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THE  HISTORY 


Cape  lay  County, 


NEW  JERSEY, 


KKOM 


THE  ABORIGINAL  TIMES 


TO 


THE  PRESENT  DAY, 


EM  K  RACING 

AN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE   ABORIGINES;  THE   DUTCH  IN    DELAWARE    BAY- 

i,  THE  SETTLEMENT  OK  THE  COUNTY:  THE  WHALING:  THE  GROWTH 

OI   THE  VILLAGES;  THE  REVOLUTION    AND    PATRIOTS  :  THE 

ESTABLISHMENT  OF  THE  NEW  GOVERNMENT;  THE  WAR 

OF  i8n;  THE  PROGRESS  OF  THE  COUNTY;  AND  THE 

SOLDIERS  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 


BY 

Lewis  Townsend  Stevens. 


Illustrated. 


CAPE  MAY  CITY,  N.  J. 

LkWTS  T.  StEVKXS,   FlBI.I.'SHKK. 

1897. 


■^v^o 


1 


Entered  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  1897,  by 
LEWIS  T.  STEVENS, 
In  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  (Congress,  at  Washington.  D.  C. 


<k 


PRESS   OF   THa 

STAK  OF  THE  CAPE  PUBLISHING  CO. 

CAPE  MAY,  N.  J. 


/ 


PREFACE. 

'"The  History  of  Cape  May  County'"  is  the  result  of  many 
years  of  research,  and  the  author  hopes  that  it  will  meet  with 
the  approbation  of  the  public.  Some  ten  years  ago  the  au- 
thor began  the  keeping  of  a  sera])  book  of  Cajjc  May  county 
historv,  among-  other  things,  and  this  constant  accumulation 
of  facts  resulted,  about  a  year  ago,  in  a  determination  on  the 
I)art  of  the  author  to  prepare  a  history  (jf  the  county,  which 
would  portray  its  gradual  development  and  the  progress  of 
its  people  from  the  earliest  times.  The  cause  which  led  to 
its  iM'eparation  principally  was  the  fact  that  nt)  history  had  ^ 
ever  before  been  published,  excepting  the  sketch  of  Y)x. 
Maurice  Beeslev,  in  1857,  which  contained  only  fifty  printed 
pages. 

The  information  obtained  for  this  volume  was  largely  sup- 
plemented from  the  collections  of  the  New  York  Historical 
Society,  the  New  Jersey  Historical  Society  and  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Historical  Society.  Many  facts  were  gathered  also 
from  the  articles  of  Francis  B.  Lee,  Esq.,  of  Trenton,  and 
the  author  has  also  been  aided  in  his  work  by  Colonel  J. 
Granville  Leach,  of  Philadelphia;  County  Clerk  Edward  L. 
Rice,  and  Mr.  Aaron  Learning.  The  diaries  of  Aaron  Lea- 
rning the  first,  of  Aaron  Learning  the  second,  and  of  Jacob 
Spicer  the  second  have  been  perused  and  liberal  extracts 
made  from  the  same.  The  work  of  Dr.  P.eesley  has  been 
w^oven  into  this  volume  and  proper  credit  given  to  him 
for  every  fact  for  which  he  is  responsible. 

The  county  of  Cape  May  has  a  most  honorable  history 
and  the  one  aim  of  the  author  has  been  to  tell  the  facts  as  he 
finds  them  and  yet  try  to  keep  aw-ay  from  the  drv^ness  which 
characterizes  such  works.  There  may  be  errors  in  the  vol- 
ume, but  the  author  has  been  very  careful  in  the  verification 
of  dates  and  names.  The  different  ways  of  spelling  family 
names  is  caused  by  the  literal  copying  of  the  records  from 
which  they  are  taken. 

If  this  volume  serves  to  preserve  to  the  people  the  history 
of  the  county,  the  author  will  feel  that  he  has  been  repaid 
for  his  efforts.  LEWIS  T.  STEVENS. 

Cape  May,  May  15,  1897. 


ODE  TO  CAPE  MAY. 


By  Theophilus  T.  Price,  M.  D. 


Tune:     "Dearest  May." 

(Revised  by  the  author  for  this  work.) 
Dear  land  of  my  nativity! 

And  scene  of  childhood's  play, 
I  fondly  sing  my  love  to  thee 

In  humble,  fervent  lay. 
Let  others  roam  who  have  a  mind; 

With  thee  I'd  rather  stay, 
For  many  ties  there  are  that  bind 

My  heart  to  thee.  Cape  Alay. 

CHORUS:— 

Cape  May!    Cape  May! 

My  thoughts  to  thee  will  stray 
With  fond  delight,  in  memories  bright, 

When  I  am  far  awa}-. 

Thy  svmny  skies  look  down  serene 

Where  warbling  woodlands  lay; 
And  fertile  fields  stretch  out  between 

The  ocean  and  the  bay. 
And  health  on  everv  breeze  is  borne 

That  o'er  thee  takes  its  way; 
And  plenty  pours  her  teeming  horn 

Into  thy  lap.  Cape  May. 
Chorus. 


'J'liy  dauglilcrs'  praise  truth  j;la(ll\  sjnaks, 

While  fond  emotions  rise; 
The  glow  of  beauty  gilds  their  checks 

And  sparkles  in  their  eyes; 
And  hearts  of  love  and  tcndernes.-. 

W' ithin  their  bosoms  play  ; 
Their  virtues  fair  adorn  and  bless 

Thy  ha])py  bonus,  Cape  May! 
Ch(jrus. 

Thy  sons,  a  generous  patriot  band, 

Hospitable  and  brave. 
Love  loyally  their  native  land, 

Their  homes,  and  circling  wave; 
Bold  arc  their  hearts  where  duty  lies. 

Or  honor  points  the  way; 
And  noble,  honest  men  arise, 

Thy  proudest  boast.  Cape  May ! 
Chorus. 

I  love  to  breathe  thy  healthful  air; 

I  love  thy  sky  and  sea ; 
I  love  thee,  for  my  friends  are  here. 

And  all  that's  dear  to  me. 
I  love  thee,  for  thou  art  my  home, 

And  wheresoe'er  I  stray 
The  golden  chain  of  memory 

Still  binds  me  to  Cape  May! 

Chorus :   Cape  May !  Cape  May !  etc. 


Contents. 

Chapter  1 — The  Indians  and  the  D^itch  Explorers....     9 

Chapter  II — Pioneers  and  Whaling 2J 

Chapter  III — The  Settlers  and  Their  New  Homes....  36 
Chapter  IV — Life  Early  in  the  Eighteenth  Century...  59 
Chapter  V — Development  of  Rf^ligious  Denominations  70 
Chapter  \T — Alaritime  Tendencies  and  Cattle  Owning  79 

Chapter  \'II — Ancient  Loans  and  Taxes 90 

Chapter  \' III — The    Religious    Centre iversies 98 

Chapter  IX — West  Jersey  Society  Rights 106 

Chapter  X — Jacob  Spicer  and  His  Sayings 116 

C.iapter  XI — Aaron  Learning  and  His  Times 132 

Chapter  XII— John  Hatton,  the  Tory 143. 

Chapter  XIII — Preparations  for  War 171 

Chapter  XR'' — The   Revolution   Begins    183 

Chapter  XV — Cape  May  Patriots    195 

Chapter  X\'l — The  Ending  and   Independence 20S 

Chapter  X\  II — The  County  in   1800 224 

Chapter  XVIII— The    War'  of   .1812 2^^ 

Chapter  XIX — Progress  After  the  War 248 

Chapter  XX — Xoted  ]\Ien  of  a  Generation 267 

Chapter  XXI — The  Decade   Before  the   Rebellion.  ..  .280 

Chapter  XXH — Opening  of  the  Civil  War 301 

Chapter  XXII — First  Xevv  Jersey  Cavahy 316" 

Chapter  XXIV — The  Enlistments  of  1862 328 

Chapter  XXA' — The  Campaigns  of  '1864  and  1865.  . .  .344 

Chapter  XXVI — Life   Following   the    Rebellion 355 

Chapr(^r  XX\'II — Fifteen   Years  of   Prosperity 375 

Chapter  XXVIII — Distinguished  Visitors 393 

Chapter  XXIX — Cape  Island 405 

Chapter  XXX — Cape  Afay   City 429^ 


I'liajtcr  XXX  1 — The    iSoroughs    445 

Appendix  A — Members   of   the    Legislature 450 

Appendix  ]) — Hoards  of  Freeliolders    4:^:5 

AppiMidix  C — County  ( )fficials    46:; 

Appendix  E — Munieipal  ( )ffieers   4-2 

Appendix  I) — Postmasters    465 

Api  tn(hx   i'" — Table  of  Population 480 


ERRATA. 

['ag-e  43 — For  "Thomas  Caesar  Hoskins"  read  "Thomas 
Hand,  Caesar  Hoskins." 

Pag^e  206 — For  "Daniel  Ganetson"  read  "Daniel  Garret- 
son." 

Page  338 — For  "\\'il]ol)y  Snyder"  read  "Willoby  Souder." 

Page  360 — For  "Aliss  Emma  T.  Brooks"  read  "Aliss  Emma 
T.  Sutton." 

Page  393 — For  "thunpike"  read  "shunpike." 

Page  423— For  "Alashel"  read  "Maskel." 


Illustrations. 

Cold  Si)ria,i>-  I'li'sbyleiian  Cliuvdi   Frontispiece 

Maj)  of  Cap*'  May  County   I77 

Tovvuseud   C<iat  of  Anns   37 

SteamUoat  Lainliuw.  Ca]t<'  May   Point,  iu  185!) 189 

Con;;-ivjss  Hall,  Gape  Island,  in  ISoi)   211 

The  Oirlton,  Cai)o  May  Point 235 

President  Harrison's  Cotla«e,  Cape  May  Point   245 

Marine  \'illa,  Cai)e  May   251 

Joslnia.    Townsend    . .   254 

The  Jail  of  1829   257 

Rev.   Moses   Williamson    201 

Jonathan    Hand    208 

James   I>.    Smitli   270 

Josepli   S.    l/oach    280 

The  Coui-t   Houise    283 

Jesse  H.  l>i verty 288 

Dr.   Ma  uri(^e   Beesley    289 

William   S.  Hoo]>er   291 

Georse  VV.  Smith    313 

Henry  \V.   Sa  wyer    319 

William   J.    Sewell    347 

Joo-athan  V.  I^ieaming  353 

Clerk's  and  SuiTog:ate's  Offices    357 

Thonifls   R.    Biooks    300 

Richard  S.   1  .ea miua;    367 

Dr.  Alexander  Young   308 

Joseph  E.   Huy;hes    309 

William   T.   Steveus    370 

Waters  B.   Miller    378 

Alfred   Coojmm-    381 

Thomas  E.  Ludlam    388 

Df.  Walter  S.  l.eaminj;   390 

Eu^eae  C.    Cole    a9l 

Dr.  Amia   U.    Ma nd    397 

The  Jail  of  1894    399 

Edirnind    L.    Rn.ss    400 

And''*^\v  J.   Tonilin    401 

The  S^  u.i  ^rvffue,    Woodbine    402 

Aaron'  W    ''Mid    403 

Robei't  K.   T  fan.l    404 

First  Baptist   Chn;  eh.   (\-ii»e   May    421 

Dr.  James   Me^-ra  v 430 

Joseph  Q.   Williams 432 

Frederick  J.  Melvin   435 

James  M.  K.   Hildrelh    441 


HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  INDIANS  AND  THE  DUTCH  EXPLUKiUS, 
The  first  inhabitants  of  what  is  now  the  county  of  Cape 
May,  as  far  as  history  teaches  us,  were  the  red  nicn  of  the 
forest.  These  aborigines  were  of  that  great  tribe  of  the  Al- 
gonquins,  which  had  their  first  home  about  Ottawa,  Canada, 
and  being  of  a  roaming  and  nomadic  disposition,  more  so 
than  most  other  famihes,  they  naturally  cared  little  for  agri- 
cultural pursuits  and  wandered  over  the  coiuitry  and  were 
found  cast  of  the  Mississippi  River,  througli  aii  the  Al:(idle, 
Xorthcrn  Central  and  New  England  States.  Of  all  the 
tribes  who  were  most  unfortunate  were  the  Algonquins. 
Disease  took  thousands  of  them  away  and  the  greerVy  set- 
tlers killed  them  off  like  birds.  The  branch  of  the  Algon- 
quins which  inhabited  New  Jersey  were  the  Lenni-Lmapes, 
who  happily  were  treated  honorably  and  paid  for  their  land 
bv  the  settlers  the  prices  demanded  by  their  chiefs.  In- 
dians, as  all  know,  are  fond  of  game  and  during  the  hunt- 
ing season  Cape  May  had  its  share  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
forest.  Birds  of  varieties  abounded.  Wilson,  the  ornithol- 
ogist, who  did  most  of  his  writing  and  studying  at  Becsley's 
Point,  said,  "If  birds  are  good  judges  of  excellence  in  cli- 
mate, Cape  May  has  the  finest  climate  in  the  Ignited  States, 
for  it  has  the  greatest  variety  of  l)irds." 

The  last  king  of  the  Lenni-Lenapes,  King  Nummy,  is 
buried  on  Nummy  Island  near  Hereford  Inlet,  and  it  is  said 
that  all  Indians  left  the  county  after  the  ceremony  of  burial 
and  journeyed  to  Indiana,  settling  on  the  banks  of  the 
Wabash  river.  •       ' 

The  Lenni-Lenapes  were  called  often  the  Delawares,  and 
were  the  most  influential  tribe  in  this  section,  as  well  as  the 


10  Hi  SI  OH  V  oi'  CAPr:  may  cotxty. 

most  peaceable.  The  name  of  the  particular  tribe  inhabiting 
Cape  May  county,  living;  at  Cape  May  Point,  was  the  Kech- 
■emeches.  The  Delaware  river  was  called  the  Whittuck,  and 
the  province,  now  New  Jersey,  was  called  Skaakbee,  or 
Sheyichbi.  The  name  of  Tuckahoe  is  of  Indian  origin,  and 
mieans  where  deer  are  shy  or  difficult  to  approach.  Hunting 
for  deer  about  the  head  of  that  river,  which  was  enjoyed  by 
the  Indian,  was  induiijed  in  by  the  residents  of  the  county 
■until  1890,  since  which  time  very  few  have  been  seen  there. 

It  has  been  supposed  by  many  that  the  number  of  aborig- 
ines in  this  State  when  first  visited  by  Europeans  was  con- 
siderable. That  they  were  very  numerous  in  this  county 
there  cannot  be  any  doubt,  from  the  great  quantities  of 
shells  found  contiguous  to  the  seaboard.  Many  hundreds 
of  bushels  are  to  be  seen,  in  numerous  places  in  one  mass, 
and  the  soil  in  many  places  abounds  with  them  and  is  en- 
riched thereby.  There  is  a  singular,  and  perhaps,  unac- 
countable fact,  respecting  these  deposits;  the  shells  are,  uni- 
versally, so  broken  that  seldom  a  piece  is  found  larger  than 
a  shilling.  Many  Indian  relics  have  been  discovered,  such 
as  isinglass,  medals,  stone  hatchets,  arrow  heads,  earthen- 
ware  of  a  rough  description,  beads,  javelin  heads,  etc. 

Dr.  Maurice  Beesley,  in  his  "Sketch  of  the  Early  History 
oi  Cape  May"  (1857),  says  of  the  Indians: 

"Of  the  aborigines  of  Cape  May  little  seems  to  be  known. 
It  has  been  argued  they  were  very  inconsiderable  at  the  ad- 
vent of  the  Europeans.  Plantagenet  in  1648  speaks  of  a 
tribe  of  Indians  near  Cape  May,  called  Kechemeches,  who 
mustered  about  fifty  men.  The  same  author  estimates  the 
whole  number  in  West  Jersey  at  eight  hundred;  and  Old- 
mixon,  in  1708,  computes  that  'they  had  been  reduced  to 
one-quarter  of  that  number.'  It  cannot  be  denied  by  any 
one  who  will  view  the  seaboard  of  our  county  that  they 
were  very  numerous  at  one  time  here,  which  is  evidenced 
by  town  plats,  extensive  and  numberless  shell  banks,  arrow 
heads,  stone  hatchets,  burying  grounds,  and  other  remains 
existing  with  us.  One  of  these  burying  grounds  is  on  the 
'larm  formerly  Joshua  Garretson's.  near  Beesley's  Point, 
which  was  first  discovered  by  the  plowman.  The  bones 
(1826)  were  much  decomposed,  and  some  of  the  tibia  or  leg 


•niK   IMHA.NS   AM»   'IIIK    IM'TCII    li:Xl*L(  MlTIItS.  11 

l)ones  bore  uiiniistakable  evidences  of  syi)liilis,  one  of  the 
fruits  presented  them  by  their  Christian  civiHzers.  A  skull 
was  exhumed  whicli  must  liave  I)elonged  to  one  of  great 
rage,  as  the  sutures  were  entirely  obliterated,  and  the  tables 
firmly  cemented  together.  hVom  the  superciliary  ridges, 
which  were  well  developed,  the  frontal  b(jne  receded  almost 
on  a  direct  line  to  the  place  of  the  occipital  and  parietal 
sutures,  leaving  no  forehead,  and  had  the  appearance  of 
Slaving  been  done  by  artificial  means,  as  practiced  at  present 
•on  the  Columbia  among  the  I'lat  Heads.  A  jaw-bone  of 
Jiuge  dimensions  was  likewise  found,  which  was  coveted  by 
the  observer:  but  the  superstitions  of  the  owner  of  the  soil 
ibelieving  it  was  sacrilegious,  and  that  he  would  be  visited 
T)y  the  just  indignation  of  Heaven  if  he  suffered  any  of  the 
teeth  to  be  removed,  j^revailed  on  us  to  return  it  again  to  its 
jiiother  earth. 

'/  "In  1630,  when  sixteen  miles  square  was  purchased  of 
3iine  Indian  chiefs,  it  would  infer  their  numbers  must  have 
Ibeen  considerable,  or  so  numerous  a  list  of  chiefs  could  not 
liave  been  found  on  a  spot  so  limited.  Yet.  in  1692,  we  find 
them  reduced  to  fractional  parts,  and  besotted  with  rum. 

''A  tradition  is  related  by  some  of  the  oldest  inhabitants, 
that  in  the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century  the  remnant 
of  Indians  in  the  county,  feeling  themselves  aggrieved  in 
various  wavs  by  the  presence  of  the  whites,  held  a  council 
iin  the  evening  in  the  woods  back  of  Gravelly  Run.  at  which 
ithey  decided  to  emigrate;  which  determination  they  carried 
into  effect  the  same  night.  Whither  they  went  no  one  knew, 
nor  were  they  heard  from  afterwards.  In  less  than  fifty 
years  from  the  first  settlement  of  the  county  the  aborigines 
had  bid  a  final  adieu  to  their  ocean  haunts  and  fishing 
:gjounds. 

"Less  than  two  centuries  ago  Cape  May,  as  well  as  most 
•other  parts  of  our  State,  was  a  wilderness;  her  fields  and 
lawns  were  dense  and  forbidding  forests;  the  stately  Indian 
roved  over  her  domain  in  his  native  dignity  and  grandeur, 
lord  of  the  soil,  and  master  of  himself  and  actions,  with  few 
wants  and  numberless  facilities  for  supplying  them.  Civili- 
zation, his  bane  and  dire  enemy,  smote  him  in  a  vital  part: 
lie  dwindled  before  it  as  the  reed  before  the  flame :  and  was 


12  IIIS'iJKY  OF  CATE  MAY  COUNTY. 

soon  destroyed  by  its  influence,  or  compelled  to  e33aiginafe 
to  other  regions  to  prolong  for  a  while  the  doom  affix£.d  ia- 
his  name  and  nation. 

"The  following  (synopsis  of  an)  Indian  deed,  and  belaevfiS 
to  be  the  only  one  that  has  been  handed  down,  was  found 
among  the  papers  of  Jacob  Spicer,  and  is  now  in  the  pos- 
session of  Charles  Ludlani,  Esq..  of  Dennisville. 

"It  was  given  January  ist,  1687,  by  Panktoe  to  JoIik 
Dennis,  for  a  tract  of  land  near  Cape  Island,  viz.:  'Begin- 
ning from  the  creek  and  so  running  up  into  the  woodland, 
along  by  Carman's  line  to  a  white  oak  tree,  at  the  head  of 
the  swamp,  and  running  with  marked  trees  to  a  white  oak 
by  a  pond  joining  to  Jonathan  Pine's  bounds.  All  the  lands 
and  marsh  lying  and  between  the  bounds  above  mentioned 
and  Cape  Island.' 

"The  witnesses  were  Abiah  Edwards  and  John  Carmaru 
Panktoe's  mark  bore  a  striking  resemblance  to  a  Chinese 
character." 

It  is  a  boast  of  the  citizens  of  all  New  Jersey,  and  espe- 
cially of  the  land  owners,  that  not  a  foot  of  its  soil  was  ever 
taken  by  fraud  or  force  from  the  red  man.  The  first  Dutck 
settlers  purchased  theirs,  as  did  the  Swedes  subsequently,. 
and  later  the  English  Friends,  or  Quakers.  And  the  suc- 
ceeding proprietors  all  pursued  the  same  honorable  course. 

During  the  period  of  exploration,  in  the  sixteenth  cen- 
tury, Cape  May's  shores  were  probably  seen  by  many  bold 
navigators  who  did  not  land.  Being  partially  surrounded! 
with  water  and  with  lonp",  low  marshes  between  the  beaches 
and  the  main  land,  and  possessing  no  natural  harbor  for 
vessels,  excepting  a  slight  one  on  the  Delaware  Bay  side^ 
just  above  the  point  of  the  cape,  the  hardy  ocean  voyager 
pressed  on  to  places  more  promising,  where  ships  coul4 
ride  at  anchor  and  be  safe  from  the  wind  and  storm. 

John  Cabot,  the  loyal  Englishman,  and  son,  Sebastian: 
Cabot,  who  made  a  voyage  to  America  in  1498,  may  have 
seen  Cape  May  and  explored  it,  because  it  is  recorded  ttrat 
he  explored  the  coast  of  what  is  now  New  England  and  as 
far  south  as  Cape  Hatteras.  John  de  Verrazani,  a  Floren- 
tine navigator,  sailing  under  the  flag  of  France,  is  also  be- 
lieved   to    have   passed  Cape  May,  and  is  believed  to  have 


THF,   INDIANS   ANI>   Till:    Dl    TCIl    EX  I'Ll  )l!i:i:S.  13 

xounded  the  Cajx-  in  tlic  sprin.L^-  of  1524  in  the  "J  )()li)liin." 
The  county  was  in  tlic  territon-  clainud  I)y  \  errazani  as 
Xew  France. 

Cape  May  county,  the  boundan-  of  which  has  not  lieen 
changed  to  a  very  great  extent  since  its  organization,  is 
bounded  on  the  north  ]:)y  the  Tuckahoe  river,  wliich  rises  in 
the  great  cedar  swamp  in  the  northern  part  of  the  county, 
and  which  inter-locks  with  Dennis  creek,  the  latter  empty- 
ing into  the  Delaware  Bay.  This  cedar  swamp  in  which 
tliey  rise  stretches  for  seventeen  miles  across  the  county. 
That  portion  of  the  land  north  of  the  Tuckahoe  river  was 
first  known  as  Gloucester  county,  but  became  Atlantic 
coimty  when  the  latter  political  division  was  formed. 

Being  a  level  county,  with  an  alluvial  formation,  and  with 
the  unpromising  beaches  along  the  ocean  side,  the  early  ex- 
plorers who  were  hunting  for  gold  mines  had  no  time  to 
iarry  long  upon  them.  They  left  it  for  those  who  wanted 
"So  settle  down  to  agricultural  pursuits,  for  which  the  terri- 
tory was  excellently  calculated.  The  beaches  formed  excel- 
lent places  for  the  pasture  of  cattle,  and  the  sounds  between 
the  beaches  and  main  land  were  places  to  fish  and  gather 
the  clams  and  oysters  which  abounded  in  the  waters.  The 
soil  of  the  county  was  composed  generally  of  sand,  loam 
and  gravel,  which  was  covered  in  many  places  with  oak, 
while  in  the  northern  end  much  pine  was  found. 

By  right  of  the  discoveries  of  the  Cabots  the  English 
claimed  about  all  of  North  America,  and  in  1584  King  James 
granted  a  patent  to  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  which  embraced 
the  provinces  of  New  Jersey  and  New  York,  then  all  one 
and  known  under  the  name  of  Virginia.  This  grant  he 
soon  ignored,  and  in  1606  granted  a  new  charter  for  Vir- 
ginia in  wdiich  was  included  the  territory  now  known  as  the 
New  England  States,  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylva- 
nia and  Maryland,  to  the  Duke  of  York,  afterwards  King 
of  England. 

By  this  time  New  Jersey  and  adjacent  lands  were  claimed 
also  by  the  Swedes  and  Dutch.  Previous  to  this  second 
grant  of  King  James  I,  about  the  year  1600.  Balthazer 
lloncheron,  of  Plolland,  and  several  of  his  associated 
patrons  of  discovery,  moved    by    "terrors,    sufferings    and 


14  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  (OINTY. 

failures  of  their  explorers,  abandoned  the  then  prevailing: 
idea  of  a  northwest  route  to  India,  and  left  this  question  tO" 
the  English  and  Danes  for  settlement."  But  the  works- 
they  had  done  acted  as  a  sprouting  seed,  out  of  which  came- 
the  Dutch  East  India  Company's  determination  to  make  am 
exploring  move.  The  notion  got  into  the  heads  of  its  offi- 
cers, and  against  the  advice  of  Moncheron,  the  Amsterdanix 
directors  became  jealous  of  Denmark  and  England,  and  de- 
cided to  seek  the  route.  Having  received  seventy-five  per 
centum  dividend  on  their  stock,  they  could  easily  afifor<f 
the  venture.  "De  Halve  Maan"  (Half  Moon),  of  forty  last 
or  eighty  tons,  with  two  masts,  was  fitted  out  for  an  arctic 
voyage.  Sir  Henry  Hudson,  an  Englishman,  who  had 
already  made  two  voyages  to  the  new  world  in  search  of 
the  self-same  passage,  was  tired  of  by  his  own  country,  and 
happened  to  be  in  Amsterdam  at  the  time.  It  was  no 
trouble  for  this  powerful  monopoly,  the  East  India  Com- 
pany, to  secure  the  services  of  Hudson,  whose  surname  was 
afterward  changed  to  Hendrick.  He  was  given  charge  of 
the  ship,  assisted  by  an  under  skipper  and  twenty  men- 
Robert  Juet  was  made  Hudson's  clerk  and  became  historian 
of  the  voyage.  On  the  fourth  of  April,  1609,  he  set  out  for 
the  northern  coast  of  Norway.  He  sailed  northward  until 
icebergs  drove  him  to  turn  the  prow  of  his  ship  to  the  south. 
In  July  he  reached  Newfoundland  and  later  he  explored 
the  coast  of  Maine,  and  in  August  he  found  himself  in  the 
Chesapeake  Bay.  Sailing  northward,  on  the  28th  of  the- 
moi^th,  he  entered  Delaware  Bay,  which  was  called  South 
Bay  by  the  Dutch,  and  when  barely  escaping  shipwreck- 
ran  the  Half  Moon  inside  the  bay  and  anchored  around  the- 
point  of  the  Cape,  probably  opposite  Town  Bank.  He- 
spent  a  day  in  exploring  about  the  Cape.  Vander  Donk 
says  in  his  account,  ''The  bay  of  the  South  river  was  the- 
first  place  of  which  the  men  of  the  Halve  Maan  took  pos- 
session, before  any  Christian  had  been  there."  No  settle- 
ment was  attempted  by  Hudson's  crew.  They  sailed  up- 
along  the  bay  side  of  the  county  for  some  distance,  but  en- 
countering flats,  which  are  common  there  to  this  day.  turned 
back,  and  Vander  Donk  reports  "finding  the  water  shoal^ 
and  the  channel  impeded  by  bars  of  sand,  he  did  not  ven- 


Till':   IM>1A.\S   AM)    ri'lK    DITCH    EXI'LOKKItS.  15 

ture  to  explore  it."  The  craft  then  sailed  north  and  into 
North  river,  which  has  since  taken  the  name  of  its  explorer, 
Hudson. 

Hudson's  explorations,  with  others,  created  a  desire 
among  the  tradesmen  of  the  Netherlands  to  seek  more 
business,  and  in  answer  to  the  petition  of  a  number  of  mer- 
chants a  general  edict  was  issued  by  the  States-General  of 
Holland  on  March  27th,  1614,  for  the  encouragement  oi 
discovery  and  promotion  and  protection  of  an  aborginal 
trade.  The  .  tates-Gcneral  enacted  that  the  disco'/'rers  of 
''an\  new  courses,  havens,  countries  or  places,"  should  have 
"tile  exclusive  privilege  of  resorting  to  and  fre(|uenting  the 
same  for  four  voyages,"  and  all  intruders  were  to  l)e  pun- 
ished by  a  tine  and  a  confiscation  of  their  proi)erty.  A  num- 
ber of  merchants,  principally  of  Amsterdam,  formed  a  com- 
pany tor  the  making  of  discoveries  and  to  accept  the  benefit 
of  the  edict.  They  fitted  out  five  vessels  to  follow  in  the 
wake  of  Hendrick  Hudson,  with  Manhattan  Island  (now 
New  York)  as  their  objective  point,  from  which  to  begio' 
their  operations.  ( )ne  of  these  crafts  was  named  the  "I-'or-- 
time,"  and  sailed  from  Hoorn,  a  port  in  Northern  Holland,, 
with  Cornelius  jacobsen  Mey  as  navigator.  Another  of 
the  five,  also  called  the  "I'^ortune,"  was  in  care  of  Com- 
mander Hendrick  Christiansen.  The  "Tiger,"  another,, 
was  navigated  by  Captain  Aariaen  Block.  They  made  a^ 
few  discoveries  and  gave  up  their  work. 

The  natural  successors  of  this  company  was  the  Dutcfj 
West  India  Com])any,  which  was  formed  in  Holland  ira 
162 1.  The  States-General  granted  the  Dutch  West  India 
Company  a  charter  in  1622,  by  which  the  company  was 
given  possession  of  the  whole  of  the  domain  of  New  Jer- 
sey. On  the  2 1  St  of  June  of  the  year  following  it  secured 
the  assent  of  the  States-General  to  its  prepared  articles  of 
internal  government  for  its  colony.  Three  ships  were  fitted 
out  and  a  party  of  settlers  made  up,  and  all  given  into  the 
charge  of  Captain  Cornelius  Jacobsen  Mey.  He  sailed  in. 
the  "Blyde  Broodschap"  (Glad  Tidings),  well  provided  with 
the  means  of  subsistence  and  with  articles  of  trade.  Mey 
was  styled  the  VWst  Director  of  New  Netherlands.  He 
reached  Manliattan  Island  in    May,    1623,    and    then    pro- 


16  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  fOT'XTY. 

cecded  to  examine  the  coast  where  Hendrick  Hudson  had 
preceded  him  fourteen  years  earHer.  Mey  encountered  the 
French,  who  had  attempted  to  take  possession,  and  repulsed 
them,  and  a  second  time  he  met  the  French,  who  had  re- 
newed the  attempt  to  take  possession  of  "Zuyt  Baai"  (Dela- 
ware Bay).  We  are  told  that  the  French  were  driven  ofif  by 
the  Dutch  settlers  and  traders. 

About  four  years  previous  to  this  Cornelius  Hendrick- 
sen,  in  the  "Onrest,"  had  been  at  Cape  May  and  left  a  look- 
out there. 

It  was  during  this  voyage  in  1623,  to  Delaware  Bay,  that 
Captain  Mey  gave  to  the  Cape  his  name,  and  christened  it 
Cape  Mey,  by  which  name  it  has  ever  since  been  known. 
He  explored  the  bay,  which  was  called  "Zuydt"  by  the 
Dutch,  while  by  the  English  "Delaware,"  and  the  Indians 
"Pontaxit,"  and  river,  and  at  length  built  a  fort  at  Techaa- 
cho,  upon  a  stream  called  by  the  natives  Sassachon.  This 
stream  is  now  called  Timber  Creek  and  empties  into  the 
Delaware  a  few  miles  below  Camden.  He  called  it  Fort 
Nassau,  and  this  may  really  be  called  the  first  attempt  of  a 
settlement  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Delaware  river.  Cap- 
tain Mey  announced  to  his  home  company  the  discovery  of 
"certain  new  populous  and  fruitful  lands,  along  Zuydt 
Riviere."  He  explored  the  Atlantic  coast  as  far  north  as 
Cape  Cod.  He  named  the  bay  of  Xew  York  "Port  Mey;" 
the  Delaware,  "New  Port  Mey,"  its  north  cape,  "Cape 
Mey,"  and  its  routli  c.ipe,  "Cape  Cornelius."  Only  one  of 
his  designations  has  l)een  handed  down  to  posterity,  and 
that  has  undergone  some  change  in  its  orthography;  the 
"e"  l)eing  changed  to  "a."  The  Delaware  river  was  known 
at  this  time  under  various  names,  some  of  which  were 
South,  Nassau,  Prince  Kendrick's.  and  Charles'. 

The  West  India  Company,  after  the  reports  received  from 
Mey,  endeavored,  bv  the  offer  of  many  advantages,  to  'n  • 
duce  others  to  engage  with  them.  They  granted  charters 
to  individuals,  subject  only  to  Indian  claims.  Some  pur- 
chased through  agents  lands  on  both  sides  of  the  river. 
When  Captain  Mey  returned  to  Holland  he  left  at  Manhat- 
tan Island  several  families,  sailors  and  men  to  explore  and 
settle  on  the  South  river. 


'IHK   INDIANS   AM)  '11 1  K    DT'I'dl    KX  I'l.l  >KKKS.  17 

L'pon  the  voyages  and  discoveries  of  lludson  and  Mey 
the  name  of  New  N'etlierlands  was  apphed  to  all  the  coun- 
trv  Iving  on  the  coast  l)etween  Cape  Cod  and  Cape  Hen- 
lopen.  which  claim  was  disputed  1)\-  I'lance  and  (ireat 
]:)ritain. 

Of  Cornelius  Jacobsen  AFey,  who  was  formally  installed 
<luring  the  summer  of  1623.  as  first  Director-Ceneral  of 
New  Netherlands,  many  good  things  are  said.  "  'Tis  bet- 
ter to  govern  by  love  and  friendship  than  by  force,"  wrote 
liis  superiors  in  Holland:  and  he  acted  in  the  spirit  of  his 
instructions  to  "the  great  contentment  of  his  people." 
Among  the  Indians  at  Fort  Nassau,  Mey's  little  colony  of 
"brides  and  grooms  were  unharmed,  while  at  Fort  Orange 
•and  Manhattan  the  Indians  "were  all  as  quiet  as  lambs,  and 
■came  and  traded  with  all  the  freedom  imaginable."  When 
at  a  time  the  residents  of  Manhattan  were  suffering  from  a 
"want  of  clothes  and  stores,  he  supplied  them  from  his  ship. 

Director  \\llliam  \^erhulst,  a  successor  of  Mey,  in  pre- 
siding over  New  Netherlands,  visited  the  Delaware  in  1625, 
-and  extended  his  voyage  up  the  river  as  far  as  the  falls  at 
Trenton. 

In  the  meanwhile  that  the  Dutch  were  attempting  to  dis- 
cover and  colonize  along  the  shores  of  the  Delaware  Bay 
and  river,  King  Gustavus  Adolphus,  of  Sweden,  at  the  sug- 
gestion of  William  Usselinx,  of  Holland,  who  in  1590  had 
proposed  the  Dutch  West  India  Company,  undertook  to 
found  a  colony  on  its  banks  also,  but  none  of  them  are 
known  to  have  settled  at  Cape  May. 

In  1629  the  West  India  Company  endeavored  to  excite 
individual  enterprise  into  colonizing  the  country  which  they 
now  claimed.  A  number  of  the  directors  entered  into  a 
scheme,  the  outcome  of  which  was  they  called  themselves 
patroons  for  establishing  colonies,  in  each  of  which  were  to 
"be  fifty  settlers.  Each  patroon  was  granted  a  charter  by  the 
♦company,  in  which  the  patroon  was  given  exclusive  prop- 
•erty  in  the  large  tracts  of  lands  with  extensive  manorial 
and  seignorial  rights.  Thus  encouraged,  several  of  the 
directors  for  whose  use,  probably,  the  charter  was  designed, 
among  them  Godyn,  Bloemmart.  Pauuw  and  \'an  Rense- 
laer  were  most  distinguished,  resolved  to  make  large  terri- 


18  HISTORY  OF  CAl'E  MAY  COL'NTY. 

torial  acquisitions.  These  directors  sent  out  from  Amster- 
dam three  ships,  and  the  whole  management  of  the  afifair 
on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic  was  entrusted  to  Wooter  Van'. 
Twiller,  a  clerk  of  the  Amsterdam  department  of  the  com- 
pany. He  was  to  select  the  lands  for  the  individual  directors.. 
He  entered  the  Delaware  Bay  with  a  ship  and  party  about 
June  1st,  1629,  a  few  days  before  the  adoption  of  their  char- 
ter by  Holland,  and  landed  on  the  south  side  of  the  bay^ 
where  he  bought  of  three  chiefs  of  an  Indian  tribe  there  a. 
tract  of  land  for  Godyn  about  Cape  "Henloop."  or  "In- 
loop,"  now  known  as  Cape  Henlopen. 

As  soon  as  the  settlement  on  the  south  side  of  the  bay 
had  become  fairly  inhabited.  Skipper  Peter  Heyssen,  of  the- 
ship  Walrus,  visited  the  Cape  May  shore  and  as  agents  of 
Samuel  Godyn  and  Samuel  Bloemmaert,  bought  of  ten  In- 
dian chiefs  on,  says  an  account.  May  5,  1630,  which  sale  was 
afterwards  made  a  matter  of  record  under  date  of  June  3,. 
163 1,  a  tract  of  land  four  miles  along  the  bay  from  Cape 
May  to  the  north,  and  extending  four  miles  inland,  con- 
taining an  area  of  sixteen  square  miles.  The  deed  for  this 
land,  which  is  still  preserved  among  the  old  colonial  rec- 
ords, reads  as  follows: 

"We,  Director  and  Council  of  New  Netherland.  residing- 
on  the  Island  of  Manhattan  at  Fort  x\msterdam.  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  Their  Noble  High  Mightiness,  the  Lords- 
State's-General  of  the  United  Netherlands  and  the  Incor- 
porated West  India  Company,  Department  of  Amsterdam, 
attest  and  declare  herewith  that  to-day,  date  underwritten, 
appeared  Peter  Heyssen,  skipper  of  the  ship  "Walvis,"  at 
present  lying  in  the  South  river,  and  Gillis  Hosset,  com- 
missary on  the  same,  who  declare  that  on  the  5th  day  of 
May,  last  past,  before  them  appeared  personally,  Sawo- 
wonwe,  Wvoyt,  Pemhake,  Mekowetick,  Techepepewoya,. 
Mathemek,  Sacoock,  Anehoopeon.  Janqueno  and  Paka- 
hake,  lawful  owners,  proprietors  and  inhabitants  of  the  east 
side  of  Goddyn's  East  bay,  called  Cape  de  Maye,  wdio  for 
themselves  in  proportion  of  their  own  shares  and  for  all  the 
other  owners  in  regard  to  their  shares  of  the  same  land,  de- 
clare of  their  own  accord  and  deliberately    in    their    said 


THK   INDIANS   ANI>    TIIK    Dl'ICII    K\  1'1.(  tUKKS.  19 

qualities,  to  liavc  transporttd,  ccckcl  and  conveyed  as  law- 
ful, unalienable  and  free  property  by  virtue  and  title  of  sale 
and  in  consideration  of  a  certain  ((uantity  of  goods,  which 
they,  the  convevors,  acknowledge  in  their  said  quality  to 
have  received  and  accepted  before  the  passing  of  this  con- 
tract, and  they  herewith  transport,  cede  and  convey,  to  and 
in  behoof  of  the    Noble    Honorable    Samuel    Godyn    and 
Samuel  Bloemmaert  (who  are  absent  and  for  whom  they 
had  accepted  the   hereafter  described  land   subject  to  the 
usual  reservation)  to  wit:  the  east  side  of  Godyn"s  bay  or 
Cape  de  Maye.  reaching  4  miles  from    the    said    cape    to- 
wards the  bav  and  4  miles  along  the  coast  southward,  and 
another  4  miles  inland,  being  16  square  miles,  with  all  in- 
terests, rights  and  privileges  which  were  vested  in  them- 
selves in  their  aforesaid  ([uality.  constituting  and  delegating 
the  aforesaid  purchasers  in  their    own    stead    as    real    and 
actual  owners  thereof  and  giving  and  surrendering  at  the 
same  time  to  their  Honors,  full,  absolute  and  irrevocable 
power,  authority  and  special  charge,  that  tamquam  actores 
at  procuratores  in  rem  propriam  the  Noble  Messrs.  Godyn 
and  Bloemmaert  or  those   who  might  hereafter  receive  their 
property,  enter  u\fm.  possess  in  peace,  inhabit,  cultivate, 
keep.  use.  do  with,  trade  and  dispose  of  the  afore  described 
land  as  they  would  do  with  their  own  inherited  lands  and 
fiefs,  without  that  they,  the  conveyors,  shall  have,  reserve 
or  keep  in  the  least  degree  any  particle  of  claim,  right  or 
privilege  thereon,  be  it  of  ownership,    authority    or    juris- 
diction, but  for  the  behalf  as  aforesaid,  they  herewith  en- 
tirely and  absolutely  desist  from,  give  up,  abandon  and  re- 
nounce it  now  and  forever,  promising  further  not  only  to 
keep,  fulfil  and  execute  firmly,  inviolately  and  irrevocably 
in  infinitum  this,  their  contract  and  what  might  be  done 
hereafter  on  the  authority  thereof,  but  also  to    deliver   the 
said  tract  of  land  and  keep  it  free  against  everybody,  from 
any  claim,  challenge  or  incumbrance  which  any  body  might 
intend  to  create ;  as  well  as  to  have  this  sale  and  conveyance 
approved  and  confirmed  by  the  remainder  of  the  co-owners, 
for  whom  they  are  trustees:  all  this  under  the  obligations 
required  by  law,  in  good  faith,  without  evil  intent  or  deceit. 
In  testimonv  whereof  this  has  been  confirmed  by  our  usual 


20  HISTOUY  OF  CATE  MAY  COUNTY. 

« 

signature  and  our  seal  appended  thereto.  Done  on  the 
aforesaid  Island  of  Manhattan,  at  Fort  Amsterdam,  the  3d 
of  June,  A.  D.  1631." 

The  above  patent  and  one  for  land  on  the  south  side  of 
the  bay  were  issued  by  Peter  Minuit.  while  Director  of  New 
Netherland,  and  this  is  the  only  document  found  in  Holland 
by  Mr.  Brodhead,  as  having  come  down  to  the  present  time 
from  the  West  India  Company,  the  rest  having  been  sold 
as  waste  paper. 

Gillis  Hosset,  or  Osset.  was  a  colonist,  born  in  Holland. 
He  was  commander  of  the  De  Vries  expedition,  mentioned 
later.  He  sailed  from  the  Texel  on  December  12.  1630,  in 
the  ship  "Walrus.'  He  built  a  house  on  the  Delaware  side 
of  the  bay,  and  because  of  an  attempt  to  play  a  trick  on 
some  Indians  was  killed  by  them  in  December,  1631.  The 
sixteen  square  miles  which  was  purchased  was  in  the  pos- 
session of  the  Lenni-Lenape  Indians.  This  was  the  first 
recorded  purchase  of  the  natives  within  the  limits  of  the 
State. 

At  the  time  of  Godyn's  and  Bloemmaert's  purchase  the 
marshes  of  Cape  May  were  very  "extensive  and  the  sounds 
and  thoroughfares  large.  The  inland  waters  were  found  to 
abound  in  oysters,  clams,  crabs,  and  other  shell  fish."  Noth- 
ing is  given  in  the  old  Dutch  records,  however,  to  prove 
that  a  colony  was  at  this  time  established  in  Cape  May. 

The  tract  for  Pauuw  was  purchased  on  Staten  Island 
and  about  Hoboken,  while  a  tract  on  the  Hudson,  near 
Fort  Orange,  was  secured  by  Van  Twiller  for  \'an  Rense- 
laer.     Godyn's  territory  was  called  "Swanwendael." 

After  Pieter  Heyset  concluded  his  purchase  of  the  Cape 
May  county  land  he  entered  into  the  whaling  industry. 

The  impracticability  of  these  great  exclusive  grants  was 
subsequently  discovered  and  condemned.  Their  ratifica- 
tion were  never  obtained  by  the  States-General  until  they 
had  admitted  other  directors  to  participate  in  the  privileges. 

In  the  course  of  time  these  directors  formed  an  equal 
partnership  with  David  Pieterson  de  Vries,  a  navigator  of 
enterprise.  They  inmiediately  planned  to  colonize  the 
shores  of  the  Delaware,  to  plant  tobacco  and  grain,  and  to 


THIO  INDIANS   AM)   THE    DrTCH    KX  I'lAHlKKS.         2\ 

^stablisli  a  whale  and  seal  fishery.  (  )f  de  Vries  it  is  said 
that  he  was  wise  in  counsel,  that  he  conciliated  the  Indians 
of  Swanwendael  and  Scheyichbi,  and  made  the  way  smooth 
for  the  following-  settlers  on  both  shores  of  the  Delaware. 
In  1631  he  entered  the  Ltlaware  and  left  a  colony  at 
Hoornekill.  near  Boompjes  Hoek  (now  i^ombay  Hook). 
He  was  the  first  resident  patroon  owner  of  Cape  May,  and 
was  a  relig-ious  and  devout  man.  He  went  back  to  his 
Hoornekill  colony  the  next  year,  but  found  that  they  had 
been  massacred  by  the  savages.  "Finding  the  whale  fish- 
ery unsuccessful,  he  hastened  his  departure,  and,  with  the 
otiier  colonists,  proceeded  to  Holland  by  the  way  of  Fort 
Amsterdam"  (New  York).  "Thus,"  says  Gordon,  "at  the 
expiration  of  twenty  years  from  the  discovery  of  the  Dela- 
ware bv  Hudson,  not' a  single  European  remained  upon  its 

shores." 

De  Vries.  in  his  journal,  says.  "March  29th.  1633.  found 
that  our  people  have  caught  seven  whales;  we  could  have 
done  more  if  we  had  good  harpoons,  for  they  had  struck 
seventeen  fish  and  only  saved  seven." 

"An  immense  flight  of  pigeons  is  obscuring  the  sky.  The 
14th.  sailed  over  to  Cape  May,  where  the  coast  trended  E. 
N.  E.  and  S.  W.  Came  at  evening  to  the  mouth  of  Egg 
Harbor;  found  between  Cape  May  and  Egg  Harbor  a 
slight  sand  beach,  full  of  small,  low  sand  hills.  Egg  Har- 
bor is  a  little  river  or  kill,  and  inside  the  land  is  broken, 
and  within  the  bay  are  several  small  islands.  Somewhere 
further  up  in  the  same  direction  is  a  beautiful  high  wood." 
This  was  probably  Somer's  or  Beesley's  Point,  clothed  in 
its  primitive  growth  of  timber. 

In  1638  anumber  of  Swedes  entered  the  bay  and  were 
ordered  ofif  by  the  officials  of  the  Dutch  West  India  Com- 
pany. At  the  time  all  the  Swedes  were  told  to  leave  their 
possessions.  The  Swedes  who  entered  the  bay  said  that 
they  were  on  their  way  to  the  West  Indies  and  had  put  into 
"Zuydt"  bay  to  rest  after  a  stormy  voyage. 

Dr.  Beesley  says: 

"About  1641  Cape  May  was  again  purchased  by  Swedish 
agents,  a  short  time  before  the  arrival  of  the  Swedish  Gov- 


22  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

ernor,  Printz  Tinicum.     This  conveyance  included  all  land 
from  Cape  May  to  Narriticon,  or  Raccoon  Creek." 

Campanius,  a  Swedish  minister,  who  resided  in  New 
Sweden,  on  the  banks  of  the  Delaware,  from  the  year  1642 
to  1648,  says,  "Cape  May  lies  in  latitude  38°  30'.  To  the 
south  of  it  there  are  three  sand  banks,  parallel  to  each  odicr, 
and  it  is  not  safe  to  sail  between  them.  The  safest  course 
is  to  steer  between  them  and  Cape  ^lay,  between  Cape  May 
and  Cape  Henlopen." 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE   inONEEKS   AND    WHALlNd. 

Whaling  in  the  Delaware  bay  was  noted  as  a  considcr- 
,-able  industry  about  this  time.     English  colonists  frora  .\'?n 
Haven    and    emigrants    from     Long    Island,    who    nuuK^ 
-%vhaling  their  principal  industry,  must  have  come  lo  Ca;v.> 
May  as  early  as   1638.     The  New  Havenites  were  led   by 
'George  Lamberton.     About  this  time    Captain    X.u'iamel 
"Turner  bought  of  the  Indians  the  land  along  shore  from 
Cape  May  to  Raccoon  Creek,  \arcken's  kill.  Hog  ere jk  or 
;Salem  river.     The  price  paid  was  £30,  and  the  deed  is  dated 
November  24th.  1638.     At  different  subsequent  times  New 
Haven  people  bought  more  land  and  were  aided  in  the  pur- 
chase by  refugee  Pequod  Indians,  who  had  taken  .n.-,ylum 
•with  the  Lenni-Lenapes.     The  New  Haven  people  are  said 
to  have  paid  in  the  aggregate  within  five  years  about  £600. 
Gordon,  in  his  history  of  New  Jersey,    says:    '"Emigrants 
from  New  Haven  settled  on  the  left  shores  of  the  Delaware 
so  early  as  1640,  some  of  whose  descendants  may  probably 
Tbe  found  in  Salem,  Cumberland  and  Cape  May  counties." 

The  first  account  of  a  visit  to  Cape  May  was  published  in 

.a  "Description  of  New  Albion"  (New  England),  written  i)y 

Sir  Edmund  Plowden,  under  the  nom  de  plume  of  "Beau- 

•champ  Plantagenet,"  which  appeared  in  London  in   1648. 

Plowden    reproduced    a     letter    from     Lieutenant     Robert 

Evelvn.     "Master  Evelyn,"  as  Plantagenet  calls  him,   left 

England  with  an  expedition  for  the  Delaware  in  1634,  and 

probably    made    his   exploration    of   the    cape    soon    after. 

•Others  had  observed  Cape  May,    he    learned,    as    follows: 

Hudson   in   1609;  Argall,    1610:    Cornelius    Hendrickson. 

1616;  Dermer,  1619;    Mey.    1620;    Hossett    and    Heyssen. 

