  said  to  have  guarded  well  her  husband's  property,  even 
to  chaining  the  horses  and  cattle,  from  the  marauding  par- 
ties." "It  is  said  of  other  wives  that  they  guarded  their 
property  during  the  daytime  with  guns  while  their  husbands 
slept."  What  a  pity  there  is  not  more  kno^\^l  of  the  women 
of  the  Township  during  that  period. 


70  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

1794— Sept.  17 

I  Henery  Rixon  do  voluntarily  enlist  with  Peter  Hassen- 
fretz  to  serve  for  him  as  soldier  if  required  in  Captain  Helers 
Company  or  any  other  Company  he  is  wanted  in,  and  to 
receive  in  lieu  thereof  twenty  Dolars  bounty,  but  in  ease  I 
am  not  wanted  to  serve  or  doth  not  serve,  I  am  entitled  to  no 
more  than  Seven  Dollars.  Note,  I  received  One  Dollar  in 
hand.  Therefore  if  I  do  not  go  or  serve  I  am  to  receive  only 
Six  Dollars  but  I  go  or  serve  I  am  to  receive  Nineteen  Dollars. 

his 
Henery    X    Rixon. 
Signed,  Sealed  and  acknowledged  mark 

the  Day  above  wTitten  in  the  presence 
of 

MiCKL.  KlERAN 

Nicholas  Losye 
William  Waset 
Hugh  Cassidy  I  sine  of  this  indenter  to 

his  William  Ely. 

William    X    Magee 

mark  Peter  Hassenfretz. 

1794— Sept.  20 

I  Peter  Horsenflox  of  the  County  of  Bergen  and  State  of 
New  Jersey,  is  firmly  bound,  and  I  do  hereby  bind  myself, 
unto  William  Ely,  of  the  County  &  State  afore  said  to  find 
a  good  able  Body  Man  to  march  at  a  moment's  warning  in 
the  Quota  of  the  first  Battillon  of  the  Second  Regt.  and  for 
such  service  I  do  hereby  acknowledge  to  have  Received  the 
sum  of  Sixteen  Pounds  in  full — York  Currency. 

1794— Sept.  19 

We  the  underwritten  are  hereby  firmly  bound  to  each  other 
in  the  sum  or  sums  of  Money  which  shall  be  lawfuly  assesed 
on  us,  for  the  paying  of  a  substute  to  serve  in  this  the  Millitia 
of  the  Class  of  the  underwritten. 

William  Ely  John  Paulusson 

Thomas  Howard  Peter  J.  Demarest 

Yacobus  Poulis  Jacobus  Demarest 

Albart  Waldrom  John  Demarest 

George  Wilsson  Peter  Demarest 

Paulus  Paulusson  Jacobus  J.  Demarest 

Burckhart   Klotback  ?  Phillip  Husman 

Abraham  Devoe  Jur.  Guiliam  Demarest 

Jacobus  Waldrom  Jane  Demarest 

John  De  Hruseh  ? 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MAKUSCRIPTS 


"Every  man  over  18  years  of  age  had  to  train  each  year 
until  they  trained  10  years.  They  wore  white  trousers,  blue 
coats,  high  hats.  The  officers  wore  a  red  silk  scarf  across 
their 'bodies  and  high  red  feathers  on  the  front  of  their  hats. 
June  -Ith  was  annual  training  day,  all  meeting  at  Hackeu- 
sack." 

' '  The  Continentals — of  whom  Garret  G.  Ackerson  Sen  was 
Captain  wore  drab  knee  breeches  &  vest  &  blue  coats  &  three 
cornered  hats, 

1802 

Capt.  Cadmus,  one  man  (Seal)  Returned  Ruben  Hemmond 

^  1  Dol. 

A  Return  of  all  the  men  who  have  been  fined  for  Deficiancy 

and  uon  attendance  at  the  Battle  Muster  on  May  17  1802— 

Rynier  Earle  Capt. 

Also  a  Return  of  Regiments  Muster  fined  for  the  same  on 
June  1802  and  October 

Rynier  Earle  Capt. 

Rune  Ludlam  $3  John  Evens $2 

Matthias  Wade 2  James  Ludliam  1 

John  Lumliam   2  Henry  Speer 1 

Ezecle  Stillwell 3  Able  Smith  1 

Robert  Renwick  2  William  Crum 2 

Michel  Floy 3  Nathan  Slaker 1 

Nathaniel  Bud  1  John  Post   1 

Samuel  Pryme  1 

1812— March  26 

Notice  is  heare  by  given  that  an  election  will  be  held  for 
Military  Officers  wanting  in  the  3d  Company  1st  Battilion 
2d  Reg.  Bergen  Bergade  on  the  forth  Day  of  April  next  at 
one  oclock  in  the  afternoon  of  said  day  at  the  house  of  Peter 
D.  Christie,  inn  keeper  at  Scraalenbergh 

John  D.  Haring  Maj. 


1812 


1812 


John  J.  Jr.  Demarest  Dr — 
A  hat,  feather,  sword  and  belt. 
£7.12.0. 


Gabril  Purdy— Dr— 

to  horses  goen  to  traing.  £0.8.0 


Barant  Naugle  was  in  command  of  a  training  band. 


72 


FACTS  AXD  FIGURES  FROM  MAMJSCRIPTS 


SCHOOLS. 
1773— Sept.  25 

Mr.  Berry  Roniine  to  Geo.  Jansen  Dr — 
To  10  lbs  nails  deld.  Roelof  Romiue  for 

the  School  House  at  the  Ponds £0.      8.     4. 

To  13%  years  Interest 8       0 


£0.16.  4 
1785 

Dr  John  Van  Giesen 

to  Peter  "Wilson 
To  Tuition  of  Paul  Van  Giesen  from  Oct. 

15  1785  to  Nov  15  Do  at  writing £0.    10.      0 

1736— To  Do  at  Do  from  July  3rd  1786  to  Oct. 

3  Do 0.    10.      0 

1^87- To  Do  from  Augt.  21st  1787  to  Sept.  Do. .  0.    10.      0 


£1.    10.      0 
Mr,  Van  Giesen 

Please  to  pay  to  Jacob.  Smith  the  sum  one  Pound 
ten  shillings  the  amount  of  the  above  acct.  &  his 
Receipt  shall  be  your  discharge  from  your  humble 
Servt.  Peter  Wilson. 

1788 — John  Walker,  school  master. 

1794— Oct.  22 

Received  of  Isaac  Kipp  for  schooling  your  son  Peter  Aley 
the  sum  of  four  shillings  Lewis  Tichenor. 

1798 

To  Thomas  Grace  teacher  of  school  Dr 

to  4  Glasses  Gin  Grog.— 0.2.8. 
1798— July  19 

Received  of  Jacobus  Demarest  Esq — the  sum  of  eighteen 
shillings  it  being  in  full  for  school  teaching  for  Bess,  and  all 
other  accounts  till  this  Date 
£0.18.0.  Per  Joh.  Johnson. 

1800 

"Margaret  Lydecker  attended  school  in  a  small  stone  build- 
ing on  her  father's — Cornelius  Lydecker — farm,  Liberty 
Pole.    The  teacher  was  James  Forester,  son  of  Dr.  Forester." 

"James  Forrester  was  born  in  Edinburg  Feb.  25,  1775. 
landed  in  America  Oct.  16,  1794.  In  1795  at  the  age  of  20 
years  he  commenced  teaching  school  at  Closter.  He  remained 
3^/2  years  when  he  returned  to  Liberty  Pole.  Here  he  taught 
8  years.     He  then  accepted  a  position  in  N.  Y,  City." 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  73 

1800— April  5 

Received  of  Jacobus  Demarest  Esq — the  sum  of  ten  shil- 
lings it  being  in  full  for  one  Quarters  School  Teaching  for 
Bess — 

£0.10,0  JoH.  Johnson. 

1811 

James  Carson  Cr.  for  one  Qr.  Skuling 

0.12.0 

1818— Aug.  8 

Reed,  from  Mr.  Wm.  Ely  Twenty  eight  and  one  sixpence 
in  full  for  Tuition,  New  Bridge  Wm.  B.  Kipp. 

1818 

"Liberty  Pole  School  House  opposite  the  Tavern  was  one 
of  the  oldest  in  Bergen  County.  It  was  replaced  in  1818  by 
a  new  school  building  erected  by  the  Liberty  Pole  School 
Union  Company.  Children  from  under  the  Palisades  at- 
tended school  there.  School  was  from  9  till  5  in  summer  and 
9  till  4  in  winter.  Only  vacation  at  Christmas  holidays. 
During  strawberry  time  children  desiring  to  pick  strawber- 
ries were  excused.     About  1845  the  teacher  was  Mr.  Robinson. 

"Many  years,  after  1818,  it  was  torn  down  and  rebuilt 
at  Highwood,  N.  J.,  about  1  mile  above,  on  the  Tenafly  Road. 
All  the  original  material  being  used.  Now  in  1916  it  is  occu- 
pied by  a  family,  after  being  converted  into  a  bungalow. ' ' 

1843  to  1860 

"The  Schraalenburg  School  had  as  teachers  Peter  De  Baun, 
Abram  De  Baun, Cheesebrough  &  John  Meyers." 


THE  FIRST  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 

From    "First    Centennial    History    of    Schools    in    Bergen 

County,"  by  Supt.  Demarest. 

"Previous  to  the  passage  of  the  school  act  of  1846  the 
schools  w^ere  supervised  by  township  committees,  elected  at 
the  annual  town  meetings.  Prior  to  1842  the  school  com- 
mittee never  had  reported  to  the  board  of  trustees  of  the 
school  fund  as  the  law  required  them  to  do.  The  newlj-- 
appointed  committee,  in  conformity  to  a  resolution  adopted 
by  the  people  assembled  at  town-meeting,  were  instructed  to 
report  at  the  ensuing  town-meeting  the  condition  of  the 
public  schools  in  the  to^mship." 

Part  of  report  read  at  the  annual  town-meeting  10th  April, 
1843: 


74  FACTS  AXD  FIGURES  FROM  MAXl^SCRIPTS 

''Section  thirteen  of  the  act  to  establish  public  schools  in 
the  State  of  X.  J.  imposes  upon  one  or  more  of  the  members 
of  the  school  committee  to  visit  and  examine  the  schools  in 
their  respective  townships  at  least  once  every  six  months, 
and  on  or  before  the  first  Monday  in  March  report  their  state 
and  condition,  the  number  of  scholars  taught,  the  terms  of 
tuition,  the  length  of  time  the  schools  have  been  kept  open, 
the  amount  of  money  received  of  the  collector,  and  the  man- 
ner in  which  the  same  was  expended," 

''In  obedience  to  the  mandate  contained  in  this  section 
the  school  committee  did  visit  a  majority  of  the  schools  last 
fall.  In  the  early  part  of  February  last  they  sent  circulars 
to  the  trustees  of  all  the  schools,  inclosing  a  blank  form  of  a 
legal  report,  and  requesting  the  trustees  to  complete  the  same, 
for  which  the  committee  would  call  on  or  before  the  first 
Monday  in  March." 

"They  visited  school  No.  6 — New  Bridge — and  No.  7 — 
Schraalenburg.  At  New  Bridge  the  average  number  of 
scholars  taught  is  thirty-four;  terms  of  tuition,  $1.50,  $1.75 
and  $2.00.  The  school  has  been  kept  open  all  the  year;  the 
amount  of  money  received  of  the  collector  $74.80,  which  has 
been  .expended  for  the  education  of  poor  children,  and  for  the 
expenses  of  the  school  house."  (The  school  house  was  op- 
posite the  tavern.) 

"The  average  number  of  children  taught  at  Schraalenburg 
is  forty-seven ;  terms  of  tuition,  $1.50.  School  kept  open  the 
w^hole  year;  amount  of  money  received  of  the  collector  $83.60, 
all  of  which,  except  a  balance  of  $5.48  has  been  expended  for 
the  tuition  of  poor  scholars,  for  extinguishing  the  debt  on 
the  school  house  and  paying  the  expense  of  the  school." 

"School  No.  4  at  the  Liberty  Pole  is  in  good  condition. 
The  average  number  of  scholars  taught  is  forty-five;  price  of 
tuition,  $1.75 ;  school  kept  open  the  whole  j^ear  with  the 
omission  of  a  few  days;  received  of  the  collector,  $100.00, 
$62.23  of  which  has  been  expended  for  the  education  of  jioor 
children ;  the  surplus  funds  of  last  year,  added  to  the  re- 
mainder of  this  year,  have  been  used  for  erecting  a  cupola 
on  their  school  house  and  the  purchase  of  a  bell,  for  keeping 
the  school  house  in  repair  and  i)roviding  the  necessai-y  articles 
for  the  use  of  the  school." 

"School  No.  2  at  Fort  Lee  was  visited.  The  school  build- 
ing ai)pears  to  be  the  best,  largest,  and  most  commodious  of 
any  in  the  township.  A  becoming  spirit  animates  all  in  the 
furtherance  of  popular  education.  The  average  number  of 
scholars  taught  is  fifty-two;  the  terms  of  tuition,  $1.50  and 
$2.00;  the  school  has  been  kept  open  the  whole  year;  the 
amount  of  money  received,  $92.44.  Out  of  this  sum  was  paid 
for  interest  due  on  the  school  house  debt  $30.00;  to  paying 


FACTS  AXD  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  75 

teacher,  $30.00 ;  for  stove  and  fuel,  $24.00,  leaving  an  unex- 
pended balance  of  $8.40.  Poor  children  are  admitted  free 
of  charge,  the  teacher  being  engaged  by  the  year  at  a  fixed 
compensation." 

"First  free  school  in  Bergen  County  was  at  Fort  Lee  and 
still  flourishing.     April  3,  1858." — Bergen  County  Journal.) 

"No.  3  at  the  English  Neighborhood  was  next  visited.  The 
school  at  the  time  contained  only  eighteen  scholars  whilst  the 
number  residing  in  the  district  is  eighty.  The  principal 
cause  of  this  discrepancy  is  that  another  school  is  taught  in 
the  district.  Price  of  tuition,  $2.00.  School  kept  open  eight 
months  in  the  year  past;  received,  $79.20,  of  which  $43.17 
has  been  expended  for  school  furniture,  for  cleaning  and  re- 
pairing school  and  paying  the  teacher." 

"School  No.  5  at  Teaneck  was  visited.  There  were  about 
sixteen  scholars  present.  The  only  report  we  obtained  from 
the  trustees  merely  mentions  the  number  of  children  in  the 
district,  which  is  fifty-six;  the  number  taught,  which  is 
twenty-eight,  and  the  amount  of  money  received,  being 
$49.50." 

' '  School  No.  10  at  Upper  Teaneck  was  visited.  The  average 
number  taught  is  thirty-eight;  price  of  tuition,  $1.50;  re- 
ceived of  the  collector,  $59.40,  which  according  to  the  state- 
ment of  the  trustees  'has  been  expended  for  the  use  and  sup- 
port of  the  school.'    No  vacancy  the  last  year." 

' '  The  report  from  part  District  No.  8  at  the  Flats  says  that 
the  number  of  scholars  taught  is  twenty-three ;  price  of  tui- 
tion, $1.50  and  $1.75;  no  vacancy  the  past  year;  $31.99, 
money  received;  75  cents  of  this  has  been  expended  for  re- 
pairs and  the  remainder  equally  dividend  among  the  cJiil- 
dren." 

"The  report  of  part  District  No.  9,  Closter,  merely  gives 
the  number  of  legal  school  age  residing  in  the  district,  which 
is  thirty-four,  which  barely  enables  them  to  receive  their 
portion  of  the  school  money." 

"The  report  of  part  District  No.  1  at  Bulls  Ferry  gives  the 
average  number  of  children  taught  as  sixteen ;  terms  of  tui- 
tion, $2.00;  received  of  collector,  $17.60;  expended  in  repair- 
ing school  house  and  purchasing  fuel." 

Signed  (Johx  Van  Bruxt'/) 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 


PHYSICIANS  AND  THEIR  BILLS. 
1749 

Doet.  Kemraena,  1749. 

Dr.  J.  Van  Wagner,  1779. 

Engelbart  Kemmena,  1780-83. 

Beekman  Van  Bueren,  1779,  1784-86-90-83-99,  1805-06-07- 
09.    Deceased  in  1812.) 

Dr.  John  Van  Bueren,  1788. 

J.  Lewis,  1804. 

John  Campbell,  1808. 

Isaac  N.  D.  V.  Froligh,  1815. 

David  Marvin,  1814-15-16-19-20-23. 

Dr.  Abraham  Hopper,  1829. 


BILLS  FOR  MEDICAL  ATTENDANCE. 

1749 

New  York.  Received  ye  13  November  1749  of  Peter  Dema- 
reay  (Sen)  ye  sun  of  Six  Shillings  Be  it  in  full  of  all  ac- 
counts Per  DocT.  Kemmena 


£0.6.0 
1780 


Mrs  De  Wedue  Mareest  To 
Dot  Engelbart  Kemmena 
To  tending  and  medecins 

for  Mrs  Mareast  £3.13.0 

To  purghs  for  the  Negero  boy  2.0 

Rec.  the  full  contents  wydt 
in  for  me  Engelbart  Kemmena 
November  17  1780 


1784 


Mr.  Jacoby  D.  Mereft 

To  Doctor  Beekman  Van  Bueren. 
Feb. 

28  to  innocloting  7  of  your  family £4. 

31st       to  a  visit 0. 

"         to  a  Dose  annodyn 0. 

April 

1st         to  a  Purge  0. 

"         to  2  Doss  anodyn 0. 

13  to  a  viset   0. 

to  Bleden    0. 

"         to  a  mixter  for  the  fity  (city)  children.  .  .  0. 

14  to  a  viset   0. 

''         tp  a  Purge   0. 


1. 

0 

1. 

0 

2 

6 

1. 

6 

4. 

0 

1. 

0 

1. 

6 

2_ 

0 

1. 

0 

1. 

6 

FACTS  AKD  FIGURES  FROM  MAm:SCRIPTS 


May 

8  a  Dose  for  Worms 0.      1.      6 

June  6  to  6  Worm  Powders 0.      6.      0 


£5.      7.      6 
Oct.  29  Red.  the  ful  Contents  in  ful  of  all  acct.  Per  Mee 

Beekman  Van  Bueren. 
1800 

REMEDY  FOR  THE  EPEDEMIC. 

1  oz  Rochelle  Salts 

2  oz.  Manna 

desolve  them  in  half  pint  of  warm  water  &  take  it  in  the 
course  of  3  hours  with  as  much  Tamarind  Water,  if  vometed 
up  Repeat  the  Dose — 

TRANSPORTATION. 

1768 

"Andrew  Van  Buskerk  erected  a  stage  wagon  in  Hacken- 
sack  at  the  New  Bridge  to  set  out  for  Paulus  Hook  on  Sept 
17th  to  go  twice  a  week,  for  two  shillings  sixpence." 

1775 

"He  changed  the  terminal  to  Hoboken  &  like  the  others 
called  his  vehicle  a  'Flying  Machine.'  " 

1768 

"In  the  same  year  Jerdine  Elsworth  brought  out  his  new 
caravan  'between  the  Hook  &  New  Bridge.'  He  informed 
the  public  that  his  horses  were  very  quiet  &  the  caravan  new 
&  in  excellent  order.  During  the  Revolution  regular  com- 
munication ceased." — Bergen  County  Atlas. 

"Liberty  Pole  Tavern  Omnibus  that  left  every  day  (Sun- 
day excepted)  at  seven  oclock  in  the  morning  reaching  Ho- 
boken in  3  hours  Returning,  left  Hoboken  at  4  p.  m.  & 
reached  the  Pole  at  7  p.  m. " 

1783-1784 

Michel  Feefer  was  taxed  for  a  "Ferry." 

Schooners  &  Sloops  sailed  the  Hackensack  River  as  far  as 
New  Milford.    At  New  Bridge  was  a  Dock. 

"Stages  left  New  Bridge  for  Fort  Lee.  John  Ackerman 
o^\^aed  an  omnibus  with  the  door  in  the  rear.  Evers'body 
liked  to  ride  -with  Mr.  Ackerman  as  he  had  fast  horses." 

The  boats  carried  all  kinds  of  freight. 

The  stages  carried  pasesengers  &  packages  also  mail. 


78  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

RIDING  CHAIRS. 

1784 

On  the  tax  list  of  1784  one  of  the  many  things  taxed  was  a 
"Riding  Chair" — which  seems  to  have  been  the  Dutch  term 
for  a  chaise.  They  were  taxed  $2  per  year  for  them.  There 
were  only  three  in  the  township. 

"Chaise — A  one-horse  vehicle  for  two  persons,  with  body 
hung  on  long  leather  straps,  having  long  elastic  shafts,  a 
calash  top  and  two  high  wheels." 

1788 

Reed,  of  Jacob  Bamper  at  Paramus  28th  August  1788  a 
cow  which  he  valued  at  seven  Pounds.  Said  sum  is  to  be 
deducted  of  a  Riding  Chair  I  am  making  for  him  which  chair 
I  promised  to  make  complete  in  the  Coarse  of  Six  Weeks — 
Agreed  with  Mr.  Smith  for  forty  pounds  Jersev  Currency 
£7.Y.P.M. 

Byrne  Phillips  Smith. 
Witness 

Geo.  Jansen. 

Mr.  James  C.  Demarest,  now  92  years  old,  told  of  his  re- 
membrance of  a  Riding  Chair. 

"His  mother,  EflPy,  b.  1804,  was  a  daughter  of  Peter  C. 
Westervelt  of  English  Neighborhood,  who  owned  a  chair 
which  M^as  considered  'very  fine.'  His  mother  when  a  young 
girl  and  her  brother  dressed  up  in  their  best  clothes  and 
started  off  in  the  chair  to  spend  the  day  at  Hobokon.  When 
they  reached  the  bridge,  nearby  were  some  sailboats.  The 
horse  became  frightened  and  bolted.  All  were  thrown  in 
the  river.  The  men  from  the  boats  hurried  to  their  rescue. 
One  cut  the  harness  and  the  horse  escaped.  Another  caught 
the  boy  and  got  him  to  the  pier  and  told  him  to  'hold  on;' 
then  he  swam  to  the  girl,  who  was  bobbing  up  and  down  for 
the  last  time,  and  caught  her  by  the  top  of  her  bonnet,  which 
fortunately  was  tied  under  her  chin  Avitli  ribbons  that  were 
strong  enough  to  hold,  so  she  was  rescued." 

FERRIES  OVER  THE  HUDSON  RIVER. 

"Closter  Landing  was  called  The  Great  Rock  Reach." 
"At  one  point  a  little  rowboat  is  struggling  across,  tossing 
among  the  whitecaps.  An  old  Dutchman  plies  the  oars,  row- 
ing sturdily,  and  at  last  lands  his  passengers  on  the  other 
shore.  A  few  miles  beyond  and  you  see  another  rowboat 
ferry — and  another.  What  are  those  (piaint  little  sailing 
vessels  wending  their  way?  Periougas  they  are  called,  carry- 
ing both  passengers  and  freight  from  bank  to  bank.     So  at 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 


many  points  the  Hudson  was  bridged  by  the  rowboats  and 
the  periougas  at  much  the  same  points — in  fact,  where  you 
can  bridge  it  today  borne  by  the  power  of  twentieth  century 
mechanism. 

"Burdett's  Ferry,  Fort  Lee,  was  the  only  communication 
between  the  sister  forts,  Washington  and  Lee,  and  while 
Mollie  Sneden,  that  valiant  and  famous  little  Tory,  was  oper- 
ating the  ferry  at  Sneden 's  Landing,  five  miles  above  Alpine, 
the  loyal  patriot  Peter  Burdette  was  assisting  our  army  to 
transport  ammunition  and  supplies,  as  well  as  soldiers,  from 
shore  to  shore,  while  his  better-half  cooked  flapjacks  for 
General  Washington.  "—From  New  York  Times,  1914,  by 
Sarah  Comstock. 

CHURCHES. 

REV.  SOLOMON  FROELIGH. 

In  1786  called  to  Reformed  Dutch  congregations  of  Hack- 
ensack  and  Schraalenburg ;  officiated  thirty-nine  years. 

In  1800  he  wrote  in  regard  to  the  religious  revival  in  the 
above  congregations: 

"  Schraalenburgh,  March  17,  1800. 

''Sir, — I  feel  myself  prompted  to  transmit  to  you  a  detail 
of  the  surprising  work  of  the  Divine  Spirit  in  the  congrega- 
tion under  my  care,  which  is  of  several  years'  continuance. 
Thirteen  years  ago,  when  I  became  pastor  of  these  congrega- 
tions, I  found  religion  among  them  in  a  very  low_  ebb ;  noth- 
ing appeared  the  least  encouraging  but  a  disposition  to  at- 
tend ordinances ;  family  worship  had  nearly  become  extinct — 
the  young  people  were  generally  addicted  to  levity,  and  the 
slaves  exceedingly  vicious.  This  was  the  deplorable  state  of 
my  flock  for  a  series  of  year.  But  the  first  season  that  the 
epidemic  prevailed  in  Philadelphia  I  preached  on  a  fast  day 
from  Psalm  ixxvi.11.12.  This  was  the  beginning  of  a  glorious 
work  of  conversion  among  the  people  of  my  charge;  it  af- 
fected persons  of  every  rank  and  age,  from  fifty  years  and 
upwards  down  to  twelve,  and  a  considerable  number  of  black 
people.  Both  black  and  white  prepared  for  church  member- 
ship. In  the  space  of  nine  months,  I  admitted  nearly  two 
hundred  communicants,  and  baptised  a  large  number  of  black 
people.  Prayer  meetings  were  set  up,  and  have  continued 
ever  since.  We  frequently  have  a  meeting  season  under 
preaching  on  the  Lord's  Day — especially  on  sacramental  oc- 
casions, when  the  Lord's  Supper  is  generally  administered  to 
between  two  and  three  hundred  persons,  which,  though  not 
an  over-large  number  in  a  city,  yet  in  a  country  congrega- 
tion, much  larger  than  usual — &c." — From  a  Lamentation 
over  the  Rev.  Solomon  Froeligh,  SS.T.D.  &  P— 1827. 


80  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

1799 

"Fees  for  registering  children  be  at  least  two  shillings  and 
that  one  half  be  paid  the  clerk  if  the  child  be  baptized  where 
(the  clerk)  officiates.  The  remainder  belongs  to  the  min- 
ister." 

There  were  many  papers  referring  to  pew  rents,  pastors' 
salaries  and  other  monies,  but  simply  references. 

TWO  BAPTISMAL  RECORDS  IN  DUTCH. 

(Parents.)  (Birth  &  Baptism  dates) 

Het  Kint  van  Roelef  Gebooren  Den  10  May 

Bogert.  Endo  moeder  Gedoopt.    Den    8    June 

Jannitie  Banta  in  Het  yaar  1788  het  Kinto 

naem  Jacob. 

(Witness) 

Jacob  Banta  En  Eyn 

Huisorow   Catrinna   Lam 

Syn  getuigen 

Wort  Een  Damkseggenge  Begert  voor  Een  Kramvrou. 
(A  thanksgiving  in  church  is  desire  for  a  lady  in  childbed.) 

Ouders  Kint  Ganygen 

(Parents)  (Child)  (Witnesses) 

Petrus  Bogert  Grietie  Gb.  Jan  Bogert 

Maria  Christie  Augustus  d.  lOd  Margriettie  Demarst. 

1788 

This  prayer  was  written  by  Jacobus  Demarest  on  a  scrap 
of  paper  about  1800: 

"0  lord  wilt  thou  Revive  thy  work  Amongst  us.  May  a 
genral  Reformation  take  place  within  our  Selves,  within  our 
Nabourhood  &  throu  out  our  Common  Country.  May  we  all 
be  flocking  to  the  standard  of  Jesus  the  Rock  of  our  Salvation 
0  Lord  we  thank  the  that  our  lot  is  fauling  in  pleasant 
plaices  and  that  we  have  a  standing  into  a  Land  of  Gospel 
Light  and  Liberty  and  that  we  are  blest  with  priviledg  far 
and  above  our  fellow  creature." 

This  prayer  was  written  in  Dutch  by  James  Demarest : 
"The  Lord  grant  now  abundantly  to  the  needy  and  poor 
in  the  land,  for  they  are  evidently  those  whom  Christ  has 
left  in  his  place.  'Give  a  portion  to  seven,  yea  to  eight  for 
thou  knowest  not  what  evil  shall  be  upon  the  earth.'  The 
Lord  grant  you  a  hearing  ear  and  an  understanding  heart  in 
order  that  we  may  add  something  to  the  glory  of  God 's  most 
holy  name  and  to  the  salvation  of  our  souls.     Amen." 


FACTS  AXD  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  81 

BRIDGES. 
1682 

"For  the  first  time  commissioners  were  appointed  to  lay 
out  roads,  provide  ferries  and  Bridges,"  after  formation  of 
Bergen  County. 

1759 

Action  taken  on  "Building  &  repairing  bridges." 

Freeholder  &  Justices'  book. 

1764 

Johannes  Demarest  and  John  Zabriskie  shall  procure  iron 
chains  &  fix  the  same  to  the  draw  bridge  over  the  Hackensack 
river  instead  of  ropes. — 1st  Freeholders  &  Justices'  book. 

1765 

Ordered  that  Lawrence  Van  Buskirk  Esq  and  John  Za- 
briskie do  take  the  chains  that  are  now  on  the  New  Bridge  & 
dispose  of  them  to  the  best  advantage  for  the  benefit  of  the 
county  and  ordered  that  they  shall  buy  good  Pitched  Ropes 
&  fix  upon  the  Draw  Bridge  &  have  said  Bridge  put  in  good 
repair. — Freeholders  and  Justices'  book. 

1768 

That  the  Bridg  commonly  called  the  New  Bridge  between 
Lawrence  VanBuskirk's  Esq.  and  John  Zabriskie  shall  be  re- 
paired.— Freeholders  and  Justices'  book. 

1797— March  7 

"Samuel  Ogden  and  36  other  contractors  were  incorporated 
as  'The  Proprietors  of  the  Bridges  over  the  Rivers  Passaic 
and  Hackensack,'  and  under  their  charter  claimed  the  ex- 
clusive rights  to  erect  bridges  over  these  rivers." 

1819— May  13 

The  Board  of  Freeholders  adopted  the  folloA\'ing: 

"Resolved,  That  a  committee  be  appointed  to  superintend 
the  following  bridges,  viz.,  Old  Bridge,  New  Bridge  and 
Hackensack  Bridge. 

"Resolved,  That  Messrs.  P.  C.  Westervelt,  J.  A.  Wester- 
velt  and  P.  A.  Terhune  be  said  committee. 

"Resolved,  That  the  committee  be  and  are  hereby  author- 
ized to  prosecute  all  offences  that  may  be  for  the  future  com- 
mitted against  the  act  of  the  Council  and  General  Assembly 
of  the  State  of  New  Jersey  entitled  'An  Act  to  prevent  the 


82  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

Draws  of  Certain  Bridges  in  the  County  of  Bergen  being 
left  open." — From  Bergen  &  Passaic  County  History. 

"Albert  Voorhis  son  of  John  Voorhis  was  drowned  at  New 
Bridge  through  an  open  draw." 

1826— Nov.  10 

Bergen  County  Dr.  (to  William  Ely) 
Dr.  for  Labor  Don  to  the  New  Bridge. .  .£0.      1.      0 

one  lb  of  Spiks 0.      1.      0 

17     Dr  for  Inspecting  A.  Bridge 0.      8.      0 

19     Dr  for  inspecting  A.  Bridge 0.      8.      0 

County  Cr  for  old  timber 0.    12.      0 

Dec.  2       Dr  for  Inspecting  A.  Bridge 0.      8.      0 

Ditto  for  inspecting  A.  Bridge  &  Seling 

the  old  timber 0.      8.      0 

11     Dr  for  Repairing  the  Draw  of  the  New 

Bridge 0.      8.      0 

29     Dr  for  Labour  Don  to  the  New  Bridge.  .0.      4.      0 
1827 

Jan.  24    Dr  for  Repairs  Don  to  the  New  Bridge.  .0.      8.      0 
27     Dr  for  taking  the  Spileings  of  the  peare 
out  of  the  Ice  and  bringing  them  on 

Shore 0.    16.      0 

Mar.  5       Dr  for  Repairing  the  Oraw  of  the  New 

Bridge 0.      7.      0 

24     Dr  for  viewing  A.  Bridge 0.      4.      0 

26     Dr  for  Repairing  the  Draw  of  the  New 

Bridge 1.      0.      0 

Apr.  4       Dr  for  planking  the  Draw  of  the  New 

Bridge 0.    12.      0 

Dr  for  13  lbs  of  Spiks 0.      3.      0 

Dr  for  Bolts  &  Nuts 0.      1.      0 

(From  an  account  book.) 

1830 

Article  of  sale  of  repairs  of  the  Old  Bridge  near  the  house 
of  Casparus  J.  Demarest.  The  repairs  of  said  bridge  and  of 
the  draw  of  said  bridge  to  be  put  up  at  public  vendue  and 
to  be  struck  oft'  to  the  lowest  bidder.  The  bill  of  timber 
necessary  for  repairing  said  bridge  and  draw  are  as  follows, 
viz. : 
For  Draw — 

inches  feet 
4  pieces  6  feet  long,  4  in.  by  7  —  20 
1     do     7.6  8  "12    —    20 

1     do     7.6  6  8    —    15 

1  14  3  5    —    17.6 

Also  2  pieces  for  South  Wheel 
5.6  long      3    —    6 


F  ^ctsandjiguresj;ro^o^ 

mmmmm 

:;rank"thU°  ^e^'noHn  ?l.e\aid  draw  and  to  be  spiked  do.™ 
lale  sublet   to  an   acyournm.nt.     The   n-on   work   .HI   be 


for  $32.75 
1831 


Articles  of  Sale  of  the  repairs  of  the  New  Bridge  across  the 
B^:^cS^i^eJ!    TogetLr  with  the  timber  wanting  for 

'"FirT'tWepairs  of  said  Bridge  i.  e.  timber  work,  iron 

work,  and  spikes  to  be  furnished  by  the  P^^'^^^^J-        ^^^^.^^^ 

2d      The  repairs  of  said  bridge  to  be  struck  of  the  lo^^est 

'^^hSw^g  is^=S^f  timber  wanting  for  said 

^Tlff^et    inch  measure  of  plank  White  Oak      Bl^ek  Oak 
timber  pTank  to  be  a  stout  inch  thick  and  to  be^ll  tt  long 

46  6    Sch  measure  of  plank  to  be  one  inch  and  one  half 
inch  thick  and  to  be  11  fLt  long  to.be  put  --//- .f-    ^ 
thick  plank  to  be  put  on  the  east  side  and  the  thm  on  the 

It^es  ^oist  .r  t.e  t.p  o.  sa.  d.w      5   .   C  in  Ion.  ..  tU..-  ^  ft  .  in 

1  Rabbit   piece  an 

g     11  4-4  —       O  " 

2  hand  rail   posts 

of  timber  93       10 

Plank  5S8         6 


Inch   measure  ?  632 


84  FACTS  AOT)  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

4th  The  purchaser  is  to  find  &  bolt  with  screws  and  nut 
to  fasten  the  hinges  of  the  tip  part  of  said  draw. 

5th  The  plank  to  be  well  spiked  down  and  the  timber  to 
be  White  Oak  except  the  plank  which  may  be  of  Black  or 
White  Oak  as  the  purchaser  shall  chuse  the  purchaser  shall 
also  fasten  the  hand  rail  post  or  posts  which  want  fastening, 
the  whole  of  the  above  repairs  to  be  finished  on  the  first  of 
October  next  in  a  workman  ship  manner  subject  to  the  in- 
spection of  William  Ely  and  John  Zabriskie 

Sold  this  30th  day  of  August  1831  to  me 

Simon  W.  Demarest 
for  $21.00. 

At  one  time  the  "draw"  was  the  "lift"  type — one  end 
being  elevated.  It  w^orked  by  balancing  weights  and  turned 
by  a  large  key.    Note  article  4. 

At  another  time  the  "draw"  was  of  the  "slide"  type.  It 
was  drawn  over  the  roadway  of  the  main  bridge. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 
1733 

On  a  map  of  1733  the  Overpeck  Creek  is  called  "Oversack 
River." 

1742 

The  oldest  document  in  the  collection : 

November  ye.  13th  1742 
Carman. 

Mr  Peter  Demorrest  Sir  Pay  or  cause  for  to  be  paid  unto 
Danniel  Trasy  or  his  order  ye  sum  of  fifteen  Schillins  and 
that  wdthout  delay  and  this  shall  be  your  Suffititent  Discharg. 
Sir  I  Remain  Yours.  Lourons  Van  Boskerck. 

New  York  April  the  12  Day  1743 

Received  of  Peiter  Demeray  the  sum  of  four  pounds  four 
shillings  and  nine  pence  for  cart  work  in  full  of  all  accounts. 
I  say  Received  by  me 

Richard  Boogerth. 

The  bill, 
the  Large  Boolt.  wt  17  lbs  at  9  pence  p.  pound 
the  2  Skaines  &  4  Bands  wt.  33  pounds 
the  4  Boxis  wt  18i/^  pounds 

the  8  Staples  &  2  Linch  pins  &  2  bolts  08  pounds 
the  Back  Band  &  Chancs  wt  10  pounds 
the  coller  rings  &  chains  wt  141/2  pounds 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  85 

May  In  all  the  weight  is  lOli/s £3.    17.  3 

8  to  new  Shews  for  j^oiir  hors 0       8  0 

15  to  old  Shews   0      1  6 

21  to  a  huck  and  ehane  for  your  cart  wheel.  ..0       3  0 


Dr  to  Richard  Boogerth. 

1757 

Ordered  that  there  be  a  sufficient  Stock  made  in  the  Pre- 
cinct of  Hackensack  to  be  managed  &  ordered  by  the  Free- 
holders Cornelius  Lydecker  &  Barant  Cool  at  ye  convenient 
place  near  the  New  Bridge — 1757 — Book  of  Freeholders  and 
Justices. 

1769 

Shall  be  set  up  Posts  and  Painted  Markes  directing  the 
several  roads  in  said  County  and  to  be  put  up  in  Precint  of 
Hackensack  by  direction  of  Lawrence  L.  Van  Buskirk  and 
Peter  De  Grote. — Book  of  Freeholders  and  Justices. 

1783— Single  men  were  taxed  £0.12.0. 

1784 — Single  men  were  taxed  £0.7.3. 

1786 

Beekman  Van  Buren 

to  Nathan  Squire  Dr 

To  Chocolate  and  Cakes 0.      2.      0 

To  1  handkerchief 0.      6.      6 

1790 

The  name  "teanafly"  appears  on  a  document  of  1790. 

1796 

Reed  New  Bridge  Oct  22  1796  of  Jacobus  Demarest  the 
sum  of  four  Dollars  it  being  for  a  Colt,  of  the  Bold  Hunter. 

Ural  Meeker. 

(The  Bold  Hunter  is  often  referred  to  in  these  docu- 
ments. ) 

1800 

PARTITION  PAPER. 

Whereas  the  Heirs  of  Peter  P.  Demarest  late  of  the  pre- 
cinct of  Hackensack  in  the  County  of  Bergen  and  State  of 
New  Jersey  decesed  have  made  partitin  of  the  Real  Estate 
of  the  said  deceased,  and  whereas  the  Widow  has 


86  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

a  life  interest  in  the  Real  estate  aforesaid  and  it  being  possi- 
ble that  she  may  disturb,  interrupt,  and  injure,  one  or  more 
of  the  said  Heirs  in  the  enjoyment  of  their  Respective  Shares 
&  Portions,  Agreed  that  while  the  said  widow  shall  be  con- 
tented to  receive  a  support  from  the  said  heirs,  in  lieu  of 
enjoying  the  said  Real  Estate  &c,  she  shall  be  at  liberty  to 
board  or  live  with  such  of  the  heirs  as  she  shall  from  time  to 
time,  select,  prefer  &  choose  and  the  price  of  the  board  &  also 
the  Doctors  Bills,  &  the  money  wanted  to  purchas  wearing 

apparel  shall  be  borne  &  paid  by  the  said  heirs Provided 

always  that  no  more  than  37  Dollars  and  50  cts.  per  annum 
shall  be  charged  for  board.  Signed    


1802 

New  York,  Oct  18  1802 
Dear  Christian  friends 

Mr  &  Mrs  Elley  May  the  Blessing  of  the  Lord  God  of  Israel 
under  whose  wings  I  hope  you  have  been  enabled  to  trust. 
Bless  You  and  all  that  appertains  to  you  Boath  in  the  upper 
Springs  and  in  the  nether  Springs.  Be  so  Kind  to  give  our 
Christian  Love  to  your  Honored  father  and  Mother  in  law, 
Cobes  &  Pege,  our  Kind  friends  Judge  &  Mrs  Haring  & 
family  to  geather  with  those  Christian  friends  that  use  to 
meet  with  us  at  a  throne  of  grace  not  forgetiug  your  worthy 
Pastor.  I  often  reflict  with  comfort  the  time  T  lived  amongest 
you  and  the  many  sweet  oppetuntys  I  enjoyed  at  a  throne  of 
grace  with  3^ou  in  the  Little  Retired  habitation  the  Lord  was 
please  to  provide  for  us  tho  at  the  expence  of  our  Landlord 
happeyness,  that  little  hut  the  Lord  hath  (blessed  be  his 
Holy  name  for  it,)  often  been  please  to  meake  it  a  bethel  to 
our  soules.  and  a  Palace  weare  he  as  King  of  Zion  had  often 
come  in  to  sup  with  ous  and  we  with  him.  I  am  grieved  to 
hear  that  it  has  become  a  den  of  theeves,  that  the  walls  if 
they  could  speak,  togeather  with  the  trees  and  hedges  would 
bear  witness  of  our  secret  Converse  and  connnunion  with  our 
Dear  Lord  Jesus  Christ  should  now  hear  nothing  but  that 
blessed  name  in  whom  your  Souls  Desire  to  trust  and  rejoice. 
Blasphemed  from  Day  to  Day.  Mrs  Chalk  and  my  self  being 
boath  fond  of  solitude,  the  Lord  hath  been  pleased  in  the 
general  to  cast  our  lot  in  the  cities  hath  often  caused  me  to 
admire  Dr  Watts  paraphrase  on  the  55  Psalm  weare  he  saith 

0.  were  I  like  a  feathered  Dove 

and  innocence  had  wings 
Id  fly  and  make  a  long  remove 

from  all  these  restless  things 


FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

Let  me  to  some  mid  Dessert  go 

and  find  a   peaceful  home 
Where  storms  of  Malice  never  blow 

temptations  never  come 

Riit  this  world  is  not  the  Christian  rest  and  to  be  Delivered 
fror^  troubre  we  must  be  Deliverd  from  this  body  m  ^vinch 
wP  dwell  in  the  world  ye  shall  have  tribulation  saith  our  Dear 
Lord  but  in  r^e  ye  shaU  have  Peace  therefore  the  Doctor  goes 
on  an  saith 

Vain  hopes  and  vain  invalations  all 

to  scape  the  rage  of  hell 
the  Mighty  God  on  whom  I  call 

Can  save  me  here  as  well. 

And  may  it  be  his  blessed  will  who  hath  saved  ^^  with  an 
ev^rlastlng'salvation,  save,  us  from  ^^^  ^^  fy  by  ^^ 
ing  of  regeneration  and  the  renewing  of  the  Holy  l^ost  even 

^^^?  ^i^^VrSLtZii  tt  y^u  some  time  ago  to  counter 
order  t^ie  cyder  contrary  to  our  intencheu  I  should  be  g  ad 
herefore  S'you  could  fill  that  one  barel  tMt  I  left  .o^h  you 
for  that  Durpos  with  such  as  you  know  will  suit.  ^"^^^  "/^^ 
Mr    Buskerks  Schooner  and  if  you  could  send  me  a  Bushel 

monev  to  vou  by  Mr  Haring  or  pay  it  to  any  ot  jour  oiciex 
as  you  shaU  think  best.  Be  so  kind  to  naU  «'«  <ln-ect.ons  on 
Se'barel,  direct,  for  Mr  Chalk  at  Mr  M-^.<,';™  »«)  ""'^ 
Pnf^^l  fttorp  Greeuwich  oppisite  the  btates  rnson. 
Sb  vou  have  heTrd  no  doubt  by  Miss  Peggy  Demarest  your 
l^er  0  the  Lords  disposale  of  us  in  a  way  of  piM^vidence  since 
I  tad  the  pleasur  of  seeing  you  I  shall  therefore  only  sub- 
scribe my  self  your  in  Christ  Jesus.     Affectmatly 

James  Chalk. 

This  letter  was  folded  and  sealed  with  wax  in  the  cus- 
tomary manner  and  directed  to 

Mr  Elley  farmer 
New  Bridge 

New  Jersey 

By  favor  of  Mr  Samul  Bering 
Mr.  (Wm.)  Elley's  wife  was  a  daughter  of  Jacobus  Dem- 
arest, Esq. 


88  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

The  following  may  have  reference  to  the  ' '  den  of  thieves ' ' 
spoken  of  in  the  letter  of  1802  preceding : 

"When  the  old  school  house  at  Liberty  Pole  opposite  the 
Tavern  was  torn  down  prior  to  1812  (the  new  one  was  built 
then)  it  was  found  to  have  been  'a  den  of  thieves.'  There 
was  a  quantity  of  silver  articles  that  had  been  pounded  and 
broken  ready  to  put  in  a  melting  pot.  Other  articles  were 
found  showing  it  had  been  a  meeting  place  for  lawless 
people." 

1806 

Notice  is  hereby  given  that  I  the  Subscriber  have  received 
into  the  pound  on  the  18th  Instant  Seven  old  Sheep  marked 
^dth  a  Cross  on  the  left  Ear  and  a  Slit  in  both  ears  and  three 
young  ones  without  mark.  The  owner  or  owners  is  Requested 
to  come  and  pay  the  Cost  &  Damages  and  take  them  away 
or  they  will  be  Sold  at  Public  Vendue  at  the  house  of 
Abraham  Collins  on  the  twentieth  Day  of  August  next  the 
Vendue  to  begin  at  one  oclock  in  the  afternoon  of  Said  Day 
When  attendance  will  be  given  by 

William  Ely  Pound  Keeper. 
July  15  1806 

1806 

Came  to  the  Pound  by  order  of  the  Widdo  Nickle  teen  Sheep 

on  the  18  Day  of  July  1806 

Damages 50 

for  Receiving 20 

for  tending,  keeping 1.20 

for  hay  During  that  time  fore  day. .  .   1.20 


$3.10 


Received  of  Albert 

A  Westervelt  the  sum  of  $2.40  July  22  1806 


1810 

"We  have  no  Law  concerning  Dogs  killing  Sheep  but  the 
Looser  of  Sheep  is  intitled  to  Damages  as  in  all  other  Cases. ' ' 

1809 

An  Inventerry  takin  this  twentififth  Day  of  August. 
In  the  year  one  thousand  eight  lumdred  &  nine,  of  the 
Goods  and  Credits  of  Abraham  Ely  Dec.  after  the  Desies 
of  the  widow  Catherine  Ely. 

One  feather  beed  &  two  sheats  one  pair  of  poUocaseis  two 
pillows  one  bolsters  one  blanket  one  green  Rug  one  spread 


FACTS  A\T)  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  89 

&  A  suiet  of  Curtains  &  Beclsted  one  bod  &  bedstid  two  sheats 
one  pair  of  pilloes  &  caises  two  cover  Lid  &  one  Green  Rug 
&  Boelster  one  Easy  Cheare  &  Cobard  &  Seven  Bags  &  Cloase 
Basket,  one  ax  &  two  skoops  one  chafein  Dish,  two  half 
Bushels  one  half  peck.  &  horse  whip  one  Case  &  Drawers 
three  tables  and  one  stand  Eight  AVindsor  cheares  &  fore 
comon  one  lucking  glass  Six  pictures  three  brass  candelsticks 
&  one  common,  one  pair  of  hand  Irons  &  one  pair  of  Dogs, 
one  shovel  two  tongs  one  Large  Bibel  &  Seven  other  books 
Sixteen  plaits  two  large  boels  one  Coffee  mill  &  pair  of 
candl  moles,  one  Safe  &  Book  case  one  Belloes  &  teakittel  one 
watering  pot  &  two  funnels  chease  toster  one  bason  one  pint 
cup  one  Skimmer  one  Laidel  &  one  fork,  one  brass  kittel  one 
pot.  &  Griddale  &  frying  pan  &  toster  three  smooding  Irons 
two  trammals  two  Carthings  pots  fore  Breth  of  Carpting  one 
box  &  Knieffs  &  forks  one  Ceder  Washtub  one  pail  Small  tub 
three  Barrels  &  bake  tray  one  grind  stone  &  hammer  one 
trunk  &  Cloth  Cloak,  &  one  Sattin  Kloak  one  Black  silk 
Gound  one  callico  Gound  one  Quilt  &  petticoat,  one  woding 
hors. 

Witness  Preasent 

Peter  Ely 

Mary  Ely 

James  J.  Demarest 


FROM  AN  ACCOUNT  BOOK. 

1807—1  lb  butter  0.2.0 

1807— One  Bushel  of  tators  0.4.0 

1807—1  pt  of  milk  0.0.3. 

1807 — For  going  to  Hackensak  (from  New  bridge)  0.2.6 

1807— Gidion  Ackerman  Cr.  Eight  Cheairs  3.4.0 

1807—31/0  bushils  of  flax  seed  1.18.6 

1807—1  bushel  of  Sault  0.8.0 

1  lb  of  to-bacco  0.1.6 

1/2  bushel  of  Corn  0.2.9 
1808— One  Calf  Skin  0.10.0 

1/2  Gallon  of  Oil  0.5.0. 
1809— To  one  Beurow  6.8.0 
May 
1809—19  shad  0.15.10 

125  herren  0.5.0 

1  Drake  2  6 

31  cabbage  heads  8.0 
1809—1  Gal.  vinigar  0.2.0. 

1  Qut.  Rie  Flour  0.7.0. 

For  matting  one  Chear  0.2.0. 


90  FACTS  AND  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS 

1810— To 48  feeet  of  Gum  Bords  for  his  Mothers  Coffin 

0.16.0 
1810— To  one  hogg 

7  cts  lb  amounts  to  18  dollars  9  cts 
1810—1  Gallon  of  Cider  0.1.0. 
1810 — $37.50  it  being  the  one  equal  half  of  the  price  of  a 

new  waggon 
1810 — For  the  youse  of  the  Cider  mill 
1812— To  Rideing  Chearse  to  Hoboken  £0.16.0 

Paid  Gates  .0.5.0. 
1812—1  Shad  0.1.0 
1812— Two  lbs  Cotton  0.2.0 
1812— A  half  loaf  of  bread  0.1.0. 
1812 — for  making  one  trowsers  0.3.6. 
1812—7  lbs  of  Indian  flour  0.1.0. 
1  lb.  of  Lard  0.1.3 
11/,  lbs  of  Pork  0.1.6 
1/2 "bbl.  cider  0.7.0 

Sept.  15 

1812— Dr    Campbele   Dr.   three   Loads   of   Apples   Avith   38 
Bushels  in   each  Load   at   eight   Cents   per   Bushel 
come  to  $9.12  ct. 
1813 — to  one  pair  of  sled  soles  0  2  0 
1813—71/9  Bushels  of  Ashes  0.7.6 
1813— lO^Bushels  of  Oats  2.10.0 
1814— One  Qut  Mutton  lli/g  lbs  at  7D  po  .0  8.6 
1814 — one  beasts  hide  waying  55  lb  at  6  cents  per  lbs  1.6.5 
1814— Three  pare  of  Stockens  0  9.  0 

1  Sheap  Skin  0.1.0. 
1815—1  Qt.  Lam  £0.5.0 

Oisters  0.6.0 

1  lb  pepper  0.2.9. 

1/2  lb  Tea  0.6.6. 

14  lbs  wheat  flour  0.7.0. 

7  lbs.  Sugar  0  8.9 
1825— To  exepences  to  New  York  0.10.0. 

Cartage  0.1.6 

horskeeping  4 

Pikeage  2.6. 
1825— one  lb  of  candals  0.1.0 

1829 

We  the  subscribers  freeholders  of  the  township  of  Hacken- 
sack  where  called  to  Charles  Cluss  to  view  the  damage  done 
by  a  certian  Bay  horse  on  his  premises  August  26th  1829 

Peter  J.  Ackerman 
Carinus  Bogert 


FACTS  AXD  FIGURES  FROM  MANUSCRIPTS  91 


Davs       35  keeping 
10 


350 

8  bringing  &  receiving 
50  Damage 
50  Advertising 


$4.58 


ELIZABETH  ELY  XOTV  POULUFSOX  DR. 
(Evidently  wedding  outfit.) 
1831— Apr.  22 

One  Beurow  &  field  Bedsted  &  Cord $35,871/2  cts 

15  yars  Bedtick  6  yards  Muslin  &  quilt  cotton. . .  4.81 

One  Washkittel  &  teakittel  &  Candelstick 8.25 

One  closeline  &  butter  tray  &  ladel  &  wash  ma- 
chine (board)   .88 

Fethers  &  one  pare  Blankets 19.50 

one  pare  Smoding  Irons .88 

one  Lookinglass    13.00 

one  pare  hand  Iron  &  Shovel  &  tongs 6.00 

one  tub  fore  kelors,    (colors)    three  pales,   one 

churn 10.25 

one  Sope  tub 2.25 

A  half  Dozen  Chairs 5.00 

One  Cow  15.00 

One  tabel  $9,  Ditto  one  $4,  one  Stand  $4 17.00 

1832— March  10 

Eight  fancv   Chares 14.00 

Sept.  16 

Dr  to  Cash 60.00 

the  Above  account  must  not 
Be  chard  against  her. 


(Above  is  from  an  account  book.) 


THE  LUTHERANS  ON  THE  HACKENSACK. 

BY 

Da\td  D.  Demarest,  D.  D. 

Read  before  the  New  Brunsw-iek  Historical  Club,  Nov.  18th, 

1897. 

(Courtesy  New  Brunswick  Historical  Club.) 

It  was  mj^  privilege  a  few  years  ago  to  read  before  this  club 
a  paper  on  the  Huguenots  on  the  Hackensack.  In  it  I  at- 
tempted to  show  that  the  Huguenots  who,  under  the  leader- 
ship of  David  de  Maret  had  in  1678  settled  on  the  eastern 
side  of  the  Hackensack  River,  about  three  miles  above  the 
present  village  of  that  name,  had  built  a  church  about  the 
;s'ear  1682,  in  which  the  French  language  was  used  and  which 
was  occasionally  visited  by  D'Aille  and  Peiret,  the  French 
Huguenot  ministers  of  New  York  City.  De  Maret  had  ob- 
tained from  the  Proprietor  a  patent  for  two  thousand  acres 
■uath  the  expectation  of  obtaining  from  France  a  number  of 
co-religionists  to  occupy  it.  His  church  building  antedates 
that  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  in  the  Village  of  Hackensack 
by  about  fourteen  years,  the  latter  having  been  built  in  1696. 
The  cemetery  adjoining  the  church  is  known  as  the  French 
burying  ground.  It  is  the  oldest  in  that  part  of  the  country. 
I  visited  it  last  summer  and  found  that  it  was  fairly  well 
cared  for. 

About  one  mile  south  of  this,  on  the  same  side — that  is,  the 
eastern  bank  of  the  river,  and  close  to  the  water's  edge,  on 
a  bank  twenty-five  feet  above  the  river,  another  church  was 
built  by  the  Dutch  people.  The  chief  exception  was  Albert 
Zabrowski  from  Poland,  the  ancestor  of  the  Zabriskies,  for 
besides  the  Huguenots  almost  all  the  settlers  of  this  region 
were  Low  Dutch.  The  large  stone  ante-revolutionary  build- 
ing kno\Mi  as  the  Zabriskie  house  stands  at  the  western  end 
of  the  New  Bridge.  It  is  an  interesting  fact  that  Baron 
Steuben  purchased  it  after  the  Revolutionary  war  and  oc- 
cupied it  for  a  short  time  until  the  State  of  New  York  pre- 
sented him  with  a  large  tract  of  land  from  which  Steuben 
County  is  named.  *Here  he  lived  to  the  end  of  his  days. 
We  find,   then,    in   close   proximity   three   ecclesdastical   or- 


*Dr,  Demarest  in  his  statement  concerning  the  manner  in 
which  Baron  Steuben  obtained  the  "Zabriskie"  house,  is  in 
error  as  will  be  seen  by  referring  to  the  very  able  article 
WTitten  by  Mr.  William  A.  Linn  and  published  in  first  Year 
Book  of  the  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 


THE  LUTHERANS  OF  HACKEXSACK       93 

ganizations  and  three  church  buildings.  First  and  oldest 
of  these  was  the  Huguenot  congregation,  which,  having 
been  reduced  to  nine  commmiicants,  dropped  out  of  ex- 
istence in  1696,  when,  of  course,  the  worship  was  aban- 
doned. In  that  year  the  Low  Dutch  Reformed  people,  who 
had  been  organized  into  a  church  in  1686,  and  had  worshipped 
ten  years  in  some  temporary  building,  began  to  build  the 
first  house  of  worship  in  the  village  of  Hackensack.  The 
Huguenots,  being  perfectly  familiar  with  the  Dutch  language, 
which  had  been,  in  fact,  adopted  among  the  younger  families, 
and  also  being  in  full  accord  with  the  Dutch  people  in  doc- 
trine, government  and  mode  of  worship,  threw  in  their  lot 
with  them,  aided  in  building  their  house  of  worship  and 
identified  themselves  with  them  completely.  So  the  Huguenot 
congregation  came  to  an  end  so  eft'ectually  that  their  de- 
scendants of  the  present  day  are  filled  with  surprise  when 
told  that  their  ancestors  read  their  Bibles,  prayed  and  sang 
Maret's  psalms  in  the  French  language. 

Immediately  after  this  came  in  the  Low  Dutch  Lutheran 
element,  which  formed  a  congregation  and  built  a  church, 
which  continued  far  longer  than  the  Huguenot  had. 

At  the  time  of  the  colonization  of  the  Xew  Netherlands 
the  Calvinistic  faith  was  the  prevailing  type  of  Protestantism 
in  Old  Netherlands.  The  state  church  was  Calvinistic.  At 
no  time  was  adherence  to  this  doctrine  and  order  more 
strongly  felt  than  it  was  when  the  first  congregation 
was  established  on  Manhattan  Island  in  1628,  for  the 
Arminian  controversy  had  just  been  settled  by  an  exaetment 
of  the  Canons  of  the  S.^Tiod  of  Dort,  which  had  adjourned 
only  nine  years  before,  in  1619.  In  Old  Holland  belonging 
to  other  faiths,  Jews.  Anabaptists,  Lutherans  and  others  had 
long  been  tolerated  and  were  numerous.  In  the  city  of  Am- 
sterdam there  were  thirty  thousand  Lutherans.  The  Lutheran 
congregation  of  that  city  has  a  grand  history.  Among  its 
members  were  many  excellent,  enterprising  and  prosperous 
people,  some  of  whom  came  to  this  new  country  very  early. 
In  165-1  they  had  become  so  numerous  in  New  Amsterdam 
that  they  proposed  to  have  a  minister  of  their  own  denomina- 
tion. They  asked  permission  of  Governor  Stu^-vesant  to  call 
one  and  to  open  a  place  for  public  woi*ship.  The  request  was 
denied  by  the  Governor  on  the  ground  that  he  was  sworn  to 
allow  the  privilege  of  public  worship  only  to  the  Reformed. 
The  Dutch  ministers  Megapolensis  and  Drisiur  were  with 
him.  The  directors  of  the  New  Jersey  company,  not  wishing 
to  antagonize  so  valuable  an  element  of  the  population,  in- 
structed Stu^'^'esant  "to  use  all  moderate  exertions  to  allure 
the  Lutherans  to  the  Dutch  church  and  to  matriculate  them 
in  the  public  Reformed  religion." 


94  THE  LUTHERANS  OF  HACKENSACK 

But  Stuyvesant  had  no  idea  of  moderation  in  dealing  with 
persons  who  would  not  conform  to  his  ideas.  In  1656  he 
issued  his  famous  edict  against  conventicles  and  unlicensed 
preachers  who  were  not  in  harmony  with  the  established 
religion  as  set  forth  by  the  Synod  of  Dort.  Those  who  ven- 
tured to  disregard  it  were  punished  by  fine  or  imprisonment. 
The  edict  was  especially  aimed  at  the  Lutherans,  who  com- 
plained of  it  to  the  New  Jersey  Company.  The  Company 
rebuked  Stuyvesant,  saying:  "We  would  fain  not  have  seen 
your  worship 's  hand  set  to  the  placard  against  the  Lutherans, 
nor  have  heard  that  you  opposed  them  with  the  punishments 
of  which  they  have  complained  to  us,  because  it  has  always 
been  our  intention  to  let  them  enjoy  all  calmness  and  tran- 
quillity. Wherefore  will  you  not  hereafter  publish  any  simi- 
lar placards  without  our  previous  consent,  but  allow  to  all 
the  free  exercise  of  their  religion  within  their  own  houses. ' ' 

On  the  strength  of  this  the  Lutheran  congregation  of  Am- 
sterdam, without  consulting  the  Governor,  or  the  New  Jersey 
Company,  or  the  classis  of  Amsterdam,  sent  a  clergyman, 
John  Goetwater,  to  organize  a  church  and  to  officiate  pub- 
licly in  New  Amsterdam.  Stuyvesant  ordered  his  return  to 
Holland  by  the  same  ship  that  had  brought  him,  Avhich  order 
was  not  enforced  from  a  humane  consideration  of  Mr.  Goet- 
water's  health.  The  New  Jersey  Company  did  not  rebuke 
Stuyvesant  for  his  proceeding,  but  thought  that  it  might  have 
been  done  in  a  "more  gentle  way." 

The  Lutherans  felt  that  they  could  not  let  their  children 
remain  unbaptized  and  so  they  were  compelled  to  bring  them 
to  the  Reformed  ministers  for  baptism,  but  it  went  against 
their  consciences  to  answer  in  the  affirmative  the  question : 
"Do  you  acknowledge  the  doctrine  which  is  contained  in  the 
Old  and  New  Testaments,  and  in  the  articles  of  the  Christian 
Faith  and  which  is  taught  here  in  this  Christian  church  to 
be  true  and  perfect  doctrine  of  salvation?"  The  question 
had  been  put  in  this  form  by  the  Synod  of  Dort.  But  there 
was  the  older  form  of  1591  which  required  the  promise 
that  the  child  should  be  "instructed  in  the  doctrines  of 
the  New  and  Old  Testaments  and  in  the  creed."  To  this 
they  did  not  object,  urging  that  the  Reformed  ministers  in 
the  Netherlands  use  the  old  form  as  well  as  the  new,  consider- 
ing it  a  matter  of  little  difference.  But  the  ministers  in  New 
Amsterdam  would  not  take  this  view  of  the  matter.  The 
New  Jersey  Company  here  came  to  the  relief  of  the  Lutherans 
by  ordering  that  the  old  formulary,  word  for  word,  should 
be  used  in  New  Amsterdam  and  that  the  ministers  should 
not  by  too  great  preciseness  alienate  and  drive  away  other 
persons.     But  the  ministers  insisted  that  this  was  a  purely 


THE  LUTHERANS  OF  HACKENSACK       95 

ecclesiastical  matter,  and  so  it  was  referred  to  the  classis  of 
Amsterdam. 

Happily  this  dif^culty  and  all  the  other  obstacles  were  re- 
moved after  the  province  came  under  the  authority  of  the 
English.  Xicolls,  the  first  royal  Governor,  at  once  granted 
permission  to  call  a  minister  from  Holland.  After  some  dis- 
appointments one  arrived  in  1669,  Jacob  Frabricius,  whose 
life  was  so  scandalous  that  he  was  at  once  removed  from  his 
charge.  It  is  due  to  his  memory  to  say  that  he  afterwards 
for  a  number  of  years  did  good  service  as  pastor  of  the 
Wicano  Church,  near  Philadelphia,  and  lived  to  a  good 
old  .age,  highly  respected  as  a  pastor  and  preacher. 

At  this  time,  1671,  a  house  of  worship  was  built  somewhere 
beyond  the  fortifications  of  the  city.  Two  years  afterwards, 
when  the  Dutch  returned  to  power  temporarily,  they  took 
do^vn  this  building  for  military  reasons,  but  they  compen- 
sated the  congregation  for  their  loss.  They  soon  proceeded 
to  the  erection  of  a  new  house  of  worship  built  of  stone  on  the 
corner  of  Rector  Street  and  Broadway. 

The  successor  of  Frabricius  was  Bernard  Antony  Areusius. 
He  died  in  1691,  having  served  the  congregation  twenty 
years.  It  is  presumed  that  he  was  a  faithful,  industrious 
pastor,  prudently  pursuing  his  work  in  the  troublous  times 
of  changes  of  rule  from  English  to  Dutch  and  from  Dutch  to 
English  and  the  many  dis([uieting  circumstances  connected 
with  these  changes.  His  death  occurred  in  the  same  year 
that  Leister  was  executed.  Now  a  vacancy  of  ten  years 
occurred. 