:a630,  and  de  Vrjes,  1631.  besides  a  party  of  eight  sent  to  •:<- 


24  HISTOKY  OF  CAFE  MAY  tOT'NTY. 

plore  the  bay  in   1632,  by   Governor  Harvey,  of  \'irginia» 
who  were  killed  by  the  Indians. 

Evelyn's  letter  reads: 

"I  thought  good  to  write  unto  you  my  knowledge,  and 
first  to  describe  to  you  the  north  side  of  Delaware  unto 
Hudson's  River,  in  Sir  Edmund's  patent  called  New  Albion, 
which  lieth  between  New  England  and  Maryland,  and  that 
ocean  sea.  I  take  it  to  be  about  160  miles.  I  find  some 
broken  land,  isles  and  mlets,  and  many  Fmall  isles  at  Eg- 
Bay:  but  going  to  Delaware  Bay  by  Cape  May.  which  is 
twenty-four  miles  at  most,  and  is,  I  understand,  very  well 
set  out  and  printed  in  Captain  Powell's  map  of  New  Eng- 
land, done  as  is  told  me  by  a  draft  T  gave  to  Mr.  Daniel, 
the  plotmastcr,  which  he  Edmund  saith  you  have  at  home: 
on  that  north  side  (of  Cape  Alay)  about  five  miles  within  15=. 
a  port  or  rode  for  any  ships,  called  the  Nook,  and  within 
liveth  the  king^  of  Kechemeches,  having,  as  I  suppose,  about 
fifty  men.  I  do  account  all  these  Indian.s  to  be  eight  hun- 
dred, and  are  in  several  factions  and  war  aq-ainst  the  Sar- 
quehannocks.  and  are  all  extreme  fearful  of  a  gun,  naked 
and  unarmed  against  our  shot,  swords  and  pikes.  I  had" 
some  bickering  with  some  of  them,  and  they  are  of  so  little- 
esteem  that  I  durst  with  fifteen  men  sit  down  or  trade  in 
despite  of  them.  I  saw  there  an  infinite  quantity  of  bus- 
tards, swans,  geese  and  fowl,  covering  the  shores,  as  within 
the  like  multitude  of  pigeons  and  store  of  turkeys,  of  which 
I  tried  one  to  weigh  forty  and  six  pounds.  There  is  much 
variety  and  plenty  of  delicate  fresh  and  sea  fish  and  shell- 
fish, and  whales  and  grampus,  elks,  deere  that  bring  three 
young  at  a  time.  *  *  *  Twelve  hundred  Indians  un- 
der the  Raritan  kings,  on  the  south  side  next  to  Hudson's 
River,  and  those  come  down  to  the  ocean  about  Little  Eg 
Bay,  and  Sandy  Barnegate.  and  about  the  South  Cape  two 
small  Kings  of  forty  men  a  piece  called  Tirans  and  Tias- 
cons." 

From  this  description  there  is  no  doubt  that  Evelyn  vis- 
ited and  made  a^  circuit  of  the  country.  The  name  Egg 
bay  is  still  retained  with  little  change  in  Egg  Harbor  Bay, 
and  the  many  small  islands,  called  beaches  now,  and  on- 
which   are  the   seaside  resorts,  are  the  testimony   that   he- 


THE   PIONEERS   AM)   WHAI.INT;.      y^         25 

actually  saw  them.     Dr.  Beesley  says  of  tlie  n/uiei>^niaclc 
to  the  Kechemeches: 

"Now  where  it  was  the  king  of  Kecycmeches  with  his 
fifty  men  held  forth,  it  would  be  diflficl»lt-<6  ascertain:  it 
might  have  been  at  Town  Bank,  or  Fishing  Creek,  or  fur- 
ther up  the  cove  or  'nook,'  as  he  was  pleased  to  call  it. 
Master  Evelin  must  certainly  have  the  credit  of  being  the 
first  white  man  that  explored  the  interior,  as  far  as  the  sea- 
board, and  his  name  should  be  perpetuated  as  the  king  o£ 
pioneers.  *  *  =(=  His  account  of  the  great  abundance 
and  variety  of  fowl  and  fish  seems  within  the  range  o£ 
probability,  and  the  story  of  the  turkey  that  weighed  forty- 
six  pounds,  would  have  less  of  the  'couleur  de  rose'  were 
it  not  qualified  in  the  same  paragraph,  with  'deere  that  bring 
forth  three  young  at  a  time.'  And  what  a  sight  it  must  have 
been  to  see  the  woods  and  plains  teeming  with  wild  animals, 
the  shores  and  waters  with  fowl  in  every  variety,  where 
they  had  existed  unharmed  and  unmolested  through  an 
unknown  period  of  years;  and  the  magnificent  forest,  the 
stately,  towering  cedar  swamp,  untouched  by  the  axe  of  the 
despoiler,  all  reveling  in  the  beauties  of  Nature  in  her  pris- 
tine state,  the  realities  of  which  the  imagination,  only,  cart 
convey  an  impression,  or  give  a  foretaste  of  the  tliaims 
and  novelties  of  those  primeval  times." 

At  this  time  the  county  was  the  stamping  ground  of  the 
bison,  or  bufTalo.  the  black  bear,  the  panther,  the  wolf, 
the  catamount,  the  deer  and  other  larger  beasts.  The  small- 
er ones  prevalent  at  the  time  were  the  opossinn,  raccoon, 
foxs,  mink,  otters  and  beaver. 

Whether  at  this  time,  about  1640,  the  New  Haven  set- 
tlers, probably  at  Town  Bank,  and  the  Dutcli  or  the  In- 
dians ever  had  any  quarrels  is  not  recorded,  and  they  j:u  b- 
ably  had  not.  Commissioner  Huddle,  of  Fort  Nassau,  on 
the  Delaware,  in  1648,  complained  that  the  Cape  Alay  tribe 
of  Indians  made  barter  "rather  too  much  against  them," 
as  "the  Indians  always  take  the  largest  and  smallest  among 
them  to  trade  with  us,"  by  which  the  long-armed  "tellers" 
compassed  a  "long  price"  for  their  clansmen's  beaver  skins_. 
The  money  they  used  was  called  "sewan." 


20  H[STr)RY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COT'NTY. 

Concerning  the  Swedes  who  may  have  settled  hi  Cape 
May  county  Dr.  Beesley  says: 

"As  history  throws  no  hght  on  the  original  occupiers  of 
-the  soil,  conjecture  only  can  be  consulted  on  the  subject.  It 
woidd  rcem  probable,  inasmucb.  as  many  of  the  old  Swed- 
iisii  r.amcs,  as  recorded  in  Campanius,  from  Rudman,  are 
still  io  be  four.d  in  Crn.berland  and  Cape  May,  that  some 
K)i  ihe  veritable  Swedes  of  Tinicum  or  Christiana  might 
have  strayed,  or  have  been  driven  to  our  shores.  When  the 
Dutch  governor,  Stuyvesant,  ascended  the  Delaware  in 
1654,  with  his  seven  ships  and  seven  hundred  men,  and 
subjected  the  Swedes  to  his  dominion,  it  would  be  easy  to 
imagine,  in  their  mortification  and  chagrin  at  a  defeat  so 
bloodless  and  unexpected,  that  many  of  them  should  fly 
•from  the  arbitrary  sway  of  their  rulers,  and  seek  an  asylum 
where  they  could  be  free  to  act  for  themselves,  without  re- 
straint or  coercion  from  the  stubbornness  of  mynheer,  whose 
victory,  though  easily  obtained,  was  permanent,  as  the  pro- 
vincial power  of  New  Sweden  had  perished  for  ever." 

On  July  12,  1656,  the  Dutch  West  India  Company  ceded 
land  from  Boomtjes  Haukejti  to  Cape  Helopen  to  Amster- 
dam for  700,000  guilders  ($266,000),  and  the  territory  be- 
came under  the  control  of  that  municipality  in  Holland. 
Whether  the  municipality  secured  any  rights  in  the  Cape 
May  land  is  not  known,  but  if  they  did  the  rights  were  nev- 
er asserted. 

The  contest  between  the  Dutch  and  the  Swedes  had  been 
going  on  for  some  years,  although  the  settlers  in  Cape  May 
were  seldom  afifected  by  it.  The  Dutch  had  made  their 
principal  settlement  on  Manhattan  Island,  while  the  main 
■  colonies  of  the  Swedes  were  in  Delaware  and  Southern 
Pennsylvania.  The  former  was  known  as  New  Netherlands 
and  the  latter  New  Sweden.  At  last  the  Dutch  secured  the 
mastery  of  the  whole  territory.  Their  reign  was  short,  how- 
ever, because  the  constantly  growing  settlements  made  by 
the  English  in  New  York,  Virginia  and  Maryland  made 
the  holding  of  the  territory  too  much  of  a  burden  for  the 
Dutch  to  carry. 

Director  Beekman,  of  New  Netherlands,  under  date  of 
June    10,    1661.   writes  to   Governor  Stuyvesant:    "On   the 


THH    IMO.NKKUS    AM>    WIIAI-IN*;.  27 

^east  side  of  this  river  are  residinj^  from  l^n.^lish  among-  the 
jNIaiito  savag;es;  they  arrived  in  a  small  boat  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Cape  May  about  three  months  past:  they  ap- 
parently went  home  from  X'irginia.  as  they  now  seem  in- 
•duced  to  remain  tliere,  if  their  reimrt  of  the  savages  is  cor- 
rect." 

The  English  deposed  the  Dutch  as  easily  as  did  the  latter 
the  Swedes,  who  really  united  their  fortunes  with  those  of 
"the  English. 

In  1664  the  English  took  absolute  control  of  the  terri- 
•tory.  w'hich  they  claimed  by  right  of  the  discoveries  made 
'by  the  Cabots  in  1498.  New  Jersey  came  into  the  posses- 
sion of  proprietary  governors.  On  the  23d  and  24th  of 
June.  1664,  the  Duke  of  York,  who  had  obtained  a  patent 
from  King  James,  did  "in  consideration  of  a  competent  sum 
-of  money,  grant  and  convey  unto  Lord  John  Berkeley, 
Baron  of  Stratton,  and  Sir  George  Carteret,  of  Sultrim,  in 
•the  County  of  Devon,  to  their  heirs  and  assigns  forever,  all 
that  tract  of  land  adjacent  to  New  England,  and  lying  and 
being  to  the  westward  of  Long  Island;  bounded  on  the 
'east  part  by  the  main  sea  and  part  by  the  Hudson  River, 
•and  hath  upon  the  west  Delaware  Bay  or  River,  and  ex- 
tendeth  southward  to  the  main  ocean  as  far  as  Cape  May, 
■at  the  mouth  of  Delaware  Bay.  and  to  the  northward  as  far 
-as  the  northernmost  branch  of  said  bay  or  river  of  Dela- 
-ware.  which  is  forty-one  degrees  and  forty  minutes  of  lati- 
•rtude,  and  worketh  over  thence  in  a  straight  line  to  Hudson 
river,  which  said  tract  of  land  is  hereafter  to  be  called  by 
the  name,  or  names,  of  NOVA  CAESAREA.  or  NEW 
JERSEY."  The  name  of  New  Jersey  was  given  to  the 
"land  because  Carteret  had  been  a  governor  of  the  Isle  of 
Jersey,  in  the  English  Channel,  and  had  defended  it  against 
•the  Long  Parliament.  In  the  same  year  Sir  Robert  Carr 
-was  sent  into  the  Delaware  with  two  frigates  and  the  troops 
not  required  in  New  York  to  compel  the  submission  of 
the  Dutch,  which  he  effected  with  "two  barrels  of  powder 
and  twenty  shot." 

Ten  vears  after  the  granting  of  the  possessions  to  Berke- 
ley and  Cartaret,  the  Dutch  succeeded  in  retaking  New 
York  from  the  English.    For  a  few  months  the  old  province 


28  HISTORY  OF  CATP:  MAY  COUNTY. 

of  New  Netherlands,  including  the  country  as  far  south  as 
Cape  May,  was  restored  to  Holland.  But  in  the  next  year 
the  whole  territory  was  receded  by  the  States-General  to- 
England. 

The  king  gave  his  brother,  the  Duke  of  York,  another 
patent  for  the  land  between  the  Connecticut  and  Delaware- 
Rivers,  and  yet  confirmed  his  patent  to  Berkeley  and  Car- 
taret.  Notwithstanding  both  of  these  grants,  he  appointed 
that  tyrant,  Sir  Edmund  Andros,  royal  governor  of  all  the 
English  possessions  in  America.  Berkeley,  having  become: 
disgusted  with  the  actions  of  King  Charles  and  disappointed 
with  the  pecuniary  prospects  of  the  colony,  offered  his  inter- 
ests for  sale.  John  Fenwick  bought  it  as  a  trustee  for  Ed- 
ward Byllynge.  The  latter  afterwards  became  heavily  in- 
volved with  debts,  and  his  share  was  consigned  for  the- 
benefit  of  his  creditors.  \Mlliam  Penn,  Gawen  Lawrie  and 
Nicholas  Lucas  were  appointed  the  trustees.  In  1676  Fen- 
wick also  assigned  and  his  assignees  were  Jqhn^Eldridge 
and  Edmund  Warner.  On  August  6,  1680,  the  Duke  of 
York  deeded  to  Penn,  Lowrie,  Lucas,  Eldridge  and  War- 
ner the  territory  of  West  Jersey  in  trust  for  Byllynge,  to 
whom  the  government  was  conveyed.  On  the  first  of  July, 
1676,  a  division  had  been  made  of  New  Jersey,  and  Sir 
George  Cartaret  took  all  that  part  north  of  what  is  now 
the  northern  boundary  line  of  Burlington  county,  which' 
was  named  East  Jersey,  while  Penn  and  the  Quakers  took 
all  the  portion  south  of  that  line  and  christened  it  West 
Jersey. 

Within  two  years  some  four  hundred  families  had  ar- 
rived and  settled,  most  of  them  near  Salem,  but  none  are- 
known  to  have  found  their  way  to  Cape  May. 

It  was  the  next  year  that  the  "agreements"  of  the  Qua- 
kers were  made,  in  which  they  allowed  freedom  of  con- 
science, the  ballot  box,  equality  before  the  law,  the  right 
of  assembly,  the  freedom  of  election,  of  speech,  of  the  press,, 
popular  sovereignty,  trial  by  jury,  open  courts  and  free- 
legislation. 

The  gradual  growth  of  the  number  of  settlers  and  the 
question  of  the  division  and  barter  of  lands  becoming  an 
important  one,  the  Assembly,  in   1681,  appointed  a  com- 


THE    riOXEERS   AND    WIIAl.l.Nd.  29 

mission  to  prescribe  rules  for  the  land  settlements.  The 
surveyor  was  required  to  measure  the  Delaware  front  from 
Assunpink  Creek  to  Cape  May  and  to  find  a  point  of  the 
compass  for  running  partition  lines  between  each  tenth. 

The  question  of  the  date  of  the  first  settlement  of  Cape 
May  by  English  families  has  always  been  in  doubt.  Dr. 
Maurice  Beesley  says: 

"After  the  most  careful  investigation  and  patient  research 
in  the  State  and  county  archives,  and  the  early  as  well  as 
the  more  recent  chronicles  of  our  past  history,  we  find  no 
data  to  prove  that  Cape  May  was  positively  inhabited  until 
the  year  1685,  when  Caleb  Carman  was  appointed,  by  the 
Legislature,  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  Jonathan  Pine,  con- 
stable. 

"These  were  independent  appointments,  as  Cape  May 
was  not  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Salem  Tenth.  This 
simple  fact,  however,  that  the  appointment  of  a  justice  and 
constable  for  the  place  w^as  necessary,  goes  to  prove  that 
there  were  inhabitants  here  at  this  time;  yet  whence  they 
came,  in  what  number,  or  how  long  they  sojourned,  are  in- 
quiries that  will  most  probably  ever  remain  in  mystery  and 
doubt.  Fenwick  made  his  entry  into  'New  Salem'  in  1675, 
and  soon  after  extinguished  the  Indian  title  from  the  Del- 
aware to  Prince  Maurice  River.  He  made  no  claim  and 
exercised  no  dominion  over  Cape  May,  and  we  have  noth- 
ing to  show  at  the  time  of  his  arrival  that  the  country  from 
Salem  to  the  seashore  was  other  than  one  primeval  and 
unbroken  forest,  with  ample  natural  productions  by  sea 
and  land  to  make  it  the  happy  home  of  the  red  man,  where 
he  could  roam  free  and  unmolested,  in  the  enjoyment  of 
privileges  and  blessings  which  the  strong  arm  of  destiny 
soon  usurped  and  converted  to  ulterior  purposes." 

Other  authorities  say  that  the  Townsends  and  Spicers 
were  the  oldest  wdiite  settlers  and  individual  land  owners  of 
the  county,  and  that  John  Townsend  and  Jacob  Spicer 
came  from  Long  Island  in  1680,  and  that  Richard,  son  of 
John  Townsend,  was  the  first  white  child  born  within  the 
limits  of  the  county.  Bancroft's  "History  of  the  United 
States"  gives  the  settlement  of  Cape  May  Town,  or  Towrk 
Bank,   as  forty  years    earlier  than    Dr.   Beesley's   positive 


30  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY   Cor.NTV. 

knowledge.    The  records  of  the  whalemen,  which  appear  in 
New  Haven,   show  that  there  was  no  permanent  removal 
from  that  place  to  Cape  May  until  1685.  and  that  about  one- 
fifth  of  the  old  family  names  of  Cape  May  and  New  Haven 
are  similar.     It  is  probable,  however,  that  from  1640  there 
was  a  sheltering  and  resting  place  at  Town  Bank  for  tiiese- 
whalemen  from  Connecticut  and  Long  Island.    The  names^ 
of  residents  of  East  Hampton,  L.  I.,  at  that  time  are  like 
those  who  are  first  mentioned  as  residents  of  Cape   May 
countv,  also. 

The  whaling  period  extended  from  the  middle  of  the.- 
seventeenth  century  to  the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth-  cen- 
tury. As  earlv  as  1658  there  is  said  to  have  been  fourteem 
skilled  pilots  who  led  the  whalemen.  The  whalemen  had 
troubles  of  their  own,  which  at  times  got  into  the  courts, 
and  a  search  of  the  manuscript  records  of  the  earliest  court 
at  Burlington,  where  Cape  May  business  was  then  (1685).^ 
transacted,  bring  to  light  the  following  cases,  which  are- 
given  condensed  to  show  the  grievances  heard: 

Burlington  Court.  4th  7th  month,  1685. 
Caleb  Carman  &  J  no  Carman 
vs. 
Evan  Davis. 

Edward  Pynde  testified  that  he  was  at  the  plantation  of 
Evan  Davis,  who  told  him  that  he  had  bought  a  fish  of  an 
"Indian  called  Nummy."  Davis  invited  Pynde  to  go  with 
him  to  see  the  fish,  saying  that  the  deponent  should  have 
a  share  therein  if  he  did  so.  Pynde  accordingly  went,  and" 
•'conieing  to  ye  s'd  fftsh  sayth  it  was  a  whale  ffish  and  yt  hee- 
saw  an  Iron  (with  warp  thereat)  in  ye  said  whale  ffish.  which 
Iron  &  Warp  ye  s'd  depon't  knowing  them  to  belong  to* 
s'd  Caleb  Carman  &  Company,"  Pynde  accordingly  would 
have  nothing  to  do  with  the  matter.  Whereupon  "Davis 
seized  upon  ye  s'd  whale  fiish  and  Tackling  and  hid  ye  same- 
from  s'd  Carman  and  Company." 

Then  Caleb  Carman,  binding  himself  in  the  sum  of  40s,. 
presents  the  complainant. 

A  warrant  was  issued  to  Alexander  Humfreyes,  as  deputy 
sheriff  or  under  sheriff,  to  take  Davis  into  custody  for  his- 


rm:  rioxEiOKs  and  wnALi.\<j.  3B 

appearance  in  Burlington.  At  the  same  time  Abraham. 
Wegton,  wife  and  children,  to  answer,  as  well  as  Margrett, 
servant  of  Davis,  as  well  as  any  others  who  "can  give  infor- 
mation." although  it  seems  Wegton  had  had  nothing  to  dO' 
with  the  whaling  matter,  l)ut  was  summoned  for  abuse  of  the 
children. 

At  the  court  held  the  12th  of  the  3d  mo.,  1686,  "J'^an 
Davis  by  his  &  Daniell  England's  Bond  to  appear  at  this 
Court"  in  the  Carman  matter  fails  to  present  himself,  where-- 
up(  r>  'k  foil's  his  recognizance,  disposing  ot  the  case. 

.\t  a  court  lield  12-16,  3rd  month,  1688,  Jno.  Skene,  Dep- 
u'.y  (iovernor,  the  Grand  Jury  present,  "Caleb  Carman 
and  sonnes,  John  Peck  &  (others)  concerned  for  taking,, 
breaking  up  &  disposing  of  Dubartus  whales  on  this  shore 
contrary  to  Lawe." 

Divers  persons  by  indictment  were  called  to  the  bar.. 
Among  them  was  Caleb  Carman,  who  "Pleads  not  guilty  & 
rcfcrres  himselfe  to  God  and  ye  Countrey,  whereupon  ye 
Jury  before  are  called  and  all  accepted  &  attested,  ye  jury 
linde  him  not  guilty  in  manner  &  forme  as  hee  stands  In- 
dicted, and  hee  thereupon  afterwards  was  cleared  by  P'cla- 
niation." 

During  the  same  court.  Carman,  his  sons  and  Peck  are- 
presented  by  the  Grand  Jury.  They  claim  they  have  soldi 
no  Dubartus  whales,  except  they  had  permission  from  Tho;: 
Mathews. 

Tn  the  evidence  Jno:  Throp  bought  a  supposed  Dubartus'. 
whale,  of  which  eleven  barrels  of  oil  were  made.  Rich'dl 
Starr  said  Throp  bought  the  whale  of  the  Carmans,  who » 
claimed  to  own  it.  Henrv  Johnson  said  that  Throp  had! 
agreed  with  the  Carmans  only  for  their  labour.  Sjmril'I 
Alathews  said  that  Ezekiell  Eldridge,  "(who  had  p'te  of  ye^ 
fish)  said  he  had  sold  his  p'te  to  Throp  for  10s  &  ye  rest. had' 
done  ye  same,  and  that  they  sold  ye  fish  as  theirs."  Jno.. 
Dennis  said  he  "heard  said  Carmans  say  that  all  drift  whales>- 
that  came  ashore  there  belonged  to  them  by  Thomas  Ma- 
thews order."  Jury  find  Carman  and  the  rest  concernedl 
"not  e^uilty." 

Tn  passing,  it  may  be  worthy  of  note  to  record  that,  af 
this  court.  ?ni(3ng  the  "Constables  p'scnted  &  chosen"  one. 


-32  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COT'NTY. 

was  selected  "about  Cape  May,"  in  the  person  of  Sam'l 
Mathews.  He  was  duly  attested.  This  is  one  of  the  earliest 
selections  of  officials  for  Cape  May  of  which  there  is  any 
record. 

At  a  private  session  of  the  court  held  on  the  i6th  of  Feb'y, 
1688,  at  the  house  of  Richard  Basnett  in  Burlington,  at  the 
request  of  Philip  Richards,  of  Philadelphia. 

Richards  complained  that  having  loaded  the  sloop  "Sus- 
anna" (Peter  Lawrison,  Master)  New  York  to  Philadelphia 
— the  said  sloop  "came  on  shore  to  the  norward  of  Cape 
May."  The  master  and  men  went  ashore  for  relief  and  in 
the  interim  Caleb  Carman  and  his  sons  went  aboard,  and 
vi  et  armis  prevented  the  sailors  from  entering  the  sloop. 
The  Carmans  claimed  half  the  goods  for  saving  the  wreck. 
Being  overpowered,  the  sailors  consented,  whereupon  the 
Carmans  carried  away  the  goods  of  the  said  Richards.  At 
Ihe  request  of  Richards,  Justices  Edw:  Hunlake,  Jr:  Mar- 
shall, Rich'd  Basnett  and  Dan'll  Wills  order  the  appearance 
of  the  Carmans  at  next  Quarterly  Sessions.  The  sessions 
was  held  May  7,  1688,  but  no  action  was  taken,  nor  at  sev- 
eral subsequent  sessions.  It  is  to  be  presumed  that  the  mat- 
ter never  came  to  trial. 

Burlington  Court  June  3,  1690.  Justices  on  the  bench 
were  John  Skene,  Edward  Hunlak.  Wm.  Biddle.  James 
Marshall,  Daniel  Wills,  Sr.,  Richard  Basnett  and  William 
Myers,  with  the  following  Traverse  Jury:  Symon  Charles 
John  Dav,  Eliakim  Higgins,  Peter  Basse.  William  Budd. 
George  Parker,  Thos.  Butcher,  Christop:  Weatherill,  Bery: 
Wheate,  Sam'll  Ogbourne,  Issac  Horner.  John  Warwin, 
Joshua  Humphries.    Same  Court  June  4th. 

John  Dubrois,  Plaint;  Peter  Perdrain,  his  wife  Elizabeth; 
Elizabeth  Meningault;  Andrew  Laurance,  his  wife  Mary: 
Daniel  Lucas.'  Augustus  Lucas,  Defendants.  Action  in 
slander  and  defamation.     Jury  as  above. 

Samson  Gallois  "ye  Interpretter  to  ye  ffrench  people  ar- 
rested." 

In  the  testimony: — 

James  Monjoy  said  he  heard  Mrs.  Rame  and  Mr.  Per- 
drain say  to  Andrew  Lawrence  that  Andrew  should  go  to 
Burlington  to  "undoe  John  Dubois."     Mrs.  Rame  further 


TIIK    riONKKUS    A.M>    WI I A  I. IXC.  33 

said  that  if  Laurance  did  not  do  so  "shee  would  never  eat  of 
s'd  Andrew  Lauranee's  bread  more,  and  y"t  shee  s'd  this 
because  they  had  no  lodging  at  Cape  ]\iay."  i'erdrain  also 
said  that  Dubois  would  run  away  and  that  they  would  en- 
deavor to  have  an  English  overseer. 

Isiah  Lebake  said  he  heard  Lawrence  and  Perdrain  say 
in  a  boat  coming  from  Cape  May  that  Dubrois  had  an  in- 
tention to  run  away. 

James  Peyrard  said  that  Laurence  remarked  last  D'^corn- 
berin  the  Burlington  bake  house  that  he  (Laurence)  would 
tell  false  things  of  the  plaintiff  Dubrois. 

Benjamin  Godfrey  remarking  to  Laurence  that  his  "tes- 
timonials such  as  hee  declared  against  Dubrois  was  cue  ugh 
to  hang  him,"  s'd  Lawrence  answ^ered  "why  then  Mr.  Du- 
brois wants  only  the  Rope."  Godfrey  also  repeated  Mon- 
joy's  testimony  against  Mrs.  Rame. 

John  Gilbert  said  all  the  defendants,  except  Augustus 
Lucas,  had  stated  that  Dubrois  would  run  away  and  convert 
Dr.  Coxe's  goods  to  his  own  use. 

Peter  Rendard  testified  that  Perdrain  had  told  managei 
and  plaintiff  Dubrois  that  he  (Dubrois)  intended  to  run 
away.  Rendard  supposes  to  have  been  occasioned  because 
Dubrois  did  not  provide  such  a  house  as  they  ex'f.ected. 
Perdrain  also  claimed  rights  as  overseer  and  had  several 
times  threatened  Dubrois  by  shaking  his  fist. 

John  Corson  reiterated  the  testimony  concerning  Mrs. 
Brame  and  speakes  of  Andrew  Laurence  as  "her  sonne," 
presumably  "in  law." 

Nicholas  Malherbe  attested  that  Peter  Perdrain  and  Dan- 
iel Lucas,  Sr.,  had  said  that  Dubrois  intended  to  take  Dr. 
Coxe's  property  and  escape. 

Testimony  for  defense — 

Heter  Sespine  testified  that  Dubrois  had  said  "that  he 
would  get  what  he  could  out  of  Mr.  Tatham's  hand  and 
then  he  would  laugh  at  him."  Lawrence  told  the  testator 
the  same.  The  son  of  Augustus  Lucas  had  told  Sespine 
that  the  manager  wanted  to  go  shares  with  the  younger 
Lucas  and  made  the  proposition  at  John  Teqts  in  Philadel- 
phia. It  was  also  proposed  to  send  the  sloop  to  Boston, 
Dubrois  going  therein  with  Captain  Eberad. 


34  HISTOUY  UF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Nicholas  Martines  testified  that  Dubrois  said  "that  whea 
he  gott  the  Asse  (Dr.  Coxc)  by  the  Tayle  he  knew  how  to 
lead  kim." 

David  LiHics  testified  that  the  whalery  liad  ill  success- 
because  Dubrois  look  the  sloop  up  the  River  and  the  whale 
was  consequently  lost.  The  whalers  said  amongst  them- 
selves that  Dubrois  would  "make  the  best  of  ye  Doctor's. 
Concernes  for  himself." 

The  Jury  find  for  the  plaintiff  £$  damages,  costs  and' 
charges. 

Same  Court  and  Jury,  June  5th. 

John  Tatham  on  Ijehalf  of  Dr.  Dan'l  Cox,  plaintiff.  John 
Dubrois  defendant.  Action  upon  the  case.  Entered  June 
3,  two  days  allowed  by  court  and  plaintiff  for  defendant  to 
consider  the  charge. 

The  Defendant  pleads  so  that  Tatham  has  no  power  to 
call  him.  The  Court  decided  for  the  plaintiff.  On  request 
a  letter  of  attorney  from  Dr.  Coxe  to  Tatham  was  read.  In 
the  matter  of  fraud  charged  upon  the  defendant,  a  com- 
mittee of  Justices  were  to  view  the  accounts  and  render  de- 
cision on  the  20th  of  the  month. 

Evidence  for  Plaintiff: 

George  Taylor  testifies  that  manager  Dubrois  took  the. 
sloop  from  Cape  May  to  New  Castle  when  the  whalery  has- 
occasione  for  her.  In  the  meantime  a  whale  was  captured 
and  held  for  six  or  eight  days,  but  for  want  of  a  sloop  the 
whale  was  lost. 

For  the  defense: — 

Isaac  Matikett  and  others  on  depositions  taken  before 
Justices  Salaway  and  Anthony  Morris  in  Philadelphia  show 
the  reason  why  the  manager  went  to  New  Castle,  (reasons 
not  amplified). 

Isaiah  Ebrad  deposes  before  Justice  Skene  why  Dubroise 
came  to  Burlington. 

Benjamin  Godfrey  attested  that  Dubroise  sold  beef  for 
the  whalery's  account  and  that  the  whalers  needed  provis- 
ions and  salt.  "Mr.  Tatham  makes  it  appear  they  had  26 
bushels  of  salt  down  at  Cape  May." 

Oliver  Johnson  thinks  "ye  whalery  men  below,  on  Doc- 
tor Coxe  account  had  provision  enough  to  serve  ye  win- 


THK    riOXKKKS    ANP    WriAI.INCJ.  35 

ter."  lie  stayed  until  the  25tli  of  March  and  hv-arci  no  com- 
plaint. 

George  Taylor  said  there  was  a  vessel  in  the  stocks 
at  Cape  May  begun  in  the  times  of  James  Budd,  but  since 
Budd's  death  nothing  has  been  done  therewith.  Manager 
Dubroise  wanted  whalemen  to  saw  plank  to  complete  her, 
but  it  was  not  done,  although  the  whalemen  had  promised 
so  to  do. 

Peter  Perdrain  says  Dr.  Coxe's  boat  was  lost  at  Cape 
May  for  want  of  help  from  the  shore. 

The  Jury  find  for  the  defendant  and  give  him  the  costs 
of  the  suit. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE   SETTLERS   AND  THEIR  NEW   HOMI^B. 

On  November  3-12,  1685,  Cape  May  was  first  created  a 
county,  which  included  its  present  bounds,  together  with 
all  that  country  embraced  in  a  line  drawn  from  a  point  about 
twenty  miles  up  the  Maurice  River  to  the  most  northerly 
point  of  Great  Egg  Harbour.  Justices  of  the  peace  and  other 
officers  for  the  county  were  appointed  for  keeping  the 
peace  and  trying  causes  under  forty  shillings.  The  county 
was  to  so  remain  until  a  court  was  established,  which  was 
constituted  in  1693.  In  civil  or  criminal  actions,  where 
declarations  and  indictments  were  to  be  traversed,  were  to 
be  taken  to  the  Salem  Quarterly  Sessions,  but  the  Cape 
May  justices  could,  if  they  wished,  sit  in  hearing  such  cases 
wath  the  Salem  justices. 

The  first  inventory  on  file  in  the  Secretary's  office  at 
Trenton,  from  Cape  May,  is  that  of  John  Story,  dated  the 
28th  of  ninth  month,  1687.  He  was  a  Friend,  who  died  in 
Lower  township,  and  left  his  personal  estate,  amounting  to 
iiio,  to  his  wife,  he  having  no  heirs.  A  copy  of  the  inven- 
tory is  here  given  to  show  the  prices  of  various  articles  at 
that  time.     The  original  spelling  is  preserved: 

lbs. 

A  chest,  and  small  things   o 

A  gon    o 

2  bras  cities  an  on  frying-pan o 

2  axes  an  on  shobel o 

On  sadell   o 

On  blanket o 

On  hous  an   improvments    10 

On  stier,  4  yer  ould 5 

2  stiers  goin  to  yer  ould 4 

On  bull   '. 2 


s. 

d. 

16 

0 

10 

0 

10 

0 

5 

6 

10 

0 

2 

6 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

10 

0 

THE  si-rrrLKiis  and  theik  new  homes.         :J7 

lbs.    s.  d. 
On  heifer  whit  calfe    3     10     o 

Prased  bv  us, 

JOHN  r.RIGGS, 
ALEXAxXDER  HUMPHRIES. 

The  next  inventories  filed  are  those  of  Abraham  Weston, 
November  24,  1687,  and  John  Briggs  in  1690. 

John  Townsend,  ancestor  of  all  in  the  county  of  that 
name,  emigrated  with  three  brothers  to  Long  Island  pre- 
vious to  1680.  They  were  members  of  the  Society  of 
Friends.  One  settled  in  New  England,  one  in  New  York 
and  John  and  the  other  came  to  Leed's  Point,  near  Little 
Egg  Harbor.  Tlie  reason  for  John's  coming  to  Leed's 
Point  was  that  he  had  been  banished  from  New  York  for 
harboring  Friends  or  Quakers.  For  the  first  offense  he  was 
fined  £8  and  put  in  jail  for  a  limited  time,  for  the  second 
ii2  and  imprisonment,  and  for  the  third  offense  iioo  and 
imprisonment  for  a  time.     Yet,  by  his  actions,  he  defied 


TOWNSEND  COAT  OF  ARMS. 

the  Governor,  and  when  the  Friends  came  around  again 
he  not  only  harbored  them,  but  invited  ther.i  to  preach  in 
his  house  and  went  around  with  his  horse  and  cart  giving 
notice  of  the  meeting  to  the  inhabitants.  This  made  the 
Governor  so  wroth  that  he  was  brought  before  the  court 
and  banished  from  the  State,  and  if  he  returned  was  to  be 
tied  and  whipped  in  the  streets.  He  first  came  over  to 
jMonmouth  and  from  thence  to  Cape  ]\Iay  county,  where 
he  resided  until  his  death.  His  wife.  Phebe.  lies  buried  in 
the  old  burying  ground  near  Thompson  X'angilders,  and 
was  the  first  white  woman  ever  buned  in  the  upper  town- 
ship. About  or  previous  to  1690  John  (the  other  brother 
having  gone   to   Philadelphia)   traveled   to   Somers   Point, 


38  IIISTOKV  OF  ('ATE   MAY  COT'^TY. 

crossed  tlie  Eg^  Harbor  River,  and  followed  the  seaboard 
down  about  ten  miles  until  he  came  to  a  stream  of  water 
that  he  thought  would  do  for  a  mill.  He  returned  to  Egg 
Harbor,  bought  a  yoke  of  oxen,  got  them  across  the  river, 
took  the  yoke  on  his  back,  as  there  was  not  room  for  the 
timber  to  drive  his  oxen  abreast,  and  drove  them  before 
him  down  an  Indian  path  to  the  place  of  his  future  resi- 
dence. They  cleared  land,  built  a  cabin  and  a  mill  on  the 
sight  of  the  land  of  the  late  Thompson  Van  Gilders,  near 
Ocean  View.  He  died  in  1722  and  left  three  sons.  Richard, 
Robert  and  Sylvanus.  It  is  related  of  John  Townsend  that 
when  he  built  his  cabin,  he  traveled  a  great  distance  and 
found  two  other  settlers  to  help  him  raise  it.  While  they 
were  doing  this  some  Indians  came  aromid  and  also  helped. 
The  three  white  men.  who  wanted  to  impress  the  Indians 
of  their  superior  strength,  decided  to  demonstrate  it 
upon  the  Indians.  x\mong  the  three  one  was  very  strong 
and  an  excellent  wrestler.  The  two  weaker  ones  proposed 
a  wrestling  match,  which  had  been  previously  planned. 
The  wrestling  began,  and  the  strong  man  allowed  himself 
to  be  easily  thrown  by  the  two  ordinary  men.  Then  the 
Indians  decided  they  would  like  to  wrestle  with  the  sup- 
posed weak  man.  They  began  tugging  at  one  another, 
when  suddenly  the  first  and  only  Indian  that  tried  to  wres- 
tle was  tossed  into  the  crotch  of  a  tree.  The  Indians  then 
assumed  if  the  weaker  man  could  do  such  an  act  so  easily 
they  concluded  that  the  others  could  not  be  moved.  This 
little  incident  served  to  prevent  any  trouble  between  the^ 
whites  and  natives.  John  and  Peter  Corson  were  the  first 
of  the  name  that  came  to  the  county,  and  were  here  as 
early  as  1692.  The  second  generation  was  Peter,  Jr.,  John, 
Jr.,  Christian  and  Jacob.  This  family  became  numerous. 
There  were  fifty-two  families  in  1840  of  that  name  in  Upper 
township. 

Shamgar  Hand  settled  at  what  is  now  Court  House  in 
1690.  on  a  farm  of  1000  acres,  which  he  purchased  of  Dr. 
Daniel  Cox,  agent  of  the  West  Jersey  Society.  Others  set- 
tled there  were  the  Stiteses.  Cravvfords.  Ludlams.  Hewitts 
and  Holmeses. 

All  the  Townsends  in  the  countv  descended  from  John 


Tin-:  siri'i'iJOTts  a.nd  tiikik  .ni:\v  H(>mi:s.         39 

Townsend.  all  the  Corsons  from  IVter  aiul  J(jlin  Corson, 
rail  the  Learnings  from  Christ(ji)her  Leaming,  all  the  Liid- 
Jams  from  Joseph  Ludlam.  all  the  Schellingers  from  Cor- 
nelius Schellinks,  all  the  Hughes  from  Humphrey  Hughes, 
all  the  Whilldens  from  Joseph  Whillden,  all  the  Hewitts 
from  Randall  Hewitt,  all  the  Stites  from  Henry  Stites.  all 
the  Cresses  from  Arthur  Cresse,  all  the  Willets  from  John 
Willets,  all  the  Goffs  from  John  (ioff,  all  the  Youngs  from 
Henry  Young,  all  the  Eldredges  from  Ezekiel  Eldredge, 
all  the  Godfreys  from  Benjamin  Godfrey,  all  the  Matthews 
from  Samuel  Matthews. 

John  Reeves  was  one  who  rented  land  in  the  county.  He 
leased  200  acres  on  the  sound  side  on  the  23d  of  May,  1690, 
from  Jeremiah  Basse,  "now^  of  burlingtown  in  ye  province  of 
West  New  Jersey,  merchant,''  as  agent  of  the  West  Jer- 
sey Society.  The  rental  was  a  fee  of  £20  and  yearly  renVa\ 
which  was  to  consist  of  two  fat  hens  on  Christmas  Day. 
"The  indenture  was  recorded  on  July  2,  1695,  and  bore  the 
following  memorandum:  "That,  whereas  the  rent  of  two  fat 
hens  or  capons  is  menshoned  in  the  with  menshoned  de«d 
itt  is  a  greede  that  the  Rent  for  the  futor  shall  be  only  on 
Eare  of  Indian  Corne  if  Demanded."  The  memorandum 
is  marked  as  being  recorded  December  20,  1699. 

During  the  changes  in  proprietorship  which  had  been 
going  on  in  the  province  of  New  Jersey  from  1675  to  1690 
"there  w-ere  really  so  many  rulers  in  the  colony  that  it  was 
a  difficult  matter  to  know^  whom  to  acknowledge  as  officers 
with  authority.  "The  condition  of  New^  Jersey,"  says  one 
authority,  "was  deplorable,"  and  "for  ten  years  thereafter 
the  colonv  was  vexed  and  distracted  with  the  presence  of 
more  rulers  than  any  one  province  could  acconnnodate." 

After  a  while  Edward  Byllinge,  one  of  the  Qua-cer  pur- 
•chasers  of  West  Jersey,  died  in  1687.  and  the  next  year  Dr. 
Daniel  Coxe,  of  London.  England,  who  had  already  be- 
come a  large  landholder  in  the  province,  purchased  the  in- 
terests of  Byllinge's  heirs  in  the  soil  and  government.  In 
the  latter  year.  1688.  he  also  having  become  an  acknowl- 
edged West  Jersey  proprietor,  purchased  95.000  acres  in 
Cape  May  county.  The  line  connnenced  at  the  Hammocks 
"below  Goshen  Creek,  on  the  bay  shore,  and  in  its  passage 


40  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  ("OINTY. 

across  the  county  came  between  Joseph  Falkenburge's  and 
John  McCrea's,  and  thence  on  a  direct  Hne  northeast  by 
north  over  the  head  of  Dennis  Creek  to  Tuckahoe  River^ 
and  inchided  in  the  tract  all  the  land  southeast  of  this  line. 
In  April,  May  and  June,  1 691,  John  Worlidge  and  John  Budd, 
from  Burlington,  came  down  the  bay  in  a  vessel  and  laid 
a  number  of  proprietary  rights,  commencing  at  Cohansey, 
in  Cumberland  county,  and  so  on  to  Cape  May.  They  set 
off  the  95.000  acres  to  Dr.  Daniel  Coxe.  which  was  the  first 
actual  proprietary  survey  made  in  the  county.  In  the  copy 
of  the  original  draft  of  these  surveys  and  of  the  county  of 
Cape  May,  made  by  David  Jamieson  in  1713,  and  from 
another  deed  made  by  Lewis  Morris  in  1706,  Egg  Island, 
near  the  mouth  of  Maurice  River,  is  laid  off  to  Thomas 
Budd  for  three  hundred  acres.  "Since  this  survey  was 
made,"  says  Dr.  Reesley,  in  1857,  "the  attrition  of  the  wa- 
ters has  destroyed  almost  every  vestige  of  it — scarcely 
enough  remaining  to  mark  the  spot  of  its  former  magni- 
tude. Upon  this  map  likewise  is  laid  down  Cape  ]\Iay 
Town,  at  Town  Bank  on  the  bay  shore,  the  residence  of  the 
whalers,  consisting  of  a  number  of  dwellings,  and  a  short 
distance  above  it  we  find  Dr.  Coxe's  Hall,  with  a  spire,  on 
Coxehall  Creek,  a  name  yet  retained  by  the  inhabitants. 
As  no  other  buildings  or  improvements  are  noted  upon  this- 
map  than  those  above  mentioned,  it  is  to  be  presumed  there 
were  but  few%  if  any,  existing  except  them  at  this  day.  The 
only  attraction  then  was  the  whale  fishery,  and  the  small 
town  of  fifteen  or  twenty  houses  marked  upon  this  map, 
upon  the  shore  of  Town  Bank,  in  close  contiguity,  would 
lead  us  to  infer  that  those  adventurous  spirits,  who  came- 
for  that  purpose,  preferred  in  the  way  of  their  profession  to 
be  near  each  other,  and  to  make  common  stock  in  their  op- 
erations of  harpooning,  in  which,  according  to  Thomas  and 
others,  they  seemed  to  be  eminently  successful." 

Dr.  Daniel  Coxe,  son  of  Daniel  Coxe,  was  born  in  1640 
or  1 641,  and  died  January  19,  1730.  in  his  90th  year.  He 
was  a  most  eminent  pliysician  of  his  day.  a  prolific  writer 
on  chemistry  and  medicine  and  was  physician  to  Charles  II 
and  afterwards  to  Queen  Anne.  Although  he  never  came 
to  America,  he  acquired  large  possessions,  and  was  nomi- 


THE    SirrrLEItS    and  TnElK    NEW    HOMES.  41 

nally  governor  of  the  province  from  1687  to  1691.  lie  also 
acquired  title  to  a  tract  imperial  in  its  dimensions  lying 
between  latitude  31  degrees  and  latitude  36  degrees,  and  ex- 
tending from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  on  which  he  spent 
a  fortune  in  ex])loration,  his  vessels  being  the  first  to  ascend 
the  Mississippi  from  its  mouth.  This  was  called  Carolina. 
He  was  a  staunch  i^'hurch  (if  iMigland  man  and  interested 
himself  in  attempting  the  establishment  of  that  church  in 
West  Jersey.  He.  like  all  other  purchasers  in  New  Jer.sey, 
did  not  take  the  land  from  the  Indians  without  reiinbuv-ing 
them.  While  he  had  his  titles  from  the  English  settlors, 
he,  in  1688,  made  also  a  second  purchase  of  the  land  from 
the  Red  ]\Ian.  Three  separate  purchases  were  made  and 
dated  March  30.  April  30  and  May  16,  1688,  respectively, 
and  covered  his  proprietary  purchases  in  Cape  May  and 
Cumberland  counties.  Dr.  Coxe  built  Coxe's  Hall,  near 
Town  Bank  and  Cold  Spring,  in  1691. 

The  late  Judge  John  Clement  says: 

"Coxe  Hall  was  sufficiently  large  for  all  the  assemblages 
of  the  pco]:)le.  and  with  rooms  for  offices  and  other  like 
jnirposcs.  It  was  two  stories,  and  finished  with  a  tower  or 
observatory,  intended  for  vise  more  than  ornament,  as  from 
it  objects  could  be  seen  across  the  bay  and  far  out  on  the 
ocean.  Although  built  of  wood,  it  remained  for  many  years 
after  its  usefulness  as  a  public  resort  had  departed  and  was 
at  last  converted  into  dwellings  for  workmen,  who  neither 
knew  nor  cared  anything  for  its  uses  in  former  days. 

"As  a  public  building  Coxe  Hall  had  various  uses.  Here 
it  was  that  ministers  of  his  own  religious  persuasion  dis- 
seminated the  doctrines  belonging  thereto,  and  where  the 
Society  of  Friends  were  invited  to  assemble  and  i:>roclaim 
their  own  tenets.  The  Baptists,  a  few  of  whom  landed  from 
Wales  at  an  earlv  date,  were  given  tlie  use  of  th.is  building 
for  regular  service,  and  those  of  any  other  religious  persua- 
sion who  were  seeking  proselytes  in  the  wilderness  country 
were  welcome  as  wxll.  The  first  court  for  the  county 
(March  20,  1693)  was  convened  here.  John  Worledge, 
Jeremiah  Bass,  John  Jarvis,  Joseph  Houlden  ami  Samuel 
Crowell  were  the  judges.  Tiiuothy  Brandreth  was  sheriff 
and  George  Taylor  clerk. 


42  HIS'lORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COT'XTY. 

"Wlicre  Coxe  Hall  stood,  surrounded  by  a  few  dwellings, 
was  given  a  name  in  the  court  records  called  Portsmouth." 
Dr.  Coxe  soon  became  the  largest  holder  of  proprieties 
within  the  territory.  He  was  a  man  of  enlarged  views  and 
sought  to  develop  the  advantages  of  the  new  country  as 
rapidly  as  possible.  He  encouraged  emigration  among  the 
bcttf^r  classes  of  people,  and  was  liberal  in  his  inducements 
t;  vvard  them.  He  was  not  slow  to  discover  where  his  own 
interests  lay,  and  ventured  nuich  to  secure  their  greatest 
benefits,  and  although  a  strict  adherent  to  the  established 
Church  of  England,  nothing  appeared  to  show  that  any 
dififeienccs  arose  between  himself  and  his  Quaker  asso- 
ciates touching  their  religious  views. 

While  his  proprietary  interests  were  more  than  any  one 
individual  in  the  colony,  yet  he  never  fell  into  disputes  with 
his  associates  as  to  the  location  of  his  surveys,  for,  in  fact, 
the  rules  laid  down  in  the  "concessions  and  agreements" 
were  suspended  so  that  he  could  secure  large  tracts  of  land 
in  one  body  and  be  safe  in  his  title  thereto.  From  the  trus- 
tees of  Byllinge  and  others  holding  under  them.  Dr.  Coxe 
became  the  owner  of  nineteen  whole  shares  of  propriety  in 
West  Jersey,  and  began  the  development  of  his  purchases. 
In  1 69 1  he  secured  his  title  in  severalty  to  portions  of  the 
land,  and  no  doubt  had  already  erected  the  hall,  for  Budd 
and  Worledge  marked  the  same  on  their  maps,  placing  it 
some  distance  above  Cape  May  Town  and  near  the  mouth 
of  Wilson's  Creek. 

It  is  recorded  that  Dr.  Coxe's  servants  sued  him  for 
wages  on  the  3d  of  June,  1690.  The  court  sat  at  Burlington 
to  hear  the  case.  The  servants  had  attached  the  tools  of  the 
plantation,  which  they  wanted  sold  and  proceeds  applied  to 
their  accounts.  The  servants  were  brought,  it  seems,  from 
Gravesend  in  1688,  and  their  contract  was  written  in  French, 
which  the  court  at  the  time  was  compelled  to  have  trans- 
lated. George  Taylor  and  John  Dubrois,  according  to  evi- 
dence recorded,  were  Coxe's  overseers.  The  servants  sailed 
vessels  and  were  coopers.  Later  we  find  that  Dubrois  him- 
self sued  Coxe  and  was  given  judgment.  Either  disheartened 
by  the  difficulties  he  had  experienced  or  tempted  by  an  of- 
fer that  would  cover  the  disbursements  he  had  made,  Coxe 


THK    Sin  ri-HKS   AM>  TJIIOIH    SKW    HOMF-^J.  43 

resolved  upon  a  sale  of  the  whole  oi  his  interest  in  this  prov- 
ince. He  accordingly  made  an  agreement,  in  the  year 
1691.  with  a  body  composed  of  forty-eight  persons,  desig- 
nated by  the  name  of  the  "West  Jersey  Society."  To  this 
companv.  on  the  20th  of  January,  1692.  the  whole  of  the 
«claim  of  Dr.  Coxe,  both  as  to  government  and  to  nearly  all 
the  property,  was  conveyed,  he  receiving  therefor  the  sum 
of  £9000.  The  remaining  portions  of  the  property  passed 
under  his  will  to  his  son.  Colonel  Daniel  Coxe.  who  came 
to  Burlington  in  1709  and  resided  there.  This  sale  opened 
a  new-  era  to  the  people  of  Cape  May.  As  no  land  titles  had 
been  obtained  under  the  old  regime  of  the  proprietors,  ex- 
cept five  conveyances  from  George  Taylor,  as  agent  for  Dr. 
Coxe,  the  West  Jersey  Society  became  a  medium  through 
which  they  could  select  and  locate  the  choice  of  the  lands, 
■at  prices  corresponding  with  the  means  and  wishes  of  the 
purchaser. 

The  society,  through  their  agents  appointed  in  the  county, 
■continued  to  make  sales  of  land  during  a  period  of  sixty- 
•four  years  of  their  having  possession. 

During  the  year  1691,  the  whaling  interest  having  be- 
come large,  and  the  purchase  of  land  in  Cape  May  having 
become  a  more  easy  matter,  a  large  number  of  persons  came 
from  New  Haven  and  Long  Island_to  settle  permanently. 
Cape  May  ibwn  sprang  up  on  the~bay  shore,  for  the  ac- 
commodation of  the  whalers,  where  quite  a  business  was 
'done.  This  is  considered  to  be  the  first  town  built  in  the 
county.  Among  the  settlers  were  Christopher  Leaming 
-and  his  son.  Thomas  Caesar  Hoskins,  Samuel  Matthews, 
Jonathan  Osborne.  Xathan  Short,  Cornelius  Shellinks  (now 
Schellinger).  Henry  Stites.  Thomas  Hand  and  his  sons,  - 
John  and  George;  Ebenezer  Swain  and  Henry  Young. 
__Jphn  and  Caleb  Carman,  John  Shaw,  Thomas  Miller,  Wil- 
liam Stillwell,  Humphrey  Hevves,  VViTliam  Mason  and  John 
Richardson. 

Christopher  Leamyeng  (now  Leaming).  and  a  brother 
who  died  on  the  passage,  left  England  for  America  about 
1670.  In  1674  he  married  Esther  Burnet,  the  daughter  of 
Aaron  Burnet,  of  Sag  Harbor,  East  Hampton.  L.  L  He 
*came  to  Cape  May  in  1691,  took  up  204  acres  in  1694  and- 


44  HIi<T()UY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

died  at  tlie  house  of  Shamgar  Hand,  Cape  May  county,  ore. 
May  3,  1695.  His  wife,  Esther,  died  at  East  Hampton,. 
L.  I.,  November  5,  1714.  Christopher,  ist,  and  Esther  B.. 
Learning",  had  seven  children,  the  most  of  whom  were  mi- 
nors at  the  time  of  their  father's  death.  Their  names  were: 
Thomas,  ist,  Jane,  Hannah,  Christopher,  2d,  Aaron,  ist,. 
Jeremiah,  2d,  and  Ehzabeth.  Two  of  these  daughters  and' 
the  son,  Jeremiah,  2d,  settled  in  New  England,  as  Thomas,. 
1st,  the  oldest  son,  says  in  his  memoirs:  "In  August  22, 
1 71 5,  I  took  my  journey  to  Long  Island  and  there  I  sold  a 
piece  of  land  for  a  hundred  and  twenty  pounds.  And  from 
thence  I  went  to  New  England  to  see  my  two  sisters  and 
brother."  Thomas  Teaming,  ist,  the  eldest  son  of  Christo- 
pher, 1st,  and  Esther  B.  Leaming,  was  born  in  South  Hamp- 
ton, L.  I.,  July  9,  1674.  He  came  to  Cape  May  in  1692,  set- 
tled on  his  own  farm  in  1699,  married  June  18,  1701,  when  25V 
years  of  age,  Hannah  Whilldin,  the  daughter  of  Joseph  Whill-4, 
\  din,  the  elder,  in  her  i8th  year,  and  in  October,  1706,  Samuel' 
Matthews  took  from  him  a  horse  worth  £y  and  sold  it  be- 
cause he,  as  a  zealous  Quaker,  refused  to  perform  military 
duty.     He  died  December  31,  1723,  aged  49  years. 

Jacob  Spicer  was  another  settler  who  came  to  Cape  May 
about  1691,  and  became  prominent.  He  was  the  second 
son  of  Samuel  and  Esther  Spicer,  of  Gravesend,  L.  I.,  and 
the  grandson  of  Thomas  and  Michael  Spicer,  who  were- 
New  England  Puritans.  He  was  bom  January  20,  1668,. 
removed  from  Long  Island  to  Cape  May,  and  died  April 
17,  1741,  aged  73  years.  His  wife  was,  perhaps,  Sarah. 
Spicer.  She  was  born  in  1677  and  died  July  25,  1742,  aged 
65  years,  and  her  tombstone  is  the  oldest  in  the  Cold  Spring- 
Church  Cemetery.  Spicer's  remains  lie  on  the  Vinoent 
Miller  homestead,  in  Cold  Spring.  The  inscription  on  his 
tombstone  commemorates  a  father  and  son  who  occupied' 
prominent  stations  in  society  in  their  day: 

"In  memory  of  Col.  Jacob  Spicer,  who  died  April  17,. 
1 74 1,  aged  73  years — 

"Death,  thou  hast  conquered  me, 
I,  by  thy  darts  am  slain, 
But  Christ  shall  conquer  thee, 
And  I  shall  rise  again." 


TIIK    SIOTTLIOKS    AND  TllKIK    MOW    HOMES.  45 

John  Persons,  ist,  was  an  Englishman.  He  came  to 
.America  and  settled  at  East  Hampton,  Long  Island.  He 
married  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Garlick.  Her  maiden  name  was 
Hardie.  As  Mrs.  Garlick,  she  was  charged  in  1657  with 
-vs'itchcraft,  was  tried  at  East  Hampton,  on  Long  Island,  and 
acquitted.  Johnand  Elizabeth  Person^  had  a  daughter 
named  JU:di£  born  at  East~"HamptOTi,  L.  I.,  April  10,  1680. 
In  July,  1 69 1,  they  all  came  to  Cape  May  county,  and  Mr. 
Persons  bought  a  plantation  about  four  miles  below  the 
present  Court  House,  and  settled  on  it  in  September,  1691. 
He  died  and  was  buried  there  in  January,  1695. 

John  Persons,  2d,  of  Lower  Cold  Spring  settlement,  an 
Englishman,  and  probably  a  nephew^  of  John  Persons,  ist, 
came  also  from  Long  Island  to  Cape  May  about  1691.  The 
■earliest  notice  had  of  him  is  in  reference  to  "ear  marks" 
that  he  had  publicly  recorded,  for  the  safety  of  his  stock 
running  at  large,  in  1693.  He  purchased  315  acres  of  land 
of  Dr.  Coxe,  or  of  the  West  Jersey  Society  as  early  as  1696. 
Next  we  learn  that  he  was  one  of  the  thirty-two  persons  to 
whom,  as  original  trustees,  Rev.  John  Bradner  conveyed  in 
perpetuity  his  estate  in  Cold  Spring  in  171 8  for  the  use  of 
the  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  church  there.  The  last  time 
we  find  him  on  his  sick  and  dying  bed,  December  4,  1732, 
making  his  will,  leaving  his  wife,  Elizabeth,  her  proper  share, 
and  dividing  the  real  estate  between  his  two  sons,  John 
Parsons,  3d,  and  Robert  Parsons,  ist,  and  appointing  his 
wife  and  their  eldest  son,  John,  his  executors,  but  died  be- 
fore he  could  have  it  properly  executed. 

The  following  is  from  the  manuscript  of  Thomas  Team- 
ing, one  of  the  early  pioneers,  who  died  in  1723,  aged  49 
years: 

'Tn  July,  1674,  I  was  born  in  Southampton,  on  Long  Is- 
land. When  I  was  eighteen  years  of  age  (1692)  I  came  to 
Cape  May,  and  that  winter  had  a  sore  of  the  fever  and  flux. 
The  next  summer  I  went  to  Philadelphia  with  my  father. 
Christopher,  who  was  lame  with  a  w^ithered  hand,  which 
held  him  till  his  death.  The  winter  following  I  went  a 
whaling,  and  we  got  eight  whales,  and  five  of  them  we 
drove  to  the  Hoarkills.  and  we  went  there  to  cut  them  up, 
.and  staved  a  month.    The  ist  dav  of  Mav  we  came  home  to 


46  HIS1X)RY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Cape  May,  and  my  father  was  very  sick,  and  the  third  day^ 
1695,  departed  this  hfe  at  the  house  of  Shanigar  Hand.  Then 
I  went  to  Long  Island,  stayed  that  sunmier.  and  in  the  win- 
ter I  went  a  whahng  again,  and  got  an  old  cow  and  a  calf- 
In  1696  I  went  to  whaling  again  and  made  a  great  voyage^ 
and  in  1697  I  worked  for  John  Reeves  all  summer,  and  in 
the  winter  went  to  whaling  again.  In  1698  worked  for  John 
Crawford  and  on  my  own  land,  and  that  winter  had  a  sore 
fit  of  sickness  at  Henry  Stites',  and  in  the  year  1700  I  lived 
at  mv  own  plantation  and  worked  for  Peter  Corson.  I  was 
married  in  1701,  and  1703  went  to  Cohansie  and  fetched 
brother  Aaron.  In  1706  I  built  my  house.  Samuel  Mat- 
thews took  a  horse  from  me  worth  iy  because  I  could  not 
train.     In  1707  we  made  the  county  road." 

Learning  was  a  strict  Quaker  at  that  time.  The  record  of 
the  Ludlams  is  contemporaneous  with  the  growth  of  Cape 
May,  the  earliest  records  of  the  county  showing  this  family 
to  be  among  the  first  settlers. 

The  Ludlam  name  belongs  to  Yorkshire,  England,  where 
for  many  years  the  family  had  precedence.  Anthony  Lud- 
lam, progenitor  of  the  race  in  America,  came  from  Eng- 
land in  the  earliest  days,  and  by  1640  had  become  a  mem- 
ber of  the  whaling  colony  in  Southampton,  Long  Island. 

Joseph,  son  of  the  New  England  settler,  came  to  Cape 
May  about  1692,  attracted  hither  by  the  whaling,  then  be- 
ing developed  at  Town  Bank  and  Barnegat.  Settling  on 
the  division  line  between  Dennis  and  Upper,  he  purchased 
Ludlam's  Beach,  now  Sea  Isle  City,  and  stocked  it  w'ith 
cattle,  the  descendants  of  which  survived  until  about  1875. 
He  acquired  500  acres  in  Dennis  Neck,  paying  £163  for  his 
purchase. 

Arthur  Cresse  came  from  Long  Island  about  this  time 
also.    John  Stillwell  came  about  the  same  time  from  there. 

By  an  act  of  the  Assembly  November  12,  1692,  Cape  May 
county  was  regularly  instituted,  as  follows: 

"Whereas,  this  province  hath  formerly  been  divided  into 
three  counties  for  the  better  regulation  thereof;  and  whereas 
Cape  May  (being  a  place  well  situated  for  trade)  begins  to 
increase  to  a  considerable  number  of  families;  and  there  be- 
ing no  greater  encouragement  to  the  settlement  of  a  place 


THE   SETTLERS   AND  THEIU    .NKW    JJOMES.  4? 

than  that  tliere  be  estabhshcd  therein  an  order  by  govern- 
ment, and  justice  duly  administered:  Be  it  tlierefore  enacted 
by  the  Governor,  Council  and  Representatives  in  this  pres- 
ent Assembly  met  and  assembled,  and  by  the  authority  of 
the  same,  that  from  henceforth  Cape  May  shall  be,  and  is 
hereby  appointed  a  county,  the  bounds  whereof  to  begin  at 
the  utmost  flowing  of  the  tide  in  Prince  Maurice  River,  be- 
ing about  twenty  miles  from  the  mouth  of  said  river,  and 
then  by  a  line  running  easterly  to  the  most  northerly  point 
of  Great  Egg  iiarbor,  and  from  thence  southerly  along  by 
the  sea  to  the  point  of  Cape  May;  thence  around  Cape  May. 
and  up  Maurice  River  to  the  first  point  mentioned;  and 
tliat  there  be  nominated  and  appointed  such  and  so  many 
justices  and  other  offtcers  as  at  present  may  be  necessary 
for  keeping  the  peace  and  trying  of  smaller  causes  under 
forty  shillings.  In  which  circumstances  the  same  county 
shall  remain  until  it  shall  appear  that  they  are  capable  of 
being  erected  into  a  County  Court;  and  in  case  of  any  ac- 
tion, whether  civil  or  criminal,  the  same  to  be  heard  and 
determined  at  the  quarterly  sessions  in  Salem  county,  with 
liberty  for  the  Justices  of  the  County  of  Cape  May,  in  con- 
junction with  the  Justices  of  Salem  County,  in  every  such' 
action  in  judgment  to  sit.  and  with  them  to  determine  the 
same." 

The  time  and  place  of  holding  the  county  elections  were 
likewise  directed,  and  the  number  of  representatives  that 
each  was  entitled  to:  Burlington  to  have  20;  Gloucester,  20; 
Salem  and  Cape  May,  5  members.  Cape  May  continued  to 
have  five  members  until  the  time  of  the  surrender  in  1702, 
except  in  the  year  1697,  when  she  was  reduced  to  one  rep- 
resentative. No  record,  however,  of  the  names  of  the  mem- 
bers previous  to  1702  has  come  to  light. 

The  first  town  meeting  for  public  business  was  held  at 
the  house  of  Benjamin  Godfrey,  on  the  7th  of  February, 
1692.  "The  commissions  for  Justices  and  Sherifif  were  pro- 
claimed and  George  Taylor  was  appointed  clerk."  The 
first  suit  on  record  is  for  assault  and  battery — "Oliver  John- 
son against  John  Carman."  The  second,  John  Jarvis,  is 
accused  by  George  Taylor  of  helping  the  Indians  to  rum.. 
A  document  is  found  reading  in  this  wise: 


48  HISTOKY  OF  CAPE  MAV  CMH'XTY. 

"Wm.  Johnson's  testimony  against  John  Jarvis  for  help- 
ing ye  Indians  to  rum  being  accused  thereof  by  George 
Taylor.  Deponent  attesteth  that  several  days  after  the 
above  sd  laws  were  published  at  Cape  May,  he  came  into  ye 
house  of  ye  sd  Jarvis  antl  found  Indians  drinking  rum  and 
one  of  ye  sd  Indians  gave  of  ye  rum  to  ye  sd  Johnson  and 
he  drank  of  it  with  ym.  The  sd  Jarvis  refusing  to  clear  him- 
self by  his  oath  according  to  law  is  convicted." 

The  explanation  of  this  last  phrase  is  that  there  was  a 
law  which  cleared  a  man  of  an  accusation  against  him  if  he 
took  an  oath  that  it  was  false.  "Ye"  should  be  read  the; 
"sd,"  said,  and  "ym,"  him. 

As  early  as  1693  a  ferry  was  established  at  Beesley's 
Point,  over  Great  Egg  Harbor  river;  a  proof  there  must 
have  been  inhabitants  upon  both  sides  of  the  river  at  that 
early  period.  The  rates  were  one  shilling  for  passengers, 
two  penny  a  bushel  for  grain,  four  penny  each  for  sheep  or 
hogs,  one  shilling  for  cattle  per  head  and  one  shilling  for 
every  single  person. 

The  following  is  a  specimen  of  the  manner  of  tying  the 
matrimonial  knot  in  olden  times: 

"These  may  certify  that  on  the  fifteenth  day  of  February, 
1693,  then  and  there  came  before  me,  Henry  Stites  and  Han- 
nah Garlick,  and  did  each  take  the  other  to  be  man  and 
wife,  according  to  the  law  of  this  province,  being  lawfully 
published  according  to  order,  as  witness  their  hands  the 
day  and  year  above  said. 

"HENRY  STITES. 
"HANNAH  GARLICK. 

"SAMUEL  CROWELL,  Justice. 

"Witnesses — John  Carman,  Jonathan  Pine,  John  Shaw, 
Jonathan  Osborne,  Caleb  Carman.  Shamgar  Hand,  Ruth 
Dayton,  William  Harwood,  Jacob  Spicer,  Ezekiel  Eldredge, 
Timothy  Brandith." 

At  the  court  held  at  Portsmouth  (Town  Rank  or  Cape 
May  Town)  on  the  20th  of  March,  1693.  previousl}-  men- 
tioned, which  is  the  first  of  which  we  have  any  record,  the 
following  officers  were  present,  viz.:  Justices — John  Wol- 
redge,  Jeremiah  Bass,  John  Jarvis,  Joseph  Houlden  and 
Samuel    Crowel.      Sherifif — Timothy    Brandreth.      Clerk — 


■niK   SET'n.KKS    AND  THKIK    NHW    lloMKS.  49 

George  Taylor.  Grand  Jury — Shanigar  Hand,  Thomas 
Hand,  William  Goulden,  Samuel  ]\latt]K\\ s.  John  Town- 
isend,  William  Whitlock,  Jacob  Dayton,  Oliver  Johnson, 
•Christopher  Leayeman,  Arthur  Cresse,  Ezekiel  Eldredge, 
William  Jacocks,  John  Carman,  Jonathan  Pine,  Caleb  Car- 
■anan,  John  Reeves  and  Jonathan  T'oreman. 

"A  rule  of  Court  passed,  the  grand  jury  shall  have  their 
dinner  allowed  them  at  the  county  charge." 

"Their  charge  being  given  them,  the  grand  jury  find  it 
aiccessary  that  a  road  be  laid  out,  most  convenient  for  the 
Icing  and  county,  and  so  far  as  one  county  goeth,  we  are 
■willing  to  clear  a  road  for  travelers  to  pass."  "John  Town- 
send  and  Arthur  Cresse  appointed  Assessors;  Timothy 
Erandreth,  Collector;  Shamgar  Hand,  Treasurer;  Samuel 
Matthews  and  William  Johnson,  Supervisors  of  the  Road; 
.and  John  Somers  for  Egg  Harbor.  At  same  Court  John 
:Somers  was  appointed  Constable  for  Great  Egg  Harbor." 
A  record  of  the  same  court  reads:  ^ 

"The  grand  jury,  upon  complaint  made  by  Elizabeth 
Crafford,  and  we  have  taken  it  into  consideration,  and  we 
■find  that  no  fariner  ought  to  rate  ale  or  other  strong  drink 
to  ye  inhabitants  of  Cape  May,  except  they  have  a  lysence 
for  so  doing.  So  the  court  orders  that  no  person  shall  sell 
liquor  without  a  lysence,  and  that  40  Pounds  be  raised  by 
tax  to  defray  expenses,  with  a  proviso  that  produce  should 
be  taken  at  'money  price'  in  payment."  The  above  ap- 
pointment by  the  Court  of  John  Somers  for  Supervisor  of 
th€  Roads  and  Constable  for  Great  Egg  Harbor,  confirms 
the  opinion  advanced  by  Mickle  that  the  county  of  Glou- 
cester did  not  originally  reach  to  the  ocean,  and  that  the 
inhabitants  of  the  seaboard,  or  Great  Egg  Harbor,  were 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  Cape  May.  The  act  of  1694,  how- 
•  ever,  made  them  dependent  upon  Gloucester,  and  that  of 
1730  extended  the  county  of  Gloucester  to  the  ocean. 

Another  act  relating  to  the  county  courts  in  Cape  May 
••"Kas  that  of  October  3,  1693,  which  reads:  "Whereas,  it  has 
been  found  expedient  to  erect  Cape  May  into  a  county,  the 
"Iwrands  whereof  at  the  last  session  of  this  Assembly  have 
"fce^n  ascertained;  and  conceiving  it  also  reasonable  the  in- 
"Jbadbitants  thereof  shall  partake   of  what   privileges  (under 


60  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

their  circumstances)  tliey  are  capable  of,  with  the  rest  of 
the  counties  in  this  Province,  and  having  (upon  enquiry)*, 
received  satisfaction  that  there  is  a  sufficient  number  of  in- 
habitants within  the  said  county  to  keep  and  hold  a  County 
Court,  in  smaller  matters  relating  to  civil  causes:  Be  it  en- 
acted by  the  Governor,  Council,  and  Representatives  in 
Assembly  met  and  assembled,  and  by  authority  thereof,, 
that  the  inhabitants  of  the  county  of  Cape  May  shall  and 
may  keep  and  hold  four  county  courts  yearly,  viz:  on  the 
third  Tuesday  of  December.  3d  March,  3d  June,  and  3d  of 
September;  all  which  courts  the  Justices  commissioned,, 
and  to  be  conmiissioned  in  the  said  county,  shall  and  ma\- 
hear  and  try,  according  to  law.  all  civil  actions  within  the 
said  county  under  the  sum  of  £20."  All  above  £20  were 
still  to  be  tried  at  Salem. 

The  same  Assembly  jjassed  the  following,  viz: 
"Whereas  the  whaling  in  Delaware  Bay  has  been  in  sof 
great  a  measure  invaded  b)  strangers  and  foreigners,  that 
the  greatest  part  of  oyl  and  bone  received  and  got  by  that 
employ,  hath  been  exported  out  of  the  Province  to  the  great 
detriment  thereof:  Be  it  enacted,  that  any  one  killing  a. 
whale  or  whales  in  Delaware  Bay,  or  on  its  shores,  to  pay 
the  value  of  i-io  of  the  oyl  and  bone  to  the  Governor  of 
the  Province."  Another  act  of  the  same  Assembly  em- 
powered justices  to  issue  warrants  to  constables  for  raising 
taxes  specified  in  a  concomitant  law.  albeit  that  there  was 
yet  no  court  in  Cape  May,  the  said  court  not  being  estab- 
lished for  two  months  or  until  December. 

The  Assembly  by  act  of  May  12.  1694,  made  a  new  boun- 
dary line  for  the  county,  as  "the  bounds  of  the  said  county 
were  not  distinctly  enough  described."  The  starting  place, 
twenty  miles  up  Maurice  river,  remained  the  same,  but  its 
termination  was  at  the  "middlemost  great  river  that  run- 
neth into  the  bay  of  Great  Egg  Harbour,  so  far  as  the  tide 
flows  up  the  same  and  thence  down  the  said  river  into  the 
said  bay."  This  "middlemost  great  river"  has  been  taken 
to  be  Tuckahoe,  which  is  probably  correct.  The  residents 
of  Egg  Harbour  were  by  this  act  put  into  Gloucester 
county  (now  Atlantic).  On  the  same  date  the  Assembly 
passed  the  act  requiring  that  the  freeholders  should  meet 


riiH  siriiLi: us  A.\n  iiikiu  m:\v  iiomks.  rA 

yearly  in  "tlie  town  of  Cape  May."'  on  the  6tli  of  l-"obruary, 
to  choose  five  "good  and  sufficient  men  to  serve  in  the  (ien- 
eral  Assembly." 

After  the  West  Jersey  Society  was  formed  in  1692  the  set- 
tlers were  able  to  get  titles  to  their  lands.  The  earliest 
deeds  on  the  books  of  the  society  are  three  granted  in 
April,  1694,  to  William  Dixon.  William  Whitlock  and 
Christopher  Leamyeng.  In  the  next  year  thirty  more 
deeds  were  recorded.  In  the  latter  year  jertiniah  P.asse 
was  the  agent  of  the  West  Jersey  Society,  and  as  a  si)eci- 
nien  of  the  indentnres  of  those  days  and  the  l->argaiiis  ma^e 
between  the  agents  and  land  owners,  the  following  exnact 
of  an  indenture  of  April  20th,  1695,  is  given: 

"The  said  Arthur  Cresse  his  Heirs  and  assigns  shall 
vearlv  and  every  year  pay  or  cause  to  be  paid  to  the  saul 
Jeremiah  Basse  on  account  of  the  said  Society  the  24th  day 
of  December  to  fat  Hens  or  capons  at  Coxe  Hall  as  a  Chief 
or  quit  Rent  due  and  payable  to  the  Society  as  Lords  of 
]\Ianor  of  Coxe  Hall." 

In  this  same  year  the  Assembly,  on  May  12,  appointed 
the  following  of^cials  for  Cape  May:  Joseph  Houlding, 
Samuel  Crowell,  John  Jervis  and  Shamger  Hand,  Justices; 
John  Townsend,  Sheriff:  Timothy  Brandereth.  Clerk  and 
Recorder,  and  Samuel  Mathews,  Coroner. 

In  1696  Governor  Andrew  Hamilton  appointed  George 
Tavlor  his  agent  to  collect  the  one-tenth  of  the  "oyl"  and 
whale  bone  due  to  Governor  of  the  province,  and  also  to 
look  after  wa'ecks  wdiich  might  come  on  the  shore.  Tay- 
lor's commission  reads  as  follows: 

"Andrew^  Hamilton,  Esq.,  Governor  of  the  Province  of 
East  and  West  Jersey  to  all  whome  these  p'sents  may  come 
send  Greeting  Know  ye  that  by  virtue  of  the  powers 
com'eted  to  Me  I  have  Nominated  Comishoned  and  ap- 
pointed and  Doe  by  these  p'sents  Comishonte  and  apponte 
George  Taylor  of  Cape  May,  gent,  My  lawful  Deputy  and 
Attornev  to  take  into  his  possession  all  wrecks  or  Drift 
whales  or  other  Royall  fish  that  shall  be  Driven  on  Shore 
any  where  upon  the  Coste  of  Cape  May  Egg  harbour  or 
v^'ithin  Dillawer  River  as  far  as  Burlington  or  any  wrecks 
floating  near  the  Coaste  and  to  Despose  of  the  same  accord- 


52  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

ing  to  his  Deschreshon  and  to  accounte  to  me  for  the 
Same  as  allso  to  make  inquirey  into  any  wreckes  heare  to 
fore  Driven  on  shore  or  whales  or  whalebone  or  other 
Royall  fish  and  make  Demand  of  the  Same  into  his  Cus- 
tody for  my  use  paying  Resonable  salvage  for  the  same 
and  in  Case  of  Refusall,  to  present  for  the  same,  acquittance 
and  Descharges  to  give  and  Generally  to  Doo  all  and  every 
other  lawfuU  thing  conserning  the  p'mises  ass  I  might  doo 
Mvselfe  before  the  making  hereof. 

'"Witness:  '  "AND.  HAMILTON, 

"Tho.  Revelle.  "Oct.  3,  1696." 

"John  Taylor. 

In  May,  1696,  the  Assembly  made  a  new  set  of  Justices, 
appointing  Samuel  Crowell,  John  Jervis,  Shamgar  Hand 
and  George  Taylor.  In  the  next  year  two  additional  Jus- 
tices were  appointed,  they  being  Jacob  Dayton  and  Wil- 
liam Goulding.  Ezekiel  Eldridge  was  made  Sherif?  to 
succeed  John  Townsend. 

The  following  named  persons  purchased  of  the  agents  of 
Dr.  Coxe  and  the  West  Jersey  Society,  mostly  previous  to 
1696,  some  few  as  early  as  1C89,  the  number  of  acres  at- 
tached to  their  respective  names,  viz:  Christopher  Leamy- 
eng  204.  William  Jacoks  340,  Abigail  Pine  200,  Humphrey 
Hughes  206,  Samuel  Matthews  175,  Jonathan  Osborne  no, 
Nathaniel  Short  200,  Caesar  Hoskins  250,  Shamgar  Hand 
700,  Joseph  W>ldon  (Whilldin)  150,  Joseph  Houlding  200, 
Dorothy  Hewitt  340,  Thomas  Hand  400,  John  Taylor  220, 
John  Curwith  55,  John  Shaw,  2  survey's,  315,^  Timothy 
Brandreth  iio,v^ohn  Crawford  3^0,  iizeiviei^Tdridge  90, 
Oliver  Russel  170,  Samuel  Crowell  226,  John  Carman  250, 
Thomas  Gandy  50,  Caleb  Carman  250,  William  Mason  150, 
Henry  Stites  200,  Cornelius  Skellinks  134.  John  Richardson 
124,  Arthur  Cresse  350,  Peter  Corson  400,  John  Corson 
300,  John  Townsend  640,  William  Golden  and  Rem.  Gar- 
retson  1016,  William  Johnson  436.  John  Page  125,  John 
Pax&cu3^3i5,  William  Smith  130,  George  Taylor  175,  Den-" 
nis  Lynch  300.  William  Whitlock  500,  Jacob  Spicer,  2  sur- 
veys, 1000,  Benjamin  Godfrey  210,  Randal  Hewit  140, 
Elizabeth  Carman  300.  John  Reeves  100.  Benjamin  Hand 
T,yT,,  James  Stanfield  100. 


THE    SKTIM.KUS    AND   TilKIU    NEW    IIO.MhS.  .j-i 

Some  few  of  the  above  locations  were  made  on  tlie  sea- 
shore; but  the  larger  proportion  of  them  in  the  lower  part 
of  the  county.  In  addition  to  those  who  located  land 
previous  to  1700,  the  following--named  persons  had  resided, 
and  were  then  residing  in  the  county,  many  of  whom  pos- 
sessed land  by  secondary  purchase: 

Thomas  Leamyeng.  Alexander  Humphries.  John  Briggs, 
Abraham  Hand,  Shamgar  Hand.  Jr.,  Benjamin  Hand,  Jr., 
Daniel  Johnson,  Oliver  Johnson,  William  Harwood,  Jacob 
Dayton,  Richard  Haroo,  Jonathan  Crossle,  William  Lake, 
Theirs  Raynor,  Thomas  ]\Iatthe\vs,  William  StillwelL  John 
Cresse,  Morris  Raynor,  Joshua  Howell,  Arthur  Cresse,  Jr., 
William  Blackburry,  Daniel  Carman.  Joseph  Knight,  John 
Stilhvell,  John  Else.  John  Steele,  Thomas  Hand,  Joseph 
Ludlam,  Sr.,  Anthony  Ludlam,  Jonathan  Pine,  John  Wol- 
redge,  John  Jervis.  Jonathan  Foreman,  Thomas  Goodwin, 
Jonathan  High,  Edward  Howell,  George  Craw-ford.  Joseph 
Badcock.  William  Dean,  Richard  Jones,  John  Howell, 
Thomas  Stanford,  George  Xoble,  John  \\'olly,  Peter  Cart- 
wright,  Abraham  Smith,  John  Hubard,  Thomas  Miller, 
Robert  Crosby,  John  Fish,  Lubbart  Gilberson.  Edward 
]\Iarshall,  James  Cresse.  W'illiam  Simpkins,  Thomas  Good- 
win, Thomas  Clifton,  Joshua  Carman,  William  Duboldy, 
James  Marshall,  John  Baily,  William  Richardson,  Thomas. 
Foster,  Thomas  Hewit.  George  Tavlor.  Jr.,  John  Dennis, 
Isaac  Hand,  Daniel  Hand,  Jeremiah  Hand,  Joseph  Hand, 
Thomas  Bancroft,  Edward  Sunnnis,  Henry  Gray,  Abraham 
Weston,  Thomas  Going,  Jonathan  Edmunds.  Nicholas 
Martineau.  John  Garlick,  Samuel  Matthews.  Jr..  William 
Shaw-,  Robert  French,  Jeremiah  Miller,  William  Sharwood, 
*2eKulon  Sharp,  John  Story.  Richard  Townsend.  Robert 
Townsend. 

William  Sharwood  was  a  fore  parent  of  the  famous  Chief 
Justice  George  Sharswood.  of  Pennsylvania. 

Dr.  Beesley  (1857)  says  of  the  early  pioneers  of  the  coun- 
ty: 

'■Joseph  Ludlam  was  here  in  1692,  and  made  purchases 
of  land  on  the  seaside,  at  Ludlam's  Run,  upon  which  he  af- 
terwards resided:  and  likewise  purchased,  in  1720,  of  Jacob 
Spiccr,  a  large  tract  in  Dennis'  Neck.     He  left  four  sons: 


54  HlS'lOJiV  OF  CATK   MAY  COTNTY. 

Anthony  (who  settled  npon  the  South  Dennis  property, 
which  is  yet  owned  in  part  by  his  descendants),  Joseph,  Isaac 
and  Samuel,  from  whom  all  the  Ludlams  of  the  county  have 
descended.     He  died  in  1761,  aged  eighty-six  years. 

"Jonathan  Swain  and  Richard  Swain,  of  Long  Island, 
were  here  in  1706,  and  soon  after  their  father,  Ebenezer 
Swain,  came  to  Cape  May,  and  followed  whaling,  Jonathan 
being  a  cooper  for  them.  Their  immediate  descendants 
were  Zebulon,  1721;  Elemuel,  1724;  Reuben,  who  died  in 
the  epidemic  of  1713,  and  Silas,  1733.  There  was  a  Captain 
Silas  Swain  in  1778,  from  wdiom  has  descended  Joshua 
Swain,  recently  deceased,  who  held  many  important  trusts 
in  the  county,  as  sheritif,  member  of  the  Legislature  nine 
years,  and  a  member  of  the  convention  to  draft  the  new 
Constitution  in  1843. 

"Henry  Young  came  about  the  year  1713.  He  served  the 
county  as  judge  of  the  court  for  many  years,  and  was  a 
member  of  the  Legislature  ten  years.  Judge  Young  was  an 
extensive  landholder,  deputy  surveyor,  and  was  judge  of 
the  court  from  1722  till  his  death  in  1768.  He  was  surrogate 
from  1743  to  1768.  He  was  a  surveyor  and  a  scrivener,  and 
no  one,  of  those  times,  was  more  highly  respected,  or  acted 
a  more  prominent  and  useful  part.  All  of  the  name  now  in 
the  county  have  descended  from  him. 

"In  the  Lipper  Township,  William  Goldens,  Sen.  and  Sr., 
Rem  Garretson,  John  and  Peter  Corson,  John  W'illets,  John 
Hubbard,  and  soon  after  Henr}'  Young,  were  the  pioneers, 
and  at  a  later  day  John  Mackey  at  Tuckahoe  and  Abraham 
and  John  Vangilder  at  Petersburg]!.  In  Dennis,  being  a 
part  of  the  old  Copper  precinct,  we  find  on  the  seaboard  Jo- 
seph Ludlam,  John  Townsend,  Robert  Richards  and  Sylva- 
nus  Townsend,  sons  of  John,  Benjamin  Godfrey  and  John 
Reeves,  who  were  amongst  the  earliest  settlers. 

"Dennisville  was  settled  upon  the  south  side  of  the  creek, 
in  or  about  1726,  by  Anthony  Ludlam,  and  some  few  years 
afterwards  the  north  side  by  his  brother,  Joseph,  both  being 
sons  of  Joseph  Ludlam,  of  Ludlam's  Run,  seaside.  David 
Johnson  was  here  in  1765,  and  owned  at  the  time  of  his 
death,  in  1805,  a  large  scope  of  land  on  the  north  side  of 
Dennis  Creek.    James  Stephenson  purchased  of  Jacob  Spi- 


'INK  sirrrLEus  and  tmkih  .\i;\v  homks.         55 

-icer,  in  the  year  1748,  the  property  now  owned  and  occupied 
hy  his  grandson,  Enoch,  now  aged  over  eighty-five  years. 
East  and  West  Creek  w^ere  settled  by  Joseph  Savage  and 
John  Goff,  the  last  of  whom  was  here  as  early  as  17 10.  He 
had  a  son.  John,  and  his  numerous  descendants  now  occupy 
;that  portion  of  the  county. 

"In  the  Middle  Township,  we  may  name  on  the  seaboard, 
in  the  order  in  which  they  resided,  Thomas  Learning.  John 
Reeves,  Henry  Stites.  Shamgar  Hand,  Samuel  Matthews 
and  John  Parsons.  William  and  Benjamin  Johnson.  Yelver- 
son  DfoweTl  and  Aaron  Leaming,  tirst,  were  tirst  at  Goshen, 
the  latter  with  the  ostensible  object  of  raising  stock. 

"Cape  May  Court  House  has  been  the  county  seat  since 

1745.  Daniel  Hand  presented  the  county  with  an  acre  of 
land  as  a  site  for  the  county  buildings  erected  at  that  time. 
But  litle  improvement  was  made  until  within  the  present  cen- 

■*nry,  the  la'it  twenty -five  years  havirg  ccncenti.ited  a  suffi- 
ciency of  inhabitants  to  build  up  a  village  of  its  present  ex- 
tent and  proportions,  embellished  by  the  county  with  a  new 
and  commodious  court  house,  and  by  the  people  with  two 
beautiful  churches,  one  for  the  Baptist  and  another  for  the 
Methodist  persuasion. 

"Henry  Stites.  ancestor  of  all  in  the  county  of  that  name, 
came  to  the  country  about  or  in  the  year  1691.  He  located 
two  hundred  acres  of  land,  including  the  place  now  belong- 
ing to  the  heirs  of  Eli  Townsend.  He  made  his  mark,  yet  he 
afterwards  acquired  the  art  of  waiting,  and  was  justice  of 
the  court  for  a  long  series  of  years,  being  noted  such  in 

1746.  He  left  a  son.  Richard,  who  resided  at  Cape  Island, 
and  he  a  son,  John,  from  whom  the  Lower  Towr.sl:ip  Stites 
have  descended.  His  son.  Isaiah,  wdio  died  in  1767.  and 
from  whom  the  Stites  of  the  L'pper  and  part  of  the  Middle 
Township  have  descended,  lived  on  the  places  now  occupied 
by  his  grandsons.  John  and  Townsend  Stites.  at  Beesley's 
Point.  The  Middle  Township  Stites,  below  the  court  house, 
are  descendants  of  Benjamin  Stites.  who  was  probably  a 
brother  of  Henry,  and  was  in  the  county  in  1705. 

"John  Willits  was  the  son  of  Hope  Willets.  and  w^as  born 
here  in  1688.  married  Martha  Corson  in  17 16,  left  three 
.sons,  Isaac,  James  and  Jacob.     He  was  judge  of  the  court 


56  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

many  years,  a  member  of  the  Legislature  in  1743,  and  wzs 
living  in  1763." 

Henry  Young  was  impressed  in  England,  his  native  couii- 
try,  when  very  young,  on  board  a  man-of-war,  from  which 
he  made  his  escape  to  a  vessel  bound  to  Philadelphia.  Here.„. 
to  elude  pursuit,  he  was  secreted  in  a  hogshead  in  the  hoM 
of  the  vessel,  and  as  soon  as  they  put  to  sea  he  was  relieved- 
but  not  until  nearly  exhausted  for  want  of  fresh  air. 

The  members  from  Cape  May  objecting  to  the  restrictioH' 
placed  on  their  court,  by  not  allowing  it  to  try  cases  over 
i20.  and  having  to  take  them  to  Salem  or  Burlington,  the 
Assembly  passed  an  act  on  May  12,  1697,  placing  tlie 
court  on  the  same  equality  with  other  county  tribunals  m 
the  colony. 

In  the  same  year,  May  12,  1697,  "An  Act  for  a  road  tt? 
and  from  Cape  May"  was  passed. 

"Whereas  the  inhabitants  of  Cape  May  count}-  do  rep- 
resent themselves  as  under  extreme  hardship  for  want  o€ 
a  road  from  Cape  May,  through  their  county  to  Cohansey, 
in  order  to  their  repair  to  Burlington  to  attend  the  public 
services:  Be  it  enacted  by  the  Governor,  &c..  that  George 
Taylor  and  John  Crafiford  (Crawford),  be  commissioners. 
appointed  to  lay  out  a  road  from  Cape  May  the  most  con- 
venient to  lead  to  Burlington,  between  this  and  the  loth  of 
September  next." 

It  was  ordered  likewise  that  the  expense  be  borne  by  the 
inhabitants  of  Cape  Ma}"  until  such  time  as  those  lauds 
through  which  the  road  goes  are  settled.  This  road,  so 
important  to  the  convenience  and  travel  of  the  people  of 
the  county,  W'as  not  finished  till  1707.  Prior  to  this  the 
county  was  completely  isolated  from  the  upper  districts  of 
the  State  by  the  extensive  bed  of  cedar  swamps  and  marshes 
stretching  from  the  headwaters  of  Cedar  Swamp  Creek  to 
the  headwaters  of  Dennis  Creek,  and  no  comnumication 
could  have  been  held  with  Cohansey  or  Burlington  except 
by  the  waters  of  the  Delaware,  or  by  horse-paths  through 
the  swamps  that  constitute  the  barrier. 

A  record  of  the  grand  jury  and  court  of  1689  contains- 
the  following:  "We  the  grand  jury  order  that  if  any  persore 
will  hang  a  gate  anywhere  between  Joshua    Carmans    and  . 


THE   SE'rrLERS   AND  THEIR  NEW   HOMES.  57" 

old  Elizabeth  Carmans,  and  clear  the  old  roud  to  the  gate,, 
and  from  the  gate  to  the  mill,  they  may  do  it,  and  that  shall 
be  the  road;  and  if  that  wont  do,  let  them  hang  a  gate  in 
the  old  road."  The  same  court  presents  John  Coston  for 
being  drunk,  and  Henry  Stites  for  breach  of  Sabbath  in 
driving  cattle  and  slaughtering  a  steer.  Joseph  Ludlam 
was  admonished  in  court,  "that  for  time  to  come  he  be  care- 
ful in  taking  an  oath,  and  to  mind  to  what  it  doth  relate  to." 

Gabriel  Thomas,  in  his  history  of  West  Jersey  in  1698,. 
gives  us  the  following  particulars,  viz:  "Prince  M.-iurice 
River  is  where  the  Swedes  used  to  kill  the  geese  in  great 
numbers  for  their  feathers  (only),  leaving  their  carcasses 
behind  them.  Cohansey  River,  by  which  they  send  great 
store  of  cedar  to  Philadelphia  city.  Great  Egg  Harbor 
(up  which  a  ship  of  two  or  three  hundred  tons  may  sail),, 
which  runs  by  the  back  part  of  the  country  into  the  main 
sea;  I  call  it  back  because  the  first  improvements  made  by 
the  Christians  was  Delaware  river-side.  Tl  i?  place  is  noted 
for  good  store  of  corn,  horses,  cows,  sheep,  liogs;  the  lands 
thereabouts  being  much  improved  and  built  upon.  Little 
Egg  Harbor  Creek,  which  takes  their  names  from  the  great 
abundance  of  Eggs  which  the  swans,  geese,  ducks,  and 
other  wild  fowls  of  those  rivers  lay  thereabouts.  The  com- 
modities of  Cape  May  County  are  oyl  and  whalebone,  of 
which  they  make  prodigious  quantities  every  year;  having 
mightily  advanced  that  great  fishery,  taking  great  numbers, 
of  whales  yearly.  This  county,  for  the  general  part  of  it,  is 
extraordinary  good  and  proper  for  the  raising  of  all  sorts 
of  cattell,  very  plentiful  here,  as  cows,  horses,  sheep,  and 
hogs,  &c.  Likewise,  it  is  well  stored  with  fruits  which 
make  very  good  and  pleasant  liquors,  such  as  neighbouring 
country  before  mentioned  affords." 

Among  those  who  purchased  land  of  Dr.  Coxe  were  Wil- 
liam Jacoks  and  Humphrey  Hughes,  whose  plots  amounted 
to  340  and  206  acres  respectively,  mentioned  in  the  fore- 
going list  of  purchasers  of  the  West  Jersey  Society  land?.. 
Their  lands  were  what  is  now  a  part  of  Cape  May  City,, 
then  called,  1700,  Cape  Island.  The  distance  from  the 
sea  across  tlie  island  to  the  creek  was  265  perches.  As  t'he..- 
deed  calls  for  a  line  of  marked  trees,  it  must  have  been  orL. 


5d'  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

the  upland,  at  which  place  the  distance  has  been  greatly 
reduced  by  the  inroads  of  the  sea  since  that  time.  They 
held  this  land  individually  until  1700  and  "tilled  the  land  to 
thle  water's  edge."  Jacoks  afterward  sold  his  interest  to 
Thomkis  Hand,  one  of  the  original  settlers  of  Cape  Island. 
Randal  Hewitt,  another  Cape  May  county  settler,  who  first 
boHgfit  landr>  of  the  Society,  purchased  land  within  the 
limits  of  Cape  Island.  The  first  public  improvement  that 
is' chronicled  is  the  building  of  a  causeway  to  the  island  in 
1690^  by  George  Eaglesfield,  for  the  acconuuodation  of  the 
public. 

loIm-X^rawford's  purchase  from  the  West  Jersey  Society, 
on  April  i,  1699,  was  of  300  acres,  which  bounded  on  New 
Englantl  Creek,  in  Lower  township,  for  more  than  a  mile, 
and  two-thirds  a  mile  up  the  shore  northerly.  The  land  is 
said  to  lie  for  a  quarter  of  a  mile  under  water.  George 
Crawford,  a  son_of  John^nd  George  Eaglesfield,  who  built 
the  causeway  to~Cap'S^Island,  in  1699,  built  a  mill  on  this 
property,  which  was  patronized  by  the  residents  of  the 
county  pretty  liberally.  We  are  told  that  a  part  of  the  strip 
of  land  washed  away  by  the  action  of  the  waters  of 
the  Delaware  Bay  stood  Town  Bank,  or  the  original  Cape 
May  Town,  or  New  England  Town,  as  it  was  severally 
known. 

In  I3ecember,  1699,  owing  to  the  increase  in  court  busi- 
ness, three  new  "circular  judges"  w^ere  appointed  by  the 
Assembly  of  the  colony  of  New  Jersey,  all  of  which  were 
to  hold  court,  with  civil  and  criminal  jurisdiction,  on  the 
20th  day  of  February  and  October  of  each  year,  at  Cape 
May.  On  the  20th  of  December,  the  same  year,  1699,  we 
find  the  following  as  officials:  Justices,  Shamgar  Hand, 
Jacob  Dayton,  William  Golding,  Samuel  Mathews  and 
John  Townsend;  Sheriff,  Ezekiel  Eldridge;  Clerk  and  Re- 
corder, Timothy  Brandereth;  Coroner,  Joseph  Whildin; 
and  Provincial  Judges  for  the  Colony,  with  jurisdiction  in 
Cape  May,  Francis  Davenport,  Edward  Hemlock  and 
Jonathan  Beer. 

The  Assembly  at  the  same  time  passed  an  act  giving 
Cape  May  three  representatives  in  the  Assembly  instead  of 
five; 


CHAPTER  IV. 

LIFE  KAULY  I.\  1  HE  EKill'l  EENTH  CEXTT-RY. 
At  the  beginning"  of  the  eighteenth  century  we  find  Cape 
May  county  with  proi)ably  between  four  and  five  hundred 
settlers,  scattered  along  both  the  Delaware  Bay  and  the 
Atlantic  Ocean  shores  of  the  county,  and  find  homes  in  an 
almost  barren  wilderness  scattered  along  the  uplands  ad- 
jacent to  sounds  between  Great    Egg    Harbor    and    Cape 

May.  Those  who  did  not  go  whaling  began  farming  their 
recently  purchased  lands  and  spending  their  time  in  the 
sounds  and  thoroughfares  fishing,  claming,  oystering  and 

.hunting  for  wild  fowl,  where  such  were  then  abundant. 
The  principal  settlements  in  the  lower  part  of  the  county 

;at  the  time  were  about  Xew  England  Creek.  Town  Bank 

.and  Cold  Spring,  and  at  Middletown  (now  Cape  May  Court 
House),  in  the  middle  part  of  the  county. 

It  was  during  this  time  that  the    famous    Captain    Kidd 

was  practicing  his  depredations  along  the  coast  by  pri- 
vateering and  the  like.  He  is  reported  to  have  buried  his 
plunderings  in  the  sands  along  the  coast,  and  Cape  May's 

:sands  has  been  said  to  contain  some  of  them.  Near  Cape 
May  Point  a  tree  known  as  Kidd's  tree  was  in  existence 
near  the  light  house  until  about  1893.  In  a  report  of  the 
Lords  of  Trade  to  the  Lord's  Justices,  under  date  of  Au- 
gust 10,   1699,  Captain  Kidd  and  other  privateersmen  are 

:spoken  of,  and  their  landing  at  Cape  May  with  goods  taken 

on  the  East  Indian  coast  are  mentioned. 

The  offtcers  appointed  for  Cape  May  on  May  12-25, 
1700,  were  Shamgar  Hand.  John  Townsend,  Jacob  Dayton, 
Samuel  Mathews,  Thomas  Stanford,  William  Mason,  Jus- 
tices; Edmund  Howel,  Sheriff;  Timothy  Brandreth,  Clerk 

and    Recorder;    Jonathan    Osborne,    Coroner,    and    John 

Crawford,  King's  Attorney. 


60  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

The  appointments  for  the  following  year  are  recorded  as 
follows : 

May  12-21:  Justices,  Shamgar  Hand,  George  Taylor^. 
William  Mason.  (These  three  a  quorum)  Jonathan  Os- 
bourn,  Thomas  Stanford  and  Arthur  Cressis;  Sherifif,  Cae- 
sar Hoskins;  Clerk,  Timothy  Brandereth;  Coroner,  SamueE 
Mathews;  Provincial  Judges,  Edward  Hunlock,  George 
Deacon  and  Jonathan  Beer;  Assessors,  John  Creesey  and 
Jacob  Spicer;  Collector,  William  Shaw. 

At  this  same  time  Cape  May's  members  of  the  Assembly 
were  increased  from  three  to  live  m^^ibers,  and  the  change 
in  i6Qg_"hath  occasioned  an  unexpected  dissatisfaction." 

A  petition  of  the  inhabitants  of  West  Jersey,  dated  May 
12,  this  year,  asking  that  the  colony  be  taken  under  the- 
King's  immediate  control,  was  signed  by  Shamgar  Hand,. 
Jos£pli_Shaw_and  George  Taylor,  of  Cape  May. 

In  the  year  1702,  when  Queen  Anne  began  her  reign  in 
England,  many  important  changes  were  made  in  the  colony 
of  New  Jersey,  the  colonies  of  East  and  West  Jersey  were 
united  under  one  Royal  Governor,  Edward,  Lord  Cornbury, 
whose  province  also  included  the  colony  of  New  York. 
The  government  of  New  Jersey's  colony  was  to  be  com- 
posed of  the  Royal  Governor,  twelve  counsellors,  nomina- 
ted by  the  crown,  and  an  Assembly  of  twenty-four  repre- 
sentatives, who  were  to  meet  alternately  at  Perth  Amboy 
and  Burlington.  The  Assembly  consisted  of  two  members 
each  from  the  towns  of  Amboy  and  Burlington,  and  two 
each  from  the  counties  of  Bergen,  Essex,  Somerset,  Mid- 
dlesex, Monmouth,  Burlington,  Gloucester,  Salem  and" 
Cape  May,  and  the  Assemblyman  was  compelled  to  be  a. 
land  holder  of  at  least  one  thousand  acres  before  he  was 
qualified  to  act.  In  the  same  year  the  West  Jersey  Society 
resigned  all  its  governmental  rights  to  the  crown  owing  to 
the  rapidly  multiplying  difficulties  which  were  besetting  the 
proprietors. 