In  1701,  Andrew  Rudman,  one  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
ministers,  pastor  in  Philadelphia,  was  taken  in  charge  of  the 
congregation  in  New  York.  He  waited  the  arrival  of  Pastor 
Sandels  from  Sweden  to  take  his  place  and  did  not  come  to 
New  York  until  the  next  year  (1702).  He  found  things  in 
a  very  low  state.  The  church  building  needed  repairs,  and  he 
saw  that  they  were  made.  He  also  perfected  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  church.  He  had  a  census  taken  of  all  the  Luth- 
erans in  the  city  and  on  Long  Island,  and  the  church  master, 
Lawrence  Van  Boskerck,  furnished  him  with  a  list  of  all  the 
Lutherans  living  on  the  Hackensack.  This  is  the  first  notice 
we  have  of  any  Lutherans  living  there.  There  were  a  number 
of  families  there.  The  principal  ones  were  Van  Boskercks. 
They  attended  the  Lutheran  Church  in  New  York,  which  was 
about  fifteen  miles  distant,  of  which  Andrier  Van  Boskerck 
was  an  elder  and  Lawrence  Van  Boskerck  a  church  warden. 
The  Van  Boskercks  had  settled  there  about  twenty  years  be- 
fore this,  and  no  doubt  their  children  had  during  this  time 
been  taken  to  New  York  to  be  baptized  and  their  parents  had 


96  THE  LUTHERANS  OF  HACKENSACK 

gone  thither  to  cominune  and  the  most  devout  of  them  fre- 
quently to  the  ordinary  Sunday  service. 

In  the  records  of  the  Proprietors  there  is  a  certificate  by 
the  surveyor  Vanquellen  as  follows:  "Surveyed  and  laid 
out  for  Mr.  Lawrence  Andriesser  (Van  Boskerck)  a  tract  of 
land  upon  the  Haekensack  River  containing  1,076  acres,  be- 
ginning with  a  stake  planted  by  a  small  creek  that  parts 
David  de  Marais  land  from  this — from  thence  running  as  the 
brook  runs  forty  chains  to  a  black  oak  tree  marked  on  four 
sides  by  a  spring — running  thence  E.  Northerly  98  chains 
upon  the  edge  of  a  great  swamp  to  a  white  wood  tree  marked 
on  four  sides — thence  running  west  136  chains  to  the  Haek- 
ensack River — and  thence  running  N.N.E.  as  the  river  runs 
78  chains  to  the  stake  where  it  first  began. 

"Bounded  on  the  N.E.  part  by  John  Demarest  and  part 
by  a  small  creek,  S.E.  by  a  great  swamp,  and  the  brook  of 
the  W.  branch  of  Overpeck  Creek,  S.W.  l)y  a  highway,  and 
N.W.  by  the  Haekensack  River — allowance  for  barren  land 
and  highway  is  to  remain  for  900  acres  English  measure. 

"Dated  the  1681. 

R.  Vanquellan. 

"Liber  2,  141." 

Another  Van  Boskerck,  also  named  Lawrence,  lived  in 
Bergen  Neck,  about  twenty  miles  from  this  place,  or  very 
near  to  Bergen  Point.  He  was  an  elder  and  being  in  poor 
health  was  occasionally  visited  by  Lutheran  ministers,  who 
sometimes  held  special  services  at  his  house.  This  was  done 
as  late  as  the  year  (1746?). 

I  cannot  learn  that  Pastor  Rudman  visited  the  people  at 
Haekensack  at  any  time.  Indeed  he  remained  in  New  York 
only  one  year,  for  he  felt  that  at  his  time  of  life  he  could  not 
undertake  the  work  that  was  to  be  done  and  that  a  younger 
and  more  vigorous  man  must  be  found  to  occupy  the  field. 
You  will  appreciate  this  more  when  you  consider  that  his 
predecessor  had  been  accustomed  to  spend  part  of  the  year 
in  Albany  and  to  look  after  the  scattered  communities  of 
Lutherans  along  the  Hudson  and  even  in  Schoharie.  He 
therefore  returned  to  Philadelphia. 

He  there  found  Justus  Falkner,  the  son  of  a  pastor  in 
Saxony,  and  grandson  of  Doctor  Franke  at  the  University 
of  Halle.  He  had  come  in  contact  Math  his  older  brother, 
Daniel,  who  was  a  land  agent  for  the  Frankfort  Company, 
which  had  purchased  25,000  acres  of  land  from  William  Penn. 
Rudman  proposed  to  him  that  he  should  place  him  in  charge 
of  the  congregation  in  New  York,  to  which  Falkner  consented. 
He  was  accordingly  ordained  to  the  ministry  by  Swedish 
ministers,  Rudman,  Buick,  and  Sandel  in  the  Swedish  Church 


THE  LUTHERANS  OF  HACKENSACK  97 

in  Philadelphia,  November  25,  1703,  and  he  immediately  pro- 
ceeded to  New  York,  where  he  began  his  work  on  the  second 
day  of  Deceniber.  This  was  the  first  ordination  performed  in 
America  by  Lutheran  ministers.  He  labored  diligently  in 
his  extensive  field,  spending  his  first  six  months  in  Albany, 
visiting  other  places  in  the  north,  and  six  in  New  York  and 
its  vicinity.  He  also  labored  among  the  Indians  and  negroes. 
Among  his  earliest  baptisms  recorded  by  him  was  that  of 
Maria,  daughter  of  the  Are  of  Guinea  and  his  wife  Jora.  It 
was  his  custom  in  the  case  of  every  baptism  to  record  a  brief 
prayer  or  collect.  In  connection  with  the  baptism  of  this 
negro  child  he  wrote:  "Lord,  merciful  God,  thou  who  re- 
gardest  not  the  persons  of  men,  but  in  every  nation,  he  that 
feareth  thee,  clothe  this  child  with  the  white  garment  of  in- 
nocence and  righteousness,  and  let  it  so  remain  through  Jesus 
Christ,  the  redeemer  and  saviour  of  aU  men.    Amen." 

The  fact  may  be  here  noted  there  were  in  this  country,  as 
in  Europe,  two  types  of  Lutheran  ministers,  which  will  ac- 
count for  many  of  the  difficulties  that  arose  between  ministers 
and  also  between  ministers  and  congregations.  There  were 
those  who  though  learned  men  of  good  character  and  faithful 
in  the  performance  of  the  routine  duties  of  a  pastor,  were 
however  not  of  a  specially  spirited  mind,  who  made  much  of 
ministerial  prerogative,  were  exacting  in  their  demands  and 
overbearing  in  their  intercourse.  Others  equally  learned, 
correct  and  particular  in  the  performance  of  parochial  duties, 
were  prevaded  by  an  evangelical  spirit,  laid  great  stress  on 
personal,  experimental  element  which  is  in  religion,  and 
showed  by  the  sweetness  of  their  intercourse  that  they  pre- 
ferred to  be  servants  of  the  people  rather  than  their  rulers. 
The  latter  had  usually  been  trained  in  the  University  of 
Halle  and  had  imbibed  the  pietistic  spirit  of  Spenser  and 
Franke.  There  was  a  disposition  on  the  part  of  the  former 
to  look  down  on  what  were  called  Hallistic  preachers.  It  Avas 
well  for  the  Lutherans  of  New  York  and  New  Jersey  that 
Justus  Falkner  belonged  to  the  latter  school. 

The  first  visit  made  by  Falkner  to  the  Hackensack  Luth- 
erans was  made  on  the  twenty-second  day  of  February,  1704. 
On  that  day  he  conducted  public  Avorship  in  the  barn  of 
Cornelius  Van  Boskerck  and  baptized  three  children.  How 
frequently  he  came  to  this  place  to  conduct  worship  we  have 
no  means  of  knowing.  The  demands  upon  him  in  his  exten- 
sive charge  would  not  allow  him  to  visit  his  people  in  Hack- 
ensack; besides  they  could  usually  attend  service  in  New 
York,  it  being  distant  only  fourteen  miles.  Falkner  con- 
tinued in  his  pastorate  until  his  death,  at  the  age  of  fifty-one, 
in  Claverack,  where  a  parsonage  was  selected  as  a  convenient 


98  THE  LUTHERANS  OF  HACKENSACK 

center  of  a  parish  that  included  New  York  and  Northern 
Jersey. 

Whether  a  church  organization  was  effected  at  Hackensaek 
during  Falkner's  ministry  or  whether  the  people  continued 
their  membership  in  the  church  in  New  York  I  have  not  been 
able  to  ascertain.  The  probability  is  that  an  organization 
was  effected  during  Falkner's  time.  If  so,  then  it  is  also 
likely  that  a  house  of  worship  was  not  built  during  his  min- 
istry. The  people  are  referred  to  very  early  as  a  congrega- 
tion, but  the  word  may  have  been  used  in  a  loose,  general 
sense,  because  they  assembled  for  public  worship,  and  not 
because  they  had  an  ecclesiastical  organization.  Rev.  Mr. 
Deyo,  a  Lutheran  minister,  said  in  a  letter  to  Rev.  D.  T.  B. 
Romeyn:  "It  was  probably  organized  into  a  congregation 
about  the  year  1745  or  1746."  But  he  must  be  mistaken,  for 
in  1731  the  united  congregation  of  New  York  and  Hacken- 
saek made  a  call  on  a  minister  who  was  to  labor  in  the  summer 
in  New  York,  and  in  the  winter  in  Haceknsack,  and  to  pay 
two  visits  yearly  to  the  Palatine  Lutherans  at  Newburgh. 
Also  in  a  conference  of  Lutheran  ministers  and  elders  held 
in  1735,  in  what  was  called  the  Raritan  region,  there  were 
two  delegates  present  from  Hackensaek,  Abraham  Boskerck 
&Jid  Jacob  Van  Orden,  besides  the  minister. 

There  was  another  Lutheran  congregation  in  Northern  New 
Jersey,  which  was  also  under  the  care  of  the  minister  from 
New  York,  and  who  managed  to  visit  them  on  successive  days 
of  the  same  week  in  which  he  visited  Hackensaek.  This  was 
Remmerspach  or  Ramapo,  which  was  sixteen  miles  northwest 
from  Hackensaek.  This  settlement  was  composed  of  Ger- 
mans, and  the  German  language  was  used  there  in  their  serv- 
ices for  the  most  part,  though  sometimes  the  Low  Dutch  for 
the  benefit  of  that  portion  of  the  congregation.  Nicholas 
Mansenger  (Messenger)  and  Dietrich  Wannemacher  entered 
the  Raraapo  region  when  it  was  a  wilderness.  Other  German 
people  followed ;  a  congregation  was  formed  of  German  Luth- 
erans, a  house  of  worship  was  built,  and  services  performed 
by  the  New  York  ministers.  After  a  time  the  two  congrega- 
tions of  Hackensaek  and  Ramapo  supported  a  minister  be- 
tween them  independently  of  New  York.  The  Ramapo  con- 
gregation seems  to  have  been  the  stronger  of  the  two  in  the 
latter  part  of  their  joint  history.  Their  last  minister  left 
them  in  1775.  They  were  too  weak  to  call  a  successor — only 
about  twenty-five  families  remained  in  the  Hackensaek 
church,  with  the  prospect  of  further  decrease.  Occasionally 
services  may  have  been  held  in  the  churches  by  the  Lutheran 
ministers,  but  it  cannot  have  been  long  before  the  houses  of 
worship  were  abandoned  and  the  congregations  broken  up. 


THE  LUTHERANS  OF  HACKENSACK  99 

The  remnant  at  Ramapo  doubtless  went  to  the  Dutch 
church  at  Ramapo,  and  that  of  Hackensaek  to  the  Dutch 
churches  of  Hackensaek  and  Schraalenberg.  Circumstances 
connected  with  the  extinction  of  a  rural  church  may  be  such 
that  we  must  see  that  it  was  inevitable,  and  also  that  true 
religion  does  not  suffer  thereby.  Yet  we  cannot  contemplate 
such  an  event  without  a  sad  interest,  nor  visit  a  spot  where  a 
church  was  once  located,  and  especially  if  ruins  and  traces 
remain,  Tvdthout  calling  up  in  imagination  scenes  of  the  dis- 
tant past.  We  see  in  these  instances  the  people  coming  in 
all  directions  on  a  Sunday  morning  in  their  farm  wagons 
(some  have  come  many  miles),  gathering  about  the  church 
and  exchanging  greetings,  finding  their  way  to  their  seats  at 
the  sound  of  the  bell,  the  minister  ascending  the  high  pulpit 
with  the  sounding-board  overhead.  We  hear  the  elaborate 
sermon,  the  fervent  prayers,  and  the  singing  of  the  psalms 
with  loud  voices  by  young  and  old,  and  we  see  the  high  days 
on  which  the  Lord's  Supper  is  administered.  Who  does  not 
feel  that  he  stands  on  hallowed  ground,  or  that  it  is  a  solemn 
thing  to  realize  that  more  than  a  hundred  years  have  passed, 
the  last  pastor  here  ministered  and  the  last  congregation  here 
worshipped,  and  no  one  of  that  congregation  is  found  here 
among  the  living.  A  friend  of  mine  living  in  Hunterdon 
County  who  is  interested  in  the  Lutheran  history  visited  the 
site  of  the  Hackensaek  church  in  1890.  He  says:  "I  visited 
the  locality  of  the  old  Hackensaek  Lutheran  Church.  The 
site  is  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
from  the  place  called  New  Bridge.  The  point  is  a  sandy  steep 
shore  between  the  water  and  the  highway,  scarcely  seventy 
feet  and  at  least  twenty-five  feet  above  the  river.  Formerly 
the  plot  was  evidently  wider  than  it  is  now,  but  it  is  clear 
that  at  least  one-quarter  of  the  churchyard  has  been  washed 
away  by  reason  of  the  caving  in  of  the  shore.  Only  four 
gravestones  still  remain  and  all  bear  the  name  Van  Boskerck. 
(He  does  not  mention  the  vault.) 

''The  church  stood  broadside  along  the  road  and  had  a 
pointed  roof.  It  is  probable  that  in  the  attempt  to  straighten 
the  road  some  of  the  original  space  was  lost.  Now  the  place 
is  overgro^vn  with  small  trees,  brush  and  ferns  and  it  appears 
to  have  met  with  some  consideration,  though  no  fence  pro- 
tects it. 

"I  met  a  very  old  man  who  said  that  he  had  always  lived 
near  New  Bridge  and  could  well  remember  the  church  before 
it  was  burned  down.  He  had  often  thrown  stones  at  it  at 
bats.  The  structure  was  still  in  pretty  fair  condition;  the 
roof  leaked  only  here  and  there  and  the  pulpit  was  good 
enough  to  preach  in.  When  preaching  had  been  done  there 
lie  did  not  remember.     One  day  as  he  was  working  in  the 


100       THE  LUTHERANS  OF  HACKENSACK 

corn  field  he  saw  smoke  ascending  and  soon  the  mterior  was 
burned  out.  A  spark  from  a  brush  fire  in  the  neighborhood 
had  set  it  afire.  'That  took  place,  so  they  say,  in  1812,  for  I 
was  a  boy  and  am  now  eighty-nine.  Well  do  I  remember  Dr. 
Shaffer  of  New  York  in  the  summer  of  1821  preached  in  the 
churchyard;  he  stood  upon  the  ruins  of  the  old  church  and 
tried  to  awaken  a  new  interest  in  the  old  congregation,  but 
he  did  not  succeed.' 

"With  the  exception  of  this  old  man  and  a  woman  equally 
as  old  I  found  nobody  that  coidd  give  me  any  information." 

The  same  gentleman  says  concerning  the  church  of 
Eamapo :  ' '  There  are  probably  few  persons  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  its  location  who  can  point  out  the  exact  site  of  the 
primitive  straw-thatched  log  building  which  for  so  many 
years  served  as  a  house  of  worship  for  the  Lutherans  of  upper 
Bergen  County.  Tradition  is  silent  as  to  the  time  of  its  erec- 
tion, and  also  of  its  disappearance,  but  it  is  explicit  in  desig- 
nating the  precise  spot  on  which  it  stood  and  the  materials 
out  of  which  it  was  constructed.  In  traveling  the  highway 
leading  from  the  Ramapo  Reformed  Dutch  Church  to  the 
village  of  Ramsey  one  passes  very  near  to  the  site  of  the 
ancient  meeting-house,  which  may  be  described  as  about  a 
mile  south  of  the  before-mentioned  church  on  the  western 
side  of  the  road  about  a  hundred  yards  below  the  residence 
of  Mr.  Richard  Wannemaker.  There  are  still  extant  some 
fifteen  precious  pages  of  a  church  record  book  whose  title 
page  bears  the  inscription : 

"  'Kirchen  Buch  vor  die  Rembachishe  Evangelische  Luth- 
erische  Gemainde,  angefangen  im  Jahr  Christi  1750.'  " 

In  another  connection  he  says  that  he  found  these  pages 
in  the  possession  of  a  mulatto  in  the  neighborhood,  that  he 
endeavored  to  procure  them  for  the  Lutheran  Historical  So- 
ciety, but  failed  because  a  white  man  made  the  possessor  be- 
lieve that  they  would  command  a  large  sum  of  money. 

The  date  of  the  opening  of  this  church  book  (1750)  is  not 
the  date  of  the  organization  of  the  church  which  is  referred 
to  in  Falkner's  time,  and  which  had  elders  in  1734.  Perhaps 
an  older  book  once  existed — perhaps  records  were  kept  on 
loose  sheets  of  paper  by  the  minister. 

With  the  extinction  of  these  churches  Lutheran  public  wor- 
ship ceased  among  the  rural  native  population  of  Northern 
New  Jersey.  Reformed  Dutch  churches  had  tlie  sole  occupa- 
tion of  the  ground.  But  in  the  year  1820  the  Lutheran  Zion 
Church  of  Saddle  River  was  established,  and  a  house  of  wor- 
ship built  a  few  miles  east  of  the  site  of  the  old  Ramapo 
church.  I  am  not  informed  of  the  circumstances  of  the  found- 
ing, but  among  the  nine  founders  were  three  Van  Buskercks 
— Thomas,  John  and  Lawrence;  also  the  name  Ackerman  ap- 


THE  LUTHERANS  OF  HACKENSACK       101 

pears.  These  must  have  been  the  descendants  of  the  Ilacken- 
sack  Lutherans.  This  church  is  still  in  existence  and  fairly- 
prosperous.  It  is  believed  that  this  is  the  only  Lutheran 
church  to-day  in  Northern  New  Jersey  except  such  as  have 
been  formed  in  the  cities  by  foreign-born  people.     (See  note.) 

I  call  your  attention  to  the  other  succession  of  pastors. 
Falkner  died  in  1723  and  the  vacancy  thus  created  was  not 
filled  for  two  years.  Meanwhile  Daniel  Falkner,  the  brother 
of  Justus,  the  land  agent  hereinbefore  referred  to,  had  been 
ordained  and  placed  over  congregations  in  Hunterdon  and 
Somerset  counties.  He  made  a  visit  to  the  congregations  in 
New  York  and  New  Jersey  which  his  brother  had  served. 

William  Christopher  Berkenmeyer  was  sent  to  New  York 
in  1725  and  took  charge  of  the  congregation  there,  of  all  the 
Lutheran  congregations  on  the  Hudson  and  those  at  Hacken- 
sack  and  Ramapo.  Berkenmeyer  finding  after  laboring  six 
years  in  the  very  extensive  field,  that  the  work  was  beyond  his 
strength  and  could  not  be  done  satisfactorily  by  one  man, 
resolved  to  confine  his  labors  to  the  churches  that  were  north 
of  New  York  City,  and  let  the  churches  of  Hackensack  and 
Ramapo  unite  in  calling  another  man,  together  with  New 
York  City.  He  accordingly  removed  to  Lunenburg,  the  pres- 
ent Athens,  where  he  continued  until  his  death  in  September, 
1751. 

The  united  congregations  of  New  York  and  Hackensack 
now  (1731)  sent  a  blank  call  "to  the  worshipful  consistorium 
of  the  Holy  Trinity  Lutheran  Church  in  London"  to  have 
ordained  and  selected  a  suitable  minister  for  them.  They 
promised  the  new  pastor  the  expenses  of  his  journey  hither, 
a  salary  of  sixty  pounds,  a  free  residence,  wood  and  light, 
and  the  following  perquisites:  Twenty  shillings  for  a  funeral 
sermon,  six  shillings  for  a  prayer  at  the  grave,  twelve  shil- 
lings for  marrying  outside,  three  shillings  for  a  marriage 
notice,  six  shillings  for  marrying  at  the  house,  and  one  shil- 
ling for  christening,  three  shillings  for  a  baptismal  certificate, 
one  shilling  for  churching  a  recent  mother,  and  sixty  shillings 
for  services  outside  of  our  corporation,  whereof  twenty  shil- 
lings are  to  fall  to  the  church.  He  was  to  labor  in  the  sum- 
mer in  New  York,  in  the  winter  in  Hackensack,  and  pay  two 
visits  yearly  to  the  Palatine  Lutherans  at  Newburgh. 

This  call  was  presented  to  Michel  Christian  Knoll  and  he 
accepted  it.  This  was  the  beginning  of  troubles,  for  which, 
however.  Knoll  was  not  responsible.  A  man  named  John 
Bernhard  Van  Dieren,  or  Van  Duuren,  or  Van  Doren,  a  tailor 
by  trade,  had  been  sent  over  by  the  Lutheran  ministers  in 
London  as  a  colporteur.  He  was  a  warm-hearted  pietist  of 
the  Halle  school,  and  in  visiting  the  various  congregations  he 
preached.    The  congregation  of  New  York  was  so  taken  with 


102       THE  LUTHERANS  OF  HACKENSACK 


his  popular  gifts  and  fervent  spirit,  with  which  he  won  their 
hearts,  that  they  sent  a  letter  to  the  eousistorium  at  London 
to  the  effect  that  they  need  not  send  a  minister  because  one 
was  serving  them  with  great  acceptance.  Knoll,  however, 
came  on  in  December,  1732,  and  as  Van  Dieren  had  not  re- 
ceived ordination  Knoll  was  readily  accepted.  But  the  coun- 
try people  of  Hackensack  were  not  so  compliant.  Knoll  was 
received,  but  a  strong  party  adhered  to  Van  Dieren  and  the 
opposition  was  organized.  Van  Dieren  sought  ordination 
from  the  Swedish  ministers  at  Philadelphia,  but  they  refused 
to  grant  it.  Berkenmeyer  and  Knoll  bitterly  opposed  him, 
for  he  was  of  the  Hellestic  pietistic  school,  which  they  ab- 
horred. The  Swedish  ministers  wrote  a  strong  letter  against 
him,  also  the  Amsterdam  Consistorium.  Berkenmeyer  called 
him  an  illiterate  tailor,  an  interloper,  intermeddler  and  mis- 
chief maker,  but  very  likely  he  put  on  airs  and  acted  impru- 
dently, and  trampled  on  the  laws  of  the  church.  Knoll  wrote 
him  a  very  abusive  letter,  and  then  his  friends  in  Hackensack 
and  Ramapo  came  to  his  defence.  They  posted  up  in  Hack- 
ensack the  following  placard,  headed  "Public  Notice": 

"We  the  undersigned  elders  and  deacons  of  the  two  Luth- 
eran congregations  of  Hackensack  and  Ramapo  herewith  de- 
clare Domine  Knoll  to  be  a  falsifier  and  a  disgrace  to  the 
Lutheran  Church  and  his  letter  to  be  a  slanderous  letter, 
until  he  before  the  magistrate  of  Hackensack  makes  good 
what  he  has  written  of  our  Domine  Van  Dieren. 

"John  Fox,  Jacob  Van  Buskirk,  Peter  Wannemaker,  Die- 
derick  Wannemaker,  John  Teys,  Joost  De  Groot,  Matyr  Cor- 
nese,  Conrad  Fredericks,  Nicholas  Massinger,  Conrad  Frey." 

Van  Dieren  retired  from  the  field,  and  it  is  said  that  he 
was  finally  ordained  by  a  minister  in  Pennsylvania  named 
Henkel.  Knoll  continued  as  pastor  twenty  years,  but  owing 
to  dissensions  and  the  unspiritual  character  of  his  ministra- 
tions, without  spiritual  results.  The  spirit  of  God  was 
grieved. 

Knoll  also  had  trouble  in  New  York  because  of  the  conflict 
between  the  German  and  Low  Dutch  elements  in  his  congre- 
gation, which  resulted  in  a  pronounced  separation.  He  left 
the  field,  but  most  of  his  time  was  spent  among  the  Lutherans 
of  Dutchess  County  until  his  death,  in  1765. 

The  Germans  had  so  increased  in  New  York  by  immigra- 
tion that  they  greatly  outnumbered  the  Low  Dutch,  who  were 
rapidly  losing  their  children  to  English-using  churches.  The 
Germans  wished  for  just  a  share  in  the  services  in  their  lan- 
guage, which  the  Low  Dutch  obstinately  refused  to  consent 
to.  They  had  controversies  on  other  points  which  were  very 
bitter,  and  finally  withdrew  and  engaged  a  preacher  for 
themselves. 


THE  LUTHERAXS  OF  HACKENSACK       103 

The  congregations  of  New  York,  Hackeusaek  and  Ramapo 
were  at  this  time  in  a  truly  deplorable  state.  Their  eyes  were 
turned  to  Rev.  Henry  Melchoir  Muhlenberg  as  the  man  who 
with  God's  blessing  would  be  able  to  extricate  them  from 
their  difficulties,  remove  their  divisions  and  start  them  on  a 
new  career  of  prosperity. 

Muhlenberg  was  a  native  of  Eimbeck,  a  town  of  Hanover. 
He  was  educated  at  the  Orphan  house  at  Halle  and  had  im- 
bibed the  pietistic  spirit.  He  was  sent  out  as  a  missionary 
to  labor  among  the  Germans  in  Pennsylvania.  He  arrived 
at  Charleston,  September  23,  1742.  After  spending  some  time 
with  the  Germans  in  South  Carolina  and  Georgia  he  pro- 
ceeded to  Philadelphia,  where  he  arrived  the  twenty-fifth  of 
November.  The  field  to  which  he  was  assigned  included  the 
congregations  of  Philadelphia,  New  Providence  and  New 
Hanover.  His  influence  speedily  extended  among  the  German 
Lutherans  far  and  wide,  for  he  was  not  only  a  man  in  whom 
the  grace  of  God  dwelt,  but  one  of  excellent  gifts  and  to  whom 
the  hearts  of  all  men  were  irresistibly  drawn.  His  missionary 
labors  extended  to  the  German  communities  on  the  upper 
Raritan,  and  even  to  the  upper  Hudson  and  Schoharie,  and 
into  the  interior  of  Pennsylvania  as  well.  A  regular  call 
dated  February  1,  1757,  was  sent  to  him  by  the  church  of 
New  York.  His  sense  of  importance  of  the  field  led  him  to 
consider  this  call  very  seriously  and  to  take  time  to  consider 
it.  He  finally  decided  that  he  could  not  leave  his  work  in 
Pennsylvania  and  in  Central  New  Jersey,  the  ministers  and 
people  in  those  parts  strongly  urging  him  to  remain.  But  he 
went  to  New  York  to  spend  six  months,  in  which  time  he  ac- 
complished a  great  work  in  reconciling  the  conflicting  parties 
and  in  bringing  order  out  of  confusion.  He  also  during  that 
time  visited  the  congregations  of  Hackensack  and  Ramapo. 
This  was  the  first  one  of  the  seven  visits  made  by  him  to 
those  congregations  1757  to  1760.  Unable  to  take  charge  of 
these  churches,  he  provided  a  substitute  in  the  person  of 
Weygand,  who  began  his  work  in  1753  and  continued  until 
1767.  Muhlenberg  made  in  all  seven  visits  to  Hackensack 
and  Ramapo.  He  kept  a  diary,  in  which  the  minutest  details 
of  his  labors  are  recorded.  It  was  regularly  sent  to  the  au- 
thorities and  has  been  recorded  by  them.  Parts  of  it  have 
been  translated  into  English  and  published  in  two  volumes 
by  the  Lutheran  Publishing  Society.  In  making  these  visits 
he  would  generally  cross  New  York  Bay,  in  a  small  boat,  of 
course,  and  land  near  the  residence  of  the  aged  and  infirm 
Lawrence  Van  Boskerck,  near  Bergen  Point,  where  the  neigh- 
bors would  sometimes  gather  and  he  would  hold  religious 
service.  Then  some  one  who  had  come  from  Hackensack  to 
meet   him   would  conduct   him  thither,   making  a   drive   of 


104  THE  LUTHERANS  OF  HACKENSACK 

twenty  miles.  When  he  would  hold  public  services  in  what 
he  would  call  the  large  stone  church,  preaching  and  adminis- 
tering baptism,  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  his  congregations 
contained  many  of  the  Reformed  people  as  well  as  Lutherans, 
On  one  occasion,  at  least,  he  mentions  the  presence  of  one  of 
the  Reformed  Dutch  ministers  of  Hackensack.  Both  those 
pastors  called  upon  him  and  treated  him  courteously.  All 
the  time  that  was  not  occupied  with  public  services  he  gave  to 
visiting  families,  going  where  there  were  sick  or  infirm  peo- 
ple, and  especially  to  those  who  were  seeking  for  themselves 
some  spiritual  good.  He  was  welcomed  to  the  houses  of  the 
Reformed  Dutch  as  well  as  the  Lutherans.  He  says  that 
when  he  entered  a  house  there  was  no  time  consumed  in  mak- 
ing preparations  to  entertain  him  with  something  to  eat  or  to 
drink,  but  all,  both  men  and  women,  composed  themselves  at 
once  to  listen  to  him.  At  the  close  of  the  interview  they 
would  invite  him  to  partake  of  such  refreshment  as  they 
happened  to  have  at  hand.  His  manner  of  dealing  with 
classes  of  persons  of  various  types  gives  evidence  of  profound 
knowledge  of  the  human  heart,  and  skill  in  exposing  its 
secret  motives  and  subterfuges.  He  gives  at  length  a  .  con- 
versation with  David  de  M.,  the  grandson  of  the  original 
David,  and  a  son-in-law  of  G.  Bertholf,  the  first  Dutch  pastor 
in  New  Jersey  and  who  at  that  time  was  over  eighty  years 
of  age.  He  lived  to  be  over  ninety.  He  was  the  man  of  the 
greatest  note  in  the  neighborhood,  had  held  the  most  impor- 
tant offices  of  the  town,  and  for  several  years  in  succession, 
a  member  of  the  provincial  assembly.  The  spiritual  tone  of 
their  conversation  is  remarkable  and  at  parting  the  old  man 
gave  the  preacher  on  his  request  a  blessing  like  an  ancient 
patriarch.  He  told  Muhlenberg  that  some  of  the  Dutch  Re- 
formed people  found  fault  with  him  because  he  had  friendly 
intercourse  with  the  Lutheran  preacher.  But  he  said  he 
could  not  help  it,  for  he  believed  him  to  be  a  man  of  God,  and 
that  he  certainly  had  received  from  him  spiritual  food  and 
comfort. 

He  also  mentions  particularly  the  courtesy  of  the  two  Re- 
formed Dutch  pastors,  Curtenious  and  Goetschius.  Goet- 
schius,  the  junior  pastor,  was  in  sympathy  with  the  awaken- 
ing spiritual  work  of  Frelinghuysen,  the  Tonnents  and  John 
Edwards  and  thus  was  in  sympathy  with  Muhlenberg.  This 
Goetshius  was  a  man  of  considerable  note.  He  was  an  elo- 
quent man  in  the  pulpit  and  active  and  faithful  as  a  pastor. 
He  stood  in  the  rank  of  contenders  for  the  independence  of 
the  Reformed  Dutch  Church  in  this  country,  and  for  the 
establishment  by  them  of  an  institution.  He  was  one  of  the 
first  trustees  of  Queen's  College,  named  in  both  the  first  and 
second  charters,  and  it  was  at  his  call  that  the  trustees  held 


THE  LUTHERANS  OF  HACKENSACK      105 


their  first  meeting  in  Hackensack,  second  Tuesday  in  May, 

When  Muhlenberg  had  spent  with  the  Hackensack  congre- 
gation all  the  time  he  could  give  them,  a  man  from  Ramapo 
would  appear  and  take  him  to  that  place,  and  give  the  people 
there  similar  services.  We  may  well  believe  that  the  Lord  s 
people  of  these  flocks  went  in  strength  of  the  meat  thus  re- 
ceived many  days.  ,  .  ,  .  .  ,  , 
Muhlenberg  had  these  people  constantly  m  his  mind  and 
in  his  heart.  In  1760  he  sent  them  a  young  man,  William  A. 
Graaf,  who  independently  of  New  York  served  these  two 
congregations.  His  labors  closed  in  1775.  He  was  the  last 
one  of  their  pastors.                        _  . 

Graaf  was  born  at  Grunstadt,  m  Rhenish  Bavaria.  When 
about  twenty-six  years  old  he  was  brought  to  Muhlenberg  at 
Providence,  Pa.,  with  the  request  that  he  might  be  used  m 
school  work  He  was  fairly  well  educated— had  studied  the- 
ology for  a  time  at  Halle,  when  his  father  died  and  left  him 
without  means  to  continue  his  studies.  He  then  went  to  Eng- 
land and  thence  to  America  as  a  cadet  in  company  with  many 
others  in  the  train  of  Col.  Prevost.  Instead  of  returning  to 
Europe,  he  remained  and  found  his  way  to  Muhlenberg,  who 
gave  hi'm  instruction  and  counsel  and  perceiving  m  him  a 
gracious  disposition,  conceived  the  idea  that  he  would  be  a 
good  man  to  take  charge  of  the  Hackensack  and  Ramapo  con- 
gregations. He  took  him  to  those  people  and  he  preached 
for  them  They  expressed  their  willingness,  provided  he  re- 
main a  while  longer  with  Muhlenberg  to  better  qualify  him- 
self in  the  Low  Dutch  language.  The  conclusion  was  that  m 
May  1760,  he  took  charge  on  trial  for  three  years,  having 
been  duly  licensed  and  ordained.  The  three  years  were  ex- 
tended to  fifteen.  He  made  his  home  at  Ramapo  and  rode 
on  alternate  Sundays  to  Hackensack. 

Concerning  the  character  of  his  ministry  in  those  fields  I 
have  no  knowledge  save  what  Muhlenberg  says  m  his  diary. 
He  says-  "Since  that  time  I  have  heard  m  letters  trom 
Pastor  Weygand  of  New  York  that  he  preaches  very  edity- 
ingly  and  catechises  in  much  wisdom;  that  he  grows  m  his 
conversion  and  in  the  grace  of  consecration,  and  labors  with 
many  blessings.  From  others  I  have  heard  that  he  is  in  good 
repute  in  that  district,  and  the  congregations  lately  wrot^ 
and  thanked  me  a  thousand  times  that  I  had  sent  them  such 
a  man,  who  tried  to  build  them  up  with  healthy  teachings 
holy  living,  wisdom,  love,  gentleness,  and  humility.  God 
grant  for  Christ  and  His  name's  sake  that  it  may  con- 
tinue so."  ,.  .  rru^„^ 

But  the  field  was  in  one  respect  a  discouraging  one.  ^    Ihese 
churches  were  doomed  to  absorption  by  the  neighboring  Re- 


106       THE  LUTHERANS  OF  HACKENSACK 


formed  Dutch  churches.  Pastor  Graaf  could  only  strengthen 
the  things  that  remained  that  were  ready  to  die.  Accord- 
ingly, when  a  united  call  came  to  him  in  1775  from  Zion 
Church  in  New  Germantown,  Hunterdon  County,  and  St. 
Paul's,  he  accepted  it,  and  remained  with  those  churches 
thirty-four  years,  until  his  death  in  1809,  aged  eighty-two 
years. 

A  friend  living  in  New  Germantown  says:  "Mr.  Graaf 
preached  alternately  in  German  and  English,  but  his  efforts 
to  conquer  the  latter  tongue  were  never  successful.  It  is  said 
that  to  the  end  of  his  life  he  persisted  in  calling  the  village 
of  his  residence  New  Shuurmantown,  and  the  location  of 
St.  Paul's  Church  Blookameen.  The  good  rector  may  have 
been  a  little  uncertain  in  his  language,  but  there  is  no  doubt 
that  his  virtues  and  his  attainments  were  of  the  most  positive 
character.  All  the  testimony  is  concurrent  as  to  his  having 
been  a  devoted,  diligent  and  loving  pastor  and  a  truly  learned 
and  pious  man.  Possessed  of  an  eminently  happy  disposition, 
he  was  esteemed  and  beloved  by  his  people,  as  well  for  the 
many  amiable  qualities  of  his  character  as  for  the  faithful 
performance  of  his  pastoral  duties." 

He  was  a  striking  figure  riding  horseback  with  cocked  hat 
and  high  military  boots.  Whenever  he  went  to  Spruce  Run, 
a  preaching  place  some  miles  distant,  the  farmers'  sons  along 
the  way  would  saddle  their  horses  and  join  him  so  that  he 
would  reach  his  place  of  destination  with  a  strong  bodyguard. 
He  entertained  the  young  men  with  pleasant  and  profitable 
conversation. 

The  last  funeral  that  he  attended  was  that  of  an  old  and 
loved  friend,  Aaron  Melick  of  Stone  House,  near  Pluckemin, 
with  which  his  descendant,  Andrew  Mellich,  has  in  his  ' '  Story 
of  an  Old  Farm"  made  us  familiar.     He  says: 

"In  fancy  we  can  see  the  aged  and  feeble  rector,  robed  in 
his  Lutheran  vestments,  standing  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs, 
before  him  a  little  mahogany  table  upon  which  rest  the  big 
family  Bible  and  the  pastor's  well-thumbed  prayer  book.  At 
his  side  the  tall  clock  ticks  in  solemn  unison  with  the  slow, 
well-measured  and  sad  tones  of  the  holy  man,  who  speaks 
from  the  heart,  for  he  is  bidding  a  last  adieu  to  the  dust  that 
is  dear  to  him.  His  voice  grows  husky  as  he  dwells  on  the 
virtues  of  the  departed,  and  points  out  to  the  sorrowing  hear- 
ers how  the  common  w^alk  of  tbe  good  man  of  the  house  had 
been  beyond  that  of  everyday  life.  He  cannot  refrain  from 
speaking  of  his  own  bereavement  as  he  remembers  that  dur- 
ing his  thirty-four  years  of  ministrations  over  Zion's  congre- 
gation he  who  now  lies  before  him  shrouded  for  the  tomb  had 
been  not  only  a  parishioner  but  a  friend  as  well." 

In  a  few  weeks  he  went  to  join  that  friend.     Of  course 


THE  LUTHERANS  OF  HACKENSACK       1(^7 


concerning  such  a  character  many  anecdotes  must  have  been 
handed  down  by  tradition.  One  night  he  detected  a  neighbor 
carrying  away  a  bundle  from  his  hayrick.  He  stole  up  to 
him  softly,  took  his  tinder-box  and  flint,  struck  a  spark  and 
set  the  hay  on  fire.  "Man,"  he  shouted,  "your  hay  is  afire. 
The  man,  affrighted,  dropped  his  bundle  and  the  domme  put 
out  the  fire,  the  domine  remarking  that  he  thought  there  was 
enouo-h  left  for  his  poor  cow,  and  suggested  that  when  hay 
is  wanted  it  is  better  to  ask  for  it  than  to  steal  it. 

He  had  four  sprightly,  fun-loving  daughters,  who  were 
greatly  disappointed  at  one  time  because  their  father  would 
not  allow  them  to  go  out  to  an  entertainment  of  some  sort 
Through  the  cracks  in  the  floor  he  heard  them  chattering 
about  the  beaux  and  bewailing  their  hard  luck,  when  he 
knocked  his  cane  on  the  floor  to  command  their  attention  and 
Sled  to  them:  "Yes,  yes,  gurls,  you  shall  all  be  married 
yet. ' '  To  which  they  responded  m  sorrowful  chorus :  i  es. 
Poppy,  but  when.  Poppy,  when?" 

When  his  daughter  Caty  was  fully  grown  she  desired  a 
trunk  for  storing  her  nice  clothing,  so  her  father  allowed  her 
to  so  to  old  Henry  Miller's  store,  which  was  close  by,  and 
select  one  and  have  it  charged  to  his  account.  \ou  may 
imagine  the  domine 's  surprise^  and  consternation  when  on 
examining  his  bill  he  found  this  item: 

1793,  June  15.     Rev.  William  Graaf,  Dr. 
To  one  drunk  one  pound  S.  one. 

Mv  friend  informs  me  that  this  was  no  great  orthographic 
feat  for  Henry  Miller,  Sr.,  for  he  spelled  cabbage  m  just 
twelve  difl^erent  ways,  not  one  of  them  being  as  we  spell  it. 
Cabets,  capits,  cabbigs,  chabbeg,  kapegs,  chabbage,  kapige, 
capesh,  bahigh,  cabesh,  kabesh,  capes.  ,       ,   , 

It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  the  first   American-educated 

Lutheran  minister  in  this  country  came  from  t^-  H^ckensa^^^ 

congregation.    M.  says  in  his  diary:       ^apt   J.  A  an  I.usk    k 

has  conferred  with  me  about  his  son,  aged  ^^ven   -two    ^^ho 

has  chosen  the  profession  of  ministry,  and  with  this  view  has 

alreadTbeen  under  tuition  of  Rev.  Mr.  Weygand  for  several 

years    has  also  attended  the  English  Presbyterian   College 

and   atferly  has  studied  under  Mr.  S.    As  L  perceived  m    he 

young  man  a  suitable  temperament  and  an  inclination  to  the 

[rue  Christianity,  I  promised  to  take  him  under  my  care  and 

as  much  as  possible,%vith  God's  favor  and  blessing    to  give 

Sm  further\.struction."     His  -f^^y.  ^"^.^^^^^^^ 

cised   in   Pennsylvania   until   his   death   m   1800.      He   had 

charges  in  Montgomery   County,   Germantown,  Lehigh   and 


108       THE  LUTHERANS  OF  HACKENSACK 

Chester  counties.  He  was  one  of  the  charter  trustees  of 
Franklin  and  Marshall  College  at  Lancaster. 

The  remarkable  earthly  career  of  Muhlenberg  came  to  an 
end  October  7,  1787,  aged  seventy-six  years  one  month,  at 
Hanover,  Pa.,  where  he  preached  his  first  sermon  after  his 
arrival  in  America.  Among  the  clergymen  who  were  present 
at  his  burial  was  Jacob  Van  Buskirk. 

Note — It  is  the  intention  of  the  Publication  Committee  to 
have  in  a  future  book  an  account  of  the  Lutherans  in  North 
Jersey. 


ADDRESS  OF  GEORGE  HEBER  JONES,  D.  D., 

PRESroENT    OP    THE   Men's   NEIGHBORHOOD    ClUB, 

111    Presenting   to   Leonia   the   Washington   Commemorative 
Tablet,  July  4th,  1916. 

Tlie  Honorable  the  Mayor  and  Borough  Council  of  Leonia 
and  Residents  and  Fellow  Citizens — 

The  soul  of  a  city  is  its  past.  To  be  linked  M^th  great 
events,  to  have  produced  great  personalities,  to  have  been 
the  scene  of  events  that  overleap  local  boundaries  and  pro- 
ject themselves  out  into  the  larger  life  of  the  world  for  weal 
and  for  woe;  these  things  are  more  than  memories,  they  be- 
come community  consciousness,  ennobling  and  dignifying  as 
they  have  made  for  good  or  humiliating  and  lowering  as  they 
have  made  for  evil. 

Leonia  is  rich  in  the  first  kind  of  these  memories.  Before 
Hendrik  Hudson  sailed  the  water  of  the  great  river  east  of 
us,  here  on  these  hillsides  and  along  these  brooks  and  streams 
was  the  home  of  the  Indian  Delawares  immortalized  by 
Cooper  as  among  the  noblest  of  American  natives.  Here 
came  those  sturdy  Dutchmen,  the  companions  of  the  Stuyves- 
ants.  Van  Santvoords,  the  Van  Nordens,  who  helped  lay  the 
foundations  of  an  intellectual  and  moral  culture  that  em- 
bodied opportunity  and  exercise  for  all  the  powers  of  man. 
Here  came  the  English  who  gave  to  the  adjoining  metropolis 
its  name  and  also  gave  to  us  our  first  name,  the  English 
Neigsborhood,  but  which  in  view  of  their  success  in  establish- 
ing a  reputation  for  naming  New  York,  we  felt  was  not  neces- 
sary to  be  maintained  and  so  changed  for  Leonia.  Here,  too, 
bivouaced  the  soldiers  of  the  colonies  in  the  struggle  that 
gave  to  the  world  a  government  of  the  people,  by  the  people, 
and  for  the  people;  and,  from  the  generations  which  lie  be- 
tween us  and  that  day,  doubtless  came  many  a  sturdy  North 
Jerseyman  who,  in  the  various  walks  of  life,  has  helped  to 
make  the  world  richer  and  better.  Surely  we  are  rarely 
favored  with  a  Soul-Past  which  has  the  maturity  of  age  and 
the  nobility  of  being  linked  with  great  events. 

Today,  we  as  citizens  of  the  borough,  single  out  one  of  these 
events,  and  here  on  our  principal  thoroughfare  establish  a 
permanent  memorial  to  it.  We  do  so  with  the  intent  that  in 
the  years  to  come  our  children  and  our  children's  children 
may  understand  that  we  did  not  lightly  esteem  the  historic 
line  from  which  we  have  come.  On  the  contrary,  we  here 
place  in  bronze  and  stone  our  witness  to  the  high  value  which 
we  attach  to  our  relationship  to  a  great  chain  of  historic 
events  in  the  founding  of  our  Republic.     We  are  proud  of 


110    ADDEESS  OF  GEORGE  HEBER  JOXES,  D.  D. 

the  fact  that  tlie  line  of  march  taken  by  the  Continental 
troops  under  General  George  Washington  and  General 
Nathaniel  Greene,  on  their  way  to  the  victories  of  Trenton 
was  through  our  town. 

The  story  of  those  events  is  a  tradition  among  us  to  this 
day,  for  here  in  Leonia  live  the  descendants  of  the  families 
and  the  lineage  of  some  of  the  men  who  took  part  in  those 
eventful  days.  Fort  Lee  on  the  top  of  the  hill  just  across 
our  borough  line  was  the  scene  where  for  months  during  the 
year  1776,  a  command  of  2,000  battling  farmers  kept  defiant 
watch  on  the  big  British  array  over  in  Manhattan.  Joined 
with  them  in  this  work  was  another  force  of  American  Con- 
tinentals located  in  Fort  Washington  just  across  the  Hudson 
at  the  upper  end  of  Manhattan  Island.  General  Burgoyne, 
however,  was  so  determined  that  these  Continentals  should 
share  the  hospitality  of  his  British  regulars  and  Hessians  in 
the  town  at  the  lower  end  of  the  island  that  he  penned  them 
all  up  and  detained  them  much  against  their  will  as  his 
guests. 

Not  content  with  this  the  British  then  marched  north 
along  the  New  York  shore  until  opposite  what  is  now  the 
Village  of  Alpine  and,  5,000  strong,  crossed  to  the  Jersey 
shore  determined  to  include  Washington  and  Greene  and 
their  2,000  men  in  the  list  of  the  British  guests  at  New  York. 

This,  however,  was  not  as  easy  as  it  appeared.  Washing- 
ton and  Lee  defiantly  held  the  fort  until  the  last  moment 
and  then,  on  the  night  of  November  20th,  1776,  for  "strategic 
reasons,"  or  in  other  words,  rather  than  risk  a  bloody  and 
fruitless  engagement,  withdrew  without  the  loss  of  a  man, 
and  coming  down  over  the  hill  marched  through  Leonia  to 
Hackensack  and  to  Trenton.*  This  is  usually  designated  as 
the  retreat  from  Fort  Lee  but,  in  view  of  the  chain  of  events 
of  which  it  formed  a  part,  we  feel  we  are  justified  in  re- 
fusing to  use  the  word  retreat  and  to  regard  it  as  a  piece  of 
matchless  strategy,  the  preliminary  of  far  reaching  victories. 
A  retirement  accomplished  in  the  face  of  a  superior  foe, 
without  loss  does  not  classify  Avith  what  we  usually  call  a  re- 
treat.    We  prefer  to  call  it  the  advance  on  Trenton. 

And  so  today  we,  the  citizens  of  Leonia,  have  prepared  this 
memorial  in  bronze  and  stone  that  our  town  may  be  linked, 
as  long  as  bronze  and  stone  endure,  with  the  memor}'-  of 
Washington  and  Greene  and  their  fellow  patriots  who 
suffered,  and  bled,  and  died  that  democracy  might  be  estab- 
lished, preserved  and  extended  on  the  American  continent. 
Is  is  too  much  to  believe  that  these  great  personalities  look 
down  upon  us  today  and  reassure  themselves  that  they  did 
not  suffer  and  labor  in  vain  ? 


ADDRESS  OF  GEORGE  HEBER  JONES,  D.D.         HI 


Allusion  has  already  been  made  to  the  distinguislied  sculp- 
tor oT?eZ'  citizen,  Mr.  Yonng,  who  has  designed  tins 
able?  I  is  ^^'orthy  of  the  subject  ami  of  tbe  piuTOS.  I 
Ssh  also  to  call  attention  to  the  stone  to  which  the  tablet  is 
fastened  It!  too,  has  high  value  for  it  is  a  direct  survival 
nf  the  davs  of  the  American  Revolution,  and  may  have  wit- 
ness d  he  march  past  of  the  Continental  troops.  This  stone 
stood  before  the  door  of  the  old  Moore  mansion  which  dated 
from  pre  Revolutionary  times  and  the  descendants  of  he 
fa„"b  So  occupied  it'are  still  among  our  most  honored  citi- 

''tHs  said  that  in  the  raiding  which  followed  the  withdrawal 
of  the  Amercan  troops  the  British  and  Hessians  attacked 
?he  Moote  farm  and  carried  off  all  the  cattle  and  practically 
evervthinl  th^  bad.     The   family   numbered   twenty-three 
persons  a!  the^time  and  the  outlook  -s  a  glocnny  on      or 
+1,^,^      T+  iQ  «;aid    however,  that  one  ot  their  cows  leiubeu 
In  The  bandSmentrot  the  men  who  tried  .to  capture  her 
nd  succeeded  in  eluding  .them.     One  oft'jf^hors^  found 
the  eomnanv  o£  the  Hessians  so  nndesn-able  that    watcumg 
his  onZtunit"'  he  slipped  away  in  the  night  and  returned 
trthrMoo-e  farm.    About  the  same  time  the  cow  also  came 
tack  and  with  these  two  animals  the  family  d|d  the  best  they 
pnnlrl  to  carrv  on  the  work  of  the  farm.     I  teJi  this  story  not 
?oUnk  the  stone  with  the  memory  of  these  patriotic  animals 
lut  to  indicate  that  the  stone  itself  was  a  participant  m  the 
evens  which  we  memorialize  today.  .  .i     at     'a 

Mr  Baize  I  have  the  high  honor  as  President  of  the  Men  s 
Neighborhood  Club  of  Leonia  to  present  to  our  town  through 
vou  as  the  chosen  representative  of  the  Mayor  and  Council 
of  our  borough   this  memorial.     I  do  so  in  the  eaornest  hope 
?hatTt  may  become  in  the  thought  of  our  citizens  not  simply 
a  stone  ma^rking  the  fleeting  march  past  of  an  army_  that  has 
disannea^ed  into  the  shadow-land,  but  as  a  tes  imonial  to  the 
f'c?  that  a    Ion-  as  Leonia  shall  last  the  principles  for  which 
Wash  ngt^n  and  Green  and  their  brave  and  heroic  soldiers 
Jotu^Z  all  kindred  principles  and  truth  that  made  for 
he  bekerment  of  to^^al,  and  state,  and  nation    and  ^^^rld, 
shall  be  cherished  and  maintained  in  their  purity  by  us,  m- 
Sreted  aright  in  our  lives,  and  passed  down  undiminished 

and  im  mpair°ed  to  our  children  I  ^^^r^^'"' ^^Zl^s 
in  the  name  of  the  citizens  of  Leonia,  and  of  the  ^len  s 
Neighborhood  Club,  this  Washington  Memorial  Tablet. 

*It  is  interesting  in  this  connection  to  refer  to  Mr.  T   N. 
Glover's  pf^^^^^^^^  "Ketre.t  of /TG,  published  in  Book 

No  2  of  the  Bergen  County  Historical  Society,  190o-190b. 
?his  note  \s  published  for  the  benefit  of  those  members  who 


112    ADDRESS  OF  GEORGE  HEBER  JONES,  D.  D. 

have  joined  the  Society  since  1906,  as  Book  Xo.  2  is  out  of 
print.  Mr.  Glover  spent  considerable  time  and  money  in 
gathering  data  for  his  paper  and  may  be  considered  as  ac- 
curate as  anything  written  on  the  subject. 

In  the  course  of  Mr.  Glover's  paper  he  states:  By  Nov. 
12,  (1776),  the  army  (American)  except  the  garrison  at  Fort 
"Washington  was  in  New  Jersey,  one  part  crossing  from 
Tarrytown  to  Sneeden's  Landing,  and  the  other  from  Croton 
Point  to  Tappan  Creek.  General  Heath,  with  a  small  de- 
tachment, held  the  passes  to  the  nortliAvard — the  river  and 
the  Suffern  Clove;  General  Putnam  had  been  appointed  to 
the  command  of  the  army  of  New  Jersey  (whatever  that  may 
have  been),  and  to  General  Green  was  assigned  the  command 
of  Forts  Washington  and  Lee,  under  immediate  direction  of 
Washington  himself.  Washington  having  spent  two  days 
wdth  Gen.  Heath  inspecting  the  works,  crossed  the  river  at 
King's  Ferry,  just  below  Haverstraw,  and  on  the  14th 
reached  Hackensack,  where  he  immediately  established  head- 
quarter, at  the  residence  of  Peter  Zabriskie — now  the 
Mansion  House.  Here  he  stayed  nearly  a  week  and  sent 
from  it  the  letter  to  Lee  to  join  him;  here  also  Reed  wrote 
his  famous  letter  about  Fatal  Indicision. 

The  fall  of  Fort  Washington  on  Nov.  16th  rendered  Fort 
Lee  useless  and  its  abandonment  became  onl^y  a  question  of 
time.  Yet  it  had  been  considered  quite  safe — army  supplies 
had  been  gathered  there,  and  Congrss  had  resolved  that 
prisoners  of  war  should  be  transferred  there  for  safe  keep- 
ing. But  now  that  Fort  Washington  was  gone  General 
Green  began  the  work  of  evacuation  in  earnest ;  he  even  made 
a  memorandum  of  the  march  which  is  still  in  existence.  As 
fast  as  he  could  get  wagons  and  wagoners  he  sent  away  the 
stores,  some  to  Acquackanonk  (Passaic)  others  to  Newark, 
Elizabeth  and  Paramus.  He  posted  sentries  on  the  cliffs  who 
would  watch  the  movements  of  the  enemy.  The  night  of  the 
19th  was  dark  and  rainy.  Then  it  was  that  Lieutenant-Gen- 
eral,  the  Earl  Cornwallis,  a  brave  and  capable  officer,  a  bosom 
friend  of  General  Howe,  the  l>ritish  Cammander-in-Chief,  act- 
ing under  direct  orders  that  we  can  never  know,  crossed  the 
Hudson  River  and  scaled  the  Palisade  cliff  by  means  of  the  old 
Closter  landing  road,  which  led  away  to  Paramas.  Before  day- 
break he  was  on  the  heights  and  was  inarching  towards  Fort 
Lee.  He  was  not  foolish  enough  to  think  he  was  surprising  the 
Americans,  neither  party  in  those  days  could  make  the 
slightest  movement  without  his  opponent  knowing  all  about 
it,  so  he  did  not  hasten.  He  knew  well  that  the  Americans 
had  been  evacuating  the  post  several  days  and  that  certain 
acts  of  their  Congress  had  not  been  executed  because  of  it. 
When  he  formed  his  colunuis  on  the  heights  he  was  only  two 


ADDRESS  OF  GEORGE  HEBER  JONES,  D.  D.  113 


miles  from  the  present  Englewood  and  from  Fort  Lee  only 
five.     By  what  road  he  marched  it  is  now  impossible  to  say. 
WJien  the  news  of  this  approach  reached  the  Americans  at 
Fort  Lee  their  camp  kettles  were  over  the  fires  and  breakfast 
was    preparing.     General    Green,    whose    first    thought    was 
battle,  ordered  a  retreat.     The  evidence  seems  to  show  that 
he  did  not  wait  for  orders  from  Washington  but  set  his 
column  in  motion  as  soon  as  possible.     To  make  the  bridge 
was  the  quickest  and  surest,  to  go  to  the  ferry  was  to  lose 
time  because  the  boats  had  not  been  gathered  there.     So  over 
the  hill  towards  Leonia  they  came— hungry  and  cold— but  de- 
termined.    An    English   officer    who    evidently    pitied   them 
wi'ote:  I  believe  no  nation  ever  saw  such  a  set  of  tatterde- 
malions.    There  were  but  few  coats  among  them  but  what 
was  out  at  the  elbows   and  in  a   whole  regiment   there  is 
scarcely  a  pair  of  breeches.     I  may  add,  boots  and  shoes  were 
very  scarce,  though  that  did  not  make  so  much  trouble  as  it 
would  now,  for  people  went  barefoot  so  much.     They  reached 
Leonia  and  swung  into  what  is  now  Grand  Avenue,  then  the 
Kings  Road  (for  there  was  no  possibility  of  crossing  at  this 
point)    and  went  on  to  the  Liberty  Pole,  now  Englewood. 
'They  expected  a  fight— a  most  natural  idea  since  the  enemy 
had'  been  in  the  neighborhood  for  hours— but  no  resistence 
was  shown,  and  General  Green  giving  up  command  to  Wash- 
ington returned  to  the  fort  to  collect  stragglers.     He  had 
been  gone  two  hours  but  no  enemy  was  there.     He  gathered 
two  hundred  men  and  probably  led  them  across  the  dam  and 
down  to  the  ferry.     Dr.  English  who  had  the  benefit  of  close 
touch  with  the  men  of  '76  speaks  of  this  crossing  as  by  the 
beaver   dam    (where   was   this?).     When    Washington    took 
command  he  led  the  army  across  the  swale  by  the  road  that 
leads  to  Teaneck  hill,  except  that  the  road  today  is  much 
straighter  than  it  was  then.     Once  on  the  hill  he  turned  and 
followed  up  the  present  road  to  New  Bridge.     I  find  that  the 
road  has  not  changed  much  except  that  one  approaches  the 
bridge  directly  by  a  new  street  a  few  blocks  long.     He  went 
around  the  hill.     During  the  march  from  Liberty  Pole  the 
army  had  felt  comparatively  safe  and  crossed  the  bridge  \\ath 
light  hearts.     Once  across  the  bridge  the  army  followed  the 
present    road    past    the    old    Baron    Stuben    house    directly 
towards  the  south  side  of  Cherry  Hill,  crossing  the  bridge 
and  thence  direct  to  Hackensack. 

The  men  could  not  have  been  entirely  without  food.  One 
person  who  remembers  seeing  them  told  Mr.  Barbor  that  they 
marched  into  Hackensack  and  encamped  on  the  Green  after 
dark,  and  the  rain  was  falling.  Possibly  they  spent  the  day 
between  the  village  and  New  Bridge.  No  one  mentions  re- 
ceiving food  from  the  people  along  the  road. 


114         ADDRESS  OF  GEORGE  HEBER  JONES,  D.  D. 

From  the  account  written  by  the  Reverend  Theodore  B. 
Romeyn  we  learn  that  Washington  at  the  head  of  his  army 
consisting  of  about  3,000  men  crossed  the  new  bridge  into 
town.  This  crossing  was  made  at  a  point  about  four  miles 
north  of  Hackensack  village.  It  was  about  dusk  when  the 
head  of  the  troops  entered  Hackensack.  The  night  was  dark, 
cold  and  rainy,  but  I  had  a  fair  view  of  them  from  the  light 
of  the  windows  as  they  passed  on  our  side  of  the  street.  They 
marched  two  abreast,  looked  ragged,  some  without  shoes  to 
their  feet,  and  most  of  them  wrapped  up  in  their  blankets. 


A  BIBLIOGRAPHY  OF  PUBLICATIONS  115 


BERGEN  COUNTY  BIBLIOGRAPHY. 

Compiled  by  S.  F.  Watt. 
Newspapers. 

I    Bergen  County  Journal,  1858. 

I  Bergen  County  Index,  1875-1890. 
Bergen  County  Democrat,  1877-1912. 
Bergen  News,  1912-1913. 

Evening  Record,  1901-1915. 
Hackensack  Republican,  1879-1913. 

Directories. 

Allen's  Hackensack  and  Englewood  Directory,  1894-1895. 
Directory  of  Hackensack,  Bergen  County,  N.  J.    A  full  and 
complete  compilation  of  the  residents  of  the  town.     1879. 

Books. 

t  J  Bergen  and  Passaic  Counties.     History.     W.  W.  Clayton- 
William  Nelson. 

t    History  of  Bergen  County,  N.  J.    J.  M.  Van  Valen. 

tlWinfield's    History    of    Hudson    County.      Charles    H. 
Winfield. 

tj  Old  Bergen.     Daniel  Van  Winkle. 

X  History  of  Hackensack.    Historical  Discourse.    Rev.  T.  B. 
Romeyn. 

t$  Atlas  of  Bergen  County,  1776-1876.    A.  H.  Walker. 
Atlas  of  Bergen  County,  N.  J.     Two  vols.     1912.     G.  W. 
Bromley. 

t    Heath's  Memiors. 

t    New  Jersey  as  a  Colony  and  a  State.    F.  B.  Lee. 

t    The  American  Crisis. 

t    Thomas  Paine 's  Well  Known  Description  of  the  Evacua- 
tion of  Fort  Lee. 

t    The  American  Archives.    Library  of  Congress. 

t$  Bergen  County  Historical  Society's  Year  Books,  1902-1915. 

tj  The  Bergen  County  Journal,  1858.    One  year  issue  bound. 

t    History  of  Hackensack.  Bergen  County  Democrat. 

I I  Washington   Papers — Correspondence   with   His    Officers. 

Four  vols.  Library  of  Congress. 
JA  Historical  Collection  of  the  State  of  New  Jersey,  contain- 
ing a  general  collection  of  the  most  interesting  facts,  tra- 
ditions, biographical  sketches,  anecdotes,  etc.,  relating  to 
its  history  and  antiquities,  with  geographical  descriptions 
of  every  towTiship  in  the  State.  Illustrated  by  120  en- 
gravings. Tuttle,  New  York,  1844.  John  Barber  and 
Henry  Howe. 


116  A  BIBLIOGRAPHY  OF  PUBLICATIONS 

$Record  of  Fifty  Years,  1855-1905,  Second  Reformed  Church, 
Hackensack,  N.  J.     Arthur  Johnson. 

Passaic  Valley,  New  Jersey,  in  Three  Centuries,  Historical 
and  descriptive  cards  of  the  valley  and  the  vicinity  of  the 
Passaic,  past  and  present.  469  p.  il.  por.  Q.  N.  Y.-N.  J. 
General  Co.,  1901. 

JRecords  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Churches  of  Hackensack 
and  Schraalenburgh,  New  Jersey;  with  the  registers  of 
members,  marriages,  baptisms  and  the  other  consistories, 
to  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century.     Vol.  I,  Part 

1,  Reformed  Church  of  Hackensack,  N.  J.     Vol.  I,  Part 

2,  Reformed  Church  of  Schraalenburgh,  N.  J.     Holland 
Society  of  New  York  Collections. 

Copy  of  East  Jersey  Proprietors'  Release  of  Quit  Rent  to  the 
Trustees  of  the  Freeholders  of  the  Towti  of  Bergen, 
October  5,  1809.  Newark  Advertiser  Steam  Printing 
House,  1886. 

JAnnals  of  the  Classes  of  Bergen  of  the  Reformed  Dutch 
Church  and  the  Churches  Under  Its  Care,  including  the 
civil  history  of  the  ancient  township  of  Bergen,  in  New 
Jersey.     B.  C.  Taylor. 

Genealogical  History  of  Hudson  and  Bergen  Counties,  New 
Jersey.  N.  Y.  The  New  Jersey  Genealogical  Publishing 
Co.     Cornelius  B.  Harvey. 

List  of  Damages  by  Americans  in  New  Jersey,  1776-1782. 

List  of  Damages  by  English  in  New  Jersey,  1776-1782. 

Map  of  Bergen  County  in  New  Jersey,  1902.     E.  Robinson. 

The  Indian  Lore  of  Northern  New  Jersey.     Max  Scrabisch. 

Report  Relative  to  the  Bergen  Tunnel,  made  to  the  Legisla- 
ture, 1865. 

Bergen  Turnpike  Road  Act.  An  act  for  the  establishment  of 
a  turnpike  road  from  the  Town  of  Hackensack  to  Hobo- 
ken,  in  the  County  of  Bergen.     1805. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  of  Englewood.  Historical  dis- 
courses delivered  on  the  25th  of  March  on  the  anniversity 
of  the  organization  of  the  church.  1885.  Henry  M. 
Booth. 

JThe  Huguenots  on  the  Hackensack.  A  paper  read  before  the 
Huguenot  Society  of  America  in  New  York,  1885 ;  before 
the  New  Jersey  Historical  Society  at  Trenton,  1886;  be- 
fore the  New  Brunswick  Historical  Society,  New  Bruns- 
wick, N.  J.  The  Daily  Fredonia  Steam  Printing  House, 
1886.     D.  D.  Demarest. 

Early  Settlers  in  Hackensack,  New  Jersey. 

Papers  Concerning  the  Bridges  Over  the  Rivers  Passaic  and 
Hackensack. 

Passaic  Floods  and  Their  Control.     C.  C.  Vermenk. 


A  BIBLIOGRAPHY  OF  PUBLICATIONS  117 

Manual  and  Record  of  the  Church  at  Paramus,  1858.  Pub- 
lished by  order  of  the  Consistory.     N.  Y.     Hosford  Co. 

Sketch  of  the  early  history  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church 
of  Bergen  in  Jersey  City.  Compiled  from  the  ancient 
church  records  and  deacons'  account  books  of  Bergen, 
Communipay  and  Hasymua.  N.  Y.  Versteeg,  1889.  D. 
Versteeg. 

In  the  Matter  of  the  Committee  of  Five,  Appointed  by  the 
Assembly  to  Investigate  Alleged  Unlawful  Expenditures 
in  Connection  with  the  Acquirement  of  Lands  and  the 
Erection  of  County  Buildings  in  the  County  of  Bergen. 
Hackensack,  N.  J.,  October  5,  1911.  Bergen  County  In- 
vestigating Committee. 

Englewood,  Its  Annals  and  Reminiscences.    J.  A.  Humphrey. 

Hackensack  Up  to  Date.  Supplement  to  the  Bergen  County 
Democrat. 

t  Pertaining  to  the  War  of  the  Revolution. 
t  Signifies  in  the  collection  of  the  Society. 


118         REPORTS  OF  COI\]lVnTTEES  AND  OFFICERS 


ANNUAL  REPORT. 


By  the  Treasurer, 


From  April  17th,  1915,  to  April  22d,  1916. 
Allison  Special  Accounts 


RECEIPTS 


Balance  in  Bank  April  17th,  1915 $1,030.20 

Account  Interest  to  April  22d,  1916 40.70 

DISBURSEMENTS 

Paid  for  Revolutionary  Document.  $      25.00 
Transferred  to  General  Account  to 

purchase  1915  Year  Books 75.00 

Balance  in  Bank  April  22d,  1916..  970.90 

$1,070.90     $1,070.90 
Allison  Prise  Account: 

Balance  April  22d,  1916 100.00 

Available    $    100.00 

$    100.00     $    100.00 
General  Account: 

RECEIPTS 

Balance  in  Bank  April  17th,  1915 125.15 

Dues   received 289.05 

Dues   unpaid 134.00 

Receipts  1915  Dinner  Tickets 42.18 

Sale  of  Year  Books 3.55 

Transferred  from  Special  Account  to  purchase 

1915  Year  Books 75.00 

Receipt  1916  Dinner  Tickets 127.50 

DISBURSEMENTS 

Paid  1915  Dinner  Account $     51.40 

Postage,  etc.,  Secretary's  Account..  20.03 

Purchases,  etc..  President's  Account  59.04 

1915  Year   Book  Account 81.95 

1916  Dinner  Account 171.00 

Dues  outstanding 134.00 

Balance  in  Bank  April  22d,  1916. . .  279.01 

$    796.43     $    796.43 


REPORTS  OF  COMMITTEES  AND  OFFICERS         119 


ANNUAL  REPORT. 


By  the  Secretary. 


The  fourteenth  annual  meeting  and  dinner  of  the  Society 
was  held  at  The  Warner,  Hackensack,  on  Saturday  evening, 
April  22d,  1916. 

It  was  announced  at  the  meeting  that  the  Society  would 
be  granted  the  use  of  the  large  room  on  the  second  floor  of 
the  new  addition  to  the  Library  building  and  a  vote  of 
thanks  was  extended  to  Hon.  Wm.  Johnson  for  the  kind 
offer.  The  Archives  and  Property  Committee  will  have 
charge  of  equipping  the  room  with  proper  cases  and  stands 
for  displaying  the  Society's  historical  collection  and  will  re- 
ceive contributions  from  members  to  assist  in  defraying  the 
cost  of  this  work. 

It  was  also  announced  that  Mr.  W.  O.  Allison,  of  Engle- 
wood,  had  placed  the  sum  of  $100  at  the  disposal  of  the 
Society  to  be  used  as  prizes  for  historical  essays  by  attend- 
ants of  the  schools  of  North  Eastern  New  Jersey.  It  was 
voted  to  extend  the  thanks  of  the  Society  to  Mr.  Allison  for 
his  thoughtful  and  generous  gift. 

The  Secretary's  report  showed  that  during  the  past  year 
there  have  been  added  to  the  roll  eighteen  regular  members, 
two  life  and  one  honorary. 

Three  have  been  dropped,  two  resigned,  three  deceased 
and  one  transferred  to  the  life  membership  list,' 

Making  the  present  membership  113  regular 

10  life  ' 
4  honorary 


Total 127 

The  report  of  the  Nominating  Committee  was  read  and  the 
following  officers  elected  for  the  coming  year : 

For  President — 

Cornelius  V.  R.  Bogert Bogota,  N.  J. 

For  Vice-Presidents — 

William   0.   Allison Englewood,  N.  J. 

Fred  H.  Crum River  Edge,  N.  J. 

Edward    Stagg Leonia,  N.  J. 

Francis  L.  Wandell Saddle  River,  N.  J. 

Rev.   Edward   Kelder C(^tesville,  N.  J,. 

David  D.  Ackerman Closter,  N.  J. 

Eugene  K.   Bird Hackensack,  N.  J. 


120         REPORTS  OF  COMMITTEES  AND  OFFICERS 

Richard    T.    Wilson Ridgewood,  N.  J. 

P.    Christie    Terhune Haekensack,  X.  J. 

William   A.    Linn Haekensack,  N.  J. 

For  Secretary  and  Tresaurer — 

Theodore    Romaine Haekensack,  N.  J. 

The  following  resolution  was  introduced: 

Resolved,  That  it  is  the  sense  of  this  meeting  that  the 
Society  is  greatly  indevted  to  the  President,  Mrs.  Frances  A. 
Westervelt,  for  indefatigable  and  valuable  work  performed 
during  the  past  two  years,  and  that  the  work  of  the  President 
has  been  of  great  value  to  the  Society  at  the  time  when  most 
needed. 

The  resolution  was  adopted  unanimously,  upon  a  rising 
vote. 

It  was  decided  to  amend  the  constitution  so  as  to  provide 
for  the  establishment  of  a  Woman's  Auxiliary  to  take  the 
place  of  the  Committee  on  Colonial  Household  Furnishings 
and  Belongings,  and  to  be  composed  of  all  the  women  mem- 
bers of  the  Society.  A  Committee  on  Church  History  was 
also  established. 

The  meeting  then  adjourned  to  the  dining  room  where 
covers  were  laid  for  eighty-five. 

At  the  close  of  the  dinner  reports  were  read  from  Chair- 
men of  Committees  and  a  brief  but  impressive  address  de- 
livered by  the  President. 

Mr.  P.  C.  Staib  acted  as  toastmaster  and  introduced  as  the 
principal  speaker  Mr.  A.  C.  Monagle,  of  Brooklyn,  who  de- 
livered a  very  scholarly  and  edifying  address  upon  ' '  Victories 
Worth  Winning." 


LIST  OF  PRESIDENTS 


1902—1916 

Hon.  William  M.  Johnson 1902-03 

Cornelius    Christie 1903-04 

T.   N.   Glover 1904-05 

Hon.    Cornelius   Doremus 1905-06 

Burton  11.  Allbee 1906-07 

Bvron  G.  Van  Home,  M.D 1907-08 

William  D.   Snow 1908-09 

Hon.  David  D.  Zabriskie • 1909-10 

Everett   L.    Zabriskie 1910-11 

Howard   B.    Goetschius 1911-12 

Matt  J.   Bogort 1912-13 

Robert  T.  Wilson 1913-14 

Mrs.   Frances  A.   Westervelt 1914-16 


REPORTS  or  COMMITTEES  AND  OFFICERS         121 

REPORT  AND  ACTIVITIES  OF  THE  ARCHIVE  AND 
PROPERTY  COMMITTEE. 

In  the  year  ending  April,  1916,  nearly  one  hundred  articles 
have  been  added,  by  gift  and  purchase,  and  in  connection 
with  these  a  gift  by  Andrew  R.  Collins  of  a  chest  containing 
800  documents  pertaining  to  the  Township  of  Hackensack. 
His  name  has  been  placed  on  our  honorary  list. 

On  the  Fourth  of  July  Hackensack  had  a  safe  and  sane 
celebration.  As  we  stand  for  patriotism,  we  had  an  exhibi- 
tion of  our  Revolutionary  articles,  and  some  that  were  loaned, 
artistically  arranged  in  one  of  Mr.  E.  McFaddeu's  large 
windows,  kindly  loaned  for  the  occasion. 

Due  to  the  construction  of  a  large  addition  to  the  Johnson 
Public  Library  (where  we  have  our  collection)  our  property 
has  been  stored  until  the  work  is  finished. 

We  could  not  give  the  exhibitions  during  the  year  as 
anticipated. 

We  are  planning  for  an  opening  exhibition,  to  be  followed 
by  others  during  the  year. 

Our  Indian  dugout  canoe  has  been  identified  as  a  "rare 
Indian  relic."  Correspondence  has  been  carried  on  with 
those  interested,  the  wood  has  been  identified,  a  line  drawing 
and  cut  made — all  in  view  of  an  article  for  our  next  year 
book. 

Research  in  regard  to  the  history  and  specimens  of  the 
work  of  George  Wolfkiel,  the  Bergen  County  Potter,  on  the 
Hackensack  River  near  New  Bridge,  1830-60,  has  resulted  in 
identifying  him  as  having  made,  about  eighty  years  ago,  the 
first  historic  pottery  in  New  Jersey  in  the  form  of  red  earthen 
pie  dishes,  bearing  a  medallion  of  the  bust  of  Washington 
and  thirteen  stars.  There  are  only  two  known  to  have  with- 
stood the  ravages  of  time,  and  one  belongs  to  the  Society. 
An  article  illustrating  examples  of  his  fine  work  and  history 
in  regard  to  the  clay  and  beautiful  glazes  used  will  be  pre- 
pared for  publication. 

The  Newark  Museum  Association  gave  an  exhibition  of 
New  Jersey  textiles,  historical  and  modern,  in  February  and 
March,  with  an  attendance  of  50,089.  Our  Society  was  repre- 
sented by  a  very  fine  historical  exhibition  of  our  homespuns 
and  weaves,  the  work  of  "the  early  days  in  Bergen  County." 

Our  1915  year  book  has  been  distributed  to  the  members 
and  exchanges  and  several  copies  sold  to  parties  interested. 

CATALOGUE  SUPPLEMENT  NO.  2. 
Bound  Books. 
One   Vol.,    The   History   of   Bergen   and   Passaic    Counties. 
Walker  &  Nelson.     1882.— Gift  of  W.  0.  Allison. 


122         REPORTS  OF  COMMITTEES  AND  OFFICERS 

One  Vol.,  Tombstone  Inscriptions — Crooked  Pond,  Franklin 
Township ;  Orangeburg,  Rockland  County ;  Demerest 
Farm,  Oakland;  Van  Blarcom  Farm,  Oakland;  Van 
Houten  Farm,  Oakland ;  Christian  Reformed  Church 
Yard,  Leonia;  De  Wolf  Farm,  Old  Tappan;  Dundee 
Lake,  Bergen  County.  Copied  by  John  Neafie.  N.  Y. 
B.  C.  H.  S. 

One  Vol.,  Annals  of  Classis  and  Township  of  Bergen. 
Taylor.— Gift  of  Mr.  H.  S.  Ihnen. 

One  Vol.,  Hackensack  Year  Book,  1915. — Gift  Bergen 
County  Democrat. 

One  Vol.,  Hackensack,  New  Jersey.  1900. — Gift  The  Evening 
Record  Publishing  Co. 

Four  Vols.,  Washington  Papers:  Correspondence  with  the 
Officers. — Gift  Library  of  Congress. 

One  Vol.,  History  of  Hudson  County.  Winfield. — Gift  W. 
0.  Allison. 

One  Vol.,  Old  Bergen:  History  and  Reminiscences.  Daniel 
Van  Winkle.— Gift  W.  0.  Allison. 

One  Vol.,  History  of  the  Reformed  Church  of  Tappan,  N.  Y. 
1894.    Rev.  David  Cole,  D.  D.— Gift  W.  O.  Allison. 

One  Brass-trimmed  Holland  Bible,  1716.  Contains  some 
Bogert  records. — Lent  by  Mr.  Thomas  Sprigg. 

One  Vol.,  Christ  Church,  Hackensack,  1863-1916.— Gift  Miss 
S.  F.  Watt. 

Reminiscences  of  Some  of  the  Older  Physicians,  by  David  St. 
John,  M.  D.,  Hackensack,  from  Journal  of  the  Medical 
Society  of  New  Jersey.     Illustrated. 

Authenticated  Copy  of  the  Last  Will  and  Testament  of 
George  Washington  of  Mt.  Vernon,  with  Historical  Notes, 
&e.     Pub.  A.  Jackson,  1868. 

One  Copy,  Washington's  Farewell  Address  to  the  People  of 
the  United  States.  Pub.  1858. — Gift  of  Frances  Living- 
ston Wandell. 


Household  Articles. 

One  pair  Andirons,  Trammel,  Pots,  Griddle  and  Frying  Pan, 
Old  Fireplace  Furnishings,  one  Pottery  Churn,  one  pair 
Pewter  Candlesticks,  one  pair  Early  Glass  Lamps  use 
when  "fluid"  was  burned,  one  Foot  Stove. — Gifts  Mr. 
Thomas  Sprigg. 


Manuscripts. 

The  Lutherans  on  the  Hackensack.  Dr.  D.  D.  Demarest. 
1897.  Typewritten  copy. — Gift  New  Brunswick  History 
Club. 


REPORTS  OF  COMMITTEES  AND  OFFICERS         123 


Copy  of  Rev.  Cornelius  J.  Blauvelt's  Call  to  the  :Ministry  of 

Schraalenburgh  Church   (South),  July  1,  1828.— Gift  J. 

C.  Blauvelt. 
The  Mutiny  of  the  New  Jersey  Troops  at  Pompton  in  1781. 

Rev.   I.   L.   Kip.      1899.      Typewritten   copy. — Gift   New 

Brunswick  History  Club. 
Eight  Hundred  Original  Manuscripts  of  Hackensack  Town- 
ship, 1742-1830.— Gift  Andrew  R.  Collins. 


Revolutionaey  Document. 

Camp — November  27,  1776.  By  General  Chas.  Lee,  Major- 
General.  Sent  by  hand  of  General  Heath  to  the  inhabit- 
ants of  eastern  part  of  Bergen  County,  etc.     B.  C.  H.  S. 


]\Iaps. 

Bergen  and  Passaic  Counties.     1861, 
State  of  New  York.     1854. 


Photographs  axd  Half-tone  Cuts. 

The  "Green"  in  1820— Hackensack.  Photograph  and  half- 
tone cut. — Courtesy  of  Bergen  County  Democrat. — 
B.  C.  H.  S. 

The  Indian  Dugout  Canoe.  Line  Drawing  and  Line  Cut. — 
B.  C.  H.  S. 

The  Abraham  Devoe  Revolutionary  Homestead,  and  half- 
tone cut.— B.  C.  H.  S. 

A  Cane — ivory  and  silver  mounted — marked  P.  D.  I\I.  R., 
1724.  Formerly  the  property  of  Peter  De  Ma  Rest. 
Photograph  and  half-tone  cut. — Courtesy  of  ]\Ir.  William 
Ely,  B.  C.  H.  S. 

A  Fragment  of  a  Homespun  Wool  Blanket  from  the  Peter 
Burdette  Home  at  Fort  Lee,  having  embroidered  on  it  a 
crown  and  R.  G. — King  George.  Photograph  and  half- 
tone cut.— Courtesy  Mrs.  M.  AUair,  B.  C.  H.  S. 

Three  Photographs  and  Cuts  of  Homespun  Coverlets,  Bergen 
County— B.  C.  H.  S. 

Eleven  Photographs  of  Early  Bergen  County  Houses. — 
Gift  H.  S.  Ihnen. 

Framed  Lithographs  of  Twelve  Pictures  of  Hackensack, 
1878.— B.  C.  H.  S. 

Photographs  of  the  Jordan,  Parcell  Tavern,  and  Naugle 
Houses  at  Closter. — Gift  Mrs.  H.  Bennett. 

Photograph  of  Mouth  of  Geo.  Wolfkiel-Kiln..— Gift  Fred- 
erick Kraissl,  Jr. 


124         REPORTS  OF  COMMITTEES  AND  OFFICERS 

Photograph  David  Marinus  House — Glen  Rock. — Gift  John 

A,  Marinus. 
Souvenir  Menu  of  Testimonial  Banquet  tendered  to  William 
M.  Johnson.— Gift  W.  A.  Linn. 


Miscellaneous, 

Banknote  of  the  First  Bank  in  Bergen  County.    One  Dollar. 

State   of  New  Jersey.     Washington   Banking   Company. 

W.  G.  Doremus  or  Bearer.     George  W.  Youtres,  Cashier. 

Hackensack,  April,  1833.— Gift  W.  0.  Allison. 
One  Indian  Pestle. — Gift  Robert  T,  Amos. 
One  Civil  War  Gun.— Gift  C.  Van  Winkle. 
Specimens  of  Pottery  from  the  Geo.  Wolfkiel-Kiln. — Gifts 

or  Cornelius  and  Frederick  Kraissl,  Jr. 
Historical  Souvenir  Programme  Fiftieth  Anniversary  of  the 

Palisades  Reformed  Church  of   Coytesville,  N.   J. — Gift 

Rev.  Edward  Kelder. 
Toll  Gate  Sign,  and  Tablet  with  Rates.     Used  on  Turnpike 

from   1804-1915.      Gates   abolished.— Gift   of   Freeholder 

Martin  J.  Brestel. 
Hand-made  Lath  and  Plaster  Made  of  Mud  and  Straw  (early 

method  of  building)    from  Holdrum  Homestead,   Camp- 

gaw,  N.  J.,  built  1810,  burned  1915.     The  plaster  after 

the  fire  showed  it  was  clay. 
A  Branding  Iron — ''David  Marinus,  Sloterdam" — used  be- 
fore the  Revolution  by  David  Marinus   (a  cooper),  who 

was    a    captain    in    the    Revolution. — Gift    of    John    A. 

Marinus. 
Old  Lock.— Gift  John  Ryan. 
Piece  of  Shell  Fossil  found  on  farm  at  Campgaw,  N.  J. — 

Gift  Albert  Young. 
Certificate  of  Stock,  Hackensack  and  New  York  R.  R.   C, 

$1.00  each.     1869.     G.   G.   Ackerson,   Pres.— Gift  J.   C. 

Blauvelt. 
English  Stirrup  dug  up  near  New  Bridge. — Gift. 
One  Grape  Shot  dug  up  near  New  Bridge. — Gift. 
United    States    Flags    with    thirty-five    stars. — Gift    Albert 

Young. 
Clippings  for  Envelope  System- 
History  of  Wampum  made  in  Bergen  County. — B.  C.  H.  S. 

Clipping  of  Earlv  History  of  Newark.     1666.     Founders.— 
Gift  B.  II.  Alibee. 


REPORTS  OF  COMMITTEES  AND  OFFICERS         V25 

Strawberry  Baskets  and  Round  and  Square  Molds  used  sev- 
enty-five years  ago. — Gift  Albert  Young. 
A  Colonial  Threshing  Flail.— Gift. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

Frances   A.   Westervelt, 
Hon.  Wm.  M.  Johnson, 
John  A.  Marinus, 
Arthur  Van  Buskirk 


126  LIST  OF  MEMBERS 


LIFE  MEMBERS 


Albee,   Burton   H Paterson 

Allison,   William   O Englewood 

Britton,  W.  R East  Orange 

Comeron,    Alpin   J Ridgewood 

Foster,   W.   Edward Hackensack 

Green,  Allister New  York 

Phelps,   Capt.   J.   J Teaneck 

Preston,    Veryl New  York 

Voorhis,  Charles  C New  York 

Zabriskie,  A.    C New  York 

HONORARY  MEMBERS 

Bogert,  Isaac  D "Westwood 

Collins,  Andrew  R New  Bridge 

Demarest,   Hon.   Milton Hackensack 

Vroom,   Rev.   William Ridgewood 


MEMBERSHIP  LIST 


Abbott,  John  C Fort  Lee 

Ackerman,  David  D Closter 

Ackerson,    Garret,    G Hackensack 

Adams,  Dr.  Charles  F Hackensack 

Adams,  Robert  A Saddle  River 

Asmus,   Grover  E West   Hoboken 

Bennett,    Henry   N Hackensack 

Bennett,   Mrs,   Harry Teaneck 

Bierbrier,  F.  E Saddle  River 

Bird,   Eugene   K Hackensack 

Blauvelt,  H.  H Ridgewood 

Bogert,   Matt   J ■ Demarest 

Bogert,  Daniel   G Englewood 

Bogert,  Albert  Z River  Edge 

Bogert,  Cornelius  V.  R Bogota 

Boyd,  John  T.,  Jr Hackensack 

Brinkerhoff,   Charles   V Hackensack 

Cafferty,     Charles Apalachin,  N.  Y. 

Cane,   F.   W Bogota 

Christie,  J.  Elmer Nyack,  N.  Y. 

Cooper,  Richard  W New  Milford 

Cosse,   Edwin  F Paterson 

Criss,   Hugo   F Hohokus 


LIST  OF  MEMBERS  127 

Crum,    Fred   H River  Edge 

Crum,   Mrs.   Fred   H River  Edge 

Cubberly,  Nelson  S Glen  Rock 

Curtis,  Grover  D New  York 

Curtis,     Charles Hackcnsack 

Dalrymple,    C.    M Ilaekensaek 

DeBaun,  Abram Ilaekensaek 

DeBaun,  Mrs.  Abram Hackensack 

Demarest,    Jacob   R Englewood 

Demarest,  James  E Westwood 

DeRonde,   Philip New   York 

Diaz,   Jose  M Hackensack 

Doremus,    Cornelius Ridgewood 

Eckert,  George  M Saddle  River 

Englehart,  Charles Ridgefield 

Esler,  John  G Saddle  River 

Fay,  A.  M Hohokus 

Goetschius,    Howard    B Hackensack 

Goetschius,  D.  M Little  Ferry 

Grunow,  Julius  S Hackensack 

Haggerty,  M.  L Hackensack 

Haring,    Tunis   A Hackensack 

Hay,    Clyde   B Hackensack 

Hester,  Earl  L.  D Hasbrouck  Heights 

Howell,  Mrs.  Henrietta  D Hackensack 

Jacobus,    M.    R Ridgefield 

Jeff ers,   Daniel    G Hackensack 

Johnson,   Hon.   William  M Hackensack 

Kelder,  Rev.  Edward Englewood  Cliffs 

Kipp,     James Tenafly 

Lang,  Dr.  E.  A Palisade 

Liddle,  Joseph  G New  York 

Linkroum,    Courtland Hackensack 

Linn,   William   A Hackensack 

Mabie,   Clarence Hackensack 

Mabon,    Miss   Elizabeth Hackensack 

Marinus,  John  A Rochelle  Park 

Metz,  A.  Russell,  Jr Hackensack 

Meyer,   Francis  E Closter 

Morrison,  William  J.,  Jr Ridgefield  Park 

Morrow,  Dwight  W Englewood 

Parigot,  George  W Allendale 

Piatt,    Daniel    F Englewood 

Potter,   George  M Allendale 

Ramsey,   John  R Hackensack 

Richardson,   Milton   T Ridgewood 

Riker,    Theo Paterson 

Rogers,  Henry  M Tenafly 


128  LIST  OF  MEMBERS 


Romaine,   Theodore • Hackensack 

Eomaine,  Mrs.   Theodore Hackensack 

Sage,  L.  H Hackensack 

Sloat,   B,    F Ridgewood 

Spear,  William  M Leonia 

Snyder,    GeOrge   J Ridgewood 

Stagg,   Edward Leonia 

Stewart,  Dr.   H.   S Hackensack 

Staib,  P.  C Hackensack 

Staib,  Mrs.  P.  C Hackensack 

St.  John,  Dr.  David Hackensack 

Smith,    Miss   Dora Hoboken. 

Stumm,   F.   A Areola 

Tallraan,  William Englewood 

Terhune,    C.   W Hackensack 

Terhune,   P.    Christie Hackensack 

Terhune,  Mrs.   P.   Christie Plackensack 

Thompson,  Robert  W.,  Jr Ridgefield 

Vail,   Carl  M Ridgewood 

Vail,  William  L Fairview 

Vail,  Mrs.  William  L Fairview 

Van  Buskirk,  Arthur Hackensack 

Van  Home,  Dr.  Byron  G Englewood 

Van  Nest,  Rev.  J.  A Ridgewood 

Van  Winkle,  Arthur  W Rutherford 

Van  Winkle,  Chas.  A Rutherford 

Van  Wagoner,  Jacob Ridgewood 

Voorhis,  Rev.  John  C Bogota 

Wakelee,  Edmund  W New  York 

Wandell,    Francis   Livingston Saddle  Rivea' 

Wandell,  Mrs.  Francis  Livingston Saddle  Diver 

Ware,  Mrs.  John  C Saddle  River 

Watt,   Salina  F Hackensack 

Wells,    Benjamin   B Hackensack 

Wells,   George  E Hackensack 

Westervelt,  Mrs.  Frances  A Hackensack 

Wilson,  Richard  T Ridgewood 

Wilson,  Robert  T Saddle  River 

Wood,  Robert  J.  G Leonia 

Woodman,    Charles Ridgewood 

Wright,    Wendell    J Hackensack 

Zabriskie,   David   D Ridgewood 

Zabriskie,    Everett  L Ridgewood 

Zabriskie,  Fred'k   C Hackensack 


IN  MEMORIAM  129 


In  fl^emoriam 


P.ogart,  Peter  B.,  Jr Bogota 

liogert,   Andrew   D Englewood 

Brinkerhoflf,   A.    H Rutherford 

Christie,    Cornelius Leonia 

Clark,    Edwin Ridgewood 

Currie,  Dr.  Daniel  A Englewood 

Demarest,  A.  S.  D Hackensack 

Demarest,  Isaac  I Hackensack 

Dutton,   George  R Englewood 

Easton,   E.  D Areola 

Edsall,  Samuel  S Palisade 

Haggin,  Mrs.  L.  T Closter 

Hales,    Henry Ridgewood 

Holdrum,   A.   C "Westwood 

Labagh,   William   0 Hackensack 

Lane,    Jesse New  Milf ord 

Lane,  Mrs.   Jesse New  Milford 

Lawton,  L  Parker Ridgewood 

Nelson,  William Paterson 

Romaine,     Christie Hackensack 

Sanford,  Rev.  Ezra  T New  York 

Shanks,     William Hackensack 

Snow,    William   D Hackensack 

Terhune,   Peter   0 Ridgewood 

Van   Buskirk,  Jacob New  Milford 


PAPERS    AND 
PROCEEDINGS 


1916-1917 

NUMBER  TWELVE 


BERGEN  COUNTY 
HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 


iniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii>iiiii"i>7 

DEMOCRAT  PRINT,  HACKENSACK  N.  J. 


BjBi 


/■■ 


Papers  and  Proceedings 


OF  THE 


Bergen  County  Historical  Society 
1916^1917 

NUMBER  TWELVE 


Page 

List  of  Officers,  l!)l(i-l!)17 2 

GeiiiM-al  L('«^"s  Letter   (copy)      .....  3 

General  Lee's  Letter   (i)liotogi*a])lLs)      ....        4 

William   Alexander  Linn  .....  7 

Interest  on  Siii'plns  Revenue — W.  A.  Linn     .  .  .10 

►Snrplus  Revenue   IJond    (photograph)         ...  15 

Loui'ence   V-au  l)Oskeark's  Deed  .  .  .  .17 

The  Final  ('cntnry  of  the  Waiiipuui  Industry  in  Hergen 

County,  \.  J.— Frances  A.  Westervelt         .  .  20 

Public     Schools     of      Ilarringlon     'Powiisliij) — Matt.     J. 

IJogerl 39 

Allison    Prize    ( "ompositious      .....  46 

Andrew    Dciiiarcsl    Kogcrt      .  .  .  .  .  .  o5 

Re|)()i'ts  of  <  "oiiiiiiit  tees  and  Oflicers  ....  56 

List   of  cx-Pi-esidents   .......  63 

List    of  .Mcndx-rs       .......  63 

In   ^IcMuoriam       ........  67 


OFFICERS    FUR    TllK    YEAR    1916-17 


PRESIDENT 

Cornelius  \'an  Reypen  Bogert   l^ogota 

VICE-PRESIDENTS 

William  0.  Allison    Englewood 

Richard  T.  Wilson    Ridgewood 

Fred  H.  Crlim River  Edge 

Edw^vrd   St^v.gg Leonia 

Francis  L.  Wandell  Sacidle  River 

Rev.    Edward   Kelder Coytesville 

David    D.    Ackerman ( "loster 

ErcENE  K.   Bird Ilaekeiisack 

P.   (".    Terhtne    Ilaekeiisack 

William  A.  Linn Haekeiisack 

secretary  and  treasurer 
Tin:(!D{)RE  Rom  AIM-;   \')S  ]Maiii  Street,   Ilaekeiisack 

Till';    OFFICERS,    ex-presidents    AND    THE    FOLLOWING     MEMBERS 
COMl'dSK  TllK   EXECLTnE   COMMITTEE 

George  E.  Wells   Haekeiisaek 

Rev.  John  C.  Voorhis Bogota 

Miss  Salina   F.  Watt Ilaekeiisack 

Arthur  V\\   1')Uskirk Ilaekeiisack 

K' KM  Mil)  T.    W II. SON Ridgewood 

AKClllNKS    AND    I'RoUKin'Y    COMMITTEE 

Mrs.  Frances  A.  Westervelt Ilaekeiisack 

Hon.  William  M.  Johnson Ilaekeiisaek 

John  A.  Marinus Roehellf  Park 

Ain'll  UK-    X'  \N     lilSKlK'K IlackcllSJirk 

PUBLICATION    COMMITTEE 

Byron  (4.  \'an  Horne.  ]\I.I).,  ('liainnaii Eiiglewood 

William  O.   Allison Eiiglewood 

Robert  T.  Wilson Saddle  l\iver 

Hon.  William  M.  Johnson llaekmsack 

( )riicial    Pliotograplier ("ii  \RLES  Curtis 

eifi 


TO  THE  IXIIAIUTAXTS  OF  THE  EASTKT^X  (.XAK'TKR 

OF    lJER(iF.\   CorXTV.* 

To  Be   Forwarded  bv   (Jciici'jd    llcalii. 


Camp,  N^ovenir  ye  271  h,  177(i. 

CxtMitM-al  Lee  is  extremely  sensi])le  of  tlie  distressful  situ- 
aliuii  of  the  Inhabitants  of  tlie  Eastern  Quarter  of  IJei-gen 
County,  but  he  can  comfort  'em  with  tlie  assurance  that  the 
staunch  inunovable  Friends  to  Liberty  and  their  C^ounti-y's 
I'ig-lits  will  ultimately  (whatever  may  be  their  ])resent  hard- 
ships) })revail,  whereas  those  who  either  fi'om  fear  or  a  base- 
ness of  Principle,  repair  to  the  Standard  of  Tyi'aiin\-  must 
infallibly  l)e  I'uin'd.  The  Oongi-ess  must  vouyht  to  make  up 
the  losses  of  the  Sufferers  in  thr  Country's  Cause.  I  shall 
Avith  the  blessing  of  God  be  inunediately  in  a  situation  of  giv- 
ing sufficient  protection  to  the  adherents  of  Freedom  and  in- 
flicting a  most  just  and  severe  chastisement  on  its  opponents; 
in  the  mt^antime,  I  wou'd  advise  'em  to  secure  the  most  val- 
uable and  i)ortable  artich^s  of  their  Proj)erty.  The  Foes  and 
DeserttM's  of  theii"  Country's  rights  on  fhis  si(l(  have  already 
tasted  of  tlu^  l)ittei'  eui)  the\'  had  prei)ared  foi-  their  Country. 
They  were  first  jjlunder'tl  by  the  Mercenary  Ruffians  whom 
they  had  preposterously  invited  to  protect  'em.  The  shells 
of  their  houses  were  alone  left  standing,  these  I  have  most 
justly,  as  I  think,  order 'd  to  be  set  on  fire  and  this  mode  1 
am  determined  to  observe  wherever  I  mai'ch.  People  of  this 
stamp  are  utterly  ruin'd.  They  never  can  l)e  indemnified, 
whereas,  those  on  the  side  of  their  Country  nuiy  dej)end  on 
a  certain  and  am])le  compensation.  ]  shall  now  only  re(|uest 
that  the  Inhal)itau1s  of  the  Eastern  (^uartei-  of  ]>ergeu  will 
stand  fii-m  against  the  threats  and  artifices  of  the  Instruments 
of  Tyi-anuy — that  I  am  preparing  a  Force  for  their  i)ro1ec- 
tion,  and  repeat  that  they  have  only  in  the  meantime  to  find 
a  temporary  secure  ])lace  to  dej)Osit  theii-  most  valuable  and 
least  bulky  (effects. 

To  the  Ldiabitaiits  of  \he  Eastern  (Quarter  of  Uergen. 

CHARLES    LEE, 

-Nfajoi-  Ceneral. 

*Tlic  liody  of  tills  letter  is  not  in  the  hand  writ  ins  of  (ienc'riil  Charles  T.ee. 
I)ut  probably  is  that  of  his  secretary  or  amanuensis.  The  signature,  however,  is 
that  of  Cieneral  Lee  as  well  as  the  sentence  in  the  lower  left-hand  corner,  "to 
the  inhabitants  of  the  Eastern  Quarter  of  Bergen."  This  is  on  the  authority  of 
Mr.  Leech.  stenogra|ihev  in  the  1  )i'partuient  of  Manuscripts.  New  York  Public 
Iiibrar^•. 


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WIIJJAM    ALEXANDER    LIXX. 


WILLIAM  ALEXANDER  LLW.  a  piominrtil  cilizcn 
of  Hackensack,  one  of  the  founders  and  aclivc  iiionhrfs  of  111;' 
])ergeii  County  Historical  Society,  and  one  of  its  \'iee-l'n'si- 
deuts,  died  suddenly  at  his  home  on  the  evening  of  Fehi'uary 
2:S,  1!>17.  ^Yv.  Linn  was  born  in  Sussex  County,  New  Jersey, 
September  4,  1846.  the  son  of  Dr.  Ah'xander  Linn,  and  grand- 
son of  John  Linn,  who  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier  and  a  Rep- 
resentative in  Congress  in  L817-2L 

Graduating  from  Yale  in  the  class  of  ISliS,  in  which  he 
was  a  prominent  figure,  being  class  })oet  and  ediloi'  of  the 
"Vale  Literary  Magazine,"  Mr.  Linn  went  to  New  Voik  and 
became  a  reporter  on  the  Ti-ibune.  He  was  called  ui)on  to  in- 
dex ^L'.  (ireeley's  "Recollections  of  a  i>usy  Life."  a  task  of 
magnituth'  when  the  peculiai-  handwriting  of  the  great  editor 
iv  considered.  This  work,  howevei",  proveil  of  inestimable 
value  to  the  \'0\nig  man,  laying  foundation  for  a  future  biog- 
raphy of  Mr.  (Ireeley  which  he  wrote.  During  four  years 
on  the  Tribune  he  l)ecame  night  city  editor,  editor  of  the 
weekly  and  semi-weekly,  and  night  editor  of  the  daily. 

Mr.  Linn  went  to  the  Evening  Post  in  1872,  under  Will- 
iam Cullen  Byrant  as  editor  and  Charles  Nordhotf,  assistant. 

He  later  became  telegraph  and  general  news  editor,  from 
wliich  he  was  ])romoted  to  be  managing  editor,  in  which  im- 
l)ortant  department  he  found  wider  scope  for  his  ability.  He 
was  at  his  desk  for  many  years.  The  Evening  Post,  in  its  no- 
1  ice  of  ^Ii-.  Linn  's  death,  sa>s  : 

"His  (|uick,  certain  and  comprehensive  gi'asp  of  the  sa- 
lient elements  in  the  news  situation  of  the  coinitry  as  it  pi'c- 
si  iited  itself  from  day  to  day,  and  of  the  manner  in  which 
they  could  be  most  pi'omptly,  wisely  and  etfectively  handled, 
excited  the  enthusiastic  recognition  even  of  so  hard-headed  an 
observer  as  E.  L.  Godkin,  and  the  efficiency  with  which  he  dis- 
cerned and  followed  the  general  outlines  of  journalistic  poli- 
cies was  not  more  noteworthy  than  his  masler\-  and  intimate 
])t'rsonal  &upervision  of  the  innumei-ahie  minor  details  which 
contribute  so  greatly  to  the  general  excellence,  dependahility 
and  value  of  the  modei'ii  newspaper.  Xotliing  in  the  office 
routine  was  too  small  or  trifling  to  escape  his  ovei-sight.  .\ 
hard  taskmaster  over  himself  he  demanded,  and,  as  a  rule,  ob- 
tained the  prompt,  faithful  and  accurate  |)ei'formance  of  al- 
lotted duties  from  all  his  subordinates.  A  nervous,  excitable, 
hot-tempel-ed — but  essentially  t eiidei'-heart ed — man.  he  could 
be  tiei'y  in  rebuke  and  eutting  in  contempt,  but  when  Ihe 
storm  was  ovei-.  there  was  no  remaining  griex'ance  oi'  ill-will, 


William   Al(  .raiidi  r  Litnt 


and  no  victim  of  his  anger  ever  bore  him  malice,  lie  was  a 
thoroughly  just,  honest,  kindly  man,  held  in  honor  and  respect 
by  all  his  associates,  and  in  deep  affection  by  those  who  knew 
him  longest  and  most  intimately. 

"Ills  great  executive  ability,  his  discriminating  taste,  and 
his  sober  judgment  bore  fruit  in  all  the  departments  of  the 
paper  under  his  immediate  guidance.  He  was  a  man  who  saw 
and  thought  clearly,  was  singularly  free  from  fads  and  prej- 
udices, had  a  fine  natural  instinct  for  what  was  right,  numly 
and  democratic  and  the  courage  to  avow  and  act  up  to  his 
principles.  Sycophancy,  deceit,  shirking,  or  false  pretence 
he  loathed. 

"He  continued  his  newsi)apei-  work  with  unabated  energy 
for  thirty  years,  in  spite  of  a  wearing  dyspepsia  that  would 
have  incapacitated  many  a  far  more  robust  man,  and  cruel 
domes/tic  losses." 

In  addition  to  his  newspaper  work,  Mr.  Linn's  litei-ary 
labors  included  a  biography  of  Horace  Greeley,  "The  Story 
of  the  Mormons,"  "Kob  and  His  Gun,"  a  story  for  boys,  and 
magazine  articles  on  building  and  loan  associations,  a  subject 
upon  which  he  was  an  authority. 

Mr.  Linn's  "The  Story  of  the  JMormons""  is  recognized 
as  the  most  exhaustive  and  authoritative  work  on  the  subject. 
In  gathering  the  material  for  this  volume  he  nuule  personal 
trips  to  rtah  and  pursued  a  research  recpiiring  j^atience,  j^er- 
sever-ance  and  extensive  correspondence.  It  deals  with  ]\Ior- 
moiiism  from  its  inception,  giving  a  full  account  of  tlie  ti'avels 
and  settlements  of  tlie  followers  of  Jolin  Smith  bcfoi'c  their 
tinal  settlement  in  Utah. 

Mr.  Linn  came  to  Hackensack  in  1875.  He  bought  a 
home  on  dinton  place,  living  thei-e  during  the  forty-two 
yeai-s  of  liis  residence  in  the  town.  There  his  wife  (whose 
maiden  name  was  Mai'garet  Astor  ]\Iartin)  died  IMarch  5, 
1897;  there  he  reiiuiined  until  the  sinnmons  came  which  called 
him  hence;  took  him  literally  "in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye." 
They  had  no  children. 

Mr.  Linn  was  always  interested  in  advancing  the  interests 
of  the  connnunity,  the  first  impoi'tant  action  in  this  connec- 
tion being  in  the  organization  of  the  Hackcnsiick  ]\Iutual 
l>uilding  and  Loan  Association,  in  1887. 

To  William  A.  Ijinn  more  than  any  other  individual  is 
due  the  reiiiar-Uable  prestige  of  the  Ilaekensaek  Mutual  l'>. 
and  L. 

He  made  a  success  of  the  Peoples  National  l>ank  of  Ilaek- 
ensaek, in  the  organization  of  which  he  was  the  Lruiding  head, 
and   for  ever\-   interest   of  which   he  ga\e  his  best   talent    while 


Will  id))}  Alr.ra  ))(]()•  Linn 


ill  tlie  president's  chair.  The  Hidgcficld  Park  Xalioiial  Uaiik, 
an  offspring  of  Ihe  Peo|)U^s,  was  another  of  his  far-seeing 
fliianeial  enterprises. 

Mr.  Linn  was  associated  with  llic  -Tolinsoii  Pnlilic  Uhi-ary 
from  its  organization,  and  at  the  time  of  his  (h'ath  was  its 
})resithnit.  His  interest  in  the  work  of  the  iibrai'v  was  untii'- 
ing.  His  literary  experience  and  wise  counsel  made  him  most 
helpful  in  the  consideration  and  settlement  of  the  various 
ipiestions  aff'ecting  the  work  of  the  library. 

^Ir.  Liiiirs  interest  in  the  Historical  Society  was  fruit- 
ful. He  took  an  active  part  in  its  organization,  and  was  a 
fretpient  contributor  to  its  publications. 

The  Year  Books  of  the  society  have  the  following  impor- 
tant articles  from  his  pen,  the  result  of  original  investigations 
on  his  part,  "Slavery  in  New  Jersey,''  "Tlie  Andre  Prison 
House  at  Tappan,"  "Tlie  Baron  Steuben  House"  and  "In- 
terest on  Surplus  Revenue,"  the  last  of  which  he  had  pre- 
l)are(l  just  before  his  death  and  is  published  in  this  issue. 

The  Board  of  Freeholders  elected  him  county  collector 
in  P)16  and  re-elected  him  in  1917.  The  duties  of  the  posi- 
tion were  of  an  especially  onerous  character  dui'iiig  1916, 
due  to  peculiarities  of  the  large  bond  issues  by  the  county,  but 
Mr.  Linn  was  master  of  the  situation,  and  details  of  the 
varied  accounts  are  reported  as  in  splendid  condition. 

He  was  prominent  and  active  in  matters  aff'ecting  tlie 
civic  welfare  of  the  town  of  his  residence  and  wielded  an  ex- 
tensive influence  in  all  movements  of  a  public  nature,  and  did 
much  to  promote  good  governuK^nt  and  tlie  developuieiit  of 
the  town. 

Funeral  certMiionies  for  Mr.  Liun  were  lieM  in  the  Sec- 
ond Reformed  Church  at  10  a.  m.,  ^Londay,  Feb.  26,  and  were 
attiMided  by  many  friends,  the  Freeholders  acting  as  pall- 
hearers.  The  service  was  read  by  the  pastor,  tlie  Rev.  Arthur 
Johnson,  D.I)..  The  remains  were  taken  to  Haiiduirg,  Sus- 
sex County,  and  interred  in  the  family  |)l(it  \\\  old  Xortli 
('hui'cii  cemeti-ry. 

Mr.  Linn,  b\-  his  will,  gave  the  sum  of  ^2(),()()()  to  an  asso- 
ciation to  be  formed  in  the  town  of  Sussex  for  the  establish- 
ment and  maintenance  of  a  hospital  in  memory  of  his  father, 
Dr.  Alexander  Linn. 


"INTEREST    OX    SFRPLFS    REVENUE" 

History  of  a  IJci-gcn  ('oiiiity  Appi'oprialion. 
l>v    William   A.  Llxx. 


Pcisoiis  iiitri'i'stcd  ill  1li('  annual  budget  of  thr  lUTg-i'ii 
Couiilx'  iioard  of  l-'fcclioldcrs  will  find  in  that  hudo'et  the 
t'ollowiiiu'  item:  " "  I  ntfi-cst  on  Surplus  Revenue,  $1,795.08." 
The  eouuty  annually  appropriates  this  sum  without  change 
in  tlit^  amount  or  the  desitjnation.  The  liistory  of  this  api)ro- 
priation  runs  back  through  the  history  ot'the  Tnited  States 
for  eighty  years. 

During  the  administi'ation  of  President  Jackson  the 
I'nited  States  Govei-nnieni  found  itself  in  the  unusual  posi- 
tion of  having  moi'e  money  than  it  could  use.  Thei-e  had  been 
a  vast  expansion  of  bank  capital.  In  1S;}0  there  were  '.VAO 
banks  in  this  eounti-v.  with  a  eajntal  of  .tBl.OOO.OOO.  In  1S;57 
there  were  B-'U  banks,  with  a  capital  of  $525,000,000.  The 
note  circulation  had  increased  from  $61,000,000  in  \^'A0  to 
$14!>,000,000  in  IS.'IT.  This  inflation  was  a  source  of  specn- 
lation.  and  IIk^  principal  speculation  was  in  public  lands.  The 
j)rice  of  government  land  was  $1.25  an  acre.  Speculators 
bo\iglit  vast  areas  of  this  land,  paying  foi-  it  in  hank  notes, 
which  were  (le]>osited  and  loaned  again  for  further  specula- 
tion. In  this  wa\  the  recei])ts  of  the  government  from  land 
sales  increased  from  $2,62;},000  in  18:52  to  $24,877,000  in  18:5(5. 
.\t  the  same  time  thei"e  was  a  great  increase  in  the  customs 
revenue,  from  $l(i.200.000  in  18:U  to  $2:{,40(),()00  in  18:{(i. 

As  the  public  deposits  in  the  l)anks  inci'eased  there  arose 
an  outcry  against  the  political  power  rendered  possible 
through  the  control  oi'  hanks,  and  Congress  was  urged  to  tind 
a  way  to  dis-pose  of  the  sui'plus.  As  the  |iublic  debt  had  all 
been  |)aid  this  Avas  a  difficult  ju'oblem.  .\  iiiendiei-  of  ('ougress 
from  South  ('ai'olina  llius  drscrihrd  ihc  silualion:  "'Tli'  de- 
parliiients  wei-e  stimulated  ami  goaded  on  to  find  out  how 
much  1  Iic\'  could  spend,  while  the  majority  in  ( 'ouiri'css  secned 
to  Im'  employed  in  linding  out   how   much  they  could  gi\c."" 

Till'  only  feasible  plan  for  disposing  ol'  U\r  Miiplns 
seemed  to  be  to  (li\ide  it  among  the  Slates,  ('alhoun  argued 
that  a  dislributioM  of  the  funds  as  a  gift  woidd  bi'  unconstitu- 
tional, and  as  a  sort  of  com  prom  ise,  a  hill  was  passed  autlior- 
i/iuL;-  the  deposit  of  the  surplus  wilh  the  Stales,  in  pi'opor- 
lioii   to   their   represeiilal  ion    in    ('ougress,   to   be   paid    buck  at 


"'Infcnst  (>)i  Surplus  Rrvcnur"  11 

tlie  call  of  the  Sceretai-y  of  the  Treasiii'v.  This  saviiiy'  clause 
(lid  not  sfMMu  to  deceive  any  one,  and  Ilciiiy  ('la\  told  his 
cniisl  it  ueiits  that  ""he  did  not  l)cli('\c  a  sin<i'le  iiieiuher  of 
eilhei-  hduse  iiiiayiiicd  a  dollai-  wouM  he  I'ecaUed.""  Says 
('ai'l  Schufz,  ill  his  ""  Henry  ('lay"":  "'It  was  a  had  law  in 
itself,  hut  pei'haps  no  woi'se  tliau  any  othei-  availahh'  e\|)e- 
dient,  sinei'  the  aeeinnulation  of  the  siirphis  had  not  heen  pi-e- 
vented  by  a  timely  reduction  of  taxes."" 

New  Jersey  received  her  share  of  this  surplus  on  January 
1,  1887.  and  the  Legislature  of  that  \eai-  passed  a  law  pi-ovid- 
ing  that  the  (rovernoi".  Treasurer  and  Speaker  of  the  House 
should  apportion  the  money  among  the  counties,  "'in  the  ratio 
of  th(^  State  tax  paid  by  the  several  counties  into  the  ti'easury 
of  the  State  during  the  past  year;  the  Boards  of  Chosen  Fi-ee- 
iiolders  to  j^ledge  the  faith  of  tlK^r  i'esp(>ctive  couidies  foi- 
the  safe  keeping  and  I'epayment  thereof.""  The  hoards  of 
Freehoklers  were  autliorized  to  loan  this  dej)0sit  "upon  bond 
and  mortgage,  or*  other  good  and  sufficient  security,  and  to 
])ay  the  intei'est  to  the  sevei'al  townships  in  the  i-atio  of  their 
county  taxes."" 

At  first  the  interest  as  apjioi'tioned  among  the  townships 
was  set  aside  at  the  annual  town  meetings  for  the  ''dueatiou 
of  poor  children.  When  the  schools  becanu'  free  it  was  voteil 
that  the  entii'e  intei'est  be  devoted  to  school  purposes,  and  the 
item  now  found  in  the  annual  l^ei'gen  County  budget  pro- 
vides for  six  per  cent,  on  the  sum  that  Uergen  Countx'  finall\' 
received. 

The  first  two  (|iiar1erly  payments  of  this  fund,  ainoiinting 
to  ^27,454.76,  were  made  to  iJergen  County  in  1>^:>7,  and  the 
County  Collector,  when  he  reported  this  receipt,  was  aiilluu-- 
ized  to  I'etain  ^f), ()()()  "for  the  use  of  the  County.""  .\  |)art  of 
this  -t'). ()(){)  was  later  loaned  out.  .\  third  i)ayi!ient  of  .+;l;*).- 
727. MS  was  received  from  the  State  Treasurer  the  following 
July,  making  the  total   received  h\-  the  ('ouiity  $41.1S2.14. 

In  May,  1H.']7.  a  committee  of  the  iJoard  reported  resolu- 
tions providing  thai  the  rniid  then  in  hand  he  ot'fered  for 
loans  "to  the  inhabitants  of  the  several  townships  in  |)ropor- 
tion  to  their  (|U(ita  of  Stale  tax,"  the  loans  to  be  made  on 
bond  and  mortgage  on  a  .lO  per  cent,  valuatioji,  in  sums  of  not 
less  than  .i;500  nor  more  than  .^.'},000,  and  for  not  longer  than 
a  yeai'.  At  the  inee1iii<>-  of  the  ]>oard  on  ^lay  26,  1S.)7,  the 
following  loans  w  ere  made  : 

Henry   \V.   Uanta,   N'ew    l>ai-badoes   .^l.-'iOO 

l*e1er    I.    Ackerman    and    Tunis   Cole.    Hacken- 

sack ;10()() 

Francis  Salmo,   Franklin    ;5,000 


12  '"I)il(r(sf   OH   Surplus  I\(  lu  )iuc" 

John  F.  Gray,  Saddle  River 2,500 

Charles  Kinsey,  Franklin 2,000 

Peter  A.  Kip,  Lodi .4^1,500 

Asa  Wright,   Hobokeii    2,000 

Cyrus  S.  drowning.  West  Iloboken    8,000 

John  Tise,  P.ergen   2,000 

Isaac  I.  Underhill.  Secauens   1,500 

When  the  last  payment  was  received  fi'oiii  the  State 
Treasurer  ten  additional  loans  wei-e  made,  aggregating 
$13,700. 

When,  in  1840,  the  county  of  Hudson  was  created  out  of 
a  part  of  Bergen  County,  a  division  of  the  sui'plus  fund  had 
to  be  made  between  old  Bergen  County  and  the  new  Hudson, 
and  there  was  a  further  division  when  a  small  part  of  l>ergen 
County  was  added  to  Passaic  County.  Quite  a  complicated 
computation  was  recpiired  to  arrive  at  a  correct  division.  For 
particulars  of  this  the  readei-  is  referred  to  the  liersren  County 
Freeholders'  minutes  of  .May  1,  188i),  and  ]\lay  6.  1840.  The 
amount  due  Hudson  County  was  fixed  at  .$!),460.28,  leaving 
Bergen  County,  after  deductions  for  interest  and  the  payment 
to  Passaic  County,  $29,918.14.  This  division  Avas  not  satis- 
factory to  a  later  Board  of  Bergen  County  Freeholders,  and 
there  seems  to  have  been  a  i-ather  prolonged  dispute  with  Hud- 
son County  over  the  subject,  but  with  no  result. 

We  now  tind  this  surplus  fund  connected  with  the  i)ro- 
ject  to  purchase  for  Bergen  County  a  i)oor  house  farm.  The 
subjt^ct  of  a  i)Oor  house  for  the  county  had  been  under  dis- 
cussion in  the  late  forties,  and  in  A|)ril,  1849,  a  resolution  was 
offered  at  the  meeting  of  the  Freeholders  that  a  poor  house 
should  be  built,  but  the  Board  refused  to  consider  it.  In  1850 
a  motion  to  refer  the  mattei-  to  the  voters  of  the  townships  was 
tabled,  hi  ^Ia\',  1851,  the  iJoai'd  voted  tiud  a  committee  of 
one  from  each  township  be  ai)pointed  to  look  into  the  cost  aiul 
location  of  a  poor  house,  and  at  a  special  meeting  of  the  P)Oai'd 
the  following  uionth.  on  the  i-ecommendation  of  this  com- 
mit lee,  it  was  voted  lo  oClVf  Jacob  X.  \'oorhis  $40  an  acre  for 
his  Tanii  on  the  road  from  the  Paramus  I'oad  1o  Xew  Milfoi'd. 
and  tliat  all  further  business  I'egarding  llie  purclwise  he  w- 
ferred  to  the  Committee  on  Surplus  Revi'uue.  In  Xovembei-, 
1851,  it  was  voted  that  counsel  be  oi'dered  to  call  foi-  May  1  so 
much  of  the  surplus  revenue  loaned  on  moi'tgage  "as  will  be 
sufficient  to  pay  for  the  whole  expenses  of  the  poor  lunise  I'ai'm 
l)uilding,  and  slock  1  he  same. '" 

The  atiinial  repei'ls  ol'  llie  coiiiiiiil  tee  on  surplus  I'eN'enue 
to  llie   l')oaf(l   are   no1    all    \rr\  elejii'.      In   the   report   of  .May, 


"  I )ii ( )•( st  on  Siirphis  R(  lu  nut  ''  13 

1854,  there  is  ;iii  ilciii  of  "to  townships  I'or  pooi'  pui-poses, 
$400."  Part  of  the  surplus  fund  was  loaned  to  Ihc  Tri- 
township  poor  house,  and  interest  ou  this  sum  was  paid  for 
several  yeai-s.     The  I'epoi't  of  ^lay,  ^H'A,  was  as  follows: 

Loans  on  bond  and  niortg-ages .ti;5.S.')0.00 

To  townships  for  poor  purposs   400.00 

To  county 6,502.82 

In  the  early  sixties,  when  successive  calls  for  soldiers  were 
made  by  the  Federal  Government  on  the  States,  iJergen 
County  had  to  supply  a  good  many  men.  These  were  obtained 
'atei-  by  offering  bounties,  and  the  bounty  money  was  raised 
by  the  counties.  IJergen  County  made  more  than  one  issue  of 
bonds  to  meet  this  expense.  In  November.  1863.  the  Free- 
holders i)assed  this  resolution  : 

"Resolved,  That  no  more  of  the  surplus  revenue  now  in 
the  hands  of  the  Collector  be  invested  at  intei'est  to  the  cretlit 
of  the  county,  but  that  whatever  amount  may  be  in  his  hands 
shall  be  used  to  li(iuidate  the  indebtedness  of  the  county  aris- 
ing from  the  payment  of  bounty  to  volunteers." 

Tn  ^lay,  1864,  the  Board  passed  the  following  resolution: 

"Resolved,  That  the  surjilus  i-evenue  invested  to  the 
credit  of  the  county  be  collected  by  the  County  Collector,  and 
api)ropriated  to  paying  off  the  county  indebtedness." 

The  i-eport  of  the  Committee  on  Surplus  Revenue,  sub- 
mitted May  8,  1872,  showed: 

J^ergen  County,  dr .tll),664.04 

Interest  to  date $1,179.84 

New    Barbadoes,     Midland,     Washington, 
Ilohokus,  Franklin,  Saddle  River,  Lodi 

and   Union 9,000.00 

Interest  to  date $2,160.00 

Ilaekensack    Townshii),    5    years' 

intei-est    " 2r)6.00 

Estate  H.  B.  Hageman 400.00 


$20,!I1S.14 


The  1-eport  for  l.s7r)  showed  a  total  of  $29,918.14  and 
$400  received  fi'om  the  Ilageman  estate,  with  a  reconnneiida- 
tion  that  this  be  paid  into  the  county  fund. 

The  county,  the  pool'  house  and  some  of  the  townships 
seem  to  have  paid  intei-est  into  this  fund  until  about  ISSl. 
In  1883  the  Comiidttee  on  Surplus  Revenue  was  omitted  from 
the  list   of  standing  connnittees.      The   following  apj)ropi'ia- 


14  "Ini(r(s(  on  Surphis  R(V(ini(" 

ions  for  interest  on  sui'iilns  revenue  were  made  in  the  budget 
in  tlie  years  named  : 

11)10   $1,203.84 

1911   1/203.94 

1912  1J43.84 

1913  642.4S 

1914 1,795.08 

The  latter  amount  has  been  ai)propriated  in  each  succes- 
sive year.  This  interest  is  distributed  among  the  school  dis- 
tricts by  the  County  CoHector  on  warrants  drawn  by  tlie 
County  Superintendent  of  Public  Schools  on  the  basis  of  .^1.80 
to  each  teacher  employed. 

[Tiiere  is  evidently  an  error  in  computation  of  these 
figures  which  Mr.  Linn  furnished  a  few  days  before  his  death, 
and  is  copied  from  the  Minutes  of  the  Freeholdei's ;  therefore 
he  had  no  opportunity  of  correcting  same. 

The  Connnittee  learns  on  in(iuiry  from  the  present 
County  Collector  that  the  State  of  New  Jersey  claims 
$28,819.14  as  the  total  amount  due  Surplus  Revenue,  and 
now  contemplate  calling  on  Bergen  County  for  its  payment 
in  the  near  future. 

It  will  be  found  that  this  amount  is  set  aside  as  a  reserve 
in  the  Financial  Report  of  the  County  for  the  year  1917.] 


VV  HLREAs  by  an  Act  of  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  New- Jersey,  entitled  '•  An  Act  making  pro- 
vision foi  ihe  defKJsite  and  dislribution  of  so  much  of  the  surplus  revenue  of  the  United  Slates  as 
now  is,  or  may  hereafter  be,  apportioned  to  and  received  by  this  state,"  passed  March  1837,  it  is 
enacted,  "  That  as  soon  as  the  Governor,  Treasurer,  and  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Assembly,  of 
this  State,  and  the  survivors  and  survivor  of  them,  and  their  successors  in  ollice,  and  the  survivors 
or  survivor  of  them,  shall  receive,  or  may  have  received,  ia  deposite,  any  portion  of  the  surplus 
revenue  of  the  General  Government,  which  fell  to  the  share  of  this  State  on  the  first  day  of  Ja- 
nuary last,  and  which  may  fail  to  the  share  of  this  State  at  any  lime  or  limes  hereafter,  they  shall 
apportion  the  same  am<jiig  the  several  counties  of  this  state  in  the  ratio  of  the  stale  tax  paid  by 
the  several  counties  into  the  treasury  of  the  slate  duriny  ihe  past  year.*' 

And  whereas  the  said  Governor,  Treasurer,  and  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Assembly,  of   this  Stale, 

have  received  of  sajd  surplus  revenue  the  sum  oi  )f' ^ ^^^/^y^^  y/^>^ ^^WV^ 

dollars,  it  being  the  6m- quarterly  payment  due  to  the  Stale  of  New-Jersey  on  the  first  of  jhtmi- 
jtry  last  past. 

And  whereas  upon  an  apportionment  made  of  said  amount,  agreeably  to  the  provisions  of  said  act, 

the  county  of /J'^'/^'"^ is  entitled  to  receive,  as  their  proportion   of  said  fund,   the 

sum  of  ^^^^<^^^^^  '^^^'=2^'^  •"'^^^'^^^  ^<^r^yf-raf  /it'iST,/^  ,^^-iftr>x.  yy^7/?  J<<:^  wliicli  amount  the 
said  Governor,  Treasurer,  and  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Assembly,  of  ihis  State,  have  delivered  to 

.yj^"-'  ^'-^^^^;^-  ^^'^^.<^^^^^>'k'.^   ^  , being  the 

competent  authority  authorized  by  the  Board  of  Chosen  Freeholders  of  said  county  of  /i^i^t-y^ 
to  receive  the  same. 

]>}oVi\thereforc,heilhnoion,1\\9.\\,  /U-Z^^^^'^    \^   <^ C^U.^r-y-t-t.^j^  ^     ,      Director 

of  the  Board  of  Chosen  Freehohlers  of  said  county  of   /^-^  'j?^^' do  hereby 

certify  that  the  said  sum  of^//«///',^  '■^y/^>^ _^^  has  been  de- 

posited by  the  said  Governor,  Treasurer,  and  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Assembly,  of  this  Slate,  with 

the  county  of  ^^••^^^:<*>-' and  that  fiir  the  safekeeping  and  re-payment  of  the 

same  to  the  State  of  Me  .'-Jersey,  accordir.g  io  the  provisions  of  said  act.  the  county  of  Ai^j'>'^ 

— i^  legally  boun J,  and  itc  f^iiih    is  sclen-.nly    pledged;  and  in  behalf  of  said 

county  of  /^ a^^^ 'f-^-  ~ —  I  do  hereby  ciTis  my  sigiiature  in  testimony  of  the  pre- 
mises, and  of  the  faith  of  the  said  county  of  yOr/f'^'---  _  to  pay  the  said  money 
so  deposited,  and  every  part  thereof,  from  time  to  time,  whe.iOver  the  same  cliall  be  required  for  the 
purpose  of  being  returned  into  t!;o  T!T;asury  of  l':c;  Ignited  States,  according  to  the  previsions  of  an 
Act  of  Congress  to  regulate  the  public  deposites,  passed  the  23d  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1830,  or  when- 
ever, in  the  opinion  of  the  Legislature,  the  interest  of  the  State  may  require  its  return. 

SIGNED  this    ^^^i^>-- <^<ii>»ojS^-  day  of    ^<^ta^     _    in  ih-  year 

of  our  Lord,  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  thirty-seven. 

Attest  :  /^  '^X^f^^^V^ 


NEW- JERSEY  TREASURY  OFTICE, 


Sir 


Tkentcn,  ^iC^ /'^y^^'^ 
c^^^^^,  C^^y^y>*.    Esq.  Collector  of  the  county  of  <^.y 


an  Act  of  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  New-Jersey,  entitled  "  An  Act  making  provision 
;  deposite  and  distribution  of  so  much  of  the  surplus  revenue  of  the  United  States,  as  now  is, 
y  hereafter  be,  apportioned  and  received  by  this  Slate" — it  is  made  my  duty,  as  Treasurer  of 
ate,  to  notify  the  Collectors  of  the  several  counties  of  this  state,  of  the  sum  apportioned  to 
ounty,  respectively.  In  compliance  with  said  act,  I  hereby  notify  yo_ij  that  the  sum  appor- 
to  the  county  of    ^ oo^-^^  '\%  J^/J,?ii)'  '/y^^^>    *'^t^/A^  *y^'j'/97^>^-c^^i^ 

!.  I  also  send  herewith  a  form  of  the  pledge  of  the  county,  to  be  signed  by  the  Director  of  the 
of  Chosen  Freeholders,  provided  they  elect  to  receive  the  same 

'^il<i.^^  t^'^^^^^iZ^  Treas  u  rer 


LorinvXcK   \A.\   i',()SKi-:.\in\s   dhki) 

Auunist    S.     171(),    I'di-    l.iitlici-;iii    Cliuich.    (Ill     KjisI     hank    of 
1  lackciisack',   alxuil    one    mile   soiilli    of    New    liridgc. 


To    All    Cliristiaii    Proplr,    to    Wliuiii    TIicsl'    i'l-csjiil.s    Shall 
Come : 

I.  Louveiice  \'aii  bnskcark,  of  Ilackcnsack.  in  the  ("ouiity 
of  I)t'i-gt'ii,  ill  the  Province  of  New  Jci'sry,  yociiiaii,  Sfiuh'tii 
greetings : 

Know  ye  thai  I,  ihr  said  Loui-fiicc  \'an  Ixiskratk.  i'oi- 
and  in  ronsiih'i-at  idii  ol'  the  hive,  uood  will  and  affi-ction  which 
ican't  read  I  doe  heai'  toward  the  Liithefan  Chui-ch,  have 
gi\-eii  and  granted  and  l»y  these  jireseiils  doe  fnlly.  Trecly, 
clearly  and  ahsolntely  give  and  grant  lo  the  Pi'otestant  Luth- 
eran Congi'egation  at  and  about  Ilackensack  a  certain  piece 
and  parcel  of  lauil  situate  and  being  on  Ilackensack  ('I'eek 
(II'  K'iver.  joining  to  a  small  i-uii  that  runneth  between  the 
lands  of  Nicholas  Lassui'e,  shoemaker,  and  the  said  parcel  of 
land  l)iginning  on  the  King's  Koad  ten  foot  fi-oin  the  small 
run  Ol'  ('reek  i)el\veen  Xicliolas  Lassure.  shoemaker,  and  the 
said  parcel  of  land  and  running  all  along  that  said  small  run 
only,  k(H'ping  always  the  distance  of  ten  foot  from  it  to  the 
mouth  of  the  said  run  in  the  great  Ilackensack  Creek  or 
Pivei'  and  then  along  Ihe  said  Ilackensack  Ci-eek  or  Kiver 
northerly  two  hinidred  and  twenty-three  foot,  and  then  from 
tlienc(^  again  eastei'ly  to  the  King's  Road  in  such  a  (MUirse 
lliat  the  whole  i)readtli  thereof  on  ye  said  King's  Road  may 
i'nily  be  one  hundred  and  sixty-three  foot.  The  be<.''inning  of 
tile  said  breadth  is  to  be  made  on  the  said  small  run  between 
.Nicholas  Lassure,  shoemaker,  aiul  the  said  i)ai'cel  of  land 
only,  keeping  t(  n  foot  distance  fi"oni  it  as  afoui'said,  altogether 
with  the  rights,  gifts,  interests,  claims  and  demands  what- 
soe\-er  which  1  now  have  or  which  any  oi-  either  my  heirs, 
executors,  administrators  or  assigns  may  liereaftei-  have  of, 
to  01'  in  the  said  granted  pi'cmises  or  any  |)ar1  ihei'eof,  to 
have  and  hold  the  said  parcel  and  piece  of  land  unto  the  said 
T'rotestant  Lutheran  ( 'ongregat  ion.  Now  being  and  hereatfer 
at  any  lime  being  for  me  pro\ide(l  nevertheless  that  the  said 
i'rotestant  Jjuthei'an  Congregation  shall  build  and  ei'cct  on 
and  upon  the  said  granted  and  given  parcel  of  ground  a  house 
for  Divine  woi'ship  foi-  ihe  use  of  the  Protestant  Lutherans, 
in  and  about    Ilackensack,  and  that   within  the  term  of  four 


THE  FINAL  CENTURY  OF  THE  WAMPUM  INDUSTRY 
IN  BERGEN  COUNTY,  NEW  JERSEY. 