Peter  Fretwell,  the  first  member  from  the  county  after 
the  surrender,  and  the  first  on  record  that  ever  represented 
her,  belonged  to  Burlington.  He  was  a  Friend  and  a  co- 
temporary  of  Samuel  Jennings,  as  the  record  of  the 
monthly  meet   there    attests,    and    came   over   in    the    ship' 


LIFE  EARLY  I\  THE  El«  JH'rEKX'l  II  (n:.\  riRY.         Gl 

Shield,  in  1678,  with  his  brother,  John  Fretwell,  Mahlon 
Stacy,  Thomas  Revel  and  others.  Revel  was  at  one  time 
a  resident  of  Cape  May.  It  is  probable  that  no  resident  of 
Cape  May  at  the  time  had  1000  acres  of  land,  and  that  w'as 
why  Fretwell,  a  non-resident,  was  selected  to  represent  the 
county  in  the  Assembly  for  a  period  of  twelve  years.  It  is 
not  known  that  Jacob  Huling,  who  was  a  member  in  1716, 
or  Jeremiah  Bass,  from  1719  to  1723,  ever  resided  perma- 
nently in  Cape  May  county.  The  balance  of  the  list  of 
representatives  were  all  legitimately  Cape  May  men,  and 
taken  in  a  body  were  the  bone  and  sinew  of  the  county. 

Dr.  Beesley  says:  "Of  some  of  those  ancient  worthies  in 
the  list  we  know  but  little,  except  that  they  held  important 
oflfices  of  trust  and  responsibility.  Others  among  them 
seemed  to  live  more  for  posterity  than  themselves,  by  in- 
diting almost  daily  the  passing  events  of  the  times,  and  they 
are  consequently  better  known  and  appreciated.  Their 
writings  at  that  day  might  have  seemed  to  possess  but  little 
attraction,  yet  they  have  become  interesting  through  ag5, 
and  valuable  as  links  in  the  chain  which  connects  our  early 
history  with  the  reminiscences  and  associations  of  times 
more  recent,  and  to  carry  out  this  connection  it  will  be  the 
duty  of  some  faithful  chronicler  to  unite  the  history  of  those 
times  and  the  present,  which  is  so  rapidly  giving  place  to 
the  succeeding  generation,  by  a  descriptive  and  truthful 
account,  more  full  and  complete,  as  the  data  and  material 
incident  to  later  times  are  more  abundant  and  illustrative." 

The  first  survey  of  Rumney  Marsh,  afterwards  called 
Middletown,  and  then  Cape  May  Court  House,  was  made 
by  Jeremiah  Hand  in  1703. 

During  this  year  Cape  May's  militia  was  put  under  the 
command  of  Captain  Joshua  Newbold,  who  was  given  by 
his  commission  of  August  7,  1703,  charge  of  the  Salem  and 
Gloucester  militia.  The  second  French  and  Indian  war 
against  the  English  colonists  of  New  England  and  Nova 
Scotia  had  then  commenced.  We  have  no  records  to  show, 
however,  that  any  Cape  May  men  went  to  battle  in  this 
conflict,  which  lasted  until  171 3.  On  the  i6th  of  August, 
1703,  Daniel  Coxe  was  made  the  colonel  of  a  foot  regi- 
ment belonging  to  the  counties  of  Burlington,  Gloucester, 


€2  HISTORY  OF  CAFE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Salem  and  Cape  May.  Daniel  Coxe  was  the  eldest  son  of 
Dr.  Daniel  Coxe.  and  was  baptised  in  London,  August  3!;^ 
1673.  H^  probably  accompanied  Lord  Combury  to  Amer- 
ica in  1702,  by  whom  he  was  appointed  commander  of 
forces  in  West  Jersey.  He  was  known  as  Colonel.  He 
doubtless  returned  to  England  in  1704,  for  this  year  he  was 
in  London  waging  a  vigorous  defense  against  some  of  the 
attacks  of  some  of  the  New  Jersey  proprietors.  He  came 
back  to  America  in  1706,  and  was  appointed  by  Cornburjr 
one  of  the  Associate  Judges  of  the  Supreme  Court.  He 
was  a  Quaker,  but  finally  eloped  with  a  maiden  of  that 
faith,  and  was  married  at  three  o'clock  in  the  morning  un- 
der the  trees,  by  firelight,  by  Cornbury's  chaplain.  Lord 
Lovelace,  in  1708,  made  him  a  member  of  council,  but  he 
was  removed  by  Hunter  in  171 3.  He  died  April  25,  1739. 
He  was  often  in  the  Legislature  from  Burlington,  Glouces- 
ter and  Salem  counties. 

During  this  period  the  whaling  industry  had  not  abated, 
and  the  inhabitants  sought  the  aid  of  the  government,  and 
the  Lawrences,  before  mentioned,  were  granted  the  follow- 
ing commission,  which  is  given  in  its  original  spelling: 

"Edward  Viscount  Cornbury,  Captaine  Generall  and 
Governor  in  Chiefe  in  and  over  her  ^Nlajestes  Provinces  of 
New  Jersey,  New  York  and  all  the  Territory  and  tracts  of 
Land  depending  thereon  in  America  and  Vice  Admirall  of 
the  Same  &c.  To  Joseph  Lawrence,  James  Lawrence  Greet- 
ing You  are  hereby  Lycencd  and  authorized  to  fit  out  two 
boates  to  fish  for,  kill  Cut  up,  try  for  your  proper  use  and 
advantage  what  whales  or  Other  Royall  fish  you  Can  or 
may  find  on  the  Coust  of  this  Province  of  New  Jersey  be- 
twixt Sandy  hook  and  barnegat  Inlett  as  also  to  take  and 
secure  all  boates,  barques,  ships  and  other  vessells  or  things 
that  may  be  cast  away  or  Otherwise  stranded  on  the  Said 
Coust  and  within  the  said  Destrict  and  when  Secured  you 
are  forthwith  to  give  me  an  acc't  of  the  Same  in  order  to 
receive  further  Direction  from  me  the  Said  Lord  Viscount 
Cornbury  paying  unto  me  or  to  such  as  I  shall  apoint  to 
Receive,  one  twentyeth  part  of  all  the  Oyle  and  bone  of 
the  Whales  and  Such  O+her  fish  as  by  Virtue  of  this 
Lycence  they  shall  take  and  kill  All  the  Charges  of  takeing,. 


LIFE  EARLY  IN  THE  EIGHTEENTH  (^ENTUHV.         96 

Killing  and  trying  the  vSamc  being  first  Deducted.  Given 
under  my  hand  and  Seale  this  nth  day  of  December  Anno 
Reg,  Reg  Anna  Nunc  Anglico  31  annoq  Dom  1704. 

Cornbury 

By  his  Excellency's  order  J.  BASS. 

In  another  part  of   the    record,    under   date    of    April    8,, 
1728,  is  found  a  document  addressed  to  "Jacob  Spicer  (gen- 
tleman," being  signed  by  Basse  and  Cornbury,  instructing 
Spicer  to 

"Take     possession     into     Custody    all    boatcs,    Sloopcs, . 
Parkes,  Shipps  or   other    Vessels   or    things    that    may    be 
driven  ashore,  Ract  or  Otherwise  strunded  on  any  part  of 
the  Westerne  Shore  of  the  bay  or  River    Delaware    or    on. 
anv  of  the  Sholes  being  within  the  Same  and  a  .Long  the 
Sea  Coast  of  the  Provinces  of  New  Jersey  to  the  high  Sand 
of  Never  Sinkes  and  Sandy  hooke  and  to  Secure  and  save 
the  Same  until  such  time  as  you  shall    (iive    notice    to    me: 
thereof  and  receive  further   Directions  from  me.     As  also 
all  whales  or  other  Royall  fish  that  may  be  driven  a  shore 
within  the  sd.  District  to  take  into  Custody,  Cutt  up  and  by 
such  ways  and  means  as  is  most  proper  to  secure." 

Peter  Bard.  Nathanael  Jenkins  and  Aaron  Leamyeng 
were  at  the  same  time  each  given  a  like  commission. 

The  following  newspaper  extracts  are  interesting: 

"Boston  News-Letter,"  from  March  17  to  24,  1718,  says: 
"Philadelphia.  March  13. — We  are  told  that  the  whale  men 
catch'd  six  whales  at  Cape  May  and  twelve  at  Egg-TIar- 
bour." 

"The  Pennsylvania  Gazette"    of    March    13-19,    1729-30^, 
says: 

"On  the  5th  of  this  Instant  Alarch.  a  Whale  came  ashore  - 
dead  about  20  mile  to  the  Eastward  of  Cape  May.     -She  is  ■ 
a  Cow,  about  50  Foot  long,  and  appears  to  have  been  killed 
by  Whalemen;  but  who  they  are  is  yet  unknown.     Those 
who  think  they  have  a  Property  in  her,  are  advised  to  make 
their  Claim  in  Time." 

"The  Pennsylvania  Gazette,"  March  11-18,  1735-6, 
says:  "Philadelphia,  March  19.  *  *  *  On  the  25th  of 
Fob.  last,  there  were  two  Whales  killed  at  Cape  May,  the 
one  is  ashore  on  Cape-Isianrl,  and  the  other  on  the  upper- 


^64  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COT^NTY. 

■end  of  the  Cape,  on  the  East  Side;  'tis  suppos'd  they  will 
yield  about  40  Barrels  of  Oil  each;  the  one  was  3  Years 
old,  and  the  other  a  Yearling;  the  Whale-men  are  in  hopes 
■of  killing  more,  for  they  have  lately  seen  several  on  the 
Coast,  near  the  Cape." 

The  "Pennsylvania  Gazette"  of  1742,  reported  two 
whales  at  Cape  May  early  in  April. 

In  1704  the  general  sessions  of  the  peace  were  ordered 
by  Governor  Cornbur}^  to  be  held  at  the  house  of  Shamgar 
Hand  on  the  fourth  Tuesdays  of  March,  June  and  Septem- 
ber, and  on  the  first  Tuesday  in  January.  The  Ancient 
Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  was  to  hold  court  there  on  the 
first  Tuesday  of  June.  At  the  same  time  John  Townsend, 
Shamgar  Hand  and  William  Goulder  were  appointed  a 
commission  for  laying  out,  regulating,  clearing  and  pre- 
serving the  common  highways.  Jeremiah  Basse  was  au- 
thorized to  administer  the  civil  and  military  oaths  authorized 
by  Parliament. 

In  1705  the  grand  jury  decided  to  have  a  prison  built 
"13  feet  by  8,  and  7  feet  high  in  the  first  story,  upon  the 
Queen's  Highway,  eastwardly  of  Gravelly  Run."  Stocks 
and  whipping  posts  were  ordered  at  the  same  time. 

A  license  was  granted  this  year  from  Governor  Cornbury 
to  Captain  Jacob  Spicer,  of  the  sloop  Adventurer,  owned  by 
John  and  Richard  Townsend;  burden,  16  tons.  She  traded 
from  Cape  May  to  Philadelphia  and  Burlington,  and  no 
doubt  was  considered  a  vessel  of  some  magnitude  in  those 
days.  The  next  year  the  sloop  Necessity  was  built  and 
owned  by  Dennis  Lynch.  After  this  vessels  were  built  and 
sailed  in  different  directions. 

During  1704  and  1705  the  Assembly  ordered  that  £2000 
be  raised  every  year  for  the  support  of  the  colony,  the  ap- 
portionment for  Cape  May  county  being,  in  1704,  £63:  ii: 
4,  and  for  1705,  £65:  4:  6.  The  Receiver-General  of  the 
colony  received  in  1705,  by  John  Hand,  £61:  16:  4,  and  in 
1706,  by  John  Hand  again,  £54:  14:  i:  2. 

The  first  doctor  known  in  Cape  May  county  was  Rich- 
ard Smith,  of  either  Egg  Harbor  or  Cape  May,  who  was 
in  1705  given  a  license  to  practice  "Cirurgery  and  Phisiq." 

In  1705  Cape  May  was  again  reduced  to  one  represen- 


lAVK  lOAKIA'  IN  TIIK  KK  i  ll'l'KKN'IMI  <  KXlTlt  V.         05 

tative  in  the  Assembly.  This  same  year  more  mihtary  of- 
ficers were  appointed  for  Cape  May,  as  follows:  Samuel 
Mathews,  captain  of  militia;  Ezekiel  Eklridge  to  be  lieu- 
tenant of  the  same  company;  and  William  Mason  to  be  an 
ensign  of  militia.  In  a  civil  capacity  Shamgar  Hand  and 
Timothy  Brandreth  were  appointed  Assessors;  John  Hand, 
Collector,  and  Shamgar  Hand,  Samuel  Mathews,  William 
Golding.  Thomas  Hand,  William  Mason.  Benjamin  God- 
frey, Peter  Carson  Le  Bore  and  John  Townsend,  Justices 
-of  the  Peace. 

In  1706  Shamgar  Hand  and  William  Golden,  commis- 
sioners for  that  purpose,  laid  out  the  road  from  Egg  Har- 
"bor  to  Cold  Spring,  and  thence  to  Town  Bank,  as  follows: 
"Beginning  at  a  bush  near  the  water's  edge  on  Great  Egg 
Harbor  River  (Tuckahoe  River),  and  from  said  bush  along 
William  Golden's  fence  to  the  gate  post;  from  thence  along 
the  fence  to  the  corner  thereof;  then  by  a  line  of  marked 
trees  to  the  first  run;  thence  to  the  head  of  John  Coston's 
branch;  thence  to  the  head  of  dry  swamp;  thence  to  the 
head  of  Joseph  Ludlam's  branch;  thence  around  the  head 
of  John  Townsend's  branch  to  the  going  over  the  branch 
between  Abraham  Hand's  and  Thomas  Leonard's;  thence 
to  the  bridge  over  Leonard's  branch;  thence  to  the  bridge 
over  the  branch  towards  the  head  of  William  Johnson's 
land,  so  on  to  the  bridge  over  the  Fork  branch;  thence  to 
the  bridge  over  John  Cressee's  Creek;  thence  to  the  bridge 
over  Crooked  Creek,  so  by  a  line  of  marked  trees  to  the 
bridge  over  Gravelly  Run;  thence  to  the  bridge  over  Cres- 
see's Creek;  thence  to  the  old  going  over  at  John  Shaw's; 
thence  to  the  old  going  over  at  W'illiam  Shaw's  branch; 
thence  to  the  head  of  John  Taylor's  branch;  thence  to  the 
turning  out  of  Cold  Spring  path,  so  on  by  a  line  of  marked 
trees,  partly  along  the  old  road  down  to  the  bayside,  be- 
tween Georg-e  Crawford's  and  the  hollow." 

In  1707  John  Townsend  and  Shamgar  Hand,  commis- 
sioners, laid  out  the  road  from  the  head  of  John  Townsend's 
Creek  to  the  cedar  swamp  and  through  it  to  a  place  called 
""Ludley's  bridg-e,  and  toward  Marice  River  as  far  as  the 
county  goeth."  Thus,  after  fourteen  years  of  hard  talking, 
for  it  appears  that  nothing  else  had  been  done  until  now. 


66  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

the  road  through  the  cedar  swamps,  lying  between  the 
headwaters  of  Cedar  Swamp  Creek  and  Dennis  Creek  (then, 
called  Cedar  Creek,  Sluice  Creek  being  named  Dennis), 
was  laid  out,  and  according  to  records  of  the  first  Thomas 
Learning,  completed  this  year.  It  is  a  question  by  what 
route  the  inhabitants  had  communication  with  the  other 
parts  of  the  colony,  as  they  appear  to  have  been  completely 
isolated  until  this  road  was  made.  This  improvement  was 
always  a  county  road  until  1790,  when  the  road  over  Den- 
nis was  made,  after  which  time  the  former  seems  to  have: 
been  abandoned. 

Oldmixon.  1708,  says:  "The  tract  of  land  between  thisi 
(Cape  May)  and  Little  Egg  Harbor,  which  divides  East  and 
West  New  Jersey,  goes  by  the  name  of  Cape  May  County- 
Here  are  several  straggling  houses  on  this  neck  of  land,  the 
chief  of  which  is  Cox's  Hall;  but  there's  yet  no  Town. 
Most  of  the  inhabitants  are  fishernien,  there  being  a. 
whalery  at  the  mouth  of  the  Bay,  on  this  as  well  as  the  op- 
posite shore." 

The  name  of  Ezekiel  Eldredge,  Sr.,  is  first  mentioned 
March  12-16,  1688,  as  a  witness  before  the  Grand  Jury  at  a 
court  held  in  Burlington,  on  a  whale  case.  He  purchased 
in  1689,  of  Dr.  Coxe,  80  acres  of  land;  was  Slitiiff  of  Cape- 
May  county  from  1697  to  1700,  and  his  "ear  marks"  were 
recorded  in  1706  for  the  preservation  of  his  roaming  stock. 
He  wa:  a  member  of  the  Legislature  from  1708  to  1709. 

At  this  time  Richard,  John  and  Robert  Townsend  owned 
a  square-sterned  sloop  called  the  "Dolphin,"  which  was 
built  at  Cape  May,  and  whose  master  was  George  Crafford. 

On  June  23,  1709,  more  officers  were  appointed  for  the 
militia.  Ezekiel  Eldridge  was  made  a  captain  in  Colonel 
Coxe's  regiment,  William  Shaw,  lieutenant,  and  Humphrey 
Hews,  ensign.  Seven  days  later  Major  Jacob  Spicer  was 
commissioned  to  be  "Captaine  of  a  Company  of  fuzileers 
rased  for  the  Expedition  against  Canada.  You  are  there- 
fore to  take  the  said  Company  into  Your  charge,"  and 
Spicer  was  also  to  be  whaler  from  Sandy  Hook  to  Cape 
May,  but  one-half  of  the  proceeds  were  to  go  to  Governor 
Richard  Ingoldsby.  David  Strongham  and  Lew  Hooton 
were   to    be    first   and    second    lieutenants    respectively    of 


LIFE  KAULV  IN  THE  EUJHTEENTH  CENTURY.         67 

Spicer's  company.  It  was  this  year  that  Jacob  Spicer  first 
entered  the  Assembly,  of  which  he  was  a  member  until 
1723.  A  letter  dated  July  14,  171 1,  telling  of  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  Council  and  Assembly  of  the  province,  says: 

"Major  Spicer  who  went  on  the  Expedition  to  Canada,, 
is  Superseded  by  Justice  Tomlinson  in  Gloster  County,  and 
one  Townsend  a  Quaker  made  Judge  in  Cape  May  Coun- 

ty." 

What  Cape  May  county  at  this  time  paid  in  to  the  treas- 
ury of  the  Province  for  the  support  of  the  government  can 
be  proportioned  when  it  was  ordered  to  pay  £99  tax  out  of 
a  total  of  £3000  to  be  raised  in  the  State.  That  year  John 
Page  and  I'.arnebas  Cromwell,  or  Crowell,  were  given  the 
work  of  making  the  assessment  on  the  land  holders,  and 
Joseph  Weldon  was  made  the  collector. 

Thomas  Gordon,  Receiver-General  of  the  province,  in 
his  reports  of  cash  received  for  His  Majesty's  Revenues  of 
New  Jersey  from  June  23d,  1710,  to  March  26th,  1719, 
credits  as  having  received  from  Cape  May  for  the  support 
of  government  the  following  amounts:  171 1  and  1712, 
£49:  11:0;  1714  and  1715,  £34:  7:  10;  and  1716,  1717  and 
1718,  £105:  05:  04. 

Owing  to  the  uncertainties  of  many  of  the  boundary  lines 
in  the  province,  several  were  changed  on  January  21.  1710, 
for  the  reason  given  in  this  preamble : 

"Whereas  by  the  uncertainty  of  the  Boundaries  of  the 
Counties  of  this  Province  great  Inconveniences  have 
arisen,  so  that  the  respective  Officers  of  most  of  these  Coun- 
ties cannot  know  the  Limits  of  them,"  etc. 

Cape  May's  boundary  was  changed  to  conform  to  the 
following  bounds: 

"Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  a  small  creek  on  the  west  side 
of  Stipson's  Island,  called  Jecak's  Creek;  thence  up  the 
same  as  high  as  the  tide  fioweth;  thence  along  the  bounds 
of  Salem  County  to  the  southernmost  main  branch  of  Great 
Egg  Harbor  River;  thence  down  the  said  river  to  the  sea; 
thence  along  the  sea-coast  to  Delaware  Bay,  and  so  up  the 
said  Bay  to  the  place  of  beginning." 

It  seems  the  inhabitants  on  the  western  side  of  Maurice 
River,  the   Cape   May  boundary,   were  without   any   legal 


68  HISTORY  OF  CAPP:  MAY  COUNTY. 

control  until  1707,  when  an  act  was  passed  annexing  the  in- 
habitants between  the  river  Tweed,  now  Back  Creek  (being 
the  lower  bounds  of  Salem  county),  and  the  bounds  of  Cape 
May  county  to  Salem  county,  putting  them  under  its  juris- 
diction. The  act  of  1710  extends  Salem  county,  and  cur- 
tails Cape  May  county,  to  Stipson's  Island,  or  West  Creek. 
Its  greatest  length,  N.  E.  and  S,  W.,  was  30  miles;  great- 
est breadth,  E.  and  W.,  15  miles;  form,  semi-oval;  area,  252 
square  miles,  or  about  161,000  acres. 

At  the  time  the  boundary  was  changed  the  requisites  of 
an  Assemblyman  were  raised  to  one  thousand  acres  of  land, 
or  to  be  worth  £500  current  money,  in  either  real  or  per- 
sonal estate. 

John  and  Peter  Corson  came  to  Cape  May  about  1685. 
The  second  generation  was  Peter,  Jr.,  John,  Jr.,  Christian 
and  Jacob.  Peter  represented  the  county  in  the  Assembly 
in  1707.  This  family,  all  of  whom  are  descendants  of 
Peter  and  John,  numbered  in  the  county,  at  the  census  of 
1850,  295  souls;  253  of  whom  belong  to  the  Upper  Town- 
ship, 6  to  Dennis,  26  to  the  Middle,  and  10  to  the  Lower 
Township. 

The  Hand  family  was  well  represented  amongst  the  early 
settlers,  there  being  eleven  persons  of  that  name  previous 
to  1700. 

Dr.  Beesley  says  (1857): 

"Another  of  the  early  settlers  was  William  Golden.  He 
emigrated  to  Cape  May  in  or  about  1691.  He  was  an 
Irishman,  and  espoused  the  cause  of  James  against  William 
and  Mary,  and  fought  as  an  officer  in  the  battle  of  the 
Boyne,  in  1690.  As  he  soon  after  came  to  America,  he  was 
most  likely  one  of  those  stubborn  Jacobite  Catholics  that 
William,  in  his  clemency,  gave  permission  to  flee  the  coun- 
try, or  abide  the  just  indignation  of  the  Protestant  author- 
ity for  the  part  he  took  in  said  battle  to  promote  its  down- 
fall. He,  with  Rem  Garretson,  located  1016  acres  of  land 
at  Egg  Harbor,  now  Beesley's  Point.  He  was  one  of  the 
justices  of  the  court,  and  occupied  other  prominent  stations. 
He  died  about  171 5,  leaving  but  few  descendants,  one  of 
whom,  his  great  grandson.  Rem.  G.  Golding,  now  past 
eighty  years  old,  lives  near  the  first  and  original  location, 


LIFE  EAKI.V  IX  THE  EIGHTEENTH  CENTIUV.         (i9 

and  has  in  his  possession  at  the  present  time  the  sword  with 
which  his  ancestor  fought,  and  the  epaulette  which  he  wore 
at  the  battle  of  the  Boyne." 

As  early  as  1710  Goshen  was  known  as  a  village,  its  name 
being  then  applied  to  it.  About  this  time  Henry  Stites  pur- 
chased the  land  about  the  point  of  Cape  May,  which  was 
known  as  Stites'  Beach,  until  1876,  when  it  was  called  Sea 
Grove,  and  later  Cape  May  Point.  In  1610  Colonel  Daniel 
Coxe  was  appointed  judge,  with  jurisdiction  in  Cape  May. 


CHAPTER  V. 

DEVELOPMENT  OF  RELIGIOUS  DENOMIXA  i  IONS. 

The  first  Baptist  church  in  Cape  May  was  that  estabUshed 
at  Cape  May  Court  House  in  17 12.  Morgan  Edwards,  in 
his  sketch  of  Baptists  in  New  Jersey,  published  in  1792,  says 
of  the  history  of  the  Cape  May  church : 

"For  the  origin  of  this  church  we  must  take  a  retrospect  of 
affairs  to  the  year  1675,  in  which  year  a  vessel,  with  emi- 
grants, arrived  in  Delaware  from  England,  who  settled,  some 
at  the  Cape  and  some  elsewhere ;  among  the  first  were  two 
Baptists,  viz.,  George  Taylor  and  Philip  Hill.  Taylor  kept 
a  meeting  in  his  house,  and  with  his  exhortations,  reading 
the  Bible,  expounding,  etc.,  enlightened  some  in  the  article 
of  believers'  baptisms.  After  his  death,  in  1702,  Mr.  Hill 
continued  the  meeting  to  1704,  when  he  also  died.  Soon 
after  Mr.  George  Eaglesfield  visited  the  Cape  and  made 
more  proselytes.  These  went  to  Philadelphia  to  receive 
holy  baptism,  as  appears  in  the  association  book.  In  1688 
Rev.  Elias  Keach  paid  a  visit  to  these  parts  and  ordained 
one  Aston  (Ashton,  I  suppose)  to  be  a  deacon,  who  also  ex- 
horted. In  the  fall  of  171 1  Rev.  Thomas  Griffiths  (of  Welsh- 
tract)  went  to  the  Cape  with  a  view  to  purchase  land  and 
settle  among  the  people  for  life;  but.  failing  of  his  design, 
he  quitted  them  next  spring,  and  recommended  to  them 
Rev.  Nathaniel  Jenkins,  who  had  just  arrived  in  the  country. 
Mr.  Jenkins  came,  and  pleased  the  people,  and  June  24, 
1 71 2,  he  and  they  were  constituted  a  church  by  Rev.  Timo- 
thy Brooks,  of  Cohansey.  and  his  elders,  Dickison  Sheppard 
and  Jeremiah  Bacon.  The  names  of  the  constituents  fol- 
low, viz. :  Rev.  Nathaniel^ Jenkins^  Arthur  Cresse,  Seth 
Brooks,  A6raham~Smith,  William  Seagrave,  Jonathan 
Swain,  John  Stillwell,  Henry  Stites.  Benjamin  Hand. 
Richard  Bonns.  Ebenezer  Swain.  William  Smith,  John 
Tavlor,    Abraham    Hand,    Christopher    Church,     Charles 


1)K\'KI.()1'MK.\T  OF  KEI.l<4IorS  DENOMINATIONS.      71 

^obison,  Easter  Jenkins,  Rutli  Dean,  Lydia  Shaw, 
Elizabeth  Hand,  Jeruthy  Hand,  Hannah  Wildair,  Sarah 
Hiscox,  Ehzabeth  Stilhvell,  Ehzabeth  Taylor,  Hannah  Tay- 
lor, Hannah  Stites,  Margery  Smith,  Elothes  Smith,  Ruth 
Swain.  Mary  Swain.  Mary  Cresse,  Mary  Osborn,  Abagail 
Buck,  Ehzabeth  Robison  and  Mary  Jennings.  Two  years 
-after  the  constitution  this  churcli  joined  the  association. 

"Remarkables. 

"Cape  May  churcli  may  be  deemed  an  original  church, 
having  sprang  from  none  other,  but  having  originated  in 
the  place  where  it  exists.  (2)  It  has  now  existed  for  eighty- 
three  years,  and  has  increased  from  37  to  63.  (3)  In  17 14 
many  of  them  died  of  a  grievous  sickness,  which  had  well 
■nigh  depopulated  the  settlement.  (4)  In  171 5  they  built 
their  first  meeting  house,  on  land  purchased  from  Isaac 
Stratten,  but  his  title  being  naught,  they  lost  both  house 
and  land." 

"Rev.  Nathaniel  Jenkins  *  *  *  became  their  min- 
ister at  the  constitution  in  1712,  and  continued  in  the  min- 
istry to  1730,  when  he  resigned  and  went  to  Cohansey.  He 
was  a  Welshman,  born  in  Caerdicanshire  March  25,  1678, 
arrived  in  America  1710,  and  in  17 12  settled  at  the  Cape. 
He  was  a  man  of  good  parts  and  tolerable  education,  and 
•quitted  himself  with  honor  in  the  loan  office  (where  he  was 
a  trustee),  and  also  in  the  assembly  (particularly  in  1721), 
when  a  bill  was  brought  in  to  punish  such  as  denied  the 
doctrine  'of  the  Trinity,  the  divinity  of  Christ,  the  inspiration 
of  Holy  Scriptures,  etc'  In  opposition  to  which  Mr.  Jenk- 
ins stood  up,  and,  with  the  warmth  and  accent  of  a  Welshman 
said:  T  believe  the  doctrines  in  question  as  firmly  as  the 
promoters  of  that  ill-designed  bill,  but  will  never  consent  to 
oppose  the  opposers  with  law,  or  with  any  other  weapon, 
save  that  of  argument,  etc'  Accordingly  the  bill  was  quash- 
ed, to  the  great  mortification  of  them  who  wanted  to  raise 
"in  New  Jersey  the  sj)irit  which  so  raged  in  New  England." 
He  served  in  the  Assembly  from  1723  to  1733.  Mr.  Jenkins' 
wife  was  Esther  Jones,  who  bore  him  nine  children,  one  of 
Avhich  wa^T^ev.  Nathaniel  Jenkins,  2d,  his  eldest  son,  who 
'became  his  successor.  The  latter  was  born  in  Wales  April 
ni,  1710,  and  brought  as  an  infant  to  America.     He  was 


72  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COT^NTY. 

called  to  the  ministry  in  1744,  ordained  in  1747,  when  he 
took  on  him  care  of  the  church,  but  he  continued  not  long" 
therein,  but  fell  into  the  power  of  hurtful  spirits,  which 
brought  on  fits  and  a  premature  dotage.  He  died  in  1796. 
He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Samuel  Heaton,  who  was  pastor 
from  1756  to  1760. 

Rev.  John  Sutton  was  pastor  from  April  i,  1764,  to  May 
6,  1766. 

Rev.  Peter  Peterson  Vanhorn  was  pastor  from  April  7, 
1770,  to  1775. 

Rev.  David  Smith,  the  next  pastor,  was  a  native  of  the 
place;  ordained  pastor  March,  1776;  died  Februray,  1784,. 
aged  54. 

Rev.  Artis  Seagrave  was  pastor  from  1785  to  1788. 

Rev.  John  Stanclifif  was  pastor  from  October,  1789,  tO' 
1802,  when  he  died. 

James  Carman,  who  was  born  at  Cape  May  in  1677,  '^^^ 
pastor  of  the  Baptist  church  at  Cranbury,  N.  J.,  and  he  was,, 
no  doubt,  the  son  of  Caleb  Carman,  who  was  justice  of  the 
peace  in  1685. 

The  Assembly  of  1713  voted  to  tax  the  province  ^1730  in 
two  instalments.  Cape  May's  apportions  were  £54  and  £25, 
John  Taylor  and  Major  Jacob  Spicer  w^ere  the  assessors 
and  Ephraim  Edwards  collector.  On  the  i6th  of  March, 
this  year,  Richard  Downs  was  commissioned  to  be  a  captain 
of  militia  for  the  upper  part  of  the  county,  and  David  Weles 
made  his  lieutenant  and  Arthur  Cresse  ensign,  while  Hum- 
phrey Hewes  was  commissioned  six  days  earlier  captain  of 
the  militia  for  the  lower  end  of  the  county,  with  Ephraim 
Edwards  as  his  lieutenant  and  Samuel  Mathews  ensign. 

On  March  17  John  Townsend  and  Jacob  Spicer  were  ap- 
pointed judges,  with  Humphrey  Hughes,  Timothy  Bran- 
dreth,  Joseph  Weldon  and  John  Page  commissioners  of  the 
pleas. 

From  old  records  at  Trenton  were  gathered  the  following' 
records  of  early  marriages  and  their  issues: 

Justice  John  Townsend.  June  6,  171 5.  married  Cornelius- 
Schillingcr,  Jr.,  and  Mary  Stiles.  Witness:  Cornelius  Schil- 
lingcr,  Henry  Stiles,  Henry  Stiles,  Jr.,  Edmund_Shaw,  John. 


DEVELOPMENT  OF  KELKilOUS  DENOMINATIONS.      73 

Taylor,  Daniel  Wiggins,  John  Willkiss,  Richard  Fortcskue, 
Isaac  Brooks,  Jr.,  Benjamin  Hand,  Jr. 

Isaac   Strattron,  Jr.,   married   IMary   Foster   October    15, 

1734- 

Rev.  Nathaniel  Jenkins  married  George  Taylor  to  Lydia 
Shaw  May  8,  1720.  Issue:  William,  b.  June  7,  1722;  "eldest 
daughter,"  b.  Feb.  22,  1723-4;  daughter,  b.  Jan.  24,  1726-7. 

William  Shaw  married  Lydia  Parsoii  April  8,  1695,  by 
Jeremiah  Cro\vell.  in  presence  of  Henry  Stiles,  Hannah 
Stiles,  Abram  Smith  and  others.  Issue:  William,  b.  Aug. 
24,  1697,  d.  Dec.  13,  1714;  Richard,  b.  Oct.  29,  1699;  Lydia, 
b.  Sept.  14,  1703;  John,  b.  Feb.  4,  1705;  Joshua,  b.  Mar.  26, 
1707;  Nathan,  b.  Dec.  23,  1710. 

James  Briggs  and  Margery  Taylor,  married  by  Justice 
Thomas  Hand  March  22,  1713.  Issue:  Mary,  b.  Aug.  19, 
1715;  Elizabeth,  b.  July  3,  1717;  Keziah,  b.  Aug.  30,  1719; 
Martha,  b.  Aug.  ip,  1721;  Sarah,  b.  May  31,  1724. 

Joseph  Crowell  married  to  Anne  Egleff^cld  by  Jll^■tIce 
John  Townsend  March  2,  1709.  Issue:  Mary,  b.  March  14, 
171 1 ;  Edward,  b.  June  7,  17 13:  Joseph,  b.  Sept.  6,  1716. 

Justice  John  Townsend.  1706-7,  married  Benjamin  Hand 
and  Ann  Chew.  Issue:  Isaac,  b.  Aug.  14,  1709;  Pocianci, 
b.  Aug.  9.  171 1 ;  Jacob,  b.  April  21.  1714. 

Josiah  Crowell  married  Mary  Whelding,  daughter  of  Jo- 
seph Wlielding.  December  17,  1708. 

Richard  Bass  (?)  married  Elizabeth  Duncan  (?)  May  11,. 
1709,  before  Captain  ]\Iathews  and  others. 

Justices  John  Townsend,  Humphrey  Hughes,  John  Paige 
and  Joseph  Whillden  married  Thomas  Bancrofts  and  Eliz- 
abeth Matthews  April  6,  17m.  in  the  presence  of  Richard 
Downes,  John  Taylor,  Joliii  Buck.  John  Hughes,  Mary 
Matthews,  John  Cresse.  Zelophead  Hand,  William  Seagrave. 

John  Taylor  and  Lydia  Schiilux  were  married  October  14,. 

1722,  by  Rev.  Nathaniel  Jenkins.     Issue:  Mary,  d.  Aug.  5,. 

1723.  Lydia.  his  wife,  died  November,  1725,  and  John  mar- 
ries "againe"  to  Deborah  Gavinson,  by  Rev.  N.  Jct.kins,. 
May  8,  1726. 

John  Taylor,  son  of  George  Taylor,  married  Elizabeth 
Bolsher,  of  Boston,  April  5,  1697,  "after  the  maner  of  ye 
Church  of  England."     Witnesses:  George  Taylor,  justice; 


'74  IITSTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Elizabeth  Taylor,  Jno.  Worlidge,  Tim  Brandreth,  clerk.  Is- 
sue: Maij^ciy,  b.  Aug.  i6,  1698;  George,  b.  Dec.  11,  1699; 
John,  b.  June  14,  1704;  Mary,  b.  April  25,  1707,  d.  Oct.  II, 
171 1 ;  Samuel,  b.  March  27,  1710,  d.  Oct.  1 1.  171 1 ;  Jeremiah, 
b.  Aug.  14,  1713,  d.  Dec.  22,  1713. 

Children  of  John  ( )sbornes:  y\biah,  b.  Sept.  9,  1692;  Rutl\, 
b.  Feb.  20,  \fv)S>;  I'ezabeel,  b.  Jan.  21,  1704;  Nathan,  b. 
Feb.  2,  1706;  Ananias,  1).  h'eb.  5,  1708. 

Children  of  Joseph  Hints:  Thomas,  b.  Aug.  31,  1707; 
Mary,  b.  Dec.  18,  1708;  Hester,  b.  Feb.  4,  1711;  Anne,  b. 
Oct.  10,  1712;  Joseph,  b.  Jan.  26,  1715. 

Robert  Champion  and  Mary  Mayps  married  at  Cape  May 
June  17,  1715,  by  "Jo^""^  Townsend,  one  of  his  Majesty's  Jus- 
tices of  the  Peace." 

John  Willits  and  Martha  Corson  married  by  Justice  John 
Townsend  October  5,  1716. 

William,  son  of  William  Seagreaves,  born  October  14, 
1716. 

Thomas  Leaming,  in  his  manuscript,  tells  us  of  the  severe 
epidemic  which  visited  Cape  May  Court  House  in  the  win- 
ter of  1 713- 14.  Some  forty  and  more  residents  died.  He 
says:  'The  disease  came  on  with  a  pain  in  the  side,  breast, 
and  .sometimes  in  the  back,  navel,  tooth,  eye,  hand,  feet,  legs 
or  ear."  Among  the  victims  were  Nicholas  Stillwell,  Arthur 
Cresse,  Sr.,  and  Jr.,  Reuben  Swain,  Richard  Smith,  Samuel 
Garretson,  Cornelius  Hand,  Joseph  Hewit,  William  Shaw% 
John  Reeves,  Richard  Fortesque,  John  Stillwell,  James  Gar- 
retson, Return  Hand,  John  Foreman,  Jedediah  Hughes, 
John  Matthews,  Daniel  Wells  and  over  twenty  others.  It 
can  scarcely  be  conjectured  from  the  above  recital  of  symp- 
toms what  the  true  character  of  the  disease  could  have  been. 
It  was  a  severe  retribution  in  a  population  of  some  two  or 
three  hundred,  and  Providence  alone,  who  saw  proper  to 
afflict,  can  solve  the  mystery. 

The  second  oldest  church  established  in  this  county  was 
by  the  Presbyterians  at  Cold  Spring  in  1714. 

The  first  Presbytery  organized  in  this  county  was  that  of 
Philadelphia  in  1705.  The  Cold  Spring  church  was  an  out- 
growth of  this  body.  The  first  minister  was  the  Rev.  John 
Bradner,  who  was  licensed  by  Messrs.  Davis,  Hampton  and 


DEVIM.OI'MK.NT  OF  KKLKJIOIS  DKNO.MI  X  ATK  »NS.       75 

Henry  in  1714.  Mr.  P>ra<lner,  wlio  lived  on  liis  own  estate 
.and  gave  Iiis  name  to  the  little  stream  near  the  church,  was  a 
.Scotchman,  who  remained  as  pastor  until  1721. 

The  first  church  was  a  small  log  building,  erected  in  1718. 

A  writer  says  of  the  meeting  houses  of  those  davs: 

"The  plain  meeting  house  was  in  harmony  with  the  way 
'Of  worship  which  they  had  chosen.  If  tlie  pulpits  were  high, 
it  was  because  the  ministers  were  expected  to  stand  far  above 
the  people,  and  to  be  shining  examples  of  Protestant  princi- 
ples. They  would  have  been  afraid  of  low  pulpits,  lest  they 
might  tend  toward  popery  and  the  service  of  the  mass. 

"Again,  the  meeting  house  was  never  lighted  except  by 
the  sun.  until  singing  schools  made  it  necessary  to  intro- 
duce candles.  Night  meetings  in  the  meeting  house  were 
■considered  quite  improper,  and  the  Presbyterian  would  have 
thought  candles  too  suggestive  of  the  superstitions  of  the 
Church  of  Rome.  There  were  no  fireplaces,  or  stoves,  or 
other  means  of  warming  those  old  meeting  houses  for  many 
years  after  the  colony  was  planted.  The  people  were  exem- 
plary in  their  attendance  on  worship,  and  they  went  regularly 
to  the  religious  services.  It  was  the  spirit  of  that  age.  The 
Lord's  day  began  at  sunset  on  Saturday. 

"The  early  ministers  regarded  the  Sabbath  as  a  time  for 
the  public  worship  of  God  and  for  religious  instruction. 
The  people  came  together  at  9  o'clock  for  the  morning  ser- 
Ance.  In  early  times  they  were  summoned  by  the  beat  of  the 
'drum.  Sometimes  the  voice  of  the  town  crier,  or  the  blowing 
of  a  conch  shell,  or  of  a  horn,  served  instead  of  the  drum. 
The  old  meeting  houses  were  crowded,  for  the  people  were 
anxious  to  attend  the  services  on  the  Sabbath.  Inside  the 
doors  the  most  conspicuous  object  was  the  pulpit,  with  the 
things  that  belonged  to  it.  In  front  of  the  pulpit,  on  a  low 
■platform,  sat  the  deacons,  facing  the  congregation.  On  a 
platform  a  little  higher  than  the  deacons  sat  the  ruling  elders. 
Above  them  in  the  pulpit  itself  sat  the  two  ministers.  This 
array  of  dignitaries,  some  of  them,  at  least,  in  robes  of  office, 
looked  down  upon  the  congregation,  and  was  looked  up  to 
"by  the  people.  The  pastor  began  with  a  solemn  prayer,  con- 
tinuing about  a  quarter  of  an  hour.  After  this  the  teacher 
Tread  and  expounded  a  chapter  in  the  Bible.    This  exposition 


7(5  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

of  the  chapter  was  one  of  the  leading  parts  of  the  service^ 
Then  a  Psahn  was  sung  by  the  congregation.  No  instru- 
mental music  was  allowed  in  the  Puritan  churches,  partly^ 
because  such  music  was  very  prominent  in  the  services  of  the- 
prelatical  churches,  and  partly  because  it  was  believed  to  be- 
contrary  to  the  word  of  God.  After  the  Psalm  came  the  ser- 
mon by  the  pastor,  and  this  was  the  great  feature  of  the  ser- 
vice. Its  length  was  measured  by  the  hour  glass,  which 
commonly  stood  on  the  pulpit.  The  minister  turned  the 
glass  when  he  began  to  preach,  and  he  w'as  expected,  on  or- 
dinary occasions,  to  draw  his  discourse  to  a  close  when  the 
last  sands  were  running  out  from  the  ;4lass.  Yet  there  were 
intances  when  the  glass  was  turned  two  or  three  times. 

"Although  they  were  carefully  prepared,  the  sermons  of.' 
the  early  ministers  were  not  as  in  this  day,  written.  The  ser- 
mon being  finished,  the  teacher  made  a  short  prayer,  ancf: 
another  Psalm  was  sung.  Then  baptism  was  administered! 
to  children  who  were  presented  by  their  Christian  parents.. 
Once  a  month  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  was  ad- 
ministered, in  connection  with  the  morning  services.  The 
people  were  then  dismissed  with  the  benediction." 

Among  the  first  settlers  of  Cape  May  were  many  Qua- 
kers, notably  the  Townsends,  Corsons,  Leamings  and  Spi- 
cers.  In  1716  a  meeting  house  was  built  by  that  denomina- 
tion at  Seaville.  The  principal  contributors  to  the  building 
fund  were  John  Townsend  and  his  son,  Richard ;  Peter  Cor- 
son and  Aaron  Learning,  of  Cape  May  county,  and  Johm 
Somers  and  one  Scull,  of  Gloucester  (now  Atlantic)  county. 
Meetings  are  held  quarterly  in  this  ancient  structure,  Friends, 
coming  usually  from  Salem  county  to  conduct  the  services^. 
It  is  known  among  the  Friends  by  the  name  of  the  "Old- 
Cedar  Meeting  House."' 

The  following  extracts  are  taken  from  a  Friend's  history . 
of  the  meeting  houses  of  that  time: 

"Great  Egg  Harbor. 

" ? — A  monthly  meeting  hath  been  held  there  for  some- 
years,  composed  of  the  Friends  who  live  there  and  those  of 
Cape  May;  they  belong  to  Salem  and  Gloucester  Quarterly 
Meeting." 

"On  the  divis  of  Haddonfield  Ouarter  from  that  of  Salem,. 


DKVKLOP.MENT  OF  IIELIGIOTS  1  >i:.\()MI  .NATIONS.       77 

-"Great  Egg  Harbor  and  Cape  May  monthly  meetings  was 
•embraced  in  Haddonfield.  The  monthly  meeting  was  dis- 
continued in ? 

"Great  Egg  Harbor. 

"1702 — The  first  convincement  of  Friends  about  Great 
^gg  Harbor  was  about  the  year  1702,  since  which  meetings 
have  been  settled  there  and  two  meeting  houses  built." 

It  is  probable  that  one  of  the  houses  referred  to  was  that 
at  Cape  May.  The  meeting  at  Great  Egg  Harbor  has  been 
discontinued  and  the  few  remaining  members  attached  to 
Greenwich. 

"Cape  May. 

"The  meeting  at  Cape  ]\Iay  was  established  early,  and 
then  formed  a  part  of  Great  Egg  Harbor  monthly  meeting." 

The  introduction  to  the  Great  Egg  Harbor  and  Cape  May 
monthly  meetings  says:  "Several  Friends  of  Great  Egg 
Flarbor  and  Cape  May  having  for  some  time  been  under 
considerable  inconvenience  for  want  of  a  monthly  meeting 
of  men  and  women  being  erected  amongst  them  for  the 
■well  managing  of  the  afifairs  of  the  church  in  the  good  and 
whole  some  Discipline,  have  endeavored  in  an  expostulatory 
letter  directed  to  the  Quarterly  Aleeting  of  Gloucester  and 
Salem  to  set  forth  the  same  to  said  meeting's  consideration. 
(Which  was  done  i6th  of  7th  month,  1726.)  Granted  that  it 
should  begin  and  be  held  on  the  first  Second-day  in  each 
month,  that  is  to  say,  to  begin  at  Richard  Somers',  on  Great 
Egg  Harbour  side,  in  the  ninth  month  next,  and  in  the  tenth 
month  at  Elizabeth  Garretson's,  on  Cape  May  side,  and  so 
on  interchangeable  until  Friends  there  shall  see  cause  to 
make  any  alteration  for  their  own  conveniency. 

"Pursuant  to  which  conclusion  the  Friends  of  Great  Egg 
Harbor  and  Cape  May  met  at  Richard  Somers'  the  7th  day 
of  the  ninth  mo.,  1726,  and  proceeded  to  the  business  of  the 
meeting. 

"At  s'd  meeting  Richard  Townsend  was  chosen  clarke  of 
s'd  monthly  meeting. 

"At  s'd  meeting  Peter  White  and  Jonathan  Adams  was 
appointed  overseers  of  the  meeting  held  at  Japhet  Leeds's, 
Peter  White's  and  John  Scull's.  And  for  the  meeting  held 
rat  Cape  May  Ri«hard  Townsend  is  appointed  overseer. 


78  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

"At  our  monthly  meeting  for  Cape  and  Egg  Harbour  this 
5th  day  of  the  loth  mo.,  1726. 

"At  s'd  meeting  Richard  Somers  and  Judeth  Letart  Pub- 
hshed  their  intentions  of  marriage  with  each  other,  etc." 

These  minutes  were  kept  up  until  1843. 

Samuel  Smith  says:  "The  first  convincement  of  Friends"- 
about  Great  Egg  Harbor  was  about  1702,  since  which  meet- 
ings have  been  settled  and  meeting  houses  built." 

"For  many  years  there  seemed  to  be  a  great  openness  on. 
the  part  of  the  inhabitants  to  receive  the  doctrines  of  Friends^ 
and  a  number  of  Friends  settling  along  the  shore  at  vari- 
ous places,  several  meetings  were  established,  viz.:  Egg 
Harbor.  Galloway,  Tuckahoe  and  Cape  May.  These  formed 
Great  Egg  Harbor  monthly  meeting.  Friends  having  died 
and  others  removed,  none  were  left  to  sustain  the  meetings^ 
and  they  have  all  been  laid  down  or  abandoned,  and  the 
properties  sold  or  devoted  to  other  uses,  with  a  single  ex- 
ception, that  of  Cape  May,  near  Seaville.  in  that  county.  The  • 
meeting  was  established  soon  after  1700,  and  the  meeting 
house  built  in  171 6,  by  the  Townsends,  Learnings  and  others- 
It  was  rebuilt  some  years  ago  on  a  much  smaller  scale  than 
formerly,  and  is  still  kept  in  repair,  but,  like  the  others  men- 
tioned, it  has  no  congregation.  The  old  burial  ground  is 
still  kept  up." 


CHAPTER  VI. 

JIAinTIME    TENDENCIES    AND    CATTLE    OVVMNU. 

"On  May  6.  1715,"  says  Aaron  Learning,  2d,  "the  Cold' 
Springy  mill  was  first  set  to  work."    Here  grist  was  ground. 

Tlie  old  countv  road  from  Long  Bridge  to  the  head  of 
Tuckahoe,  and  from  thence  to  ( Gloucester  Point,  was  made 
in  1716. 

The  AssembI}-  of  this  year,  of  which  Colonel  Daniel  Coxe  ■ 
was  Speaker,  made  Christopher  Hughes  a  captain  of  militia 
under  Lieutenant  Jacob  Spiccr,  with  Ezckiel  Eldrigg  (prob- 
ably Eldridge)  and  John  Cresy  ensigns,  and  Sannicl  Eldridg 
lieutenant.  An  act  was  also  passed  during  the  session  to 
prevent  the  firing"  the  woods  between  I'^bruary  14  and 
April  14,  under  a  penalty  of  forty  shillings. 

Spicer  was  not,  it  is  said,  an  habitual  attendant  upon  the 
sessions  of  the  Assembly,  and  there  are  records  to  prove 
that  his  attendance  was  often  forced.  In  1716  the  officers  of 
the  colony  were  sent  after  him  to  compel  his  attendance, 
and  Spicer,  avoiding  them,  he  was  expelleil  and  a  new  elec- 
tion ordered.  This,  however,  did  no  good,  because  the  peo- 
ple immediately  returned  Spicer  as  Assemblyman. 

At  the  council  of  the  president  and  councillors  of  the 
province,  held  on  March  30  and  31,  1716,  at  which  were 
present  Colonel  Daniel  Coxe,  president,  and  Messrs.  George 
Deacon,  John  Humphries,  John  Wills  and  Ricliard  Bull, 
the  "following  surveys,  with  others,  were  inspected  and  ap- 
proved by  the  Council  of  Propri'es  and  ordered  to  be  recor- 
derd:"  Daniel  Cox  and  Jacob  Spicer,  3933  acres;  do..  100 
acres;  do.,  500  acres;  do.,  50  acres. 

In  1719  Jeremiah  Bass  began  his  services  as  a  member 
of  the  Assembly  for  Cape  May,  and  sen/ed  imtil  1723.  He 
figured  as  as  attorney  at  Salem  from  1710  to  1716,  but 
whether  he  was  the  same  Jeremiah  Basse  who  was  an  Ana- 
baptist minister,  agent  for  the  West  Jersey  Society  for  Cape 


80  HISTORY  OF  (^\PE  MAY  COT'NTY. 

May  in  1694  and  1695,  when  he  resided  at  Cohansey,  and  at 
Burlington,  deputy  governor  of  West  Jersey  1698,  and  de- 
parted for  England  in  1699  or  1702,  is  not  known.  The  for- 
mer may  have  been  a  son  of  the  latter,  and  probably  was. 

Whitehead  says:  "Jeremiah  Basse  was  appointed  governor 
of  New  Jersey  July  15,  1697,  for  one  year,  and  assumed 
the  office  April  7,  1698,  and  retained  it  until  superseded 
by  Governor  Andrew  Hamilton  (whom  he  had  succeeded), 
in  December,  1699,  returning  to  England  before  that  time. 
He  returned  in  1703  as  secretary  of  the  province,  under  Lord 
Cornbury,  by  whom  he  was  given  various  offices.  In  1716 
he  was  elected  to  the  Assembly  from  Cape  May,  where  he 
then  resided.  In  17 19  he  was  Attorney-General  of  the  prov- 
ince. He  died  in  1725,  his  will  being  proved  August  9,  in 
that  year." 

In  the  session  of  1 718-19  of  the  Assembly  Colonel  Jacob 
Spiccr  was  appointed  to  collect  two  instalments  of  colony 
tax,  amounting  to  £42  8s.  and  ii'j  6s.,  and  Spicer  was  also 
to  administer  oaths  to  Isaac  Sharp,  appointed  colonel  of  the 
Salem  and  Cape  May  regiment,  and  to  John  Ralph,  who 
was  made  major. 

Eaily  in  the  development  of  Cape  May  the  attention  of  the 
inhabitants  was  turned  to  the  cultivation  of  the  oyster,  and 
the  attention  of  the  early  legislators  was  turned  toward  the 
preservation  of  this  industry.  The  first  protective  measure 
on  record  is  that  of  March  27,  1719.  which  sets  out  in  its 
preamble  that  oyster  beds  are  "wasted  and  destroyed  by 
strangers  and  others  at  unseasonable  times  of  the  year,  the 
preservation  of  which  will  tend  to  great  benefit  of  the  poor 
people  and  others  inhabiting  this  province."  It  was  enacted, 
therefore,  that  no  person  should  rake  or  gather  up  the  oys- 
ter or  shells  from  May  10  to  September  i,  that  non-residents 
could  not  gather  them  up  at  any  time  to  take  away  with 
them,  under  a  penalty  of  forfeiting  their  vessels  and,  equip- 
ments. Appointments  were  made  to  execute  the  provisions 
of  the  law,  to  inspect  oyster  boats  and  seize  any  which  might 
be  under  suspicion.  Jacob  Spicer  and  Aaron  Leaming  were 
appointed  the  commissioners  for  Cape  May,  while  for  Glou- 
cester (Atlantic)  county  Richard  Summers  and  James  Steel- 
man  were  named.    The  fees  of  the  commissioners  were  half 


MAKITIMK  TEXDENXIES   AND    CATTLK    o\\MN(;.      81 

■  of  the  forfeitures,  while  the  other  haU'  went  to  the  colony. 
In  1723  Richard  M.  West,  one  of  the  councillors  appointed 
by  the  Crown  for  the  colony,  reporting  to  the  Lords  of 
Trade  in  England,  complained  of  this  act,  protesting  that  it 
■acted  against  non-residents,  claiming  that  the  non-residents 
had  as  much  right,  inasmuch  as  the  beds  were  not  located, 
as  the  Jerseymen  to  take  the  oysters.  The  law,  however, 
was  not  interfered  with. 

Old  newspapers  contain  these  accounts  of  wrecks  on  the 
coast : 

"Boston  News-Letter,"  September  17-24,  1724,  says: 
"Boston,  Sept.  23. — We  have  advice  from  Cape  May,  by 
way  of  Philadelphia,  the  loth  instant,  that  there  was  a  sloop 
drove  ashore  as  a  wreck,  her  hands  having  left  her  at  sea, 
and  was  got  safe  in  at  Lewis  Town.  She  was  commanded 
by  Captain  Thomas  Moussel,  from  Boston,  loaden  with 
rhum  and  molasses.  The  sloop  is  since  got  of¥  and  is  at 
Cape  May." 

'The  New  York  Gazette,"  July  30,  1733,  said:  "Philadel- 
phia, July  26. — We  hear  from  Cape  May  that  last  week  the 
Bodies  of  three  Men  drove  ashore  there,  one  of  them  had 
good  Cloaths  on,  Gold  Buttons  in  his  Shirt  sleeves,  two 
Gold  Rings  on  his  Finger,  a  Watch  and  some  pieces  of  Gold 
in  his  Pocket,  and  Silver  Buckles  on  his  Shoes,  but  was  shot 
thro'  the  Head,  the  other  two  had  their  Heads  cut  off. 
About  the  same  time  a  small  sloop  drove  on  shore  about  15 
Miles  to  the  Northward  of  the  Cape,  but  it  is  not  known 
who  she  or  the  Men  are.  We  also  hear  that  a  Brigantine 
sailed  up  our  Bay  as  far  as  Bombay  Hook,  then  tacked  about 
and  stood  to  Sea.  Some  think  it  was  the  Brigantine  bound 
from  Bristol  with  a  number  of  Convicts,  and  that  they  have 
mutinied,  and  Murdered  the  Master  and  Men.  We  expect 
a  more  particular  Account  of  this  barbarous  Murder  in  a 
iew  days." 

'The  Pennsylvania  Gazette,"  July  28,  1743,  says: 

"Philadelphia. — We  hear  from  Cape  May  that  a  ship 
bound  into  Virginia  from  Aberdeen, — Stuart.  Master,  came 
ashore  there  last  Friday  morning  just  before  day.  'Tis  un- 
'Certain  whether  she  can  be  got  ofif,  or  not." 

"New  York  Weekly  Post  Boy,"  January  9,  1744:  "Phil- 


82  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

adelphia,  December  29. — We  hear  from  Cape  May  that  on. 
Friday,  the  i6th  Instant,  in  the  Evening",  the  Seneca,  Capt. 
Wasbrough,  from  Bristol,  bound  to  this  Port,  was  drove 
ashore  to  the  Northward  of  the  Cape,  bilged  and  filled  with 
Water,  but  the  People  were  all  saved.    She  had  been  out  14. 

Weeks." 

The  following  reports  of  arrivals  and  clearances  of  Cape 
May  vessels  and  vessels  bound  to  and  from  Cape  May  are 
given  from  early  newspapers: 

"The  Xcw  England  Courant,"  of  November  6-13,  1725,. 
says: 

"Custom  House.  Boston. — Cleared  Out — Freeman,  for 
Cape  May." 

"New  England  Weekly  Journal,"  October  16.  1727,  says: 

"Custom  House,  Philadelphia,  Octob.  5.  Cleared  Out, 
Tarresan  for  Cape  May." 

"New  England  Weekly  Journal,"  April  17,  1727,  says: 

"Custom  House,  Philadelphia,  April  6.  Cleared  out  Hen- 
ry Stiles  for  Cape  May." 

"Boston  Gazette,  April  24,  mentions  same  clearance. 

"American  Weekly  Mercury,"  of  October  9  to  16,  1729, 
says : 

"Perth  Amboy,  October  the  14th.  1729.  Cleared  for  De- 
parture. '■'"  *  '-^^  Sloop  Jane  and  Mary.  Samuel  Sears, 
for  Ca])e  May." 

"The  New  England  Weekly  Journal."  November  22,  1731^ 
says : 

"Entries  at  the  Port  of  Philadelphia.  Nov.  11.  Outward 
Bound,  Butler  for  Cape  May." 

"The  Boston  News-Letter,"  July  1-8,  1731.  says: 

"Boston,  July  7.  Outward  Bound,  John  Townsend  for 
Cape  May."' 

"Boston  News-Letter,"  June  8-15,  1732.  says: 

"Cleared  Out  Jos.  Worth,  for  Cape  May,"  from  "Boston 
Post,"  June  14. 

"Boston  News-Letter,"  September  7-14.  1732.  says: 

"Philadelphia,  Sept.  7.  Intred  Inwards,  Clymer  from 
Cape  May." 

"New  England  Weekly  Journal,"  April  2,  1733,  says: 


MAurriMi':   ikxhenciks  and  cattle  on\mng.    ss 

"Custom  House,  Philadelphia.  March  6  to  13.  Entred  In. 
White  from  Cape  May." 

"New  England  Weekly  Journal."  April  16,  1733.  says: 

"Custom  House,  Boston.  April  14.  Entred  Inwards,  Jo- 
seph Worth  for  Cape  May." 

"Weekly  Rehearsal."  August  11,  1735,  says. 

"Custom  House,  Boston.  Aug.  9.  Entred  inwards,  Whill- 
der  from  Cape  May." 

"The  New  England  Weekly  Journal."  August  19,  1735^ 
says: 

"Custom    House   Boston   Aug.    18.   cleared  out,   Wildow 

for  Cape  May." 

•'Boston  Weekly  Post  Boy."  July  30.  1744: 

"Newport.  Rhode  Island.  July  27.  Cleared  Out,  Davis 
for  Perth  Amboy.  Stephens  for  Cape  May." 

Before  the  eighteenth  century  began  Cape  May's  early 
pioneers,  who  had  come  from  Long  Island.  New  Haven  and 
other  places,  began  to  own  cattle,  which  they  pastured  in 
almost  every  part  of  the  county.  From  1690  to  1730  a  large 
number  of  the  brands  used  on  the  cattle  were  known  as 
"earemarks."  because  these  red-hot  brands  were  socked  into 
the  flesh  near  some  part  of  the  ear.  and  the  marks  were  used 
as  identifications  to  show  ownership  of  the  stock.  Those 
who  owned  cattle  were  probably  the  well-to-do  part  of  the 
community.  These  marks  were  not  confined  to  cattle  alone^ 
but  stamped  upon  horses,  sheep,  swine  and  lambs.  In. 
"Liber  A.  of  Deeds  and  Miscellaneous  Records."  at  the 
county  clerk's  office  can  be  found  a  large  number  recorded. 
A  sample  of  the  records  given  shows  the  quaint  manner  of 
recording  them: 

"Joseph  Ludlon  his  Eare  Marke  and  El  under  the  Left 
Eare.  Recorded  this  13  Day  of  March  1696-7.  Now  the 
mark  of  his  Son  Anthony  Ludlam." 

"John  Townsend's  Eare  Marke  a  Smalle  forke  on  ye 
Right  Eare  and  a  half  penny  under  ye  Lefte.  Recorded  ye 
20  of  February  1694-5.  Now  the  mark  of  Richard  Town- 
send.  Jr." 

The  following  are  the  years  and  the  names  of  those  whO' 


84  HISTOllY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

had  ear  marks  recorded  during  the  period,  whose  names  are 
given  to  show  the  families  then  hving  in  the  county: 

1691-2. — Henry  Stites,  Esaroh  Stites. 

1693. — ^James  Cressie,  George  Taylor,  Joseph  Hondoin, 
John  Taylor.  Shamgar  Hand,  Constant  Hughes,  Jr.,  Joseph 
Houldoin,  Jr.,  Caleb  Curwithy,  Samuel  Johnson,  Joseph 
Whilden,  Isaac  Whilden,  Oliver  Johnson,  William  Seagrave, 
John  Parsons,  \yilliam  Shaw,  Jonathan  Foreman,  William 
Johnson,  Jonathan  Richardson,  Benjamin  Richardson. 

1694. — Robert  Cressey,  Timothy  Brandreth,  Samuel 
Crowell,  Barnabas  Crowell,  Benjamin  Land,  Isaac  Hand, 
Lubbart  Gisborsen,  Samuel  Richardson,  Caesar  Hoskins, 
John  Cresse,  Jr.,  John  Stillwell,  William  Simpkins,  Thomas 
Goodwin,  Peter  Coston,  Jonathan  Carman,  Samuel  El- 
dridge,  Thomas  Gandy,  Jonathan  Osborn,  Jos.  Badcock, 
Daniel  Johnson,  Nathaniel  Hand,  Ezekiel  Hand,  William 
Smith,  Joshua  Carman,  Thomas  Langley,  Jacob  Dayton, 
Capt.  Downs. 

1694-5. — Nathaniel  Shute,  Cornelius  Skelinger,  John 
Townsend,  Richard  Townsend,  Jr.,  William  Jacox,  Randall 
Huit. 

1696. — George  Booth,  Edward  Lumus,  Joseph  Ludlam, 
Abraham  Hand,  John  Hand,  Thomas  Leaming,  John  Jervis, 
Thomas  Hand,  Daniel  Hand,  George  Hand,  Jeremiah 
Hand,  Edward  Foster,  Jacob  Crowell,  Samuel  Croell,  Jr., 
Humphrey  Hughes,  Jr.,  Thomas  Mathews,  Lewis  Mulford, 
Elijah  Hughes,  Jacob  Spicer,  Joseph  Hand,  Eliu  Swain. 

1696-7. — Randall  Huit,  Col.  Spicer,  Joseph  Ludlow. 

1703. — Richard  Townsend. 

1704.- — John  Crofford,  George  Crofford. 

1706. — Ezekiel  Eldridge,  Robert  Pereman,  John  Buck, 
Aaron  Leaming,  Richard  Stites,  Abigail  Stites,  Samuel 
Johnson,  "formerly  George  Booth,  who  left  the  county;" 
Ebenezer  Johnson,  Abraham  Bauer,  Richard  Swaine,  Jona- 
than Swaine,  Thomas  Hand,  Jr.,  Cornelius  Hand,  Jeremiah 
Hughes,  Jeremiah  Leaming,  John  Taylor,  Nathaniel  Short, 
Joshua  Shaw. 

i7o^!^^-John  Crandall.  Shamgar  Hand,  Jr.,  Henry  Young, 
Benjamin  Stites,  Jonathan  Stites,  Ebenezer  Swaine,  Silas 
Swaine,  William  Matthews,  Constant  Hughes. 


MARITmi-:   TENDENCIES    AND    CATTLE    OW'NINU.      85 

1708. — Josiah  Crowell,  Samuel  Crowoll,  Robert  Town- 
send,  Zelopead  Hand  and  son,  Nathaniel. 

1709. — Benjamin  Hand,  John  Garlick,  John  Cresse  and 
his  son,  Robert;  Aaron  Leonard,  Aaron  Learning-,  Jr. 

17 10. — Moses  Cressy,  Richard  Fortescne,  Henry  Stevens, 
Isaac  Shutton,  John  Goafe. 

171 1. — Charles  Robinson,  Joshua  Garlick,  Ebenezer  Nu- 
ton.  Joseph  Whilden,  Senr.,  James  Whelden,  Peter  Hand, 
Christopher  Church. 

1712. — Benjamin  Holden,  Henry  Stephens,  Jonathan 
Foreman,  David  Cresse,  Lewis  Cresse. 

1 71 3. — Jeremiah  Church,  Samuel  Eldridge. 

1 714. — Nathaniel  Hand,  James  Brigs. 

171 5. — Thomas  Bancroft,  Benjamin  Crofford,  Ezekiel 
Mulford,  Samuel  Swaine,  John  Willis. 

1716. — William  Robinson,  William  Mulford,  Nathaniel 
Norton,  Daniel  Norton. 

1717. — John  Hand,  William  Nickkolls. 

1718. — ^Thomas  Langley,  Ricliard^Jiaw,  John  Taylor.  Jr. 

1720. — Nathaniel  Foster,  Nathaniel  Rosco,  Joshua  Crof- 
ford, Andrew  Godfrey. 

1721. — Zebulon  Swaine,  Charles  Barnes,  Thomas  Learn- 
ing, John  Cresse,  Jr.,  "formerly  Caesar  Hoskins,  who  de- 
serted the  countv;"  John  Stillwell,  Samuel  Richardson,  John 
Hand. 

1722. — Benjamin  Johnson,  Samuel  Bancroft,  William 
Smith  and  son.  Richard;  David  Hildreth,  Josiah  Hildreth, 
Thos.  Leaming  and  his  son,  Christopher;  Cornelius  Schil- 
liux,  Jr.,  Nathaniel  Rosco,  James  Hawthorne. 

1723. — John  Smith,  Zebulon  Swaine,  James  Swaine,  Wm. 
Mathews. 

1724. — John  Tomson. 

1725. — Wm.  Doublcdav,  Epb.raim  Edwards.  John  Cran- 
dell. 

1726. — Anthony  Ludlam,  Providence  Ludlam,  William 
Nickols,  Samuel  Foster,  Peter  Paige,  William  Eldridge. 

1727. — Cornelius  Hand. 

1730. — John  Garlock,  Thomas  Stonebank. 

1731. — Isaac  Ludlam.  Hezekiah  Schull,  Samuel  Mathews, 
Jas.  Jacocks,  "formerly  Jon.  Swain,  he  leaving  the  county;" 


Sa  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

James  Edwards.  Dan'l  Norton.  Moses  Cresse.  Ebenezer 
Norton,  Caleb  Norton. 

1732. — Joshua_Sha\v.  John  Shaw^ 

1734. — Nathan  Osborn,  Deborah  Golden. 

Among  the  commissions  made  out  at  Fort  George,  New 
York,  in  1721,  were  one  of  August  3.  1 721.  to  Aaron  Leamy- 
ing  to  be  clerk  of  peace  and  of  court,  and  those  of  Octo- 
ber 2,  to  Jacob  Spicer,  Thomas  Leming  and  Aaron  Lem- 
ing,  to  administer  civil  and  military  oaths,  and  to  Richard 
Downs  to  be  high  sheriff.  The  next  year  the  commission 
of  the  peace  was  composed  of  Jacob  Spicer.  Humphrey 
Hughs,  Joseph  "V^'hilding,  John  Hand,  Robert  Townsend, 
William  Smith.  John  Parsons.  Christopher  Church  and  Hen- 
ry Young.  On  September  11.  that  year,  John  Ralfe  was 
made  deputy  surrogate  for  the  counties  of  Cape  IMay  and 
Salem.  During  the  same  year  Cape  May  county  was  re- 
quired to  pay  colony  tax  amounting  to  £76  19s.  8p.,  and 
Richard  Downs  was  appointed  to  collect  it. 

At  various  times  during  the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth 
century  the  Spanish  were  at  variance  with  England,  and 
Spain  was  trying  to  secure  some  trade  froin  the  American 
colonies,  and  preyed  upon  English  merchantmen.  Early 
Cape  May  men  saw  some  of  these  privateers,  and  the  fol- 
lowing newspaper  reports  of  those  times  are  here  given : 

The  "Boston  News-Letter,"  of  from  Monday,  January  7, 
to  Monday,  January  14.  1712,  says  in  its  "Boston  Notes:" 

"By  a  certain  Person  come  hither  from  Cape  May  in  the 
Province  of  Jersey,  we  are  inform'd,  that  on  the  i6th  of  No- 
vember Last  about  3  leagues  off  that  Cape  he  was  taken  in 
the  Sloop  Betty  of  St.  Christophers  Walter  Scot,  Commander, 
bound  from  Jamaica  to  New- York,  by  a  Martinico  Privateer 
Sloop  of  8  Guns  130  men.  Scot  had  on  board  when  he  was 
taken  38  Hogsheads  of  Rum.  and  48  Negroes.  The  Priva- 
teer sent  his  Prize  to  Martinico,  with  Some  of  her  men, 
enough  to  condemn  her.  the  rest  he  put  on  shore  the  next 
day  at  Cape  May." 

The  "New  England  Courant."  of  Boston,  from  July  30  to 
August  6.  1722,  says: 

"Philadelphia.  July  26.  On  Sunday  the  22d  arrived  a 
small  Sloop,  Jonathan  Swain  Master,  from  Cape  May.  by 


MAKITI.ME    TEiXDE\(;iES    AND    CATTLE    OWNINMJ.     87 

-whom  we  have  Advice,  That  a  Pvrate  Brigantine  and  Sloop 
have  been  cruising  on  and  off  l)()th  our  Capes  for  above 
Three  Weeks.  They  several  Times  sailed  up  the  Bay  Ten 
or  Twelve  Leagues;  and  on  the  8th  Instant  brought  a  large 
Sloop  down  with  them,  which  they  took  up  high  in  the  Bay. 
That  Night  they  anchored  in  the  Bay  about  a  League  and 
Half  off  the  Shore,  beat  Drums  all  Night  and  seemed  to  be 
very  full  of  Men.  What  Vessels  they  have  took  we  do  not 
yet  understand,  none  of  the  Prisoners  being  set  on  Shore. 
Our  Trade  is  entirely  stopped  by  them,  no  Vessel  daring  to 
go  out  and  all  took  that  offer  to  come  in.  They  were  both 
seen  on  Thursday  last  cruising  about  their  old  Station,  not 
fearing  disturbance  from  the  Men  of  War,  who,  by  dear  Ex- 
perience we  know,  love  Trading  better  than  Fighting.  No 
Vessel  has  arrived  here  for  a  Week;  except  Hargrave  in  the 
Sloop  Little  Joseph,  who  sailed  from  hence  about  two 
months  ago  for  the  Island  of  St.  Christophers,  but  was  taken 
by  the  Pyrates  three  Times  and  rifled  of  most  of  her  Cargo, 
so  that  she  was  obliged  to  return  back." 

"The  Boston  Evening  Post,"  of  August  ii,   1740,  says: 

"New- York,  August  4.  Captain  Janney,  off  of  Cape  May, 
saw  a  black  Sloop  (supposed  to  be  a  Spanish  Privateer,  and 
the  same  as  mentioned  in  our  last)  laying  to  under  her 
Foresail,  but  on  seeing  Janncey,  she  up  with  her  Mainsail 
and  made  up  to  him,  but  a  ship  appearing  she  left  Janncey, 
who  saw  her  come  up  to  the  Ship,  but  missing  Stays,  the 
Ship  got  away,  when  the  Sloop  went  after  her  again,  but 
missing  Stays  a  second  time,  the  Ship  who  was  under  dou- 
ble Reeft  Sails,  let  them  out  and  got  clear  of  the  Sloop." 

"The  Boston  ('azette  or  Weekly  Journal,"  of  September 
29,  1747,  says: 

"Philadelphia,  September  17.  Monday  morning  last  ar- 
rived here  an  express  Boat  from  Lewis,  the  Advice  that  they 
had  been  under  Arms  there  for  three  Days,  on  account  of 
two  Spanish  Privateer  Sloops  being  at  the  Capes,  one  of  ten 
the  other  of  Eight  Guns:  That  they  had  taken  the  Ship  Del- 
aware, Cap.  Sake  of  this  Place,  outward  bound,  one  (un- 
known) bound  in,  and  were  in  Chase  of  a  Third;  they  had 
also  taken  three  of  our  Pilots.     lUit  a  Pilot  Boat  has  come  up 


88  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COU^.TY. 

since  from  Cape-May,  who  saw  nor  heard  nothing  of  them:  ' 
so  that  tis  thought  they  are  gone  off  w'ith  their  Prizes." 
"The  New  York  Evening  Post,"  July  20,  1747,  says: 

"Philadelphia .    Yesterday  came  up  to  Town,  one  of 

our  Pilot  Boats  with  4  men  lately  belonging  to  a  Sloop 
bound  from  \'irginia  to  New-York,  Constantine  Hughes,, 
IVIaster,  which  was  drove  on  Shore  on  Monday  last  on  Cape- 
May,  by  a  Spanish  Privateer  Sloop,  which  Sloop  had  taken' 
a  few  Days  before,  2  of  our  Pilot-Boats,  one  of  which  they 
mann'd  with  30  Hands  &  sent  up  our  Bay,  above  Bomb- 
Bay-Hook,  where  they  landed  on  Sunday  last,  and  to  the 
Plantation  of  Mr.  Edmond  Liston,  and  took  away  4  Negroes^, 
and  every  thing  else  that  they  tho't  they  wanted  to  the  Value 
of  about  200I.  from  whence  they  went  to  another  Planta- 
tion and  took  a  Negro,  but  the  People  shutting  the  Door 
upon  them  they  fir'd  at  them  and  shot  a  Woman  thro'  the 
Thigh,  and  in  the  Evening  they  went  down  the  Bay  again, 
where  meeting  with  another  of  our  Pilot-Boats,  they  stripped 
her  of  the  Sails  &c.  and  on  Tuesday  Morning  she  was  seen 
going  out  of  the  Capes  to  look  for  the  Privateer  Sloop, 
having  one  of  our  Pilots  on  board,  and  they  told  the  last 
Pilot  they  took,  that  they  had  taken  13  Vessels  on  our  Coast, 
four  of  which  they  sent  home,  and  sunk  and  burnt  the  rest." 
"Boston  Gazette  or  Weekly  Journal."  of  July  21,  1747, 
says,  in  speaking  of  a  privateersman's  acts: 

"Soon  after  they  fell  in  with  a  poor  Cape-May  man,  laden- 
with  Shingles,  which  they  took,  and  gave  to  25  of  the  Pris- 
oners, with  scarce  any  Provisions  on  board." 

The  "New^  York  Evening  Post,"  of  August  10,  1747,  says: 
"New- York,  August  3.  Last  Saturday  arrived  here  Capt. 
Hughes  from  Virginia:  who  informs:  that  on  the  13th  of 
July  being  off  Cape-May,  he  was  chased  by  a  small  French 
Privateer  Schooner,  so  near  the  Land,  that  he  was  forced 
to  run  her  ashore  and  quit  her,  the  Privateer  came  along 
Side  of  the  Sloop,  broke  open  the  Hatches,  and  began  to 
throw  some  of  her  Cargo  over  board,  and  by  that  means  got 
off,  next  morning  Capt.  Huges  came  down  and  saw  her  un- 
der s&il,  soon  after  another  A'essel  hove  in  sight,  they  all  left 
the  Sloop  to  go  after  the  other,  he  seeing  this  got  a  smalt. 


MARITniE   TEXDEXCIES    AND    CATTLE    OWNINf}. 


89 


Craft  with  some  men  besides  his  CompHment,  went  on  board 

hoisted  Sail,  and  is  safe  arrived." 

The  "Boston  Weekly  Post  Boy,"  of  July  4,  1748,  says: 
"Philadelphia,  June  23.    On  Friday  night  came  to  To%vn, 

Capt.  Wm.  Clymer.  jun.  bound  in  here  from  S.  Carolina,  but 

was  chased  in  near  Cape  May  by  a  Sloop  on  Wednesday 'last, 

upon  which  he  quitted  his  Vessel,  and  went  ashore  with  his 

Men  in  the  Boat." 

About  the  same  time  Don  Joseph  Hautenoan,  a  Spanish 

pnvateersman.  took  four  vessels  off  Cape  May. 


CHAPTER  VII.  ' 

AXCIEXT  LOANS  AND  TAXES. 
The  accounts  of  the  treasurer  of  West  Jersey  from  Septem- 
her,  1720,  to  September,  1725,  exhibit  that  Richard  Downs, 
-as  collector,  paid  all  the  moneys  from  Cape  May  county 
during  these  five  years.  During  the  years  1722  and  '23,  the 
treasurer  received  £39  9s.  od.,  of  which  Humphrey  Hughes 
received  £16  15s.  od.  for  his  attendance  as  representative  for 
the  county  in  the  Assembly.  In  1723  the  tax  received  was 
£^^  CIS.  lo^d.,  of  which,  on  March  16,  Humphrey  Hughes 
was  paid  £22  los.  od.  and  Jacob  Spicer  iio  for  their  serviecs 
as  members.  In  1724  two  equal  payments  of  £21  14s.  od. 
■were  received,  and  in  1725  £7,1  4s.  6d.  The  latter  year  the 
treasurer  paid  "Mr."  (probably  Nathaniel)  Jenkins  and 
Humphrey  Hughes  each  £2^  14s.  od.  for  their  services  as 
members  of  the  Assembly. 

On  July  2,  1723,  the  first  court,  of  which  records  were 
preserved,  was  held  in  the  Presbyterian  meeting  house  at 
'Cold  Spring. 

In  1723  bills  of  credit  were  issued  by  the  province  of  New 
Jersey  to  the  amount  of  £40,000.  Cape  May's  share  in  this 
loan  was  £1115,  and  commissioners  for  this  part  of  the  fund 
were  Humphrey  Hughes  and  the  Rev.  Nathanael  Jenkins, 
who  were  given  an  annual  salary  of  £11.  (In  1728  their  sal- 
aries were  reduced  to  £4  los.)  Cape  May  was  required  to 
furnish  for  ten  years  an  annual  sum  of  £31  4s.  6d.  to  go  tow- 
ard a  fund  to  sink  the  bills.  From  the  manuscripts  of  Aaron 
Learning,  ist,  and  Aaron  Leaming,  2d,  the  following  facts 
are  found:  About  1723  the  State  of  New  Jersey  had  her  ob- 
ligations indorsed  by  Great  Britain  and  a  large  sum  of  mon- 
ey obtained  to  loan  on  mortgage  security  in  the  diflferent 
•counties  of  the  State.  Under  this  and  subsequent  acts  three 
.loans  were  made  to  Cape  May  county  by  the  State,  viz.: 
First,  £1115;  second,  1731,  £634;  third,  1734,  £1248. 


AXCIKNT   LOANS    AND   TAXKS.  91 

In  1753  these  loans  matured  and  the  State  ordered  them 
paid.  Messrs.  Hughes  and  Jenkins  served  as  commission- 
-ers  of  the  loan  office  until  1737.  In  1733  the  Legislature 
vested  the  power  of  selection  of  the  commissioners  in  th-s- 
justice  of  the  peace  of  the  county,  and  Henry  Young  and 
Henry  Stites  were  the  first  appointed  by  the  freeholders  and 
justices  to  manage  this  loan,  and  continued  until  May  12, 
1742.  when  they  resigned,  and  the  same  day  Aaron  Learning, 
1st.  and  Aaron  Learning.  2d,  father  and  son,  were  appointed 
commissioners,  and  remained  so  until  the  death  of  Aaron 
Learning,  ist,  in  1746,  when  Henry  Young  was  chosen  in 
his  place,  and  they  remained  commissioners  until  the  loan 
became  due  in  1753.  The  books  remained  in  the  commis- 
sioners' hands  until  August  14,  1765.  Jeremiah  Learning, 
who  was  a  collector  of  taxes,  assisted  the  other  commis- 
sioners in  the  performance  of  their  dvities.  In  1765  Aaron 
Leaming,  2d.  says:  "The  loans  are  all  paid  except  some  tri- 
lling sums,  and  the  mortgages  canceled." 

Mr.  Leaming  further  states  in  his  diary: 

"June  20.  1765 — the  Gen'l  Assembly  of  X.  J.  passed  a  law 
for  removing  the  Books  out  of  the  hands  of  the  respective 
-commissioners  of  the  Loan  Office  in  the  several  counties 
'Of  this  province,  into  the  hands  of  the  Clarks  of  the  Peace 
-of  the  counties,  and  as  I  hapepned  to  be  one  of  Loan  officers 
■for  Cape  May  (Henry  Young,  Esq..  being  the  other).  I 
thought  proper  to  take  the  following  extracts  from  the  said 
'books  before  they  passed  out  of  my  hands."  These  extracts 
"have  been  woven  into  the  preceding  paragraphs  of  this  book. 

In  the  accounts  of  John  Allen,  treasurer  of  the  province 
from  1733  to  1 75 1,  in  the  exhibits  of  the  moneys  received 
from  1733  to  1736  for  the  support  of  the  government  are 
■:the  following  entries  of  receipts  from  Cape  May  county : 

"Cape  May,  £97:19:06. 

"Interest  money  reed  acct  £40,000  loan.  Cape  May, 
£7:09:08. 

"Interest  money  reed  on  acct  £20,000,  Cape  May,  £133:- 
•^00  :o6. 

"Interest  monev  rec'd  on  acct  £40,000.  Cape  Mav.  £53:- 
08:00."  '  J 


S2  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

1739.  "To  int.  money  from  Cape  May  £24:16: —  on  accf. 
i20,ooo,  £43:8." 

1740.  "Int.  money  Cape  May  £73:13:6.  Cape  May^ 
£160:4:—." 

1743  and  1744.  "Int.  money  from  Cape  May  on  £40,000* 
&  £20,000,  £146:5:0." 

1745,  1746  and  1747.  "To  int.  money  reed  from  Loan  Off,. 
Com,  from  Cape  Alay,  £182:6:6." 

1748.  "Int.  on  £20,000  &  £40,000,  Cape  May  £39:19:6,"' 
and  also,  the  same  year,  £28:5:6. 

1750.  "Int.  money  from  Cape  Ma}  £32:4:0." 

1751.  "Int.  money  from  £14:8:0." 

In  1 75 1  Treasurer  Allen  paid  Aaron  Leaming  £34:2:0  and 
Jacob  Spicer  £7:4:0  for  services,  which  are  not  stated. 

The  county  of  Cape  May  was  divided  into  three  town- 
ships. Upper.  Middle  and  Lower,  April  2,  1723,  of  whichi 
the  official  record  says : 

"At  a  court  of  the  General  Quarter  Sessions  of  the  Peace, 
holden  at  the  house  of  Robert  Townsend,  on  the  2d  day  of" 
April,  1723: 

"Justices  Present. — Jacob  Spicer.  (first),  Humphrey 
Hughes,  Robert  Townsend,  John  Hand,  Henry  Young,. 
William  Smith. 

The  county  divided  into  precincts,  excepting  the  Ce- 
dar Swamp;  the  lower  precincts  being  from  John  Tay- 
lor's branch  to  the  middle  main  branch  of  Fishing  Creek, 
and  so  down  ye  said  branch  and  creek  to  the  mouth  thereof."" 

"Middle  precinct,  to  be  from  the  aforesaid  John  Taylor's- 
branch  to  Thomas  Leaming's,  and  from  thence  to  a  creek 
called  Dennis  Creek,  and  so  down  the  said  creek  to  the  bay 
shore,  along  the  bay  to  Fishing  Creek." 

"The  Upper  precinct,  to  be  the  residue  of  the  said  county,, 
excepting  the  Cedar  Swamp,  which  is  to  be  at  the  generafi 
charge  of  the  county." 

In  1723  Aaron  Teaming,  ist.  purchased  of  the  English 
owners  Seven-Mile  Beach,  which  had  been  first  surveyed  in 
May,  1 72 1,  and  what  was  after  that  time  known  as  Leam- 
ing's Beach  for  about  a  century.  He  gave  £606  for  the  same,, 
amounting  to  about  $2500  of  present  United  States  money.. 


AXCIKXT  LOANS   AM)   TAXKS. 


93 


His  deed  for  the  property  is  liere  oivcn  in  its  full  text,  as 
jollows : 

"This  Indenture  made  the  Twenty  forth  Dav  of  December 
m  the  nmth  year  of  the  Reign  of  George  over'  Great  Britain 
i^rance  and  Ireland  Ivmg  Defender  of  the  l-'aith  &c  Between 
•Charles  Dockmmique  John  Bennet  Edward  Richier  Robert 
Mitche  e  Thomas  Skinner  and  Joseph  Brooksbank  Gentle- 
men all  of  the  City  of  London  in  the  Kingdom  of  Great 
Bntam  and  other  Proprietors  of  the  Western  Devition  of 
the  Provmce  of  New  Jarsey  Commonly  Called  &  known  by 
the  name  of  the  New  Jarsey  Society  of  the  one  part  and 
Aaron  Leamnig  of  the  County  of  Capmav  &  Providence  of 
New  Jarsey  yeoman  of  the  other  part  witnesseth  that  for  an 
m  the  Consideration  of  the  sum  of  six  hundred  &  Six  pounds 
of  the  old  Currency  of  the  western  Devition  of  the  province 
of  New  Jarsey  or  Seventy  nine  pounds  &  ten  Shillings  in 
mony  accordmg  to  our  Late  Queens  Proclamation  in  hand 
paid  to  Lewis  Morris  Esqr  agent  and  Attorney  for  Charles 
Dockmmique  John   Bennet  Edward  Rechter  Robert  Mit- 
chele  Thomas  Skinner  and  Joseph  Brooksbank  the  Precept 
;u-hereof  IS  hereby  acknowledged  and  the  said  Aaron  Leani- 
mg  his  heirs  executors  &  Administrators  of  the  same  and 
of  every  part  and  parcell  thereof  is  acquitted  Released  ex- 
onerated and  Discharged  forever  have  Granted  Bargained 
Sold  Released  enfeoffed  and  Confeirmed  and  by  these  pres- 
ents Do  fuHy  absolutely  and  Clearly  Grant  Bargain  Sell  Re- 
ieas  Enfeoff  and  Confeirm  unto  him  the  said  Aaron  Leam- 
mg  his  heirs  and  asigns  all  that  Tract  of  Land  Beach  and 
Marsh  Lying  and  being  in  the  County  of  Capmay  and  prov- 
ince of  New  Jarsey  called  or  known  by  the  name  of  the 
Seven  mile  beach  it  being  an  inlire  Island  from  three  Quar- 
ters flood  to  one  Quarter  Ebb  Bounded  as  followeth  (viz) 
Bounded  on  the  Southeast  by  the  main  ocean  or  Sea  on  the 
Southwest  by  the  Inlet  Called  Little  hereford  Inlet,  and  on 
the  Northwest  by  the  Creeks  and  Sounds  that  are  flowed 
with  water  trom  three  Quarters  flood  to  one  Quarter  Ebb 
and  on  the  northeast  by  the  Inlet  Called  Townsends  Inlet 
Together  also  with  all  and  all  manner  of  woods  under  woods 
irees  mines  minerals  Quarres  Haukings  Huntings  Foulings 


94  mSTOKY  OF  CAl'E  MAY  COINTY. 

Fishings  fences  Buildings  Improvements  heircclitaments  ancF. 
appurtenances  whatsoever  thereunto  belonging  or  in  any 
ways  appurtaining  and  all  the  estate  right  title  property  pos- 
session Intrest  Claim  and  Demand  whatsoever  either  in  law 
or  Equity  of  them  the  said  Charles  Dockminique  John  Ben— 
net  Edward  Ruchier  Robert  Mitchell  Thomas  Skinner  and 
Joseph  Brooksbank  and  the  Rest  of  the  proprietors  of  the. 
Western  Devision  of  the  Province  of  New  Jarsey  known  by 
the  name  of  New  Jarsey  Society  their  or  either  of  their  heir" 
heirs  of  in  too  unto  or  out  of  the  above  Bargained  and  Grant- 
ed or  the  hereby  intended  to  be  Bargained  and  Granted 
premises  and  every  part  and  parcell  thereof  TO  HAVE 
AND  TO  HOLD  all  the  above  Bargained  and  Granted  or 
the  hereby  intended  to  be  granted  Land  Marsh  or  Beach  and 
promises  unto  him  the  said  Aaron  Learning  his  heirs  and 
asigns  forever  To  the  Sole  and  only  proper  use  Benefit  and 
Behoof  of  him  the  said  Aaron  Leaming  his  heirs  and  asigns 
forever  and  the  said  Charles  Dockminique  John  Bennet  Ed- 
ward Richier  Robert  Mitchell  Thomas  Skinner  and  Josepb^ 
Brooksbank  for  themselves  and  each  of  them  severrally  for 
their  respective  heirs  Executors  and  administrators  Do- 
Covenant  Grant  Bargain  promise  and  agree  to  and  with  the 
said  Aaron  Leaming  his  heirs  and  assignes  that  all  the  time 
of  the  ensealing  and  Delivering  of  these  presents  those  called 
and  known  of  the.  New  Jarsey  Society  above  mentioned 
Stand  Lawfully  Seized  of  the  above  Granted  or  Intended  ta' 
be  Granted  Land  Marsh  &  Premises  of  a  Good  sure  perfect 
&  undefeizable  Estate  of  inheiritance  in  the  Law  in  fee  sim- 
ple and  that  they  the  Said  Charles  Dockminique  John  Ben- 
net  Edward  Richier  Robert  Mitchell  Thomas  Skinner  and 
Joseph  Brookebank  have  in  them  Selves  good  Right  full 
power  and  absolute  authority  (all  the  time  of  the  ensealing 
&  Delivering  of  these  presents)  to  Grant  Bargaine  Sell  Con- 
vey and  Confeirm  the  above  Granted  or  the  hereby 
intended  to  be  Granted  Land  marsh  &  premises 
unto  him  the  said  Aaron  Leaming  his  heirs  &  asigns  as  is 
above  mentioned  to  be  Granted  Bargained  Sold  &c  and 
that  the  above  Granted  and  Bargained  primises  in  the  Quiet 
and  peaceable  posession  of  him  the  said  Aaron  Leaming  his 
heirs  &  asigns  free  &  clear  &  frely  &  Clearly  acquited  & 


ANClENt   LOANS   AND   TAXES.  95' 

Discharged  from  all  former  &  other  Grants  Bargains  Saks 
Leases  Releases  i^Iortgages  &  all  other  incumberejices  im 
the  Law  whatsoever    shall    forever    remain    and    the    said 
Charles    Dockminique    Edward    Richier    Robert    Mitchil!. 
Thomas  Skinner  John   Rennet   &  Joseph  Brooksbank   for 
themselves   &  each  of  them   severally  for  their  respective 
heirs   Executors   and   administrators   Do   furder   Covenant 
Bargain  and  promise  and  agree  to  &  with  him  and  said  Aa- 
ron Lcaming  his  heirs  and  asigns  that  all  the  above  Granted  I 
or  the  hereby  intended  to  be  Granted  Land  marsh  &  prem- 
ises with  all   the  appurtainces  thereunto  belonging  in  the 
peacable  &  Quiet  possession  of  him  the  Said  Aaron  Leam- 
ing  his  heirs  &  asigns.  against  any  manner  of  person  or 
persons   that   shall   ever   Lay  any   Just   or   Lawfull    Claim 
unto  the  same  or  to  any  part  or  parcell  thereof  by  vertue  of 
any  Right  had  in  the  same  any  time  before  the  Day  of  Date 
of  these  presents  they  will  &  shall  forever  warrant  and  De- 
fend and  each  of  their  Respective  heirs  as  above  said  the 
same  in  Like  manner  Shall  forever  warrant  &  Defend  in  the 
peacable  &  Quiet  Possession  of  him  the  said  Aaron  Learning 
his  heirs  and  asigns  after  the  same  manner  as  is  above  men- 
tioned and  that  all  any  time  within  the  term  of  tenn  years 
Next  ensuing  the  Date  Hereof  they  every  of  them  and  their 
agent  for  the  time  being  Shall  make  and  execute  at  the 
proper  Cost  and  Charge  in  the  Lavy  of  him  the  said  Aarr^ 
Leaming  his  heirs  and  assigns  all  such  furder  and  other  deed  ' 
&  conveyances  for  the  better  asureingand  confeirming  the  : 
above  mentioned  Land  &  premises  unto  him  the  said  /Varon--! 
Leaming  his  heirs  and  asigns  forever  as  shall  be  by  him  the  ■ 
said  Aaron  Leaming  his  heirs  or  asigns  or  by  any  of  his  or  • 
their  councells  Learned  in  the  Law  advises  Devised  or  Re*-  - 
quired. 

In  \\'itness  whereof  the  Said  Fartyes  to  these  presents?, 
have  interchangeably  put  their  hands  &  seals  the  Day  andt 
year  first  above  mentioned 

Thomas  Skinner  Robert  Mitchell 

Joseph  Brooksbank  Charles  Docminiquiei- 

John  Bennet  Edward  Richier 

Signed  Sealed  and  Delivered  in  the  presents  of  us 

Ir  S  HooDcr  >  Richard  Ashfield 


S6  i:3S'in|RY  OF  CAPE  MAY  rOT'NTY. 

September  19th  1723 — Received  of  Aaron  Learning  the 
Consideration  money  mentioned  in  the  within  deed  by  mon- 
ey formerly  Paid  and  a  bond  now  given  for  the  Remainder 
I  say  received  by  me  Lewis  Morris  Agent. 

In  1726  the  first  census  of  Cape  May  county  was  given, 
and  there  were  then  but  668  persons  residing  within  its  ter- 
ritory. 

The  census  is  abstracted  from  a  letter  of  May  9,  that  year, 
from  Governor  Burnett  to  the  Lords  of  Trade  in  London, 
and  shows  the  total  number  of  white  residents  to  have  been 
654,  of  which  209  were  males  above  16,  156  females  above 
16,  148  males  under  16,  141  females  under  16,  and  the  total 
number  of  negroes  to  have  been  14,  of  which  8  were  males 
above  16,  5  females  above  16,  and  one  male  under  16.  The 
total  population  of  the  State  was  32,442,  of  which  2581  were 
negroes. 

But  the  residents  must  have  been  a  thrifty  and  pious  set, 
because  they  seem  d  to  accomplish  a  great  deal  with  the 
little  which  they  had  to  do.  In  the  matter  of  religion  they 
were  a  devout  people.  There  had,  with  that  small  popula- 
tion, been  established  three  meeting  houses  in  the  county, 
all  on  the  one  long  main  road  which  by  that  time  had  ex- 
tended from  Town  Bank  to  Cold  Spring,  on  by  the  Baptist 
church  at  Court  House,  and  the  old  Cedar  Quaker  meeting 
house  at  Seaville  to  Beesley's  Point.  From  the  journal  of 
Thomas  Chalkley,  a  traveling  Friend  from  England,  who 
visited  Cape  May  this  year,  it  appears  to  have  been  a  wil- 
derness between  Cuhansey  and  the  main  road,  but  Chalkley, 
tinder  date  of  2d  month,  1726.  of  his  journey  here: 

"From  Cohansey  I  went  through  the  wilderness  over 
Maurice  River,  accompanied  by  James  Daniel,  through  a 
miry,  boggy  way,  in  which  we  saw  no  house  for  about  forty 
miles,  except  at  the  ferry;  and  that  night  we  got  to  Richard 
Townsend's,  at  Cape  May,  where  we  were  kindly  received. 
Next  day  we  had  a  meeting  at  Rebecca  Garretson's,  and 
the  day  after  a  pretty  large  one  at  Richard  Townsend's,  and 
then  went  down  to  the  Cape,  and  had  a  meeting  at  John 
Page's,  and  next  day  another  at  Aaron  Leaming's;  and  sev- 
eral expressed   their   satisfaction   with   those   meetings.     I 


ANCLKNT   LOANS   AND    TANKS.  97 

lodged  two  nights  at  Jacob  Spict-r's.  my  wife's  brother. 
From  Cape  May,  we  traveled  along  the  sea-coast  to  Egg 
Harbor.  We  swam  our  horses  over  Egg  Harbor  River,  and 
went  over  ourselves  in  canoes;  and  afterward  had  a  meeting 
at  Richard  Sumers,  which  was  a  large  one  as  could  be  ex- 
pected, considering  the  people  live  at  such  distance  from 
each  other." 

In  this  year  the  tax  levied  upon  Cape  May  was  £157  19s. 
8p.,  and  Richard  Townsend  was  entrusted  to  collect  it. 
This  was  an  average  of  four  shillings  for  each  inhabitant,  or 
about  $1.25,  so  that  the  tax  was  not  very  heavy  upon  them. 
On  April  9th  this  year  Benjamin  Hand  was  commissioned 
a  lieutenant  in  Captain  Downes'  company.  On  August  30, 
1733,  the  following  w-ere  appointed  a  Commission  of  the 
Peace:  Jacob  Spicer,  Humphrey  Hughs,  Robert  Townsend, 
William  Smith,  Richard  Townsend,  Henry  Young,  John 
Hand,  Samuel  Eldridge,  William  Seagrave,  Henry  Stites, 
Richard  Stites,  William  Eldridge  and  Anthony  Ludlam, 
and  the  judges  selected  were  Jacob  5"picer,  Humphrey 
Hughs,  Robert  Townsend  and  William  ^amith. 


CHAPTER  VIII.  '1 

THE   KELKUOT'S  CONTKOYERSIES. 

After  Rev.  John  liradncr.  the  first  pastor  of  the  Cold 
Spring  Presbyterian  Church,  ended  his  labors  there  in  173I;, 
he  removed  to  Goshen,  Orange  county,  New  York,  where 
he  died  two  years  later.  His  estate  was  purchased  for  the 
church  in  1721  by  the  following  persons:  Humphrey 
Hughes,  Barnabas  Crowell,  Nathaniel  Rex,  George  Hand, 
Jehu  Richardson,  Yelvcrson  Crowell,  John  Parsons,  George 
Crawford,  Josiah  Crowell,  Colonel  Jacob  Spicer,  Benjamin 
Stites,  William  Mulford,  Shamgar  Hand,  Jeremiah  Hand, 
William  Matthews,  Joshua  Gulicksen,  Samuel  Eldredge, 
Samuel  Bancroft,  Sanuiel  Johnston,  Recompence  Hand, 
Jonathan  Furman,  Eleazer  Norcault,  Constant  Hughes, 
Ezekiel  Eldredge,  Cornelius  Schellenger,  Eleazer  Newton, 
Joshua  Crawford,  Jehu  Hand,  Nathaniel  Norton.  John 
Matthews. 

After  the  removal  of  Mr.  Bradner  the  church  was  without 
a  pastor  till  1726,  when  the  Rev.  Hugston  Hughes  was  set- 
tled and  stayed  one  year  only,  as  he  was  given  "to  too  strong 
drink." 

From  Aaron  Leaming's,  2d,  manuscript  we  read: 

"My  father's  father,  Christopher  Leaming,  was  an  Eng- 
lishman, and  came  to  America  in  1670,  and  landed  near  or 
at  Boston;  thence  to  East  Hampton.  There  he  lived  till 
about  the  year  1691.  and  then  leaving  his  family  at  Long  Is- 
land, he  came  himself  to  Cape  May.  which,  at  that  time,  was 
a  new  county,  and  beginning  to  settle  very  fast,  and  seemed 
to  promise  good  advantages  to  the  adventurers.  Here  he 
went  whaling  in  the  proper  season,  and  at  other  times  work- 
ed at  the  cooper's  trade,  which  was  his  occupation,  and 
good  at  the  time  by  reason  of  the  great  number  of  whales 
caught  in  those  days,  made  the  demand  and  pay  for  casks 
certain.     He  died  of  a  pleurisie  in  1696.    His  remains  were 


THE    IJKLKJlorS   ('().\I'U(  ►VKUSIES.  99 

interred  at  the  place  called  Cape  May  Town,  was  situated 
next  above  now  New  England  Town  Creek,  and  contained 
about  thirteen  houses;  but,  on  the  failure  of  the  whale  fish- 
ery in  Delaware  Bay,  it  dwindled  into  common  farms,  and 
the  graveyard  is  on  the  plantation  now  owned  by  Ebenezer 
Newton.  At  the  first  settlement  of  the  county,  the  chief 
whaling  was  in  Delaware  Bay,  and  that  occasioned  the  town 
to  be  built  there;  but  there  has  not  been  one  house  in  that 
town  since  my  remembrance.  In  1734  I  saw  the  graves; 
Samuel  Eldredge  showed  them  to  me.  They  were  then 
about  fifty  rods  from  tlic  bay.  and  the  sand  was  blown  to 
them.  The  town  was  between  them  and  the  water.  There 
were  then  some  signs  of  the  ruin  of  the  houses.  I  never  saw 
any  East  India  tea  till  1735.  It  was  the  Presbyterian  pa:- 
sons.  the  followers  of  Whitefield,  that  brought  it  into  use  at 
Cape  May,  about  the  year  1744-5-6,  and  now  it  impoverish- 
eth  the  country." 