Compiled  by  Frances  A.  Westervelt. 


In  presenting  somewhat  of  an  industry  that  is  now  ob- 
solete, it  is  thought  that  the  bare  facts  and  illustrations  to  be 
given  would  be  practically  meaningless  without  the  following 
references,  that  will  show  the  use  and  value  of  wampum  to 
New  Jersey  and  Bergen  County  during  the  Colonial  period. 

''These  voices  of  the  past  tell  of  treaties  that  mark  the 
stei)ping  stones  of  a  nation's  progress — they  epitomize  the 
dark  days  of  endeavor,  when  the  infant  States  fought  for  life 
and  prosperity. ' ' 

"To  the  Algonkains  must  be  credited  the  establishment 
of  the  first  medium  of  exchange  within  the  boundaries  of  the 
State  of  New  Jereey.  When  the  Dutch  and  Swedes  came  to 
the  valleys  of  the  Hudson  and  Delaware  they  found  the 
Lenni-Lenape  and  kindred  peoples  possessed  of  a  money 
which,  while  crude,  was  satisfactory — so  satisfactory  indeed 
that  the  settlers  provided  by  custom  and  law  for  its  use 
among  themselves  and  in  their  trading  relations  with  neigh- 
boring tribes.  This  money  was  the  wampum — the  shell 
money  of  the  peltry  dealer  and  of  the  signers  of  treaties." — 
Lee. 

1658 

"In  order  to  remove  any  causes  for  friction  with  the 
Indians  on  the  account  of  adverse  claims  to  theii*  territory, 
and  to  reassure  the  timid  settlers.  Governor  Stuyvasant  and 
the  Council  of  New  Netherlands  purchased  of  the  Indians 
January  30,  1658,  a  tract  of  land  by  the  following  descrip- 
tion :  *  *  *  Comprising  the  old  township  of  Bergen  for 
eighty  fathems  of  Wampum,  &c. " 

Van  Winkle. 

1667 

YE    TOWN    ON    THE    PES  A  YAK. 

(NEWARK) 

was  purchased  by  the  settlers  from  Connecticut  July  11,  1667, 
from  the  Hackensack  Indians.  Numerous  articles  were  in  the 
purchase  price.  The  first  mentioned  was  eight  huntlred  and 
fifty  fathems  of  wampum. — Historic  Newark. 


^V<(lHl)lnll   Iiidiislrii  in    H(  r(](  u   ('(tunh)  21 

UNION   TOWNSHIP,   1668. 

That  jiortion  of  l>ergen  County  whicli  inchides  what  now 
constitutes  TTnion  Township  was  originally  known  by  the  In- 
dian name  of  Mig-hec  ti  cock  (New  l^ai-badoes  Neck).  It 
embraced  five  thousand  three  hundred  and  eight  acres  of  up- 
land and  ten  thousand  acres  of  meadow.  In  1668  Captain 
William  Sanford  purchased  in  the  interest  of  Nathaniel 
Kingsland  of  the  island  of  liarbadot^s,  tiiis  land  from  the 
proprietors,  on  condition  that  he  would  settle  six  or  eight 
farms  within  three  years,  and  pay  twenty  pounds  sterling 
on  the  25th  of  each  succeeding  March.  On  the  20tli  of  July 
of  the  same  year  he  purchased  from  the  Indians  their  title, 
''to  connnence  at  the  Hackensack  and  Pissawack  Rivers,  and 
to  go  northward  about  seven  miles  to  Sanfords  Spring  (after- 
wards Boiling  Spring).  The  consideration  was  170  fathoms 
of  black  wampum.  200  fathoms  of  white  wampum  (each 
fathem  was  12  inclu's  long,  and  the  black  was  worth  double 
the  white)  ;  19  watch  coats,  16  guns,  60  double  hands  of  pow- 
der, 10  pair  breeches,  60  knives,  67  bars  of  lead,  1  auker  of 
brandy,  3  half  fats  beer,  11  blankets,  30  axes  and  20  hoes." 
It  is  noticed  in  all  these  purchases  that  the  wampum  heads 
the  lists. — Nelson. 

1669 

"The  ferry  was  established  between  Connnunipaw  and 
the  New  Nt^therlands.  Fare  in  wampum  6  stivers,  e(|ualiiig 
12  cents." 

WAMPUM  BELTS  AND  STRINGS  OF  WAMPUM 

"Although  many  wampum  belts  were  made  during  the 
earlv  Colonial  i)eriod,  they  are  now  very  rare.  There  aiv  a 
few' in  the  museums  and  some  still  remain  in  the  hands  of 
public  ofHcials  and  county  clerks  as  records  of  treaties  Avith 
the  Indians."  "In  all  aft'airs  of  state  the  chief  and  sachems 
wore  wampum  belts  around  their  waists  or  ovei-  theii-  shoul- 
ders. In  negotiations  with  other  tribes,  every  imi)ortant  state- 
ment was  corroborated  by  laying  down  one  or  more  sti-nigs 
of  wampum  or  belts.  Friendships  were  cemented  by  them. 
Alliances  confirmed,  treaties  negotiated  and  nuirriages  sol- 
enniized  In  all  these  the  giving  of  wampum  added  dignity 
and  authoritv  to  the  transaction."  "This  belt  preserves  my 
words,"  was"  the  common  phrase  among  the  Iro(iuoise  when 
pi'omises  were  made. 


22  WdinpK))!   Iitdiislrjj  In    I>(r(j(ii   ('(Jiinfii 


1758 

"Given  uiuler  my  hand  and  seal  at  arms,  the  2y>\\\  day 
of  June,  in  32d  year  of  his  Majesty's  reign. 

By  his  excellency,  Francis  liernard,  Esq.,  captain-gen- 
eral, governor  and  connnander-in-chi(4'  of  the  colony  of  New 
Jersey,  &c. 

Brethren:  The  Minisink  or  Munsy  Indians  and  those  at 
Pompton : 

It  is  with  great  pain  T  am  to  tell  you  that  some  Indians 
have  invaded  our  province  on  the  upper  part  of  the  Delaware 
and  shed  nnich  blood,  and  that  you  are  suspected  to  be  con- 
cerned in  it. 

A  STRING. 
Brethren : 

Tf  you  have  been  instigated  to  this  by  the  false  sugges- 
tions of  our  enemies,  the  French,  we  pity  you,  for  these  pro- 
ceedings, if  not  immediately  prevented,  must  cause  a  discord 
between  us,  which,  though  it  may  be  greatly  hui'tful  to  our 
people,  must  ui  the  vud  entirelv  ruin  vours. 

A  STJvLNG. 
Brethren : 

The  throne  of  the  great  king  is  founded  on  justice,  and 
therefore  if  you  have  received  any  injury  from  any  of  his 
l)eople  living  within  our  province  you  should  have  made  yoiir 
complaint  to  me,  who  am  ordered  to  do  justice  to  all  iiii'U, 
and  I  would  have  heard  you  with  open  ears,  and  given  yoi! 
full  satisfaction. 

A  STRING. 
Brethren : 

Tf  therefore  you  have  any  anger  boiling  in  your  bi'eiists, 
/  hij  I  Iris  helt,  invite  you  to  Burlington,  in  five  weeks,  at  which 
time  our  great  council  will  be  together;  there  to  unouilhen 
your  minds,  and  root  out  of  your  hearts  the  seeds  of  enmity, 
before  they  take  too  dee])  a  root.  And  T  will  kindle  a  council 
fire,  and  bury  all  the  blood  that  has  stained  our  ground  deep 
in  the  earth,  and  make  a  new  chain  of  peace,  that  may  bind 
us  and  our  children,  and  you  and  your  children  in  everlast- 
ing bonds  of  love,  that  we  may  live  together  as  brethren,  un- 
der the  protection  of  the  great  king,  our  common  father. 

A  I^ELT. 
Brethren : 

If  these  words  shall  please  you,  and  you  should  choo.se 
that  we  should  be  your  friends,  rather  than  your  enemies,  let 
all  hostilities  immediately  cease  and  receive  this  passi)ort,  and 
go  to   Fort  Allen,   from   whence  you   shall   he   conclucted   to 


Wampiun   Jndiisfru  in   Px  r(j<  n   CoiDihi 


Bristol,  wiiere  you  will  find  (leputics,  who  will  t;ikc  noii  l)y 
the  hand  and  lead  you  to  nie  at  lUn-lington.  l)Ut  it  llic  time 
and  place  1  have  mentioned  be  inconvenient  to  you,  [  shall  l)e 
ready  to  receive  you  in  this  government,  when  you  can  more 
agreeably  to  yourselves  attend. 

A  STRIXO. 

At  a  couferenee  held  at  Burlington,  August  7,  ITil.S: 
Pi'esent — His    excellency,    Francis    Bernard,    Es(|.,    and 

others. 

His  excellency  sat,  holding  four  sti'ings  of  wampum   in 

his  liand,  and  spoke  to  them  as  follows: 

]>rethi'en  : 

As  you  have  <'ome  from  a  long  joui'uey,  through  a  wood 
full  of  briars,  with  this  string  I  annoint  your  feet,  and  take 
away  their  soreness.  With  this  string  1  wi})e  the  sweat  from 
youi"  bodies;  with  this  string  I  cleanse  your  eyes,  ears  and 
mouths,  that  you  may  see,  hear  and  speak  cleai'ly,  and  1  })ar- 
ticularly  anoint  youi"  throat,  that  (n-ery  word  you  say  may 
hav(^  a  free  ]iassage  from  your  heart,  and  with  this  string 
T  bid  you  heartilv'  welcome. 

TIk  li  Ik   (l(lif(i-((l  (ill  llii   four  siriin/s. 

His  excellency  then  informed  Ihem  that  he  should  be 
ready  to  lu^ar  what  they  had  to  say  in  answer  to  the  message 
he  had  sent  to  their  chiefs,  as  soon  as  would  be  convenient  to 
them,  when  they  informed  him  tlu^y  would  be  ready  in  the 
afternoon;  and  thanked  his  excellency  for  using  the  customs 
of  their  fathei's  in  l)idding  them  weleome. 

MONDAY    AFTP]RXO()X. 

Present ; 

As  in  the  morning. 

The  Indians  being  informed  that  the  governor  was  i-eady 
to  hear  them,  Benjanun,  on  behalf  of  the  Muuseys  Bidians, 
holding  a  belt  in  his  hand,  spoke  sitting,  not  being  allowed  1o 
stand  till  the  Miiif/oian  had  spoke. 

Brother: 

At  first  when  your  messengers  came  lo  us  1weii1y-seven 
days  since  our  ancient  people  were  glad  to  hear  tliem,  and  oui- 
young  men,  women  and  children  rejoiced  at  Hie  tidnigs. 
We  know  you  are  great  and  strong,  and  we  look  it  kindly. 
All  our  friends  and  relations  were  in  soi'i'ow,  and  pitied  the 


24  Wa)npum  Industry  in  Bergen  (Uninfy 

condition  of  the  women  and  of  the  children,  who  are  grow- 
ing up.  The  kind  words  of  our  brethren,  the  English,  we  sent 
to  our  uncles,  the  Minigoians,  and  one  of  them  is  come  down 
here  to  the  place  of  our  meeting  to  be  a  witness  of  what  passes 
between  us.  Then  John  Hudson,  the  Cayugan,  above  men- 
tioned, stood  up  and  spoke  as  follows : 

Brothers : 

In  confirmation  of  what  has  been  said  to  you,  I,  who  am 
the  Mingoian,  am,  by  this  belt,  to  inform  you  that  the  Mun- 
seys  are  M^omen,  and  cannot  hold  treaties  for  themselves, 
therefore  I  am  sent  to  inform  you  that  the  invitation  you  gave 
the  Munseys  is  agreeable  to  us,  and  we  have  taken  hold  of 
your  belt,  and  T  desire  you  may  write  down  my  attending 
here,  though  while  I  am  here  I  left  my  family  in  danger  of 
being  cut  oft'  by  our  enemy,  the  French. 

Further,  Brother : 

I  have  told  you  your  belt  was  agreeable,  and  received  by 
us  as  an  earnest  of  your  friendship.     *     *     * 

This  belt  confirms  what  I  have  said. 

He  then  delivered  the  governor  a  belt,  on  one  side  of 
which  are  three  figures  of  men  in  black  wampum,  represent- 
ing the  Shawause,  Delawares  and  IMingoians  living  on  the 
Ohio;  on  the  other  side,  four  figures  representing  the  united 
councils  of  the  Six  Nations,  in  their  own  country.  By  these 
being  now  joined  in  this  belt,  he  declared  it  expressed  their 
union.  That  the  western  Indians  having  consulted  their 
uncles,  now  joined  in  sending  it,  in  pursuance  of  a  belt  of 
invitation  sent  them  above  a  year  since,  by  George  Crogham, 
on  behalf  of  the  English. 

August  8th,  1758. 
Present :  As  before. 

His  excellency  delivered  the  following  answers  to  what 
the  Indians  said  yesterday.  *  *  *  The  great  God  whom 
we  serve,  and  who  protects  us,  and  gives  us  all  the  blessings 
of  life  which  we  enjoy,  hath  commanded  us  to  be  just  and 
bem^volent  to  all  mankind.  *  *  *  Qf  \\x\^  \  y^-xW  give 
your  people  fui'ther  assurance,  when  we  meet  at  the  council 
fire.  Ill  the  m('aiitiiiit%  1  eoiifinn  what  J  have  said  bv  these 
belts. 

His  excellency  then  delivered  one  belt  to  John  Hudson, 
the  Cayugan,  and  one  to  Benjamin,  the  Munsey. 


Wampum  ludiisfrji  in   B(r<;()i   Coiiiifii         25 


The  21st  of  October,  1758. 
Governor  Bernard,  requesting  the  attention  of  the   In- 
dians, addressed  them  as  follows : 

Brethren  of  the  United  Nations : 

Vy\  this  string-  vou  spoke  on  behalf  of  onr  brethren  the 
Minisinks,  and  said,"  "that  they  were  wronged  in  their  lands, 
that  the  English  settled  so  fast  they  were  contnnially  push- 
ing them  back,  and  when  they  asked  for  their  lands  they  were 
told  that  they  had  sold  their  land,  and  had  got  drunk  and 
forgot  it  Tf  thev  had  swallowed  their  lands,  they  nnist  be 
content  i)ut  tliey'did  not  believe  that  they  had  swallowed  all, 
but  that  some  was  left.  They  desired  that  I  would  en. pure 
after  their  lands  that  were  left  and  do  them  justice. 

Brethren  : 

1  am  o-lad  T  have  an  opportunity,  in  the  presence  of  so 
nuuiv  nations,  to  express  the  desire  I  have  of  dmng  .justice 
to  everv  one.  The  throne  of  the  great  king  is  founded  on 
iustice'and  T  should  not  be  a  faithful  servant  to  him  it 
neglected  to  give  redress  to  all  persons,  that  have  received 
infurK's  from  the  p.'ople  over  whom  the  great  king  has  placed 

""'■  I  have  therefore  had  a  conference  with  the  ^linisinks  in 
the  presence  of  some  of  their  uncles,  and  have  come  to  a  lull 
agreement  with  them,  and  proceedings  of  whieli  ar.-  nou 
ready  to  be  read  to  you. 

Brethren :  .  w  i 

I  have  another  proof  to  give  you  of  the  uprightness  and 

iustice  of  our  province.    We  have  come  to  an  agreement  with 

he  Delawares  and   other   Indians  for  the  uncertain   clainu. 

thev  had  on  the  southern  parts  of  our  province      I   lieu  bv 

■o^luc'  the  deeds  that  have  been  executed  on  th-  occasion 

hat  the  subject  of  them  be  explained  to  you,  and  be  lud  in 

perpetual  remembrance  by  all  the  nations  present.     And   I 

e  h'e      at  vou  may  all  remember  that,  by  these  two  agree- 

mSs    he  province  of  New  Jersey  is  entirely  tree.l  and  dis^ 

charged  frmu  all  Indian  claims.     In  contirmation  ol  ^^h.eh   1 

give  vou  this  belt. 

Easton,  26tli  of  October,  17.)S. 

Present:  His  excellency,  Governor  Bernard. 

*     *     *     * 

Brethren :  -,         ^         i  +hn 

As  we  have  now  settled  all  differences,  and  continued  the 

ancietit  leagues  of  amity  and  brightened  the  chain  ot  Irumd- 


26  Wampum  Indiisfrij  in   Bcrgoi   Coioi^ij 


ship,  we  now  clean  the  blood  off  yonr  conncil  seats  and  pnt 
them  in  order,  that  when  yon  hold  conncils  at  home  yon  may 
sit  in  yonr  seats  with  the  same  peace  and  trancinillity  as  yon 
formerly  nsed  to  do. 

A  string  consisting  of  a  thonsand  grains  of  wampnm. 

Brethren : 

With  this  string  of  wampum  we  condole  with  yon  for 
the  loss  of  your  wise  men  and  for  the  warriors  that  have  been 
killed  in  these  troublesome  times,  and  likewise  for  your  women 
and  children,  and  we  cover  their  graves  decently,  agreeable 
to  the  custom  of  yonr  forefatliers. 

A  string  of  a  thonsand  grains  of  wampum. 

His  excellency,  Governor  Bernard,  produced  the  follow- 
ing deeds ;  *  *  *  One  dated  12th  September,  1758,  and  the 
other  dated  the  23d  October  instant  at  Easton,  from  the  chiefs 
of  the  Munsies,  Wapings,  Opings  or  Pomjitons,  sixteen  in 
number,  and  including  all  the  remaining  lands  in  Xew  Jer- 
sey beginning  at  Cnshytnnk,  and  down  the  division  line  be- 
tween New  Jersey  and  New  York  to  the  mouth  of  Tappan 
Creek  at  Hudson  River  and  down  the  same  to  Sandy  Hook, 
^^g  *  *  *  Endorsed  by  Nimham,  a  chief  of  Opings  or 
Pomptoms,  who  was  sick  at  the  execution  thereof,  and  ap- 
proved by  the  Six  Nations,  which  was  testified  by  three  of 
their  chiefs,  signing  as  witnesses  thereto ;  and  Governor  Ber- 
nard desired  that  all  present  might  take  notice  of  the  same 
and  rememher  that  the  Indian  titles  to  all  tJic  lands  in  New 
Jersey  were  conveyed  by  those  two  deeds  (for  a  valuable  con- 
sideration) (such  parts  only  excepted  as  were  reserved  for 
the  use  of  those  Indians  that  inclined  to  live  under  the  pro- 
tection of  this  government). — SmifJi's  Histonj  of  New  Jersey. 

THE  BERGEN  COUNTY  WAMPUM  MAKERS. 

In  Ireland  in  1718  was  born  William  Campbell.  In  1785 
he  came  to  Bergen  County  and  settled  in  Schraalenburgh.  He 
married  Elizabeth  Demarest  in  1735.  His  son  John,  two 
grandsons,  four  great  grandsons  and  two  or  more  great- 
great-grandsons  became  the  renowned  family  of  wami)um 
makers. 

The  original  homestead  of  Jolm  W.  Campbell  and  wife 
Letitia  Van  Valen,  of  one  hundred  acres,  was  at  Pascuck,  25 
miles  from  New  York.  They  settled  there  prior  to  1775,  and 
began  the  manufacturing  of  wampnm.  When  the  church 
was  built   across  the   road   from   them   in    1812   thev   united 


WarHpinti   TiKhixinj   in  B(r(/(H   Cotnthj 


27 


witli  it  and  i)i'(>'ent(Hl  lialf  of  the  eeiiK^ci-y  site.     Their  liousc 
was  of   red   stone,   l)uilt   on   the  beautiful    Dutch    lines,    wilh 
overhanging-  roof,  in   front  and  rear. 
It  was  demolished  al)0ut  1887. 


WHERE  THE  WAMPUM  WAS  MADE. 

While  the  business  was  in  its  infancy  it  was  carried  on 
in  Ihe  liouse,  mostly  during  tlie  winter  months,  as  the  makt'rs 


il 

1 

1) 

«*— « 

h 

1 

fe  • 


aminuu    Factory    or    Mint,    Built    Late    (vO's,    Pascack,    N.    J. 


Warn] 


were  also  tillers  of  the  soil.  The  women  of  the  families  often 
helped  in  its  manufacture. 

The  rapidly  increasing  business  was  handicapped  by 
their  primitive  methods,  including  foot  power. 

A  change  was  nuide  from  the  house  to  the  mill  by  rent- 
ing and  fitting  out  the  lower  part  of  an  old  woolen  mill  that 
stood  on  the  present  site  of  the  electric  light  plant  at  Park 
Ridge.  Water  power  was  installed,  that  ran  the  grnu  ing 
and  polishing  wheels  which  were  re(|uired  for  all  of  Iheir 
products.  Thev  occupied  this  "Mint"  for  many  years,  making 


28  Wampum  Industry  in  Bergen   Count}/ 

thousands  of  dollars'  worth  of  the  wainpiiin  money  within  its 
walls,  besides  the  ornaments.  The  next  step  in  progression 
was  to  erect  a  new  mint  on  their  own  property  on  the  banks 
of  the  Pascack  Creek,  a  tributary  to  the  Hackensack  River. 

This  was  the  last  home  of  the  industry,  and  now  lies  in 
ruins  with  the  scrap  heaps  nearby,  from  which  many  valuable 
specimens  of  their  work  have  been  recovered,  even  if  they  are 
' '  failures, ' '  and  are  in  the  Society 's  possession  on  exhibition. 
A  center  discharge  wheel  was  installed,  with  other  improve- 
ments. The  great  amount  of  work  recpiiring  the  pick  and 
chisel,  grinding  and  polishing,  drilling  of  holes  in  beads, 
moons,  etc.,  was  carried  on  in  the  lower  part  of  the  building, 
while  the  upper  part  was  used  for  the  working  out  of  their 
discoveries,  which  were  kept  secret,  the  results  being:  "The 


CainiibeH's    Wliitt'    ^\'alnllul^. 

finest  wampum  nuule, "  the  term  covering  both  ornaments  and 
money. 

"The  interior  of  a  workshop  resembled  a  lime  kiln.  The 
floors  were  hidden  from  sight  by  great  heaps  of  shells,  and 
the  rude  benches  and  tools  covered  entirely  with  white  flying 
dust,  as  the  shells  were  being  ground  and  drilled,  and  sug- 
gested the  application  of  innumerable  coats  of  whitewash, 
which,  in  fact,  it  really  was. ' ' 

The  following  extracts  are  from  Barber  and  Howe,  1844: 

THE  METH(3D  OP  MAKING  THE  WAMPUM  MONEY. 

"Wampum,  or  Indian  money,  is  to  the  present  day 
(1844)  made  in  this  county,  and  sold  to  the  Indian  traders  of 
the  far  west.     It  has  been  manufactui'ed  bv  the  females  in 


Wdinpum   I n(h(.'itri/  i)i   Px  r<jt  n   Couuiji  29 

this  region  from  very  early  times  for  the  Indians,  and  as 
everything  connected  with  this  interesting  race  is  destined, 
at  no  distant  period,  to  exist  only  in  history,  we  annex  a  de- 
scrii)tion  of  the  mannfacture. 

"The  black  wami)nm  is  made  from  the  thick  and  bine 
part  of  sea  clam  shells,  and  the  white  wampnm  from  the  conch 
shell.  The  process  is  simple,  bnt  re(iuires  a  skill  only  attained 
by  long  practice.  The  intense  hardness  and  brittleness  of  the 
material  render  it  imj^ossible  to  produce  the  ai'ticle  by  ma- 
chinery alone,  it  is  done  by  wearing  or  grinding  the  sliell. 
The  first  process  is  to  split  off  the  thin  part  with  a  slight 
sharp  hannner.  Then  it  is  clamped  in  the  sawed  crevice  of  a 
slender  stick,  held  in  both  hands  and  gronnd  smooth  on  a 
grindstone,  until  formed  into  an  eight-sided  figure,  of  about 
an  inch  in  length  and  nearly  half  an  incli  in  diameter,  when 
it  is  ready  for  boring.  The  shell  then  is  inserted  into  another 
piece  of  wood,  sawed  similarly  to  the  above,  but  fastened  firm- 
ly to  a  bench  of  the  size  of  a  common  stand.  One  i)art  of  the 
wood  projects  over  the  bench,  at  the  end  of  which  hangs  a 
weiglit,  causing  the  sawed  orifice  to  close  firndy  upon  the 
shell  inserted  on  its  under  side,  and  to  Imld  it  firmly  as  in  a 
vice,  ready  for  drilling.  The  drill  is  nuide  from  an  untem- 
pered  handsaw.  The  operator  grinds  the  drill  to  a  ])roi)er 
shape,  and  tempers  it  in  the  flame  of  a  candle.  A  rude  ring, 
with  a  groove  on  its  circumference,  is  put  on  it;  around  which 
the  operator  (seated  in  front  of  the  fastened  shell)  curls  flu- 
string  of  a  conunon  hand  bow.  The  boring  conunences  by 
nicely  adjusting  the  point  of  the  drill  to  the  center  of  the 
shell,"  while  the  other  end  is  braced  against  a  steel  plate,  on 
the  breast  of  the  operator.  About  every  other  sweep  of  the 
bow,  tlu'  drill  is  dexterously  drawn  out,  cleaned  of  the  shelly 
particles  by  the  thund)  and  fingei',  above  which  drops  of  water 
from  a  vessel  fall  down  and  cool  the  drill,  which  is  still  kept 
revolving,  by  the  use  of  the  bow  with  the  other  hand,  tli(> 
same  as  though  it  were  in  the  shell.  This  operation  of  boi'ing 
is  the  nmst  difficult  of  all,  the  peculiar  motion  of  the  drdl 
rendering  it  hard  for  the  breast,  yet  it  is  performed  with  a 
rapidity  and  grace  interesting  to  witness.  Peculiar  care  is 
observed,  lest  the  shell  burst  from  heat  caused  by  friction. 
When  bored  halfway,  the  wampum  is  reversed,  aiul  the  same 
operation  is  repeated.  The  next  process  is  the  finishing.  A 
wire,  about  twelve  inches  long,  is  fastened  at  one  end  to  a 
bench.  Under  and  parallel  to  the  wire  is  a  grindstone,  fluted 
on  its  circumference,  hung  a  little  out  of  the  center,  so  as  to 
be  turned  by  a  treadle  moved  with  the  foot.  The  left  hand 
grasps  the  end  of  the  wire,  on  which  are  strung  the  warn- 


30 


Wampum   hidusfri/  in   Rcrgoi   founfji 


1)11111,  and,  as  it  were,  wraps  the  beads  around  the  lioUow  or 
fluted  eireiunference  of  the  grindstone.  While  the  grind- 
stone is  revolving,   the  beads   are   held   down   on   to   it,   and 

turned  round  by  a  flat  piece 
of  wood  liekl  in  the  right 
liand,  and  hy  the  grinding 
soon  becomes  round  and 
smooth.  They  are  then  strung 
on  hempen  strings,  about  a 
foot  in  length.  From  five  to 
ten  strings  are  a  day's  work 
for  a  female.  They  are  sold 
to  the  country  merchants  for 
twelve  and  a  half  cents  a 
stimg,  always  command 
cash,  and  constitute  the  su})- 
port  of  m  a  n  y  poor  and 
w  o  r  t  h  y  families. ' '  —  Bar- 
hcr  and  Howe. 

To  procure  the  hard 
shell  clams  to  obtain  from 
them  the  "black  hearts"  to 
make  the  valuable  black  vam- 
pum,  necessitated  a  long,  te- 
dious trip  by  rowboat  from 
New  Milford  on  the  Hacken- 
sack  River  to  Rockaway, 
Long  Island,  via  Newark 
Day.  When  they  returned 
the  clams  were  placed  on  the 
ground  under  the  trees,  and 
the  neighbors  were  invited  to 
take  all  t  h  e  flesh  t  h  e  y 
wanted,  but  to  leave  the 
shells.  These,  with  the  Rock- 
away  sand,  were  carried  by 
wagon  six  miles  to  Pascack. 
When  Washington  Market  in 
New  York  ( 'ity  was  opened 
the  thrift  of  the  Campbells 
was  shown  when  they  made 
contracts  for  all  the  empty  clam  shells.  At  stated  times 
th<w  went  by  boat  to  the  market  and  with  a  small  ham- 
mer the  black  hearts  were  skillfully  broken  fi-om  each 
shell  and  placed  in  barrels.     They  would  return  with  ten  or 


Campbell's   Black   Waminuu. 


Witnipiiiii   1 11(1  list fji   in    li(  r<i(  n   ('iniiilii 


;u 


twelve  bai'i't'ls  at  a  time.  They  sold  many  of  the  black  hearts 
to  the  farmers"  wives  and  daughters  for  miles  ai'diitid.  who 
made  the  wampum.  The  Campbells  would  put  chase  it  fi'om 
them  direct  oi-  througii  the  country  store  dealers,  who  tw- 
chauged  merchandise  for  it,  ami  with  whom  the  Campbells 
made  contracts  for  all  aeipiired.  "1  went  on  many  ti-ips  with 
my  father  when  a  boy,"  said  one  of  the  descendants,  '"one 
place  being  at  Schraalenburgh  to  a  general  stor(^  kept  b\-  a 
man  named  Conklin.  "Sly  father  would  often  pay  him  in  cash 
as  high  as  $500  for  the  wampum  taken  in  trade.     As  tliis  is 


Unflnislied    Moons    (Prom   Old    Site). 


only  one  instance  as  to  the  financial  ]>art  of  it,  it  shows  some- 
what of  the  industry  that  was  carried  on  in  the  homes." 

Jane  Ann  Bell,  of  New  Milford,  was  an  ex|)ert  and 
worked  for  seven  or  eight  years  about  1850  for  the  Cam|)i)ells 
in  her  home.  There  were  many  that  worked  out  the  blaid<s, 
as  the  unfinished  work  was  called,  the  Campbells  doing  the 
polishing  and  finishing  at  the  mint.  The  finding  of  shell  scrap 
heaps  around  the  county  is  thus  explained.  John  iJross.  an 
expert  on  the  black  wampum  and  the  last  to  woi'k  for  the 
firm,  died  March,  1917. 

The  firm  sold  the  black  wampum  beads  for  $5  per  thou- 
sand, every  string  twelve  inches  long  and  each  string  counted 
as  fifty.     Twenty  strings  e((ualing  1,000. 


32 


Wcnnpuin  ludusirij  in   Fhrfji  n   (Uniufij 


The  white  vvampmn  beads  were  only  half  the  value  of 
the  black.  , 

THE  WAMPUM  MOONS. 

The  conch  shells,  from  which  they  were  made,  were 
brought  from  the  West  Indian  ports  as  ballast  to  the  New 
York  City  docks,  five  and  ten  thousand  at  a  time  and  sold  to 
the  firm.  They  were  loaded  on  the  Ilackensack  River  sloops 
and  taken  to  New  Milford,  the  head  of  navigation,  then  by 
wagon  to  Pascack.     From  the  decks  of  the  s]ooi)s  and  dock 


Finished  Aluim 


many  of  the  shells  were  stolen.  This  accounts  for  the  great 
number  found  in  the  old  homes  and  along  garden  paths. 
After  1858  the  shells  were  transported  via  the  newly  opened 
Northern  Railroad  of  New  Jersey  to  Nanuet  and  from  there 
by  wagon  to  Pascack. 

"From  the  conic  centers  of  the  shells  the  concave  disks 
for  the  moons  were  made,  each  set  composed  of  three  to  five 
disks,  ranging  in  size  from  one  and  a  half  to  five  inches  in 
diameter,  the  smaller  placed  in  the  larger,  according  to  size, 
with  the  beautiful  natural,  highly  glazed  pink  and  white  side 


Wdtnpuin   IiKJuslrij  in   B(  rf/cii   Count tj  :};} 

up,  tied  together  through  two  hoh'S  in  each  center  with  tin- 
re(|uii'e(l  bright  red  worsted,  the  ends  h'ft  to  form  a  tassel." 

The  Indians  were  very  fond  of  disphiy,  and  the  greater 
their  wealth  the  more  they  wore  of  tlie  (h^-oi-ations.  The 
chief's  motive  in  adornment  was  to  mark  individual,  tribal 
or  ceremonial  distinctions."' 

The  moons  were  very  popular  and  were  worn  mostly  as 
we  wear  breastpins.  The  wealthy  chief  having  a  full  set, 
whih'  the  poor  brave  had  only  two  or  three  of  the  smallei-  size, 
whih^  even  single  ones  were  worn.     (See  cut  of  Indian  chief.) 

The  cost  of  the  shells  could  not  have  been  great,  as  like 
the  clam  the  flesh  was  eaten  and  the  shell  discarded.  Near  the 
point  of  the  shell  will  be  found  a  slit,  made  by  the  natives 
with  an  instrument  that  was  used  to  obtain  the  flesh  from 
within. 

The  moons  sold  for  three  dollars  foi-  a  flve-pieee  set. 

Two  dollars  for  a  three-piece  set,  one  dollar  and  fifty 
cents  for  one-piece. 

From  the  concli  they  also  made  disks  called  chief's  but- 
tons, that  were  a  little  smaller  than  the  snuiUest  moon,  the 
price  being  governed  by  the  beauty  of  the  shell. 

Another  West  Indian  shell  prepared  by  the  firm  for  the 
much-sought  ornaments  was  the  "  Tro(|uoise."  This  was  a 
conical  wliite  sludl  almost  uniforndy  one  and  ont^-half  inches 
long  and  at  the  flare  about  the  thickness  of  wampum.  They 
took  their  name  from  the  lro(|Uoise  Indians  who  wore  them  in 
profusion. 

From  the  conch  they  also  made  a  large  lozened  shajx-d 
bead,  with  a  large  hole  in  the  center,  similar  to  those  found 
in  the  Indian  graves  on  Iroquois  sites. 

"The  poi)ular  charmed  necklace"  was  composed  of  about 
twenty  sections  of  white  wampum  from  the  conch,  alternat- 
ing with  twenty  shells,  the  latter  being  selected  for  peculiarity 
of  formation  and  tint. 

They  treated  and  polished  "red  air"  and  "green  aii-" 
shells,  bringing  out  the  varied  tints  and  changeable  hu(\s. 
These,  with  the  polished  mussel  shells,  wei-e  not  pi'ofitable  and 
were  abandoned. 

The  use  of  the  ornaments  was  not  alone  for  sliow.  but 
were  used  in  connection  with  religious  ceremonies. 

THE    WAMPUM  PIPES. 

They  were  made  from  the  large  ridges  or  ribs  on  the  lips 
of  the  conch  shell,  broken  out  with  a  i)ick  and  chisel.  The 
five-pound  shells  were  the  choice  om^s,  as  they  yielded  larger 


84 


Wampum  Industfij  in   l>()'</(  it   Couniti 


pieces  for  the  pipes  and  niooiis,  the  remainder  being  used  for 
the  white  \vanii)niii  beads.  The  pipes  were  made  one  and  a  half 
to  six  inches  long,  larger  than  a  lead  pencil,  tapering  from 
center  to  each  end.  Bleached  with  buttermilk  and  highly  pol- 
ished with  Rockaway  sand  and  water,  they  were  sold  for  six 
cents  per  inch,  up  to  four  and  a  half  inches,  then  eight  cents 


Wampum  Pipes. 


per  inch  to  six  inches.  Their  special  use  was  as  breast  plates 
worn  next  to  the  body,  also  over  the  coats  in  rows  from  one  to 
four  in  width. 

They  were  also  called  "Hair  pipes,"  and  were  used  to 
ornament  the  long  hair  of  the  Indians  by  running  some  of 
tile  hair  through  them  and  tying  them  with  bright  colored 
strings. 

The  moons  and  pii)es  ac<|uired  a  standard  value  in  trad- 
ing among  the  Indians  of  the  plains. 


Wdinpinn   / ii<l iisl ri/  in   Ih  r(/<  ii   Coinih 


THE  WAMPUM   PIPE  MACHIXE. 

David  and  James  were  the  mechanics  of  the  firm,  and 
prior  to  1850  they  invented  (not  patented)  a  machine  to'  drill 
hoh^s  throuc^h  the  h^igth  of  the  pipes.  Tt  was  e(M-tainly  an 
ingenions  affair,  made  fi-om  the  matei-ial  at  hand.  The  wood 
work  crude,  the  flywheel  a  griiulstoiie,  the  heltiiig  heavv 
leathei'.  It  was  always  turned  l)y  luuid,  generally  hy  lli'e 
hoys  of  the  families.     Six  si)Ools  were  arranged   to*  hold   the 


A\'iuiii>uiii    Pipe    Drilling   Macliiiie.      David   :nul  .[aiiics   ( 'aiii]jl><'ll '  s    Iiivcnlion 


hand-nuide  drills,  of  tine  steel,  like  a  medium  si/ed  kinttiiig 
needle,  temperd  in  a  candle  flame  to  a  cherry  heat,  then 
dropped  in  sheep's  tallow  that  had  been  melted.  Oi)posite 
the  drills  wei'e  six  jointed  arrangements  that  held  Ihe  pipes 
that  had  been  ground  to  the  re(|uired  form.  l>y  the  use  of  a 
lever  the  drills  and  jiipes  were  brought  together  in  position 
for  the  critical  task — the  holes  through  the  center  of  the  very 
hard  shell,  Avliere  the  least  change  in  the  line  from  the  ceidcr 
would  burst  and  ruin  them.  By  another  lever  the  ])ipes  and 
drills  were  immersed  in  water  contained  in  a  tank  beiiealh 
them,  then  the  power  was  applied.    When  the  drills  had  gone 


■A  6 


M^atnpion  ludustrij  in  B<  r(j(n  Vouniij. 


half  through  the  length  of  the  pipes  the  inaehine  was  stopped, 
the  lever  reversed,  withdrawing  the  drills.  The  pipes  were  re- 
versed, the  drills  set  and  immersed  and  the  machine  set  in 
motion  again  until  the  holes  were  through  the  entire  length 
from  one  and  a  half  to  six  inches — six  of  each  size. done  at  one 
time.     The  art  of  drilling  under  water,  the  use  of  buttermilk 


^< 

^'i^Ks^l 

H^ 

■ 

M           ""**"  '     IMV^ 

^^W|l 

iff' 

T^^^^^^H -"^<^^^Pjlp|j| 

p 

, ''^^^^^H^^H|^aHP^*'#J^H 

■■- 

■:/i:=-^^ 

Indian    with    Wampum    Moon    and    Pipes. 


for  softening  and  bleaching  were  their  discoveries  and  secrets, 
and  with  their  valuable  machine  M'ere  guarded  and  kept  from 
the  public. 

The  machine  was  always  kept  on  the  second  floor  of  the 
factory,  under  lock  and  key,  and  to  this  day  the  number  of 
persons,  even  of  the  families  interested  in  the  industry,  that 
have  seen  it  are  few. 

It  is  through  tlie  courtesy  of  Mr.  Daniel  Campbell,  who 


Wdnipiiin   1 11(1  list rii  ill  H<  i-fji  II  ('oiiiihi.  37 

was  a  wainpiiui  maker,  tliat  the  histoi'v  and  the  privilege  of  a 
photograph  being  made  of  wliat  was  tlie  means  of  thonsands 
of  pipes  being  well  made,  si\  at  a  time,  and  ([niekly.  was 
given.  As  there  was  no  other  machine  in  existence,  the  feai- 
of  its  being  copied  if  seen  was  the  reason  for  tlie  great  care 
and  secrecy  in  regard  to  it. 

TO    WHO:\r    SOLD. 

The  descendants  and  historians  make  the  statemeiil  that 
■■John  Jacob  Astoi-  laid  the  fonndation  of  liis  great  wealth 
through  the  Campbell's  wami)nm."  There  may  be  some  trnlh 
in  the  statements,  it  is  found  that  John  Jacob  Astoi-,  boi-n 
in  Germany  in  1768,  came  to  this  country  in  17(S.'{,  and  was  in- 
duced on  the  voyage  to  engage  in  buying  furs  fi-om  the  In- 
dians and  selling  them  to  dealers.  lie  learned  the  details  of 
the  tra(h"  in  New  Yoi'k  with  a  Quaker  furrier,  and  then  l)egan 
business  for  himself,  the  i)eriod  being  about  the  same  as  when 
the  first  Campbell  began  his  wami)um  industry.  In  iSll  he 
established  a  tiioroughly  American  system  of  fur  trading  and 
sent  out  expeditions  to  open  up  intercourse  with  the  Indians 
on  the  Pacific  Coast.  Abraham  and  William,  the  second  gen- 
eration of  wampum  woi'kers,  were  expei'ts  and  did  a  great 
amount  of  work  for  John  Jacob  Astor.  Abraham  died  in 
1847. 

William  was  of  a  roving  disposition  and  not  to  be  (h-- 
l)ende(l  on  to  fill  the  orders  promptly.  ^Ir.  Astor  visited 
Abraham's  sons  and  induced  them  to  fill  his  orders,  and  what 
they  did  not  know  he  would  explain  to  them,  and  thus  tlie 
firm  of  the  four  Cam})bell  lu'others  was  started.  ^Mi".  Astoi- 
died  in  1848. 

It  would  appear  that  Mr.  Astor  nuiy  have  been  instrn- 
mental  in  opening  the  way  for  the  Campbells"  extensive  trade 
on  the  plains  and  far  west  that  lasted  about  oO  years  after 
Mr.  Astor 's  death.  The  list  of  those  to  whom  the  wampum 
was  sold  is : 

John  -Jacob  Astor. 

P.  Cheauteau  &  Co.,  Xew  York. 

Secter,  Price  &  Co.,  Philadelphia.  ' 

Robert  Campbell,  Chicago,  and 

A  firm  in  Texas. 

United  States  and  Government  agents  for  the  Indians. 
The  wampum  was  through  them  sold  to  Indiajis  of  lln'  plains 
and  the  far  west. 

Those  living  nearer  did  not  use  it.  The  business  had  ils 
fiuctuations,  due  to  the  recurrent  upiisings,  and  until   peace 


38  M''a>npinn  htdusirji  in  Bergen  (k>uniri. 

was  restored  almost  ceased,  causing  the  firm  much  anxiety  as 
to  the  outcome.  Large  orders  would  indicate  business  was 
restored,  and  to  fill  them  promptly  they  would  visit  the 
country  merchants  and  buy  at  low  figures  their  stock  that  had 
been  considerd  ' '  dead. ' ' 

The  day  of  wampum  money  began  to  decline  about  the 
year  1830.  The  moons,  pipes  and  other  ornaments  were  in 
demand  for  many  years  after,  until  the  Government  gave  the 
Black  Hills  Reservation  to  the  Indians ;  this,  and  the  death 
of  Abraham  in  1899,  the  last  of  the  firm  of  "four  brothers," 
put  an  end  to  this  extensive  business  that,  in  the  long  period 
of  time  by  four  generations  of  one  name,  in  output  and  wide 
distribution,  exceeds  any  other  industry  in  Bergen  County. 

There  is  no  question  that  wam])um  was  made  in  the 
county  at  an  early  period  by  the  settlers  who  learned  to  make 
it  from  the  Indians.  In  1916  there  was  a  Colonial  site  found. 
Tradition  says  "furs  were  traded  for  wampum  there  in  1750." 
Manuscripts  speak  of  it  in  1764.  Over  4,000  scraps  of  beads 
were  found  on  it.  The  site  is  on  an  Indian  trail  from  the 
Ponds,  via  Sicamac  to  Hackensack,  and  near  a  large  Indian 
burial  ground. 

Credit  is  given  to  the  following  descendants  of  the  wam- 
pum makers  and  others  for  assistance : 

Alonzo  Campbell,  Park  Ridge. 

Daniel  Campbell,  Woodcliff  Lake. 

Luther  A.  Campbell,  of  Hackensack,  now  Circuit  C^ourt 
Judge,  and  Nicholas  1).  Campbell,  an  attorney  and  counsellor 
at  law  of  Hackensack,  both  sons  of  Abraham  D.  Campbell,  de- 
ceased, once  prosecutor  of  the  Common  Pleas  of  Bergen 
County. 

Neamiah  Vreeland,  Paterson. 

E.  K.  Bird  and  Clyde  Hay,  of  Hackensack. 

Mrs.  Harrv  Bennett,  Teaneck. 


PUBLK!  SCHOOLS  OF  IIAKRIXGTOX  TOWXSIIIP. 

Papei-  read  by  ]\Iatt.  J.  liogcrt,  of  Demaivst,  X.  J.,  Presi- 
dent of  the  Harrington  Township  Poard  of  Education,  at  the 
opening  of  the  new  public  school  buihling  at  Closter,  X.  J., 
June,  li)01.  Paper  has  been  revised  by  Mr.  l')0gert  to  August 
1.  liH7. 


When  it  was  first  suggested  that  it  wouhl  lend  foi-iiudity 
to  this  occasion  to  have  the  Poartl  of  Education  give  some  of 
the  causes  that  led  up  to  the  erection  of  this  buihling,  and  as 
representing  the  board  it  would  fall  to  my  lot  to  present  that 
part  of  it,  I  gave  little  attention  how  far  back  in  the  past 
such  a  train  of  thought  might  be  carried,  but  on  taking  it  up 
I  found  one  thought  led  to  another,  initil  1  conchuhMl  it 
might  be  interesting  to  this  amlience  to  go  back  about  eighty 
years,  ami  bring  to  your  attention  the  advancement  tluit  lias 
been  made  in  public  school  education  in  the  townshii)  dui-ing 
that  period. 

In  si)eaking  of  Harrington  Townshi}),  we  will  deal  only 
witii  that  section  known  to-day  as  Harrington  Township, 
leaving  out  the  "Porough  of  old  Tappan"  and  othei-  terri- 
tory formerly  comprising  the  towaiship  of  Hari-ington.  We 
would  also  uu^ntion  that  for  many  of  the  early  facts  and  in- 
cidents 1  am  al)Out  to  bi'ing  before  you,  we  are  under  obli- 
gations to  some  of  our  oldest  and  most  esteemed  citizens  and 
neighbors.  1  would  particularly  mention  Mr.  Abram  C.  Eck- 
erson,  of  Harrington  Park;  Mr.  Garret  Z.  Demarest,  of  Dem- 
arest,  and  Mr.  Garret  J.  Aurayanson,  of  (Uoster. 

About  the  year  1820  there  were  four  sciiool  buildings 
in  the  townshi}),  situated  as  follows:  One  at  Gloster.  about 
where  the  white  cottage  of  Mr.  Harvey  Waddam  (now  John 
W.  Ver  Valen)  now  stands;  one  on  the  west  side  of  the  old 
Closter  road,  a  little  way  south  of  the  road  leading  to  Mr. 
Earl  Ferdon's,  nearly  opposite  the  Es(|uii-e  Taylor's  (now 
the  Lewis  place,  al)0ut  one-quarter  mile  southerly  of  Mr.  F. 
M.  Dyer)  place;  one  at  Demarest,  at  the  turn  in  the  main 
road  a  short  distance  south  of  Mr.  Garret  Z.  Demarest 's  (now 
Dr.  A.  W.  Ward),  and  another  at  the  corner  of  the  Schraalen- 
burg  road  aiul  the  road  leading  to  Demarest.  The  first  three 
were  built  of  stone,  the  last  one  of  fram<\  You  will  notice 
the  locations  were  not  very  convenient  to  scholars  living  at 
what  is  now  called  Norwood,  Northvale  and  Alpine. 

The  buildings  at  old  Closter  and  Closter  were  abandone.l 
about  18:}0,  and  a  frame  building  erected  on  the  east  side  of 


40  Public  ScJiooIs  of  Harrington   ToH'ii>liij>. 


the  oUl  Closter  road,  a  short  distance  south  of  the  present 
school  building  at  old  Closter. 

About  1885  a  frame  building  was  built  at  Harrington 
Park,  near  where  the  Pumping  Station  on  the  West  Shore 
Railroad  now  stands.  This  building  was  afterward  moved 
to  Norwood  at  the  corner  of  the  Tappan  road  and  the  road 
leading  to  Closter,  opposite  to  Mr.  Jacob  jNIills,  and  when  in 
later  years  it  was  replaced  by  a  more  modern  building,  it  was 
again  moved  across  the  road  to  Mr.  Mills'  place,  where  it  is 
still  in  existence  and  can  be  seen  by  any  one  having  suf- 
ficient curiosity  to  compare  the  past  with  the  present.* 

The  frame  buildings  were  generally  painted  red,  so  this 
period  can  well  be  called  the  period  of  the  little  Red  School- 
house. 

The  old  stone  building  at  Demarest  was  occupied  for 
school  purposes  until  about  1850. 

In  this  building  1  couunenced  my  school  days.  There  is 
one  incident  connected  with  my  first  day  at  school  that  I 
always  recall  with  pleasant  memories  of  my  teacher.  His 
name  was  "Roberts."  It  M'as  a  warm  day  in  May  or  June. 
I  had  very  little  or  nothing  to  do  after  I  had  said  my  little 
lesson  (primary  teachers  will  note  that  thei'e  was  no  busy 
work  in  those  days),  and  toward  the  middle  of  the  afternoon 
the  teacher  must  have  noticed  my  inclination  to  take  a  nap, 
so  he  kindly  allowed  me  to  stretch  out  on  the  broad  bench, 
made  a  pillow  of  something  for  my  head,  placed  his  red  silk 
handkerchief  over  my  face  to  protect  me  from  the  flies,  and 
I  had  a  good,  sound  nap  the  rest  of  the  afternoon,  and  got 
awake  to  go  home  with  the  other  scholars  at  the  close  of 
school.  Quite  ditferent  from  the  kindergarten  methods  of 
to-day,  but  still  in  one  respect  somewiuit  similar,  that  is, 
to  obtain  the  friendship  and  good  will  of  the  young  be- 
ginner. 

These  early  buildings  were  all  built  very  much  on  the 
same  plan ;  about  25  feet  square,  no  hall,  the  door  opened 
directly  into  the  classroom ;  two  or  three  small  windows  in 
each  of  the  two  sides;  a  continuous  desk,  fastened  against 
the  side  of  the  l)uilding,  extended  along  th(^  two  sides  of  the 
room.  This  desk  consisted  of  a  shelf  about  30  inches  wide, 
which  inclined  towards  the  scholars,  who  sat  on  benches  that 
ran  the  whole  length  of  the  desk.  The  benches  were  broad 
slabs,  20  or  more  inches  broad,  supported  on  each  end  by  two 
stout  legs.  The  tops,  through  constant  use,  were  worn  to 
about  a  piano  finish  in  smoothness.     There  were  similar  but 

*-A>iout  1838  a  frame  Imildiiit;  was  erected  at  Alpine,  very  iie.ir  (o  wiiei"'. 
the   liuildinK   known   as   tlie   old    schoolhonse   now   stands. 


I'lihlir  Schools  of  Harriii(jloii   Totrnship. 41 

smaller  benches  in  the  l.ody  of  the  nM.in   for  1h,-  nsr  ..f  the 

smaller  scholars. 

At   the   oi)i)Osite   en.l   of  the   room    I  rom    Ihe  .l()or    was   a 
s.uall    teacher-s   .lesk,    at    which    sat    the    stern    .lise.p Inianan 
vm    the  proverbial  l>irch  or  hickory  rocl  close  at  hand       I  Ins 
'od  was  generally  of  pretty  good  length,  .0  he  con  d  chas  ise 
at  sone  distance!     1   recollect   being  told  that  one    nne  w   e 
the   teacher   ^vas   chastising    a   scholar   he   accidenlally    <, 
s'verelv  struck  the  next  scholar,  for  which  he  was  v.m->   so.   > 
nd  dulv  apologized,  and  that  closed  the  incident.     II   wonh 
s-n  that  corporal  punishment  was  a  part  of     he  course  o 
I V  in  those  days  'and  not,  as  now    very  «trie  ly  prohi^^ted 
'iJefore  stoves  came  into  use,  which  was  about  LS-^O    th. 
,,„,,dino^  were  heated  by  great  open  fireplaces   m  which  large 

^"""  if  was  also  lH.fo,v  tl vs  of  ha-f.-  .aat,-!,,.,  so  tlu- 

«,.esi;a;t:^.eo,...,iy.;;.^;.a^..«;-:-;;-M;;;;- 

l\°r:ii:h^';ap;::t;°  ,:^e'ofte;  .s:5n,e  „.„.  i,aa  u, .. .  .„. 

TaVvst  hous.  for  a  sKov.lful  o''"'?'"::  t.  ^,1    I    o    lu.  s«,.,.|.- 

^^^^,!.«:;;;:r;ri;;'?;;^e:i;iVsSl"^a^=^^^ 

1  lie  ai  It  ii(uiin-<    111   1  ^,„         .w>        miiiimei 

ablv  mo,r  in  wint.T  than  ..,  »»'"'7'\^«>;;,f°  *^,;:'  ,"',  'i,l.,| 
and  30  to  40  in  -.vint.r.at  .-ac  .  f*""';,,"  ';,„;,  |„.|a 
into  fonr  Mnsvters  of  65  «■'»»   ''"^^  ,;;,'•';,•',':',  olii.lays  no,- 

1- -rri' ::^ra*'^ri^::i^»' -™^    ^ 

*"'xcne  of  these  early  sel.ools  were  f, The  seholars  were 

^"  "^;;td!^S  of  teaehers  varied  -"-'f  ^  .lll-V^^^f;" 
localities,  son.e  of  the  t^"'''-'"  {^^I'.'.V^  ■•    .  '  the  M-hol- 

eaeh  ,lay  a  -'«"-,?'.?-;";;';„:':  'it  was  ealh.l  a,  that 
ars.  ir'viTiK  troni  +1..>0  (1-  ^"■"'"t,  •.,..,  „rre  p;n.l  a  reuu- 
tiinel  to  >t-:K.0  per  onerter.  ami  '•*'l'  "     '    ^  ,  „,„,|'   n,,,   is.  the 

ls;:S,:L;fifr;5£;S    s- " 

the  school  teacher  a  week  oi  two  in 


42  Public  ScJtools  of  Harrington  Township. 

This  had  one  advantage  over  the  present  system.  It  en- 
abled the  teacher  to  get  aeciuainted  with  the  parents  of  the 
children,  something  which  is  qnite  neglected  in  these  days, 
very  often  to  the  detriment  of  all  concerned. 

When  paid  a  regular  salary  it  was  raised  by  apportioning 
it  among  the  scholars.  Those  most  advanced  paying  more 
than  the  beginners. 

There  were  no  blackboards  and  no  school  bells.  The 
scholars  were  called  to  their  duties  by  the  teacher  rapj^ing  on 
the  window  or  against  the  side  of  the  door  casing  with  a 
book  or  large  flat  ruler. 

The  school  hours  were  9  to  12  and  1  to  4.  Xo  forenoon 
or  afternoon  recesses. 

The  principal  studies  were  reading,  writing  and  arith- 
metic, or,  as  they  have  been  called,  the  three  R's — reading, 
riting,  rithmetic ;  and  a  scholar  who  could  figure  as  far  as 
proportion,  or  "Rule  of  8,"  as  it  was  then  called,  was  con- 
sidered a  very  apt  scholai".  A  part  of  arithmetic  that  would 
seem  rather  odd  to  our  scholars  of  to-day  was  that  in  all  ex- 
amples pertaining  to  money,  it  was  not  dollars  and  cents, 
but  pounds,  shillings  and  pence ;  and,  in  one  respect,  in  these 
days  of  extended  commercial  relations  with  other  lands,  it 
might  be  a  good  idea  to  give  foreign  money  a  little  more  at- 
tention, particularly  so  in  the  reckoning  of  ])ercentage  and 
interest.  1  wonder  if  our  graduating  classes  of  to-day  can 
(|uickly  figure  a  discount  of  4  per  cent,  or  interest  at  5  per 
cent,  on  a  bill  of  goods  made  out  in  pounds,  shillings  and 
pence  or  in  francs  and  centimes.  These  are  not  improper 
<|uestions  for  many  a  bookkeeper  of  to-day. 

Our  public  schools  became  absolutely  free  schools  in 
1867.  Before  that  date  the  school  doors  were  open  only  to 
those  who  were  willing  to  pay  for  their  education.  Their  be- 
ing made  free,  gave  the  people  an  interest  in  public  school 
education  never  realized  before.  The  law  of  1866  gave  us  a 
State  iJoard  of  Education. 

Before  that  date  there  was  no  uniform  course  of  study 
and  each  teacher  decided  what  the  studies  should  be  for  his 
or  her  particular  school.  The  conse(|uence  was  that  in  a 
school  where  the  teacher  had  a  fad  for  mathematics,  you 
would  find  the  scholars  very  much  advanced  in  that  particu- 
lar study  at  the  expense  of  being  behind  in  other  studies. 
Another  teacher  might  prefer  some  other  special  study;  there 
being  no  particular  head,  there  was  no  uniformity  in  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  scholars,  but  when  a  uniform  and  systematic 
coui'se  of  study  was  worked  out  all  this  was  changed,  and  now 
scholars  can  change  from  one  school  to  another  in  the  town- 


Public  Schools  of  Harrington   Township  48 

ship  and  practically  in  tlie  county,  and  continue  right  along 
in  tlic  same  studies.     This  is  certainly  a  great  gain. 

Our  first  county  superintendent  was  appointed  in  1SG7. 
Our  present  county  superintendent  issued  his  first  course  of 
study  in  1887  and  covered  a  course  of  nine  years"  work. 
Previous  to  1894  the  scholars  had  to  furnish  their  own  books 
and  supplies,  but  the  law  of  that  year  obliged  the  lioard  of 
Education  to  furnish  everything.  Tlie  present  uniform 
course  of  study  was  approved  in  1895,  and.  together  with  llie 
uniformity  in  text-books  and  supervision  generally,  has  done 
more  for  our  county  than  anything  else. 

Some  years  ago,  about  the  time  our  County  Supei-inten- 
dent  began  to  systematize  the  grades  of  study,  putting  all  the 
schools  in  the  county  on  the  same  basis,  one  of  our  teachei-s 
sail!  to  me  that  the  County  Sui)erintendent  was  asking  for 
too  much  work  in  a  given  time,  and  that  it  would  be  imi)ossi- 
ble  to  do  it.  That  what  he  laid  out  for  foui-  years  woukl  take 
at  least  five.  1  told  him  if  teachers  in  other  parts  of  the  county 
could  do  it,  we  could  do  it,  and  that  he  could  do  no  more 
than  ti'y,  on  the  systematic  plan  of  dividing  up  the  work. 
that  is,  a  certain  amount  of  work  to  be  accomplished  in  a 
certain  length  of  time. 

The  result  was  that  he  found  he  could  accomplisli  the 
whole  course  in  the  prescribed  time  and  to  S]>are.  So  lliis 
eventually  led  to  our  looking  up  what  could  he  doiu'  1o  kec]) 
our  children  in  school  two  or  three  years  longer  instead  of 
exhausting  our  course  of  study  at  14  years  of  age,  and  caused 
us  to  recommend  the  ninth  and  tenth  grades  in  our  town- 
ship. These  grades  being  the  first  two  of  the  four  years'  i)re- 
pai-atory  college  course,  and  I  trust  the  time  is  not  far  dis- 
tant when  the  public  schools  of  our  township  will  add  the 
11th  and  12th  grades,  thereby  giving  our  scholai's  a  full  pre- 
paratory course,  entitling  them  to  admission  to  college.  This 
gaining  of  time  has  been  accomplished  only  by  system,  and 
working  on  a  systematized  course  of  study. 

In  1897  tlie  State  ordered  the  County  Superintendent 
to  make  uniform  rules  for  promotion  from  grade  to  grade 
and  for  final  graduation.  In  this  res])ect  too  nnieh  |)raise 
cannot  be  given  to  our  worthy  County  Superintendent.  .Mr. 
John  Terhune,  for  his  untiring  fidelity  to  the  cause  of  public 
school  education.  Most  of  the  present  systematized  work  ni 
all  its  branches  and  also  the  matter  of  sehool  libra i-ies,  not 
only  for  the  children,  but  also  for  teachei's,  has  been  brought 
about  through  his  endeavors. 

But  as  he  is  present  with  us  this  evening  he  may  tell  you 
something  about  the  position  r>ergen  County  holds  in  this 
respect. 


44  Fublic  Schools  of  Ilarringloii   Township. 

In  about  1852  this  township  was  divided  into  four  school 
districts,  as  follows : 

Closter,  Tappan,  Old   Closter  and  Alpine. 

The  Closter  district  consisted  of  what  is  now  Closter, 
Deniarest,  Haworth  and  a  part  of  Alpine. 

The  Tappan  district  consisted  of  what  is  now  Norwood, 
Northvale  and  Harrington  Park. 

The  Alpine  and  Old  Closter  districts  were  substantially 
as  they  are  to-day. 

The  school  building  for  the  Closter  district  was  at  Deni- 
arest, the  same  building  as  is  now  known  as  the  "old  school- 
house,"  now  the  Catholic  Church,  and  was  built  in  1852. 

The  school  census  for  Closter  district  in  1856  (including 
Demarest  and  Haworth),  was  88  children.  The  building  at 
Demarest  answered  for  this  entire  section  until  1871,  when 
the  Closter  district  was  formed  and  the  brick  school  at  Closter 
was  erected.  A  sumll  i)art  of  the  distrid  vvas  ap])ortioned 
to  Alpine  in  1868. 

Between  1855  and  1860  Tappan,  Old  Closter  and  Alpine 
erected  school  buildings  similar  to  the  one  at  Deniarest,  and 
at  that  time  they  were  considered  thoroughly  modern  and 
"up  to  date." 

The  building  at  Tappan,  now  Norwood,  occupied  the  site 
of  the  little  red  schoolhouse  on  the  corner  of  Tappan  road  and 
the  road  leading  to  Closter,  and  was  used  by  the  entire  dis- 
trict (Norwood,  Northvale  and  Harrington  Park)  until  1893. 
Tt  was  abandoned  in  1898  and  moved  to  near  Noj-wood  depn. 
where  it  is  still  in  use  for  other  purposes. 

The  building  at  Alpine  still  stands  where  erected  in  1857, 
but  it  has  not  been  used  for  school  purposes  since  1898. 

The  district  of  Northvale  was  formed  and  its  ])resent 
building  erected  in  1898  and  enlarged  in  1898. 

The  Haworth  district  was  formed  and  building  erected 
in  1898. 

The  building  at  Old  Closter  is  still  in  use  where  erected 
in  1855,  but  enlarged  and  modernized.  The  present  school 
buildings  at  Norwood  and  Alpine  were  erected  in  1898.  The 
one  at  Demarest  in  1894,  the  one  at  Harrington  Park  in  1900. 

For  the  sake  of  comparison  it  may  be  interesting  to 
group  some  of  the  statistics  I  have  mentioned  in  j)eriods  of 
(juarter  centuries,  beginning  with  1825,  but  in  doing  this  to 
recollect  that  of  the  four  schools  in  the  township  in  1825,  two 
of  them  stood  very  close  to  the  southern  boundai-v  of  the 
townshiji  and  were  patronized  by  many  children  from  our 
neighboring  township.  T  refer  to  the  stone  school  building 
that  stood  just  Ix'low  Demarest  and  the  frame  building  corner 
of  Schraaleiiburgh   Road  and   Hardenburgh   Avenue.      1   un- 


I'lihlic  Schodls  of  Il(ifriii(jl<)ii   Toiniship.  45 

derstaiid  that  the  one  at   Demafest  was  atlciidcd  hy  clnldrcii 
residing  as  far  south  as  Teiiatiy. 

The  I'ecord  wouhl  stand  ahout  as  follows: 

iJuildiiigs   Teachers  Scholars 

1825   4  4  125 

1850  5  5  200 

1875   5  6  400 

At   i)ivst'id 9  li)  550 

This  inehides  this  huildiny',  which  was  authorized  hy  the 
township  meeting  of  August  2!)th,  IS!)!). 

I  have  tried  in  a  crude  and  limited  way  to  give  you 
some  idea  of  the  advancenu^nt  of  i)uhlie  school  education  in 
this  township  during  the  last  75  or  SO  years.  The  advance- 
ment of  the  last  few  years  has  only  l)een  iiuule  |)ossil)!e  hy 
working  on  a  systematic  plan  as  provided  for  hy  our  reccut 
laws  on  this  subject.  But  the  work  has  been  still  more  aided 
l)y  the  taxpayers  sustaining  those  having  the  uuuuigement  of 
school  atfairs  and  l)y  their  libei'al  approi)riations  fi'om  year 
to  year,  although  there  may  hp  i)ersons  who  say  tlu'.t  our 
forefathei's  did  wry  well  on  their  limited  system  of  educa- 
tion and  that  our  system  is  not  worth  what  it  is  costing  us. 
Well,  our  forefatliers  got  along  very  well  without  a  great 
many  othei-  things  that  we  now  consider  necessaries,  i'or 
instance,  railroads,  tht^  telegraph,  telephones  and  the  modei'ii 
printing  press. 