"Aaron  Leaming  (the  first),  of  the  County  of  Cape  May, 
departed  this  life  at  Philadelphia,  of  a  pleurisie,  on  the  20th 
of  June,  1746,  about  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  He  was 
born  at  Sag.  near  East  Hampton,  on  Long  Island.  Oct. 
1 2th,  1687.  being  the  son  of  Christopher  Leamyeng  (as  he 
spelt  his  name),  an  Englishman,  and  Hester,  his  wife,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Burnet,  and  was  born  in  New  England. 
Christopher  Leamyeng  owned  a  lot  at  Easthampton,  but  he 
came  to  Cape  May,  being  a  cooper,  and  stayed  several  years 
and  worked  at  his  trade:  and  about  1695-6  he  died  at  Cape 
May,  and  his  land  fell  to  Thomas  Leamyeng,  his  eldest  son; 
the  rest  was  left  poor." 

Dr.  Beesley  says; 

"Aaron  Leaming  was  bound  to  Collins,  a  shoemaker  in 
Connecticut,  but  did  not  serve  his  time  out,  and  came  into 
the  Jerseys  at  about  sixteen  years  of  age,  very  poor,  help- 
less and  friendless;  embraced  the  Quaker  religion,  lived  a 
time  at  Salem,  came  to  Cape  May  while  yet  a  boy  (in  1693), 
settled  at  Goshen,  raised  cattle,  bought  a  shallop  and  went 
by  water,  gathered  a  considerable  estate,  but  more  knowl- 
edge than  money.  The  12th  day  of  October,  1714.  married 
Lydia  Shaw,  widow  of  Wiliam  Shaw,  and  daughter  of  John 
Parsons.     By  her  he  had  four  children,  Aaron,  Jeremian, 


lOU  HiSToKY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Matthias  and  Elizabeth.  He  was  tirst  a  justice  of  the  peace 
at  Cape  May.  In  1723  he  was  made  clerk  of  Cape  May, 
and  in  October,  1727,  he  was  chosen  assemblyman,  and 
served  in  that  post  till  July,  1744.  He  died  June  20,  1748, 
aged  58,  and  his  remains  lie  in  vault  50,  in  Christ  Church 
yard,  Philadelphia.  He  was  universally  confessed  to  have 
had  a  superior  knowledge;  he  amassed  large  possessions, 
and  did  more  for  his  children  than  any  Cape  May  man  has 
ever'  done.  He  left  a  clear  estate,  and  was  buried  in  the 
church-yard  in  Philadelphia.  At  Salem  and  Alloway's 
Creek  he  became  acquainted  with  Sarah  Hall,  an  aged 
Quaker  lady,  mother  of  Clement  Hall.  She  herself  was  an 
eminent  lawyer  for  those  times,  and  had  a  large  collection 
of  books,  and  very  rich,  and  took  delight  in  my  father  on 
account  of  his  sprightly  wit  and  genius,  and  his  uncommon 
fondness  for  the  law,  which  he  read  in  her  library,  though 
a  boy,  and  very  small  of  his  age  (for  he  was  a  little  man), 
and  could  not  write;  for  the  Presbyterians  of  New  England 
had  taken  no  other  care  of  his  education  than  to  send  him 
to  meeting." 

Another  old  record  says: 

"There  v.-as  an  Indian  killed  on  Foxborough  Hill,  at 
Beesley's  Point,  in  1736,  by  old  Joseph  Golden,  who  got 
into  a  Cjuarrel  and  probably  unintentionally  killed  his  oppo- 
nent. It  is  said  the  Indians  were  so  enraged  against  Golden 
that  he  was  for  a  long  time  obliged  to  secrete  himself  to 
avoid  their  vengeance.  A  suit  was  instituted  against  him 
in  the  county  which  was  removed  to  Burlington,  where  he 
was  tried  and  acquitted;  but  its  great  cost  obliged  him  to 
dispose  of  that  part  of  his  place  northwest  of  the  main  road 
to  the  Point,  to  Nicholas  Stillwell." 

Concerning  this  event  "The  Pennsylvania  Gazette,"  of 
August  2-7,  1736,  says: 

"Cape-May,  July  17.  Yesterday  the  Coroner's  Inquest 
view'd  the  Body  of  an  Indian  man.  said  to  be  kill'd  by  Jo- 
seph Golden,  an  English  Inhabitant  here.  Isaiah  Stites  be- 
ing present  and  seeing  the  whole  Difference,  gave  his  Evi- 
dence to  the  Inquest,  the  Substance  whereof  was.  That 
Golden  having  hired  the  said  Indian  with  another  Indian 
Man  and  Woman  to  pull  some   Flax,  was  to  give  them 


THE    KELKJIOT'S   CO.NTUO VEUSIK'<.  101 

three  quarts  of  Rum  for  their  Labour,  with  which  they  got 
Drunk  and  quarrel'd  with  Golden,  wlio  then  bid  them  be- 
g'one  from  his  House,  but  they  refus'd  going"  and  gave  liim 
ill  Language,  whereupon  a  Quarrel  ensued,  and  man\ 
Blows  passing  on  both  sides.  ( jolden  got  a  small  Stick  of 
Cudgel  to  drive  them  away,  but  the  two  Indians  fell  upon 
him  and  got  him  down,  beat  him  very  much  and  twisted  his 
Neck,  so  that  he  seemed  in  Danger  of  his  Life;  Stites  en- 
deavored to  part  them;  at  length  Golden  (with  Stites'  help) 
got  on  his  Legs,  and  then  took  a  larger  stick  in  his  Hand 
to  defend  himself,  bidding  the  Indians  to  keep  off,  but  one 
of  them  coming  violently  at  him,  he  struck  him  on  the 
Head,  knock'd  him  down,  and  he  died  w-ithout  speaking  a 
Word  more:  It  appearing  that  there  was  no  Difference  be- 
tween Golden  and  the  Indians,  before  that  sudden  Quarrel 
and  that  they  had  put  him  in  fear  of  his  Life,  before  he 
struck  that  blow,  the  Coroner's  Inquest  found  it  Man- 
slaughter." 

Cape  May  county  grew  in  its  number  of  inhabitants  from 
668  in  1726  to  1004  in  1737-8,  or  an  increase  of  336  in  eleven 
years.    The  whites  numbered: 

Males  above  16  years   261 

Females  above  16  years   219 

Males  under  t6  years   271 

Females  under  16  years   211 

Total   whites    962 

Negroes  and  other  slaves: 

Males  above  16  years   12 

Females  above  16  years   10 

Males  under  16  years   9 

Females  under  16  years   11 

Total  slaves 42 

Total  in  county    1004 

The  first  cattle  brought  over  Cedar  Swamp  bridge  were, 
according  to  Aaron  Teaming  driven  over  it  in  the  year 
1729.  The  keeping  up  of  the  road  was  troublesome  be- 
cause of  the  disputes  over  it.     The  three  precincts  of  the 


102  HISTORY  OF  CAPf]  MAY  COT'NTY. 

county  were  each  to  care  for  a  third  of  the  road.  But  the 
lower  precinct  never  did  anything  towards  its  maintenance, 
while  the  middle  precinct  did  a  small  portion  of  the  work. 
The  bulk  of  the  care  fell  upon  the  upper  precinct,  upon 
which  the  inhabitants  of  the  others  claimed  the  charge 
evolved.  The  others  did  not  hesitate  to  use  it  when  they 
■wanted  to  use  the  only  thoroughfare  out  of  the  county  up 
the  bay  side. 

The  "Pennsylvania  Gazette,"  October  16-23,  1735,  con- 
tains the  following  advertisement: 

"To  be  Sold, 

"A  very  good  Fulling  Mill  at  Fishing  Creek,  in  the  Coun- 
ty of  Cape  May,  with  all  the  Materials,  as  Press,  Sheers, 
Tenters,  and  Copper;  With  one  hundred  Acres  of  Land. 
Enquire  of  Richard  Downs." 

At  this  fulling  mill  homespun  cloth  was  made,  and  the 
wool  was  gotten  from  the  sheep  raised  on  the  place.  Downs 
must  have  sold  his  place  and  retired.  He  had  previously 
"been  a  militiaman,  sheriff,  and  was  an  industrious  citizen. 
He  died  in  1747. 

"The  Pennsylvania  Gazette,"  May  28.  1747,  gives  the 
following  notice  to  his  debtors  and  creditors: 

"Philadelphia,  May  12,  1747. 

"All  persons  indebted  to  the  estate  of  Captain  Richard 
Downs,  late  of  Cape  May,  deceased,  are  desired  to  make 
speedy  payment:  And  those  who  have  any  demands  against 
said  estate,  are  desired  to  pay  the  same,  within  Six  months 
from  the  date  hereofj_tLL_. 

"ELISHA  HAND,  and 
"NATHANIEL   FOSTER. 

"Executors." 

At  the  Governor's  Council,  held  on  December  i,  1739, 
the  following  officers  were  appointed  for  Cape  May  county: 
Jacob  Spicer,  Humphrey  Hughs,  Henry  Young,  William 
Smith,  Robert  Townsend,  judges  of  the  pleas  and  justices 
of  the  quorum;  Henry  Stites,  Richard  Stites,  Ebenezer 
Swain,  justices  of  the  quorum;  Joseph  Ludlam,  Junr., 
William  Smith,  Junr,  and  Nathaniel  Foster,  justices;  Elijah 
Hughs,  clerk;  Constant  Hughes,  sherifif,  and  John  Stites, 
•coroner. 


TUK    IlELKJIOrS   CONTROVERSIES.  103 

The  first  recorded  license,  that  of  a  house  of  entertain- 
nient  on  tlie  seashore,  was  taken  out  by  Jacob  Ludlani,  Jr., 
in  the  year  1740. 

Dr.  Beesley  says  of  the  cedar  swamps  in  the  interior  of 
Cape  May: 

"Between  the  years  of  1740  and  '50  tlie  cedar  swamps  of 
the  county  were  mostly  located ;  and  the  amount  of  lumber 
since  taken  from  them  is  incalculable,  not  only  as  an  article 
of  trade,  but  to  supply  the  home  demand  for  fencing  and 
building  materials  in  the  county.  Large  portions  of  these 
swamps  have  been  w'orked  a  second,  and  some  a  third  time 
since  located.  At  the  present  time  there  is  not  an  acre  of 
original  growth  of  swamp  standing,  having  all  passed  away 
before  the  resistless  sway  of  the  speculator  or  the  consumer. 
The  annual  growth  is  sufificient  to  fill  our  wharves  yearly 
with  many  thousands  of  rails  and  sawed  lumber." 

In  1 74 1  the  Baptists  at  Cape  May  Court  House  erected 
their  church,  a  brick  structure,  on  the  land  of  Jeremiah 
Hand,  w^ho  the  next  year  gave  what  is  now  the  old  cemetery 
to  the  amount  of  one  acre  and  three  rods,  on  which  the 
church  stood  until  burned  in  1854 — 113  years.  ^Morgan 
Edwards,  in  his  sketch,  says,  1792,  of  the  church's  history: 

"This  church  receives  its  distinction  from  the  promontory 
which  forms  the  bay  of  Delaware  on  the  northeast  side;  the 
meeting  house  measures  34  feet  by  26;  it  was  built  in  1741; 
the  lot  on  which  it  stands  contains  an  acre  and  three 
perches,  and  was  given  by  Jeremiah  Hand,  esq.;  the  house 
is  finished  as  usual,  and  is  distant  from  Philadelphia  82 
miles  towards  the  S.  S.  E.;  there  is  a  fine  spring  of  water 
by  it,  which  is  a  great  rarity  in  this  part  of  the  country ;  it  is 
situated  in  the  middle  precinct  of  Cape  May  county:  the 
families,  which  usually  make  up  the  congregation,  are 
about  90.  whereof  63  persons  are  baptised  and  in  the  com- 
munion, which  is  here  administered  every  other  month;  the 
church  was  raised  to  a  body  politic  July  29,  1786:  the  min- 
ister is  Rev.  John  Stancliff;  the  salary  about  80  pounds. — 
The  above  is  the  present  state  of  Cape  May,  Apr.  19,  1790." 

"Temporalities. 

"Plantation,  70  acres,  purchased  by  congregation;  land, 
good;  dwelling  in  tolerable  repair:  living  at  80  pounds." 


104  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

During  the  years  1742  and   43  there  was  an  extended  re- 
ligious revival  throughout  the  county.     The  pastors  of  the 
Baptist  church  and  of  the  Cold  Spring  IVesbjtenan_church^ . 
who  at  that  time  was  Rev._Samuel  Finlev,.  who  acted  as  a 

supply  from  I740j2_1742"  ^^'^-  ^'^"^^y  '^^'^^  ^  "''^"  °^  *-^^^P 
learning,  having  been  educated  at  the  famous  "Log  C0I-- 
lege"  in  Bucks  county.  Pennsylvania.  He  became  in  1761. 
the  fifth  president  of  Princeton  College,  and  remained  at 
the  head  of  that  scat  of  learning  until  I766,_  The  Baptist 
pastor  and  exhorter  of  that  season  \\TreXathanael  Jenkins. 
KenrT,  and  his  sonT  Nathanael,  respectively.  Morgan  Ed- 
wards, the  Baptist  historian  of  the  event,  gives  his  version. 
of  the  event  this  way: 

"In  1742,  in  1743,  the  spirit  of  religion  was  raised  high- 
at  the  Cape;  owing  partly  to  the  preaching  of  Baptist  min- 
isters, and  partly  to  the  labours  of  Presbyterian  ministers 
of  the  new^  light  order;  but  many  of  the  latter's  disciples 
joining  the  Baptists  caused  much  grumbling;  and  issued  in 
a  public  dispute  and  polemical  writings.  The  occasion  was 
as  follows:  About  1742  there  was,  at  the  Cape,  a  remark- 
able stir  of  the  religious  kind;  this  stir  was  owing  partly  to 
the  preaching  of  Baptist  ministers,  and  partly  to  the  labors 
of  Presbyterian  ministers  of  the  new  light  order;  but  some 
of  one  party's  converts  joining  the  other  party  caused  a 
howling  among  the  losing  shepherds,  and  issued  in  a  public 
challenge;  Mr.  Morgan  (Rev.  Abel  Morgan,  A.  M.)  accept- 
ed the  challenge.  His  antagonist  was  Rev.  (afterwards  Dr.)' 
Samuel  Finley;  the  contest  ended  as  usual,  viz.,  in  double- 
triumph." 

The  courts  were  usually  held  in  private  dwellings  previous 
to  1745.  But  a  new  court  house  had  now  been  built,  and  the 
first  court  held  in  it  was  on  the  third  Tuesday  of  May.  1745, 
when  the  following  of^cers  and  jurors  were  present:  Justices. 
— Henrv  Young,  Henry  Stites.  Ebenezer  Sw^ain  and  Na- 
thaniel 'Foster.'  Sheriff— Jacob  Hughes.  Clerk— Elijah' 
Hughes,  Sr.  Grand  Jurors — John  Leonard,  John  Scull, 
Noah  Garrison,  Peter  Corson.  Joseph  Corson,  George  Hol- 
lingshead.  Clement  Daniels,  Benjamin  Johnson,  Jeremiah 
Hand,  Th-nnas  Buck,  Joseph  Badcock,  Isaiah  Stites,  Joseph' 


THE   UELIGIOUS   CONTKOVEKSIES.  105 

Edwards,  James  Godfrey,  Thomas  Smith,  Isaac  'J'ownsciid,. 
Ananias  Osborne,  Robert  Cresse  and  Thomas  Hcwit. 

The  number  of  rcsitlents  of  the  county  this  year  was  1188, 
according  to  the  census  taken  by  order  of  tlie  Governor  of 
the  province.  The  population  was  divided  as  follows:  306 
males  above  16  years,  284  males  under  16  years,  272  females 
above  16  years,  274  females  under  16  years,  54  Quakers  or 
reputed  Quakers.  30  male  slaves,  22  female  slaves;  1188 
whole  mmiber  of  inhabitants;  184  increase  since  1737-8. 

The  Third  French  antl  Indian  War  (known  as  King 
George's  War)  was  in  progress  from  1744  to  '48,  and  there 
were  several  Cape  May  men  commissioned.  Wliile  none 
of  them  are  known  to  have  gone  to  Louisburg  or  the  Cana- 
dian provinces,  they  were  to  be  ready  to  do  duty  at  home 
should  the  French  marine  come  upon  the  Jersey  shore. 
The  commissions  granted  were: 

August  3,  1747.  Ebenezer  Swaine,  Es([.,  to  be  captain  of 
a  company  of  militia. 

August  3.  1747.  Thomas  Ross,  Gent.,  to  be  lieutenant 
of  a  company  for  the  lower  precinct,  of  which  Ebenezer 
Swaine  is  captain. 

Ellis  Hughes  to  be  ensign  in  the  same  company. 

Aug.  3,  1747.  Jonathan  Foreman,  gent.,  captain  of  a 
company  of  foot  militia  for  the  middle  precinct,  of  which 
Nicholas  Gibbon  is  colonel. 

John  Leonard,  gent,  to  be  colonel. 

George  Hand  to  be  ensign. 

April  8,  1748.     Henry  Young  to  be  colonel  of  militia. 

The  value  which  the  West  Jersey  proprietors  placed  uporr 
land  in  Cape  May  county  at  this  time  can  be  surmised  in 
reading  the  instructions  from  a  committee  of  the  West  Jer- 
sey Society  to  the  agent  of  the  Society,  under  date  of  London, 
.August  16,  1749,  a  portion  of  which  reads:  "We  desire  you 
will  endeavor  to  dispose  of  what  quantity  you  can  of  our 
Lands  at  Cape  May  at  Twenty  Pounds  or  more  p'  hundred 
Acres  New  York  Money  but  not  under  that  price  and  tiot 
less  than  One  thousand  Acres  to  be  located  &c.  all  together 
and  not  in  different  parts  and  to  be  free  of  all  charges  of 
Convevance  &c."' 


CHAPTER  IX. 

SYEST  JERSEY   SOCIETY   KKIHTS. 

In  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century  the  two  most 
prominent  men  of  Cape  May  county  were  Aaron  Learning, 
Jr.,  better  known  as  the  second,  and  Jacob  Spicer,  2d,  who 
were  also  possessed  of  a  reputation  all  over  the  province  of 
New  Jersey  as  brilliant  men,  with  practical  and  methodical 
ways.  Their  fathers,  Aaron  Leaming  and  Jacob  Spicer, 
had  held  many  prominent  offices  before  them,  been  in  the 
Assembly,  and  paved  the  way  for  their  sons  to  easily  suc- 
ceed them.  Aaron  Leaming,  2d,  first  entered  the  Assembly 
in  1740,  and  remained  a  member  for  about  thirty  years, 
with  but  two  or  three  short  intercessions.  He  was  born 
July  6,  171 5,  O.  S.,  and  was  a  general  favorite  of  the  people. 
He  possessed  a  splendid  education  and  was  an  expert  and 
clear  penman,  being  a  voluminous  writer,  to  whom  pos- 
terity owes  much  for  the  records  and  diaries  he  kept.  He 
was  a  man  of  considerable  industry  and  acquired  much 
land. 

Dr.  Beesley  says  he  "was  one  of  the  most  prominent  and 
influential  men  the  county  ever  produced.  The  family  lost 
nothing  in  caste  through  him.  He  was  a  heavy  land  oper- 
ator, and  a  member  of  the  Legislature  for  thirty  years. 
From  the  manuscript  he  left  behind  him,  which  is  quite 
voluminous,  it  would  appear  he  was  a  man  of  great  indus- 
try and  much  natural  good  sense,  well  educated  for  the 
times,  and  withal  a  little  tinged  with  aristocracy;  a  trait  of 
character  not  unexceptionable  under  the  royal  prerogative. 
No  man  ever  received  greater  honors  from  the  county,  and 
none,  perhaps,  better  deserved  them." 

Young  Spicer  was  born  the  year  after  Leaming,  and  was 
also  possessed  of  a  good,  practical  education,  and  had  the 
faculty  of  acquiring  wealth  and  of  grasping  every  opportu- 
nity which  presented  itself.     He  first  entered  the  Assembly 


WKvS'l'   .IKIJSKV    SOCIKTY    KICH'IS.  107 

in  1745  and  remained  in  it  with  Learnings  tor  about  twenty 
years.     The  Asseinbl}-  about  this  time  wanted  the  grants 
and  eoncessions  made  to  the  lords  proprietors   and  the  laws 
of  both  East  and  West  Jersey  eompiled,  and  Learning  and 
Spicer  were  the  two  men  who  finally  eompiled  them.     The 
Assembly's  first   aet   in   this   matter   is   recorded   in   Aaron 
Leaming's  own  handwriting  in  the  State  Library,  and  reads: 
"L^pon  Saturday,  the  second  day  of  February,  1750.  Rob- 
ert Lawrence,  of  Monmouth;  William  Cooks,  of  lUndington; 
William  Hancock,  of  Salem;  Jacob  Spicer,  of  Cape  May; 
Hendrick  Fisher,  of  Somerset;  John  Wetherill,  of  Middle- 
sex, and  Aaron  Leaming.  of  Cape  May,  gentlemen,  being 
-of  the  House  of  Assemljly.'"  were  selected  a  committee  to 
inspect  the  "Laws.  Records  and  other  Fundamental  Con- 
stitutions relating  to  the  first  Settlement  of  New  Jersey  in 
each  Division."    The  ""Pennsylvania  Journal."  of  November 
8,  1750.  contained  the  advertisement  that  the  laws  of  New- 
Jersey  from  1700  to  1750  would  be  published  and  that  Leam- 
ing and  Spicer  would  receive  subscriptions  for  the  same. 
This  committee  went  immediately  and  diligently  to  work 
on  its  task.     On  the  following  Thursday  Chairman  Law- 
rence made  a  report,   wherein  were   shown  the  grants  of 
Charles  H  to  James.  Duke  of  Yorke,  and  from  the  Duke  of 
Yorke  to  Lord  John  Berkeley  and  Sir  George  Cartaret,  and 
that  there   were    "'Certain    Concessions   and   Agreements, 
Which  Concessions  and  Agreements  were  esteemed  the  fun- 
•damental  Plan  of  Government."     Lawrence  also  reported 
the  scheme  of  the  twenty-four  proprietors  of  East  Jersey 
and  the  plan  of  government  for  West  Jersey,  and  showing 
that  different  laws  were  passed  for  the  two  divisions  accord- 
ing to  the  concessions.     The  committee  also  said  that  as 
some  of  the   laws,   particularly  those   appertaining  to   the 
taxing  of  lands  and  "'Securing  of  Men's  Property  in  Lands," 
were  "lodged  in  several  difticult  Hands  and  not  come  so  ful- 
ly to  the  Knowledge  of  the  Publick  as  could  be  desired," 
and  recommended  that  all  these  things  be  published.     The 
Assembly  thereupon  ordered  them  to  be  printed  with  "con- 
venient dispatch  and  collected  in  one  Volume,"  and  the  law 
-and  matter  were  to  be  corrected  by  the  originals.     Another 
tcommittee  was  subsequently  appointed  by  the  committee, 


108  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

who  could,  if  they  wished,  supervise  this  work.  Speaker 
Nevill  and  Samuel  Smith,  the  historian,  were  to  have  charge 
of  the  printing,  and  170  books  were  to  be  printed  at  two> 
pence    per  sheet. 

Learning  and  Spicer  were  the  two  most  active  members- 
of  the  committee,  and  they  had  a  great  deal  of  research  tO' 
do.  The  old  State  papers  were  not  kept  in  the  order  in. 
those  days  and  with  the  care  that  they  are  now,  because 
their  value  was  not  then  realized.  Some  of  the  most  im- 
portant instruments  were  the  hardest  to  secure,  and  once 
the  committee  was  ordered  to  search  for  the  "Instrument 
or  Record  or  the  Surrender  made  bv  the  Proprietors  of  this 
Colony  at  the  Surrender  of  the  Government  to  the  Crown;, 
and  also  for  what  Concessions  were  entered  into  by  the 
Crown  at  the  Time  of  the  Acceptance  of  Such  Surrender- 
in  behalf  of  the  People."  (3n  October  16,  1751,  the  com- 
mittee, or  three  of  them,  were  given  power  to  write  to  Lon- 
don, and  ask  the  New  Jersey  agent  to  send  attested  copies, 
of  the  surrender. 

The  work,  which  finall}-,  by  authority  or  not  implicitly 
given,  devolved  upon  the  two  Cape  May  members,  pro- 
gressed until  1755.  Aaron  Leaming,  in  his  diary,  writes- 
under  date  of  the  latter  year,  "Feb'y  2d.  Spicer  &  I  began 
compiling  the  New  Jersey  constitution,"  and  again,  under 
date  of  1756  says:  Nov.  29  Spicer  &  I  began  the  Table  of 
the  Jersey  constitution."  In  the  meantime,  w^hen  these  men: 
were  compiling  these  laws,  on  August  20,  1755.  an  act  for 
the  support  of  the  government  was  passed,  in  which  it  was- 
stated  that  Leaming  and  Spicer  had  been  empowered  to» 
print  the  laws  at  two  pence  per  sheet,  and  binding  allow- 
ances. They  were  to  be  bound  in  calfskin,  and  the  details- 
of  payment  is  here  stated. 

On  March  27,  1758,  126  volumes  had  been  printed,  and 
on  the  following  15th  of  April  the  final  settlement  was  made 
by  ordering  that  Leaming  and  Spicer  be  paid  "after  Three- 
months  Trial  of  the  Sale,"  at  the  rate  of  £1  i8s.  6d.  per 
volume. 

In  1750  Nicholas  Stillwell.  of  Egg  Harbor,  took  out  a 
license  to  keep  a  house  of  entertainment;  in  1752  Jacob' 
Spicer  at  Cold  Spring;  in  1761  Aaron  Leaming  on  the  sea- 


WKST   JERSEY    SOCIiri'V    KKJll'lS.  109 

;?hore  two  miles  above  the  court  house;  in  1763  Clu-istopher 
Learning;  in  1764  Daniel  Hand  at  the  Court  House,  and 
in  1768  Memucan  Hughes  and  James  Whilklin  at  and  near 
Cape  Island, 

The  second  church  established  within  the  c-ountv,  or  at 
least  which  had  Cape  May  residents  as  conuuunicants.  by 
the  Baptists  was  at  Tuckahoe  in  175 1,  of  which  Morgan  Ed- 
wards says  (1792): 

"Tuckihoe. 

"Church  is  dis'tinguished  from  a  river  which  runs  near 
meeting  house;  the  house  measures  28  feet  by  24;  it  was 
"built  1 75 1,  in  Egg  Harbour  township,  and  county  of  Glou- 
cester, 60  miles  S.  E.  Philadelphia,  lot  on  which  stands  con- 
tains about  one  acre,  and  was  gift  James  Hubbard,  deed 
dated  May  15,  1750;  house  is  now  in  ruinous  condition, 
but  the  people  talking  of  building  another,  in  a  more  con- 
venient place;  Alderman  Benezet  promises  to  give  them 
land,  timber,  glass  and  nails;  there  is  another  house  which 
the  church  occupies,  but  it  is  not  their  own;  it  stands  on 
May's  landing,  about  12  miles  ofif  of  this.  The  families 
M'hich  usually  assemble  at  Tuckahoe  are  about  60.  whereof 
63  persons  are  baptised,  and  in  the  communion,  here  ad- 
ministered the  first  Sunday  of  every  month.  Salary  about 
20  pounds. — About  present  state  of  church  Ap.  14,  1790. 

"History. 

"When  the  gospel  began  to  be  preached  at  Dividing 
creek,  by  Rev.  Nathanael  Jenkins,  several  from  these  parts 
repaired  thither,  and  received  serious  impressions;  the  con- 
sequence was,  that  said  Jenkins  was  invited  to  preach  among 
them;  he  came,  and  notwithstanding  his  age,  and  Morris 
river,  stood  in  the  way;  and  baptised  some,  who  joined  Di- 
viding-creek; Mr.  Sheppard,  of  Salem,  visited  these  parts 
and  baptised  others;  and  after  their  deaths,  Mr.  Kelsey 
preached  here  and  baptised.  In  1770  Rev.  James  Sutton 
came  hither  with  a  view  to  settle  among  them;  this  put 
them  on  thinking  of  becoming  a  distinct  church;  according- 
ly, they  were,  July  23,  1771,  incorporated,  by  the  assistance 
of  Rev.  Mess.  Vanhorn  and  Heaton;  the  names  were.  Rev. 
James  Sutton.  Joseph  Savage,  Esq.,  Jonathan  Smith,  Wil- 
liam Goldin,  Jacob  Garrison,  Joseph  Ingersol,  Thomas  Ire- 


110  HISTORY  OF  CArt:  MAY  COUNTY. 

land,  Elias  Smith,  John  Ingles,  Esq..  Lemuel  Sayres,  Lem- 
uel Edwards,  John  Scull,  Isaac  Scull,  Katharine  Garrison^ 
Mary  Goldin,  Jaen  Ingersol,  Debora  Lore,  Tabitha  Scull,. 
Mary  Ireland,  Elizabeth  Garrison,  Jaen  Camp,  Mary  Camp^ 
Abigail  Scull  and  Catharine  Weaver." 

Rev.  James  Sutton  was  pastor  until  1772;  Rev.  William 
Lock,  1773  to  1779,  and  Rev.  Isaac  Bonnell  from  1783  to 
date  (1792). 

There  has  been  found  in  the  old  burying  ground  of  the- 
Baptist  church  at  the  head  of  the  Tuckahoe  River  these  cor- 
roborative fac-similes  of  biographies  and  epitaphs: 

Robert  Campbell  son  of  Henry  and  Ellen  Campbell.. 
Died  March  20-1754. 

Rev.  Isaac  Bonnel  Departed  this  life  July  25-1794,  His 
age  64  years. 

Ann  Groom  the  wife  of  Rev'd  Peter  Groom,  Departed 
this  life  May  4-1796,  46  years  old. 

Millicent  Price,  Departed  this  life  July  28-1826,  Age  56 
years  and  4  months. 

An  extremely  interesting  tomb  is  that  of  the  Reverend 
Peter  Groom,  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  West  Creek. 

The  following  mortuary  lines  show  his  worth: 
"The  friend  of  man 
The  friend  of  truth 
The  friend  of  aee 
The  guide  of  youth." 

He  departed  this  life  January  16,  1807. 

In  the  year  1752  an  association  of  persons  was  formed  for 
the  purpose  of  purchasing  of  the  West  Jersey  Society  their 
interests  in  the  county,  in  order  to  procure  the  natural  priv- 
ileges of  fishing  and  fowling  and  all  the  articles  of  luxury 
and  use  to  be  obtained  from  the  bays  and  sounds,  which 
were  held  in  high  estimation.  The  agreement  reads  as 
follows : 

"Whereas,  The  West  New  Jersey  Society  once  Stood  seiz- 
ed in  their  Demense  as  of  Fee  of  a  certain  Ninety  Thousand 
acres  of  Land  Situate  at,  and  containing  the  chiefest  part 
of  that  Island  or  Tract  of  Land  called  Cape  may  between 
Delaware  Bay  and  Great  Egg  harbour  River,  which  said 


WEST  JERSEY    SOCIETY   KKillTS.  Ill 

Society  having  sold  and  Transferred  the  greatest  and  most 
vakiable  parts  of  the  said  Ninety  thousand  acres  to  divers- 
persons;  And  Whereas  there  is  yet  remaining  unsold  a  par- 
cel of  broken  and  sunken  marshes,  sounds,  creeks,  barren 
Lands  t'tc  as  of  very  little  value,  which  never  the  less  if  the 
Same  Should  be  purchased  by  any  particular  person  or  per- 
sons in  large  Tracts  it  might  be  an  inducement  for  such  pur- 
chaser to  endeavour  to  monopolize  the  Fishery,  oystering 
&c  which  nature  seems  to  have  intended  for  a  General 
blessing  to  tlic  Poor,  and  others  who  have  bought  the  Lands 
and  settled  contiguous  thereto  And  many  of  us  the  Subscrib- 
ers having  already  given  advanced  prices  for  our  Lands  by 
reason  of  the  vicinity  of  the  said  priviledges,  arc  now  unwil- 
ling to  be  deprived  thereof:  Wherefore  we  the  Subscribers 
each  and  every  of  us  do  each  of  us  seperately  for  our  selves, 
and  for  each  of  our  heirs.  Executors  Administrators  8z  as- 
signs associate  covenant  Grant  Bargain  and  agree  to  and' 
with  all  and  every  other  of  the  said  Subscribers  their  heirs 
and  assigns  in  manner  and  form  following — To  Wit — That 
we  will  each  and  every  of  us  associate  and  Join  in  the  pur- 
chasing of  the  Said  Society  the  aforesaid  unsold  parts  of  the 
said  Land  which  when  So  purchased  To  be  holden  in  equal 
Shares  amongst  all  and  every  of  us  the  Subscribers  Our 
heir  and  Assigns  in  common  and  undivided  forever,  as  Ten- 
ants in  Common.  Except  such  parts  thereof  as  we  Shall  Sell 
and  Separate  oiif  as  hereafter  is  mentioned  And  that  Due 
Justice  may  be  rendered  unto  all  persons  we  do  hereby  cov- 
enant and  agree  that  if  any  particular  person  or  persons- 
whither  Subscriber  or  not  hath  actually  a  Survey  made  by 
Henry  Young,  Esqr.  upon  any  part  which  we  Shall  So  pur- 
chase, or  if  any  Tract  that  is  unsurveyed  Shall  lie  within 
the  inclosures  or  at  the  head  or  foot  of  any  particular  persons 
Land  or  Plantation  Situate  within  the  Said  County  if  Such 
person  discovers  the  Same  to  be  there  and  will  first  consent 
to  give  the  price  the  Said  Society  now  Sells  at  In  that  case 
we  will  Sell  the  Same  to  Such  person  at  a  price  not  higher 
than  the  said  Society  hath  immediately  before  this  time  been 
used  to  Sell  for;  The  purchase  money  whereof  shall  be  put 
into  the  General  Stock  and  applyed  towards  the  payment 
of  the  consideration  that  we  Shall  be  obliged  to  Give  for  the 


112  IJ I  STORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COT'XTY. 

Said  Land  So  by  us  intended  to  be  purcbased.  And  Fur- 
ther if  any  particular  person  who  is  a  Subscriber  hereto 
hath  by  himself,  or  his  Predecessor  in  Title  hath,  actually 
made  a  Purchase  of  any  of  the  Said  Societys  Said  Lands 
and  Such  person  Shall  Doubt  the  validit}-  of  his  Title  to  the 
whole  or  any  part  thereof  In  that  case  a  Deed  of  confirma- 
tion and  Release  Shall  be  Granted  Gratis  to  Such  Subscrib- 
ers he  being  at  all  charges — xA.nd  for  the  Raising  a  Fund 
for  carrying  the  Said  undertaking  into  execution  we  each 
and  every  of  us  for  and  on  behalf  of  ourselves  Our  heirs 
Executors  and  administrators  and  Assigns  Do  Consent — 
associate  covenant  Grant  Bargain  8i  agree  to  and  with  all 
the  rest  of  the  Said  Subscribers  their  heirs  &  Assigns  that 
the  said  money  requisite  for  Such  consideration.  Shall  be 
raised  levyed  and  Assessed  upon  us  our  heirs  Executors  and 
Administrators  according  to  the  Several  Estates  that  we 
Severally  hold  in  the  manner  that  other  Taxes  are  usually 
raised  by  Law  in  New  Jersey  And  Further  that  we  will  at 
some  General  Conference  or  meeting  on  the  Said  Subject 
chuse  Such  officers  &  persons  as  are  or  Shall  be  necessary 
for  laying  and  raising  the  Said  Intended  Tax.  and  also  chuse 
(when  necessary)  Such  and  So  many  persons  as  we  Shall 
think  Suitable  and  convenient  to  go  and  agree  for  the  Said 
unsold  Lands  from  the  agents  of  the  said  West  Jersey  So- 
ciety Provided  never  the  less  that  if  thirty  Persons  Free- 
holders of  the  County  of  Cape  May  do  not  Sign  this  Asso- 
ciation the  whole  and  every  part  tliereof,  Shall  be  void  and 
of  no  effect — And  i*'urlher  that  the  above  said  Commonages 
of  Fishery  oystering  &c  Shall  be  construed  to  remain  and 
extend  to  all  the  Chihlren  of  us  the  Subscribers  &  all  their 
children  &  children's  children  and  so  forever — .\nd  in  any 
marshes  tliat  we  Shall  Sell  the  aforesaid  coninionages  Shall 
be  reserved  tliereout  and  not  transferred  but  remain  and 
above.  And  in  case  of  any  Doubts  in  Titles,  wher.  we  Grant 
Releases,  they  Shall  be  so  worded  as  to  confirm  the  Same 
Estate  as  if  the  original  purchase  had  been  good  &  value — 
And  that  no  Resurveys  on  any  Persons  Land  whatever 
Shall  be  claimed  or  allowed  on  any  pretentions  whatsoever. 
Provided  always  that  if  any  consideration  Money  Shall  be 
paid  for  any  Lands  to  be  Sold  by  virtue  of  the  directions 


WKST   .IKUSKV    SOCIKTV    KiillliS.  113 

of  this  agrceinent,  after  the  consideration  {or  the  aforesaid 
Land  Shall  be  fully  paid,  tiien  Such  money  to  be  equally 
Divided  amongst  the  Subscribers  hereto  in  proportion  to 
the  respective  Shares  the  Said  Subscribers  hereto  Shall  Sev- 
erally pay  towards  Such  consideration. 

The  instrument  was  dated  November  20,  1752,  and  was 
signed  by  the  following  persons:  James  Edwards,  James 
Hedges.  Samuel  Bancroft,  Jonathan  Fourman,  Recompence 
Hand,  William  Matthews,  Jacob  Spicer,  Ebenezer  Swain, 
Nathaniel  Foster,  Richard  Stillwell,  Ephraim  Edwards, 
Isaac  Whilldin,  Tacob_JIughes.  John  Hase,  Daniel  Cresse, 
Benjamin  Laughton,  James  Whilldin,  Thomas  Bancroft, 
Jacob  .  Hand,  Jere  Leaming,  Jacob  Richardson,  Joshua 
Shaw,  Samuel  Crowell,  Cornelius  Schelinks,  Barnabas 
Crowell,  Eleazer  Crawford,  Isaac  Newton,  George  Stites, 
William  Stites,  Richard  Shaw,  Downes  Edmonds,  John 
Bancroft,  Ebenezer  Johnson,  Uriah  Smith,  Aaron  Leaming, 
Thomas  Hand,  Jonadab  Jenkins,  Carman  Smith,  Daniel 
Swaine.  Jeremiah  Hand,  John  Chester,  John  Smith,  Elihu 
Smith.  Alarcy  Ross,  Thomas  Leaming,  Joseph  Hewit,  Wil- 
liam Robenson,  Joseph  Hewit,  Elisha  Crowell,  John  El- 
dredge,  Robert  Parsons,  William  Simpkins  Reuben  Hew- 
it, Amos  Johnson,  Timothy  Hand,  Ezekiel  Hand,  Daniel 
Hand,  Silas  Hand,  Isaiah  Hand,  James  Hand,  Richard 
Stites,  Caleb  Newton,  Caleb  Newton  on  behalf  of  Thomas 
Page,  Christopher  Lupton,  Ebenezer  Newton,  Henry  Hand, 
William  Flower,  Eleazer  Hand,  Samuel  Eldredge,  Daniel 
Eldredge,  Nezer  Swain, George  Taylor,  Lewis  Cresse,  James 
Cresse,  Shamgar  Hand,  Jonathan  Smith,  Daniel  Hand, 
Robert  Cresse,  Benjamin  Johnson  aty  of  ye  seaside,  Henry 
Leonard.  Annanias  Osborne,  John  Leonard,  Michael  Iszard, 
Richard  Smith,  David  Corson,  Zebulon  Swaine,  Nathaniel 
Jenkins.  Junr.,  Benjamin  Johnson  of  Goshen,  Richard 
Swain,  Silas  Goff.  David  Hildreth,  Christopher  Foster, 
Joshua  Hildreth.  Joseph  Hildreth,  Samuel  Foster.  John 
Hughes.  Edward  Church,  Jeremiah  Hand,  John  Wiliefs," 
Joseph  Corson,  John  Scull,  John  Van  Gilder,  Samuel  Town- 
send,  Daniel  Townsend,  Arthur  Cresse,  Esaiah  Stites,  Josiah 
Edwards,  Jacob  Corson,  Andrew  Corson,  W'illiam  Robin- 


114  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

son, Isaac  Luldam,Abraham  Van  Gilder,  Isaac  WiIletts,Johm 
Goff,  Isaac  Baner,  David  Corson,  James  Godfrey,  Isaac 
Townsend,  John  Corson,  John  Machey,  Stephen  Youngs- 
Thomas  Hevvit,  Wm.  Smith,  James  Hildreth,  Thomas  Tay- 
lor, Seth  Bowen,  Franc's  Crandol,  John  Hand,  alias  Willet,. 
John  Shaw,  Jacob  Smith,  Henry  Fisher,  John  Smith,  Na- 
than Johnson,  Thos.  Johnson,  Thomas  Smith,  James  Mil- 
ler, John  Isard,  Abraham  Hand,  James  Townsend,  Silva- 
nus  Townsend,  Junr. 

It  was  difficult  to  name  a  valuation  upon  a  right  so  en- 
deared to  the  people  as  this.  This  association  being  slow 
and  cautious  in  its  movements  was  no  doubt  astounded,  in 
the  year  1756,  to  find  that  Jacob  Spicer,  upon  his  own  re- 
sponsibility, had  superseded  them,  and  had  purchased  the 
right  of  the  societv.  through  their  acknowledged  agent.  Dr. 
Johnson,  of  Perth  Amboy,  not  only  in  natural  privileges. 
but  in  the  unlocated  land  in  the  whole  county.  Spicer,  al- 
though he  did  not  attempt  or  desire  to  prevent  the  people 
from  using  these  privileges  as  they  had  heretofore  done,  re- 
ceived for  his  share  in  the  transaction  a  large  amount  of 
obloquy  and  hostile  feeling,  which  required  all  the  energy- 
and  moral  courage  he  possessed  to  encounter. 

In  1756  the  time  had  come  wdien  the  remaining  West 
Jersey  proprietors  were  to  at  last  dispose  of  their  rights. 
As  heretofore  mentioned,  an  association  had  been  formed 
in  the  lower  precinct  to  purchase  them.  Dr.  Coxe,  who 
originally  held  most  of  the  soil,  made  five  sales  altogether 
through  his  agent,  George  Taylor,  to  the  West  Jersey  So- 
ciety. The  latter  had  by  1756  carried  on  the  sale  of  its  lands 
for  about  sixty-four  years,  and  had  nothing  much  left  by 
this  time  excepting  "vacant  lands,"  and  the  natural  privi- 
leges which  they  possessed  of  the  sounds  and  bays.  For 
the  "vacant  lands,"  Aaron  Leaming,  2d,  and  Jacob  Spicer, . 
2d,  were  competitors,  but  as  the  latter  overreached  his  col- 
league he  secured  them.  While  they,  two  of  the  most  pop- 
ular men  of  that  time,  were  opposed  to  each  other  at  home 
in  consequence  of  their  land  speculations,  yet  when  at  Tren- 
ton, as  representatives  of  their  county,  they  united  their  en- 
ergies and  were  faithful  and  efficient  public  servants.  In 
the  sale  of  lands  by  the  West  Jersey  Society  they  always  in- 


WEST  JERSEY    SOCIKl  V   KKJH'lS.  115- 

eluded  what  was  termed  "vacant  lands."  Fifteen  per  centum 
over  what  was  actually  purchased  was  conveyed  for  the 
building  of  roads,  and  when  these  proposed  roads  were  not 
constructed  the  land  became  vacant. 

On  August  2,  1756,  Jacob  Spicer,  2d,  also  purchased  of 
the  West  Jersey  Society  (for  £300)  all  the  remain  lands 
and  privileges  of  that  organization  in  Cape  May  county, 
consisting  of  uplands,  beaches,  swamps,  savannahs,  cripples, 
marshes,  meadows,  oyster  beds,  oyster  grounds,  clam  flats, 
shores,  bays,  sounds,  thoroughfares,  creeks,  guts,  rivulets, 
brooks,  runs,  streams,  pools  and  ponds  of  water,  and  finally 
all  fast  lands  and  waters,  etc.,  woods,  trees,  mines,  minerals, 
royalties,  quarries,  hawkings,  huntings,  fishing,  fowling, 
etc."     Dr.  Maurice  Beesley  says: 

'"It  has  been  handed  down  that  Spicer  obtained  the  grant 
for  the  proprietary  right  in  Cape  May,  of  Dr.  Johnson, 
agent  of  the  society  at  Perth  Amboy,  at  a  time  when  the  in- 
fluence of  the  wine  bottle  had  usurped  the  place  of  reason, 
or  he  could  not  have  obtained  it  for  so  inconsiderable  a  sum 
as  three  hundred  pounds:  and  that  the  Doctor,  sensible  he 
had  betrayed  the  trust  reposed  in  him,  left  the  society  at  his 
death  a  thousand  pounds  as  a  salvo." 

Spicer,  while  a  man  who  believed  in  thrift,  had  a  sympa- 
thetic side  to  his  nature,  which  is  revealed  by  a  record  in  his 
diary,  under  date  of  October  6,  1756,  concerning  the  result 
of  a  missionary  meeting.  It  reads:  "We  the  subscribers  do 
promise  to  pay  the  Rev.  John  Brainard,  missionary  among 
the  Indians  at  Cranbery,  or  to  his  order,  the  sum  affixed  to 
our  names  for  the  purchase  of  lands  for  the  uses  of  the  mis- 
sionary society:  Charles  Read,  £2  14s.;  Jacob  Spicer,  £2  os.; 
Joseph  Yard,  £1  17s.;  Robert  Ogden,  £3;  Stephen  Cresse,. 
ii  los." 


CHAPTER  X. 

JACOB   8PICKR   AND   HIS   ;SAYING.S. 

The  accounts  of  the  treasurer  of  the  division  of  West  Jer- 
sey for  the  year  1754  show  that  Aaron  Learning  on  April 
2"]  turned  in  a  bundle  of  canceled  money  from  Cape  May  to 
the  amounts  of  i  154:02:06,  i  1:0:0,  and  October  21,  £1:17:6, 
and  that  Jeremiah  Leaming  paid  for  the  support  of  the  gov- 
ernment, November  24,  taxes  amounting  to  £33:08:04,  and 
on  the  same  date  other  money,  viz.,  £25:11:05!.  During 
the  same  year  Leaming  and  Spicer,  who  were  members 
then  of  the  Legislature,  received  on  April  15  these  amounts: 
Leaming,  £22:10:0;  Spicer,  £33:10:0. 

In  1754  the  French  and  Indian  War  broke  out  on  the 
frontier  of  the  English  colonies  and  lasted  until  1763.  It 
was  to  decide  the  question  whether  France  or  England 
should  rule  over  the  American  continent.  The  English  out- 
numbered the  French  colonists  ten  to  one,  but  the  latter 
got  possession  of  the  two  chief  rivers  of  the  country — the 
St.  Lawrence  and  the  Mississippi.  To  clinch  their  hold  they 
built  fort  after  fort,  until  by  this  date,  1754,  they  had  a  chain 
of  them  extending  from  Quebec,  in  Canada,  to  the  Great 
Lakes,  and  thence  down  the  Wabash,  the  IlHnois  and  the 
Mississippi  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  The  principal  scenes  of 
the  conflicts  of  this  war,  in  which  the  English  were  finally 
successful,  were  upon  the  Ohio  River  and  the  Canadian 
borders. 

Matters  looked  so  serious  just  at  this  period  that  a  con- 
vention of  the  northern  colonies  met  at  Albany  to  consider 
what  mode  of  defense  should  be  made.  Most  of  the  Indians 
were  aiding  the  French,  but  the  Iroquois  Indians,  who  were 
staunch  friends  of  the  English,  sent  some  of  their  tribe  to 
the  convention  and  warned  them  that  if  the  colonists  did 
not  take  up  arms  the  French  would  drive  every  English- 
man out  of  the  countrv.     This  same  vear  the  Assemblv  of 


JACOB   SriCKK    AND    HIS    SAVl.XlJS.  117 

New  Jersey  passed  a  bill  making  current  £70,000  in  bills  of 
credit  for  a  fund  to  asyst  in  dispossessing  the  French  on. 
the  frontier  near  the  Ohio  River,  and  Cape  May's  share  in 
this  expense  was  f  1002,  the  raising  of  which  was  given  in 
charge  of  the  Loan  Office  Commissioners,  who  were  to  have 
an  annual  salary  of  £10.  The  bills,  when  paid  by  the  colony,, 
were  to  be  cut    and  burned. 

West  Jersey  was  to  furnish  sixty  men  to  go  to  the  New 
York  frontier,  but  whether  Cape  May  sent  any  we  do  not 
have  record  to  show.  But  we  find  that  Aaron  Learnings 
with  two  other  non-residents  of  the  county,  as  a  Colony 
Committee,  was  paid  £171:10:0  to  transport  Captain  Wood- 
ward's company  and  others,  and  for  clothing  for  the  same. 
This  was  New  Jersey's  first  expedition.  Aaron  Learning 
was  during  the  period  quartermaster-general  of  the  prov 
ince. 