We  certaiidy  cannot  atfortl  to  economize  on  the  education 
of  our  children,  and  so  prevent  them  fully  en.ioying  and  ap 
pi-eciating  the  advancement  which  we  know  is  takimj;'  u\-\iv 
all  along  the  line  of  the  age  in  which  we  live. 

It  therefore  behooves  us  to  be  up  and  doing  if  we  arc  li> 
ket^p  oui"  |)]ace  in  the  march  of  advanced  education.  Ii  i.> 
not  l(uig  ago  that  a  college  education  was  considei-cd  some- 
thing <(uite  b(\vond  the  attainment  of  the  ordinaiy  public 
school  scholars,  but  tiie  gap  is  being  lessened  vci'y  rapidl.w  so 
that  even  now  we  can  tell  the  graduating  class  of  "01.  to 
whom  it  is  our  pleasure  to  i)resent  diplonuis  this  e\(nnig 
that  you  are  only  two  years  from  being  able  to  present  your- 
selves for  admission  to  any  of  the  best  colleges  in  oui-  land. 

Now  it  is  our  i)rivilege  to  know  what  has  been  done  in 
the  past,  and  as  we  to-night  dedicate  this  l)uilding  in  all  its 
solidity  to  the  cause  of  j)ublic  education,  it  is  oui-  sincere  luype 
and  trust  that  as  we  of  this  day  and  generation  have  sti'ixcn 
to  keep  up  with  the  march  of  progress,  so  may  future  genera 
tions  continue  to  advance,  and  Harrington  Township  will 
then  always  be,  as  we  think  she  now  is,  in  the  front  ra?;'cs  of 
all  that  i)ertains  to  nuddng  hei'  public  schools  among  the  b(;si- 
in  the  land. 


ALLISON  PRIZE  COMPOSITIONS. 


At  the  animal  meeting  of  the  Society  in  1916  Mr.  W.  0. 
Allison,  of  Englewood,  placed  the  sum  of  $100  at  the  dis- 
posal of  the  Society  to  be  used  as  prizes  for  historical  essays 
by  attendants  of  the  schools  of  northeastern  New  Jersey. 

On  the  afternoon  of  March  30th,  1917,  the  connnittee  as- 
sembled at  the  Closter  High  School  to  award  these  prizes. 
After  singing  the  National  Anthem  by  the  school,  Mr. 
C.  V.  R.  Bogert  explained  the  object  of  our  visit.  Mrs. 
F.  A.  Westervelt  spoke  upon  "Scrap  of  History,"  using 
wampum  to  illustrate.  Miss  S.  F.  Watt  spoke  about  the 
"School  Spirit"  foiuid  in  the  compositions.  Mr.  Howard 
B.  Goetschius  gave  a  rousing  pati'iotic  address,  end- 
ing wdth  a  re<|uest  that  the  scholars  try  to  locate  the 
"l^oundary  Stones"  on  the  State  Line.  Dr.  Van  Horn  talked 
about  local  history.  The  prizes  were  awarded  by  Mr.  M.  J. 
Bogert.  There  were  twenty-nine  compositions,  fifteen  of 
which  were  selected  as  prize  winners,  over  50  per  cent. 

In  behalf  of  the  prize  winners  the  following  speech  was 
delivered  by  Master  Lathrop  Vermilye. 

Also  the  following  letter : 

S.  F.  Watt. 

Ladies  and  Gentlemen,   representing  the   Historical   Associa- 
tion of  Bergen  County : 

In  behalf  of  the  prize  winners  and  of  the  schools  included 
ill  the  contest  held  by  your  association,  I  wish  to  tluuik  you 
for  your  generous  awards. 

The  contest  aroused  our  interest  in  the  past  events  of  this 
section,  and  we  began  to  realize  that  our  local  history  was  as 
interesting  and  worthy  of  our  attention  as  that  of  Massachu- 
setts or  Virginia. 

We  hope  that  we  are  not  the  only  ones  who  have  been 
benefitted  by  the  contest,  and  that  in  the  papers  submitted  you 
have  found  some  facts  which  may  be  of  value  to  your  associa- 
tion. 

Closter,  N.  J.,  March  23,  1917. 

To  All  Who  Have  Helped  Us: 

The  contestants  of  the  Closter  Public  School  wish  to  thank 
their  friends  for  their  kindness  in  giving  us  the  information 


Allison    I'riz(    ('ontp()silii>)is.  47 


which  led  to  our  winning  twelve  of  the  fifteen  prizes  given  by 
the  Bergen  County  Historical  Association. 

We  feel  indebted  to  you  for  having  given  so   much  of 
nur  time,  but  we  have  gained  much  information,  iind  we  will 
take  pleasure  in  passing  it  on  to  others. 

Yours  truly, 

Closter  Public  Schooi,. 

The  following  excerpts  are  from  the  papers  subuiilled. 
The  accuracy  of  some  of  which  the  Publication  Co.nnnttee 
has  not  been  able  to  confirm  : 

DERIVATION    OF    XAIMES. 

Alpine  was  named  by  Miss  Evelyn  XordhotV.  be.-ause  its 
scenery  resembled  Swit/An-land. 

Palisades  was  called  Closter  Mountain. 

Kino-  George  gave  Oount  Henry  Closter,  or  Ixlas  er.  a 
o..an  0^2,000  ^res,  exteiulmg  from  the  Hudson  to  the  lae  - 
en'ack  He  was  killed  by  Indians.  In  1886  two  English  sea- 
?  ring'men  named  Oloster,  descendants  of  this  man,  came  lu.v 
wi^li  Tleeds  and  claimed  the  land.  The  papers  were  legal,  but 
tbev  lacked  monev  to  establish  then'  claim. 

■  aostev  moans  cloister  or  convent.     The  conv.-nt  hm-„,.,l 

'^""■"iuU^Ferrv  «-as  n.,,,,.-.!  affr  a  fan,il.v  by  the  na.ne  of 
Bnll      Mi»    I'-nU  ."a,h.  pancakes  in.partially  for  Cornwalhs 

^"•'  Ital.'^l'Zn.Un,  .as  nan.ed  fro,,,  the  Snedcn  fa,,,,:,.-, 
uany  of  whom  live  there. 

NAME^^.    MEANING    OF. 
Hoboken— Hacking-Land  of  the  tobacco  pipe. 
Tappaii— On  top  of  a  hill. 
Hackensack— Low  land. 
Bergen-op-Zoom — Hwampland. 
Tenaflv— Sweet  flag  in  the  meadows. 
CresskiU-Brook  through  Low  Country  lull  <.t  •  n  sm  s. 

ROADS. 

(Foster  Dock  Road  follows  the  lead  of  ^"'  J-';^;^^''^,,! 

IHS3:SSS;?'^t;:t,. 


48  AlUson  Prize  ('omposifionf;. 

Closter  Dock,  New  Dock  (also  called  Iluyler's  Landing)  and 
the  Tenafly  stage.  In  1858  the  railroad  was  built  to  Pier- 
mount  Pier,  where  boat  could  be  taken  to  the  city. 

To  the  north  of  Alpine  Dock  there  is  an  old  road  to  a 
plateau,  formerly  called  Cape  Fly-Away,  where  some  of  the 
descendants  of  the  oldest  inhabitants  live. 

The  road  to  Utter 's  Dock:  The  Continental  Road  was 
used  by  Cornwallis  and  Washington.  Tt  was  then  almost 
straight  up  the  hill  and  very  steep.  It  was  not  used  for 
wagons,  but  sleds  were  drawn  by  ox  teams.  In  1803  a  sur- 
vey was  made  and  the  road  changed  and  built  new.  In  1840, 
1854  and  1857  other  surveys  were  made,  from  which  the 
present  road  was  built.  In  1866  Hillside  Road  was  ojiened 
to  Cresskill. 

The  oldest  road  in  Harrington  Township  is  the  »Schraal- 
enburg  Road,  once  called  The  King's  Highway,  now  Wash- 
ington Avenue. 

Rockland  Road  ran  from  Xyack  to  Jersey  City. 

TRANSPORTATION  OR  MODES  OF  TRAVEL. 

The  products  were  sent  by  sloop  from  Closter  Dock  to 
New  York.     Trip  :  One  week. 

John  J.  Johnson  established  and  operated  a  stage  line 
between  Pascack,  now  Park  Ridge,  and  Closter.  Ii]  1858  the 
Northern  Railroad  was  opened. 

They  gathered  strawberries  and  put  them  into  tiny  splint 
baskets  with  handles,  holding  about  a  pint.  Fifty  of  these 
baskets  were  hung  on  a  stick,  and  two  persons  cari'ied  two 
such  sticks  away  down  to  the  ferry  at  Closter  Dock. 

BOUNDARIES. 

Mr.  Ludlow,  one  of  the  early  settlers,  dug  a  ditch  for  his 
boundary  line,  and  it  is  so  still  used. 

WAMPUM. 

Most  of  the  land  was  bought  from  the  Indiajis  for  wam- 
pum. Wampum  was  Indian  money.  It  was  made  fron^  lli«' 
blue  part  of  sea-clam  shells.  Among  the  whites  wampum  was 
freely  used  and  passed  current  anywhere. 

INDUSTRIES. 

Closter  was  an  old  trading  town.  The  chief  occupation 
of  the  early  settlers  was  farming.  Qinte  a  trade  in  pig  iron 
was  carried  on  with  the  iron  works  at  Ramapo.     Money  was 


Allison  Prize  Coti)positio)is.  49 

not  plentiful,  so  groceries  wei"e  ('xcliaiiti'''!  for  \)\'^  irmi.  wliic'i 
was  shipped  to  New  York. 

In  Montvale  there  was  fouiid  some  iiiii('liiiicr>-  wliidi  iis- 
dieated  lliat  there  lind  been  a  hi-ickyai'd. 

TAVERNS. 

Dowie  TahMiia,  eorner  Alpine  and  Old  Closler  Ivoads. 

The  Ohl  Jug,  near  Lafayette's  Camp,  between  N(M-wo()d 
and  H.  Pai-k. 

When  Washing-ton  came  thi'ough  Closlei-.  on  liis  retreat 
from  White  Plains,  he  stopped  at  tlie  White  St;ir  Hotel.  It  i.>> 
said  this  hotel  still  stands,  only  llu'  I'oof  has  l)een  i-eiiewed, 
and  is  oecui)ied  by  tht^  family  of  Mr.  Van  Seiver. 

Corner  called  "Tlu'  Hookies." 

In  1758  one  David  Henion,  of  Saddh'  Rivcv  Precinct,  was 
allowed  to  open  a  i)ublic  house  on  giving  hoiuls  in  twenty 
pounds  that  it  would  be  a  (piiet  and  oi'derly  i)lace. 

INDIANS. 

The  Indians  raised  maise  on  small  patches  of  cleared 
land.  l"'(ir  fertilizer  they  used  tlsh,  putting  one  or  two  in 
each  hill.  Several  of  these  cleared  patches  may  still  be  seen 
in  Alpine  near  Rucknian"s  Point.  They  were  called  "mais- 
lands"  by  the  Dutch.  The  Indians  picked  strawberi'ies  and 
sold  theiii  to  the  settlers.  The  chief  Indian  settlement  was  at 
Norwood,  another  at  (_)ld  Tappan.  Near  the  creek,  beliin.l 
the  house  of  Fred  Eckerson,  they  are  sui)posed  to  have  bad 
a  village.  An  Indian  ti-ail  extended  from  the  Hudson  River 
up  the  Alpine,  or  Old  Dock  Road,  through  the  M.  S.  I'.ogert 
property,  now  the  Van  Valen  and  Lincoln  pi-operty.  along 
the  south  line  of  Closter  Public  School  to  the  Ilackensack 
River. 

The  last  Indian  seen  in  Closter  lived  in  a  tent  by  the  puie 
tree  near  the  Clam  Bake  Woods.  One  day  he  disappeared, 
and  no  one  ever  knew  what  became  of  him.  The  only  d.- 
scendants  of  the  Hackensacky  Indians  are  a  few  halfd)i-ee(ls 
living  in  the  Ramapo  ^Mountains. 

NEGRO. 

Piergen  County  had  more  slaves  than  any  other  county  ui 
New  Jersev.  Sonie  of  the  slave  owners  were  the  Ferdoiis, 
ancestors  of  Mavor  Warren  Ferdon,  and  the  Naugles,  ances- 
tors of  Mr.  David  Naugle.  In  Norwood  thei-e  is  a  field  owned 
by  Mr.  F.  M.  Dyer,  in  wdiich  some  of  the  Fei'don  slaves  are 


50  Allison  Prize  Compositions. 

bui'ied.  After  the  Civil  War  many  of  the  freed  slaves  settled 
on  the  Palisades.  The  ruins  of  this  settlement  are  still  in  ex- 
istence about  a  mile  north  of  Indian  Head  Point.  Lilacs, 
which  the  slaves  planted  on  this  settlement,  still  bloom,  and 
are  often  picked  by  explorers. 

FIRST    HOUSES. 

The  oldest  house  in  Bergen  County  is  still  standing  and 
is  occupied.  It  is  on  the  County  Road.  This  old  stone  house 
was  ransacked  twice  by  Tories,  and  was  used  by  Lafayette  for 
a  hospital.  Later  the  Naugles  lived  here,  the  Naugle  who 
found  Andre's  cane.     This  stone  house  replaced  a  log  cabin. 

Auryanson's  blacksmith  shop,  1720. 

House  owned  by  William  MacBain,  l)uilt  17-10,  low  ceil- 
ings and  open  beams. 

J.  P.  B.  Westervelt's  house  at  Cresskill. 

SCHOOLS. 

The  oldest  schoolhouse  in  the  township,  of  which  we  have 
any  account,  stood  on  the  lot  owned  by  Mrs.  Eliza  Campbell 
and  Albert  Anderson.  It  was  a  stone  structure  one  story 
high,  with  two  rooms,  one  for  the  school,  the  other  a  dwelling 
place  for  the  teacher.  The  school  was  built  by  subscription. 
The  land  was  given  by  Abraham  Ackerman,  on  condition  it 
should  always  be  used  as  a  school  lot.  Conveyances  of  land 
adjoining  this  lot  by  the  Ver  Valen  descendants  about  1830 
mention  it  in  boundaries  as  the  "School  Lot."  The  deed 
was  written  in  Dutch  and  was  never  recorded. 

About  1858  a  sjjecial  act  was  passed  by  the  Legislatui-e 
authorizing  the  trustees  of  Closter,  Demarest  and  others  to 
sell  the  schoolhouses  and  sueli  lots  as  they  had  title  for,  and 
appropriate  the  money  towai'ds  b\iihling  a  new  schoolhouse. 
The  Closter  and  Schraalenburg  schools  were  sold  and  a  school 
built  at  Demarest. 

The  first  teacher  of  whom  we  have  any  account  was  Ben- 
jamin Blackledge,  grandfather  of  James  P.  Blackledge,  of 
Closter.  It  is  said  he  was  the  first  teacher  of  English  in 
Bergen  County.  He  taught  both  English  and  Dutch.  In 
1764  he  came  from  Elizabeth  Town  to  Closter,  on  foot,  to 
teach  school. 

The  first  schoolhouse  in  Demarest  stood  upon  the  land  of 
Samuel  R.  Demarest.  It  was  twenty-two  feet  square,  with 
one  room.  This  school  was  supported  by  rate  bills  and  the 
teacher  "boarded  round."     The  next  school,  about  one-(|uar- 


AUisoit  Prise  Composilidns.  51 


ter  mile   westerly  of  the  depot,   hecaine  notorious  beeause  a 
band  of  I'obbers  stored  their  i)lnnder  in  th(^  loft. 

Thei-e  have  been  three  school  bnildings  at  Alpine.  The 
fii'st  was  known  as  the  Closter  Monntain  School. 

Rp]V()LUT10XARY   SITES. 

The  British  soldiers  had  an  encampment  on  tlie  ontskii-ts 
of  Closter.  It  is  snpposed  to  have  been  on  the  east  side  of  tiie 
County  Road,  a  short  distance  north  of  Ruckinan's  Road. 
The  Americans  held  the  swamp  lands  that  are  now  the  vil- 
lage of  Clostei-.  There  is  an  old  stone  house  on  the  Closter 
Road  which  was  looted  three  tiuK^s  by  the  Tories.  The  sec- 
ond time  they  looted  it  they  took  a  wagon  load  of  provisions. 
They  got  as  far  as  the  bridge  that  is  now  the  dividing  line 
between  Closter  and  Norwood,  when  the  Americans  fired  on 
them,  causing  them  to  leave  their  booty  and  flee. 

This  house  was  also  attacked  by  Indians,  who  left  toma- 
hawk cuts  on  the  doors  and  windows.  It  was  also  used  l)y 
General  Lafayette  as  a  liospital.  A  few  of  their  graves  may 
be  found  in  a  corner  of  a  field  owned  by  Mr.  Wm.  MaclJain. 

1  British  coin  are  found  here  which  jiroves  the  location.  I 
found  two  old  ones  last  year. 

This  field  adjoins  the  Old  Cemetery,  which  may  be  seen 
from  the  Ruekmau  Road. 

On  the  County  Road  opposite  the  i-esidence  of  ]\Ii-.  David 
Wark,  and  on  the  proi)erty  of  Mr.  Tully,  may  be  seen  the 
ruins  of  an  old  stone  blacksmith  shop.  Before  and  aftei'  the 
Revolutionary  War  this  shoj)  was  one  of  the  gathei'ing  i)laces 
of  tile  neighborhood.  Washington  is  said  to  havi^  had  his 
horse  shod  here  when  on  his  way  to  his  head(|uarters  at  Old 
Tappau.    Owned  by  Mr.  William  MacBain. 

The  stone  part  of  the  MacBain  house  was  ])nilt  in  1740, 
roughly  hewn,  massive  beams  of  oak  support  the  ceilings.  The 
barn  on  this  place,  now  torn  down,  was  built  in  1720,  and  was 
used  as  the  comnuuiity  blacksmith  shop.  In  place  of  nails 
the  rafters  and  beams  were  riveted  together  by  hai'd  oak  pegs, 
varying  in  length  and  thickness. 

American  camp  on  a  sand  pit  on  Counly  Koad  in  Demai'- 
est  House  of  J.  P.  B.  Westervelt,  stood  in  lime  of  lu'voint  ion. 
Washington  at  home  of  Mrs.  MytM-hoff.  The  stone  pari  of 
this  house  is  200  years  old. 

EARLY    SETTLERS. 

Barent  and  Resolvent  Xaugle,  on  Api'il  10,  1.10,  boi!,ilit 
of  Captain  Symes  1,080  acres  of  land  nortlieast  of  Closi."'  for 


52  Alliso)!  Prize  Compositions. 

225  pounds.  The  two  brothers  cleared  and  tilled  portions  of 
their  tract  jointly,  and  built  each  his  family  residence  on 
what  is  now^  called  the  "Rockland  Road."  Resolvent  joined 
the  Hackensack  Dutch  Church,  and  Barent  the  church  at 
Tappan.  A  few  years  before  their  deaths  they  divided  their 
original  purchase  between  them,  Barent  taking  the  north  half 
and  Resolvent  the  south  half.    1748. 

The  first  Jordan  came  from  France  with  Lafayette. 

David  and  Cornelius  H.  Tallman,  Isaac  J.  Meyers,  Mar- 
tin Powliss,  Walter  Pearsalls  and  Ver  Valens,  Hendrl  :k  Cei- 
mer,  Mathias  and  Jacob  Conklin,  John  Reyken,  Abram 
Abrams-Haring,  Tennis  Van  Houten,  Johannes  H.  Blauvelt, 
Cornelius  Smith,  Jonathan  Lawrence,  Nicholas  Ackerman, 
William  Campbell  and  Jacob  Van  Weart,  William  Jayox  Du 
Bois,  0.  Casine. 

Cresskill — Colonel  Jacobus  Van  Courtlandt,  Captain  Jolm 
Huyler,  Johannes  Rolofse  Westervelt,  Samuel  Peters  Dem- 
arest,  Barent  Jacobus  Cole,  Peter  Mathews  Bogert. 

Closter — Balthazer  de  Hart,  Matthew  M.  Bogert,  Peter 
M.  Bogert,  Lancaster  Symes,  Barent  and  Resolvent  Nan  pie, 
Henry  Ludlow,  Wilhelmus  and  John  H.  Ferdon,  1748 ;  Demar- 
ests,  Auryansens,  Zabriskies. 

Tappan — Dr.  Lockhardt,  Daniel  de  Clark,  Peter  .1.  Har- 
ing,  Jan  Peterson  de  Vries. 

Sneden's  Landing — About  1740  John  Sneden  l)ought  of 
Henry  Ludlow  a  large  farm  at  what  is  now  Sneden's  Land- 
ing. This  farm  was  partly  in  Bergen  County,  N.  J.,  and 
partly  in  Rockland  County,  N.  Y.  His  descendants  are  still 
nunun-ous  in  northern  Bergen  County. 

John  Haring,  school  teacher  and  lawyer,  who  lived  in 
Tappan,  was  a  delegate  to  the  First  Continental  Congress. 

ANDRE'S    CANE. 

The  following  is  on  the  authority  of  Mr.  David  Naugle, 
of  Closter : 

An  English  officer,  who  came  for  Andre's  belongings, 
was  driven  from  Tappan  to  Sneden's  Landing  by  a  slave  of 
Mr.  David  Naugle.  Andre's  cane  was  left  in  the  wagon  and 
has  been  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Naugle 's  descendants  until 
lately,  when  it  was  lost.  It  was  a  riding  cane,  made  of  raw- 
hide, with  his  name  and  the  British  coat-of-arms  on  it.  It 
had  a  horn  handle  and  a  gold  plate.  Andre's  sister  stopped 
at  a  house  on  Blanch  Avenue.  A  few  old  willow  trees  mark 
the  place  where  it  stood. 


AUiso)i  Prize  Coinposiiions.  53 


MILLS. 

About  a  (iiiarter  oi'  a  mile  \v(^st  of  Lafayette's  liospiinl 
there  used  to  be  a  iiiill  in  wbich  the  fanner's  g-raiii  was 
ground  and  paid  for  in  tiour.  Mr.  David  Naugle  ran  this 
mill  for  many  years. 

The  grist  mill  at  Demarest  M'as  burned  by  the  British. 

The  mill  at  Ilaworth,  owned  by  the  Durie  family,  was 
run  by  Albert  Zabrisky.  I>ogert's  Mill  was  at  Harr'inglon 
Park.  At  Upper  Closter  was  J.  float's  sawmill.  At  Ander- 
son Avenue  and  County  Road  thei-e  was  a  mill  for  making 
fence  posts. 

On  the  County  Road,  about  midway  between  Demarest 
and  Cresskill,  there  is  the  ruins  of  a  saw^  and  grist  mill,  owned 
in  Revolutionary  days  by  Patriot  Samuel  Demarest.  The 
mill  stood  on  the  south  bank  of  a  small  stream,  which  was 
dannned  to  provide  water  power  for  the  undersliot  wheel. 
Not  far  from  the  opposite  bank  stood  the  miller's  home,  whei-e 
he  lived  with  his  Avife  and  two  sons,  Cornelius  and  Ilaneomb 
or  Hendriek. 

On  ]\Iay  10,  1779,  Van  Buskirk's  corps  landed  at  Closter 
Dock  and  proceeded  to  plunder  and  destroy  houses  and  barns. 
Beside  this  mill  they  killed  Cornelius  Demarest,  wounded  his 
brother  Hendriek  and  carried  off  Miller  Demarest,  after  firing 
the  mill  and  barn.     Tiie  buildings  were  only  partly  bui'ned. 

While  the  marauders  wtM-e  returning  to  theii'  boats  at 
Closter  Dock  with  their  l)00ty  and  i)risonei's,  Samuel  Demar- 
est escaped.  He  fled  toward  the  south,  and  finding  himself 
closely  pursued,  he  dropi)ed  over  the  edge  of  the  Palisades 
into  a  ravine.  His  thi'ee  pursuei's  followed  his  example  and 
plunged  headlong  to  their  death,  four  hundred  feet  below. 

CEMETERIES. 

At  Norwood — North  Hook  Cemetery  stands  on  the  ]->rop- 
erty  of  F.  ^Monroe  Dyer.  It  was  used  as  ajmrial  ground  for 
the  slaves  of  Wilhelmus  Ferdon. 

On  the  property  of  Mr.  MacBain,  near  the  Stale  Road, 
is  another  old  cemetery  containing  British  soldiers'  graves.  _ 

One  cemetery  on  the  State  Road  at  Demarest,  another  is 
in  Alpine  and  several  in  Harrington  Pai'k,  and  one  on  Ruck- 
man  Road.  Not  many  of  the  stones  are  standing,  but  a  few 
mav  be  seen. 

At  Englewood— An  underclifiP  settlement   aiul   cemetery. 


54  Allison  Prize  Compositions. 

A    SILENT    RECORD    OF    THE    PAST. 

While  wandering  around  I  came  across  a  place  of  rest 
by  tlie  roadside,  ^vei'grown  with  wild  vines  ^nd  Joushes,  a  sort 
of  barrier  for  the  protection  of  those  who  have  been  laid  at 
rest  until  the  final  day.  Being  of  a  curious  mind,  I  trod  care- 
fully among  the  graves  and  looked  down  on  the  graven  rec- 
ords of  the  pioneers  and  their  descendants  of  this  locality.  It 
was  certainly  more  than  interesting  to  note  and  try  to  read 
some  of  these  old  epitaphs.  Among  the  oldest  I  could  lind 
was : 

In  memory  of  Leonard  De  Graw,  born  Sept.  5,  1721.  De- 
parted this  life  March  2,  1814,  aged  92  yrs.  5  months  and  25  d 

This  cemetery  is  on  the  Blauvelt  estate.  It  was  for  the 
Blauvelt  family.  In  the  northeast  corner  is  a  burial  pbce  for 
negroes. 

All  the  old  tombstones  are  of  red  sandstone,  which  was 
probably  quarried  between  Piermont  and  Nyack.  Some  of 
them  were  so  old  that  they  would  almost  fall  apart  at  the  least 
touch.  This  cemetery  lies  on  Schraalenburg  Road  in  Har- 
rington Park. 


OBITUARY. 

Andrew  Demarest  Bogert. 
Andrew    Demarest    Piogert,   one  of  the  oldest   and    l)est- 
known   residents  of  Englewood,   died  at    his   home   there  on 
Wednesday  evening,  March  29,  1916. 

Mr.  l^ogert  was  born  at  Teaneek,  May  29,  18:i"),  and  was 
the  son  of  Gilliam  and  Marie  Demarest  Bogert.  The  Amei-i- 
can  ancestor  of  the  family  was  Gilliam  Bogei't,  who  emi- 
grated from  Amsterdam,  Holland,  in  the  year  1662.  Mr. 
Bogert 's  father  was  a  volunteer  in  the  War  of  1812.  His 
mother  was  a  direct  descendant  of  north  of  France  Huguenot 
stock. 

After  fitting  himself  by  an  apprenticeship  in  Xew  Yoi-k 
City  and  a  course  at  Gooi)er  Institute,  Mr.  Uogert  in  IS.")!)  en- 
gaged in  the  contracting  and  building  business  in  Englewood, 
which  was  continued  until  li)08,  when  he  i-etired.  A  large 
numbei-  of  homes  in  this  city  and  vicinity  were  built  under 
his  direction,  and  his  extensve  business  included  many  large 
hotels  and  public  buildings,  among  which  may  be  enumerated 
the  old  Englewood  House,  Highwood  House  at  Tenafly,  Pali- 
sades ]\Ioiuitain  House,  P^rt  Lee  Hotel  and  Octagon  Building, 
the  Methodist,  Presbytei-ian  and  Reformed  Dutch  churches 
and  the  Englewood,  TeaiK^ck  and  rndei'clifC  school  buildings. 
He  was  also  active  in  real  estate  dev<^lo])ment  in  Englewood 
and  Leonia.  ^Ir.  Bogert  was  a  member  of  the  Englewood 
Presbyterian  Church,  of  the  Holland  Society  of  New  York, 
and  was  vice-president  for  Bergen  County  for  eight  years. 
For  many  years  he  was  a  director  of  the  Englewood  Loan  and 
Building  Association,  and  had  been  president  of  the  Citizens 
Sewer  Company  since  its  incorporation  in  1882  until  the  past 
year. 

For  many  years  Mi".  P)Og(M't  took  an  active  pai-t  in  the 
atfairs  of  his  home  town.  In  politics  he  was  a  Democrat  and 
held  many  offices  of  trust.  In  1895  he  was  elected  Chosi'ii 
Freeholder  from  Englewood  and  served  in  that  otifice  for  si.x. 
years.  He  had  also  served  as  chairman  of  the  Democratic 
County  Connnittee  for  three  terms.  His  life  until  his  retire- 
ment i'rom  business  in  1908  had  been  an  e.xti-emely  busy  one, 
and  a  fair  share  of  his  time  was  occupied  for  the  public 
service,  intelligently  and  conscientiously  directed  in  the  in- 
terests of  those  whom  he  served. 

The  interment  was  at  l^rookside  Cemetery,  Fnglewood. 
N.  J. 

Mr.  Bogert  is  survived  by  his  wife  (Eugenie  Ben<')  and 
one  daughter  by  a  previous  marriage,  Mrs.  Huyler  Bogert.  of 
Highwood. — Etujlcwood  Press. 


56  Reports  of  Committees  and  Officers. 

ANNUAL  REPORT 

By  the  Treasurer 
From  April  22d,  1916,  to  April  21st,  1917. 

Allison  Special  Account 

RECEIPTS 

Balance  in  Bank  April  22d,  1916 $970.90 

Account  Interest  to  April  21st,  1917 34.50 

DISBURSEMENTS 

Transferred    to    General    Account    to 

purchase  1916  Year  Books $210.00 

Balance  in  Bank  April  21st,  1917 795.40 

.$1,005.40    .$1,005.40 
Allison  Prize  Account 

Balance  in  Bank  April  22d,  1916 100.00 

Prizes  awarded  March  30th,  1917 $50.00 

Balance  availahle    50.00 

.$100.00       $100.00 
General  Account 

RECEIPTS 

Balance  in  Bank  April  22d,  1916 279.01 

Dues  received   .  .  238 .  00 

Dues  unpaid    98 .  00 

Sale  of  Year  Books 13 .  50 

Transferred  fi'oni  Special  Account  to  i)urchase 

1916  Year  Books 210 .  00 

Receipts  1916  Dinner  Tickets    3.00 

Receipts  1917  Dinner  Tickets 88.00 

Receipts  Showcase  Fund 181 .  50 

DISBURSEMENTS 

Postage,    etc.,    Secretary's   Account..  $54.57 

Purchases,  etc.,  President's  Account.  48.20 

Paid   1916  Dinner  Account    49.75 

Paid  1917  Dinner  Account    3.00 

Paid  Expenses  Allison  Prize  Essays.  6. 06 

New  Showcases    "...  389 , 98 

1916  Year  Book 210.00 

Unpaid    Dues    !)8.00 

Balance  ill  I'.aiik  A])ril  21st,  1917 251.45 

$1,111.01    $1,111.01 


luporis  of  ('()ninutl<  <  s  atid  ()ffic<rs.  57 

AXXrAL  REPORT 

T>y  lli(^  Secretary 


The  fifteenth  annual  meeting  and  dinner  of  the  IJergen 
County  Histoi'ieal  Society  was  hekl  Saturday  evening,  A])ril 
21st,  1917,  at  the  Warner,  Hackensack,  N.  J." 

The  minutes  of  the  preceding  aiiinud  meeting  wei-e  i-ead 
and  approved. 

Tli(^  I'cpoi'l  of  the  Xominating  (*onniiittee  was  read  and, 
upon  motion  iiuuh'  seconded  and  carried,  the  Scci-etai-y  was 
directed  to  cast  the  IjaUot  tV)i-  the  foUowing  oi^cers  foi-  1lie  en- 
suing year : 

Presick^nt 

C.  V.  R.  BoGERT.  Bogota. 

Vice-Presidents — EastiM-n  District 
William  0.  Allison,  Englewood. 
Rev.  Edward  Kelder.  Coytesville. 
Daniel  G.  Bcjoert,  Englewood. 

Central  District 

F.  H.  Crum,  River  Edge. 

E.  K.  Bird,  Hackensack. 

P.  C.  Terhtwe.  Hackensack. 
L.  ]\r.  ]\Iiller,  Leonia. 

W(^stern  District 

F.  L.  Wandell,  Saddle  River. 
Richard  T.  Wilson,  Ridgewood. 
II.  II.  Blauvelt,  Ridgewood. 

Secretary  and  Treasui'ei- 

Theodore  Romaine,  Hackensack. 

It  was  the  aim  of  the  Xonnnaling  ( 'oiiiiuitlee  1o  divi(h' 
the  county  into  districts  and  give  eacli  dislrici  an  (M|nal  rep- 
resentation as  nearly  as  possibh\ 

At  this  point  Hon.  William  M.  Johnson  took  occasion  le 
speak  a  word  of  connnendation  upon  the  hd)or  expeiuh'd  by 
Mrs.  F.  A.  Westervelt,  the  chairman  of  llie  Ai-chivcs  and 
Properties  Committee,  in  re-arranging  onr  exhihils  in  the  ni'W 
room  and  showcases. 

The  President  appointed  an  auditing  coniiiiittee.  cpm- 
l)Ose(l  of  Messrs.  P.  C.  Terhune  and  C.  .M.  Dali-yniph-,  to 
audit  the  Treasurer's  accounts. 


58  Reports  of  Committees  and  Officers. 

Adjournment  was  then  made  to  the  dining-room,  where 
covers  were  laid  for  eighty. 

After  dinner  our  President,  C.  V.  R.  Bogert,  in  a  short 
speech,  related  the  accomplishments  of  the  past  year.  Of  the 
new  showcases  set  np  and  paid  for ;  of  the  gift  of  a  showcase 
from  G.  G.  Ackerson  for  the  dugout  canoe ;  and  the  work  of 
the  Archives  and  Properties  Committee  in  getting  the  room 
and  exhibits  ready  for  visitors. 

The  Hon.  William  M.  Johnson  then  made  a  speech  of 
tribute  to  the  sterling  (jualities  of  the  late  William  A.  Linn, 
with  whom  we  were  all  so  well  ac(iuainted,  and  about  whom 
we  really  knew  so  little. 

The  yearly  reports  were  then  given.  The  Secretary  re- 
ported that  during  the  year  there  had  been  added  to  the  roll 
13  regular  meud^ers,  5  had  been  dropped,  1  resigned,  2  de- 
ceased— 

Making  the  present  membership 119  regular 

9  life 

4  honorary 


Total    132 

a  gain  of  5  for  the  year.    Other  reports  were  given  by 
Mrs.  F.  a.  Wester velt, 

Chairman  Archives  and  Properties  Comuuttee. 
Miss  S.  F.  Watt. 

Chairman  Women's  Auxiliary. 
Mr.  Everett  L.  Zabriskie, 

Church  History. 
Dr.  Byron  G.  Van  Horne, 

Publication  Committee. 
Which  were  t>laced  on  file. 

President  C.  V.  R.  Bogert,  acting  as  toastmaster,  then 
introduced  the  speaker  of  the  evening,  the  Rev.  A.  H.  Brown, 
who  gave  us  a  pleasing  address  on  "Being  Oneself." 


REPORT   OF   THE   WOMEN'S   AUXILIARY. 


During  the  year  five  meetings  have  been  lu^ld.  Tliree 
took  place  in  the  Johnson  Public  Library,  giving  members  a 
chance  to  become  familiar  with  the  properties  of  the  society. 
One  meeting  was  held  at  the  home  of  Miss  S.  F.  Watt,  and 
the  last  at  the  Mabon  bome  on  Essex  street.  A  delightful  after- 
noon was  spent,  inspecting  the  house  and  familiarizing  our- 
selves with  more  than  two  centuries  of  local  history. 

We  ai-e  eagerly  anticipating  our  May  meeting  at  thr  home 
of  Mrs.  Wandell  at  Saddle  River. 

We  expect  to  entertain  the  Daughters  of  the  Revolution 
of  Ramapo  Liberty  Pole  and  liergen  on  May  16th  at  the 
Johnson  Public  Library,  in  order  to  promote  socud  uiterest, 
mutual  co-operation  and  to  introduce  our  societ>-  and  col- 
lections. 

During  the  coming  year  papers  upon  historical  subjects 

will  be  presented  at  each  regular  meeting. 

We  hope  to  interest  the  wives  of  all  the  members  of  the 
society  and  draw  them  into  membershii). 

Respectfully  submitted, 

SALTXA  F.  WATT, 

Ch.  of  W.  Aux. 


REPORT     AND     ACTIVITIES     OF     THE      ARCHIVE 
AND     PROPERTY    COMMITTEE. 


During  the  building  of  the  large  addition  to  the  Johiison 
Public  Library,  wherein  our  collections  are  housed,  it  be- 
came necessary  to  pack  up  our  ]30ssessions  for  nearl.v  one 
year.  In  November,  1916,  we  were  granted  the  use  of  the 
large  and  beautiful  new  room  through  the  kindness  of  Hon. 
William  M.  Johnson,  for  which  a  vote  of  thanks  has  been 
given.  We  disposed  of  most  of  our  old  glass  cases.  With  the 
few  remaining,  the  room  and  articles  were  arranged  as  best 
they  could  be.  Invitations  were  extended  for  an  evening 
mid-year  meeting  and  ojjening,  for  the  members  and  friends 
of  the  society.  During  the  afternoon  there  was  an  attend- 
ance of  one  hundred  and  fifty,  mostly  the  school  children, 
who  welcomed  the  event  as  a  restored  pleasure  in  the  op- 
portunity given  them  for  daily  visits  to  the  room  which  con- 
tains great  attraction  to  them.  At  the  evening  meeting  the 
Woman's  Auxiliary  received  the  guests,  one  huntlred  and 
■fifty.  After  a  social  period  the  meeting  was  called  to  order 
by  the  president,  C.  V.  R.  Bogert.  A  few  short  addresses 
were  made  and  then  the  president  told  of  the  object  of  the 
meeting,  that  was,  discussion  for  the  best  plans  to  acquire 
enough  cases  to  have  our  exhibits  suitably  and  safely  cared 
for.  It  was  carried  that  the  Archive  and  Property  Com- 
mittee were  to  ask  for  subscriptions  from  all  members,  start- 
ing with  those  present,  and  to  all  others  a  circular  letter  be 
sent.  The  result  to  date  is  $11)6.50.  Thi'ough  our  presi- 
dent's good  jiulgment  and  valuable  assistance,  we  now  have 
the  room,  50x;^5  feet,  fully  e(iuipped  by  the  addition  of  the 
following  newly  ac(iuired  cases:  Five  very  tine  cases,  with 
glass  shelves ;  one  8-foot  post,  with  twelve  double  face  leaves 
or  wings  of  glass,  and  the  addition  of  glass  doors  to  a  15-foot 
set  of  shelves. 

We  expended  foi"  cases,  cai'i)enter  work,  ti'ans])ortatioiu 
painting  and  varnishing,  cleaning  and  ari-angins'  .i^89S.i)S,  de- 
ducting the  amount  of  subscrii)tions,  .$1!)6.5U.  leaves  a  short- 
age of  $198.48,  which  amount  we  ajjpropriated  fi'om  the  So- 
ciety's treasury. 

The  following  letter  from  a  miisruin  expert  on  Indian 
relics  is  given  in  i-egard  to  our  dugout  canoe: 

"1  should  suggest  that  in  the  first  ])lace  it  ])e  carefully 
cleaned  and  then  wdien  ready  for  exhihilion  it  should  be 
placed  under  cover  in  a  glass  case. 

"The  s|)c('imcii   is  veiy  valu;d)Ie,   and   no  expense  shduld 


R<  port  of  Archive  and  Properhj  Committee.  61 

be  spared  in  its  preservation.  If  left  uncovered  it  will  he  only 
a  matter  of  a  few  years  when  you  will  find  yourselves  iiiimis 
a  canoe.  It  is  not  alone  the  damage  it  would  he  likely  to  re- 
ceive from  the  hands  of  the  public,  but  the  constant  eleanin^'- 
or  dusting  which  would  be  necessary  would  gradually  wear 
away  the  soft  and  partly  decayed  wood.  Therefore,  consid- 
ering the  value  of  the  canoe,  1  should  again  strongly  i-econi- 
mend  the  use  of  a  glass  case  in  which  to  exhibit  tlie  sjx'ci- 
men. " 

As  Mr.  G.  G.  Ackei-son  and  the  late  G.  II.  liandall  had 
been  the  donors  of  the  dugout  canoe,  Mr.  Ackerson  was  intei-- 
viewed  as  to  what  assistance  he  would  give  in  regard  to  its 
care.  The  following  report  of  what  he  has  done  speaks  well 
of  his  great  generosity  and  interest  in  his  County  Society  : 

Mr.  Ackei'son  has  had  the  canoe  (it  is  15  feet  long)  in- 
closed in  a  fine  glass  case,  made  to  order  under  the  supervision 
of  our  })resident),  with  two  oak  standards,  also  a  very  beau- 
tiful and  artistic  brass  tablet  fastened  to  the  canoe  l)eai'ing 
the  following  inscription : 


DUGOUT   GAXOE 

UNEARTHED     IN     1868    NEAR    THE    HACKENSACK     RIVEK     ON     TIIK 
PROPERTY  OF 

JUDGE  GARRET  G.  AGKEKSON 

HTTDSON    STREET.    HACKENSACK,    NEW    .IKKSKV. 

In    19(14   it    was   Prcscnti-d   t(i 

BERGEN    COUNTY    HISTORICAL    SOCIETY 

.    .    .    by    .    .    . 

GARRET    G.    ACKERSON    AND   (iARHKT    A.    KANDAI,!, 

Grandsons   of   tlic   .Inilur 

In    1914   it   was   identified    l>v    Alfred    Ronk    as    a    very    rare    Indian    reli<-. 
The    United    States    Forestry    Deiiurtinent    lias    ideiitilied    the    wood    as    white   oiil 


62  Report  of  Archive  and  Property  Committ 


€C. 


The  exhibits  as  now  placed  are  classified  and  marked  as 
follows : 

Bookcase,  15  feet — Books,  pamphlets,  and  in  one  end 
large  exhibits. 

Case — Indian  relics  and  wampum  specimens. 

Case — Fine  specimens  of  pottery,  tools,  etc.  George 
Wolfkill,  1830-60. 

Case — Mummy. 

Case — Old  blue  china,  lustre,  etc. 

Case — Colonial  and  early  house  hardware. 

Case — A  miscellaneous  collection  of  small  valuable 
articles. 

A  group  of  early  fireplace  furnishings. 

Platform — Artistically  furnished  with  anti(iue  table, 
three  chairs  and  rag  carpet.  On  the  wall  back  of  it  a  large 
picture  of  General  Washington  underneath  an  American  flag, 
and  a  Revolutionary  gun. 

Group — Spinning  wheels,  wool  and  flax  and  reel.  Colonial 
home-made  cradle,  hair  trunk. 

Group — Hackensack  Academv  bell,  1770,  courthouse  bell, 
1819. 

Case — Household  articles. 

Case — Canoe. 

Case — War  relics. 

Post  and  Wings — Contains  manuscripts,  photographs, 
homespun  textiles,  wool  and  linen,  flax-lace,  flags,  etc.,  etc. 

On  the  walls  are  historical  pictures,  documents,  etc. 

A  large  filing  cabinet  contains  over  200  negatives  of  his- 
toric houses,  sites,  etc. 

In  large  envelopes,  contents  classified,  are  clippings  from 
newspapers,  etc.,  referring  to  Bergen  County's  important 
events  since  1902. 

Many  valuable  additions  have  been  made  during  the  year 
to  our  collection.  A  revised  catalogue  will  appear  in  the  next 
year  book. 

To  Hon.  William  M.  Johnson,  the  trustees  of  the  John- 
son Public  Library,  the  President  of  the  Society,  the 
Women's  Auxiliary  and  the  contributors  to  the  fund  for 
cases,  we  extend  thanks  for  favors  and  assistance  given  us 
in  our  efforts  to  place  and  keep  our  historical  room  one  of  the 
best  sources  of  interest  and  information  pertaining  to  histor- 
ical events  and  history  of  Bergen  County. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

Frances  A.  Westervelt, 
Hon.    William    M.    Johnson, 
Arthur  Van  Buskirk. 
John  A.  Marinus. 


List    of   Memhcrs.  6:5 


LIST  OF  EX-PRESIDENTS. 


1!)02— 11)17 


Hon.   William    M.   Johnson 1902-0:^ 

Cornelius  Christie   l!)();^-04 

T.  N.  Glover li)04:-05 

Hon.  Cornelius  Dorenins li)05-06 

Burton  H.  Allbee l!)06-07 

Byron  G.  Van  Home,  M.D l!)07-()iS 

William   D.    Snow l!)08-0i) 

Hon.  David  1).  Zabriskie li)0!)-10 

Everett    L.    Zal)riskie 1!)10-11 

Howard    B.    Goetsehius 11)11-12 

Matt   J.   Bogert 1912-18 

Robert  T.  Wilson l!)i:M4 

Mrs.  Frances  A.  Westervelt 1!»14-16 

Cornelius  V.  R.  Bogert l!)l (M 7 

LIFE    MEMBERS 

Allbee,  liurton  II Paterson 

Allison,  William  0 Englewood 

Britton,  W.   R East   Orange 

Comeron,  Alpin  J Ridgewood 

Foster,  W.   Edward Ilackensaek 

Green,   Allister New  York 

Phelps,  Capt.  J.J Teaneck 

Preston,   Veryl New  York 

Voorhis,   Charles  C New  York 

Vail,    Carl   M Ridgewood 

HONORARY    MEMBERS 

Bogert,    Isaac    D Westwood 

Collins,  Andrew  R New  Bridge 

Demarest,    Hon.    Milton Ilackensaek 

Vroom,    Rev.    William Ridgewood 

MEMBERSHIP    LIST 

Abbott,  John  C ^"^vi  Lee 

Ackerman,   David  D Closter 

Ackerson,  Garret  G Ilackensaek 

Adams,  Dr.  Charles  F Ilackensaek 

Adams,  Robert  A Saddle  River 


64  List  of  Members. 


Bennett,   Henry   N Hackensack 

Bennett,  Mrs.  Harry   Teaneck 

Bird,    Eugene   K Hackensack 

Blaiivelt,  H.  H Ridgewood 

Bogert,  Matt   J Demarest 

Bogert,  Daniel    G P^nglewood 

Bogert,  Albert   Z River   Edge 

Bogert,  Mrs.  Albert  Z River  Edge 

Bogert,  Cornelius  Y.  U Bogota 

Boyd,  John  T.,  Jr Hackensack 

Brinkerhoff,    Cornelius    V Hackensack 

Cane,  F.  W Bogota 

Christie,  J.  Elmer Nyack,  N.  Y. 

Cooper,  Richard  W New  Milf ord 

Cory,  Mrs.  Catharine East  Xorthvale 

Cosse,  Edwin  F Paterson 

Criss,  Hugo  F Hohokus 

Crum,  F.  H River  Edge 

Cruin,  Mrs.  F.  H River  Edge 

Cubberly,  Nelson  S Glen  Rock 

Curtis,  Grove  D New  York 

Curtis,    Charles Hackensack 

Dalrymple,  CM Hackensack 

Del >aun,   Abram Hackensack 

DeBaun,  Mrs.  Abrani .Hackensack 

Deniarest,  Jacob  R Englewood 

Demarest,  James  E Westwood 

DeRonde,   Philip Englewood 

Diaz,  Jose  M Hackensack 

Doremus,    Cornelius Ridgewood 

Eckert,  George  M Saddle  River 

Engle,   j\Iiss  ]\Iary   J Fairview 

Englehart,  Charles Ridgefield 

Esler,  John  G Saddle  River 

Fay,  A.   M Hohokus 

Franck,  Dr.  A Hackensack 

Goetsehius,  Howard  B Hackensack 

Goetschius,  D.  M Little  Ferry 

Greene,    Robert    Hill Leonia 

Grunow,   Julius  S Hackensack 

Haggerty,  M.  L Hackensack 

Haring,  Tunis  A Hackensack 

Hay,  Clyde  B Hackensack 

Hester,  Earl  L.  D Hasbrouck  Heights 

Howell,  Mrs.  Henrietta  D Hackensack 

Jacolms,  M.  R .Ridgefield 

Jeffers,  Daniel  G Hackensack 


IjIsI    of   Mrnilx  IS.  05 

Johnson,    Hon.    William   M Ilackcnsack 

Keldei-.    Rv\.    Kdwjinl Eiitrlewood   (Miffs 

Ki])}),    Jaiiu'K. Tcnafly 

Liddle,  Josepli  G Xew  York 

Linkroiini,    C'ourtland riackensack 

]\lal)ie,   Clarence Ilaekensaek 

Mabon,  Miss  Elizabeth Tlaekt-nsaek 

Marinus,  John  A .  Hoehclle  Park 

Metz,  A.  Russell,  Jr Ilaekensaek 

Meyer,   Francis   E Closter 

Miller,  Lewis  M Leonia 

Moore,  Sidney  H Kidgewood,  R.  P.  D. 

Morrison,  William  J.,  Jr Ridgefield  Park 

IMorrow,   Dwight   W Englewood 

Osborn,    J.    Ilosey Passaic 

Pai'igot,   George  W Allendale 

P(dl,  ]\Iiss  Katherine Saddh^  River 

Piatt,  Daniel  F Englewood 

Potter,    George   ]\I Allendale 

Ramsey,   John   R Hackensack 

Richardson,    Milton    T Ridgewood 

Riker,    Theo Paterson 

Rogers,  Henry  M Tcnatly 

Romaine,    Theodore Ilaekmsack 

Romaine,   ]\Irs.    Theodore Ilaekensaek 

Sage,   L.   H Ilaekensaek 

Sloat,  B.  F Ridgewood 

Spear,    William   M Leonia 

Snyder,   George  J Ridgewood 

Stagg,    Edward Leonia 

Stewart,  Dr.   H.    S Ilaekensaek 

Staib,  P.   G Ilaekensaek 

Staib,  Mrs.   P.   C Ilaekensaek 

St.  John,  Dr.  David Ilaekensaek 

Smith,    Miss   Dora Iloboken 

Stnmm,    F.    A Ai'cola 

Tallman,    William Englewood 

Terhune,  C.    W Hackensack 

Terhnne,  P.    Christie- Hackensack 

Terhune,  Mrs.  P.  Christie Hackensack 

Vail,  William   L Fairview 

Vail,  Mrs.  William  L Fairview 

Van  Bnskirk,   Arthur Hackensack 

Van  Home,  Dr.  P,vi-on  G Englewood 

Van  Nest,  Rev.  J.  A Ridgewood 

Van  Winkle,  Arthur  W Rntheidord 


66  List  of  Members. 


Van  Winkle,  Charles  A Riitherf'oi-d 

Van  Wagoner,  Jacob Ridgewood 

Voorhis,  Rev.  John  C Bogota 

Wakelee,  Ednuind  W New  York 

Wandell,  Francis   Livingston Saddle  River 

Wandell,  Mrs.  Francis  Livingston Saddle  River 

Ware,  Mrs.   John   C SadfUe  River 

Watt,   Salina  F Hackensack 

Wells,  Benjamin  B Hackensack 

Wells,  George    E Hackensack 

Wesley,   F.   R Bogota 

Westervelt,  Mrs.  Frances  A Hackensack 

Willich,   Theo Leoina 

Wilson,  Richard   T Ridgewood 

Wilson,  Robert  T Saddle  River 

Wood,  Robert  J.  G Leonia 

Woodman,  Charles Ridgewood 

Wright,  Wendell  J Hackensack 

Zabriskie,  David  D Ridgewood 

Zabriskie,  Everett   L Ridgewood 

Zabriskie,  Fred  'k  C Hackensack 


///  3Iemonam. 


3Jn  iHrmnriam 


Bogart,   Peter  1^.,   Jr Bogota 

Bogert,  Andrew  D Englewood 

l^rinkerhoff,  A.  H Rutherford 

Christie.   Cornelius Leonia 

(Mark,  Edwin Ridgewood 

Currie,   Dr.  Daniel   A Englewood 

Demarest,  A.  S.  D ITackensack 

Demarest,  Isaac  1 Hackensack 

Dutton,   George   R Englewood 

Easton,  E.  D Areola 

Edsall,   Samuel   S Palisade 

Haggin.  :\Irs.  L.  T Closter 

Hales,   Henry Ridgewood 

Holdrum.   A.   C Westwood 

Labagh,  William  ( ) Hackensack 

Lane,   Jesse New  Milford 

Lane,  Mrs.  Jesse New  Milford 

Lawton,   L  Parker    Ridgewood 

Linn,  W.   A Hackensack 

Nelson.   William Paterson 

Romaine,  Christie Hackensack 

Sanford,  Rev.  Ezra  T New  York 

Shanks,  William Hackensack 

Snow,  William  D Hackensack 

Terhune,  Peter  0 Ridgewood 

Van  Buskirk,  Jacob New  Milfoi'd 

Zabriskie,  A.  C New  York 


Eighteenth  Annual  Report 


OF  THE 


Bergen  County 
Historical  Society 


Number  Thirteen 


1920 
Hackknsace,  New  Jersey 


ta 


EIGHTEENTH  ANNUAL  REPORT 


OF   THE 


BERGEN  COENTV  HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 


-'f-m 


I 


Robert  T.  Wilson 

Twelfth  president  of  the  Bergen  Cotmty 
Historical  Society  {igiS-iQli)  died  Feb- 
ruary igi6  in  his  forty-second  year.  At  the 
time  of  his  death,  he  was  treasurer  and 
Deacon  of  the  Upper  Saddle  River  Church. 
He  was  also  a  member  of  Fidelity  Lodge, 
■No.  113  F.  iff  J.  M.,  Ridgewood,  New  Jersey. 


Eighteenth  Annual  Report 


OF  THE 


Bergen  County 
Historical  Society 


Number  Thirteen 


19  2  0 

IlACKENSACK.    NEW   JKKSKV 


Press    of   The   Hackonsack    Republic:in 


The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 


Officers  for  the  Fiscal  Year   1920-1921 


President 
Lewis  Marsena  Miller    Leonia 

Secretary 
Theodore  Romaine    Hackensack 

Treasurer 
C.  M.  Dalrymple   Hackensack 

Curator 
Mrs.  Frances  A.  Westervelt  Hackensack 

Vice-Presidents 

Closter   William  H.  Roberts 

Englewoocl William  O.  Allison 

Fort  Lee  John  C.  Abbot 

Hackensack  William  P.  Eager 

Hackensack   P.  Christie  Terhune 

Leonia Robert  J.  G.  Wood 

Oradell Elmer  Blauvelt 

Ramsey John  Y.  Dater 

Ridgewood Walter  W.  Wilsey 

Ridgefield M.  R.  Jacobus 

Rutherford A.  W.  Van  Winkle 

Westwood   Isaac  B.  Hopper 

Former  Presidents 

Hon.  William  M.  Johnson,  Hackensack 1902-03 

Mr.   Cornelius   Christie,    Leonia 1903-0.1 

Mr.   T.   N.   Glover.   Rutherford 1904-05 

Hon.  Cornelius  Doremus,  Ridgewood 1905-06 

Mr.  Burton  H.  Albee,  Paterson 1906-07 

Dr.  Byron  G.  Van  Horne,  Englewood 1907-0S 

Col.  W.  D.  Snow,  Hackensack 1908-09 

Hon.  David  D.  Zabriskie,  Ridgewood 1909-10 

Mr.  Everett  L.  Zabriskie,  Ridgewood 1910-11 

Mr.  Howard  B.  Goetschius,  Little  Ferry 1911-12 

Mr.  Matt.  J.  Bogert,  Demarest 1912-13 

Mr.  Robert  T.  Wilson,  Saddle  River 191 3-14 

Mrs.  Frances  A.  Westervelt,  Hackensack 1914-16 

Mr.  Cornelius  V.  R.  Bogert,  Bogota 1916-18 

Mr.  Arthur  Van  Buskirk,  Hackensack 1918-19 

Mr.  Lewis  Marsena  Miller,  Leonia 1919-21 


The  Rergex  Couxtv  I-Tistorical  SociI'Tv 


*Standing  Committees,    1920-1921 

Archives  a)id  Pr()pcrt\ 
Mrs.  F.  A.  \\'estervelt.  Hon.  \Villiam  M.  Johnson,  Frank 
B.    Plympton.    Hackensack ;    David    Hopper,    Mahwah ;    Mrs. 
Harry  Bennett,  Teaneck. 

Ancient  Cemeteries 
Matt.  J.  Bogert.  Demarest ;  Walter  Christie,  Bergenfield  ;  J. 
Z.  Demarest,  Closter. 

Church   History 
Walter  Christie,  Bergenfield ;  Rev.  Edward  Kelder,   h'ort 
Lee  ;  Rev.  J.  A.  Van  Nest,  Ridgewood. 

Current  Historv 
Reid  Howell,  Rutherford. 

Cenealoyical  and  Biographical 
Mrs.  John  Christie  Ware,  George  M.  Eckert,  Saddle  River; 
Mrs.  F.  A.  Westervelt,  Hackensack. 

Historic  Sites  and  Events 
Dr.  James  M.  Hackett,  Robert  Hill  Greene,  Leonia :  Emile 
Stange,  North  Hackensack  ;  George  W.  Hood,  Ridgefield. 

Membership 
Cornelius    V.    R.    Bogert,    William    T.    Knight,    Ikigota; 
Walter  G.  Winne,  Hasbrouck  Heights. 

Publication 
Dr.   Byron  G.   A^an   Home,   Englewood ;   Dr.   Charles   F. 
Adams,  Hackensack;  Reid  Howell,   Rutherford:  Robert  Hill 
Greene,  Dr.  Roscoe  Guernsey,  Leonia. 

Publicity 
J.  W.  Binder,  E.  K.  Bird,  Hackensack;  Joseph  H.  Tillot- 
son,  Engle\vood;  J.  E.  \Mlliams,  Ridgefield  Park. 
Topographical  and  Historical  Geography 
Joseph    Kinzley,    Jr.,    Hackensack;    Prof.    B.    T.    Butler, 
Leonia ;  William  Conklin,  Englewood. 

IVars  and  Revolutionary  Soldiers'  Graves 
Dr.  Charles  F.  Adams,  Hackensack;  Carl  M.  Vail.  Ridge- 
wood ;  John  \\'.  Bellis,  Oradell. 

JVomen's  Auxiliary 
Mrs.  A.  Z.  Bogert.  Mrs.   Harry  Lewellyn,  River  Edge; 
Mrs.  Byron  G.  Van'^Horne,  Englewood;  Mrs.  Clayton  Dema- 
rest, Hackensack;  Mrs.  F.  Hayden,  Rutherford;  Mrs.  Harry 
Bennett,  Teaneck. 

*The  President  is  ex-officio  a  member  of  all  Committees. 


The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 


Aims  of  the 
Bergen  County  Historical  Society 


To  make   research   into  historical   facts   and   collect  data   re- 
lating thereto ; 

To  suitably   mark  by   Monument  or  Tablet  sites   of   historic 
interest  to  preserve  them  from  oblivion  ; 

To    collect    and    preserve    genealogical    records    and    family 
traditions ; 

To  cultivate  a  spirit  of  Patriotism,  which  is  love  of  Country, 
and  aid  to  respect  and  uphold  its  laws ; 

To  foster  National,  State,  Local  and  Family  Pride,  and  the 
Intellectual  Cultivation  and  Development  of  its  members. 


The  Bek(;i:x  Couxtv  Historical  Sociktv.  9 


Eighteenth  Annual  Report 
Bergen  County  Historical  Society 


President's  Report 

The  several  reports  of  Standing  Committees  submitted 
herewith  tell  of  the  activities  of  the  Society  during  the  hscal 
year  1919-1920.  which  has  been  a  year  of  progress  and  gives 
promise  of  further  advance  during  the  eighteenth  vear  of  the 
Society's  existence. 

The  numerous  interesting  relics  of  the  past  which  have 
been  added  to  our  Museum  during  the  i)ast  two  years  bear  testi- 
mony to  the  alertness  and  efficiency  of  our  Curator.  It  is  to  be 
hoped  that  members  owning  articles  of  historic  interest  will 
arrange  for  their  ultimate  addition  to  this  niuseiun.  if  for  any 
reason  they  are  not  available  now. 

The  limited  resources  of  the  Society  in  the  past  has  re- 
tarded the  carrying  out  of  all  the  aims  of  its  organizers,  but 
the  report  of  the  Membership  Committee  showing  increase 
from  145  to  432  members  during  the  year  demonstrates  a 
quickened  interest  and  the  possibility  of  increasing  our  Mem- 
bership Roll  to  one  thousand  before  our  annual  meeting  in 
April.  1921.  The  annual  dues  paid  by  that  number  of  mem- 
bers will  enable  the  Societv  to  give  due  attention  to  two 
neglected  duties : 

"To  suitably  mark  by  monument  or  tal)let  sites  of  historic 
interest,  to  jjreserx  e  them  from  oblivion. 

"To  cultivate  a  spirit  of  Patriotism  throughout  the  County 
and  to  foster  National.  State.  Local  and  F"amily  Pride." 

Our  Committee  on  Historic  Sites  and  Events  will  make  a 
record  during  the  coming  year  and  suitably  mark  some  of  the 
points  which  have  been  too  long  neglected. 

Good  speakers  should  be  sent  to  the  several  boroughs  in 
the  County  to  stir  up  interest  in  the  work  and  aims  of  the 
Society,  to'cultivate  a  spirit  of  Patriotism  and  preach  the  gospel 
of  Americanism.  Such  meetings  should  be  arranged  for  once 
each  month.  November  to  ]March.  inclusive.  A  look  over  our 
Membership  Roll  discloses  the  names  of  many  of  the  most 
prominent  and  influential  men  and  women  of  the  County.  I 
doubt  if  another  such  aggregation  for  good  and  patriotic  work 
can  be  found  in  the  County  of  Bergen,  and  I  believe  thi'>  influ- 
ence will  respond  willingly  to  intelligent  leadership  by  the 
officers  of  the  Society  designated  for  the  coming  fiscal  year. 
T  hope  that  opportunity  will  soon  knock  at  their  doors. 


lo  TiiF.  Ber(;en  County  Historical  SocTET^•. 

One  resident  of  Bergen  County,  who  has  been  a  hfc  mem- 
ber of  this  Society  ahnost  from  its  inception,  has  shown  his 
interest  and  generosity  by  two  gifts  of  $i,ooo  each,  creating  the 
"Allison  Special  Fund"  from  which  the  cost  of  jniblications 
is  defrayed.  The  Treasurer's  report  show's  the  present  healthy 
condition  of  this  fund. 

But  in  evidence  of  his  increased  interest,  Mr.  William 
C).  Allison  of  Englewood  made  his  third  gift  to  the  Society, 
this  time  for  $10,000.  The  Executive  Committee  in  its  i-esolu- 
tion  of  thanks  to  Mr.  Allison  named  this  the  "Allison  Invest- 
ment Fund"  and  instrvicted  the  President  to  invest  the  amount 
in  the  United  States  Fourth  Fiberty  Foan  Bonds.  Eleven 
thousand  dollars  ])ar  value  were  bought  at  QO.30,  at  which 
hgure  they  yield  4.71  ^'f-  These  eleven  one  thousand  dollar 
bonds  are  registered  in  the  name  of  this  Society.  The  April 
Treasury  warrant  for  the  semi-annual  interest,  with  a  small 
addition  from  oin-  general  fund,  secured  three  one  hundred 
dollar  coupon  bonds  of  the  same  issue,  so  that  now  our  safe 
deposit  box  holds  $11,300  of  these  securities,  the  value  of  which 
no  red-blooded  American  citizen  can  doubt. 

The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society  is  not  soliciting 
alms  or  bequests,  but  it  confidently  expects  that  other  wealthy 
members  will  give  a  demonstration  of  real  interest  by  building 
up  this  investment  fund  until  the  assured  income  is  sufficient 
to  warrant  greatb'  cUigmented  acti\'itv. 

Fender  the  intelligent  leadership  of  INF's.  A.  Z.  Bogert  the 
Women's  Auxiliary  has  grown  from  twenty-one  to  ninety-four 
members.  AF's.  Bogert's  report  of  the  activities  of  the  women 
members  of  this  Society  will  interest  every  reader,  audi  venture 
to  suggest  that  it  would  be  difficult  to  pick  from  our  Alember- 
shi]i  Roll  another  ninety-four  who  ha\"e  shown  so  much  interest 
ni  the  work  of  the  Society.  The  exam])le  of  these  earnest 
women  is  commenfled  to  the  consideration  of  members  who 
wear  trousers  ! 

By  far  the  most  important  event  of  the  past  year,  and 
probably  in  any  year  of  the  Society's  existence,  is  our  under- 
taking to  build  a  memorial  to  mark  the  site  and  commemorate 
the  activities  of  Camp  ]\Ierritt.  where  a  third  of  all  the  men 
sent  o\er  seas  received  their  equipment  and  were  |)repared  for 
doing  their  share  in  the  undertaking  to  "make  the  world  a 
decent  place  to  live  in."  More  than  half  a  million  of  those  re- 
turning have  been  cared  for  there  until  ready  to  be  sent  for- 
ward to  the  camp  of  demobilization  nearest  their  home  towns. 

Fi  the  report  of  our  semi-annual  meeting  last  October 
a])pears  the  address  made  by  the  Executive  Officer  of  Camp 
]\Ierritt,  Major  Max  Sullivan,  in  which  he  gave  us  the  details 


TiiE  Bekcex  Couxtn'   Histokkal  Soni-n'N-.  ii 

of  the  organization  and  system  which  made  j)ossi])le  the  re- 
markable work  done  at  Camp  Merritt  in  so  short  a  time.  In 
this  address  will  be  found  undeniable  justification  for  our 
undertakings  this  i)atriotic  work.  I  want  the  members  of  this 
Society  to  understand  the  reasons  for  this  undertaking  and  the 
arrangements  which  have  been  made  for  its  accomplishment. 

The  project  was  brought  to  us  liy  Major  P^rancis  (i.  Lan- 
don,  the  Morale  Officer  of  Camp  Merritt,  who  addressed  our 
Executive  Committee  at  their  meeting  last  August.  Senator 
William  M.  Johnson  also  addressed  the  committee  in  favor 
of  the  monument.  On  adoption  of  a  suitable  resolution  the 
chair  appointed  Cornelius  V.  R.  Bogert,  Dr.  liyron  (J.  Van 
Home  and  ^Ir.  ]\Iatt.  J.  Bogert  a  Special  Committee  to  take 
charge  of  the  matter  and  report  to  the  Executive  I'ommittee. 

This  S] fecial  Committee,  with  the  President  as  ex-officio 
member,  a])])eared  before  the  Board  of  Chosen  b^reeholders 
asking  their  co-operation  and  appointment  of  a  committee  of 
the  Board  to  work  with  us  and  the  camp  officers.  ( )ur  appeal 
was  listened  to  with  close  attention  by  each  member  of  the 
Board,  and  after  due  consideration,  on  August  6,  1919,  the 
following  preamble  and  resolutions  were  adopted  : 

Whereas,  during  the  late  war  with  German}-,  the  (Govern- 
ment of  the  United"  States  established  a  large  and  iniportanl 
camp  in  this  county  between  Dumont  and  Tenafly.  designated 
as  Cam})  Merritt.  which  has  been  used  as  a  camp  of  em- 
barkation and  debarkation  for  men  in  the  army,  and  which  has 
received  from  time  to  time  more  than  a  million  men  in  the 
aggregate,  and  which  camp  will  in  the  near  future  be  disr.-,antled 
liy  the  Government ;  and 

Whereas,  in  order  to  establish  a  permanent  memorial  of 
Camp  Merritt,  it  is  tliought  projier  to  erect  a  monument  on  a 
plot  of  ground  at  the  corner  of  Knickerbocker  road  and  Madi- 
son avenue  now  belonging  to  William  O.  Allison,  who  is  wiU- 
ino-  to  convey  the  same  for  such  puri)ose.  provided  assurance 
can  be  given' that  said  memorial  and  plot  will  be  properly  and 
permanentlv  maintained  ;  and 

Whereas  it  has  been  suggested  that  the  title  to  said  i)lot 
be  lodged  in  the  County  of  Bergen,  in  trust,  to  mamtam.  pre- 
serve and  i^rotect  said  memorial  in  perpetuity  ;  and 

\\hereas  the  I'.oard  of  Chosen  Freeholders  of  the  County 
of  Bergen  recognizes  the  very  distinguished  honor  which  the 
■establishment  of  Camp  Merritt  has  conferred  upon  the  county 
and  the  propriety  of  a  suitable  memorial  to  perpetuate  the 
historic  associations  connected  with  the  camp,  and  appreciates 
the  patriotic  impulse  which  has  led  to  a  contribution  of  funds 
for  the  purpose. 


12  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 

Now,  therefore,  be  it  resolved,  that  the  Board  of  Chosen 
Freeholders  of  the  County  of  Bergen  will,  in  behalf  of  the 
county,  accept  the  position  of  custodian  of  the  proposed  me- 
morial and  will  take  title  in  the  name  of  the  countv  for  the  plot 
on  Avhich  it  is  to  stand,  in  trust,  to  maintain  said  memorial  and 
plot  in  suitable  condition  and  subject  to  a  covenant  and  agree- 
ment that  said  county  will  forever  protect,  maintain,  and  keep 
in  good  repair  and  condition  the  said  monument  and  plot,  to  the 
end  that  it  may  be  a  public  and  lasting  memorial  of  the  events 
and  history  connected  with  Camp  Merritt ;  and 

Be  it  further  resolved,  that  said  County  of  Bergen  hereby 
agrees  to  build  said  monument  and  memorial  of  such  funds  as 
may  be  contributed  for  the  purpose,  and  such  funds,  if  any,  as 
may  be  hereafter  appropriated  by  said  Board  in  accordance 
with  the  statute  ;  and 

Be  it  further  resolved,  that  the  County  Counsel  be  in- 
structed to  take  such  action  as  may  be  necessary  for  the  proper 
transfer  of  the  plot  hereinbefore  mentioned. 

Following  adoption  of  these  resolutions  the  Director, 
Joseph  Kinzley,  Jr.,  appointed  Reid  Howell,  of  Rutherford, 
William  H.  Roberts  of  Closter  and  Charles  K.  Allen  of  Ridge- 
wood. 

This  action  being  communicated  to  the  Camp  Command- 
ant, Major-General  G.  B.  Duncan  appointed  Major  Francis  G 
Landon,  Major  Max  W.  Sullivan  and  Major  Jesse  I.  Sloat  to 
serve  with  him  on  behalf  of  the  military  authorities. 

These  three  committees  met  at  the  Officers'  Club  and  or- 
ganized as  the  "Camp  Merritt  Memorial  Association,"  electing 
Cornelius  V.  R.  Bogert,  President,  \\'illiam  H.  Roberts,  Vice- 
President,  Major  Francis  G.  Landon,  Secretary,  and  Matt.  J 
Bogert,  Treasurer. 

Subsequently.  Mr.  Bogert  resigned  to  become  jointly  with 
Harvey  Wiley  Corbett  of  New  York  the  Architects  for  the 
Association  and  prepare  plans  for  the  proposed  ^Memorial. 

On  acceptance  of  Mr.  Bogert's  resignation  Dr.  Bvron  G. 
\^an  Home  was  elected  President. 

The  Special  Committee  of  this  Society  was  augmented  bv 
the  appointment  of  Abram  De  Ronde,  Dwight  \\'.  ]Morrow, 
Daniel  E.  Pomeroy  and  William  Conklin  of  Englewood,  Ed- 
mund W.  Wakelee  of  Demarest,  Hon.  William  M.  Johnson,  T- 
W.  Binder,  Clarence  Mabie  and  George  Van  Buskirk  of  Hack- 
ensack,  these  gentlemen  becoming  automatically  members  of 
the  Camp  Merritt  Memorial  Association,  which  now  includes : 

Charles  K.  Allen    Ridgewood 

Matt  J.  Bogert   Demai-est 


The  Bergkx  County  Histork.m.  Soci1':tn'.  13 


J.  W.  Binder Hackensack 

William   Conklin    Englewood 

Abram  De  Ronde Englewood 

Gen'l  G.  B.  Duncan United  States  Army 

Reid   Howell    Rutherford 

Hon.  William  M.  Johnson Hackensack 

Joseph  Kinzlev.  Jr Hackensack 

Major  Francis  G.  Landon New  York 

Clarence  Mabie Hackensack 

Lewis  Marsena  Miller   T.eonia 

Dwight  W.  Morrow   Englewood 

Daniel  E.  Pomeroy   Englewood 

William  H.  Roberts   Closter 

Major  Tesse  I.  Sloat United  States  Army  ■ 

Major  Max  W.  Sullivan  .  .  .United  States  Army 

George  Van  Buskirk   Hackensack 

Dr.  Bvron  G.  Van  Home Englewood 

Edmund  \\'.  Wakelee Demarest 

Every  one  of  these  names  will  be  found  in  the  :^Ieml)er- 
ship  Roll  of  the  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 

The  site  for  the  memorial  has  been  definitely  tixed  and 
mainly  acquired  without  cost,  half  the  area  being  a  gift  from 
Mr.  William  O.  Allison.  Knickerbocker  road  and  Madison 
avenue  at  their  intersection  wdll  be  diverted  around  a  three 
hundred  foot  circle  at  the  apex  of  which  will  rise  a  monument 
which,  to  be  commensurate  with  the  mighty  accomplishments  of 
Camp  Merritt.  must  be  lofty,  dignified,  artistic  and  above  all. 
inspiring— a  memorial  worthv  of  Bergen  County  and  m  which 
we  can  all  take  a  just  pride.  Eventually  this  memorial  will  un- 
doubtedlv  be  connected  bv  a  parkway  with  the  Inter- State  Park. 
The'  State  of  New  Jersey,  under  a  bill  which  has  become 
a  law  will  pro^■ide  one-third  the  cost  of  this  memorial,  fiftv 
thousand  dollars.  P.ergen  County  is  due  to  raise  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars,  and  the  military  authorities  have  ahxady 
contributed  to  this  fund  seven  thousand  five  hundred  dollars, 
whichisinthetreasurvof  the  Association.  _ 

I  cannot  stress  too  greatly  the  patriotic  duty  ot  our  Society 
in  furthering  this  project  and  carrying  it  through  to  an  early 
completion.  ^  We  are  sponsors  for  this  undertaking  and  are 
oroud  of  it  The  Memorial  will,not  only  mark  the  site  of  Camp 
Merritt  but  will  commemorate  its  wonderful  activities  and 
achievements,  in  enduring  bronze  and  granite 

It  will  also  stand  a  lasting  testimonial  to  the  patnoti.m 
and  energ}'  of  the  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 

LEW  IS  MARSENA  MILLER.  President. 


14  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 

Secretary's  Report 

There  have  been  added  to  the  roll  during  the  year  256 
resident,  5  life  and  4  honorary  members  ;  we  have  lost  4  through 
death,  making  the  present  membership  : 

Resident    378 

Honorary    8 

Life    16 

402 
a  gain  of  261   for  the  year. 

Treasurer's    Report 

From  April  .^6th,  1919,  to  April  17th,  1920. 
Allison  Special  Account : 

Receipts 

Balance  on  hand  April  26th,  1919 $1,123.37 

Interest  to  January  Tst,  1920 39-00 

Transferred  from  Allison  Prize  account 45-00 

Gift  from  W.  O.  Allison 10,000.00 

Disbursements 

Purchase  Liberty  Bonds $10,000.00 

On    iVccount    of    Freeholders'    Book 

and  Gen.  Greene's  Orderly  Book.  .  339-31 

Balance  on  hand  April   17th,   1920.  .  868.06 


$11,207.37  $11,207.37 
Allison  P}%se  Account: 

Balance  April  26th,   1919 50.00 

Broadway  School  Prizes 5.00 

Transferred  to  Special  Account 45-00 


$50.00  $50.00 

Coicral  Account : 

Receipts 

Balance  in  Bank  April  26th,  191 9 $242.59 

Dues  Received 684.00 

Dues  Unpaid    412.00 

Received  from  W.  O.  Allison  for  Ma])  General 

Greene's  Orderly  Book 231.00 

Transferred  from  Special  Savings  Account  to 
a|)ply  on  printing  of  Freeholders'  Book  and 
Gen.  Greene's  Orderly  Book 339-31 


The  BercjEX  County  Hisforical  Society.  15 

Received    from    W.    O.    Allison    for    Curator's 

Salary     300.00 

Sale  Year  Books 2.40 

Receipts  Tickets  Annual  Meeting  1919 i^A-5^ 

Cash  in  exchange  for  check 35-00 

Checks  Lost  9-OC' 

Interest  on  Liberty  Loan 233.75 

Disbursements 

Expense  Annual  Meeting  1919 $51-75 

President's  Account    76.67 

Secretary's  Account    299.62 

Curator's  Salary  400.00 

Maintenance    of    Room 29.40 

P'reeholders'     Book.     (ien.     Greene's 

Orderly  Book 570-31 

Checks  Lost  9-00 

Check  in  exchange  for  cash 35-00 

Balance  Paid  on  Liberty  Bonds 73.25 

Unpaid  Dues   4i^-00 

Balance  April   17th.   1920 546-55 

$  2.503.55  $  2.503.55 
BALANCE  SHEET.  April  17th.  1920. 
Assets 

Cash  in  Bank,  Allison  Special  Account $868.06 

Cash  in  Bank.  General  .\ccount 546-55 

Total  Cash   $1,414-61 

*Annual  Dues  from  Members 412.00 

United  States  Bonds,  par  value 1  i.ooo.oc 

Total    ■•••   S12.826.6L 

Liabilities 
None. 
*Mostlv  dues  for  current  fiscal  year  liegiiming  Feb'y  22nd. 


i6  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 


First  Annual  Report  of  the  Curator 

At  onr  last  annual  meeting  we  unveiled,  so  to  speak,  our 
reproduction  of  the  early  Dutch  kitchen,  including  the  open 
fireplace  and  brick  oven ;  with  the  many  original  articles  used 
in  the  kitchens  of  the  early  homes.  Posters  announcing  the 
exhibit  and  the  talks  were  sent  out  to  all  members  and  to 
every  library  in  the  county  and  over  the  lines,  and  to  the  school 
principals.  Prizes  for  the  three  best  papers  about  "The  Talks" 
were  offered.  In  the  first  month  there  were  thirteen  classes 
(400  pupils)  from  the  schools  during  school  periods,  and  hun- 
dreds of  visitors  to  hear  the  story  of  the  early  kitchen  and  its 
activities,  illustrated  by  the  use  of  the  real  antiques.  As  the 
kitchen  for  about  two  hundred  years  was  the  center  of  life  and 
education  there  is  a  broad  field  to  cover.  From  the  Broadway 
School  (mostly  foreigners)  were  submitted  fifteen  papers, 
which  were  excellent.  The  three  prizes  were  presented  there 
Up  to  date  we  have  had  twenty-four  classes  averaging  forty 
each — eight  hundred  ])uj)ils.  and  a  class  from  Moonachie  (  more 
foreigners ) 

A  "talk"  illustrated  with  about  fift\-  articles  was  given  to 
the  Woman's  Club  at  (3radell.  at  which  five  new  members  were 
enrolled ;  and  to  the  ^\'oman's  Club  of  Bogota.  Many  groups 
and  single  visitors  have  been  taken  on  the  tour  of  the  room, 
hearing  the  many  stories. 

At  the  monthly  meeting';  of  our  \\'omen's  Auxiliary  there 
is  always  a  new  exhibit  set  out  and  its  story  given.  Plans  are 
being  made  for  the  classes  of  River  Edge  (their  transportation 
being  paid).  Hasbrouck  Heights  and  Bogota,  the  Girls'  Patri- 
otic League  of  Ixidgefield  Park,  and  the  Men's  Club  of  one  of 
the  Hackensack  churches.  On  the  iqth,  an  illustrated  talk  at 
Rutherford  to  the  Women's  Reading  Club  is  to  be  given. 

A  loaned  exhibition  of  glass,  china  and  pottery  was  given 
from  Feb.  15th  to  April  15th.  There  were  three  hundred 
articles  exhibited,  including  some  of  the  very  rare  early  Delft 
ware,  and  other  rare  and  choice  specimens.  Of  the  work  of 
Bergen  County's  "own  potter"  ( 1830-1860),  Geo.  W.  Wolfkiel, 
there  were  fifty  pieces,  (still  on  view).  Tt  was  a  great  suc- 
cess ;  visitors  from  far  and  near.  During  the  two  months  we 
averaged  a  daily  attendance  of  twenty-fi\e,  and  it  was  during 
our  very  severe  weather. 

The  next  exhibit  was  the  articles  of  the  Colonial  period 
of  1700.  The  schools  were  studying  that  period.  As  we  have 
a  fine  collection  it  was  of  great  interest. 

Then  came  the  Revolutionary  period  of  school  stud\'  and 
our  collection,  which  is  good,  was  displayed. 


PRIMITIVE  SPINNING  WHEEL. 

A  handle  on   the  rear  turns  the  disk   with  the  pegs. 
From  the  Zabriskie-Van  Dien  Home,  Paramus   Road. 

An  old  author  says:  "The  action  of  spinning  must  he  learn.l  hy  P''-;;-  '^^  ''^  '^;^ 
tion."  Suns  by  the  poets,  the  grace  and  beauty  of  the  occupat,o„  has  ever  sha.e.l  p,a>.e  u  .th 
its  utility. 

Wool-spinnin.  was  truly  one  of  the  most  flexible  and  alert  -^^^-:' ^^^  ^X 
world,  and  to  its  varied  and  graceful  poise,  our  grandmothers  may  owe  pa.t  of  the  d.gn.ty 
of  carriage  that  was  so  characteristic  of  them. 

twenty  miles. 


^^^^^^^^^^^ 


ADJUSTABLE     CANDLE     STAND 

From    a    Hoorn    Family,    Upper    Saddle    River. 

Possibly  around    1735. 


MEXICAN  WAR  HAT  AND  BUCKLE 

On     home-made    band    box.       David     Zabriskie, 

from    homestead    at    Oradell.     later    known 

as    the    "Grant"    place. 


PARSLEY    POT 

Used   by   Mrs.    Sally   Ann    Zabriskie   of   Ramsey. 

Made  to  order  for  her  by  GeorRe  W.   Woli- 

kiel     the     historic     Hacken  ^ai"k     River 

Potter.       1S30-G0. 


HAND    CARVED    SPOON    RACK 

Dated   A.   N.    1731    A.   H.     From   the   Zabriskie- 

Van    Dien    hoine   on    Paramus    Road. 


Till':  Rergrx  C()U^"r^•   Historkal  Soc  ii:tv.  17 

The  next  will  be  a  view  of  earlv  house  buildiiii^'  material 
and  colonial  house  hardware,  of  which  we  ha\e  a  wonderful 
colection.  including-  timber  })es4'i^ed  together,  the  lart^e  laths,  the 
clav  mixed  with  straw  used  in  the  cracks  and  spaces,  and  the 
iron  hand-wrought  household  articles,  nails,  etc.  The  exhibit 
will  include  ])hotograi)hs  of  the  earlv  houses,  many  of  which 
are  now  demolished.  The  "talk"  will  be  of  the  early  building 
and  the  practical  reasons  for  some  of  the  methods  that  resulted 
in  the  "tyi)ical  Bergen  County  house." 

This  ])a])er  could  be  extended  to  a  great  length,  rei|uiring 
hours,  inste;id  of  minutes,  in  its  reading,  and  then  the  half  could 
not  be  told  of  the  activities,  keen  interest,  education,  and  en- 
joyment given,  not  onl\'  to  the  children  (  who  love  this  room  and 
roam  through  it  at  ])leasure,  asking  ((uestions )  and  the  middle- 
aged,  but  es])eciallv  to  the  aged  men  and  women  who  come  and 
enjoy  living  over  in  memory  the  days  long  past,  wliich  the 
relics  recall.  It  will  not  l)e  many  years  when  there  will  be  none 
to  say  as  the  few  do  now,  "1~hese  things  carry  me  as  in  a  dream 
to  my  grandmother's  home  '."  W'h)'  the\-  do  not  sa\-  ( irand- 
fathe'r's  home,  as  surel\'  there  must  have  been  some  of  them 
is  explained  when  they  saw  "r)h  !  what  good  pies  she  made  in 
the  old  red  pie  dishes  that' were  just  like  these.  And  the  cook- 
ies !  And  the  bread  from  the  brick  oven  !  How  I  wish  1  had 
some  now  !"  showing  that  the  taste  for  the  products  of  the 
early  kitchen  still  lingers  and  can  never  die.  It  is  not  only  that 
history  has  been  imparted,  but  that  which  has  been  told  herein 
by  visitors  of  the  joys-,  sorrows,  romances  and  customs  of  earlv 
Bergen  County  homes,  has  been  so  instilled  in  the  Curator's 
mind  that  a  glance  in  any  direction,  some  relic  could  call  forth  a 

storv. 

'I  thank  you  for  the  privilege  given  me  tor  th(>  o!)portunUy 
to  live  so  close  to  that  which  tells  of  the  worth  while  lives  m 
the  making  of  dear  old  I'ergen  Countw 
Respectfully  submitted. 

FRANCES  A.  A\KSTF,BVKTT,  Curator. 


Annual  Report  of  the  Archives  and 

Property  Committee 

During  the  vear  now  ending  there  have  been  added  by 
purchase,  gifts,  and  loans,  three  hundred  articles  all  of  which 
!a-e  of  interest  and  value.  Many  visitors  to  our  Museum  have 
been  so  impressed  with  the  care  and  interest  shown  in  the  col- 
lections that  thev  have  presented  many  things.  1  he  list  ot 
.   n  Xitoi-s  and-artick.s\voul<l  be  too  long  to  present  at  this 


i8  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 

meeting,  but  special  mention  should  be  made  of  the  gifts  per- 
taining to  Camp  Merritt,  of  our  own  County,  now  practically 
closed.  The  Monument  Memorial  Committee  of  the  camp  have 
placed  in  our  custody  the  bronze  tablet  (that  was  removed  from 
the  huge  boulder)  until  called  for  to  incorporate  it  in  the  Me- 
morial Monument  to  be  erected  on  the  cantonment  site.  Major- 
General  Duncan  presented  an  official  linen  map,  14  feet  by  6 
feet,  a  plan  of  all  the  buildings,  (over  1,000)  in  the  camp  with 
the  key  to  the  plan.  Its  proper  and  fitting  care  is  being  consid- 
ered. He  gave  also  an  aerial  photograph  of  the  cafnp.  Another 
important  gift  is  a  large  panoramic  view  of  the  cantonment, 
framed  by  the  distant  Palisades  and  the  beautiful  surrounding 
country.  The  post  and  wing  case  bears  in  one  wing  valuable 
data  and  photographs  relative  to  the  camp.  The  Camp  Merritt 
Dispatch,  published  weekly,  has  been  bound  and  is  on  exhibi- 
tion and  for  reference. 

Medals  and  certificates  used  to  present  to  the  Hackensack 
soldiers  and  sailors  have  been  placed  in  the  collection.  The 
Liberty  Loan  Committee  presented  a  large  cannon,  a  French 
machine  gun,  large  shell,  German  overcoat,  helmet  and  haver- 
sack from  a  French  battlefield. 

From  a  mother  of  Bergen  County  (who  wears  a  gold  star) 
has  come  to  us  a  very  sacred  trust,  her  son's  diary,  working 
maps  (he  was  an  engineer),  and  other  interesting  data  all  so 
closely  related  to  the  great  war. 

Many  of  our  gifts  have  been  of  great  value  in  the  work 
being  done  in  our  Museum. 

Many  calls  have  been  made  for  our  Year  Books,  several 
being  from  New  Jersey  school  supervisors.  One  call  from  the 
Chinese  Educational  Commissioner  to  America  for  a  history  of 
our  Museum. 

Several  classes  in  the  Stite  Street  School  issue  monthly 
papers,  the  printing  being  done  in  the  High  School  printing 
department.  To  the  class  in  the  fourth  grade  was  given  Hack- 
ensack History  and  the  loan  of  a  cut  of  The  Green  in  1820 
which  was  used  in  the  May  number  of  the  "Bird's-Eye  News". 
From  our  archives  almost  daily  data  is  being  given  on  Bergen 
County  history,  many  coming  from  out  of  town,  showing  an 
awakening  in  historical  research  for  which  the  Bergen  County 
Historical  Society  is  mostly  responsible. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

FRANCES  A.  WESTERVELT, 
WILLIAM  M.  JOHNSON, 
MRS.  HARRY  BENNETT. 

P.S.     From  the  publication  of  our  last  report,   1916-17, 


The  Bergkx  Couxtn    1 1  istork  ai,  Sf)CiKTv. 


19 


the  activities,   increase,  and   the  orowth  of   oin"  archives  and 
I)ro])erties  has  heen  continuotis. 


Report  of  the  Committee  on  Ancient  Cemeteries 

The  committee  heing  uncertain  as  to  just  how  mncli  work 
had  heen  done  hy  their  i^redecessors,  has 'formuhited  ])lans  hy 
which  it  hopes  to  cover  the  scope  of  its  held  (or  work) 
thoroughly.  In  the  meantime, it  would  he  very  nuich  appreciat- 
ed if  any  memher  of  the  .Society  who  may  have  any  data  hearing 
on  the  work  would  comnunucate  the  same  to  the  chairman  of 
the  committee.  It  is  natural  to  suppose  that  those  memhers 
Ii\ing  in  the  \icinity  of  old  cemeteries  would  he  likelv  to  know 
most  ahout  them,  and  if  such  meml)ers  would  resolve  themselves 
in1o  suh-committees  and  report  all  the\-  could  find  out  ahout  the 
old  cemetei'ies  in  their  own  localities  it  would  ver\-  much  help 
the  work  of  the  committee. 

AiATTHRW  I.  iu)(;i-:in\ 


Report  of  Committee  on  Church  History 

^'oiu'  clKiirman.  at  heginning  of  the  year  just  ])asse(l. 
looked  into  the  ftittu"e  expecting  that,  the  war  being  over,  things 
would  return  to  normal  and  some  of  the  ])lans  worked  out  for 
thks  committee  could  he  put  into  action.  Rut.  as  the  \e:ir  ad- 
vanced, big  ])rohlems  loomed  up  claiming  time  and  a'tention 
both  from  a  ])atriotic  and  civic  stauflpoint.  thus  forcing  the 
abandonment  of  work  in  ])ros])ect.  W'e  look  forward  into  the 
ftittu'e  hoping  that  some  definite  work  can  l:)e  accomplished  in 
the  coming  vear. 

E.  L.  ZAHI^LSKIM 

Report  of  Committee  on  Current  History 

The  chairman  of  the  Current  History  Committee  liegs  to 
report  that  during  the  year  work  was  started  upon  ])rocuring 
the  names  of  the  bovs  serving  their  country  during  the  great 
war,  but  owing  to  the  lack  of  c()-oi)eration  and  the  almost  ini- 
possible  nature  of  the  task  it  was  deemed  best  to  postpone  this 
w^ork  until  such  time  as  Congress  has  (-omi)iled  and  indexed  the 
names  of  all  who  served  their  country.  When  this  is  dtme.  as 
Representative  Ramsey  assured  the  chairman  that  it  will  he, 
he  recommends  that  the  Current  History  C\)mmiltee  i)rocure 
a  copy  and  file  same  for  futtu-e  reference. 
Respectfully  submitted, 

THEODORE  ROMATXE,  Chairman. 


20  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society 


Annual  Report  of  the  Genealogical  and 
Biographical  Committee 

The  chairmanship  of  the  Genealogical  Committee  was 
turned  down  by  other  people  before  it  finally  landed  on  me 
and  I  think  I  have  discovered  why.  I  am  about  the  only  mem- 
ber of  this  Society  who  is  diligently  locating  ancestors  and 
"how  often,  oh,  how  often"  I  have  written  to  people  something 
like  this :  "Your  great-great-great  grandmother  and  mine  were 
sisters  ;  do  you  know  any  previous  family  history  ?"  Once  in  a 
while  they  reply,  but  usually  they  keep  my  stamped  envelope 
and  also  the  information.  IMr.  Miller  probably  thought  "What 
a  nuisance  that  woman  is.  We  will  put  her  on  the  Genealogical 
Committee  and  let  her  bother  herself." 

Now  this  introduction  explains  my  report.  While  Chair- 
man of  this  Committee,  I  discovered  where  two  of  my  remote 
ancestors  were  buried  in  a  field,  and  they  were  perfectly  satis- 
factory ones  too — they  had  gravestones  wnth  the  dates  of  their 
birth  and  death  engraved  thereon.  It's  lucky  they  turned  up 
in  time  to  report,  because  no  one  has  asked  me  to  do  a  single 
thing. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

A.  ELIZABETH  WARE. 


Report  of  Committee  on  Historic 
Sites  and  Events 

Our  report  will  be  brief.  We  can  only  report  progress. 
We  have  been  greatly  disappointed  in  that  we  have  been  unable 
to  set  up  on  the  site  of  the  Protestant  Lutheran  Church  and 
Cemetery  on  the  River  Road,  just  north  of  the  residence  of 
Mrs.  W.  W.  Butler,  the  monument  which  we  had  ordered  to 
mark  that  historic  spot ;  but  because  of  labor  shortage  Mr. 
Elmer  Mabie,  who  has  so  generously  donated  this  monument, 
has  been  unable  to  complete  his  work.  He  hopes,  however,  to 
be  ready  some  time  this  summer. 

ARTHUR  VAN  BUSK^.RK. 


Report  of  Committee  on  Membership 

Soon  after  Mr.  Miller  became  President  of  the  Society, 
he  stated  at  one  of  the  Executive  Committee  meetings  that  in 
order  to  increase  its  usefulness  he  felt  that  the  Society  should 
increase  its  membership,  and  suggested  a  plan  similar  to  that 
used  bv  the  National  Geographic  Society  in  obtaining  members. 


Till-:  I)i:r(;i:x  C'()u^^^■   1 1  isiokhai.  Sociirrv.  2T 

With  the  api)roval  of  the  Executive  Committee,  the  plan  was 
jnit  in  operation,  and  through  Mr.  Miller's  activity  and  interest 
in  seeing  the  Society  grow,  the  C^)mmittee  is  ahle  to  make  the 
following  very  encouraging  report : 

Membership  Roll. 

1919  April  26th     Annual  Meeting t_|t 

Elected    4        145 

May   15th  Executive  Com.  Elected 6 

July   25th  Executive   Coul   Elected 10 

Sept.    1 2th  Executive   Coul   Elected 42 

Sei)t.  26th  Executive    Com.    Elected 14 

Oct.  25th  Semi-Annual  Meeting,  Elected.  .  31 

Nov.  20th  Executive   Com.   Elected 15 

Dec.   19th  Executive  Com.   Elected 38 

1920  Jan.  9th  Executive    Com.    Elected 2^ 

Jan.    16th  Executive    Com.    Elected 14 

[an.  30th  Executive    Com.    Elected 31 

Feh.   27th  Executive    Com.    Elected 12 

Mch.  26th  Executive    Com.    Elected 25 

Apl.   17th     Annual  Meeting,  Elected 30       291 

436 
Deceased   4 

432 

Xet  gain  during  year ~^7 

The  same  membershi])  i)lan  is  still  in  operation,  with  slight 
modifications,  and  consists  mainly  in  having  the  various  mem- 
bers of  the  Societv  recommend  to  the  Meml)ership  Committee. 
on  blanks  furnished  for  this  purpose,  the  names  of  i)ersons 
whom  they  believe  would  become  memliers  of  the  Societv. 
Many  members  have  not  yet  responded  to  the  recpiest  fo'- 
nominations  and  yet  the  Society  has  increased  to  three  times 
its  membership  of  a  year  ago.  It  is  the  aim  of  the  Executive 
Committee  to  have  ainembership  of  one  thousand  by  the  next 
annual  meeting.  When  we  see  what  was  accomplished  during 
the  past  yeai,  this  should  be  a  very  easy  task  if  all  members  will 
kindly  submit  their  nonnnations  of  i)rospective  members 
promptly. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

Membership  Committee, 

C.  v.  K.  BOGERT,  Chairman. 


22  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society, 


Report  of  the  Publication  Committee 

The  chairman  of  the  PubHcation  Committee  reports  that 
since  the  printing  of  the  last  year  book,  1916-1917,  it  was  ahiiost 
impossible  to  secure  contributed  articles  for  the  new  Year  Book 
or  get  research  work  done  until  this  year.  Those  who  might 
have  contributed  were  devoting  all  their  energies,  as  good 
patriotic  Americans,  to  help  win  the  war.  The  Society  is  for- 
tunate this  year  in  having  a  number  of  excellent  articles  as  a 
perusal  of  the  succeeding  pages  will  show.  The  Publication 
Committee  wishes  to  thank  the  writers  of  the  articles  as  well 
as  the  chairmen  of  the  various  committees,  most  of  the  latter 
having  made  full  reports. 

The  chairman  for  some  time  has  had  in  charge  the  publi- 
cation of  two  books  which  are  unique  in  their  way  in  that  they 
are  reproductions  of  original  history  of  Bergen  County.  They 
record  history  as  it  was  made  at  the  time.  The  first  book  will 
be  an  exact  copy  of  the  "Minutes  of  the  Justice  and  Freeholders 
of  Bergen  County,"  from  May  19th,  171 5,  to  August  i8th, 
1794.  It  is  the  earliest  record  extant  in  the  County  Clerk's 
office  at  Hackensack,  New  Jersey.  The  second  is  the  Orderly 
Book  of  the  New  Jersey  Brigade  while  in  Bergen  County.  New 
Jersey,  and  the  then  adjacent  county  of  Orange,  New  York, 
during  the  Revolutionary  War,  from  July  30th  to  October  i8th 
1780.  From  the  fact  that  so  little  original  historv  of  Bergen 
County  has  been  preserved,  the  chairman  has  given  much  in- 
tensive study  to  this  book  requiring  considerable  expenditure 
of  time  and  some  little  money  of  his  own,  with  the  result  that 
every  pertinent  detail  in  regard  to  the  officers,  men,  and  places 
has  been  thoroughly  worked  out.  From  the  subject  matter,  as 
presented  in  the  book,  some  of  the  framework  of  all  the  regi- 
ments that  were  constituent  parts  of  the  army  during  that  time 
has  been  found.  From  this  and  various  other  sources  of  in- 
formation I  have  been  able  to  know  the  regiments  that  were 
actually  present  in  Tappan,  Closter,  Englewood,  Teaneck, 
Leonia,  River  Edge  and  Paramus,  and  how  many  regiments 
there  were  in  the  army  and  why  the  army  was  in  the  various 
places.  Copies  of  newspaper  extracts  of  the  time,  copies  of 
many  letters  written  during  the  period,  copies  of  several 
diaries  written  at  the  time,  all  in  regard  to  the  territory  in  ques- 
tion, are  included.  These  as  well  as  much  contemporaneous 
history  serve  admirably  to  elucidate  the  book  and  map.  The 
book  has  been  thoroughly  indexed,  both  as  to  names  and  places, 
and  the  officers  and  men  have  been  arranged  and  clas'.ified  as 
to  their  various  regiments. 

To  get  all  the  above  has  required  numerous  trips  to  librar- 


The  Bkrgex  C"()uxr\-   1 1  isiokicai.  SotiiyiN-.  23 

ies  in  New  York,  Newark.  I'erlh  Amboy.  Trenton  and  Wash- 
ington. D.  C.  Most  of  tlie  work  lias  been  com])leted.  .Some  of 
the  members  of  the  Society,  knowing  something  of  the  historic 
^•ahle  of  the  book  and  ma]),  and  being  ck'sirons  of  seeing  them  in 
print,  it  has  been  decided  that  the  i)ook  and  map  will  be  pnb- 
lished  without  any  addenda.  At  some  future  time,  when  the 
chairman,  has  completed  the  work,  be  ma\-  at  his  discretion 
publish  the  result  of  his  labors. 

BYRON  (i.  VAN  HORNE. 


Report  of  Committee  on   NVars  and  Revolutionary 
Soldiers'  Graves 

During  the  annu.al  meeting  of  the  Bergen  County  Histor- 
ical Society  held  during  the  year  i»)i-|  a  rejjort  was  made  of  the 
work  that  Society  had  undertaken  in  locating  the  burial  ])laces 
of  all  Revolutionary  soldiers  in  Bergen  County,  with  the  ulti- 
mate object  of  marking  them  in  some  suitable  manner. 

President  J.  L.  :\lerrill  of  the  New  Jt'i'sey  Society.  S.  A.  R..* 
was  a  guest  of  honor  at  this  meeting  and  during  his  address  told 
of  a  similar  work  the  New  Jersey  Society  was  doing  in  this 
respect.  He  suggested  that  here  was  an  excellent  op})ortunit\ 
for  the  two  Societies  to  work  together,  and  stated  that  it  the 
Historical  Society  would  notify  the  New  jersey  Society  of  all 
cuch  graves  they  are  able  to  locate,  that  the  latter  wftuld  gladlv 
mark  them  with  the  regular  S.  A.  R.  bronze  marker. 

Following  Mr.  ■Merrill's  suggestion.  ^Irs.  V.  A.  We^vervelt, 
•he  President  of  the  Historical  Societv.  a])iH)inted  the  following 
committee  to  co-operate  with  the  New  Jersey  Society  and 
Paramus  Chapter.  S.  A.  R..  in  carrving  on  the  work:  K.  L. 
Zabriskie.  Ridgewood,  chairman;  Daniel  (1.  I'ogert.  kjigle- 
wood;  Richard  T.  Wilson,  Ridgewood;  (irover  I).  Curtis.  512 
East  59th  Street.  N.  Y.  C. 

From  that  time  and  uj)  to  the  ])resent.  with  the  exception 
of  the  i)eriod  during  which  members  of  the  comtuittd-  were 
ixtive  in  war  work,  the  committee  has  ])rosecuted  the  work 
assigned  to  them  and.  as  a  result,  has  furnished  to  a  similar 
coiumittee  of  Paranuis  Chapter.  S.  A.  R..  the  following  graves 
as  worthy  of  being  marked  \nth  their  regular  marker: 

1  lAeKl'.XSACK. 

Henry  Berden.  Eieutenant  in  15ergen  County  State  Troop, 
born  August  i.  1752.  died  March  25.  1849.  Buried  in  aban- 
doned graveyard  of  the  Christian  Reformed  Dutch  (diurch  on 
I-Iudson  Street,  Hackensack. 

.\l)raham  L  Brower.  Private  l*.ergen  County  ^Iditia.  born 


24  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 

June  21,  1763,  died  March  21,  1837.     Buried  in  the  graveyar '. 
of  the  Reformed  Church  of  Hackensack. 

Benjamin  P.  Westervelt.  Private  Capt.  Christie's  Co.,  Ber- 
gen County  INIiHtia,  taken  prisoner  Sept.  6,  1781  ;  exchanged: 
received  a  pension  ;  buried  First  Reformed  Churchyard. 

New  Bridge. 
John  Demarest,  Private  Bergen  County  MiHtia.  born  Janu- 
ary 26,  1732,  died  May  14,  1809.     Buried  in  French  Cemetery 
between  River  Edge  and  New  Bridge. 

Closter. 

Dan  Van  Scivan,  a  Pensioner  in  1841  at  which  time  he  was 
hving  in  Lodi,  born  1748,  died  July  10,  1843.  Buried  in  Sautie 
Taves  Burying  Ground  on  property  of  Mr.  Matt.  Bogert,  be- 
tween Closter  and  Demarest. 

Garret  Auryansen,  Private  Bergen  Comity  Militia. 

Resolvert  Auryansen,  Private  Bergen  County  Militia. 

Joseph  Demarest,  Private  Bergen  County  Militia,  also 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Fell's  Battalion,  N.  J.  State  Troops. 

Barent  Naugle,  Private  Bergen  County  Militia. 

David  Naugle.  Private  Bergen  County  Militia. 

All  of  whom  are  buried  in  the  Auryansen  burial  ground. 

RiDGEWOOD 

James  J.  Blauvelt,  Private  Bergen  County  Militia,  born 
1763,  died  T842,  a  Pensioner  in  1841,  at  which  time  he  was  liv- 
ing in  Franklin  Township.  Buried  in  the  graveyard  of  the 
Paramus  Reformed  Chiu'ch. 

Arcola. 
Albert  P.  Van  Voorhees,  Private  Bergen  County  Militia. 
Buried  in  the  Voorhis  Family  Burial  ground. 

Bergenfield. 

Wiert  Banta,  Private  Bergen  County  IVIilitia. 

David  Campbell,  Private  Bergen  County  Militia. 

James  Christie,  Captain  Bergen  County  Militia. 

John  W.  Christie,  Private  Bergen  County  Militia. 

Samuel  Demarest,  Captain  Bergen  County  Militia. 

Jacob  Westervelt,  died  in  British  Prison,  New  York  City. 

All  of  whom  are  buried  in  the  graveyard  of  the  old  South 
Schraalenburgh  Reformed  Church  and  whose  graves  have  been 
marked  by  Post  No.  52,  G.  A.  R. 

Demarest. 
Dourve   Talema    (Dow    Tallman),   murdered   by    Tories. 
Buried  Sauchers  Taves  Begraven  ground. 

These  names  have  been  accepted  by  the   S.  A.   R.  and 


The  Bergen  County  Histokral  Society.  25 


arrangements  have  been  made,  when  the  markers  can  he  ol)- 
tamed,  to  so  mark  the  graves. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing  work  the  Committee  in  cor- 
responderce  with  proper  authorities  in  Washington,  have 
secured  necessary  data  and  forms  required  by  the  War  Depart- 
ment, so  that  they  are  now  in  a  position,  when  graves  are 
located  without  headstones,  to  see  that  such  headstones  are 
placed  by  the  representatives  of  the  War  Department. 

The  Committee  at  present  consists  of  :  Grover  D.  Curtis  51  ^ 
East  59th  Street,  N.  Y.  C. ;  H.  H.  Blauvelt,  Ridgewood ;  Carl 
M.  Vail,  Ridgewood ;  Richard  T.  Wilson,  Chairman,  which 
chairmanship  he  has  held  since  191 5. 

Annual  Report  of  the  Women's 
Auxiliary  Committee 

The  first  meeting  was  held  in  September  to  organize  and 
make  plans  for  the  meetings  for  the  winter.  Fourteen  mem- 
bers were  present,  and  the  underlying  purpose  of  the  progran' 
there  suggested  was  to  increase  the  interest  in  the  aims  of  the 
Bergen  County  Historical  Society,  and  by  increasing  that 
interest,  gain  more  members  and  by  these  means  accomplish 
.^:ome  of  the  objects  for  which  the  Society  was  established.  That 
we  have  succeeded,  in  at  least  one  endeavor,  is  shown  by  oiu 
membership  of  nearly  ninety  members. 

The  October  meeting  was  held  at  the  home  of  the  Chair- 
man, Mrs.  A.  Z.  Bogert.  After  a  short  business  meeting  the 
members  motored  to  Camp  Merritt.  where  they  were  met  by 
Major-General  Duncan  and  Major  Landon,  and  by  them  were 
shown  the  cam])  with  special  interest  in  the  site  of  the  proposed 
memorial. 

The  November  meeting  was  held  in  the  rooms  of  the 
Society,  and  Mrs.  Westervelt  gave  a  most  interesting  talk  on 
"Household  Ways  in  Old  Bergen  County."  illustrated  by 
articles  drawn  from  the  wonderfully  rich  collection  in  the 
Museum  of  the  Society. 

The  December  meeting  was  omitted  because  of  the  many 
demands  of  the  holiday  season,  but  January  was  ricli  enough  to 
compensate.  Then  was  held  an  exhibit  of  china,  glass  and 
pottery  of  which  the  Society  could  be  i)roud,  and  again  our 
Curator  shared  with  us  her  fund  of  knowledge  regarding  the 
choice  collection.  This  exhibition  remained  open  six  weeks, 
during  which  time  there  was  an  average  daily  attendance  of 
twenty-five  people,  and  this  during  the  days  of  storm  and  bad 
roads. 

Owing  to  the  unusual  difticulties  of  transportation,  the 
February  meeting  was  very  small,  only  four  being  present. 


2()  The  Ber(;kx  Couxi^'  Histokicae  SocrETW 


1  he  interest  of  the  March  meeting  was  given  hy  the 
nieinhers,  who  contrihuted  items  of  local  historical  interest. 

In  April  the  Auxiliary  was  given  a  rare  treat,  for  Mrs. 
Mabon  opened  her  house  on  Essex  street  to  the  members,  and 
the  old  stone  house  with  its  treasures  was  thoroughly  enjoyed 
and  admired  From  there  the  members  were  taken  to  the  old 
Anderson  house  on  Main  street,  where  Miss  Anderson  showed 
the  Auxiliary  the  same  gracious  hos])itality  and  the  members 
ex])lored  every  corner  of  one  of  the  interesting  old  houses  of 
I-)ergen  County. 

Before  closing  this  report,  it  seems  but  right  to  speak  of 
ihe  far-reaching-  influence  that  our  Curator,  Mrs.  Westervelt 
is  exerting  in  the  thoughts  of  our  school  children  in  stimulating 
their  interest  and  creating  in  theiu  a  reverence  for  the  things 
of  the  past.  Surely  they  will  be  better  Americans  for  this 
charming  way  of  studying  the  history  of  their  county.  One 
needs  only  to  spend  an  afternoon  in  our  Museum  to  realize  how 
very  real  the  interest  is  that  will  bring  so  manv  children  to 
browse  among  its  treasures. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

MRS.  A.  Z.  BOGERT.  Chairman. 


The  Patriotic  Duty  of  An  Historical  Association 

An  Address  made  at  the  Annual  Meeting,  April  27,  1920,  by  Captain  Arthur  H. 
Brown,  Senior  Chaplain,  80th  Divison,  A.  E.  F. 

The  invitation  to  speak  to  you  met  with  my  unhesitating 
acceptance.  Possibly  this  was  due  to  the  pleasant  recollections 
of  a  similar  privilege  which  came  to  me  three  years  ago.  Then, 
too,  the  subject  suggested  was  one  that  appealed  to  me  very 
nuich,  for  whatever  else  my  army  experience  did  or  failed  to  do 
for  me,  to  this  I  can  testify — it  awakened  an  interest  in  such 
work  as  your  society  aims  to  accomplish. 

After  the  armistice  and  before  sailing  for  home,  during 
that  long  interim  when  hope  deferred  made  the  heart  sick,  one 
of  my  duties  as  Division  Chaplain  was  to  issue  a  weekly  histor- 
ical bulletin,  descriptive  of  places  of  interest  which  lay  in  the 
neighborhood  of  our  training  area. 

It  was  my  custom  to  sally  forth,  armed,  not  with  a 
Baedecker  but  with  an  interpreter  (my  own  French  1  am  sorry 
to  confess  never  matured),  and  to  invade  a  town  which  prom- 
ised to  yield  some  treasure.  My  assault  would  be  directed  on 
the  mayor,  the  schoolmaster  or  the  village  cure'  as  the  likeliest 
sources  of  information.  Generally,  it  was  the  old  cure'  wh.T 
proved  to  be  the  best  repository  of  local  lore.     Can  one  ever 


The  Bergex  Couxtv  Histokjcal  Sdcietv. 


forget  or  cease  to  admire  those  simple-hearted  priests  who. 
with  the  reverence  which  knowledge  inspires  and  the  love  which 
long  association  hreeds,  would  show  me  the  cherished  reliques 
of  an  older  day  ? 

_  What  information  their  own  rich  memories  failed  to  hring 
to  light  was  generally  availahle  on  the  shelves  of  their  lihrarie's 
where  books  stood  ranged,  books  which  looked  as  though  thev 
outrivaled  in  age  the  neighboring  church  itself.  Here,  where 
everything  fairly  reeked  with  the'past  including  our  little  snuff- 
loving,  cassock-clad  priest,  he  would  adjust  his  glasses  over 
the  yellow  page  of  some  ancient  volume  and  discover  for  mv 
use  the  forgotten  fact. 

How  delightful  to  me  were  those  days  of  lesearch,  to  me 
who  used  to  be  quite  awed  by  the  extreme  antiquity  of  some  of 
the  Dutch  houses  in  Bergen  County !  I  got  so  that  I  would 
pass  by  with  indifference  a  i6th  Century  church,  even  though 
built  at  a  time  when  contemporary  America  was  but  a  woodland 
wilderness.  Why  waste  one's  precious  time  with  things  so 
modern  when  there  were  plenty  all  about  which  could  boast 
an  age  ])erhai)s  twice  as  great? 

If  you  want  to  be  made  keenly  aware  of  your  own  national 
youth  fulness,  poke  around  in  one  of  those  French  villages.  Our 
soldiers  would  be  billeted  in  some  unimpressive  little  town,  out 
of  the  main  current  of  life  and  events,  and  they  would  imagine 
that  they  were  bringing  to  it,  for  the  first  time,  name  and 
fame ;  when,  like  as  not.  it  antedated  our  entire  American 
civilization  by  half  a  thousand  years  and  their  coming  was 
only  one  more  chapter  in  a  long  and  glorious  story. 

The  relative  significance,  from  an  historical  point  of  view , 
between  the  old  world  and  the  new  was  well  brought  out  by 
John  Burns  of  England.  He  was  conversing  with  two  soldiers, 
one  of  our  own  men  and  a  Canadian,  as  they  stood  together 
just  outside  the  Parliament  Buildings  in  I^ondon.  Pointing  to 
the  Thames  the  American  asked.  "What's  that.  Mr.  Burns?' 
"That."  was  his  answer,  "is  the  mighty  Thames!"  "Humph!" 
was  the  rejoinder.  "Have  you  seen  the  Missouri  River?"  Then 
the  Canadian  spoke  up :  ''Before  you  answer  that  tell  me.  Mr 
Burns,  if  you  have  seen  the  St.  Lawrence."  "Yes,"  said  John 
Burns  quite  undisturbed,  "yes.  Pve  seen  both  your  rivers.  Your 
St.  Lawrence  is  just  water.  Your  Missouri  is  only  muddy 
water.    But.  gentlemen,  this  is  liquid  history  !" 

\\'hat  interesting  things  I  found  as  a  reward  for  m\ 
search,  almost  within  the  limits,  too.  of  one  of  our  counties — 
the  partiallv  excavated  ruins  of  a  Gallo- Roman  town  ;  the  tomb 
of  St  Valentine,  a  6th  Centurv  holy  man,  as  well  as  the  skull 
of  that  distinguished  gentleman  carefully   preserved   and  an- 


28  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society 

nually  exposed  to  the  reverend  gaze  of  pilgrims ;  a  Gothic 
cliurch  built  in  the  era  of  the  Crusades,  four  hundred  years  be- 
fore the  adventurous  voyage  of  Columbus  but  still  standing, 
opened-doored  to  the  worshipper,  though  bearing  all  the  marks 
of  venerable  age  ;  a  14th  Century  feudal  castle,  a  fine  example 
of  that  sturdy  form  of  architecture  called  Norman,  majestic 
even  in  its  decay.  These  are  but  a  few  of  a  host  of  things, 
remnants  of  an  elder  time,  found  in  a  secluded,  luifrequented 
part  of  La  Belle,  France.  Now  you  see  why  I  share  with  you 
all  the  enthusiastic  interest  which  you  are  taking  in  the  tradi- 
tions of  this  historic  region. 

But  while  speaking  of  the  mere  pleasure  one  derives  from 
it,  I  realize  that  it  is  something  more  than  a  fascinating  pastime, 
Ihis  delving  into  things  dead  and  gone.  Dead  did  I  say  ?  There 
is  where  we  err.  How  foolish  to  suppose  that  the  Past  is  some- 
thing extinct  and  powerless !  Why,  the  Past  is  a  hand,  stronf^ 
and  masterful,  stretching  through  time  and  moulding  that 
which  is  and  that  which  is  to  be.  The  Past,  in  relation  to  the 
Present,  is  like  a  father  who  gives  to  his  son  so  many  of  his 
qualities  and  characteristics  that,  when  the  former  is  no  longer 
in  the  flesh  and  we  see  the  boy,  we  justly  say,  "His  father  lives 
again  in  him."  So  far  from  yesterday  being  a  thing  without 
vitality,  we  may  say  that  in  many  an  instance  the  Present  must 
become  the  Past  before  it  makes  its  fullest  impression,  before 
we  can  begin  to  form  any  just  estimate  of  its  far-reaching  and 
never-ending  influence.  Home  and  the  dear  folks  who  i)eopled 
it  never  meant  so  much  nor  affected  us  for  good  so  greatly  as 
when  they  took  their  place  among  the  things  that  were.  So 
with  the  War.  During  its  progress  conjectures  were  rife  as  to 
its  meaning,  its  significance.  But  they  were  only  conjectures. 
We  knew  not,  nor  do  we  now  know,  the  implications  of  that 
struggle.  The  most  we  can  say  with  certainty  is  that  the  face  of 
the  world  has  been  changed  forever  and  only  eternity  will 
reveal  all  that  is  involved  in  that  bloody  cataclysm  which  for 
four  years  convulsed  the  earth. 

In  that  sense  the  Past  is  ever  living  and  powerful,  whether 
we  will  it  or  not.  But  in  another  sense,  it  lies  within  our  ability 
and  choice  to  make  much  that  is  in  the  Past  dynamic  or  other- 
wise. Here  lies  the  function,  the  patriotic  duty,  it  seems  to  me. 
of  an  historical  association.  It  should  keep  alive,  by  making  it 
known,  all  that  is  best  in  the  Past  so  that  it  may  continue  to 
carry  on  a  ministry  for  good  in  the  Present. 

On  a  neglected  shelf  in  the  Bodleian  Library  at  Oxford 
there  lay  for  two  centuries  several  volumes  of  closely  written 
cipher.  At  last  someone  had  the  ])atience  and  the  skill  to  un- 
ravel the  mysterious  code  and  in  doing  so  discovered  the  now 


The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society.  29 

famous  diary  of  Pepys,  a  diary  which  pours  a  flood  of  hght  on 
the  period  of  the  Restoration  in  England  and  affords  a  wealth 
of  entertainment  to  those  who  delight  in  reading  of  the  ways 
and  whims  of  other  times.  The  antiquarian,  to  whom  we  owe 
the  translation,  was  veritably  resurrecting  a  portion  of  the  Past 
What  tremendous  inspiration  may  be  found  in  the  Past,  if 
we  be  bent  on  making  the  most  of  it !  Early  in  the  War.  Lord 
Kitchener  died,  but  he  did  not  cease  to  live.  The  North  Sea 
swallowed  up  his  gallant  form,  but  England,  who  held  him  in 
her  heart,  decreed  that  his  spirit  should  persist.  A  poet  of  ou^ 
very  own,  Miss  Amelia  Burr  of  Englewood,  wrote  thus  of  him : 

"Not  the  muffled  drums  for  him 
Nor  the  wailing  of  the  fife. 
Trumpets  blaring  to  the  charge 
Were  the  music  of  his  life. 
Let  the  music  of  his  death 
Be  the  feet  of  marching  men. 
Let  his  heart  a  thousand- fold 
Take  the  field  again." 

When  Canada  wanted  fresh  volunte-rs.  she  put  out  posters 
with  those  last  two  lines  upon  them — 

"Let  his  heart  a  thousand-fold 
Take  the  field  again." 

Those  Avho  understood  the  inspiration  of  his  career  and  rallied 
in  response  to  that  appeal,  constituted  what  in  all  justice  was 
still  called  "Kitchener's  Army."  How  admirably,  too,  this 
thought  is  illustrated  from  the  annals  of  our  own  Civil  War. 
John  Brown  was  hung  two  years  before  the  first  shot  was 
fired  on  Sunday,  but  what  was  the  expressive  song  sung  on  the 
long  tramp  by  weary  men  who  needed  every  possible  spur  to 
keep  them  going? 

"John  Brown's  body  lies  a-moulding  in  the  grave, 
But  his  soul  goes  marching  on '" 

How  much  of  inspiration  there  may  be  in  a  great  Past  the 
returned  soldier  is  especially  well  able  to  judge,  for  he  has  been 
in  a  land  and  among  a  people  who  could  boast  one.  As  I  have 
intimated,  France  is  saturated  with  the  Past.  On  every  hand, 
in  old  chateaux  mellowed  by  the  touch  of  centuries,  in  beautiful 
cathedrals  wrapped  in  all  the  mystery  of  the  Middle  Ages, 
other  days  looked  down  upon  him  and  spoke  of  fine  achieve- 
ment    It  stirred  him  mightily  to  find  himself  walking  the  very 


30  Till-:  Ber(;ex  County  Historical  Society. 

highways  which  once  beat  to  the  tread  of  Caesar's  own  legions 
or  to  be  housed  in  barracks  as  at  Pontanezen,  the  very  barracks, 
n'hich  \vere  once  peo]:)led  with  the  brave  soldiers  of  Napoleon, 
that  "little  corporal"  who  for  the  sake  of  a  great  name  knocked 
half  the  world  to  pieces.  In  almost  every  church  in  France 
there  stood  a  statue  of  Joan  of  Arc,  clad  in  armor  and  uphold- 
ing the  banner  of  her  country.  Well  did  we  express  in  song  the 
spiritual  significance  of  it  all — 

"Joan  of  Arc!     Joan  of  Arc! 
May  your  spirit  guide  us  through. 
Lead  your  France  to  victory. 
Joan  of  Arc !     They  are  calling  you." 

Tne\itably  thoughts  like  these  bring  to  my  mind  those  words 
from  Scripture : 

"Seeing  we  are  compassed  about  by  so  great  a  cloud  of 
witnesses,  let  us  run  with  patience  the  race  that  is  set  before 

us. 

Do  you  remember  how  Gibbon  came  to  write  the  Decline 
and  Fall  of  the  Roman  Empire?  The  idea  first  started  in  his 
mind  while  on  a  visit  to  the  Eternal  City.  To  use  his  own 
classic  words,  it  was  "in  the  close  of  the  evening,  as  I  sat  mus- 
ing in  the  church  of  the  *  *  *  Franciscan  Friars,  while 
they  were  singing  Vespers  in  the  Tem])le  of  Jupiter,  on  the 
ruins  of  the  Capitol."  Inspiration  enough  for  a  task  even  so 
tremendous  as  that  which  Gibbon  undertook  I 

Here  lies  the  justification  for  the  Bergen  Comity  H'-^torical 
Society  in  this  region  so  rich,  considering  the  brevity  of  its 
years,  in  that  which  ought  to  make  men  proud :  the  justification, 
too,  of  that  splendid  proposal  to  mark  by  fitting  monument 
the  site  of  Camp  Merritt,  through  which  so  many  of  our  fight- 
ing host  passed  on  their  way  to  a  war  magnificently  waged.  Not 
that  we  can  honor  these  men  by  tablet  of  bronze  or  monument 
of  stone  !  Their  own  deeds  are  their  sufficient  praise.  But  in 
commemorating  them  we  benefit  ourselves,  in  drinking  from 
the  wells  of  memory  and  admiration  we  gather  strength  to  up- 
hold the  blazing  torch  they  lit  and  continue  the  fight  which, 
we  pray  God,  may  ultimately  mean  a  new  earth,  as  well  as  a 
new  heaven,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness. 

But  while  there  is  inspiration  in  the  Past,  there  is  also  peril 
to  which  we  must  not  blind  our  eyes.  There  are  things  in  the 
Past  which  we  have  laboriously  kept  alive  but  which  ought  to 
have  been  left  to  die  a  natural  death.  It  is  like  a  patient  whose 
heart-action  is  sustained  by  artificial  means.  One  could' I't  help 
but  feel  that  in  certain  ways  the  Past  was  too  much  with  them 
on  the  other  side.     How  provoking  it  was  to  see  jieople  iog  on 


The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society.  31 


contentedly  behind  some  outworn  tradition,  some  age-old  cus- 
tom which,  if  brought  to  the  trial  of  reason,  could  not  iustify 
itself.  -"   '      - 

This  is  illustrated  by  an  incident  that  happened  in  a 
village  where  some  Americans  were  billeted.  The  mayor  re- 
quested that  in  case  of  fire  the  soldiers  should  assist  in  manning 
hose  and  pump.  To  this  the  colonel  readily  agreed ;  even  went 
so  far  as  to  a])])oint  a  special  detail  for  the  purpose.  The  lieu- 
tenant in  command  thought  a  little  practice  would  be  a  wise 
precaution.  But  the  mayor  would  not  listen  to  the  idea.  "We 
cannot  allow  that."  he  said  in  ill-concealed  astonishment  at  the 
absurdity  of  the  request.  "We  cannot  allow  that.  The  hose 
hasn't  been  used  for  twenty  years.  It  is  old  and  rotten,  and  if 
you  go  to  fooling  with  it,  might  burst." 

The  peril  of  the  Past  is  that  one  may  anchor  to  it  rather 
than  draw  incentive  from  it.  Some  people  seem  intent  on  mak- 
ing the  Past  a  goal  rather  than  a  point  of  departure.  They  have 
an  inordinate  reverence  for  mere  age.  They  worship  the  God 
of  Things  as  They  Were,  and  the  liturgy  of  their  worship  is 
"What  was.  should  be  now  and  ought  ever  to  be."  Deliver  me 
from  such  blind  devotion  !  Ral])h  Adams  Cram  may  dilate  oi- 
the  glories  of  the  13th  Century  and  we  find  ourselves  in  hearty 
accord  with  much  he  says,  but  when  he  ])aints  it  as  a  sort  of 
Golden  Age  and  laments  the  decadence  of  these  modern  times, 
we  part  company.  The  truth  is  that  wc  have  cast  the  veil  of 
romantic  imagination  over  some  of  those  Mediaeval  towns 
They  were  as  picturesque  and  interesting  as  I  ha\'e  hinted,  but 
if.  with  our  modern  tastes,  we  were  transplanted,  like  the 
Yankee  in  King  Arthur's  Court,  into  the  long  ago,  we  would 
probably  refuse  to  live  in  them.  They  have  "a  glory  from  their 
being  far."  Hopeless  dirt,  incredible  stench,  want  of  drainage, 
scanty  light,  accumulated  garbage — ah.  yes.  I  think  I  may  safe- 
ly say  that  the  old  haunts  of  chivalry  and  love  would  have 
been  quite  intolerable  to  the  modern  American  who  expects  his 
daily  bath  and  an  ample  amount  of  fresh  air.  He  would  have 
pined  for  these  degenerate  times. 

The  degree  to  which  imagination  enters  into  our  concep- 
tion of  the  Past  is  suggested  by  a  story  of  Archbishop  Whate- 
ley's.  An  antiquarian  found  what  he  supposed  was  an  ancient 
shield.  He  prized  it  highly,  incrusted  as  it  was  with  venerable 
dust.  He  loved  to  muse  on  the  splendid  appearance  it  must 
have  had  in  its  bright  newness ;  till,  one  day,  an  over-sedulous 
house-maid  having-  scoured  off  the  rust,  it  turned  out  to  be 
merely  an  old  pot-lid. 

Now  I  think  it  is  the  duty  of  an  historical  association  to  re- 
vive the  Past  in  so  far  as  it  deserves  revival  and  then  to  use  the 


3-^  The  Bergex  County  Historical  Society. 

remaining  material  of  its  find  to  emphasize  and  praise  the  ad- 
vances which  ^^-e  have  made  on  times  gone  by,  remembering 
ever  that  "to  Hve  is  to  outHve."  Unless  we  want  to  be  classed 
with  the  "have  beens,"  we  must  keep  our  minds  in  a  healthy 
state  of  hospitality  toward  the  new.  interesting  ourselves  as  a 
society,  not  only  in  history  that  has  been  made,  but  also  in  his- 
tory that  is  being  made. 

We  were  never  so  open-minded  as  during  the  War.  This 
was  doubtless  due  to  the  enormous  scale  on  which  the  fight  wa^ 
conducted.  Precedents  had  to  be  abandoned.  Old  ways  of 
doing  things  would  not  suffice.  We  were  compelled  to  blaze 
new  trails  through  virgin  forests.  The  War  also  made  us  crit- 
ical of  what  was  old.  -\  vast  judgment  seat  was  set  up  in  the 
world  before  which  governments  and  institutions,  men  and 
gods,  were  brought  to  trial.  Our  most  cherished  convictions 
were  subjected  to  searching  examination.  The  rooted  habits  ot 
a  lifetime  had  to  justify  themselves  or  go  in  the  discard.  We 
were  all  saying  that  a  brighter  future  was  being  forged  on  the 
dark  anvil  of  the  present.  But  with  the  armistice  a  re-action 
set  in  and  it  has  been  spreading  ever  since,  so  that  the  peril  is 
that  we  will  fail  to  reap  the  full  harvest  of  benefit  from  a  war 
successfully  waged.  In  our  recoil  from  the  extravagant  ideas 
of  radicals,  we  give  every  evidence  of  playing  into  the  hands 
of  stand-patters,  who  hate  disturbance  even  as  they  love  their 
incomes.  Apparently,  they  would  like  to  have  the  greatest  dis- 
aster which  ever  befell  the  world,  a  disaster  which  can  be  traced 
to  very  evident  and  remediable  wrongs. — they  would  have 
such  a  disaster  come  and  go  with  no  result  save  the  death  of 
ten  million  robust  men  and  certain  commercial  advantages 
accruing  to  the  United  States. 

There  is  a  type  of  mind  which  such  can  influence,  and  they 
are  doing  so  by  every  possible  means — those  who  deprecat" 
change,  the  kind  who  at  every  new  projwsition  only  entrench 
themselves  the  more  strongly  in  the  old  position,  saying  "What 
is  new  isn't  true."  They  forget  that  the  progress  of  the  race 
has  come  only  by  the  breaking  of  precedent  and  that  everv 
thought,  every  custom,  every  method  which  we  honor  today 
was  once  brand  new  without  an  antecedent  to  sustain  it.  "There 
is  nothing  new  under  the  sun"  is  a  saying  often  on  their  lips. 
They  overlook  the  fact  that  it  was  uttered  by  the  arch-pessimist 
of  the  Bible  and  that  after  his  day  even  Christ  Himself  came 
The  writer  of  Ecclesiastes  must  have  been  the  spiritual  ances- 
tor of  a  certain  man  who  in  1832  resigned  his  position  in  the 
Patent  Office.  The  reason  he  gave  was  that  he  felt  sure  every- 
thing had  been  invented  that  was  ever  going  to  be.  that  the 
Patent  Office  would  soon  have  to  close,  and  that  he  had  best 


The  Bergex  Couxtv  Historical  Society 


33 


forestall  the  inevitable  by  looking  elsewhere  for  emplovment. 
That  was  in  1832  ! 

Of  course,  extremists  on  the  other  side  are  just  as  bad. 
the  men  who  like  to  affect  what  is  new,  very  often  too  when  its 
newness  is  its  chief  charm  and  sometimes  its  only  recommenda 
tion.  They  are  men  who  have  no  loyalties  to  the  Past,  but  who. 
like  the  fickle  weather-vane,  follow  the  shifting  impulses  of  the 
moment.  Xo  finer  word  has  been  uttered  here  this  evening 
than  that  which  told  of  work  done  by  this  Society  among  the 
children  of  foreign  parents.  To  initiate  them  into  the  great- 
ness of  our  national  past,  to  acquaint  them  with  those  things 
which  stir  the  soul  to  patriotic  pride,  to  reveal  to  them  the 
roots  from  whence  sprang  all  that  is  best  in  American  life,  is 
both  a  safe-guard  for  us  and  a  God-send  to  them. 