The  next  year  England  sent  over  General  Braddock  tO' 
operate  on  the  Ohio,  and  the  Jersey  troops  were  sent  north, 
into  New  York  and  destined  for  Eastern  Canada.  At  home- 
in  Cape  ]\Iay  there  were  faithful  Lenni-Lenapes,  who  were 
free  from  barbarities.  Jacob  Spicer,  who  was  appointed  by 
the  colony  commissioner  for  purchasing  provisions  for  five 
hundred  troops  on  the  Canadian  expedition,  rallied  the  peo- 
ple of  Cape  May  "to  meet  the  great  demand  of  the  time,"' 
and  demanded  "a  thousand  pounds  of  stockings"'  "  for  our 
men  in  the  field."  Concerning  the  feeling  in  the  county  at 
the  beginning  of  this  last  inter-colonial  contest,  Jacob  Spi- 
cer. in  his  diary,  under  date  of  November  i.  1755,  says: 

"Attended  the  Baptist  meeting  house  according  to  prom- 
ise, to  receive  the  advice  of  my  constituents  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  the  Governor's  calling  the  Assembly.  It  was  expect- 
,  ed  he  would  insist  on  great  matters  to  be  done  for  the  de- 
fense of  the  country,  but  so  trivial  was  this  affair  that  only 
Messrs.  James  Whilldin.  Jeremiah  Hand.  Thomas  Leaming, 
John  Leonard,  and  some  others,  to  the  number  of  eight  or 
ten,  attended,  whereas  but  a  short  time  before  I  happened 
to  be  riding  past  by  ye  Court  House  on  a  court  day  and  saw 
a  great  number  of  people,  by  estimation  not  less  than  200,. 
which  to  all  appearances  were  drawn  by  idle  curiosity,  or 
trifling  speculation.    It  is  not  astonishing  that  man  dignified 


118  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

by  nature  should  esteem  himself  so  little  as  to  pass  his  time 
in  trifling  speech,  pitching  of  a  bar,  throwing  of  a  stone, 
hopping,  jumping,  dancing,  running,  and  at  the  same  time 
not  think  himself  obliged  to  attend  to  the  defense  of  his 
country,  or  his  exemption  from  debt  bondage." 

In  March  the  following  officers  were  appointed  to  com- 
mand a  regiment  of  foot:  Henry  Young,  colonel;  Ebenezer 
Swain,  lieutenant-colonel;  Jeremiah  Learning,  major;  John 
Shaw,  adjutant;  and  the  officers  of  the  company  for  the 
''Lower  Precinct"  were  Silaw Shaw, captain;  Jeremiah  Hand, 
lieutenant,  and  Daniel  Swain,  ensign;  while  those  to  com- 
mand the  officers  of  the  "Upper  Precinct"  were  Jacob  Hand, 
captain;  Lewis  Cresse,  lieutenant,  and  Jacob  Richardson, 
ensign.  On  November  12  the  order  w^as  given  to  Nicholas 
Gibbon  to  have  the  Cumberland  and  Cape  May  company 
ready. 

For  the  clothing  and  feedmg  of  the  '"Second  Expedition" 
{probably  to  Canada),  according  to  the  accounts  of  the  col- 
ony's treasurer,  Jacob  Spicer  received  these  sums  at  the 
several  times  as  recited: 

1755. — Sept.  27. — "for  cloathes,"  £768:12:00. 

Oct.  6. — "for  cloathes,"  £574:02:06. 

Oct.  18. — "for  cloathes,"  £55:07:00. 

Nov.  5. — "for  provisions."  £753:15:00. 

Dec.  5. — "for  provisions,"  £573:15:00. 

Dec.  17. — "for  supplies,"  £544:00:6. 

1756. — March  5. — "for  tents,  kettles,  &c.,"  £526:10:00. 

March  29. — "for ,"  £25:00:0. 

May  4. — "for  lead,  &c.,"  £100:00:00. 

Samuel  Smith,  treasurer  of  West  Jersey,  reports  of  having 
received  from  Jeremiah  Leaming.  collector,  by  the  hands 
of  Josiah  Hand,  on  November  22,  1755,  the  two  separate 
sums  of  £25:11:05=]  and  £50:02:06.  as  Cape  May's  share  for 
the  support  of  the  government.  This  year  Cape  May  lands, 
by  law,  were  not  to  be  valued  above  20  nor  below  5  acres  to 
the  £100.  The  share  of  the  colony  assessment  was  fixed  at 
£25:11:051.  This  year  Jacob  Spicer  received  £27:18:00, 
and  Aaron  Leaming  received  £15:18:00  for  their  services 
in  attendance  as  members  of  the  General  Assembly. 

The  agitation  for  a  punishment  of  those  who  sold  "strong 


JACOH   Sl'ICKK    AM)    lllS    SAVINGS.  119 

♦drink"  to  the  Indians  culminated  in  the  General  Assembly's 
passage  of  an  act  in  1757,  imposing  a  penalty  upon  such  of- 
fenders. Spicer  and  Leaming  were  supporters  of  the  meas- 
ure. Spicer  also  had  his  opinions  upon  the  too  liberal  use  of 
liquor  among  the  white  people,  too,  and  this  is  what  he  says 
^bout  the  habit  in  his  diary,  under  date  of  July  16,  1756: 

"I  am  informed  that  within  two  months  past  Henry  Hand 
and  Thomas  Walker.  James  Reney  and  Marcy  Ross, 
brought  each  of  them  into  the  Lower  precinct  a  hogshead 
■of  rum.  Hand's  and  Walker's  is  expended,  and  it  is  sup- 
posed that  Reney  and  Ross  have  sold  between  them  i  hhd. 
^n  two  months,  consequently  18  in  a  year  in  the  Lower  pre- 
cinct. But  as  it  has  been  harvest  time  and  the  consumption 
.something  greater  than  common,  the  rate  is.  say,  12  hhds. 
In  a  year  to  the  Lower  precinct,  or  1200  gallons,  which  at  a 
-moderate  retail  price  of  three  shillings  and  six  pence  per 
-gallon,  is  £210  per  year  in  cash,  a  larger  sum  than  ever  I 
liave  received  in  money  for  goods  both  wet  and  dry,  since  I 
liave   traded  in  the  said  precinct,  upwards  of  two  years. 

"So  that  it's  not  the  dry  goods,  but  the  rum  is  our  hurt, 
since  it  is  frequently  bartered  for  the  industry  of  the  popu- 
lace, and  sold  for  long  credit." 

While  Spicer  was  a  merchant  he  did  much  farming,  and 
on  July  5,  1757,  he  made  the  following  note  of  the  yield  of 
■corn  on  one  of  his  fields:  "I  planted  if  acres  of  Indian  corn 
in  the  orchard  near  my  dwelling  and  it  was  esteemed  good, 
especially  near  the  house,  and  it  yielded  by  measure  but  2"] 
bushels  of  good  and  (i\  do.  of  offal  corn,  being  33I  bushels 
in  the  whole,  and  at  the  rate  of  17  bushels  per  acre,  good 
and  bad  together.  I  am  much  at  loss  to  reconcile  what  I 
have  sometimes  heard  with  respect  to  the  greater  yield  of 
corn.  I  am  sure  20  bushels  per  acre  ma}'  be  esteemed  very 
good  corn." 

The  knitting  of  mittens  in  those  days  occupied  all  the 
spare  moments  of  the  housewives  and  the  ambitious  maid- 
en, but  a  great  deal  of  the  encouragement  of  the  develop- 
ment of  this  industry  is  given  to  the  wife  of  the  eminent 
Benjamin  Franklin. 

Mrs.  Franklin  sent  down  to  one  of  the  fair  daughters  of 
the  neighborhood  of  Cold  Spring  a  cap  of  the  fashion  then 


120  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

in  vogue.  It  was  worn  to  meeting.  The  other  maidens" 
saw  it  and  wanted  caps  Hke  it.  The  people  saw  in  it  an  op- 
portunity to  knit  mittens  and  send  them  up  to  the  "'village 
on  the  Delaware,"  to  exchange  for  caps  and  gaudy  ribbons. 

The  effect  of  Mrs.  Franklin's  gift  cannot  be  better  ex- 
plained than  by  the  reading  of  a  letter  which  Dr.  Franklin, 
sent  to  Benjamin  \'aughan  from  Passy.  France,  on  July  26,. 
1748.  while  discoursing  "on  the  benefits  and  evils  of  lux- 
ury."   The  letter  in  part  said: 

"The  skipper  of  the  Shallop,  employed  between  Cape  May 
and  Philadelphia,  had  done  us  some  service  for  which  he 
refused  to  be  paid.  My  wife,  understanding  he  had  a  daugh- 
ter, sent  her  a  present  of  a  new-fashioned  cap.  Three  years 
afterward  this  skipper,  being  at  my  house  with  an  old  farm- 
er of  Cape  May,  his  passenger,  he  mentioned  the  cap  and 
how  much  his  daughter  had  been  pleased  with  it.  'But,' 
said  he,  'it  proved  a  dear  cap  to  our  congregation.'  How  so? 
'When  my  daughter  appeared  with  it  at  meeting  it  was  sO' 
much  admired  that  all  the  girls  resolved  to  get  such  caps 
from  Philadelphia,  and  my  wife  and  I  computed  that  the 
whole  would  not  have  cost  less  than  £100.'  'True.'  said  the 
farmer,  'but  you  do  not  tell  all  the  story.  I  think  the  cap 
was,  nevertheless,  an  advantage  to  us,  for  it  was  the  first 
thing  that  put  our  girls  upon  knitting  worsted  mittens  for 
sale  at  Philadelphia  that  they  might  have  wherewithal  to 
buy  caps  and  ribbons  there,  and  you  know  that  that  industry 
has  continued  and  is  likely  to  continue  and  increase  to  a. 
much  greater  value  and  answer  better  purposes.'  Upon  the 
whole,  I  was  more  reconciled  to  this  little  piece  of  luxury^ 
since  not  only  the  girls  were  made  happier  by  having  fine 
caps  but  Philadelphians  by  the  supply  of  warm  mittens." 

I"  ^756  Jacob  Spicer  advertised  to  barter  goods  for  all 
kinds  of  produce  and  commodities,  and  among  the  rest  par- 
ticularly designated  wampum.  He  offered  a  reward  of  £5 
to  the  person  that  should  manufacture  the  most  wampum, 
and  advertised:  "I  design  to  give  all  due  encouragement  to 
the  people's  industry,  not  only  by  accepting  cattle,  sheep 
and  staple  commodities  in  a  course  of  barter,  but  also  a 
large  quantity  of  mittens  will  be  taken,  and  indeed  a  clam- 
shell formed  in  wampum,  a  yarn  thrum,  a  goose  quill,  a 


JACOB   SriCEK   AM)   HIS    SAYIX<;S.  121 

horse  hair,  a  ho^'s  bristle,  or  a  grain  of  mustard  srid,  if 
tendered,  shall  not  escape  my  reward,  being  greatly  desirous 
to  encourage  industry,  as  it  is  one  of  the  most  principal  ex- 
pedients under  the  favor  of  Heaven,  that  can  revive  our 
drooping  circumstances  at  this  time  of  uncommon  but 
great  and  general  burden." 

In  his  household,  according  to  his  records,  he  had  a  mi- 
nutely systematic  way  of  business.  Under  the  superinten- 
dence of  a  tailor,  tailoress  and  shoemaker  the  apparel  of  his- 
family  was  made.  The  sons  were  taught  to  cobl)le  shoes,,, 
the  daughters  to  make  clothing  and  knit.  In  1757  Sjjicer 
speaks  thusly  in  his  diary  of  his  household  expenses: 

"It  is  conceived  that  £14  13s.  4d.,  as  above  estimated^ 
will  be  adequate  to  furnish  all  the  boys  with  leather  for 
breeches,  a  vest  for  Elisha,  a  coat  and  vest  for  Jack,  calico' 
for  long  and  short  gowns  for  all  the  girls,  stripe  linen  and 
stripe  linsey  for  short  gowns  and  petticoats  for  the  said 
girls,  and  a  tanuny  quilt  for  Judith,  for  defraying  of  which 
£14  13s.  4d. — 220  pairs  of  mittens  at  i6d.  per  pair,  will  he- 
needed,  which  will  require  44  pounds  of  wool,  whi(di  will 
take  44  days"  work  of  two  girls  to  spin,  and  I'll  pay  f(^r  that 
or  hire  equivalent  in  the  knitting  if  the  girls  will  do  the  re- 
mainder of  the  service. 

"I  must  pursue  the  following  maxims  invariably  for  the 
present  year.  I  must  fabricate  220  pairs  of  mittens,  and  for 
the  present  and  future  year,  if  I  live,  I  must  supply  my  boys 
with  leather  for  winter  breeches;  about  £3  8s.  will  be  suffi- 
cient to  furnish  them  all — 24  pounds  of  grey  skin  at  2s.  per 
pound,  and  2s.  6d.  for  dressing  and  freight  of  each  skin,, 
supposed  to  consist  of  8  skins,  tho'  I  think  summac  red  or 
short  grey  will  be  most  profitable  to  buy  as  the  hair  is  al- 
tuost  nothing,  whicii  is  not  so  when  the  skin  is  fully  coated. 

"In  the  next  place  I  must  buy  my  leather  and  heels,  and 
spin  my  shoe  thread,  and  have  all  my  shoes  made  up  in  the 
house,  for  I  find  if  I  even  hire  'em  made  out,  find  my  leath- 
er, the  shoemaker  gains,  in  all  probability  a  profit. of  3s.  on 
the  leather  of  a  man's  pair  of  shoes,  waste  in  cutting  ex- 
cepted, for  which  I  should  think  4d.  a  large  allowance,  and 
the  scraps  of  sole  leather  may  be  converted  into  lists;  and' 
an  eye  may  be  seen  to  the  cutting,  and  the  thiead  niav  be 


122  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

had  from  tlie  family  labour.  And  when  I  am  shoeing  my 
family  it  is  requisite  to  supply  each  individual  with  two  pairs, 
to  prevent  shoes  being  worn  too  green.  And  as  a  farther 
advantage  in  purchasing  my  leather,  I  can  at  all  times  take 
■care  that  it  l>e  of  good  quality,  and  by  having  it  made  up 
together  and  in  my  house  will  avoid  the  loss  of  time  in  run- 
ning after  the  same;  and  so  I  should  get  one  of  the  boys  in- 
structed so  as  to  mend  shoes,  to  save  money  and  prevent 
loss  of  time.  The  shoemaker  should  be  obliged  to  do  his 
■day's  work  or  pay  for  his  board. 

"In  the  next  place  I  should  hire  by  taylor  and  Tayloress 
in  the  house,  and  oblige  my  girls  to  assist  in  the  service,  for 
by  this  means  my  diet  and  female  service  will  become  a  part 
of  the  Taylor's  bill;  besides,  their  day's  wages,  as  far  as  I 
can  discern,  are  not  proportionate  to  the  sum  in  gross  they 
ask  for  their  service,  and  having  the  clothes  made  at  home 
and  together  there  may  be  an  oversight  of  the  cloth  and 

■  cut,  and  the  loss  of  time  in  going  to  have  clothes  taken 
measure  for  and  tried  on. 

"The  best  time  of  hiring  I  think  is  such  seasons  of  the 
year  when  the  weather  is  not  so  cold  as  to  need  a  fire. 

"In  the  next  place  it  will  be  requisite  to  consult  a  black- 
smith to  know  what  allowance  he  will  make  for  iron  and 
:steel. 

"Daniel  Harcourt  informs  me  that  mittens  sell  for  3s. 
.and  stockings  at  7s.  York  money,  at  Albany,  without  any 
regard  to  the  colour,  and  many  of  'em  ordinary  too — but 
wampum  will  not  sell  since  the  reduction  of  Oswego,  before 
that  it  was  in  great  demand,  equal  if  not  superior  to  silver 
in  value,  and  there  were  60  or  70  wampum  shops  in  Albany." 
What  he  charged  himself  with  under  the  head  of  "wets" 
would  now  be  considered  expensive.  In  a  year  he  charged 
himself  with  using  "fifty-two  gallons  rum,  ten  do  wine,  and 
two  barrels  cyder." 

He  gives  us  the  following  estimate  of  the  resources  and 

■  consumption  of  the  county  in  the  year  1758: 

"And  as  my  family  consists  of  twelve  in  number,  includ- 
ing myself,  it  amounts  to  each  individual  ij  3s.  8id.  annual 
•consumption  of  foreign  produce  and  manufacture.  But 
;perhaps  the  populace  in  general  may  not  live  at  a  propor- 


.TACOH   SlM('i:U    AM)    HIS    SAVINCS.  12.'} 

ti'onate  expense  with  my  family.  I'll  only  suppose  their  for- 
eign consumption  may  stand  at  £4  to  ati  individual,  as  the 
-county  consisted  of  I  too  souls  in  the  year  1746.  since  which 
time  it  has  increased;  then  the  consumption  of  this  county 
•  of  foreign  manufacture  and  ])roduce.  will  stand  at  £4400  an- 
nually, nearly  one-half  of  which  will  be  linens. 

"'"'['he  stock  article  of  the  county  is  about    £1200 

There  is  at  least  ten  boats  belonging  to  the  county 
which  carry  oysters:  and  admit  they  make  three 
trips  fall  and  three  trips  spring,  each,  and  carry 
100  bushels  each  trip,  that  makes  6000  bushels  at 

what  they  neat  2s.  per  bushel 600 

There  is  14  pilots,  which  at  £30  per  annum 420 

-llitten  articles  for  the  present  year 500 

'Cedar  posts   300 

White  Cedar  lumber   500 

Add  for  boards 200 

Pork  and  gammons 200 

Deer  skins  and  venison  hams   120 

Furs  and  feathers 100 

Hides  and  tallow   120 

Flax  seed,  neats'  tongues,  bees'  wax  and  myrtle.  ...          80 

'Tar 60 

Coal 30 

^4430 

Annual  consumption  of  county £4400 

-Add  public  taxes   1 60 

For  a  Presbyterian   minister 60 

For  a  Baptist  minister 40 

-Education  of  youth   90 

Doctor  for  man  and  beast 100 


£4850 


£420 


Tn  arrear  £420,  to  be  paid  by  some    uncertain    fund. 

or  left  as  a  debt." 

It  appears  by  the  above  statement,  the  mitten  article  of 
trade  in  1758  amounted  to  the  sum  of  £500,  which  was  quite 
ra  reward  to  the  female  industrv  of  the  countv. 


-IL'4  HISTORY  OF  CATE  MAY  COUNTY. 

On  June  28,  1758,  he  says:  "Mr.  Caleb  Newton  and  hi?, 
wife  propose  to  deal  with  nie  for  a  large  number  of  mit- 
tens, 200  pairs  and  upwards.  I  told  them  if  they  were  of 
extra  quality  I  would  giv^  18  pence  in  barter." 

In  another  place  he  advertises  for  a  thousand  pounds  of.' 
woolen  stockings  to  supply  the  army,  then  in  war  with  the- 
French.  Concerning  stockings  which  sold  the  best,  he 
wrote  on  July  5,  1757,  that  "Dark  blue,  light  blue,  and  clear 
white,  if  large  and  fine,  are  the  stockings  that  will  sell  best. 
Had  mine  been  of  that  color  they  would  have  sold,  the  gen- 
erality of  people  preferring  a  knit  stocking  to  a  wove  one. 
They  wash  stockings  in  soap  lather  and  draw  them  on  a 
stocking  board,  which  gives  them  that  tine  proportion  and 
gloss  they  generally  leave." 

Spicer  succeeded  in  procuring  a  quantity  of  the  wampum,, 
and  before  sending  it  ofif  to  Albany,  and  a  market,  weighed 
a  shot-bag  full  of  silver  coin  and  the  same  shot-bag  full  of 
wampum,  and  found  the  latter  most  valuable  by  ten  per 
cent.  The  black  wampum  was  most  esteemed  by  the  In- 
dians, the  white  being  of  little  value. 

He  wrote,  June  14,  1758: 

"Told  Enos  Schillinks  that  while  I  trade  I  would  venture 
to  take  3o£  value  in  wampum  for  such  goods  as  I  have  wet 
and  dry,  and  would  endeavor  to  help  him  to  provision  if  I 
conveniently  could,  and  would  sulifer  with  him  till  his  debt 
is  paid  to  take  out  one-half  of  all  such  wampum  as  he  should 
bring  in  supply  of  his  wants."  And  on  the  same  day  he 
wrote:  "I'll  take  in  discount  or  barter  a  large  quantity  of 
wampum,  both  white  and  black,  if  offered  and  good  in 
quality,  such  as  the  pattern  left  with  Mr.  Leek  and  here  ex- 
plained: It  must  be  small,  round  and  smooth,  with  square 
ends  not  broken.  The  black  must  be  clear  black  without 
white  spots  or  threads  interspersed,  which  lessens  the  value 
and  renders  it  unsalable,  for  it  can't  be  too  black,  and  it 
must  be  strung  100  on  a  string,  with  a  little  tuft  of  red  at 
the  ends  when  tied  together." 

Thompson,  in  his  history  of  Long  Island,  page  60,  saysr 
"The  immense  quantity  which  was  manufactured  here  may" 
account  for  the  fact  that,  in  the  most  extensive  shell  banks 
left  bv  the  Indians,  it  is  rare  to  find  a  whole  shell;  having- 


.TA<'OH   SPICEi:    AND    HIS    SAV1.\(;S.  125 

all  been  broken  in  the  process    of    making   the    wampum." 

Connntnting'  upon  this  Dr.  Decsley  says:  "This  curious 
fact  applies  especially  to  Cape  May,  where  large  deposits 
of  shells  are  to  l)e  seen,  mostly  contiguous  to  the  bays  and 
sounds;  yet  it  is  rare  to  see  a  piece  larger  tlian  a  shilling, 
and  these  mostly  the  white  part  of  the  shell,  the  black  hav- 
ing been  selected  for  wampum." 

\\'riting  of  spinning  on  l'"ebruary  22,  1757,  he  noted  that 
"It  seems  to  be  an  advantageous  way  of  spinning  our  on 
linen  wheel  if  it  be  patched  over  on  the  back  of  the  hatchel. 
If  spun  this  way  it  will  answer  for  warp,  and  may  be  boiled 
as  linen  yarn,  the  twist  being  harder — but  if  spun  on  the 
great  wheel  will  only  answer  for  filling." 

Concerning  the  sizes  of  dwellings,  and  their  cost  in  those 
days,  Spicer,  on  the  same  day,  WTOte:  "John  Mackey's  house 
is  40x20,  single  story,  with  a  hip,  for  which  Joseph  Edwards 
is  to  get  the  timber,  frame  cover,  make  the  window  frames, 
sashes,  put  the  lights  in,  make  the  outside  doors,  and  lay 
the  floors,  for  i6i,  and  find  himself  and  w^orkmen,  Mackey 
to  find  the  lath  sawed  and  shingle  fit  for  covering." 

In  the  last  three  years  of  the  reign  of  King  George  II, 
which  ended  in  1760,  the  laws  passed  by  the  Colonial  As- 
sembly show  that  b\-  act  of  28  George  II,  Aaron  Leaming 
was  appointed  one  of  the  provision  commissioners  to  equip 
five  hundred  men  or  "well  afifected  Indians,"  to  proceed  to 
Crown  Point,  and  that  Cape  May  was  to  assist  for  three 
years  in  the  expedition  at  £83:10:10^  per  annum.  By 
act  of  29  George  II,  Jacob  Spicer  was  made  sole  Commis- 
sioner for  West  Jersey  to  supply  forces  under  Colonel  Peter 
Schuyler.  By  an  act  of  31  George  II,  John  Johnson  was 
authorized  to  purchase  stores  in  England  for  the  protection 
of  the  colony.  Cape  May  was  to  receive  out  of  this  pur- 
chase 33  guns,  T,2)  pounds  of  powder,  132  pounds  of  lead  and 
332  flints. 

By  act  of  32nd,  George  II,  Jacob  Spicer  was  named  as 
one  of  the  commission  to  settle  Indian  claims,  which  v/ere 
to  be  regulated  by  lottery.  On  October  8,  1758,  the  con- 
ference began  at  Easton.  Pa.,  at  which  were  Governor  Ber- 
nard and  the  five  commissioners.  Their  object  was  that 
of  extinguishing  the  Indian  title  in  the  State.     The  result 


126  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

was  a  formal  release  by  the  Indians  of  all  the  Jersey  lands"- 
claimed  by  them,  excepting  the  natural  right  to  hunt  and 
fish  in  unsettled  lands.  The  jMinisink  and  Wapping  In- 
dians of  all  their  lands  for  iiooo.  Among  the  lands 
claimed  by  the  Indians  were  the  following  tracts  in  Cape 
May  and  Egg  Harbor: 

"One  claimed  by  Isaac  Still,  from  the  mouth  of  the  Gr^t 
Egg  Harbor  River  to  the  head  branches  thereof,  on  the 
east  side,  so  to  the  road  that  leads  to  Great  Egg  Harbor;. 
so  along  the  road  to  the  seashore,  except  Tuckahoe,  and  the- 
Somers,  Steelman  and  Scull  places." 

"Jacob  Mullis  claims  the  pine  lands  on  Edge  Pillock 
Branch  and  Goshen  Neck  Branch,  where  Benjamin  Spring- 
er and  George  Marpole's  mill  stands,  and  all  the  land  be- 
tween the  head  branches  of  those  creeks,  to  where  the: 
waters  join  or  meet." 

"Abraham  Logues  claims  the  cedar  swamp  on  the  eaSt 
side  of  Tuckahoe  Branch,  which  John  Champion  and  Peter 
Campbell  have  or  had  in  possession." 

"Also,  Stuypson's  island,  near  Delaware  River." 

The  troubles,  perplexities  and  trials  the  members  of  As- 
sembly endured  previous  to  the  Revolution,  in  visiting  the 
seat  of  government  at  Amboy  and  Burlington,  to  attend  the 
public  service,  cannot  in  this  age  of  railroads  and  steam  be 
appreciated  or  realized.  A  single  illustration  will  suffice- 
for  all.  Aaron  Leaming  gives  an  account  of  his  journej 
to  Amboy  in  1759.  on  horseback,  as  follows: 

"March  3d.  Set  out  from  home;  lodged  at  Tarkil;  ar- 
rived at  Philadelphia  on  the  5th.  On  the  6th,  rid  to  Bur- 
lington. 7th.  Extremely  cold;  rid  to  Crosswicks,  and 
joined  company  with  Mr.  Miller;  rid  to  Cranberry,  where 
we  overtook  Messrs.  Hancock,  Smith  and  Clement  (of 
Salem),  who  had  laid  up  all  day  by  reason  of  the  cold.  8th. 
Got  to  Amboy.  17th.  Had  the  honor  to  dine  with  his  ex- 
cellency governor  Bernard,  with  more  members  of  the 
house.  It  was  a  plentiful  table;  but  nothing  extraordinary. 
The  cheese  he  said  was  a  Gloucestershire  cheese;  was  a. 
present  to  him,  and  said  that  it  weighed  105  pounds  wheia? 
he  first  had  it.     He  savs  it's  the  collected  milk  of  a  whole 


.TAt'OH   SriCKU    AM>    HIS    SAYlN<iS.  127 

village  that  makes  these  cheeses,  each    one    nu-asuring    in 
their  milk,  and  taking  its  value  in  cheese. 

"igtli.  Left  Amboy  for  home.  20th.  Rid  to  Cranl)erry,. 
and  lodged  at  Dr.  Stites'.     25th.  Arrived  honjc." 

In  July,  1761,  he  attended  the  Assembly  at  Hurlingtoni 
on  the  6th,  and  broke  up  on  the  8th,  and  says:  "July  9th.. 
I  set  out  homeward,  nth.  Got  home  having  been  ex- 
tremely unwell,  occasioned  by  the  excessive  heat.  Almost 
ever  since  1  went  away,  the  5th,  6th,  7th,  and  8th,  were  the 
hottest  days  by  abundance  that  ever  I  was  acquainted  with."" 
"vSept.  3d.  A  rain  fell  five  inches  on  a  level.  The  lower 
end  of  Cape  May  has  been  so  dry  that  there  will  not  be  but 
one-third  of  a  crop  of  corn — here  it  is  wet  enougfi  the  whole 
season." 

"14th.  Went  a  fishing  and  caught  thirty-nine  sheeps- 
head." 

In  the  records  of  Pennsylvania  Memuc  au  Hughes,  of 
Cape  May,  is  recorded  as  having  been  commissioned  on 
May  2,  1759,  a  lieutenant,  he  having  enlisted  and  become 
an  ensign  on  the  20th  of  April.  He  served  in  Captain.^ 
Johnson's  company,  belonging  to  Pennsylvania  artillery,, 
the  regiment  being  Hon.  William  Denny's. 

In  the  company  of  Pennsylvania  militia  which  was  mus- 
tered to  serve  for  the  campaign  in  the  lower  counties  in  that 
State,  under  Captain  McClaughan,  was  Eleazer  Colden^ 
of  Cape  May,  aged  34,  who  was  a  sailor  by  occupation,  and 
enlisted  April  25.  1758. 

About  the  vear  1760  there  were  numerous  boats  tradfrrg" 
from  the  county  to  Oyster  Bay,  L.  I.,  and  Rhode  Island  and 
Connecticut,  carrying  cedar  lumber  mostly;  and  others  to- 
Philadelphia,  with  oysters  and  produce  of  various  kinds. 
Spicer  shipped  considerable  quantities  of  corn,  which  he 
purchased  of  the  people  in  the  way  of  trade  and  cash,  and 
forwarded  to  a  market.  He  owned  a  vessel  which  he  oc- 
sionally  sent  to  the  West  Indies. 

On  March  i,  1760,  Spicer  wrote  in  his  diary  tliat  "This 
day  agreed  with  James  Mickel  for  a  year's  services,  to  com- 
mence when  time  expires  with  Reuben  Ludlam,  to  be  paid 
h?lf  in  cash  and  the  other  half  in  goods  at  cash  prices,  and 
for  the  year,  but  if  in  any  part  employed  by  tandi  and  part 


128  HLSTOliY  OF  CAPP^  MAY  COUNTY. 

by  water  along;  the  coast,  inckuiiiio-  North  Carolina  and  up 
the  Delaware,  then  to  have  eighteen  pounds  for  the  year's 
services,  but  if  he  proceeds  from  North  Carolina  and  thence 
to  the  West  Indies  when  at  home,  or  can  send  his  linen 
and  other  clothes  then  to  leave  his  washing.  He  is  to  attend 
to  such  various  business  as  I  shall  need  to  employ  him  by 
.sea  or  land.  If  he  is  fully  employed  on  land  to  have  sixteen 
pounds,  he  is  to  have  twenty  pounds  for  the  year's  ser- 
vices." The  cost  of  vessels  in  those  days  can  be  approxi- 
mated by  reading  Spicer's  experience  recorded  March  23, 
1761:  "Richard  Willard,  of  Philadelphia,  ship  carpenter, 
told  me  he  would  build  a  vessel  of  35  feet  keel,  i6i  feet 
beam,  6^  feet  hold,  for  £yo,  and  find  the  material.  Besides 
he  v»'ould  set  the  mast,  make  the  bulk  head,  cal)in  floor  and 
quarter  rail  in  tlie  bargain." 

In  his  diary  Spicer  made  the  following  references  to  Cape 
Island,  now  Cape  May  City: 

Feb.  25,  1761: — "Agreed  to  let  David  Whilldin  have  pas- 
turage on  the  Island  for  a  horse  from  the  middle  of  April  to 
the  ist  of  November  for  15  shillings." 

May  13,  1761: — "Granted  leave  to  Elizabeth  Stevens  to 
pasture  a  creature  on  the  Island  for  a  month,  at  the  same 
rate  David  Whilldin  gives."  The  time  was  afterwards  en- 
larged. 

Jan.  4,  1762: — "Agreed  with  Salanthiel  Foster  for  the 
small  house  on  the  Island,  the  privilege  of  keeping  two  cows 
and  calves,  and  have  dry  or  decayed  wood,  to  be  taken  from 
the  Neck  farm  for  one  year,  for  the  sum  of  four  poimds." 

Feb.  2,  1750: — "Applied  to  Mr.  Thomas  Fland,  inform- 
ing him  that  it  did  not  suit  me  to  sell  the  Island,  but  if  he 
wanted  the  m-one\-  ui)on  six  months'  notice  he  should  have 
it,  which  was  according  to  his  promise,  there  being  those 
that  are  obliged  to  make  it  up  when  he  needs  it." 

In  1761  the  total  number  of  persons  in  the  conntv  who 
voted  were  225.     Aaron  Learning  in  his  diary  says: 

"March  13,  1761,  the  election  of  Representatives  began, 
and  on  the  14th  it  was  ended,  vvhen  the  poll  was:  Jacob 
Spicer,  72;  Aaron  Leaming,  112;  Joseph  Corson,  41.  Whole 
amount  of  votes  polled,  225.     Spicer  and  Leaming  elected." 

Spicer's  popularity  was  waning,  and  he,  at  this  time,  was 


.lACDH    SlMCKi:    AM>    IIlS    SAVINGS.  129 

being'  severely  coiulenined  hy  the  peoj^Ie  for  what  they  be- 
lieved were  a  usurpation  of  their  rights  in  purchasing  the 
natural  rights  of  the  West  Jersey  Societ}-.  He  was  pub- 
licly arraigned  by  the  peo])le;  the  following  account  being 
from  his  own  pen : 

"Went  to  hear  myself  arraigned  b\"  Mr.  Leaming  and 
others  before  the  i)ublick,  at  the  i'resljyterian  Meeting- 
house, for  Inlying  the  Society's  Estate  at  Cape  May,  and 
at  the  same  time  desired  to  know  whether  1  would  sell  or 
not.  I  said  not.  He  then  threatened  !.^ie  with  a  suit  in 
chancerv  to  compel  me  to  abide  by  the  first  association, 
though  the  people  had  declined  it,  and  many  of  the  original 
subscribers  had  dashed  out  their  names.  I  proposed  to 
abide  the  suit  and  told  him  he  might  commence  it.  If  I 
should  see  a  bargain  to  my  advantage,  then  I  told  the  peo- 
ple I  should  l)e  inclined  to  sell  them  the  natural  privileges, 
if  I  should  advance  myself  equally  otherwise;  but  upon  no 
other  footing  whatever,  of  which  I  would  be  the  judge." 

The  following  is  Aaron  Leaming's  version  of  the  affair: 

"March  26th,  1761. — About  forty  people  met  at  the  Pres- 
b\terian  Meeting-house  to  ask  Tvlr.  Spicer  if  he  purchased 
th€  Society's  reversions  at  Cape  May  for  himself  or  for  the 
people.  He  answers  he  bought  it  for  himself;  and  upon 
asking  him  whether  he  will  rekase  to  the  people,  he  re- 
fuses, and  openly  sets  up  his  claim  to  the  oysters,  to  Basses' 
titles,  and  other  deficient  titles,  and  to  a  resurvey,  where- 
upon the  people  broke  up  in  great  confusion,  as  they  have 
been  for  some  considerable  time  past." 

"Mr.  Spicer  says  that  his  deed  for  the  Society's  reversions 
to  Cape  May  bears  date  the  2d  day  of  August,  1756." 

But  this  aflfair  did  not  seem  to  trouble  Spicer  so  very 
much,  because  in  his  diary  on  April  4th  following,  he  wrote: 

"Told  John  Stevens,  Esq.,  that  I  was  willing  to  be  con- 
cerned with  him  in  purchasing  the  70,000  acres  of  the  So- 
ciety's lands,  provided  on  inquiry  I  can  find  it  will  answer, 
of  which  I  am  to  acquaint  him  by  way  of  Philadelphia,  un- 
der the  care  of  Richard  Stevens,  as  also  what  price  I  think 
may  be  given  of  which  Mr.  Johnson  may  advise  his  con- 
stituents and  know  whether  they  will  approve  thereof.  This 
tract  lies  under  great  advantage.     Some  doubts  may  arise 


130  HIS1X)RY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY.. 

whether  the  council  of  proprietors  will  admit  of  taking  ofll 
the  rights,  nor  can  any  person,  I  am  well  assured,  afford  to- 
give  for  the  land  as  located  the  price  of  rights,  and  were  the 
rights  even  taken  off  it  would  be  a  great  doubt  whether  suchi 
a  quantity  would  ever  sell,  or  if  they  would  it  can't  be  ex- 
pected in  any  short  time.  I  understand  by  Mr.  Stevens . 
that  Doctor  Johnson  has  asked  £3000  for  the  lands  that, 
won't  answer,  I  am  well  assured." 

In  June  following  he  ofifered  them  his  whole  landed  es- 
tate and  tlie  natural  privileges  in  the  county,  excepting  his; 
farm  in  Cold  vSpring  Neck,  and  a  right  for  his  family  in  the, 
privileges,  for  £7000,  which  offer  was  declined. 

His  diary,  June  4.  says:  "Told  Mr.  Joseph  Corson  1 
would  sell  the  publick  if  they  please  all  my  estate  in  Cape- 
May  for  £7000,  taking  some  of  their  substantial  men  jointly- 
and  severally  for  ni}-  security  in  a  bond  drawing  interest 
from  date,  reserving  my  Long  Neck  and  March  adjacent 
about  400  acres,  a  natural  privilege  for  myself  and  posterity,, 
in  common  with  the  rest  of  the  communit}-,  and  limiting  the 
time  of  this  offer  to  six  months,  if  not  overheard  in  that 
time  I  am  to  be  at  liberty."  On  December  22,  that  year^ 
he  made  the  same  offer  to  Jeremiah  Ludlam. 

He  further  states:  "Mr.  James  Godfrey,  in  behalf  of  the- 
Upper  PVecinct,  applied  to  me  to  purchase  the  natural  priv- 
ileges in  that  precinct.  I  told  him  I  should  be  glad  to^ 
gratify  that  precinct;  and  please  myself  also;  and  could  I 
see  a  good  foreign  piu'chase,  and  thereby  exchange  a  storm 
for  a  calm,  to  equal  advantage  to  my  posterity,  I  should 
think  it  advisable;  and  in  that  case,  if  I  sold,  I  should  by  all 
means  give  the  public  a  preference,  but  at  present  did  not 
incline  to  sell.  I  remarked  to  him  this  was  a  delicate  affair, 
that  I  did  not  know  well  how  to  conduct  myself,  for  I  was 
willing  to  please  the  people,  and  at  the  same  time  to  do  my 
posterity  justice,  and  steer  clear  of  reflection.  Recollecting, 
that  old  Mr.  George  Taylor,  to  the  best  of  my  memory,  ob- 
tained a  grant  for  the  Five-Mile  Beach  and  the  Two-Mile 
Beach,  and,  if  I  mistake  not,  the  cedar-swamps  and  pines, 
for  his  own  use  and  his  son  John  Taylor  reconveyed  it  for 
about  £9,  to  buy  his  wife  Margery  a  calico  gown,  for  which 
he  was  derided  for  his  simplicity." 


JACOB   SriCER   AND    HIS    SAVINGS.  131 

He  said,  November  i8,  1761:  "Mr.  Nathanel  Foster  de- 
sired to  lease  Jarvis  sounds.  I  told  him  if  he  wouldn't  stand 
between  me  and  the  people  in  point  of  blame  I  would,  which- 
he  said  he  would  do." 


CHAPTER  XI. 

AAKON    LEAM1N(J   AND    HIS   TIMES. 
Some  extracts  of  the  most  interesting  portions  of  Aaron 
Learning's  diary  for  the  year,  1761,  are  here  given: 

"BurHngton,  January  i,  1761.  The  Assembly  having 
provided  for  the*  pay  of  the  New  Jersey  Regiment  for  No- 
vember last  and  appointed  me  to  make  that  month's  pay  (see 
Memoirs  for  December,  1760),  we  are  now  proceeding  to 
make  payment. 

"January  i,  1761.  Rid  to  Mount  Holly,  this  being  a  pay 
day  there. 

''January  2.  Last  night  we  lodged  at  Mr.  Read's,  this 
morning  I  paid  Mr.  Read  30s.  for  N.  P.  John  Bancroft.  Rid 
to  Burlington. 

"Jan.  3  (page  torn)  returned  to  Burlington  &  lodged. 

"January  4th  1761  rid  to  the  ferry  but  it  was  after  Sun- 
set when  we  got  over.     Lodged  at  Mr.  Cox  at  Moorestown. 

"January  5.  rid  to  Gloucester  spent  in  making  payment. 

"uih  Bougiit  a  p  loots,  they  belonged  to  Mr.  Jacob 
Clements  I  i)aid  Mr  Hugg  47s.  for  them.  Rid  to  Capn 
Comrans  &  Jan  7ih  To  Salem. 

"Jany  8  Spent  making  payment. 

"January  9th  1761  rid  to  Cohansie  bridge. 

"January  loth  176 1  Spent  at  Cohansy  Bridge  making 
paymt.     =i<     *     *     * 

"Jan  II  I  rid  to  Tarkill. 

"January  12th  Got  home.  I  have  been  gone  ever  since 
28  of  October  about  76  days." 

"Feb  17,  1761  Upon  Viewing  Mr  Murr's  account  I  find 
we  gave  him  6s  6  for  binding  each  of  the  New  Jersey  Con- 
stitution books. 

"March  26.  1761 — I  set  out  for  Amboy  yesterday. 

"March  28 — Rid  to  Burlington. 

"29 — Set  out  in  company  with  several  Lodged  at  Cran- 
berry. 


AAKON    LKA.MI.\(J    AM)    IIIS    I'l.MES.  13^ 

"30 — got  to  Aniboy  and  was  qualified  in  ye  house. 
"Extract   of   Mr.    Thomas    Eatton's    accts. 

bro't  forward  3927  10  o 

To  my  Commissions  @  5  p  Cent 196       7     6 

To  my  Commissions  on  540t    paid    by    the 

Conmiissioners    27 

To  further  Conmiissions   2     2 

223       9     8 
deduct  for  ve  Comrs  of  28  10  lost  at  ft.  W'm 

Henrv   .'. 1        8 


222       I     6 

"April  8,  1761 — Rid  to  Burlington. 

■'April  loth  last  night  lodged  at  Mr  Jno  Coxe's,  &  to  day 
rid  to  Philada. 

"Apri  12 — I  came  out  of  town.  14th  was  at  ]*klr.  Page's 
and  15th  I  got  home. 

"1761.  New  Jersey  (to  raise)  600  (troops  which  was  2-3 
of  1760  quota.) 

"May  31,  1761  I  set  out  from  home  to  go  to  Philada  to 
buy  a  negro  or  two. 

"June  2  got  to  Philada. 

"Bought  "Troy,"  of  Willing  Morris  &  Co..  for  ^40. 

"July  4,  1761,     Set  out  to  go  to  Burlington. 

"6th  Got  to  Burlington 

"8  Broke  up  after  passing  a  law  to  take  64  men  &:  2 
officers  into  pay  out  of  our  Regiment,  their  service  to  com- 
mence the  first  of  November  1761  &  last  a  year;  to  have  3£ 
bounty  &  the  officers  los  p  of  money  this  Levy  money 
created  a  dispute.  Wetherel  &  Spicer  was  uncommonly 
harsh  against  allowing  levy  money,  and  the  reasons  they 
assigned  was  the  Poverty  of  Major  McDonald  who  they 
suggested  is  to  have  the  command  of  the  64  men — &  they 
say  is  unworthy  the  reasons  for  it  is  that  let  who  will  enlist 
the  men  they  must  give  a  Dollar  to  drink  the  Kings  health, 
that  being  so  antient  &  established  a  custom  that  no  soldier 
ever  pertends  to  enlist  without  it  they  pushed  this  matter  in 
a  very  uncommon  manner — when  we  came  to  vote  I  pro- 
posed a  Dollar  being  the  exact  Sum  we  all  knew  must  be 


lU  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

given,  but  the  leading  voters  placed  it  at  los  and  I  was 
forced  to  vote  for  the  los  or  the  voters  for  nothing  would 
have  carried  it — and  that  would  have  defeated  the  Service 
&  occasioned  the  Assembly  to  have  been  called  again. 

"9  of  July  1 76 1.    I  set  out  homeward. 

"Got  home. " 

Concerning  the  Baptist  Church  at  Court  House,  Leam- 
ing  said: 

"Oct  24,  1761,  met  and  made  arrangements  for  parson- 
age, and  pews  always  to  be  free.  Wanted  62  acres  Milli- 
cent  Young's  for  parsonage — iyi£.  1741 — undertook  to 
l)uild  meeting  house." 

"Nov  6,  1 761 — Burned  (branded)  cattle  on  5  mile  beach, 
Nummy  island  &;  on  7  mile  beach." 

In  the  Assembly,  on  December  3,  1761,  when  a  bill  or 
proposition  was  being  passed  upon  imposing  a  duty  on  the 
importation  of  slaves,  which  Leaming  considered  really 
prohibitive,  Leaming  voted  against  it,  while  his  colleague, 
Spicer,  voted  for  its  passage. 

In  1 76 1,  by  act  of  the  Provincial  Assembly,  Wills'  Creek 
was  ordered  dammed  to  preserve  the  "marshes  and  cripple 
swamps."  A  bank  was  ordered  erected  from  the  upland 
of  Thomas  Smith  to  extend  by  the  causeway  then  in  exist- 
ence, to  the  land  of  Nathan  Hand.  The  managers  were  to 
be  selected  on  the  first  Tuesday  of  each  September,  at  the 
house  of  Thomas  Smith.  Smith  and  William  GofT  were  ap- 
pointed the  first  managers.  Elihu  Smith  was  appointed  to 
make  the  county  assessment  for  the  year,  and  Joseph  Hild- 
reth  w^as  to  collect  the  taxes.  That  same  year  Jacob  Spicer 
was  made  one  of  the  commissioners  to  provide  aid  for  men 
wounded  in  the  service  of  King  Gorge  III  in  fighting  the 
French  and  Indians. 

In  1762  Joseph  Corson.  Isaac  Baner.  John  Mackey, 
James  Willets  and  "sundry  other  persons,"  had  petitioned 
for  a  toll  bridge  over  Cedar  Swamp  Creek  at  Fast  Landing. 
And  the  Assembly  passed  a  law  for  its  building  and  a  cause- 
way.    The  following  were  the 

Rates  of  toll: 

AVaggon  or  ox-cart,  with  team  and  driver 6  pence. 

Chaise  or  horse  cart,  passenger,    horse,    mare    or    gelding 


AAIJON    LKAMIN(;    AND    HIS   TIMI^S.  135 

thereunto  belonging    4  pence 

Every  passenger  with  horse,  mare,  gekhng 2  pence. 

.Foot I   pence. 

Cattle  &c.,  led  over.     Each    i   pence. 

iSheep  led  over.     Each    i    farth. 

This  road  opened  by  way  of  Petersburg    a    more    direct 
•conmiunication  with  the  upper  part  of  the  county. 

March  22,  1762.  Jacob  Spicer  and  four  others  from  other 
•counties  were  appointed  by  the  Assembly  to  "purchase  con- 
venient tract  or  tracts  of  lands"  for  the  Indians  who  were 
satisfied  with  the  New  Jersey  government  to  settle  upon. 
'These  were  purchased  in  Burlington  county  and  measured 
.3000  acres,  which  extended  to  the  seashore.  The  last  In- 
•dian  of  the  descendants  of  these  settlers  died  in  December, 
(1894.  The  same  vear  Jacob  Spicer  was  chairman  of  the 
-Assembly's  commission  to  settle  claims  for  damages  incur- 
Ted  by  the  French  and  Indian  war. 

On  December  8.  1762,  Henry  Young,  Nathaniel  Foster. 
John  Willetts.  Nicholas  Stillwell,  Thomas  Leaming.  Joseph 
Corson,  John  Leonard,  Jonathan  Smith,  Jacob  Hand,  Dan- 
iel Swane,  Robert  Parsons  were  commissioned  to  be  Judges 
■  of  the  Common  Pleas,  while  Henry  Young  was  to  be  Judge 
■of  the  Inferior  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  holding  office  dur- 
ing pleasure.  The  same  conmiission  was  granted  to  each 
Nathaniel  Foster,  Nicholas  Stillwell.  William  Smith  and 
John  Willetts. 

Clamming,  as  well  as  oystering,  occupied  the  attention  of 
the  inhabitants  when  there  was  no  farming  or  other  work 
pressing  them.     The  following  petition  w  as  presented  to  the 
Royal  Governor,  which  sets  forth  their  grievances,  as  well 
as  shows  who  at  that  time  were  interested  in  the  matter: 
To  his  Excellency  William  Franklin.  Esq.,  Captain  General 
and  Governor-in-Chief  in  and  over  the  province  of  New 
Jersey,  Chancellor  and  \'ice-Admiral  in  the  same,  and 
'To  the  Houses  of  Council  and  Assembly  for  the  said  prov- 
ince: 
The  petition  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  county  of  Cape  May 
humbly  sheweth — 

That  the  act  for  preserving  oysters  is  of  great  advantage; 
.l3Ut  as  it  seems  uncertain  whether  clams  are  included  there- 


13(5 


HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY 


in,  strangers  make  so  large  a  practice  of  gatliering  and 
carrying  them  away,  that  in  some  places  where  they  are  the 
best,  there  are  not  enough  to  be  found  for  the  use  of  the 
neighborhood,  and  as  this  evil  is  increasing,  we  beg  leave 
to  solicit  a  law  to  prevent  persons,  who  are  not  inhabitants 
of  this  province,  from  gathering  clams  in  or  exporting  them 
out  of  this  county. 

And  your  petitioners,  as  in  duty  bound,  will  pray. 
Dated  Julv^i  ith,  1763^ 


Thomas  Stites, 
Thomas  Hewet, 
Robert  Cresse, 
Jonathan  Cresse, 
Nathaniel  Foster,  ESQ 
Jacob  Hand,  ESQ 
Henry  Young, 
James  Whilldin, 
Jonathan  Smith, 
James  Edwards, 
Thomas  Smith, 
Daniel  Smith, 
Jeremiah  Ludlam, 
Recompense  Hand, 
Jacob  Hughes, 
Christopher  Church, 
William  Matthew, 
John  Chester, 
Elihu  Hand, 
Downs  Edmimds, 
Ezekiel  Cresse, 
Joseph  Hildreth, 


Ephraim  Llancroft, 
Charles  Hand, 
William  Simkins, 
William  GofT, 
James  Hildreth, 
Nathaniel  Shaw, 
Shamgar  Hand. 
Daniel  Hildreth. 
Jedekiah  Hughes, 
Jonathan  Mills. 
John_Sh2^-, 
Jonathan  Stites, 
Arthur  Cresse. 
James  Cresse, 
Silas  Swain, 
Henry  Hand, 
Henry  Schellenger, 
James  Eldredge. 
Jeremiah  Mills, 
Elijah  Hughes, 
Jeremiah  Lcaming, 
Gcorc:e  Stites. 


By  this  year  the  French  and  Indian  W^ar  was  at  an  end, 
and  the  results  of  i^  were  the  retirement  of  Frencli  control 
from  North  America,  the  unification  of  the  colonists,  the 
training  of  thousands  of  men  in  the  use  of  arms  to  face  an 
eneni}-,  and  the  preparation  for  the  War  for  Independence, 
then  not  far  from  beginning,  the  removal  of  the  need  of  the 
British  jrotection  because  the  frontier  foe  had  vanished, 
and  opeu'^d  up  the  trend  of  thought  toward  a  government 
of  themsclvt^s  and  bv  themselves.    The  colonists  were  nearly 


AAKOX   LEAMIXc;    AM>    HIS   TI.MES.  137 

all  English  speaking-,  and  nearly  all  Protestant,  and  of  the 
same  social  class  from  the  mother  country.  They  were 
humble,  upright  and  persevering,  and  one  might  believe, 
almost  ignorant  of  dangers.  The  foreign  trade  of  the  coun- 
trv  was  prosperous.  The  mass  of  the  people  lived  simi)ly, 
but  comfortable.  There  were  but  two  really  rich  men  in 
the  county — Spicer  and  Leaming,  the  latter,  however,  worth 
nearly  four  times  the  former. 