In  this  day  of  clamant  voices,  some  crying  "Halt '"  and 
others,  "Double-quick.  3.1arch  !"  the  member  of  an  historical 
society  ought,  it  seems  to  me.  to  occupy  a  middle  position,  a 
kind  of  Golden  ]\Iean.  He  should  be  a  man  who  honors  the 
Past,  gratefully  seeks,  accepts  and  employs  all  of  good  it  has  to 
3'ield  him.  He  does  not  speak  and  act  as  if  no  one.  before  he 
appeared,  had  ever  lived  or  thought.  He  understands  that, 
were  it  not  for  the  Past,  we  would  have  to  start  afresh  speech- 
less savages  in  the  forest.  He  appreciates  the  fact  that  the  day 
of  some  things  is  past,  forever  past,  like  empty  sea-shells,  whose 
work  of  protection  is  done  ;  very  curious,  very  picturesque,  very 
interesting,  it  may  be,  but  no  longer  useful.  He  is  not  blind 
to  the  fact  that  the  Past  made  its  mistakes,  that  it  left  a  few 
problems  for  the  Future  to  solve.  Therefore  he  is  not  a  slave 
of  predecent ;  he  does  not  make  a  fetish  of  the  Past.  He  is  hos- 
pitable to  change,  orderly  change.  He  is  open-minded  toward 
tomorrow.  He  knows  by  the  experience  of  the  Past  that  the 
fanaticism  of  today  will  be  the  fashionable  creed  of  tomorrow. 
He  perceives  that  there  are  "new  and  gigantic  thoughts  in  the 
air  which  cannot  dress  themselves  in  the  old  wardrol)e  of  the 
past."  He  is.  therefore,  willing,  if  necessary,  to  make  a  "haz- 
ard of  new  fortunes."  \\'ith  reverence  for  the  Past  with 
o-reater  reverence  for  the  Future,  assured  that  Truth  hath 
shown  him  but  half  her  face  and  that  beyond  and  above  still 
tower  the  vast  heights  of  unattained  possibility,  he  presses  on 
with  Lowell's  magnificent  lines  upon  his  lii)s — 

"New  occasions  teach  new  duties  ; 
Time  makes  ancient  good  uncouth ; 
Thev  must  upward  still,  and  onward. 
\\'ho  would  keep  abreast  of  Truth ; 
Lo,  before  us  gleam  her  camp-fires  ! 
A\'e  ourselves  must  Pilgrims  be, 


34  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 

Launch  our  Mayflower,  and  steer  boldly 
Through  the  desperate  winter's  sea, 
Nor  attempt  the  Future's  portal 
With  the  Past's  blood-rusted  key." 


The  Nation:     What  It  Is— What  It  Costs 

Address  by  Lieut.  Col.  E.  W.  Halford,  Leonia,  N.  J., 
July  4,  1916 

Unveiling  of  W^ashington  Commemorative  Tablet — Passage  of 

Revolutionary    Troops    from    Fort    Lee    through 

Leonia  to  Hackensack  and  Trenton 

The  commemoration  of  a  retreat  may  be  regarded  as  some- 
what anomalous.  Monuments  are  usually  raised  to  victories, 
and  tablets  mark  the  path  of  advance.  As  the  eye  of  memory 
looks  toward  yonder  hillside,  and  follows  the  line  to  and  beyond 
where  we  now  meet,  it  is  to  see  a  small  company  of  men,  not 
with  bands  playing  and  banners  flying  in  the  blatancy  of 
triumph ;  but  marching  in  grim  silence,  without  conf  us'um  it  is 
true,  yet  equally  without  the  elation  of  success.  But  November 
20,  1776,  was  a  necessary  day  in  the  calendar  of  events  \^'hich, 
beginning  with  the  preceding  4th  of  July,  ended  at  Yotktown, 
and  fruited  in  the  founding  of  a  nation  and  a  government,  now 
the  greatest,  and  potentially  the  mightiest,  among  all  the  na- 
tions and  governments  of  the  world. 

Retreat  is  not  always  disaster.  Xenophon  won  immortal- 
ity through  retreat ;  and  it  is  of  interest  to  us  in  New  Jersey,  at 
least,  to  recall  that  it  was  his  work  within  the  borders  of  this 
state — those  masterly  maneuvers  of  which  this  retreat  was  a 
part — that  gave  to  Washington  an  international  reputation  as  a 
soldier,  calling  forth  from  Frederick  the  Great  of  Prussia,  the 
comment  that  "these  strategies  had  never  been  excelled  in  all 
the  annals  of  war." 

I.    THE  NATION. 

This  tablet  here  unveiled  and  speaking  of  but  one  in^.ident 
and  that  comparatively  minor,  would  be  measurably  me-ining- 
less  were  it  not  intended  as  the  expression,  for  oursel ,'?':  and 
for  posterity,  of  the  soul  and  spirit  of  the  nation  it  coi:  notes. 
As  Jerseyites  we  may  well  and  worthily  engage  in  these  exer- 
cises ;  for  New  Jersey  has  an  honorable  record  in  connection 
with  the  entire  struggle.  Before  the  Declaration  was  made  its 
people  deposed  from  the  speakership  of  the  State  A-sembly 
Robert  Ogden,  because  he  failed  to  unite  with  them  in  me-norial 
and  protest  to  the  King  and  Parliament  of  Great  Britain  against 
the  wrongs  from  which  they  suffered,  and  it  was  the  third  state 
to   ratify   and   to   adopt   the   constitution   of   the   new   nation, 


The  Bergen  County  Histokicai,  Society.  35 

while  within  its  herders  were  fought  some  of  the  most  (].>-isive 
struggles  of  the  Revolution. 

A  nation,  with  all  the  word  implies,  was  created  ii\'  the 
Fathers.  There  were  those  in  the  early  days  and  ha\e  been 
all  along  our  history,  as  there  are  some  yet.  who  atfect  to  be- 
lieve that  it  was  an  isolate,  self-contained  and  self -satisfied  com- 
munity that  was  then  formed.  Within  the  last  ninety  days  I 
read  in  a  leading  editorial  printed  in  one  of  the  most  prominent 
daily  newspapers  of  the  country  this  choice  morsel : 

"God  swung  his  deep  and  stormy  Atlantic  seas  between 
Europe  and  America.  We  would  not  suffer  materiallv  or  other- 
wise if  those  seas  were  never  crossed  by  a  British,  a  German, 
or  an  American  keel,  for  we  are  sufficient  unto  (jurselves  in 
every  way." — Los  Angeles  Times,  April  3. 

These  have  ignorantly  if  not  wilfully  misinter,ireted 
Washington's  wise  warning  against  "Permanent  politicr;.!  alli- 
ances" with  other  nations,  and  have  assumed  that  the  Father  of 
his  country  believed  that  the  Nation  he  assisted  into  being 
should  and  could  have  a  reserved  and  restricted  life  ;  a  li^e  with 
privileges  to  be  sure,  but  without  resi^onsibilities.  They  have 
not  read  history  wisely  nor  well. 

On  the  /th  of  June.  1776,  on  motion  of  Richard  Henry 
Lee.  the  Continental  Congress  adopted  a  resolution  de-'laring 
it  to  be  "expedient  forthwith  to  take  the  most  effective  meas- 
ures for  forming  foreign  alliances."  Twelve  colonies  voted 
for  this  resolution.  New  York  alone  abstaining  from  voting, 
and  a  committee  was  at  once  appointed  upon  "relations  with 
foreign  powers."  The  Declaration  of  July  4  proclaimed  the 
purpose  of  the  Colonies  to  l)e  "to  assume  among  the  powers 
of  the  earth  that  separate  and  equal  station  to  which  the  laws 
of  nature  and  of  nature's  God  entitled  them."  Third  in  the 
catalogue  enumerating  powers  belonging  to  such  a  nation, 
was  "to  contract  alliances";  and  on  July  6.  1778,  "A  tre:ity  of 
alliance  and  commerce"  was  formed  with  France,  soon  fol- 
lowed by  others  of  a  like  nature  with  other  governments 

The  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  adopted  Sep. ember 
17,  1787,  provided  that  Congress  should  have  "power  to  regu- 
late commerce  w'ith  other  nations."  and  that  the  President 
should,  "by  and  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the  Senate, 
make  treaties,"  without  qualification  as  to  their  terms,  so  that 
they  be  within  the  scope  of  universally-accepted  national 
sovereignty.  This  constitution  was  signed  by  George  V\^ash- 
ington  as  President  of  the  Convention  which  framed  it.  Wash- 
ington had  no  belittling  idea  of  the  power  or  purpose  of  this 
Nation,  and  he  cannot  be  quoted  against  the  fullest  and  largest 
function  of  our  National  life. 


36  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Societv. 

The  United  States  is  a  world  power,  a  member  of  the 
family  of  Nations,  with  full  international  relationship  and  re- 
sponsibility. It  cannot  exist  for  itself.  It  cannot  stand  aside 
from  the  development  of  civilized  society  througho'jt  the 
whole  earth. 

II.     WHAT  THE  NATION  IS. 

This  Nation  has  its  own  genius.  Fifty-three  years  ago, 
on  the  greatest  battlefield  of  the  civil  war,  yVbraham  Lincoln 
said :  "Four  score  and  seven  years  ago  our  fathers 
brought  forth  on  this  continent  a  new  nation  conceived  in 
liberty  and  dedicated  to  the  proposition  that  all  men  are 
created  equal.  We  are  now  in  a  struggle  to  test  whether  that 
nation  or  any  nation  so  conceived  and  dedicated  can  long  en- 
dure." One  hundred  and  forty  years  is  not  much  of  a  period 
in  the  life  of  a  nation.  Two  lives  such  as  mine  carry  us  to  a 
point  six  years  prior  to  the  Declaration  and  to  nineteen  years 
iDefore  the  government  eventuating  the  reform  was  formally 
inaugurated.  Other  nations  have  lasted  through  many  cen- 
turies, if  not  milleniums.  The  testing  time  to  which  Mr.  Lin- 
coln alluded  is  still  on.  We  speak  of  "Independence  Day." 
Except  in  a  restricted  sense  the  term  is  a  misnomer ;  an  infirm- 
ity of  language.  In  the  large  sense  no  person  or  no  nation  is 
independent :  The  thoughtless  use  of  the  word  tends  to  breed 
arrogance  and  selfishness.  The  only  "independent"  condition  is 
the  condition  of  irresponsibility.  The  moment  a  mar.  or  a 
nation  comes  to  himself  or  itself,  there  is  established  tbat  "in- 
terdependence" which  is  the  law  of  all  sentient  and  responsi- 
ble life.  In  one  way  or  another  the  United  States  must  be  at 
charges  with  the  other  nations  of  the  earth.  We  shall  be  forced 
to  enter  into  their  fellowship,  even  the  fellowship  of  their  suf- 
ferings, and  to  an  increasing  degree  as  the  distances  of  the 
world  grow  smaller  and  the  fellowship  of  man  becomes  more 
instant  and  constant. 

The  principle  to  which  this  Nation  is  dedicated  is  the 
equality  of  all  men — the  universal  Democracy  of  Humanity — 
"All  men,"  as  used  in  the  Declaration,  means  all  men.  It 
means  democracy  and  freedom  for  the  Mexican  as  well  as  for 
the  American,  for  the  black  as  well  as  for  the  white ;  for  far 
Cathay  as  well  as  for  Europe  or  the  United  States.  We  stand 
for  that  supreme  and  conquering  principle  of  universal  democ- 
racy in  which  "none  shall  dominate  but  all  shall  share"  ;  ?  prin- 
ciple essential  and  applicable  to  all  life — political,  social,  eco- 
nomic, mental,  moral,  s))iritual.  It  is  one  world,  one  hui^ianity, 
one  law,  one  destiny.  This  may  prove  a  difficult  lesson  to  learn, 
and  an  unpleasant  theorem  upon  which  either  to  make  or  to 


TiiF.  Brrgen  County  Historical  Society.  37 

interpret  history  or  to  regulate  conduct.    But  it  is  eternally  true 
and  eternally  inescapable. 

Upon  this  principle  this  Nation  is  dedicated  to  Peace.  Said 
President  Harrison.  "Our  people  are  smitten  with  the  Icve  of 
peace."  That  is  the  prophylaxis  in  our  essential  nature  which 
will  saYe  us  from  developing  the  desire  for  war.  despite  the 
efforts  of  a  few  to  inoculate  the  country  with  the  viru-'  now. 
eating  out  the  vitals  of  outworn  autocracies.  The  spirit  of  war 
is  the  spirit  of  conquest.  That  spirit  is  hateful  to  us,  and  alien 
to  our  birthright.  We  will  have  none  of  it.  With  unerring  in- 
stinct there  is  chiseled  on  the  face  of  the  monument  of  our 
greatest  military  chieftain,  "Let  us  have  peace."  Washington 
wrote :  "I  am  led  to  reflect  how  much  more  delightful  to  an  un- 
debauched  mind  is  the  task  of  making  improvements  on  the 
earth  than  all  the  vain  glory  which  can  be  acquired  from  ravag- 
ing it  by  the  most  uninterrupted  career  of  conquest."  \iiierica 
is  committed  to  development,  not  to  destruction  ;  to  order,  not 
to  chaos  ;  to  the  inalienable  rights  of  all  men  everywhere  to  life, 
liberty  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness.  W^e  make  uncomrromis- 
ing  battle  against  whatever  stands  in  the  way  of  these  things, 
whether  at  home  or  abroad.  To  bring  to  perfection  these  fruits 
of  a  normal  life  there  must  be  peace  within  our  own  l)orders, 
and  elsewhere — a  peace  to  be  secured  and  maintained  at  vvhat- 
ever  cost.  We  stand  ready  for,  and  responsive  to,  the  call  of 
duty  toward  the  peoples  and  the  nations  of  the  earth  in  the  con- 
stitution of  international  agencies  for  the  determination,  the  en- 
forcement and  the  maintenance  of  those  rights  and  privileges 
which  make  for  justice  and  righteousness — the  only  stable 
foundations  of  the  peace  we  desire  and  will  have,  not  for  our- 
selves only,  but  for  all  mankind. 

HI.  WTIAT  IT  COSTS. 
Nothing  is  so  costly  as  all  this,  for  these  are  of  the  spirit 
of  a  man  and  of  a  Nation.  In  the  garden  of  the  sprrU  the 
hnest  fruits  ripen  on  the  higher  branches.  "Freedom  in  its 
deepest  and  broadest  sense  is  never  a  bequest ;  it  must  be  b  con- 
quest." And  it  is  always  of  the  Soul.  Said  Daniel  \A'ei)ster: 
"Be  it  remembered  that  it  was  a  thinking  communitv  that 
achieved  our  revolution  before  it  was  fought."  The  minds  of 
men  are  the  first  battlefields,  and  conscience  is  the  arena  in 
which  issues  are  met  and  fought  out  to  wise  or  base  conclusion. 
Much  has  been  said  of  one  or  other  infallibility — infallibility  of 
popes,  of  churches,  of  authority,  or  of  custom.  There  is  but  one 
infallibility — the  human  conscience,  which  Shakespear.^  called 
"This  deity  in  my  l)OSom."  Quoting  Washington  again : 
"Labor  to  keep  alive  in  you  that  little  spark  of  celestial  fire 
called  conscience."     Unless  men  shall  keej)  their  mind--  their 


38  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 

own,  and  back  their  untrammeled  judgment,  reached  through 
an  educated,  intelHgent  and  sane  conscience,  with  a  wil^.  that 
leads  them  to  the  end  no  matter  what  may  be  involved,  their 
enslavement  is  but  a  question  of  time  and  of  occasion.  All  that 
is  worth  while  in  human  history  has  been  worked  out  through 
a  science  knowing  no  unworthy  compromise  of  principle,  and  a 
spirit  ever  open  to  the  influences  of  a  virtue  untainted  by  sel- 
fishness and  unweakened  by  fear. 

"Yet  still  there  whispers  the  small  voice  within  : 
Heard  through  gain's  silence  and  o'er  glory's  din. 
Whatever  creed  be  taught,  or  land  be  trod. 
Man's  conscience  is  the  oracle  of  God." 

In  1 761  James  Otis  cried  out  before  the  Supreme  Court  of 
Massachusetts :  "To  my  dying  day  I  will  oppose  with  all  the 
powers  and  faculties  God  has  given  me  such  instruments  of 
slavery  on  the  one  hand  and  villany  on  the  other" — referring 
to  entry  and  search  of  a  man's  house  without  authority  of  law. 
Speaking  of  this  protest  by  Otis,  John  Adams  said :  "Then  and 
there  was  the  first  act  of  opposition  to  the  arbitrary  claims  of 
Great  Britain — Then  and  there  the  child  Independence  was 
born." 

The  protestant  conscience  is  the  father  of  freedom  :  The 
protestant  conscience  must  be  sacredly  guarded  as  the  final 
bulwark  of  liberty.  John  Hampden  declining  to  pay  the  ship 
tax,  and  going  to  jail  rather  than  obey  an  unrighteous  law 
enacted  by  tyranny :  Abraham  Lincoln  resisting  through  an 
entire  night  the  advice  of  weaker-minded  men  who  preferred 
to  walk  in  dalliance  with  opportunism,  saying  to  them,  "I  am  not 
bound  to  win,  but  I  am  bound  to  be  true" — and  in  the  morning 
uttering  the  debated  words  that  doubtless  contributed  to  the 
defeat  of  his  political  advancement  for  the  time,  but  which  in 
the  near  future  proved  the  golden  stairs  upon  which  he  f  limbed 
the  heights,  to  become 

"On  freedom's  crowning  slope 

The  pillar  of  a  people's  hope. 

The  center  of  a  world's  desire" : — 

William  E.  Gladstone  saying  to  his  opponents  in  the  British 
parliament  in  the  debate  upon  the  extension  of  the  ballot— 
"The  great  moral  forces  which  move  onward  in  their  might 
and  majesty,  and  which  the  tumult  of  our  debate  does  not  for 
a  moment  impede  and  disturb — these  great  forces  are  against 
you" : — 

The  ])rotestant  conscience  that  will  say  with  Tennvson — 


The  Bergen  Couxtv  I  lisTOkicwi.  Society. 


39 


"Because  right  is  right, 

To  follow  right  were  wisdom  in  scorn  of  conse(|ucnce," — ■ 

this  is  to  he  cultivated  and  maintained  at  every  hazard.  Men 
still  stone  the  prophets;  yet  in  after  ages  the  stones  hecome 
their  monuments. 

But  let  those  who  assume  to  he  ])rophets  and  teachers  he 
careful  of  their  title.  An  inflamed  conscience  is  not  necessar- 
ily a  reliable  guide,  and  protestantism  may  be  only  a  name  for 
narrow  prejudice.  The  spirits  which  voice  themselves  to  man's 
conscience  must  he  tried  and  can  he  tried,  and  are  to  be  accepted 
or  rejected  according  to  their  reactions.  One  safe  and  sure  test 
is  of  their  harmony  with  the  soul  of,  and  their  contribution  to, 
the  development  of  a  stable  democracy. 

There  must  as  well  be  a  corporate  conscience.  There  are 
other  agents  and  responsible  units  than  individuals  through 
which  life  is  functioned  and  the  work  of  the  world  carried 
forward.  The  corporate  conscience  can  only  be  born  out  of  and 
developed  f  roiu  the  individuals  who  com])ose  the  corporation — 
social,  economic,  civic,  religious.  An  individual  can  no  longer 
hide  behind  corporate  impersonality  for  either  action  or  non- 
action that  would  be  culpable  or  cowardly  in  himself.  The  old 
legal  lie  that  "corporations  have  no  souls,"  in  the  sense  that  its 
members  are  thereby  immune  from  responsibility  for  corporate 
misconduct,  has  been  driven  into  exile  by  the  social  forces  of 
these  later  days.  Guilt  is  not  only  personal :  l)ut  responsibility 
for  corporate  guilt  is  personal.  Whether  of  a  family,  or  of  a 
firm,  or  of  a  corporation  business  or  political — each  of  us  is  held 
for  the  acts  of  those  to  whom  he  relates  himself:  sometimes 
and  in  some  ways  more  directly  perhaps  than  at  others :  but  in 
the  last  analysis  responsibility  inevitably  accrues,  and  penalties 
for  action  or  inaction  are  remorselessly  levied  and  executed. 

This  corporate  conscience  must  be  quickened  and  kept  pro- 
testant  against  social  and  .political  unrighteousness.  \\'e  are 
our  brother's  keepers,  and  wrongs  unjustly  inflicted  or  allowed 
cry  from  the  ground  until  avenged  and  righted.  Said  Mr.  Lin- 
coln in  the  dark  days  of  our  great  civil  conflict :  "Fondlv  do  we 
hope,  fervently  do  we  pray,  that  the  mighty  scourge  of  war  may 
soon  pass  away.  Yet  if  God  wills  that  it  continue  until  all  the 
wealth  piled  by  the  bondsman's  two  hundred  and  fifty  years  of 
unrequited  toil  shall  be  sunk,  and  until  every  drop  of  blood 
drawn  by  the  lash  shall  be  paid  for  by  another  drawn  by  the 
sword,  as  was  said  three  thousand  years  ago,  so  still  must  it  be 
said,  'The  judgments  of  the  Lord  are  true  and  righteous  a|to- 
gether.'  "  These  words  are  as  vital  now  as  when  they  were  first 
uttered.     They  measure  the  demand  that  will  be  made  upon 


40  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 

America  by  reason  of  its  trusteeship  for  humanity,  as  they  indi- 
cate the  peril  and  penahy  of  ignoble  betrayal. 

Non-conformity  is  seldom  easy,  unless  when  made  a  virtue 
in  itself  to"minister  to  vain  self-complacency.  Ease  lies  along 
the  path  of  least  resistance.  But  non-conformity  is  the  atmos- 
phere of  freedom.  The  tendency  in  all  organization  is  toward 
crystallization,  institutionalism,  in  which  is  ever  lurking  the 
danger  of  tyranny,  caste  and  hierarchy.  Dissent  is  the  necessity 
of  democracy :  a  dissent  founded  in  conscience,  guided  and 
restrained  by  wisdom,  but  without  fear.  In  the  degree  this 
spirit  of  non-conformity  be  absent  from,  or  is  lost  to  indi- 
viduals, to  society,  to  the  state,  to  the  church,  there  ensues  a 
like  measure  of  arrested  development,  of  decay,  of  tyrarmy,  or 
oligarchy. 

If  this  government,  acclaimed  today  not  only  in  this  land, 
but  wherever  its  influence  and  its  hope  have  extended  and  pene- 
trated human  society,  is  to  be  preserved,  it  must  remain  "a 
government  of  the  people,  for  the  people,  and  by  the  people." 
Virtue  and  morality  must  ever  be  the  twin  pillars  upon  which  it 
shall  stand,  these  pillars  firmly  fixed  upon  the  only  foundation 
strong  enough  to  bear  them  and  their  superstructure.  There  is 
a  constant  disposition  to  belittle  and  to  cast  aside  the  authority 
of  religion ;  not  the  form  of  its  expression,  about  which  men 
may  justly  differ;  but  the  spirit  of  religion,  which  is  essential 
to  life.  Washington  cautioned  his  fellow-citizens  against  the 
folly  of  indulging  the  hope  that  free  government  could  exist 
except  through  virtue  and  morality,  and  he  warned  them  that 
these  traits  could  only  be  maintained  through  religion.  Writing 
to  his  wife  on  the  3rd  of  July,  1776,  John  Adams  said  of  the 
day  upon  which  the  question  of  the  Declaration  was  determined, 
that  the  day  "ought  to  be  commemorated  from  this  time  for- 
ward forever,  from  one  end  of  the  continent  to  the  other,  by 
solemn  acts  of  devotion  to  xA-lmighty  God,  as  well  as  with  guns, 
bells,  bonfires,  and  illuminations."    • 

Fundamentally  the  American  spirit  is  deeply  religious. 
When  Columbus  discovered  America  the  first  thing  he  did  was 
to  dedicate  it  to  Almighty  God  in  the  name  of  the  King  of 
Spain.  When  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  landed  on  our  shores,  they 
praised  God  for  bringing  them  to  a  new  world  where  thev  could 
enjoy  civic  and  religious  freedom.  And  during  the  years  of 
the  Revolution  the  Continental  Army  as  well  as  the  colonists 
generally,  besought  the  Almighty  to  help  them  in  their  struggle 
for  freedom.  John  Adams  gives  a  very  graphic  picture  of  a  re- 
markable scene — the  first  prayer  ever  offered  in  Congress.  The 
chaplain — an  Episcopal  minister — invoked  the  Divine  blessing 
and  guidance  upon  their  proceedings.     Patrick  Henry,  Samuel 


C  X 

Z  5 

<  — 

r;  .if 

>  X 


OLD  BRINKERHOFF  HOUSE 
Demarest's    on    Teaneck    Road,    not    far    from    N.    Y.    trolley    track. 
specimens  now  standing. 


One    of    the    finest 
Dormer  windows  were  added  a  few  years  ago. 


THE    SMITH    OR    McMlCIIAEL    HOUSE. 
English    Neighborhood    Road. 


The  Berckx  Couxtv  Historical  Sociktn-.  41 


Adams,  Randolph,  Riitledge.  Lee  and  Jay  were  amoiii^-  those 
who  stood  with  bowed  and  uncovered  heads,  but  Washington 
sank  upon  his  knees.  In  this  way  did  the  first  Congiess  ac- 
knowledge their  dependence  upon  God.  and  one  of  tlu-ir  acts 
was  to  proclaim  a  fast  day  on  which  they  called  "the  inhabitants 
of  all  the  English  colonies  on  this  continent  to  humiliation,  fast- 
ing and  prayer,  that  the  Almighty,  the  most  merciful  Governor 
of  the  world,  would  hear  the  voice  of  His  people,  redeem  them 
from  all  their  iniquities,  grant  an  answer  of  peace,  and  convince 
their  enemies  of  their  mistaken  measures,  and  of  their  injurious 
and  vain  attempts  to  deprive  them  and  unborn  millions  of  that 
inestimable  heavenly  gift  of  Freedom  and  Liberty." 

When  W'ashington  was  inaugurated  in  New  York  as  our 
first  President,  he  first  repaired  to  St.  Paul's  church  where  re- 
ligious services  were  held,  and  then  went  to  the  spot  on  Wall 
street  where  the  civic  ceremonies  took  place.  On  the  centennial 
of  that  event  it  was  hiy  fortune  to  attend  the  then  President  of 
the  United  States  as  he  followed  the  example  of  his  illustrious 
predecessor.  Again  have  I  gone  down  to  the  old  church,  and 
sat  in  the  pew  in  which  Washington  thus  attested  his  s  use  of 
ultimate  dependence  both  for  himself  and  for  the  Nation,  and 
thought  of  the  lesson  his  act  would  convey. 

A  free  government  nuist  be  a  righteous  government.  Such 
a  government  means  ecpial  opportunities  for  all  and  special 
privileges  for  none.  It  means  just  laws,  equitably  enforced. 
It  means  halls  of  legislation,  and  temples  of  justice,  and  offices 
of  administration  free  from  favoritism,  from  selfishnes;,  from 
the  suspicion  of  bribery  in  any  guise — free  of  anything  and 
everything  that  would  corrupt  or  impede  the  flow  of  righteous 
life  through  these  arteries  of  our  national  being. 

The  citizenship  of  America  must  recognize  that  "the  State 
is  organized  for  society  and  that  its  ordering  is  holy  :  it  is  not 
enough  to  make  politics  clean:  they  must  be  made  sacrificial  and 
redemptive."  The  permanence  of  free  government  means 
that  business  and  society  must  have  a  regenerate  spirit.  "When 
men  go  out  to  the  day's  task  they  nutst  go  in  the  di\ine  temi)er.. 
W'hen  they  commit  themselves  to  citizenship  they  commit  them- 
selves to  things  sacramental,  and  when^they  walk  the  ways  of 
fellowship  thev  walk  them  as  Sons  of  God." 

No  apology  is  ofi'ered  or  needed  for  the  serious  disposition 
in  which  this  address  is  conceived.  The  honor  and  privilege  of 
speaking  upon  this  occasion  have  not  been  lightly  esteemed. 
There  has  i)urposely  been  no  direct  reference  to  the  immediate 
unusual  conditions  either  in  our  own  country  or  abroad  :_ condi- 
tions that  must  sober  the  mind  and  temper  the  spirit  of  every 
thoughtful  man  and  woman.     No  assembly  of  i)eople  could 


42  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 


come  together  this  day  without  realizing  that  the  whole  world  is 
brought  face  to  face  with  the  fundamentals  of  life. 

We  believe  this  Nation  was  conceived  and  brought  forth 
for  high  service :  to  render  that  service,  either  for  our  own  or 
for  the  world's  weal,  both  people  and  Nation  must  be  made 
worthy  to  serve.  One  of  the  foremost  of  Europe's  writers  re- 
cently wrote : 

"The  underlying  watchword  of  the  preparedness  issue 
which  is  sweeping  the  United  States,  is  the  idea  that  the  power 
of  America  should  be  used  to  deliver  humanity  from  the  toils  in 
which  it  has  been  enmeshed  by  the  past ;  that  it  should  be  the 
weapon  of  a  new  dispensation,  and  that  the  affairs  of  men  shall 
henceforth  be  subject  to  the  arbitrament,  not  of  force,  but  of 
justice.  The  sword  which  America  is  forging  will  be  used  not 
to  make  war,  but  to  make  war  on  war,  and  to  lay  the  f'junda- 
tion  of  world  security." — London  Daily.  News. 

It  is  "sweet  and  proper  to  die  for  one's  country,"  but  Mon- 
talembert,  the  great  Frenchman,  added  the  higher  and  more  im- 
portant half  to  that  truth,  when  he  wrote  "to  die  fo"  one's 
country  is  fine,  but  to  live  for  one's  country  is  better." 

Properly  do  we  glory  in  the  greatnes,  of  this  nation.  Na- 
poleon said,  "Great  is  he  who  uses  his  greatness  for  all."  Such 
is  America's  commitment.  "It  is  a  high  day  in  the  human  story 
when  a  great  principle  reaches  its  hour."  This  is  the  hour  for 
the  apotheosis  of  the  principle  of  service.  No  matter  what 
labor  or  what  sacrifice  devotion  to  this  principle  may  entail,  in 
the  words  of  the  great  charter  of  our  freedom,  to  this  commit- 
ment "We  pledge  our  lives,  our  fortunes,  and  our  sacred 
honor." 


*'OLD  DAYS  IN  LEONIA/' 

Robert  Hill  Greeue. 
Jiiue  14,  1920. 

As  a  self-governed  community  Leonia  is  a  comparatively 
voung  municipality,  being  but  little  over  25  years  old.  Her  an- 
cestry can,  however,  be  traced  not  only  through  generations  of 
men  but  through  divisions  of  territory  back  to  the  earliest  set- 
tlements on  Manhattan  Island  and  the  Jersey  Provinces : 

Her  generations  may  be  paraphrased  as  follows :  Leonia 
was  set  off  from  the  township  of  Ridgefield.  that  was  set  off 
from  the  townshij)  of  Hackensack,  that  was  one  of  the  original 
•divisions  of  the  Province. 

The  old  township  of  Hackensack  has  no  connections  with 
the  village  of  that  name  except  that  the  ancient  township  and 
the  modern  village,  one  lying  on  the  eastern  shore  and  tV.e  other 


The  Berc;i:x  County  Historical  Sociktv.  43 


on  the  western,  l)oth  received  their  names  from  the  river  that 
for  uncounted  years  was  the  highway  of  the  Indians. 

In  the  year  1682  the  Province  of  East  Jersey  was  divided 
into  four  counties  ;  liergen.  one  of  these  four,  comprised  the 
strip  of  land  lying  hetween  the  Hudson  and  the  Hackensack 
rivers  and  extending  north  to  the  boundary  of  the  ])rovince. 

The  old  township  of  Bergen  had  been  constituted  in  1658 
and  comprised  the  southern  part  of  this  strip  as  far  north  as 
the  present  boundary  of  Hudson  County. 

In  accordance  with  an  act  passed  in  1693  the  remai:ider  of 
the  county  was  comprised  in  the  township  of  Hackensack. 

In  1709  the  boundaries  of  Bergen  County  were  changed 
and  Hackensack  village,  which  up  to  that  time  had  been  in 
Essex  County,  became  the  county  seat  of  Bergen. 

In  1668  Samuel  Edsall,  a  prominent  man  in  New  .\mster- 
dam,  pru'chased  1,872  acres  in  the  southerly  ])art  of  Hacken- 
sack township.  This  land  extended  from  the  Hudson  river  to 
the  Overpeck  creek  and  the  northerly  boundary  was  within  the 
present  confines  of  Leonia,  probably  at  Park  avenue.  Appar- 
ently Edsall  settled  on  this  proi)erty  immediately,  as  much  is 
said  of  his  constructive  work  and  of  his  prominence  in  local 
afTairs. 

The  purchase  of  this  land  had  an  important  bearing  on  the 
future  life  of  the  community  as  it  established  an  English  settle- 
ment among  the  Dutch  along  the  Hackensack  river. 

This  section  became  known  as  the  English  Neighborhood, 
and  in  some  old  records  the  Overpeck  creek,  or  Overpeck's 
creek,  is  referred  to  as  the  English  creek. 

The  bounds  of  the  English  Neighljorhood  are  indefmite, 
but  from  old  maps  and  records  it  is  evident  that  it  ex-ended 
along  the  eastern  side  of  Overpeck  creek  from  as  far  south  as 
Fairview,  through  Leonia  to  Englewood. 

In  the  records  of  the  Governor  and  Council  of  EasL  Jersey 
for  the  year  1684  we  find  reference  to  the  Indian  ownershij)  of 
the  land'  in  this  section  as  follows  :  "The  petition  of  Casper  and 
Alattys  Jansen,  setting  forth  that  about  seven  years  since 
(  1677 )  tile  petitioners  obtained  by  gift  from  Indians  a  ])arcel  of 
land  Iving  at  Hackensack,  on  the  North  side  of  the  Creek,  etc." 

From  the  171 5  Book  of  Records,  Freeholders  and  Jiistices, 
we  find  an  entry  which  throws  light  on  other  inhabitant <  of  field 
and  forest  and  that  helps  one  to  form  a  mental  picture  of  con- 
ditions existing  at  that  time.  "Ordered  that  there  be  r-iised  the 
sum  of  ten  pounds  proclamation  money  for  defraying  the 
charges  of  killing  wolves,  panthers  and  red  foxes  for  tlu'  ensu- 
ing year."  -i         r 

Amono-  the  earlv  settlers  within  a  radius  of  a  few  miles  ot 


44  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 

the  present  boundaries  of  Leonia  may  be  mentioned  Hendrick 
Jorisen  Brinkerhoff.  In  1865  he  purchased  land  on  the  east 
bank  of  the  Hackensack  river  and  the  old  homestead  bitilt  soon 
after  is  still  standing. 

Hendrick  Brinkerhoff  was  the  ancestor  of  Cornelius 
Christie  on  his  mother's  side,  and  many  other  descendants  are 
living  here  and  in  adjoining  boroughs. 

Derick  Vreeland  obtained  by  royal  grant  a  tract  of  land 
extending  from  the  Hudson  River  to  the  Overpeck  creek.  It 
included  all  of  the  northern  part  of  the  borough  to  as  far  south 
as  Christie  Heights. 

In  the  year  1784  Vreeland  was  taxed  for  250  acres  of  im- 
proved land.  As  indicating  the  relative  size  of  this  tract,  it  is 
interesting  to  note  that  only  six  men  in  Hackensack  township 
were  taxed  for  an  equal  or  greater  amount. 

The  first  house  on  the  Vreeland  grant  stood  about  100  feet 
southeast  of  the  residence  of  Thomas  B.  Freas  on  Hillcrest 
avenue.  This  house  was  destroyed  by  fire  and  another  was 
built  a  little  to  the  northwest. 

Not  far  from  the  year  1800  a  more  commodious  house  was 
erected  on  the  east  side  of  Grand  avenue  and  north  of  Lake- 
view.  This  is  considered  one  of  the  best  examples  of  the  later 
Dutch  Colonial  period  and  should  be  studied  by  those  interested 
in  architecture.  Amar  Embury  devotes  several  pages  of  text 
and  illustration  to  its  description  in  his  book  on  "The  Dutch 
Colonial  House." 

The  ^English  Neighborhood,  made  up  as  it  was  of  Dutch 
and  English  settlers,  was  the  scene  of  trying  times  prior  to  and 
during  the  Revolutionary  War.  Sentiment  was  divided  from 
the  first  and  as  time  went  on  and  the  British  troops  appeared, 
many  who  had  been  quiescent  openly  allied  themselves  v.-ith  the 
invading  army  and  in  some  cases  became  the  leaders  of 
marauding  bands.  The  English  Neighborhood  road  was  the 
only  thoroughfare  leading  northward  to  Closter  Landing  and 
was  therefore  of  considerable  military  importance.  Several 
times  this  section  was  laid  waste  by  those  who  came  up  from 
New  York  through  Bergen. 

One  of  the  most  tragic  of  these  raids  occurred  at  Closter 
on  May  10,  1779,  when  men  were  carried  away,  women  abused 
and  buildings  burned.  The  record  ends  with  these  words : 
"They  (the  marauders)  were  of  Buskirk's  corps,  some  of  our 
Closter  and  old  Tappan  neighbors." 

An  interesting  episode  has  been  brought  to  light  in  some 
un})ublished  papers  of  Cornelius  Christie,  as  follows :  "Sam 
Cole  was  one  of  those  who  proved  false  to  the  patriotic  cause 
— a  refugee.     After  the  war  had  commenced  and  when  the 


The  Bergex  County   Historical  Society.  4^ 


country  was  ravaged  by  tories  and  the  British  troops,  he  re- 
vealed his  true  character  by  a  deed  which  rendered  him  de- 
servedly infamous.  He  went  to  his  neighbors,  who  were  in 
great  fear  for  their  cattle,  and  induced  them  to  surrender  them 
all  in  his  power,  he  representing  that  he  would  enclose  a  piece 
of  land  on  his  place  in  a  retired  spot  where  they  all  m-ght  be 
kept  entirely  safe.  They  confided  in  his  sincerity.  Rut  he  had 
no  sooner  secured  the  cattle  in  this  lot  than  he  posted  directly 
to  the  tories  and  furnished  them  with  all  information  necessary 
to  carry  ofif  this  rich  booty." 

Mr.  Christie  goes  on  to  say  that  the  country  became  too 
hot  for  Cole  and  that  he  went  to  Nova  Scotia.  He  came  back 
after  the  war  was  over  and  had  hardly  landed  from  the  boat 
that  brought  him  down  the  Hudson  when  he  met  one  of  his  old 
neighbors  who  proceeded  to  lash  him  with  a  rope's  end  Soon 
after  he  was  treated  to  rotten  eggs,  but  even  this  recepJon  did 
not  deter  him  from  returning  to  live  in  his  old  home  on  the 
English  Neighborhood  road,  although  he  was  never  ix-rmitted 
to  vote.  Descendants  of  Sam  Cole  continued  to  occupy  the 
house  for  many  years.  After  changing  owners  several  times  it 
was  recently  purchased  by  the  artist,  Rutherford  Boyd.  Under 
his  treatment  it  w^ill  become  one  of  the  most  interesting  places 
in  the  borough. 

Leonia  is  rich  in  association  with  the  struggle  for  inde- 
pendence, and  it  is  unfortunate  that  so  little  attention  hiSS  been 
paid  to  preserving  records  and  relics  that  would  be  of  inestim- 
able value.  Old  Fort  Lee  stood  near  her  eastern  border.  A 
camp  of  French  soldiers  was  located  near  what  is  now  Oak 
Tree  place,  and  judging  by  relics  found  it  is  evident  that  at 
some  time  a  body  of  British  troo]:)s  were  encamped  near  the 
present  location  of  the  Methodist  church  on  W'oodridge  place. 

When  Washington's  troops  evacuated  Fort  Lee  in  tlie  early 
morning  of  November  20,  1776,  they  came  down  the  western 
slope  of  the  Palisades,  some  veering  to  the  south  toward  Little 
Ferry  but  the  majority  bearing  to  the  north  to  make  the  cross- 
ing of  the  Hackensack  river  at  New  Bridge.  Whether  tl.ey  fol- 
lowed what  is  now  Central  avenue  to  its  junction  with  Grand 
avenue  and  thence  northward  to  the  Liberty  Pole  Ta\-ern.  or 
deserted  the  road  for  the  shorter  cut  across  the  fields,  is  a  point 
that  is  open  for  discussion. 

It  is  said  that  some  crossed  the  creek  at  an  old  gr^'st  mill 
located  near  the  present  dye  works  just  north  of  the  Leonia 
boundary  line.  This  was  a  tide  mill  and  was  probably  owned 
by  John  or  Alichael  Moore. 

"  To  commemorate  the  fact  that  the  troops  passed  llirough 
Leonia    the    Men's    Neighborhood    Club    erected    a    memorial 


46  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 

tablet  and  presented  it  to  the  borough  on  July  4,  191  5  The 
presentation  address  by  Dr.  George  Heber  Jones,  president  of 
the  club,  was  published  in  the  Papers  and  Proceedings  of  the 
Bergen  County  Historical  Society  for  that  year,  while  extracts 
from  the  oration  delivered  by  Col.  E.  M.  Halford  at  tiie  time 
are  published  in  the  present  volume. 

This  tablet  was  designed  by  the  well  known  sculptor, 
Mahonri  Young,  a  member  of  Leonia's  art  colony.  The  sand- 
stone slab  on  which  the  tablet  is  mounted  was  probably  pressed 
by  the  feet  of  many  of  the  men  in  Washington's  army  as  it  was 
the  door  step  of  the  old  Aloore  homestead  where  the  troops 
received  aid. 

This  house  stood  on  the  high  ground  west  of  Wood's  Ter- 
race and  about  two  hundred  feet  north  of  Woodridge  place.  It 
was  approached  by  a  lane  running  north  from  Central  avenue 
and  located  just  west  of  the  residence  of  ex-Mayor  R.  J.  G. 
Wood. 

The  Moore  house,  like  most  of  those  of  that  period,  was 
built  of  sandstone  gathered  from  the  adjacent  fields.  It  was 
one-story  high,  faced  the  south  and  had  an  ell  on  the  east  end. 
Near  the  house  were  the  slave  quarters.  The  family,  including 
slaves,  numbered  23  persons. 

As  the  Continental  troops  came  down  the  hill  after  the 
evacuation  of  Fort  Lee,  they  stopped  at  this  house  for  provis- 
ions and  were  given  what  could  be"  spared.  A  little  later  the 
British  carried  away  practically  all  the  live  stock  and  all  of  the 
slaves. 

In  a  day  or  two  one  of  the  slaves  returned  but  died  in  a 
short  time  from  exposure  and  fright. 

Previous  to  the  war  (1771-1775-1776)  Thomas  Moore 
was  a  Justice  holding  his  appointment  under  King  George,  and 
as  he  was  loyal  to  the  American  cause  he  was  arrested  and  was 
at  this  time  confined  in  the  Old  Sugar  House  prison  in  New 
York,  where  he  died  either  of  starvation  or  by  poison.  At  the 
same  time  his  brother  was  in  New  York  in  the  service  of  the 
King  and  undoubtedly  knew  of  Thomas's  condition. 

An  interesting  chapter  in  the  religious  history  of  Placken- 
sack  township  also  centers  in  Leonia.  There  were  two  churches 
in  Bergen  County,  one  at  Bergen  Hill,  and  the  other  at  Hacken- 
sack  Village  called  the  "Church  on  the  Green."  Many  of  the 
settlers  from  the  English  Neighborhood  attended  the  latter 
place  of  worship,  but  in  1768  steps  were  taken  toward  the  erec- 
tion of  a  Dutch  Reformed  Church  east  of  the  Overpeck  creek. 

From  an  old  record  dated  November  i8th  of  that  year  we 
learn  that  Thomas  Moore  gave  an  acre  of  ground  for  that 
purpose  and  that  the  work  of  building  had  been  started. 


The  Ri-rc.f.x  Couxtv  ITistoricai.  S 


OCIKIN' 


T  u  i^  trustees  were  Abraham  Montaiiv.  Stephen  Bourdette 
John  Day,  Michael  Moore,  Thomas  Moore  and  John  Moore' 
Garrett  Ly decker  was  ordained  and  installed  as  the  pastor  in  the 
year  1770.    There  were  at  that  time  19  members. 

It  would  be  interesting;  to  know  intimately  the  group 
of  men  and  women  who  formed  this,  the  first  organized  society 
m  the  present  confines  of  the  borough.  Besides  the  six  trustees, 
the  members  were :  Samuel  Moore,  John  Lashier,  Dav'd  Day' 
Edward  Bylestead,  John  Cahy  and  "nine  females".  Of  the 
Trustees,  Thomas  Moore  is  already  known  to  the  reader. 
Stephen  Bourdette  was  part  owner  in  a  royal  grant  of  land  that 
comprised  a  large  part  of  what  is  now  W'eehawken  and  Ilobo- 
ken.  He  also  owned  400  acres  in  what  is  now  h^ort  Lee  village 
and  his  house  was  not  far  from  the  present  location  of  the  Fon 
Lee  Monument. 

Abraham  Montany  (or  Montanye)  was  also  a  large  land 
owner  and  during  the  war  sutifered  the  destruction  of  much 
property.  According  to  an  old  inventory,  his  losses  an^ounted 
to  275£-5s-9p. 

John  Moore  is  mentioned  in  the  tax  lists  of  1783  as  owning, 
besides  land  and  cattle,  two  grist  mills  and  a  "riding  chair", 
this  being  the  name  by  which  a  chaise  was  then  known  They 
were  uncommon  at  that  time,  only  three  being  mentioned  in  the 
tax  lists  for  Hackensack  township  in  the  year  1784. 

John  Day  was  taxed  for  150  acres  and  live  stock  It  is 
said  on  good  authority  that  a  man  by  the  name  of  Da\-  kept  a 
hotel  here  at  that  time  but  apparently  there  is  no  record  of  his 
first  name.  There  is  an  old  record  however  which  states  that 
Mary  Day  was  a  tavern  keeper  and  the  two  taken  together 
would  seem  to  prove  that  Leonia  was  the  site  of  one  of  the  early 
taverns  of  this  section. 

All  seemed  to  go  well  with  the  new  organization  for  a  few 
years,  but  here  again  the  love  of  king  as  against  the  iove  of 
country  wrecked  the  congregation. 

The  Reverend  Garrett  Lydecker  went  with  the  Tories, 
taking  with  him  most  of  the  church  records.  He  reiualned  in 
New  York  for  a  time  officiating  in  the  Dutch  church  and  then 
went  to  England.  In  the  list  of  confiscated  estates  in  Bergen 
County  appears  the  following:  "Garrett  Lyndecker,  t-'^wnshi]) 
of  Hackensack,  180  acres  and  tenements".  \Miile  there  is  noth- 
ing to  prove  that  this  record  refers  to  the  tory  pastor,  it  e^-ident- 
ly  relates  to  him  or  to  some  of  his  relatives.  Other  members  of 
the  Lydecker  (or  Lyndecker)  family  were  very  loyal,  and  it  is 
said  that  they  brought  back  all  of  the  ]-)roperty  confiscated  dur- 
ing the  war. 

For  sixteen  years  the  chiu'ch  was  without  a  ministei ,  when 


■\S-  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 

the  Reverend  John  Cornelison  was  installed  as  pastor  of  this 
church  and  of  the  one  at  Bergen — one-third  of  his  time  was 
spent  in  the  English  Neighborhood.  During  this  time,  Thomas 
Moore  had  died  in  prison  and  title  to  the  land  on  which  the 
church  stood  had  passed  to  Michael  Moore. 

In  1793  a  new  church  at  Ridgefield  was  built  but  before 
work  on  it  was  started  a  notice  was  issued  stating  "That  Cath- 
arine, widow  of  Michael  Moore,  deceased,  and  Michael.  Jacob 
and  Samuel  Moore,  his  sons,  gave  full  power  to  the  elders  and 
deacons  for  building  up  or  pulling  down  or  removing  the  (old) 
church  without  any  molestation  from  them  or  any  person  claim- 
ing under  them." 

Nothing  is  recorded  of  the  condition  of  the  building,  but 
the  elders  and  deacons  stated  that  they  "had  long  seen  the  ne- 
cessity of  having  a  place  of  public  worship,  having  by  <:onsent 
and  it  also  appearing  to  be  their  right,  thought  most  beneficial  to 
the  said  congregation  to  pull  down  the  old  church,  and  have  laid 
a  plan  to  build  and  erect  a  new  one  in  a  more  proper  place." 

According  to  one  tradition  the  old  building  was  used 
as  a  barrack  for  the  Hessian  soldiers  and  the  interior  practically 
ruined ;  according  to  another  tradition  it  was  burned  by  ma- 
rauders. Whether  the  church  was  partially  destroyed  by  fire 
or  was  used  as  a  barrack  is  at  present  a  matter  of  conjecture, 
but  the  fact  remains  that  it  stood  idle  for  several  years  after 
the  political  and  social  storms  had  subsided. 

As  the  normal  life  of  a  building  of  that  period  was  greater 
than  at  present,  it  is  not  at  all  likely  that  a  new  church  would 
have  been  erected  had  not  the  old  one  been  mutilated  in  some 
way. 

No  description  of  the  life  of  the  English  Neighborhood  can 
be  complete  without  some  mention  of  slavery.  Just  how  many 
slaves  were  kept  here  cannot  be  told,  but  it  is  safe  to  Gay  that 
the  percentage  was  as  great  as  in  other  parts  of  Hackensack 
township.  In  the  year  1784  nearly  25%  of  the  population  of 
the  entire  township  were  slaves.  In  1800  there  were  2,825  in 
Bergen  County. 

Between  the  years  of  1735  and  1767  four  slave:'  were 
burned  at  the  stake  in  the  village  of  Hackensack,  not  through 
mob  frenzy  but  after  deliberate  sentence  had  been  passed  by 
the  Justices  and  Freeholders. 

It  must  not  be  inferred  that  all  slaves  were  bad  nor  that  all 
masters  were  cruel,  but  the  evil  existed  and  continued  to  exist 
until  1846  when  it  was  decreed  that  slavery  in  the  state  of  New 
Jersey  be  abolished. 

A  woman  still  residing  in  Leonia  recalls  attending  the 
funeral  of  perhaps  the  last  slave  woman  in  the  present  confines 


The  Bkrcen  Couxtv  HisTOkic.\r.  Soc  iktn'. 


49 


of  the  borough.  This  was  at  the  Smith,  or  as  later  known,  the 
McMichael  place  on  the  south  side  of  Highwood  avenue  near 
Grand. 

The  funeral  of  "Old  Betty"  was  held  in  the  kitchen,  but 
was  attended  by  her  white  as  well  as  her  colored  friends  There 
was  a  burial  plot  for  slaves  on  the  Vreeland  property  av;d  until 
a  few  years  ago  the  graves  were  marked  by  rough  stonej-  This 
plot  was  located  a  little  to  the  west  of  i3road  and  south  of 
Lakeview  avenues.  By  a  peculiar  turn  of  fate,  this  very  spot 
is  now  being  laid  out  as  a  garden  l)v  the  Englewood  Nr.rseries 
Co. 

The  old  Smith  house  just  referred  to  deserves  more  than 
passing  notice.  It  is  said  that  Major  Andre  was  a  frequent 
caller  in  the  old  da\'s.  The  ])asser-by  on  Highvvood  avenue 
sees  only  the  rear  of  the  house  as  this,  like  all  others  of  the 
period,  faced  the  south.  The  illustration  on  another  page  shows 
the  porch  and  entrance  on  the  south  side.  Much  of  the  original 
beauty  of  the  house  has  been  lost  due  to  the  addition  of  dormer 
windows  and  other  useless  ornamentation. 

Growth  in  the  English  Neighborhood  was  slow,  but  as 
children  grew  up  and  married,  the  large  farms  were  divided.  A 
few  others  from  remote  New  York  came  in  and  pirchased 
land.  What  was  occurring  here  was  true  of  other  nu'a!  places, 
while  villages  like  Hackensack  made  a  more  rapid  growth. 

Finallv,  it  became  necessary  to  have  more  direct  Hues  of 
communication  between  the  village  of  Hackensack  inid  the 
Hudson  river,  and  the  Hackensack  and  Fort  Lee  Turnpike  Co. 
was  formed.  A  new  road  was  built  across  the  meadows  from 
Hackensack  to  the  English  Neighborhood  road  (now  called 
Grand  avenue)  making  a  continuous  thoroughfare  of  the  Fort 
Lee  road  up  the  hill  through  Fort  Lee  village  and  down  to  the 
old  steamboat  landing  on  the  Hudson.  The  location  of  the 
Fort  Lee  road  (now  called  Central  avenue)  through  T  eonia 
was  not  changed  until  it  reached  a  point  just  east  of  Paulin 
Boulevard,  when  it  was  swung  slightly  to  the  north  to  avoid 
the  steep  grade.  The  location  of  the  old  road  bed  is  still  dis- 
cernible. 

There  were  two  toll  gates  across  Central  avenue — one  on 
the  east  and  the  other  on  the  west  side  of  Grand  avenue.  A  small 
hotel  or  road  house  was  built  on  the  southwest  corner  where 
these  streets  crossed,  and  the  entrance  to  the  toll  road  for  pedes- 
trians going  west  was  by  way  of  the  hotel  porch.  In  later  years 
this  road  house  was  moved  out  along  the  pike  just  west  of  the 
railroad  tracks,  where  it  still  stands. 

A  stao-e  coach  ran  between  Hackensack  and  the  Hudson 
river    whel-e   it  connected  with  a  steamboat  that  touched  at 


50  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 

several  points  and  finally  landed  its  passengers  at  Spring  street, 
New  York.  The  running  time  between  the  Fort  Lee  landing 
and  New  York  was  one  hour. 

The  True  Reformed  Dutch  Church  on  Grand  avenue  dates 
from  the  year  1824.  although  the  building  was  -not  erected  until 
1 83 1.  From  an  old  record  we  read  that  "In  the  year  of  our 
Lord  1 83 1  the  new  meeting  house  of  the  True  Reformed  Pro- 
testant Dutch  Church  of  the  English  Neighborhood  war  built." 
*  *  *  "The  church  was  built  on  the  west  side  of  the  English 
Neighborhood  road,  a  little  distance  below  where  the  road  from 
Hackensack  to  Fort  Lee  crossed  it,  on  ground  given  b)^  Garret 
Meyer  and  John  Cole  ;  and  to  this  David  Christie,  who  bought 
G.  Meyer's  farm,  and  John  Cole  afterward  made  handsr-me  ad- 
ditions on  each  side."  It  is  interesting  to  know  that  the  build- 
ing cost  about  $1,500.  The  names  of  the  various  pastors  indi- 
cate their  Dutch  lineage  ;  they  were  as  follows :  Brint-'erhoflf, 
Demarest,  Blauvelt,  De  Baun.  Van  Houten.  Iserman.  Wyckoff. 
During  the  pastorate  of  the  Rev.  James  Wyckoff  doctr'v.al  dif- 
ferences arose  and  the  pastor  and  forty-eight  members  left  the 
church  and  with  others  became  charter  members  of  a  church 
of  the  Presbyterian  faith  in  February,  1899.  Services  have 
been  conducted  in  the  old  church  for  a  part  of  the  tin"!e  since 
that  date,  but  recently  none  have  been  held.  There  is  a  small 
burial  plot  north  of  the  building. 

Perhaps  70  years  ago  Mr.  Roehling  purchased  land  north 
of  the  brook  that  parallels  Hillside  avenue.  Like  many  ouother 
prospective  American,  this  man  decided  to  change  his  name  and 
at  the  suggestion  of  a  friend  who  perhaps  had  some  of  the  blood 
of  old  Ireland  in  his  veins,  Mr.  Roehling  became  Mr.  Riley  ; 
hence  the  name  Riley  avenue  now  known  as  Hillside. 

On  the  land  purchased  by  Mr.  Riley  was  an  old  cemetery 
dating  back  to  pre-revolutionary  times,  where  it  is  said  many  of 
the  early  settlers  were  buried.  There  being  little  or  no  interest 
manifest  in  the  preservation  of  this  burial  plot,  the  stones  were 
removed  and  it  has  been  commonly  reported  that  they  were 
used  in  grading  around  a  house  built  nearby. 

When  Hillside  avenue  was  constructed  human  bones  were 
found,  and  this  has  occurred  frequently  as  excavations  for  new 
houses  have  been  made.  This  is  not  the  only  instance  of  the 
desecration  of  cemeteries,  as  those  who  have  read  Burton 
Allbee's  article  "Our  County  Disgrace"  in  the  191 3-1. ^  year 
book  are  aware. 

From  1835  to  1850  several  families  came  to  Leoria  who 
have  exerted  a  great  influence  in  the  community  ;  among  them 
were  the  Christies,  the  Woods,  the  Gismonds,  and  the  Moores 
(James  V.  and  Stephen  H.  V.) 


The  Ber(;kx  County  Historical  Sociin^- 


W  ith  the  invention  of  the  steam  engine,  came  a  new  era  in 
development  and  on  February  q.  1854.  the  Northern  Railroad 
of  New  Jersey  was  chartered.  This  road  was  completec'  Octo- 
ber I,  1859,  and  ten  years  later  it  was  leased  to  the  i-.rie  Railway 
Company.  ^ 

From  an  old  timetable  dated  April  2,  1866.  it  is  inf  restincr 

to  note  that  four  passenger  trains  and  a  "milk,  market  and 

freight     tram  passed  over  this  road  daily  en  route  for  Tersey 

City,  and  that  an  equal  number  of  trains  with  an  additional 

way  passenger"  on  Saturday  went  to  Piermont. 

For  years  the  little  community  that  had  grown  ui.  at  the 
junction  of  two  of  the  most  imi)ortant  roads  in  the  township 
had  been  designated  as  "The  English  Neighborhood  near  the 
Fort  Lee  Road."  With  the  coming  of  the  railroad  and  the  es- 
tablishment of  a  i)ost  office  this  practice  had  of  necessitx-  to  be 
changed.  The  railway  station  was  at  first  called  Fort  Lee,  but 
this  name  could  not  be  applied  to  the  post  office  without  confus- 
ing It  with  the  office  in  Fort  Lee  village  on  the  hill.  Wishing 
to  retain  the  historic  name  "Lee,"  the  name  Lee-onia  or  Leonia 
was  suggested.  In  1865  this  name  was  formally  adoi)ted  and 
Leonia  became  a  village  in  Hackensack  township. 

There  were  at  that  time  about  25  houses  and  a  sma'l  store. 
Grain  was  taken  to  the  grist  mill  on  the  creek"  near  the  dye 
works,  and  there  was  a  saw  mill  on  the  brook  that  crosses 
Grand  avenue  a  little  beyond  the  present  southern  boundary  of 
the  borough. 

Li  1 871  the  large  township  of  Hackensack  was  divided. 
The  southern  portion  extending  as  far  north  as  the  Engle- 
wood  line  comprised  the  new  township  of  Ridgefield.  Leroiia  re- 
mained as  a  part  of  Ridgefield  township  for  23  years,  when  on 
December  4,  1894,  the  Borough  of  Leonia  was  incori>orated. 
There  had  been  talk  that  a  part  of  the  village  would  be  ir:cluded 
in  a  proposed  borough  to  the  south,  but  through  the  active  ef- 
forts of  some  of  the  citizens  this  unha])pv  division  of  t!;e  com- 
munity w^as  avoided. 

At  the  time  of  incorporation,  the  po])ulation  was  not  far 
from  700.    At  present  it  is  over  3,300. 

The  quiet  beauty  of  the  place  early  attracted  some  of  the 
leading  artists  and  illustrators,  until  now  the  Leonia  Art  Colony 
numbers  half  a  hundred  well-known  names. 

Increased  traffic  facilities  brought  also  the  city  business 
man  and  the  college  professor  and  among  them  all  has  grown 
up  the  spirit  of  community  life  and  a  real  love  for  the  town 
of  their  adoption. 

The  writer  is  indebted  to  Mrs.  George  Gausman,  Thomas 


52  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 

Moore.  ex-Mayor  Robert  J.  G.  Wood,  James  V.  Moore  Lor- 
enzo Gismond.  Isaac  Vreeland  and  John  Brinkerhoff  for  much 
valuable  assistance  in  the  preparation  of  this  article. 


The  Locating  of  Camp  Merritt 

The  prelude  to  the  location  of  Camp  Merritt  dates  back 
to  the  Vera  Cruz  incident  in  the  fall  of  191 5.  During  that  per- 
iod when  it  looked  as  though  there  might  be  trouble  between 
the  United  States  and  Mexico,  the  commanding  officer  at  Gov- 
ernor's Island  received  word  to  select  a  site  in  and  aroand  the 
port  of  New  York,  which  would  be  available  as  an  Embarka- 
tion Camp  for  troops. 

Major  General  William  M.  Black  was  then  stationed  in 
New  York  as  the  senior  colonel  of  the  Corps  of  En^>ineers. 
The  writer,  through  his  official  position  as  president  of  the 
Board  of  Commerce  &  Navigation  of  New  Jersey,  came  vlirectly 
in  contact  with  the  Engineering  Corps  regarding  the  que:>tion  of 
transportation  and  the  development  of  the  waterfront  of  New 
Jersey  in  general.  It  was  but  natural  that  Col.  Black  -hould 
ask  the  New  Jersey  authorities  for  information  regarding 
available  sites. 

The  writer  had  the  privilege  of  accompanying  the  Army 
Board  and  pointing  out  to  them  various  localities  in  New  Jersey 
which  offered  rail  and  water  facilities  as  well  as  the  proper 
drainage  and  all  the  other  needs  of  a  camp  to  accommodate 
thousands  of  soldiers. 

Of  all  the  sites  looked  at  at  that  time,  the  two  which  most 
impressed  the  board  was  the  one  where  Camp  Merritt  is  located 
at  the  present  time,  and  the  other  was  the  old  Cresskill  Mill 
Dam  site  east  of  the  Northern  Railroad. 

The  War  Department  realized  in  191 7,  after  the  departure 
of  the  first  troops  for  Europe,  that  it  was  very  necessary  to 
have  an  Embarkation  Camp  close  to  the  port  of  Ne^v  York 
where  troops  could  be  held  pending  the  assembling  of  ships  for 
the  transportation  of  troops  abroad. 

A  special  board  consisting  of  the  following  officerF — Col. 
F.  P.  Reynolds,  Col.  A.  C.  Blunt,  Major  U.  S.  Grant.  T,r\  Capt. 
Oury — was  designated  to  select  various  sites  and  report  en  their 
availability  to  the  staff  at  Washington. 

Gen.  Black,  remembering  his  experiences  in  191 5,  sug- 
gested to  Major  U.  S.  Grant,  engineering  officer  of  the  Board, 
that  he  communicate  with  the  writer  when  he  reachei^  New 
York,  which  Major  Grant  did. 

I  explained  to  the  Board  what  we  did  in  191 5  and  they 
asked  if  they  could  be  taken  over  the  same  ground.     Knowing 


The  Bercex  Couxtv  Historical  Society 


Mr.  Watson  G.  Clark's  (chairman  of  the  Execv:tive  Committee 
of  the  New  Jersey  State  Highway  Commission)  i-itimate 
knowledge  of  various  localities  in  the  Northern  Vallcv,  as  well 
as  having  a  very  high  respect  for  his  engineering  ability  and  his 
knowledge  of  drainage,  it  seemed  to  me  that  "he  was'  '.he  one 
best  fitted  to  conduct  the  party  in  their  search  for  a  site.  When 
I  placed  the  proposal  before  him  he,  like  the  good  patriot  he  is, 
said  he  would  drop  everything  and  not  only  place  himself  at 
the  disposal  of  the  Board  but  also  his  car. 

The  day,  July  6th,  1917,  was  spent  in  traversing  the  North- 
ern Valley  and  looking  over  the  various  sites  and  in  the  evening 
we  returned  to  New  York,  and  before  the  Board  left  for  \\'a5h- 
ington  that  evening  we  had  been  in  communication  with 
Mr.  French  of  the  Hackensack  Water  Co.,  Mr.  Stone  of  the 
Erie  Railroad,  Mr.  Frowley  of  the  N.  Y.  Central,  Mr.  Wakelee 
of  the  Public  Service  Corporation.  Because  of  the  informa- 
tion furnished  by  these  gentlemen,  the  Board  was  able  to  re- 
turn to  Washington  and  make  a  complete  report  concerning 
the  water,  gas  and  electrical  supplies  as  well  as  the  railroad 
facilities  that  the  present  Cam])  Merritt  site  offered. 

Mr.  Clark  generously  volunteered  to  secure  the  options  on 
the  property  for  the  Board  and  was  able  to  give  the  Board  a 
great  deal  of  general  information  regarding  the  o\\'r;ership 
of  the  various  lands  that  would  be  needed  for  the  camp. 

When  many  of  the  citizens  immediately  around  the  camp 
heard  about  the  prospects  of  locating  the  camp  at  its  present 
site  they  were  alarmed  because  of  the  disturbances  thut  they 
feared  would  come  to  the  community  life  owing  to  the  ])resence 
of  so  many  men.  It  is  needless  to  say  these  fears  were  ground- 
less, and  subsequently  the  same  citizens  were  vieing  with  each 
other  to  help  make  life  pleasant  for  those  cjuartered  at  the  camp, 
and  they  took  great  pride  in  the  fact  that  the  camp  was  located 
in  their  midst. 

Too  much  credit  cannot  be  given  to  Judge  William  M.  Seu- 
fert,  who  was  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  I'leas.  and  Judge 
Thomas  J.  Huckin,  Prosecutor  of  the  County,  for  the  i)r(  serva- 
tion  of  law  and  order  during  the  j^eriod  when  the  camp  was  be- 
ing constructed.  These  gentlemen  took  time  by  the  forelock 
and  inaugurated  measures  which  i)revented  disturbances  from 
arising  and  they  co-operated  in  every  way  with  the  camj)  au- 
thorities. They  did  it  without  any  publicity  and  without  look- 
ing for  public  recognition  of  their  splendid  work,  only  a  few 
knowing  of  the  abi'lity  they  displayed  and  the  many  hours  of 
ceaseles'^s  activities  which  they  ])Ut  in  for  the  common  good. 

One  of  the  incidents  that  was  most  interesting  in  connec- 
tion with  the  location  of  the  camp  was  the  first  visit  pn'ul  to  the 


54  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 

proposed  site  by  Major  General  David  C.  Shanks.  One  of  the 
parties  whose  property  was  afterwards  taken  over,  objicted  to 
the  laying  of  a  sewer  pipe  through  her  property.  The  Govern- 
ment agreed  to  lay  the  pipe  and  replace  the  soil  so  that  no  one 
could  ever  detect  that  the  pipe  was  there  and  to  pay  h'berally 
for  the  privilege,  but  because  she  was  opposed  to  the  location 
of  the  camp,  she  apparently  thought  by  opposing  the  laying  of 
the  pipe  that  this  would  possibly  cause  the  site  to  be  located 
elsewhere.  This  was  all  explained  to  General  Shanks  and  he 
said  he  would  like  the  opportunity  of  meeting  the  lady.  The 
General,  in  company  with  Mr.  Clark  and  myself,  found"  her  in 
one  of  her  fields.  The  writer  will  never  forget  the  sight  of  the 
General  approaching  her  with  his  cap  in  his  hand  in  true  Vir- 
ginia style,  and  with  all  the  gallantry  that  Virginians  are  noted 
for  he  made  his  appeal  for  the  privilege  of  crossing  her  land 
with  the  pipe.  It  is  needless  to  say  he  won.  It  seemed  ^o  those 
of  us  who  were  watching  the  episode  of  this  little  drama  that 
we  were  witnessing  an  incident  that  represented  the  ideals  that 
the  world  powers  were  clashing  over. 

Picture  if  you  will  the  United  States  at  war  in  a  life  and 
death  struggle  for  Democracy,  appealing  to  one  of  its  citizens 
through  one  of  its  representatives,  a  gentleman  in  command  of 
its  forces,  for  the  privilege  of  laying  a  pipe  across  a  field  where 
no  damage  would  be  done  to  the  property  but  yet  wouM  serve 
as  an  accommodation  for  the  men  who  were  going  to  lav  down 
their  lives  for  the  defence  of  their  country.  Contrast  this  if 
^'Ou  will  with  what  would  have  taken  place  under  like  conditions 
in  Germany.  Would  there  have  been  any  appeal  for  the  privi- 
lege or  would  the  order  have  gone  forth  to  do  certain  things 
with  all  the  powers  of  a  fiat  ?  Could  there  be  a  more  vivid  pic- 
ture of  the  difiference  between  Autocracy  and  Democracy?  On 
one  hand  the  rights  of  the  individual  being  respected  as  against 
the  autocratic  rule  of  those  in  control.  Then  again,  what  a  testi- 
mony to  the  American  Army  and  to  its  officers  as  exeT.iplified 
by  General  Shanks. 

Bergen  County  may  well  be  proud  of  the  honor  of  having 
had  located  within  its  midst  the  camp  which  housed  and  shelt- 
ered the  boys  just  before  they  left  for  what  was  to  many  to  be 
their  last  experience. 

To  those  of  us  who  lived  close  by  the  camp  and  witnessed 
the  many  farewell  scenes  which  were  always  in  evidence  due  to 
the  parting  of  loved  ones.  Camp  Merritt  will  always  be  a  hal- 
lowed spot.  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society  deserves 
the  thanks  of  the  community  as  well  as  the  people  generally  for 
its  efforts  toward  preserving  what  will  become  one  of  the  most 

historical  spots  in  the  United  States.      -. 

J.  SPENCER  SMITH. 


The  Bergex  Couxi^-   1  Iistoricai,  Society. 


The  Location  of  Camp  Merritt  at  Tenafly,  N.J. 

From  an  Kngiueer's  X'iewpoitit 

Camp  Merritt.  Tenafly,  Bergen  Countv,  Xew  jersey,  as 
first  located  was  on  the  ridge  lying  between  the  West  Shore  and 
the  Northern  Railroad  of  New  jersey  in  the  boroughs  of  Du- 
mont,  Cresskill,  Haworth  and  Demarest.  The  southerly  bound- 
ary line  of  the  camp  was  the  northerly  boundary  line  of  the 
borough  of  Tenafly.  The  camp  was  known  at  first  as  "Camp 
Tenafly"  and  later  as  Camp  Merritt.  This  was  due  to  the  fact 
that  during  the  early  negotiations  all  official  communications 
were  dated  from  Tenafly.  and  the  site  was  referred  to  as  Ten- 
afly. N.  J. 

The  eleyation  of  the  ridge  on  which  the  camp  is  located 
is  approximately  150  feet  aboye  sea  level.  The  topography  of 
the  land  was  such  that  the  site  could  be  readily  drained,  and 
sew^ers.  water  and  gas  were  within  easy  extension  distances  of 
the  location.  On  the  easterly  boundary  of  the  camp,  the  North- 
ern Railroad  of  New  Jersey  being  a  double  track  branch  of  the 
Erie,  connected  it  in  a  southerly  direction  with  the  main  line  at 
Jersey  City,  and  in  a  northwesterly  direction  at  SufFen-  The 
West  Shore  railroad  ran  along  the  westerly  side  of  the  site. 
Railroad  facilities  were  thus  all  that  could  be  required.  Had  a 
connection  been  made  as  was  originally  intended  at  Ho'iiestead 
from  the  Northern  Railroad  to  the  Pennsylyania  lines  troops 
could  have  been  brought  directly  from  the  south,  and  south- 
west, into  the  camp  without  either  transfer  or  congestion,  via 
Pennsylvania  and  Northern  Railroad.  The  West  Shore  afford- 
ed ample  transportation  facilities  from  the  northwest. 

Mr.  J.  Spencer  Smith,  President  of  the  P)Oard  of  Com- 
merce and  Navigation,  had  been  in  communication  with  repre- 
sentatives of  the  War  Department,  and  on  July  6,  H)i~,  at  his 
request,  the  writer  proceeded  with  Mr.  Smith  in  an  automobile 
to  the  Union  League  Club.  New  York  City,  where  we  met  a 
committee  appointed  for  the  special  ])urpose  of  selecting  a  suit- 
able camp  site  within  easy  access  to  the  Hoboken  port  of  em- 
barkation. The  committee  was  comprised  of  Col.  F.  P  Rey- 
nolds, representing  the  Medical  Corj^s,  ]\Iajor  U.  S.  Grant.  3rd. 
representing  the  Engineering  Department,  and  Captain  Oury. 
a  line  officer  of  considerable  exi)erience,  also  Col.  A.  C.  Rlunt. 

They  had  been  unsuccessful  in  their  attempts  for  the  past 
two  or  three  days  in  locating  camp  sites  on  the  main  lines  of  the 
Pennsylvania  and  Jersey  Central. 

The  entire  committee  proceeded  with  us  in  the  automobile 
by  Riverside  Drixe  to  Dyckman  Street  Ferry  and  thence  to  the 
proposed  camp,  pausing  for  a  few  moments  en  route  at  Tyrant's 


56  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Soctetv. 

Tomb  while  Major  U.  S.  Grant,  3rd.  paid  homage  to  his  grand- 
father's memory.  While  en  route  the  committee  discussed  the 
probable  size  and  requirements  of  the  proposed  camp  We 
drove  directly  to  the  westerly  slope  of  the  Palisades  in  the  bor- 
ough of  Tenafly,  where  a  bird's-eye  view  of  the  site  could  be 
obtained.  From  here  the  committee  proceeded  to  Knickrbocker 
road  in  the  borough  of  Tenafly  and  made  a  careful  reconnais- 
sance survey  of  the  entire  territory  lying  on  either  ride  of 
Knickerbocker  road,  extending  from  Tenafly  to  Closter.  The 
easy  method  of  sewerage,  water  supply,  lighting,  and  railroad 
connections  were  pointed  out.  Then  we  drove  to  the  top  of  the 
Palisades  at  Alpine.  Here  the  committee  alighted  and  proceed- 
ed on  foot  to  the  Alpine  Ferry.  It  being  explained  to  the  mem- 
bers that  the  troops  could  be  marched  to  this  point  and  shipped 
directly  by  river  craft  to  the  steamers  lying  at  the  port.  It  is 
curious  to  note  that  this  road  down  the  Palisades  over  which 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  American  soldiers  later  marched 
on  their  way  to  attack  the  "Huns"  in  their  own  home  district, 
is  the  very  road  over  which  the  "Huns"  marched  up  in  1776 
under  Cornwallis  to  attack  George  Washington's  little  army  at 
his  encampment  near  Tappan  and  Fort  Lee,  starting  the  his- 
torical retreat  of  Washington  across  New  Jersey.  The  commit- 
tee was  so  impressed  with  the  advantages  of  the  site  and 
surrounding  territory,  that  they  decided  that  they  would  look 
no  further,  and  decided  to  return  to  W^ashington  at  once.  On 
reaching  New  York,  while  waiting  for  the  train.  Captain  Oury 
and  the  writer  prepared  tentative  plans  showing  the  facilities 
wnth  which  the  camp  utilities  could  be  installed.  Mr.  Smith 
took  up  with  the  railroads  the  possibility  for  immediate  connec- 
tions. 

Within  a  few  days  later  I  received  a  request  from  General 
William  M.  Wright,  commanding  officer  of  the  port  of  Embar- 
kation, Hoboken,  N.  J.,  that  he  wished  to  make  a  reconnaissance 
survey  with  me  of  the  entire  territory,  which  we  did.  The  re- 
sult of  this  reconnaissance  survey  was  that  General  Weight 
finally  selected  for  the  camp  site  the  lands  beginning  at  the 
northerly  boundary  line  of  the  borough  of  Tenafly,  extending 
northerly  on  either  side  of  Knickerbocker  road  practically  to 
Hardenburgh  avenue  in  the  borough  of  Demarest.  The  easter- 
ly boundary  of  the  camp  was  irregular,  but  extended  generally 
to  the  brow  of  the  hill  on  the  east  with  a  few  specific  instances 
where  the  lands  taken  extended  to  the  Northern  Railroad  in  the 
valley  below,  on  the  west  to  the  westerly  slope  of  the  crest  of 
the  hill  extending  in  the  borough  of  Dumont  along  Grant  ave- 
nue to  the  West  Shore  Railroad.  He  also  selected  two  sepa- 
rate sites  on  Knickerbocker  road  for  extensions  in  the  boroughs 


GEORGE    B.    DUNCAN, 

Colonel,   21st  Infantry. 

Major    General    A.    E.    F.    Commanding    77th    and    82d    Divisions    in    Franci; 

1917-18.      Commandant    Camp     Merritt     1919.       Brigadier     General 

United   States   Army   192Q. 


.1..  .   f.     ^Ji^i 


„ it^titif^ 


f  1^ 


The  Rergen  County  Historical  Society. 


of  Demarest  and  Haworth,  which  \vere  later  vised  for  the  camj)- 
ing  of  tented  troops  and  drill  grounds. 

The  General  requested  me  to  obtain  the  consents  from  the 
owners  aiTected  to  lease  these  lands  immediately  to  the  'Jnited 
States  Government.  The  work  of  securing  these  leases  in  con- 
junction with  an  army  officer  was  exceedingly  interesting, 
knowing  as  I  did  many  of  the  owners  of  the  lands  from  early 
boyhood,  having  been  born  in  the  stone  house  on  Madison  ave- 
nue just  west  of  Ivnickerbocker  road,  Cresskill.  which  later  be- 
came the  home  of  the  camp  commandant. 

It  was  necessary  to  obtain  these  consents  as  time  was  the 
essence  of  the  whole  matter,  and  the  Government  was  exceed- 
ingly reluctant  to  resort  to  condemnation  proceedings  at  this 
juncture,  ho])ing  that  the  patriotism  of  the  citizens  would  make 
such  steps  unnecessary. 

Among  many  interesting  occurences  in  obtaining  these 
leases  I  recall  two  which  are  worthy  of  note.  One  was  ihe  case 
of  a  newly  married  couple,  whose  home  was  located  on  die  line 
of  the  ])roposed  railroad  spur,  connecting  with  the  West  Shore 
Railroad.  They  had  built  their  little  home  with  the  aid  of  the 
building  and  loan,  and  were  looking  forward  to  enjoying  the 
results  of  their  home  building.  I  had  occasion  to  call  on  them 
early  one  Sunday  morning  and  told  them  that  the  following 
morning  the  Government  would  like  to  start  moving  their 
house,  excavating  a  deep  cut  across  the  front  of  their  proi)erty. 
Without  any  ((uestion  as  to  compensation,  or  thought  of  the 
consequences,  they  immediately  volunteered  to  turn  the'r  prop- 
erty over.  Of  course  the  army  officer  and  myself  started  ne- 
gotiations at  once,  and  arranged  to  give  them  suitable  compen- 
sation. The  result  was  that  within  twenty-four  hours  the  men 
were  there  tearing  down  a  portion  of  their  home  that  the_\-  had 
so  patiently  constructed. 

The  other  incident  was  that  of  a  veteran  of  the  Civil  W'dv. 
who  had  for  forty  years  lived  in  a  beautiful  home  in  the  center 
of  the  camp  where' he  had  raised  a  large  family.  At  th^st  tniie 
four  of  his  boys  had  volunteered  and  were  accepted  mto  the 
service,  as  well' as  two  of  his  daughters.  He  had  lieen  toid  that 
he  could  probably  remain  on  his  property,  but  due  to  camp  ex- 
tensions this  became  impossible.  I  called  on  him  m  conjunction 
with  the  United  States  representative  and  exi)lamed  the  situa- 
tion. His  reply  was :  "Gentlemen,  this  is  my  country  :  von  can 
have  my  home  and  place.  I  had  hoped  to  have  died  hei> ,  l)ut 
am  readv  to  move."  When  asked  what  compensation  he  would 
require  he  stated  he  would  leave  that  entirely  up  to  the  Govern- 
ment Within  a  few  days  thereafter  this  man  who  had  ex- 
pected to  spend  the  remainder  of  his  life  there  was.  .ike  the 


58  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 

rest,  moving  out  to  permit  of  the  construction  of  this  camp  that 
was  to  house  over  a  million  men.  These  are  only  two  ir stances 
of  many  where  only  patriotism  counted  among  the  families  af- 
fected. Land  being  obtained  in  a  great  many  cases  upon  a  nom- 
inal rental  basis. 

I  quote  from  a  letter  of  Brig.  Gen.  William  M.  \Vright, 
Headquarters  Port  of  Embarkation,  New  Jersey,  dared  July 
24,  1917,  written  to  the  writer,  upon  the  completion  of  tie  work 
of  securing  the  consents  to  lease  from  the  various  property 
owners : 

"The  question  of  this  camp  site  is  one  of  the  most  'mport- 
ant  problems  facing  the  War  Department  today.  One  might 
say  that  on  it  hinged  the  success  of  our  overseas  shipments  of 
men.  I  do  not  consider  a  great  problem  of  this  sort  sati'^factor- 
ily  solved  unless  we  take  suitable  and  proper  ground,  and  when 
you  see  those  who  have  met  the  Department  with  a  patriotic  de- 
sire to  be  of  assistance  to  the  cause,  I  hope  that  you  will  express 
to  them  my  appreciation." 

The  camp  was  located  and  the  consents  to  lease  fr'jm  the 
property  owners  of  the  various  tracts  originally  contemplated 
were  obtained  from  July  6th  to  July  26th,  1917.  The  construc- 
tion work  started  within  a  few  days  thereafter  and  tl.e  first 
troops  were  marching  into  the  camp  in  early  September. 

WATSON  G.  CLARK, 

Tenafly,  New  Jersey. 
June  15th,  1920. 


The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society.  59 


Letters 

In  selecting  a  subject  for  an  historic  letter  one  is  indeed 
fortunate  if  he  may  choose  from  so  rich  a  field  as  is  presented 
in  the  border-land  of  Bergen  and  Rockland  counties.  "  In  turn- 
ing to  the  buildings  of  Colonial  times,  those  that  are  yet  stand- 
ing and  nearly  all  of  them  have  some  history  or  legend  at- 
tached, \ve  naturally  turn  to  the  oldest  of  them  all,  the  j';e  Wint 
House  of  the  Revolution  but  the  Washington  Headquarters  of 
today.  Iliis  house  is  situated  at  the  northern  end,  on  the  west 
side  of  the  New  Jersey  highway  known  as  Livingston  street, 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  north  of  the  state  line. 

It  was  in  1700  that  John  Stratemaker  did  himself  p^oud  in 
building  for  himself  a  stone  house  ;  the  sandstone  of  which  the 
house  is  built  was  carried  in  hand  barrows  across  the  swamp 
from  where  it  crops  out  under  the  Palisade  range ;  the  b'-ick 
used  to  trim  having  been  brought  from  Holland.  In  170.1.  [oliu 
sold  the  i)lace  to  Dick  Stratemaker,  who  sold  it  to  Rem  l\^Mn^en 
of  Long  Island,  and  he  in  turn,  in  deed  dated  May  1st  1746, 
sold  it  to  Johannes  De  Wint. 

De  Wint  was  a  man  of  means  and  of  affairs  He  was  in- 
terested in  the  West  Indian  trade,  and  as  this  was  tabooed  bv 
England,  it  may  in  a  measure  account  for  his  stanch  adherance 
to  the  cause  of  the  Colonies.  It  is  from  him  that  the  house  de- 
rived the  name  of  De  Wint  House.  The  rooms  are  large,  but  so 
low-ceiled  that  the  Dutch  builder  had  need  to  contrive  -  recess 
in  the  ceiling  to  ])ermit  of  a  place  for  the  tall  Dutch  clock  he  had 
brought  from  Holland.  Around  the  chimney-piece  were  Dutch 
tiles."  These  tiles,  which  the  writer  remembers  well,  were  re- 
moved a  score  or  more  of  years  ago  by  the  present  owner  of 
the  house  to  ])revent  them  from  being  stolen. 

In  this  house  transpired  many  stirring  events,  and  rot  least 
among  which  was  the  night  of  Sej)!.  30th,  1780.  That  night  is 
described  as  having  been  so  clear  and  beautiful  that  from  the 
camp  on  the  low  hills  nearbv  the  bugle  calls  and  the  s'-und  of 
horses  neighing  filled  the  air.  It  is  said  that  the  tall  fi.i^ure  of 
His  Excellency,  uneasy  and  restless,  would  now  and  agam  be 
seen  passing  "across  in  front  of  the  windows.  In  Mabie's 
Tavern,  not" far  awav,  was  the  man  of  whom  the  Creai  C  hief 
wrote-'  "He  was  more  unfortunate  than  criminal,  an  accom- 
plished man  and  a  gallant  officer."  In  Washington's  hands  lay 
his  fate  Both  men  were  to  be  pitied,  for  it  is  no  easy  nic.tter  to 
be  sternlv  just.  (The  desk  which  it  is  said  Washington  used 
when  he  signed  this  death  warrant  is  said  to  be  ,n  pos.se> -ion  ot 
the  family  of  George  Sneeden  at  Red  Bank,  N.  J.)  Al^xander 
Hamilton  has  been  quoted  as  saying,  "His  Excellency  w-.uld 


6o  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 

have  agreed  to  a  change  in  the  form  of  death,  but  Generals 
Greene  and'  SuIHvan  were  strongly  of  opinion  that  to  do  so  at 
that  time  would  have  been  unwise  and  unpolitic.  The  Generals 
said  to  condemn  a  man  as  a  spy  and  not  at  last  to  deal  with  him 
as  Hale  was  dealt  with,  would  be  impolitic  and  unfair  10  men 
who  were  as  gallant  as  Sir  Henry  Clinton's  Adjutant  General." 
Great  as  is  the  interest  in  that  historic  event  it  is  not  the  climax 
of  the  events  that  happened  under  the  roof  of  this  house,  but 
the  following  that  takes  the  house  entirely  out  of  the  class  of  a 
local  "Washington's  Headquarters" ;  so  that  our  whole  nation 
can  well  turn  with  reverence  to  this  old  house.  Who  that  has 
ever  visited  Independence  Hall  in  Philadelphia  and  has  not  felt 
that  thrill  of  "Life,  Liberty  and  the  Pursuit  of  Happiness." 
And  yet  the  consummation  of  it  all  was  right  here  wiihin  the 
De  Wint  House  in  Tappan.  It  was  a-  great  and  glorious  thing 
to  declare  that  these  Colonies  "are  and  by  right  ought  to  be  free 
and  independent  states."  but  quite  another  thing  to  make  proud, 
powerful  Old  England  and  her  King  acknowledge  it.  For  more 
than  seven  years  the  Father  of  His  Country  and  those  stanch 
patriots  that  were  associated  in  the  cause  with  him,  both  officers 
and  men,  had  fought  and  starved,  and  bled  and  died.  You  know 
the  story,  but  now  it  was  over  and  here  in  this  very  house  was 
the  consummation.  Here  on  May  6th,  1783,  by  appoiiitment, 
came  the  conquering  hero.  General  George  Washington,  and  to 
this  house  was  sent  Sir  Guy  Carleton,  representing  His  Majesty 
George  III.  and  they  there  arranged  the  closing  of  affairs  for 
the  exchange  of  prisoners  and  the  return  of  stolen  property. 
The  war  was  over. 

Great  was  the  Declaration,  but  greater  the  Consummation, 
because  the  desire  and  determination  had  become  a  fact. 

On  the  centennial  of  these  events  patriotic  feeling  in  these 
parts  was  strong,  and  the  Rockland  County  Historical  Society, 
a  then  prominent  organization,  had  their  headquarters  in  this 
house.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  that  society  has  gone  out  of 
existence ;  but  it  is  a  pleasure  to  state  that  the  Rockland  County 
Society,  a  more  recently  formed  organization,  is  now  function- 
ing largely  in  this  field. 

Long  after  the  Revolution  this  property  passed  from  the 
De  Wint  heirs  and  the  owners  since  have  been  Arthur  Tohnson, 
Dr.  Smith  and  William  Rogers.  The  frame  or  western  part  of 
the  building  as  at  present  was  added  by  Dr.  Smith.  Aside  from 
this  the  house  is  as  in  the  original.  The  old  sweep  well  which 
the  older  ])ictures  of  the  house  -show,  has  given  place  to  a  more 
modern  well  curb. 

HARRY  RYERSON. 

Tappan,  N.  Y.,  June  10,  1920. 


The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society.  6i 


Leonia,  May  29,  K)20. 
Dr.  Byron  G.  Van  Home,  Englewood. 

Dear  Doctor :  Yonr  kind  note  received,  and  I  wil'  try  to 
answer  some  of  your  questions,  althou,2:h  anything  relating  to 
the  Westervehs  can  be  found  in  the  Library  of  the  Society  in 
the  Westervelt  geneology  by  Walter  Westervelt. 

My  grandfather,  Jacob  A.  Westervelt,  was  born  in 
Schraalenburgh,  and  was  the  first  child  baptized  in  the  church 
his  father  built  there.  I  do  not  remember  exactly  where  the 
house  was,  although  I  remember  distinctly  going  to  an  old 
Dutch  house  there  with  him.  We  afterward  went  up  there  to 
see  an  Aunt  Jane  Bogart,  who  I  think  lived  in  the  hous-.  So  it 
may  be  known  as  the  Bogart  house,  for  my  great-grandfather 
died  very  soon  after  my  grandfather  was  born. 

My  grandfather  was  a  shipbuilder;  i)erhaps  the  mos<:  noted 
of  his  day  wiih  the  exception  of  William  H.  Webb,  his  intimate 
friend.  His  masterpiece  in  the  line  of  sailing  vessels  '>vas  the 
"Margaret  Evans",  celebrated  yet  all  over  the  world  in  the 
chanty 

The  smartest  clipper  you  can  find 

Is  the  Marg'ret  Evans  of  the  TUack  Star  line. 

His  finest  steamship  was  the  U.  S.  Frigate  Brooklyn, 
wdiich  he  built  esi)ecially  to  suit  the  views  of  Captain  Farragut, 
afterward  Admiral.  He  was  elected  Mayor  on  the  Deniocratic 
ticket,  but  as  a  rei)resentative  of  the  mechanics  and  tra.:iesmen, 
as  opposed  to  the  politicians.  The  most  conspicuous  feature  of 
his  administration  was  the  organization  of  the  Metropolitan 
Police,  and  he  received  the  first  police  badge,  which  is  now  in 
the  New  York  Historical  Society.  Another  feature  was  his  veto 
of  the  "Broadway  Railroad  Steal,"  which  was  eventually  over- 
ridden, in  later  years,  by  Jacob  Sharp  and  the  "Boodle  Alder- 
men." '  In  the  last  years' of  his  life  he  was  called  to  office  after 
the  Tweed  Ring  was  broken,  as  President  of  the  Dock  Depart- 
ment, and  as  such  made  tremendous  improvements  in  piers  and 
docks.  His  chief  engineer,  whom  he  selected,  was  General 
George  B.  McClellan,  and  his  secretary.  General  Louis  Fitz- 
gerald. 

He  was  President  of  our  first  International  Exhibition  in 
the  Crystal  Palace. 

He  built  the  two  first  really  practical  steamships  (for  the 
Savannah  and  Brittania  were  only  experiments,  out-classed  by 
the  clippers) ,  the  Hamburg  and  Bremen.  Both  were  lost  at  sea 
in  a  single  month. 

He  was  the  "Colonel  House"  of  the  Lincoln  administra- 
tion, having  no  official  title,  but  constantly  consulted  m  naval 


62  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 

matters,  and  suggested  and  built  the  double-end  thirty  day  gun- 
boats, which  broke  up  blockade  running  between  Nassau  Island 
and  the  South. 

My  great-grandfather  Aaron  J.  W'estervelt  of  Schraalen- 
burgh  was  a  well  known  builder.  Many  of  the  houses  he  built 
in  Franklin  street,  New  York,  were  standing  recently.  He  built 
the  Dutch  Reformed  Church  at  Schraalenburgh.  I  know  little 
about  him  as  he  died  at  a  comparatively  early  age. 

My  great-great-grandfather  was  John  Westervelt,  Pr-'vate  in 
Captain  James  Christie's  Company,  Colonel  Theunis  Dey's 
Regiment  of  Bergen  County.  He  was  taken  prisoner  and  died 
on  the  prison  ship  Jersey  in  Wallabout  Bay. 

My  great-great-great-grandfather  was  Johannes  Wester- 
velt, private  in  the  same  company  and  regiment.  Was  taken 
prisoner  by  the  British  September  6,  1781,  and  subsequently  ex- 
changed. 

The  Adjutant  General  of  New  Jersey  can  give  you  all 
desired  information  about  the  Bergen  County  regiments. 

There  is  no  complete  record  of  the  Prison  Ship  martyrs, 
but  it  is  known  that  11,500  were  buried  at  the  Wallabout  The 
Society  of  Old  Brooklynites,  or  Martyrs'  Monument  Associa- 
tion, could  give  full  particulars,  probably  the  first,  as  I  imagine 
the  last  is  extinct. 

The  monument  at  Fort  Greene  was  unveiled  Nov.  i.i,  1908. 
I  will  inquire  about  the  Trinity  Churchyard  monument,  which 
was  erected  between  1850  and  i860. 

Yours  very  truly, 

CHARLES  S.  CLARK. 


105  Ames  Avenue,  May  2,  1920. 
Dr.  Byron  G.  Van  Home,  Englewood. 

My  dear  sir :  Your  note  received.  I  do  not  know  that  I 
could  add  much  to  what  I  told  you  about  the  "Prison  Ship 
Martyrs" ;  and  would  only  suggest  that  in  the  Year  Book  be  in- 
serted a  notice  somewhat  similar  to  that  annexed. 

Yours  very  truly, 

CHARLES  S.  CLARK. 


The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society  would  be  gla  1  to  re- 
ceive from  descendants  of  soldiers  of  the  Revolution,  and  par- 
ticularly from  members  of  the  Sons  of  the  Revolution  and 
Daughters  of  the  Revolution,  the  names,  companies  and  regi- 
ments of  men  who  were  captured  by  the  British,  and  confined 


I'liE  Bergex  County  Historical  Socihtn-.  63 

in   the    "Jersey"   and   other   prison    ships   in   Wallabout    Bay, 
Brooklyn. 

Bergen  County  has  been  singularly  remiss  in  fjiiling  to 
honor  the  memory  of  these  heroes,  hundreds  of  whom  came 
from  Bergen  County,  although  New  York  has  honored  them 
by  erecting  the  im])osing  monument  in  Trinity  churchyard  fac- 
ing Pine  street,  and  Brooklyn  by  erecting  the  noble  shaft  in 
Fort  Greene  Park. 

From  the  time  Washington  fled  across  the  Hudson,  after 
the  fall  of  Fort  Washington  and  Fort  Lee,  until  the  close  of  the 
war,  no  locality  suffered  more  than  Bergen  County,  and  every 
raid  by  the  Tories  or  the  British  left  families  without  their  sons 
and  fathers,  who  were  hurried  to  the  prison  ships. 

In  these  noisome  hulks,  reeking  with  plague,  wit!;  ports 
nailed  up  and  hatches  battened  down  to  prevent  escapes.  11,000 
prisoners  were  confined  during  the  Revolution  and  died  by 
hundreds.  Every  morning  the  order  was  given  "Rebels,  bring 
up  your  dead",  and  the  emaciated  bodies  were  brough*  ashore 
and  buried. 

After  the  Revolution  a  rude  pavilion  of  wood  was  erected 
in  the  burying  ground,  but  soon  fell  into  decay.  Xo  other 
memorial  was  erected  until  Mayor  Westervelt  (a  son  of  Ber- 
gen County)  was  Mayor  of  New  York. 

Certain  real  estate  interests  were  anxious  to  have  Pine 
street  cut  through  Trinity  churchyard  at  the  same  time  the  pro- 
ject of  building  a  monument  to  the  Prison  Ship  Martyrs  was 
discussed.  Mayor  Westervelt  vetoed  the  ordinance  for  the 
street  opening,  and  suggested  the  memorial  be  placed  where  it 
is.  thus  effectually  blocking  any  attempts  to  invade  Trinity's 
holy  ground ;  and  subscriptions  were  readily  obtained. 

In  our  own  time  the  Society  of  Old  Brooklynites  and  an 
association  formed  for  the  purpose,  secured  $25,000  subscrip- 
tions and  $150,000  from  the  city  and  state,  and  erected  at 
Fort  Greene  ^a  beautiful  marble  shaft,  unsurpassed  in  this 
countrv.  under  which  lie  the  bones  of  the  "Martyrs." 

In  common  decency,  should  Bergen  permit  strangers  in  an- 
other state,  to  thus  honor  the  Fathers  of  Bergen,  and  itself  do 

nothing? 

CHARLES  SYDNEY  CLARK, 

(Descendant  of  three  of  the  "Martyrs."). 


64  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 


Necrologfy 

(See  Frontispiece) 

I  wish  to  contribute  my  mite  to  the  memory  of  Robert  T. 
Wilson,  one  time  President  of  the  Bergen  County  Historical 
Society  and  for  several  years  my  fellow  co-worker  on  the  year 
books  of  the  Society. 

At  that  time  he  was  suffering  from  the  ravages  of  the 
"great  white  plague"  and  on  the  advice  of  his  physician  he  spent 
much  of  his  time  in  the  country  at  his  home  in  Saddle  River. 

While  working  on  the  year  book,  it  was  his  custom  to 
motor  over  in  the  morning  to. my  house,  have  luncheon  with  us, 
and  return  to  his  home  late  in  the  afternoon.  \Yt  spent  many 
pleasant  hours  in  getting  the  material  of  the  various  year  books 
ready  for  the  printer. 

He  was  one  of  the  most  courteous  gentlemen  it  has  ever 
been  my  good  fortune  to  meet  and  we  always  enjoyed  having 
him  as  our  guest.  A  poem  written  by  him  to  my  little  daughter 
Jean,  then  aged  five  years,  is  one  of  our  treasured  possessions. 

As  often  as  I  think  of  him,  this  verse  of  scripture  is 
coupled  with  his  memory  :  "W'hat  doth  the  Lord  require  of  thee, 
but  to  do  justly  and  love  mercy,  and  walk  humbly  with  thy 
God."  How  well  this  describes  his  character  his  church,  lodge, 
neighbors  and  business  associates  will  testify.  In  whatever 
sphere  of  influence  his  lot  was  cast,  he  made  the  world  the 
better  for  having  lived  in  it. 

BYRON  G.  VAN  HORNE. 


J    Is 

S| 

O  ^ 
CO  >? 
2    c 

w  S 

CQ 


The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 


31  n  iirmoriam 


Maria   A.   Bellis Oradell 

Andrew  D.  Bogert Englewood 

Isaac  D.   Bogert Westwood 

Peter  B.  Boyert,  Jr Bogota 

A.  H.  Brinkerhoff Rutherford 

Cornelius  Christie Leonia 

Edwin  Clark Ridgewood 

Fred.  H.  Crum Rive'r  Edge 

Dr.  Daniel  A.  Currie Englewood 

A.   S.  D.   Demarest Hackensack 

Isaac  I.  Demarest Hackensack 

Sarah  F.  Demarest Hackensack 

Oliver    Drake-Smith Englewood 

George  R.  Dutton Englewood 

E.  D.  Easton Areola 

Samuel  S.  Edsall Palisade 

August  M.  Fay Hohokus 

Mrs.  L.  T.  Haggin Closter 

Henry  Hales Ridgewood 

A.    C.   Holdrum Westwood 

George  Heber  Jones,  D.  D Leonia 

Hugo  F.  Kriss Hohokus 

William  O.  Labagh Hackensack 

Jesse  Lane New  Milford 

Mrs.  Jesse  Lane New  Milford 

I.  Parker  Lawton Ridgewood 

William  A.  Linn Hackensack 

John  A.  Marinus Rochelle  Park 

William   Nelson Paterson 

Christie    Romaine Hackensack 

Rev.  Ezra  T.  Sanford New  York 

William    Shanks Hackensack 

Col.  William  D.  Snow Hackensack 

Dr.  David  St.  John Hackensack 

Peter  0.  Terhune Ridgewood 

William  L.  Vail Fairview 

Jacob  Van  Buskirk New  Milford 

Jacob  Van  Wagoner Ridgewood 

Francis  Livingston  Wandell Saddle  River 

Salina  F.  Watt Hackensack 

Robert  T.  Wilson Saddle  River 

A.  C.  Zabriskie New  York 

David  D.  Zabriskie Ridgewood 


66  The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 


Birth  of  the  Society 

By  Kugeiie  K.  Bird 

The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society  was  born  March  4, 
1902.  in  the  Johnson  Pubhc  Library  building,  Hackensack, 
when  a  few  gentlemen  met  and  formed  a  preliminary  organ- 
ization, with  William  A.  Linn  presiding.  The  Rev.  Herman 
V'anderwart  was  made  temporary  chairman,  James  A.  Romeyn 
temporary  secretary.  Encouraging  words  were  received  from 
a  number  of  prominent  citizens  of  the  county,  upon  which 
assurance  Caleb  Van  Husan  Whitbeck,  the  Rev.  E.  T.  Sanford 
and  William  O.  Labagh  were  named  as  a  committee  to  circu- 
larize in  the  interest  of  the  enterprise,  inviting  all  citizens  of  the 
county  to  join.  Those  present  at  this  meeting  were :  The  Rev. 
Herman  Vanderwart,  William  A.  Linn.  James  A.  Romeyn, 
Wm.  O.  Labagh,  Alfred  T.  Holley,  the  Rev.  Arthur  Johnson, 
the  Rev.  E.  T.  Sanford,  the  Rev.  H.  B.  Leech,  F.  W^  Orvis, 
James  M.  Smith,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  E.  Esray,  IVIrs.  L.  Kirby,  Dr. 
L.  S.  Marsh  (dentist),  Eugene  K.  Bird.  Henry  D.  Winton,  H. 
Wetzelberg,  C'ornelius  Blauvelt,  Isaac  L  Demarest.  Caleb  Van 
H.  Whitbeck  Joseph  Kinzley  and  Wilkin  Bookstaver.  all  of 
Hackensack  ;  the  Rev.  W.  H.  Vroom  of  Paramus,  and  William 
H.  Zabriskie  of  Oradell. 

A  second  meeting  was  held  March  2y,  when  Charles  Bur- 
rows, F.  M.  Glover  and  C.  L.  Crear  of  Rutherford.  Gen.  J. 
X^reeland  Moore  of  Leonia.  Mayor  Isaac  D.  Bogert  of  W'est- 
wood,  Counselor  Cornelius  Christie  of  Leonia.  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Vermilye  of  Englewood,  the  Rev.  Dr.  W.  W.  Holley  of  Hacken- 
sack and  Colonel  Wm.  D.  Snow  of  Hackensack  were  among 
names  added. 

This  committee  was  appointed  to  name  candidates  for 
office :  The  Rev.  Dr.  Holley,  Chas.  Burrows.  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Vermilye,  the  Rev.  W.  H.  Vroom,  Isaac  D.  Bogert.  Col.  W.  D. 
Snow.  Cornelius  Christie.  They  presented  the  following  names, 
and  all  were  elected : 

President,  William  M.  Johnson;  Vice-Presidents — Wm.  A. 
Linn.  Hackensack ;  J.  V.  Moore.  C.  Christie,  Leonia ;  Elizabeth 
Vermilye,  Englewood ;  the  Rev.  W.  H.  Vroom,  Paramus 
(Ridgewood)  ;  I.  D.  Bogert.  Westw^ood ;  Recording  Secretary, 
the  Rev.  E.  T.  .Sanford.  Hackensack;  Corresponding  Secretary, 
Arthur  Van  Buskirk.  Hackensack;  Treasurer,  James  A.  Ro- 
meyn, Hackensack;  Executive  Committee — F.  M.  Glover. 
Rutherford ;  Miss  Adelaide  W.  Sterling,  Englewood ;  Abram 
C.  Holdrum,  Westwood ;  Abram  De  Baun,  Hackensack. 

A  newspaper  report  of  the  day  says  that  "Mr.  Glover,  who 


Tin;  l)KR(;i-:x  Coi'xi^-  1 1  isioRicAr.  S()(■lI•:■|■^•.  67 


IS  a  hneal  descendant  of  Historiens,  "ave  a  ])leasant.  little  talk- 
on  historical  fossils  and  the  necessity  for  avoidinj,^  the  ruts  that 
mark  the  trail  of  historical  societies  throughout  nations  where 
livino-  and  dead  languages  are  recognized." 

Mr.  (ilover.  as  chairman  of  the  ex(>cutive  committee,  was 
informed  that  he  could  exercise  his  most  acute  and  active 
faculties  to  avert  the  fossilization  of  the  hodv  with  which  he 
had  allied  himself. 

And  so  the  Historical  Societ}-  of  Bergen  Countv  was 
launched.     Its  meml)ership  at  the  present  time  is  as  follows : 


HONORARY   MEMBERS 

ANDREW    R.    COLLINS NEw    BRIDGE 

HON.    MILTON   DEMAREST HACKENSACK 

GEN'L.    GEORGE   B.   DUNCAN UNITED    ST.^TES   ARMY 

THEAPHILUS   N.    GLOVER LINCOLN   PARK 

MAJOR   FRANCIS   G.   LANDON NEW    YORK 

JOSEPH    C.    LINCOLN CHATHAM.    MASS. 

MAJOR  JESSE  I.   SLOAT UNITED   STATES   ARMY 

MAJOR   MAX   W.   SULLIVAN UNITED   STATES   ARMY 

REV.    WILLIAM    VROOM RIDGEWOOD 


LIFE  MEMBERS 

BURTON   H.    ALLBEE    PATKRSOX 

WILLIAM  O.  ALLLSOX ENGLEWOOD 

JOHN    BORG TIACKEXSACK 

MRS.  JOHN  BORG IIACKRXSACK 

W.  R.  BRITTON EAST   ORANGE 

ALPIN  J.   CAMERON RIDGEWOOD 

ABRAM   DE  RONDE    KXGLEWOOD 

WILLIAM  J.  ECK . IIACKEXSACK 

W.   EDWARD  POSTER H.\rKEXSACK: 

E.   HOWARD   FOSTER    ENGLEWOOD 

.\LLISTER  GREEN NEW  YORK 

WILLIAM  C.  GREGG HACKENSACK 

HOW\A.RD   B.   GOETSCHIUS    ROSCOE.   N.   Y. 

ARCHIBALD    C.    HART HACKENSACK 

ARTHUR   C.    HOPPER RIDGEWOOD 

DAVID  HOPPER ' MAIIWAH 

WILLIAM  B.   MACK.\Y,   JR HACKENSACK 

J.    G.    C.   MANTLE LEONIA 

H.    V.   D.    MOORE    ENGLEWOOD 

CAPT.  J.  J.   PHELPS TEANECK 

VERYL  PRESTON HOHOKUS 

W.   R.    SCHOONMAKER    HACKENSACK 

.ANDREW  STERTZER HACKENSACK 

JOHN  STEWART GARFIELD 

CARL  M.  VAIL RIDGEWOOD 

CHARLES  C.  VOORHIS ^'EW  YORK 

MRS.    FRANCES    A.    WESTERVELT    HACKENSACK 


68 


The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 


ALLENDALE 

WILLIAM   H.   ACKERMAN 
WILLIM  DEWSNAP 
MRS.  WM.  DEWSNAP 
MRS.  WILLIAM  C.  LEE 
AMBROSE   K.   MERRILL 
MRS.   A.  K.  MERRILL 
MRS.    HAROLD    MILLER 
GEORGE  PARIGOT 
GEORGE   M.   POTTER 
MRS.  GEORGE   M.  POTTER 
W.  C.  TALMAN 
ARTHUR    TOMALIN 
A.  L.  ZABRISKIE 

BOGOTA 

CORNELIUS  V.  R.  BOGERT 

MRS.  C.  V.  R.  BOGERT 

MRS.  CATHERINE  V.  BOGERT 

MISS  EMMA  L.  BOGERT 

BENJAMIN  R.  BUFFETT 

MRS.  HARRIET  ANDRUS  BUFFETT 

W.  F.  CANE 

DR.  GEORGE  L.  EDWARDS 

GEORGE  C.  FELTER.  JR. 

MRS.  GEORGE  C.  FELTER 

WILLIAM  S.  HOPPER 

MRS.  WILLIAM  S.  HOPPER 

WILLIAM  T.  KNIGHT 

REV.  STODDARD  LANE 

MRS.  \V.  R.  LEERS 

MRS.  CATHERINE  C.  MUNN 

WM.   ST.  JOHN  TOZER 

REV.  J.  C.  VOORHIS 

F.  R.  WESLEY 

BERGENFIELD 

WALTER   CHRISTIE 
KATHERINE   FOSTER 
JOHN  W.  RADFORD 

CLOSTER 
DAVID  D.  ACKERMAN 
HERBERT    BOGERT 
CLARENCE   A.   CLOUGH 
RICHARD    W.    COSTNER 
ABRAM  DEMAREST 
■lOHN  J.  DEMAREST 
J.    Z.   DEMAREST 
MRS.   J.    Z.   DEMAREST 

D.  S.  JOHNSON 

E.  W.    LOZIER 

F.  W.  MATTOCKS 
FRANCIS  E.  MEYER 
DWIGHT    MOORE 

DR.   CHARLES    A.   RICHARDSON 
WILLIAM  H.  ROBERTS 
ALBERT   T.    SNEDEN 
W.    GERARD   VERMILYE 

DEMAREST 

FRANK    ACHILLES 
MATT  J.  BOGERT 
CLARENCE   A.    BOGERT 
VIRGIL  BOGERT 
EDWARD   MALCOM    DEACON 
DR.    A.   L.   WARD 
EDMUND  W.  WAKELEE 

DUMONT 
REV.  C.  W.   GULICK 


ENGLEWOOD 

WILLIAM  O.  ALLISON 

JOHN  B.  ALLISON 

WILLIAM  BECK 

MISS  JESSIE  BENSON 

HENRY  W.  BLAKE 

DANIEL  G.  BOGERT 

CHARLES  A.  BOGERT 

JOHN  V.  BOGERT 

STEPHEN  H.  BOGERT 

PERCY  M.   CHRISTIE 

MISS   ANNA  B.   CLARK 

WM.   MARVIN    COE 

WILLIAM  CONKLIN 

MISS    SARAH   J.   DAY 

JACOB   R.    DEMAREST 

ABRAM   DE    RONDE 

PHILIP    DE    RONDE 

PETER  S.  DURYEE 

J.   H.   EMANUEL,   JR. 

ADOLPH  L.  ENGELKE 

HON.  E.  HOWARD  FOSTER 

MRS.  EMMA   GEROW 

HON.   W.    IRVING  GLOVER 

EDSON  B.  GORHAM 

GEORGE   W.  JOHNSON 

REV.   EDWARD    KELDER 

THOMAS   W.    LAMONT 

JOHN    B.    LEWIS 

HENRY   MANN 

MRS.   HENRY  MANN 

D.  J.  McKENNA 

J.    R.    MELCHER 

H.   V.   D.   MOORE 

DWIGHT  W.   MORROW 

REV.  THORNTON  B.  PENFIELD 

DAN    FELLOWS    PLATT 

L.  J.  PLUME 

DANIEL   E.    POMEROY 

SEWARD   PROSSER 

FRANK    C.    PUTNEY 

ARTHUR    B.    REEVES 

WM.   E.   H.   SCHNEIDER 

CYRUS  D.   STAGG 

D.    F.    SWEENEY 

WILLIAM    TALLMAN 

J.  H.  TILLOTSON 

DR.  S.  S.  TREADWELL 

MAXWELL  M.  UPSON 

DR.  BYRON  G.  VAN  HORNE 

MRS.   B.   G.   VAN  HORNE 

CAPT.  EDGAR  VAN  NAME 

O.  C.  WEATHERBY 

SIMON  L.  WERTERVELT 

WINTON  J.   WHITE 

EAST    ORANGE 
W.  R.  BRITTON 

EAST    NORTHVALE 
MRS.  CATHERINE  CORY 

FORT  LEE 

JOHN  C.  ABBOTT 
EDWARD    J.    KAUFER 

GARFIELD 

WILLIAM  WHITEHEAD 
JOHN   STEWART 


The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 


69 


HACKENSACK 

DR.  C.  F.  ADAMS 

GARRETT  G.  ACKERSON 

GEORGE  G.  ACKERMAN 

REX  B.  ALTSCHULER 

MISS  CORNELIA  H.  ANDERSON 

V.  C.  ARMSTRONG 

C.  W.  BERDAN 

HENRY  A.  BERRY 

J.  W.  BINDER 

E.  K.  BIRD 

MISS  EFPIE  BLAUVELT 

WILLIAM  D.  BLAUVELT 

THEODORE  JiOETTGER 

MRS.  THEODORE  BOETTGER 

MRS.  JOHN  W.  BOGERT 

HENRY   MYERS   B0(4ERT 

MRS.    HENRY   MY'ERS    BOGERT 

.rOHN  BORG 

MRS.  .JOHN  BORG 

GEORGE    K.    BR.\DPIELD 

GEORGE    M.    BREWSTER 

CORNELIUS    V.   BRINKERHOPP 

MRS.  geor(;e  ALYEA  HKLXKKRHOPP 

DR.   M.  R.    I5KIXKMAN 

JOSEPH   A.   BROHEL 

CHARLES    W.    BROWER 

T.    HOWARD    BRUSH 

W.  P.  BURDETT 

HON.  LUTHER  A.  CAMPBELL 

H.  B.  CANNON 

MRS.   H.    B.    CANNON 

CHRISTOPHER  E.  CASEY 

JAMES   P.    CLARENDON 

CHARLES   S.   CONKLIN 

MRS.  CHARLES  S.   CONKLIN 

DR.   E.    K.    CONRAD 

PAUL  H.   CROMELIN 

JOHN  H.   CRONK 

MRS.   J.   H.   CRONK 

REV.  J.  J.  CUNNEELY 

CHARLES  CURTIS 

C.   M.   DALRY'MPLE 

A.   DE   BAUN 

MRS.  A.  DE  BAUN 

CLAY'TON    DEMAREST 

MRS.   CLAY'TON   DEMAREST 

MISS   ELENORE   E.    DEMAREST 

HON.    MILTON    DEMAREST 

JOSE    M.    DIAZ 

WILLIAM    S.   DOREMUS 

S.  LESLIE  DOREMUS 

WILLIAM   P.   EAGER 

WILLIAM  J.   ECK 

T,  HENRY'  ECKERSON 

MRS.  T.  HENRY'  ECKERSON 

OSMER  W.  EICHOFP 

FRED  V.  FERBER 

DR.   GEORGE    WILLI .\M   PINKE 

MRS.   GEORGE   W.  PINKE 

FREDERICK   T.   FISHER 

MISS    MAGD.VLENE    E.    FISHER 

W.    EDWARD   FOSTER 

MRS.    M.    REBECCA    C.    FOSTER 

CHARLES   S.   FOUNTAIN 

DR.    A.    FRANCK 

DR.  FRANK  PREELAND 

JAMES  J.  GOVEY 

WILLIAM  C.  GREGG 

J.    S.    GRUNOW 

WALTER  T.  GUDEON 

A.    C.    HART 

VICTOR  HART 


M.  L.  HAGGERTY 

(iEOKGE  IIARING 

TUNIS    A.    HARING 

DR.   L.  T.   HE  WES 

R.    A.    HEWITT 

.1.   W.   HOLBERTON 

(JEORGE    E.    HOLLANDER 

MRS.   HENRIETTA    1).    HOWP.LL 

ALFRED    T.    HOLLP.Y 

LEWIS  W.  HYDE 

HON.    WM.    M.   JOHNSON 

D.   G.   JEFFERS 

JOSEPH  KINZLEY',  JR. 

MISS   JENNIE   H.    L.\BA(ilI 

•lOSEPH  G.   LIDDLE 

COURTLANDT    LINKROUM 

MRS.  COURTLANDT  LLNKKOU.M 

CHARLES    H.    LOZIKK 

MRS.    C.    H.    LOZIEK 

CLARENCE  MARIE 

MISS  ELIZABETH  MABON 

CLINTON  M.  MACARTHY 

MISS  JENNIE  S.  MACARTHY 

DR  .H.VRRY'  G.  MACDONALD 

TYNAN  S.  MARSHALL 

HON.  WM.  B.  MACKAY,  JR. 

WILLIAM   M.  MEAD 

GEORGE    C.    MERCER 

.LVMES    W.    MERCER 

WILLIAM    W.    MONT.\LA'0.    -IR. 

WILLIAM  MORSE 

HOW.\RD    NEWMAN 

ROBERT   OKIN 

WILLIAM   L.  PAULISON 

CHARLES  H.   PLENTY 

FRANK   B.   PLY'MPTOX 

JOHN  R.  POWLES 

EDWIN  W.  PRESTON 

MRS.    E.    W.    PRESTON 

CHARLES  C.  RAMEY' 

HON.  JOHN  R.  RAMSEY 

WILLI.VM   F.   RIC.VRDO 

THEODORE    ROILMNE 

MRS.   THEODORK   ROM.MN'P. 

L.    H.    SAGE 

W.   R.    SCHOONM.VKER 

MISS   GR.VCE    S]jTX(;KRL.\ND 

CH.\RLES    E.    STAPPOKI) 

P.    C.    STAIB 

MRS.    P.   C.   STAIB 

ANDREW    STERTZER 

DR.  H.  S.  STEWART 

MRS.    H.    S.    STEW.VRT 

DR.    A.    A.    SWAY'ZE 

FREDERICK    K.    STILLWELL 

HON.    P.    U.    T.\YIJ1R 

C.  AV.  TERHUNE 

HOW.\RD    D.    TERHUNE 

I'.    (^HRISTIE    TERIirXE 

MRS.   P.   C.  TKRHUXE 

.lOHX    W.   TIIO.MSOX 

Airi'lH'R    A\\X    BUSKIRK 

(;K()R(iK    \-.\X    BUSKIRK 

in':RM.\N    VANl)Pin\'.\RT 

.1.    R.    V.\N   DYCK 

H.    H.    V.\N    S.\UN 

.I.VMPS    .\.    VAN   VALEN 

RALPH   N.   VOORHIS 

MRS.    RALPH    N.    VOORHIS 

PR.VNK    H.    VREELAND 

B.   B.   WELLS 

MRS.   FRANCES  A.   WESTERVELT 

WARNER  W.  WESTERVELT 

WENDELL  J.  WRIGHT 


/' 


The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 


WILLARD  T.  WRIGHT 
FRANK  YOUNG 
HON.  JOHN  B.   ZABRISKIE 
FRED   C.    ZABRISKIE 
JESSE  F.   ZABRISKIE 

NORTH    HACKENSACK 

EMILE  STANGE 
EUGENE    C.   BENNETT 

HARRINGTON  PARK 

P.   M.   CURTIS 
MRS.  P.  M.  CURTIS 

HASBROUCK    HEIGHTS 

J.    HENRY    BEHRENS 

MRS.   L.  P.  BKRNSTKIN 

MILNOR    B.    DOMIXICK 

MRS     ALICE    ZABRISKIE    FIELD 

EDMUND   E.   FIELD,    JR. 

FRANK  S.  FLAGG 

MRS    HENRIETTA  BURR  HARRIS 

E.   L.   D.  HESTER 

MRS.   ANNA  M.   LAWSON 

E.  C.  LITTLE 

GEORGE   H.   WEBB 

WALTER   G.   WINNE 

HOHOKUS 

VERYL   PRESTON 

HOBOKEN 

MISS  DORA  SMITH 

JERSEY    CITY 

JOHN  W.  BANT  A 

JERSEY   CITY   FREE   LIBRARY 

LEONIA 

GUY    J.    AGRATI 

PAUL   BALZE 

B     T.    BUTLER 

ANDREW  A.  CHRISTIE 

CHAS.    SYDNEY  CLARK 

MRS.   FLORENCE   M.    DUVAL 

JOHN  ETTL 

ROBERT  HILL  GREENE 

DR.  ROSCOE  GUERNSEY 

CAPT.  JAMES  M.  HACKETT,  M.D. 

COL.  E.  W.  HALFORD 

DR.  WILLIAM  HALLER 

DR.  HERMAN  H.  HORNE 

ORISON  M.  HURD 

FREDERICK  IMMOOR 

MISS   MAUD   KIDDER 

.r.   G.   C.   MANTLE 

LEWIS   MARSENA   MILLER 

MRS.  LEWIS  M.  MILLER 

DAVID  B.   MULLIKEN 

WILBUR  F.   OSLER 

E.  D.  PAULIN 

H.  G.  RAMPSPERGER 

DR.   C.   P.    SEGARD 

MRS.  C.  P.  SEGARD 

.rOHN  W.   SHARP 

R.    A.   SIGSBBE 

W.  M.  SPEAR 

EDWARD   STAGG 

THEODORE    WILLICH 

R.   J.  G.   WOOD 

LITTLE  FERRY 

D.    M.    GOETSCHIUS 


LODI 

WILLIAM   W.   AMMERMAN 

LYNDHURST 

REEVES  D.  BATTEN 
:\IRS.  REEVES  D.  BATTEN 
ROBERT  L.  FISS 
PETER  A.  KUHN 
DR.  ROBERT  W.  RODMAN 

MAHWAH 

MRS.  ANNA  C.  HOPPER 
DAVID  HOPPER 
MRS.  CLARA  D.  LORD 
ELMER  J.  SNOW 
MRS.  ELMER  J.  SNOW 

MAYWOOD 

JOSEPH   A.   DUFFY 

MIDLAND  PARK 

HENRY    WOSTBROCK 

NYACK,    N.    Y. 
J.    ELMER   CHRISTIE 

NEW    MILFORD 
MISS   C.    VAN   BUSKIRK 

NEW    BRIDGE 
ANDREW  R.  COLLINS 

NEW    YORK    CITY 

HERBERT  STEWART  ACKERMAN 
GEORGE  H.  BUDKE 
GROVE    D.    CURTIS 
ALLISTER    GREEN 
MISS   ADELLE   SADLER 
MA.JOR    FRANCIS    G.    L.VNDON 
CHARLES  C.  VOORHIS 

NEWARK 

MRS.   TDABELLE  S.  KRESS 

NORTHVALE 

LOUIS  CAMPORA 

ORADELL 

ELMER  BLAUVELT 
MRS.    ELMER    BLAUVELT 
MRS.    ELIZA    A.    BLAUVELT 
DAVID  D.  BELLIS 
MISS    ANNA    BELLIS 
MISS  LIDA  S.  BELLIS 
JOHN   W.    BELLIS 
MRS.   J.   W.   BELLIS 
ALBERT    R.    BOGERT 
M.'iTTHEWS    BROWN 
MRS.    MATTHEWS    BROWN 
MRS.  J.  D.  CHRISTIE 
JOHN  G.   DEMAREST 
DANIEL    I.    DEMAREST 
DANIEL   E.   DEMAREST 
ISAAC   D.   DEMAREST 
MRS.  ISAAC  D.  DEMAREST 
E.  P.  VELDRAN 
MRS.    E.   P.    VELDRAN 
JOHN  J.   VAN  WAGONER 


The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society, 


71 


PATERSON 

BURTON  H.  ALLBEE 
E.  F.  COSSE 
HON.  JOHN  W.  GRIGGS 
MISS  ALICE  OLDIS 
THEODORE    RIKER 

PASSAIC 

•T.    HOSEY   OSBORN 

RAMSEY 
.JOHN    Y.    DATER 
JOHN   FRANK   DE    BAUN 

RIDGEFIELD 

EVERETT   F.    CURRIER 
ALFRED   DIEDERICK 
CHAS.    ENGELHART 
MELLINGER    E.    HENRY 
GEORGE    W.    HOOD 
M.  R.  JACOBUS 
FRED  P.   SMALL 

RIDGEFIELD    PARK 
C.  FRED  BRE^VSTER 
JOHN  A.  AY.  DONALDSON 
FRANCIS  V.  D.  LLOY'D 
FRANK    A.    MORRISON 
W.  J.   MORRISON.  JR. 
JOHN    E.    S.    PETRIE 
J.    E.    WILLIAMS 

RIDGEV/OOD 

CHARLES   K.    ALLEN 

ALFRED  E.    ASHFIELD 

C.    L.    AUGUR 

H.  H.  BLAUVELT 

FREDERICK  Z.  BOARD 

ALPIN  J.  CAMERON 

LEWIS  R.  CONKLIN 

CH.AS.  S.  CHAPMAN 

HON.   CORNELIUS  DOREMUS 

.\     DOUGL.'\SS   GESSFORD 

HENRY  W.    H.\LES 

ELMER    J.    HOPPER 

J     SMY'LIE    KINNE 

JAMES    MADDEN 

J.  R.  MALTBIE 

M.  T.  RICHARDSON 

JUDSON   B.    SALISBURY 

BENJAMIN    FRANKLIN    SLOAT 

MARTHA  WANDELL  STILLWELL 

I.    W.   TRAVELL 

C.\RL   M.   VAIL 

REV.  JOHN  A.  VAN  NEST 

DR.  W.   L.   VROO]\I 

REV     WILLIAM    VROOM 

WALTER   W.   WILSEY 

CHARLES   WOODMAN 

RICHARD   T.  WILSON 

EVERETT  L.   ZABRISKIE 

RIVER    EDGE 

WILLIAM  F.  ALBERS 

MRS.  W.  F.  ALBERS 

A.  Z.  BOGERT 

MRS.  A.  Z.  BOGERT 

MRS  CHAUNCEY  W,  BROWN 

MRS.   F.  H.  CRUM 

MRS.  ANNA  M.  KRAISSL 

CLYDE  B.  PLACE 


MRS.  CLYDE  B.  PLACE 
CHARLES  B.  RICHARDS 
MRS.  C.  B.  RICHARDS 
MRS.  HARRY  LEWKLLYN 
HENRY  VOORHIS 
MRS.  HENRY  VOORHIS 
MISS  MARY  K.  ZABRISKIE 

ROCHELLE  PARK 

HENRY   S.    IIEXKN 


HOWARD 


ROSCOE,    N.    Y. 

COKTSCHIUS 


RUTHERFORD 


MRS.  A.  E.  C.VSTER 

COOK   CONKLTNG 

GUY  L.   FAKE 

F.   HAYDEN 

MRS.  F.  HAYDEN 

REID  HOWEIJ. 

WALTER  A.  KIPP 

MRS.   HELEN   G.   LUCE 

MRS.   MARIE   E.   LUCE 

MRS.  ELEANOR   B.  SPEER 

EMIL  STEFFENS 

A.  W.  VAN  WINKLE 

MRS.  ARTHUR  W.  VAN  WINKLE 

CHARLES    A.   VAN    WINKLE 

STIRLING  VAN   WIXKLK 

WINANT   V.\N    WINK[.E 

SADDLE  RIVER 

R.    A.    ADAMS 
J.    G.    ESLER 
MISS  LOLA  W.  ESLKK 
GEORGE    M.    ECKKRT 
MISS   KATHERJNK  PENL 
MRS.  FRANK  D.   I'KLL 
WESTON  w.  w.\(;kk 
MRS.    WESTON    W.   W.\(iKK 
MRS.  JUANTTA    L.    W.VNDELL 
MRS.  JOHN  CHKISTIE  WARE 
JOHN  CHRISTIE    W.\RK,   JR. 

TAPPAN 
H.\RRY   RYERSO.X 

TEANECK 
HARRY    BENNETT 
MRS.    H.VRRY   BENNETT 
MISS  S.\RKTTA   1)E^E\R!■:ST 
MISS    HELEN   GEMMER 
.lOIEV  H.  HAYWARl) 
BERNARD    LIPM.\X 
MRS.   BERN.VRl)   LIl'JLVX 
MRS.   A.   V.    MEEKS 
(WPT.  J.  J.  I' HELPS 
MISS  DOROTHY  SOHNKER 
MISS  M.\RTON  SOHNKER 
GEORGE   E.   WELLS 

TENAFLY 
E.   ST,\NLEY  CL.\RKE 
W.VTSON  G.   CL.VRK 
JAMES   KIPP 
HERBERT    (i.    L()WI=: 
RALPH    S.    M.VUGHAM 
HENRY  :\r.  ROGERS 
H.    B.   PALMER 
ALEX.   B.  ROBERTS 
J.   SPENCER  SMITH 
WALTER    STILLMAN 
JOHN  A.  WILSON 


72 


The  Bergen  County  Historical  Society. 


WESTWOOD 

MRS.  JOHN  G.  BERDAN 
JESSE  E.  BRANNEN 
MRS.   WILLIAM   BREIBY 
MRS.  THOMAS  E.  BRICKELL 
JAMES   E.    DEMAREST 
ISAAC  B.   HOPPER 
GEORGE  H.  HOWELL 
DR.  GEORGE  M.  LEVITAS 
WARREN  H.  STAGG 
EDWARD  VAN  WAGONER 

WOODCLIFF    LAKE 

RANDOLPH  PERKINS 


WYCKOFF 

THOMAS  D.  RAMBAUGH 
MRS.  THOMAS  D.  RAMBAUGH 

WASHINGTON,  D.   C. 

JOHN  T.   BOYD.   JR. 

YONKERS,   N.  Y. 

PETER   A.   H.  VOORHIS 

U.  S.  ARMY 

MA.JOR  GEN.   GEO.  B.  DUNCAN 
MAJOR  MAX   W.  SULLIVAN 
MAJOR  JESSE  I.   SLOAT 


SUPPLEMENTARY 


ALLENDALE 

MRS.   S.  M.  PRITCHETT 

BERGENFIELD 

MRS.  MARIE  ESLER  WILLEY 

CHATHAM,  MASS. 
JOSEPH  C.  LINCOLN 


DUMONT 


JACK  L.  FOX 


H. 


ENGLEWOOD 

LeROY  PITKIN 


HACKENSACK 

JOHN  M.  CONTANT 
MRS.  WM.  P.  EAGER 
JOSEPH  F.  O'SHEA 
HENRY  M.  POMARES 
MISS  MARTHA  STAGG 
JOHN  VOLK 

LEONIA 

FRED  D.  BALZE 
MRS.   E.  D.   PAULIN 

LINCOLN   PARK 

THEOPHILUS  N.   GLOVER 

LYNDHURST 

ALFRED  H.  CRANKSHAW 
MRS.  A.  H.  CRANKSHAW 


MORSEMERE 

WILLIAM  D.   WHEELER 
MRS.  W.  D.  WHEELER 

RIDGEFIELD 

VREELAND  BANTA 

DR.   LAFAYETTE  TALBOT 

RIDGEFIELD    PARK 

MISS   ROSE  WYETH   LEWIS 

RIDGEWOOD 

EDWIN  EARLE 
MRS.  HOPE  D.  EARLE 
MRS.  JOHN  HAWES 
ALBERT  P.  HOPPER 
ARTHUR  J.  HOPPER 
J.  M.  LAWTON 
CLARENCE  L.  LERSNER 

RUTHERFORD 

GEORGE  A.  K.  SUTTON 

WESTWOOD 

MRS.   CHARLES  H.  HAYWOOD 

WEST   NEW   YORK 

E.  G.  THOMSSEN 


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