The  farm  houses  were  generally  built  of  huge  timbcrS;, 
covered  with  rough,  unpainted  clapboards,  mostl)'  one  ^tory. 
Usuallv  the  centre  of  the  houses  were  taken  uj)  with  an 
immense  fireplace.  On  snapping  cold  winter  nights  tliere 
was  no  more  cheerful  sight,  however,  than  such  a  fireplace, 
piled  up  full  of  blazing,  burning  wood,  which  had  to  be 
gathered  in  the  day  time  by  much  hard  work. 

The  farmer  bought  little  at  the  store.  He  raised  his  own 
food;  his  sheep  furnished  v.-ool,  and  his  v/ifc  and  daughters 
spun  and  wove  it  into  stout  "homespun"  cloth.  The  old 
rags  were  saved,  carefully  washed,  cut  into  strips  and  woven 
into  "rag  carpet."  For  recreation  there  were  sleighing  and 
skating  parties  in  the  winter  and  husking  bees,  wood -chop- 
pings  and  hog-killings  at  other  proper  seasons.  The  three- 
cornered  cocked  hats  and  knee  breeches  were  worn.  Travel 
was  by  sail  vessel  or  slow-going  stages  and  "carry-alls." 
Cape  May  had  the  stocks  for  punishment  of  criminals. 

In  1763  a  large  number  of  the  freeholders  of  the  county 
petitioned  the  vState  Assembly  for  the  ])rivilege  of  erecting- 
a  court  house  and  jail  on  the  plantation  of  Daniel  Hand,  in 
Middletown,  near  his  dwelling  house.  The  petition  was 
granted  and  the  cost  was  limited  to  £300.  The  reason  given 
by  the  petitioners  was  that  the  court  house  and  jail  were  out 
of  repair,  much  too  small  and  incommodiouslv  sihiated. 
In  1764  Hand,  who  was  a  grandson  of  Shamgar,  deeded  one 
acre  for  the  purpose,  free  of  cost,  and  the  building  was 
24x-^o  feet,  and  lasted  until  1849. 

This  Assembl}-  decideil  to  raise  £25,000  tax  in  the  colony 
in  1764.  au'l  Cape  A^-v's  share  was  apportioned  at  £4^/  14^- 

On  Sei-)tember  17.  1765.  Jacob  Snirer.  2(\.  died.  With  all 
the  many  records  here  presented  of  his  life  as  a  public  and 


138  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

private  citizen,  we  have  nothing  after  his  birth,  May,  1716, 
to  guide  tis  in  relation  to  his  early  days.  His  father  died 
when  he  was  a  babe,  and  our  first  facts  concerning  this  sec- 
ond Spicer  M'as  when  he  became  a  member  of  the  Legisla- 
ture, in  1744,  which  offtce  he  held  until  he  died,  excepting 
one  year;  tlie  first  in  connection  with  ITenry  Young,  Esq., 
.and  riftcrw  ards,  until  his  demise,  with  /\aron  Learning  (sec- 
•ond),  Es(|.;  being  almost  a  moiety  oi  the  time  he  lived.  He 
bore  a  prominent  i)art  in  the  proceedings  and  business  of  the 
House,  as  the  journals  o?  th.oSvi  days  fully  prove. 

He  was  a  man  of  exemplary  l-,abits.  strong  and  vigorous 
•imagination, and  strictly  faithful  in  his  business  relations  with 
his  fellow-men,  being  punctilious  to  the  uttermost  farthing, 
,as  his  diary  and  accounts  fully  attest.  He  carried  system 
into  all  the  ramifications  of  business;  nothing  too  small  to 
escape  the  scrutiny  of  his  active  mind,  nothing  so  large  that 
it  did  not  intuitively  embrace.  He  married  Judith  Hughes, 
daughter  of  Humphrey  Hughes,  Esq.,  who  died  in  1747; 
and  in  1751  he  married  Deborah  Hand  Leaming,  widow  of 
Christopher  Leaming.  The  written  marriage  agreement 
which  he  entered  into  with  the  said  Deborah  Leaming,  be- 
fore consummating  matrimony,  is  indicative  of  much  sound 
sense  and  discriminating  judgment. 

He  left  four  children,  Sarah,  Sylvia,  Judith  and  Jacob; 
hut  there  are  now  no  male  heirs  of  that  name  fovmd  living 
in  the  county. 

In  1762  he  made  his  will  of  thirty-nine  pages,  the  most 
lengthy  and  elaborate  testamentary  document  on  record  in 
this  or  perhaps  any  other  State. 

He  was  possessed  of  a  very  large  amount  of  real  estate 
that  he  held  in  his  name  and  under  his  control,  and  which 
he  left  with  much  guarded  care,  first  to  the  necessary  pay- 
ment of  all  his  lawful  debts,  and  secondly  to  his  own  family 
and  their  heirs,  distributing  to  each  a  portion  in  due  sea- 
son, while  he  also  made  provision  for  annual  gifts  of  five 
pounds  each  to  the  religious  institutions  of  the  Quakers  in 
the  upper  precinct.  Baptists  in  the  middle  precinct  and  the 
Presbyterians  in  the  lower  precinct.  In  this  instrument  he 
complained  of  the  unjust  treatment  by  the  populace  and 
claims  that  he  was  vilely  defamed  and  grossly  abused  on 


AAKOX   LEA.MINC    AND   HIS  TIMKS.  139 

account  of  the  natural  privileg'es,  of  which  hexlainied  to  be 
entirely  ignorant.  He  gave  his  wife  one  Irondred  pounds 
and  the  buildings  and  real  estate  on  his  Cold  Spring  Neck 
farm  and  two  negroes.  Rev.  JJ)aniel  Lawrence,  pastor  of 
the  Presbyterian  church,  was  made  one  of  the  guardians  of 
3us  daughters  until  they  became  of  age.  At  death  he  or- 
-dered  his  will  read  at  the  Baptist  meeting  house,  and  left 
directions  that  a  sermon-like  address  to  the  good  people  of 
Cape  May  county  on  a  text  from  Psalms  ii,  verses  i  and  2, 
in  pamphlet  form,  to  the  amount  of  one  himdred  copies,  be 
■distributed. 

This  will  was  probated  October  9,  1765.  El)enezer  John- 
ston, Henr}-  Hand.  Christopher  Church  and  Henry  Stites 
were  witnesses,  and  were  sworn  before  Henry  Young,  sur- 
rogate of  Cape  May  county.  The  five  following  persons, 
named  in  the  will,  were  its  executors:  Deborah  Spicer,  Syl- 
via Jones,  Samuel  Jones,  Sarah  Leaming  and  Christopher 
Leaming,  to  whom  ])robate  and  letters  testamentary  were 
granted  by  his  Excellency  William  Franklin,  Esc].,  Captain- 
'General  and  Governor-in-Chief  of  the  colony  of  New  Jer- 
sey. 

He  was  buried  by  the  side  of  his  father,  in  his  family 
ground  at  Cold  Spring,  a  spot  now  overgrown  with  large 
forest  timber. 

On  his  tombstone  was  this  inscription: 

"Jacob  Spicer.  Esq.,  departed  this  life,  Sept.  17th,  1765, 
.m  the  49th  vear  of  his  age — 

"If  aught  that's  good  or  great  could  save. 
Spicer  had  never  seen  the  grave." 

His  wife,  who  lies  by  his  side,  has  upon  her  monument: 

"Judith  Spicer  departed  this  life.  Sept.  7th,  1747.  in  the 
.33d  year  of  her  age. 

"Virtue  and  piety  give  way  to  death. 
Or  else  the  entombed  had  ne'er  resigned  her  breath." 

On  May  6.  1762.  Spicer.  2d,  devised  the  natural 
privileges  which  seemed  to  be  so  exciting  to  the  people, 
to  his  son,  Jacob,  who,  November  9,  1795,  conveyed  by 
deed  to  a  company  or  association  of  persons  of  the  lower 
precinct  and  Cape  Island,  his  entire  right  to  the  natural 
•privileges,  which  were  viewed  and  used  as  a  bona  tule  estate. 


140  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

and  the  Legislature  passed  acts  of  incorporation,  giving" 
them  plenary  powers  to  defend  themselves  from  foreign  and 
domestic  aggression,  thus  virtually  acknowledging  the  va- 
lidity of  their  title.  Previous  to  the  year  1840  a  suit  was  in- 
stituted in  East  Jersey,  the  result  of  which  was  favorable  to- 
the  proprietors;  but  on  an  appeal  to  the  United  States  Su- 
preme Court  from  the  Circuit  below,  the  decision  was  re- 
versed, confirming  the  right  of  the  State  to  all  the  immunities 
and  privileges  of  the  water  thereof,  barring  out  the  pro- 
prietary claims  altogether,  and  establishing  the  principle 
that  the  State  possessed  the  right  as  the  guardian  and  for 
the  use  of  the  whole  people,  in  opposition  to  the  claims  of 
individuals  or  associations,  however  instituted  or  empow- 
ered. 

Rev.  Daniel  Lawrence,  who  as  pastor  of  the  Cold  Spring 
Church,  became  a  popular  and  beloved  man,  died  on  April 
13,  1766,  and  there.  He  had  been  pastor  of  the  church  since 
the  spring  of  1572,  but  was  not  installed  until  June  20,  1754. 
He  was  born  on  Long  Island  in  1718,  and  in  his  younger 
days  was  a  blacksmith.  He  studied  at  the  "Log  College,"  in, 
Pennsylvania,  and  was  licensed  to  preach  in  Philadelphia  in 
1745.  From  May,  1746,  he  was  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  at  Forks  of  Delaware,  and  there  shared  in  the  la- 
bors of  Rev.  John  Brainard,  the  Indian  missionary.  He  was 
not  robust  in  health  and  was  directed  to  pass  the  winters 
and  springs  at  Cape  May.  While  there  he  received  the  call, 
from  the  Cold  Spring  Church.  The  second  church,  which 
was  built  during  his  pastorate,  in  1762,  was  a  frame  build- 
ing. He  was  buried  among  his  people  in  the  Cold  Spring 
Church  graveyard.  On  his  toml:)Stone  is  the  following  ap- 
propriate verse: 

In  yonder  sacred  house  I  spent  my  breath; 
Now  silent,  mouldering  here  I  lie  in  death; 
Those  silent  lips  shall  wake  and  yet  declare 
A  dread  amen  to  truths  they  published  there. 

After  the  decease  of  Mr.  Lawrence,  among  other  sup- 
plies. Rev.  John  Brainard  supplied  the  pulpit  during  the' 
winter  of  1 769- 1 770. 

On  August  2.2,  1767,  William  Smith,  Nathaniel  Foster, 
Nicholas  Stillwell,  Thomas  Learning,  James  Whilden,  John: 


.AAP.ON    LEAMIXrj    AND    TlIS   TIMKS.  141 

Townscnd,  John  Leonard,  Joseph  Corson,  Jacob  Hand, 
Daniel  Swain,  Robert  Parson,  Henry  Hand,  Thomas  Smith, 
Reuben  Ludlam,  James  Godfrey,  Jolni  2\Iackey  were  made 
justices  of  the  peace.  To  these  on  June  7,  1770  Joseph  vSav- 
age  was  added. 

At  the  same  time,  in  "67,  Thomas  Leaming,  James  Whil- 
den,  John  Townsend,  John  Leonard  were  selected  and  com- 
missioned judges  of  the  Inferior  Court  of  Cuuiuion  Pleas. 

In  April,  the  next  year,  Nicholas  StilKvell  was  named  to 
be  a  conmiissioner  for  taking  recognizance  of  bail.  He 
served  the  county  in  fhe  Assembly  from  1769  to  1771,  and 
was  a  son  of  John  Stillwell,  of  Town  Bank.  He  purchased, 
in  1748,  of  Joseph  Golden,  the  plantation  at  Beesley's  Point. 
After  his  death,  in  1772,  the  place  fell  to  his  son,  Captain 
Nicholas  Stillwell,  who  afterwards  sold  to  Thomas  Borden, 
who  sold,  in  1803,  to  Thomas  Beesley,  who  resided  on  the 
premises  until  1816,  and  on  an  adjoining  property  until  his 
death  in  1849. 

In  1769  the  people  clamored  for  more  law  to  protect  the 
oyster  industry,  and  the  Assembly  confirmed  the  law  of 
1 719,  and  added  new  provisions,  requiring  that  no  beds 
should  be  raked  from  Alay  10  to  September  i,  under  a  pen- 
alty of  forty  shillings,  two-thirds  to  go  to  the  informer  and 
one-third  to  the  power  of  the  township  or  city  where  the 
offense  was  committed ;  empowering  the  officers  of  the  law 
to  summon  aid  to  the  constables  in  making  arrests;  prohib- 
iting oysters  for  lime  under  a  forfeit  of  three  pounds,  one- 
half  of  which  went  to  the  informer  and  the  other  half  to  the 
poor,  and  putting  the  burden  of  proof  on  the  defendant  and 
making  the  act  valid  for  three  years. 

In  1770  the  laws  passed  by  the  Assembly  prescribed  that 
there  should  continue  to  be  two  Loan  Office  Commissioners 
for  Cape  May  county;  that  lands  in  the  county  should  not 
be  assessed  at  a  rate  higher  than  £30  per  100  acres  nor  less 
than  £8  per  100  acres;  and  that  Aaron  Leaming  was  to  be 
one  of  a  committee  to  correspond  with  the  colony's  agent 
in  reference  to  money  matters.  On  May  12,  this  year.  Rev. 
James  Watt  was  installed  as  pastor  of  the  Cold  Spring  Pres- 
byterian Church,  where  he  labored  during  the  Revolution- 
■ary  period,   or  for  eighteen   years,   being  the  successor   of 


142  HISTORY  i)V  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Rev.  Daniel  Lawrence.  Mr.  Watt  was  born  ]\Iarch  12,  1743^ 
and  died  November  19,  1789,  and  was  buried  in  the  ceme- 
tery back  of  the  church. 

Jeremiah  Eldredge  was  a  prominent  man  at  this  time,  and 
was  frequently  honored  by  his  fellow-citizens  in  holding- 
public  trusts  in  Cape  May  county.  When  he  was  23  years 
old  he  was  elected  clerk  of  court  and  held  the  office  for  nine 
years,  from  1768  to  1777.  When  35  years  old  he  was  elected 
to  the  Legislative  Assembly  one  year,  from  1780  to  1781, 
and  then  afterwards  he  was  elected  nine  years  to  the  Legis- 
lative Council,  from  1784  to  1794.  After  that  he  was  ap- 
pointed a  surrogate  for  two  years,  from  1793  until  his  death. 
He  was  a  son  of  Samuel  Eldredge,  born  August  3,  1745,- 
and  died  April  28,  1795. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

.1I>HN  HATTON,  THE   TORY. 

At  the  hegiiiniiig'  of  the  Revolutionary  period  tlu  various 
acts  of  the  English  Parliament  which  affected  /Vnierica,  and 
in  which  the  colonists,  had  no  voice  by  representation,  began 
to  meet  with  protests.  The  most  impolitic  measure  of  the 
government  was  the  passage  in  1765  by  Parliament  of  the 
celebrated  "Stamp  Act,"  for  the  purpose  of  raising  a  reve- 
nue by  taxing  the  colonies.  The  people  resisted  the  meas- 
ure, and  so  strong  were  the  protests  that  Parliament  re- 
pealed the  act  in  1766.  The  next  year  the  English  Ministry 
attempted  to  compel  the  colonists  to  assist  in  raising  sup- 
plies for  that  government,  imposing  a  tax  upon  tea,  glass, 
paper  and  painters'  colors.  A  storm  of  opposition,  more 
strong,  was  again  excited,  and  soon  after,  all  duties  were 
withdrawn  except  that  u])on  tea,  which  was  taxed  at  three 
pence  per  pound.  This  was  not  satisfactory  to  the  people.: 
of  the  colonies,  not  because  of  the  amount  of  the  duty,  but." 
because  of  the  principle  of  taxing  without  consent  or  voice 
of  the  '^olonists.  John  Hatton,  collector  of  the  port  of  Salem, 
and  Cohansey,  came  to  Cape  May  in  November,  1770,  to- 
stop  what  he  termed  were  illegal  actions  on  the  part  of  local 
and  other  skippers  in  landing  goods  at  Cape  May  to  avoid. 
paying  duty.  The  following  is  correspondence  which  grew^ 
out  of  the  treatment  of  him  by  the  common  pleas  justices, 
Thomas  Leaming,  John  Leonard  and  James  Whilden: 

"Copy  of  a  letter  from  John  Hatton,  Collector  of  Salem 
and  Cohensy,  to  Gov.  Franklin,  dated  Dec.  7th,  1770,  com- 
plaining of  the  action  of  Mr.  Jas.  Whilden,  Thomas  Leam- 
ing and  John  Leonard,  Justices  at  Cape  May:" 

"1  1mml)]y  beg  leave  t()  inform  your  Excellency  that  I 
am  again  obliged  to  fly  from  and  quit  my  Office,  and  dis- 
tressed family  by  reason  that  his  Majesty's  laws  and  my 


144  iriS'iOUY  OF  OWE   MAY  ("OI'M'Y. 

actions  in  executing-  them  as  a  faithful  servant  are  misinter- 
preted by  these  Your  Excelys  Justices  at  Cape  May  viz 
James  Whilden,  Thomas  Learning,  and  John  Leonard, 
Esqrs  who  I  am  informed  could  not  get  any  others  to  join 
them, 

^'27,  Novr — I  arrived  at  Cape  ^la.\  from  Burlington.  My 
wounds  l^eing  so  bad  prevented  me  getting  there  sooner. 

"24. — I  procured  Joseph  Corson,  Esqr  to  go  with  me  to 
J.  Leonard  &  T.  Leaming,  Esqs,  when  T  gave  them  your 
Exccllencys  Proclamation  to  which  they  paid  no  regard, 
and  during  my  stay  with  them,  being  about  two  hours,  they 
did  not  read  it. 

"1  likewise  delivered  the  Letter  Mr.  Pettit  wrote  by  your 
Order  on  the  17th  in  regard  to  bailing  my  negroe,  when  they 
absolutely  refused  to  admit  him  to  bail. 

"1  then  went  to  the  Gaol  from  whence  I  found  Hughes 
had  been  let  out  in  order  to  go  where  he  chose  to  procure 
hinihclf  bail,  and  without  any  guard  he  had  ful  liberty  to  go 
where  he  liked. 

•  "My  negro  still  close  confined  and  very  ill  the  Cutts  in 
his  skull  being  very  bad  from  whence  had  been  taken  sev- 
eral pieces  of  bones. 

"In  the  dead  of  night  I  returned  home  found  my  wife  as 
I  had  been  informed,  just  expiring  thro'  fright  for  me  and 
her  son,  well  knowing  the  danger  we  were  in;  and  few  of 
my  neighbors,  tho'  I  have  several  good  ones  durst  venture 
to  come  to  my  house  being  threatened  with  destruction  by 
Hughes  or  his  friends,  notwithstanding  the  distress  of  my 
family,  I  was  obliged  to  leave  home  the  next  night  in  order 
to  get  some  one  to  l)ail  my  man. 

"This  night  was  assaulted  on  the  road  by  some  man  who 
with  a  stick  struck  me  several  blows  in  my  arm:  when  a 
Blow  with  my  Whip  handle  in  his  head,  stunned  him,  I 
rode  on. 

28. — On  my  giving  Nicholas  Stillwell  Esqr  £200-  security 
he  was  so  kind  as  to  bail  my  Negro,  being  well  acquainted 
with  mv  ill  usage,  &  the  distress  of  my  family,  a  copy  of 
the  Bail  piece  now  produced  justly  expresses  it. 

"29 — Got  my  Negroe  from  Prison. 

"Deer   5 — Mills  the  Pilot  who  is  advertised  with   your 


.loii.x  iiAiroN.   riii';  'i  dkv.  145 

Excellency^  Proclaniatioti  was  this  tlay  ^(^ing  about  niv 
neighborhood,  arnied  with  a  Clul)  and  threatenini^  nie  with 
•destruction. 

"6. — T  met  the  said  Mills  on  the  Kin^s  road  who  threat- 
'Ciied  nie  with  his  Club  but  on  my  putting-  my  hand  towards 
my  pocket  he  went  off.  I  innnediately  wrnt  to  James  W'hil- 
den,  in  order  to  recjuest  him  to  execute  Justice  against  the 
said  Mills,  as  I  had  some  days  before  lodged  a  complaint 
before  him,  but  1  was  told  he  was  not  at  home,  tho'  he  had 
been  seen  a  few  minutes  before.  About  six  hours  after  on 
the  same  day  the  said  James  W'hilden,  Thomas  beaming, 
&  Jo  Leonard  Esqrs  sent  5  men  with  their  warrant  now  pro- 
duced, who  seized  my  man  as  he  was  going  home  with  a 
loaded  Team,  he  having  been  all  the  day  with  two  of  my 
neighbors  getting  some  of  my  summers  Crop  which  had 
been  till  then  decayed  on  the  ground.  A  few  minutes  after 
I  was  arrested  on  the  same  account  as  the  warrant  testify- 
eth.  \\'hen  I  first  entered  the  room  IMills  was  sitting  by 
the  side  of  Jo  Leonard  Esqr  with  the  same  Club  by  his  side 
he  had  in  the  morning — during  my  conversation  with  them 
in  which  I  did  not  give  any  of  them  an  uncivil  word,  the 
said  Leonard  ex])ressed  himself,  in  a  very  vmbecoming  man- 
ner. 

'T  then  desired  the  said  Mills  might  be  secured  and  again 
repeated  to  them  that  he  was  the  Pilot  who  on  8t  November 
threatened  me  with  death  if  I  came  near  the  Ship  to  execute 
my  Office  as  his  Majs  Collr  and  likewise  that  he  was  one 
of  the  men  who  took  away  the  Pilot  boat  I  had  seized  her, 
and  further  that  he  was  the  man  who  laid  hold  of  my  son 
in  the  street  at  Philadelphia  till  a  mob  of  Sailors  came  up 
when  he  and  they  most  inhumanely  treated  him  so  that  he 
was  taken  from  them  for  dead. 

"He  acknowledged  the  threatening  and  obstructing  me 
when  I  was  going  to  the  ship,  and  like  wise  taking  away 
the  Pilot  boat  I  had  seized,  and  said  he  would  do  it  again 
when  there  was  occasion — his  conduct  was  not  in  the  least 
disapproved  bv  the  Magistrates  present. 

"The  Magistrates  did  not  regard  my  Charges  against  him, 
hut  on  my  insisting  on  ^lills,  being  some  wav  secured  thev 


146  HISTORY  OF  CAPt:  MAY  COUNTY. 

consented  to  bind  him  over  to  their  own  Court.  An  Uncle- 
of  Hughes,  was  ready  for  his  Bondsman. 

"They  then  bound  me,  and  insisted  on  £200  security,  but 
they  refused  an)'  security  I  could  give  for  my  Negro  which 
I  offered  them  nor  would  they  allow  him  to  stay  in  the 
hands  of  the  Constable  till  next  morning:  When  I  told  them. 
I  would  produce  them  any  bail  they  should  require  as  my 
friends  were  at  some  distance,  but  they  ordered  him  imme- 
diately to  prison. 

"There  were  present  Hughes  and  his  brothers  and  other 
relatives  who  threatened  destruction  to  any  who  gave  me: 
any  assistance;  during  the  whole  time  they  could  not  pro- 
duce any  one  to  say  that  either  I,  or  my  Slave,  ever  was 
heard  to  use  the  least  threatening  word  against  the  said 
Mills  or  any  one  else,  since  my  first  coming  amongst  them, 
the  reason  they  give  for  binding  me  and  sending  my  Slave 
again  to  prison,  is,  that  Mills  declared  my  son  told  him  in 
Philadelphia,  that  his  fathers  Negro  should  do  for  him, 
but  did  not  produce  any  proofs. 

"Since  my  ill  treatment  on  8  Novr.  His  Majs  Vessels^; 
having  been  very  vigilant  has  greatly  obstructc  d  their  smug- 
gling by  water  therefore  I  being  so  distressed  by  these  three 
Magistrates  gives  them  full  liberty  to  perform  it  on  shore, 
for  I  am  well  assured,  &  have  just  reason  to  believe  that 
there  hath  been  &  still  is  several  thousand  pounds  worth  of 
contraband  Goods  lodged  on  this  shore  since  the  8th  of  No- 
vember last,  which  Goods  they  are  now  conveying  by  Land 
to  Philadelphia,  and  have  been  so  during  a  few  days  since 
in  the  open  day  to  go  to  my  door  with  a  loaded  Waggon, 
and  men  armed  with  Pistols  in  their  hands  challenging  me 
to  appear  if  I  durst,  to  seize  them. 

"Mills  and  the  Boat  now  appear  in  pul^lic  and  he  bids 
defiance  to  any. 

"These  my  assertions  I  can  prove  if  the  Witnesses  are 
impartially  examined,  therefore  I  hope  your  Excellency  doth 
plainly  perceive  that  it  is  for  my  Zealous  attachment  to  his 
Majesty  that  I  am  thus  injured  abused,  and  interrupted  by 
these  three  Mag'istrates — 

"My  Instructions  are,  in  any  diflficulties  to  apply  to  Your 
Excellency  for  assistance  and  protection,  therefore  do  most 


.KUIX    IIAI'TOX.    11  IK     lOHV.  147 


humbly  pray  from  Your  Excellency  a  speedy  redress  as  His 
Majesty's  Revenue  sufters  entirely  by  the  Actiotis  and  Pow- 
ers of  these  three  Ma,u:ist rates  at  Cape  Mav. 

"JOHN  H ATI' ON." 


The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  warrant  for  the  apprehen- 
sion of  John  Hatton,  collector  at  Salem. 

New  Jersey.  Ca])c  May  count}-,  ss. 

George  the  third  by  the  Grace  of  God  of  Great  Britain 
France  and  Ireland  King  Defender  of  the  Faith  &c  To  our 
Sheriff  of  the  County  of  Cape  May  or  the  Constables  of  the 
said  County  or  either  of  them  Greeting  Forasmuch  as  Je- 
dediah  Mills  of  the  said  County  of  Cape  May  Pilot  hath 
personally  come  before  Us  James  Whillden,  Thos  Leaming^ 
and  John  Leonard,  Esqrs  three  of  his  Majs  Justices  assign- 
ed to  keep  the  Peace  within  the  said  County  of  Cape  May 
&  hath  taken  a  Corporal  Oath  that  he  the  said  Jedediah 
Mills  is  afraid  that  John  Hatton.  Esqr.  of  the  said  County 
of  Cape  Mav  will  beat  wound  maim  or  kill  him  th  said  Je- 
dediah Mills  and  hath  therewithal  prayed  surety  for  the 
Peace  and  Good  Behavior  against  him  the  said  John  Hat- 
ton  Esqr.  therefore  We  command  and  charge  you  jointly 
and  severally  or  either  of  you  that  immediately  tipon  the 
Receipt  hereof  you  bring  the  said  John  Hatton  Esqr  Forth- 
with before  us  the  said  James  Whilden  Thos  Earning  & 
John  Leonard,  Esqrs  or  either  of  Us  to  find  sufficient  Sure- 
ty and  Mainprize  as  well  for  his  personal  appearance  at  the 
next  General  Quarter  Sessions  of  Our  Peace  or  Court  of 
Oyer  &  Terminer  of  General  Goal  Delivery  or  which  ever 
of  said  Courts  should  happen  to  be  held  first  in  &  for  our 
said  County  as  also  for  our  Peace  and  Good  Behavior  in 
the  mean  time  to  be  kept  toward  us  and  all  our  Liege  Peo- 
ple and  chiefly  towards  the  said  Jedediah  Mills  that  is  to 
say  that  he  the  said  John  Hatton.  Esqr.  shall  not  do  nor  by 
any  means  procure  or  cause  to  be  done  any  of  the  said 
Evils  to  any  of  Our  said  People  and  especially  to  the  said 
Jedediah  Mills. 

Given  under  Our  Hands  and  Seals  this  6th  day  of  Deer 
in  the   nth  Year  of  the   Reign  of  Our  Sovereign   Lord 


148  HISTORY  OF  CAPE   iNIAY  COT'XTY. 

George  the  third  of  Great  Britain  &c  in  the  Year  of  Our 

Lord  1770. 

(Signed)  J.  WHILLDEN 

T.  LEAMING 
J.  LEONARD. 

At  the  same  time  a  warrant  was  issued  for  Hatton's  slave, 
Ned,  by  the  same  justices,  because  Jedidiah  Mills  complain- 
ed that  he  "is  afraid  that  a  ^Mulatto  Slave  called  Ned  by 
name  belonging  to  John  Hatton,  Esqr.  of  the  lower  Precinct 
in  said  county  of  Cape  May''  might  "beat  maim  or  kill  him." 

The  following  is  the  correspondence,  taken  from  ofBcial 
documents  in  the  colonial  office  at  London,  England,  con- 
cerninsf  the  Hatton  matter: 


"Copy  of  a  Letter  from  Mr.  Hatton,  Collector  of  Salem, 
Etc.,  to  the  Commissioners  of  the  Customs,  dated  Perth 
Amboy,  Dec.  25,  1770,  complaining  of  the  ill  treatment  he 
liad  received. 

"Perth  Amboy,  25th  Decemr  1770. 
"Gentlemen 

"On  my  way  to  the  Governor  with  the  inclosed  Remon- 
strance I  received  Yours  of  the  TOth  Inst,  on  the  Receipt  of 
which  I  went  to  Mr.  Skinner,  Attorney  General  whose  opin- 
ion I  liave  now  sent  like  wise  the  inclosed  Remonstrance 
will  give  Your  Honors  a  just  Information  of  the  further 
il  treatment  I  have  receiv'd  Mr  Read  Collector  of  Burling- 
ton hath  bailed  out  Hughes.  Mr  Read's  actions  are,  as 
formerly;  which  is  to  distress  me  and  the  Service  of  the 
Revenue  all  He  can.  He  is  one  of  the  3  chief  Judges  of 
this  Province  &  hath  a  Salary  for  it  &  is  likewise  one  of  the 
Governor's  Council. 

"I  am  credibly  informed  that  a  Set  of  Merchants  at  Phil- 
adelphia have  remitted  a  Quantity  of  money  to  this  Province 
in  Order  to  gain  any  Point  they  want  to  likewise  make  this 
Cape  their  Stanch  Store,  as  they  say  they  cannot  do  without 
Tt  for  their  Contraband  Trade — for  since  the  8th  of  last 
November  there  have  been  5  other  Vessels  unloaded  with 
Illicit  Goods. 


jnii.N  iiATTo.x,   riii-:   jouv.  149 

"I  have  wrote  three  pressing  letters  to  the  Cajnain  of  His 
Alajs  X'essel  in  this  River  but  no  ( )nc  hath  yet  appeared 
to  give  me  any  Rehef.  I  hired  a  Sloop  on  purpose  to  go 
to  them  to  get  them  to  keep  their  \'essel  or  Tender  in  our 
Bay  which  would  be  the  proper  i)lace.  whereby  they  would 
perceive,  with  my  assistance  on  Land,  all  the  proceedings  of 
the  smuglers  there;  but  they  declined  my  Request  saying 
they  could  not  assist  me  on  Shore,  and  Winter  coming  on 
they  must  lay  up  their  \'essels,  therefore  I  am  obliged  to 
keep  concealed  by  day,  &  when  I  travel  it  is  all  by  night,  & 
expect  no  other  than  some  Day  to  fall  a  Sacrifice  to  their 
Wicked  Malice  &  Inventions.  I  left  my  Wife  at  the  point 
of  death  thro'  Fright  for  me  and  her  Son.  My  Son  being 
still  111  at  the  Tavern  He  was  taken  to  first,  &  will  lose  ei- 
their  his  Arm  or  the  use  of  it.  which  cannot  yet  be  deter- 
mined Sz  hath  undergone  a  Severe  Illness  mvself  going 
Hundreds  of  Miles  to  endeavor  to  procure  Justice  &  have 
almost  expended  my  last  Farthing  and  am  in  the  greatest 
distress  for  more,  who  am 

"Gentlemen  &c 

"JOHN  HATTOX." 

'T  am  to  call  on  the  Governor  on  my  way  Ijack  for  an 
answer  to  my  Remonstrance  of  the  7th  Inst.  He  having 
sent  to  the  Attorney  General  for  his  advice  &  the  Resuit 
thereof  I  will  inform  You  Mr  Skinner  advises  me  to  arrest 
the  3  Magistrates  if  I  can  get  them  before  the  Governor 
for  their  actions  &  false  Imprisonment  but  I  want  money, 
having  now  expended  in  this  affair  upwards  of  3o£.  Be 
pleased  to  excuse  the  Badness  of  this  Letter  as  my  Wounds 
in  my  Head  &  right  Arm  are  still  so  bad  that  I  can  hardlv 
think  or  hold  mv  Pen." 


Letter  from  Attorney-General  Skinner  to  ]Mr.  Hatton, 
giving  his  opinion  on  the  proceedings  of  the  magistrates  at 
Cape  May: 

"Dec.  2^,  T770. 
"Mr.  Hatton 

"I  have  considered  the  Papers  you  have  laid  before  me. 


150  HISTORY  OF  OAI'E  .MAY  COUNTY. 

and  those  sent  by  Mr  Petit  and  am  of  opinion  that  as  the 
transaction  was  on  the  high  Seas  the  Admiralty  only  hath 
Jurisdiction,  &  it  is  those  vou  ought  to  apply. 

"Upon  the  same  principle  the  Magistrates  at  Cape  May 
had  no  authority  to  issue  their  Warrant,  or  bind  you  over 
to  Court  the  place  where  the  Seizure  &  Rescue  was  made 
being  without  their  iurisdiction  or  that  of  any  Court  but 
the  Admiralty.  CORTD  SKTNNER. 

"to  John  Hatton  Estir." 


Letter  from  Mr.  Skinner,  Attorney-Cieneral  of  East  Jer- 
sey, to  Charles  Petit,  Esq.,  secretary  to  Governor  I^Vanklin. 
giving  his  opinion  on  the  conduct  of  the  IMagistrates  at 
Cape  May: 

"Dec.  25,  1770. 
"Sir 

"I  received  Yours  bv  Mr.  Hatton  with  the  Papers  in- 
closed &  have  considered  them  as  well  as  the  Shortness  of 
the  time  would  permit,  together  with  other  Information 
given  me  by  Mr.  Hatton. 

"I  am  of  opinion  that  the  place  where  the  Seizure  Sc 
Rescue  were  made  is  clearly  out  of  the  county  of  Cape  May. 
That  the  Admiralty  only  has  Jurisdiction  and  that  the  Jus- 
tices of  Cape  May  were  forward  in  taking  upon  them  any 
Enquiry;  than  issuing  their  Warrant  &  taking  Mr.  Hatton 
&  his  Slave  after  his  Excellency's  Proclamation  is  an  inso- 
lent Contempt  of  his  Proclamation  and  will,  with  other  parts 
of  their  Behaviour,  justify  His  Excellency  in  ordering  their 
Attendance  before  him  in  Council,  or  upon  very  clear  Aui- 
davits  of  their  Behaviour  removing  them  from  Office. 

"It  was  their  Duty  to  Support  Mr  Hatton  the  Collector 
&  not  suffer  a  Man  Mills  so  principally  concerned  in  the 
Matter  to  Sit  with  them  when  they  illegally  demanded  Se- 
curity of  the  Collector,  then  countenancing  the  outrage  of 
the  Pilots  as  well  as  the  running  of  Goods  are  Sufificient  to 
remove  them — Be  pleased  to  make  mv  Compts  to  the  Gov- 
ernor &  am  &c:  CORTLAND  SKINNER. 

"To  Chas  Petit  Esqr  Govrs.  Secretary." 


.lUllN   1IA'1T(J.\.   'I'lIM   TORY.  151 

Letter  from  Mr.  Hatton.  collector  of  Salem  and  Colian- 
•sev,  to  the  commissioners  of  the  customs,  Boston,  relative 
.to  his  ill  treatment  by  the  magistrates  at  Cape  May: 

"Gentlemen 

"I  wrote  to  your  Honours  from  Perth  Amboy  on  the  25th 
instant,  and  inclosed  you  the  Attorney  Cieneral's  opinion 
of  the  Actions  of  the  Magistrates  and  likewise  my  last  Re- 
:monstrance  to  Govr  Franklin  and  also  the  Copies  of  two 
Warrants  which  has  been  served  on  me  and  my  Negro. 
Two  Days  after  I  arrived  at  Jiurlington  c\:  waited  on  the 
Governor  &  delivered  a  letter  from  Mr.  Skinner  a  Copy  of 
which  is  inclosed,  after  much  persuasion  His  Excellency 
granted  according  to  Mr  Skinner's  Opinion  an  Non  Ultimo 
Prosequi  for  me  but  as  my  Negro  happened  not  to  be  men- 
tioned in  it,  the  Governor  refused  me  one  for  him.  therefore 
both  he  and  me  as  one  of  his  bonds  men  nuist  appear  at 
their  next  Court  in  L>bruary,  what  the  issue  may  be  I  can- 
not pretent  to  sav  but  no  good.  His  Excellency  has  like- 
^vise  wrote  to  the  three  Magistrates  to  appear  before  him 
and  his  Council  sometime  in  the  Spring  the  particular  time 
not  yet  fixed,  but  if  we  may  judge  from  former  instances 
the  result  will  be.  I  wrote  this  from  opposite  Philadelphia, 
the  Tavern  where  mv  son  is  whose  wounds  are  partly  heal- 
ed but  has  lost  entirely  the  use  of  his  Arm.  I  beg  your 
Honours  will  consider  the  distress  I  am  in  for  want  of 
Money  as  I  have  now  spent  nearly  forty  pounds  in  traveling 
so  many  hundred  miles  &  in  fees  for  advice  &  other  ex- 
pences  caused  by  this  affair  and  I  have  still  other  Expence? 
to  pay  by  reason  my  man  must  attend  their  Court,  therefore 
do  most  humbly  beg  your  Honours  will  either  grant  me 
mv  Incidents  now  due  or  advance  some  of  my  salary  or  any 
other  means  you  may  think  proper,  which  must  ha  speedily 
&  can  be  done  by  an  Order  on  Mr  Swift.  I  have  taken  out 
a  Supreme  Writt  for  Mills  the  Pilot  by  the  x\ttorney  Genera- 
.als  advice  as  there  is  no  Court  of  Admiralty  in  this  Prov- 
ince.— I  should  be  glad  vour  Plonours  would  interpose  so 
.as  to  get  the  Magistrates  punished  according  to  their  de- 
sserts.   I  am  &c    '  JOHN  HATTON. 

"Coopers  Ferry  opposite  Philadelphia  30th  Deer.  1770." 


152  IllSTOKY  OF  (.AVK  MAY  COTWTY. 

"N  B     The  Letter  referred  to  is  not  vet  come  to  hand.''~ 


Copy  of  a  letter  from  His  Excellency,  Governor  Franklinj^. 
to  the  Commissioners  of  His  Majesty's  Customs  at  Boston:. 

"Burlinj^ton.  April  lo,  1771. 
"Gentlemen, 

"I  yesterday  received  your  Letter  of  the  26th  of  ^larch... 
and  am  much  surprized  to  find  that  Air  Hatton  has  not  ac- 
quainted 3'ou  with  the  Result  of  ttie  Enquiry  made  by  the 
Governor  &  Council  into  his  Complaint  against  the  Mag- 
istrates of  Cape  May,  as  on  26th  of  Febry  he  obtained  a. 
certified  Copy  of  all  the  Minutes  &  Proceedings  relative  to- 
that  matter,  which  he  said  was  to  be  immediately  transmit- 
ted to  you,  agreeably  to  the  Orders  you  had  before  given. 
him.  However  as  it  appears  by  your  Letter  that  you  have- 
not  received  them,  I  have  directed  the  Secretary  to  make 
out  another  Copy,  which  I  send  enclosed;  together  with  a 
Copy  of  sundrv  Notes  &  Observations  made  by  him,  ex- 
plaining more  particularly  several  matters  relative  to  Mr.. 
Hatton's  Complaint,  which  are  either  omitted,  or  slightly 
mentioned,  in  the  Opinion  given  by  the  Governor  and' 
Council.  By  comparing  these  with  the  several  Paragraphs 
of  the  Complaint,  as  numbered  you  'may  be  able  to  form  a 
true  Judgement  of  the  Conduct  of  your  Officer.' 

"The  Representation  Mr.  Hatton  has  made  to  you  of  the 
ill  Treatment  that  he,  his  Son,  and  Negro,  received  from  a 
number  of  Seamen  belonging  to  the  Ship  Prince  of  Wales, 
in  Delaware  Bay,  on  account  of  his  having  seized  a  Pilot 
Boat,  suspected  to  have  some  Contraband  Goods  on  Board 
belcnging  to  said  Sliip.  and  of  the  barbarous  I'sage  which 
his  Son  afterwards  received  of  them  ?nd  a  Number  of  oth- 
ers at  Philadelphia  may.  for  aught  I  know,  be  very  just. 
They  Avere  Transactions  entirelv  out  of  the  Jurisdiction  of 
this  Government,  and  wh.ich  T  have  had  no  Opportunity  of 
enc[uiring  particularly  into.  But  as  to  his  Complaints 
against  the  Conduct  of  the  Magistrates,  and  of  the  Distress 
which  they  have  occasioned  him,  I  do  take  upon  me  to  say 
they  are  entirely  false  and  malicious. 

"Altho'  I  have  long  had  a  very  bad  Opinion  of  Tvlr.  Hat- 


JOHN  IIATTOX,  THE  TORY.  153 

ton's  Principles  and  Disposition,  yet  as  he  appeared  before 
me  with  several  Wounds,  which  he  said  he  had  gotten  on 
board  a  Pilot  Boat,  from  some  Irish  Seamen,  when  doing 
his  Duty,  and  told  me  a  melancholy  story  of  the  ill  Treat- 
ment he  had  received  from  three  of  the  Justices,  I  was 
moved  to  give  some  Credit  to  his  assertions.  Accordingly, 
I  issued  a  Proclamation  for  apprehending  the  Persons  con- 
cerned in  the  Affray,  in  Case  any  of  them  should  appear 
in  this  Province,  and  afterwards  sent  Orders  to  the  Justices 
to  appear  before  me  in  Council  on  the  2 1st  of  February, 
which  (as  they  and  most  of  the  Gentlemen  of  the  Coimcil 
lived  at  a  great  Distance)  was  as  soon  as  they  could  be  well 
got  together.  I  besides  advised  him  to  apply  to  the  Gov- 
ernor of  Pennsylvania  for  a  like  Proclamation,  and  to  obtain 
the  Chief  Justice's  Warrant  for  searching  all  suspected 
Houses  &  Places  in  Philadelphia,  at  which  City  the  Seamen 
w^ere  at  that  Time.  He  was  likewise  advised  by  the  Attor- 
ney Genl  to  apply  to  the  Court  of  Admiralty,  where  only  the 
offence  was  properly  cognizable.  Neither  of  which  he  did, 
as  I  have  heard.  On  the  contrary,  he  has  done  but  little 
else  but  ride  about  the  Country,  taking  a  Number  of  un- 
necessary Journies  to  Philadelphia,  Burlington  and  Amboy, 
with  an  Expectation,  as  I  suppose,  of  receiving  a  handsome 
Allowance  out  of  the  Revenue  for  his  Trouble  and  Ex- 
pences,  on  pretence  that  he  was  engaged  in  what  his  Majes- 
ty's Service  absolutely  required. 

"The  Day  fixed  for  the  Hearing,  and  some  Days  both 
before  and  after,  happened  to  be  the  severest  Weather  we 
had  during  the  Winter,  yet  several  of  His  Majesty's  Council 
and  the  King's  Attorney,  tho'  they  had  between  60  &  70 
miles  to  Travel,  gave  their  Attendance  &  spent  with  me 
near  three  Days  in  hearing  the  Parties,  and  enquiring  into 
the  affair,  when  they  gave  it  as  their  unanimous  Opinion, 
that  there  was  no  just  Foundation  for  any  of  Mr  Hatton's 
charges  against  the  Justices. — The  Particulars  of  his  Com- 
plaint, and  the  Opinions  of  the  Council  and  Attorney  Gen- 
eral, are  set  forth  at  large  in  the  Minutes.  I  could  not  but 
concur  with  their  Stntiments,  as  the  Facts  in  favour  of  the 
Justices  were,  indeed,  too  evident  to  admit  of  any  Hesitation 
in  the  Matter. 


154  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

"Mr  Hatton  appears  to  be  a  Man  of  a  very  unhappy,  vio- 
lent Temper,  sometimes  bordering  on  Madness,  so  that  it 
is  impossible  that  he  can  Uve  long  in  Quiet  with  his  Neigh- 
bours.   He  has  extravagant  Notions  of  his  Power  and  Im- 
portance as  a  Collector  of  the  Customs — insists  upon  great 
Homage  and   Deference  being  paid  him  by  the   Country 
Magistrates — tells  them  he  is  exempted  from  paying  Taxes 
■  out  of  England — &  that  he  lias  it  in  his  Power  to  get  the 
•Governor   Council,    Chief    fustice.    Attorney   General,   and 
every  Officer  of  tlie  Government  removed,  if  they  should 
at  any  Time  refuse  to  do  as  he  would  have  them.     In  short, 
there  is  nothing  so  absurd  &  outrageous,  that  he  has  not 
shown  himself  capable  of  saying  or  doing,  on  which  Ac- 
count I  liave  had  more  Trouble  with  him  than  with  all  the 
other  People  in  New  Jersey.     Besides,  he  has  got  a  Notion 
in  his  Head,  that  by  making  great  Clamour  against  the  In- 
habitants of  this   Province,  representing  them  all  as  con- 
cerned in  Smuggling,  in  Combination  against  him  and  his 
Authority,  and  that  he  is  suffering  from  his  active  Zeal  for 
his  Majesty's  Interest,  he  shall  make  himself  a  Man  of  Con- 
sequence with  the  Commissioners  of  Customs,  &  through 
them  get  preferred   to   a  better  Collectorship.     In  this   I 
should  most  heartilv  wish  him  Success,  so  that  it  was  Any 
where  out  of  this  Colony,  were  I  not  well  assured  that  he  has 
been  unfaithful  to  his  Trust,  and  strongly  connected  with 
some  of  the  most  noted  Smugglers  in   Philadelphia,  and 
with  the  Only  Person  in  all  his  District  wdio  is  suspected  to 
have  any  Concern  in  such  illicit  Practices.     Nor  indeed, 
have  I  the  least  Doubt,  if  the  People  on  board  the  Ship  and 
Pilot  Boat  had  offered  him  Money  instead  of  Blows,  when 
he  first  came  to  them,  but  that  he  would  readily  have  ac- 
cepted it,  and  left  them  to  pursue  their  Measures  without 
.  any  Disturbance  from  him  whatever. 

*T  do  not,  however,  expect  that  the  Opinions  of  the  Gov- 
ernor, Council,  Attorney  General  &  Secretary,  now  trans- 
mitted to  you,  will  have  much  Weight  with  you,  Gentlemen, 
or  make  you  think  the  worse  of  the  Conduct  of  your  Offi- 
cer. My  Reasons  for  this  I  shall  tell  you  candidly,  that  if 
I  am  in  the  Wrong  in  any  of  them  you  may  set  me  right. 
They  are 


.JOHN   IIATTON.  THE   TOUV.  155 

"1st  liecause  you  paid  so  little  Regard  to  the  Opinion  of 
she  Govr  and  Council,  in  the  Year  1768,  on  a  former  Com- 
plaint of  the  same  kind,  that  you  thought  it  necessary  to 
send  to  me  for  ■Coi)ies  of  the  several  Affidavits  and  other 
Materials  u])on  whicl:  it  was  grounded:  thereby  shewing 
that  you  cither  Iielieved  us  to  be  incompetent  Judges,  01 
'doubted  the  Justice  of  our  Decision,  and  were  therefc)re  de- 
termined to  make  a  fresh  Encjuiry  into  the  Matter  Your- 
:selves. 

"2d  Because  I  am  credibly  informed,  that  so  far  trom 
"blaming  or  censuring  Hatton  for  his  extraordinary  Co-iduct 
.at  that  Time,  you  even  gave  him  Marks  of  your  Approba- 
tion, complimentin<i"  with  a  Place  in  the  Customs,  .-.n  mfa- 
mous  F"ellow  who  he  then  sent  to  you  with  his  ground- 
less Complaints.  I  call  this  Fellow  (whose  Name  is  Clark) 
infamous,  i)ecause  he  appeared  evidently,  both  to  the  Coun- 
♦cil  of  me,  to  be  determined  to  swear  thro'  thick  &  thin,  in 
'favour  of  Hatton,  and  contradicted  himself  so  often  in  the 
Course  of  his  Testimony,  that  several  of  the  Council  de- 
clared that  they  thought  he  ought  to  have  been  committed 
to  the  Goal  for  Perjury. 

"3d  Because  your  own  Inspector  General  of  the  Customs 
■(who  was  particularly  directed  bv  vou  to  enquire  what 
Foundation  there  was  for  Mr.  Hatton's  Complaint  that 
Time)  not  only  represented  to  you,  in  his  Report  or  Letter 
of  the  17th  June  1769  that  the  Disputes  Hatton  had  with 
the  People  were  'of  a  Private  Nature,  arose  from  trifling 
Matters,  owing  to  an  unwise  Department  in  his  private 
Station,'  and  not  'on  Account  of  his  Zeal  for  the  Service,' 
■or  for  'exerting  himself  in  his  Duty,'  as  he  had  alledged, 
l)ut  at  the  same  Time  acquainted  you  with  sundry  Facts, 
and  transmitted  to  vou  a  Number  of  Proofs,  fulh  evincing 
that  he  had  been  guilty  of  unwarrantable  Practices  in  his 
Office,  and  had  given  Encouragement  and  Assistance  to 
some  of  the  most  noted  Smugglers,  to  the  great  Detriment 
of  the  King's  Revenue;  notwithstanding  wdiich  you  have 
suffered  him  to  continue  in  Office,  and  have  not,  at  least  as 
I  can  learn,  ever  shewn  any  marks  of  your  Disapprobation 
of  his  Conduct. — Had  I  not  known  that  the  Inspector  Gen- 
■eral,  after  a  strict  Examination  into  the  Matter,  had  made 


156  -  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

such  a  Report  to  3-011.  I  should  myself  have  suspended  Hat- 
ton  from  acting  in  his  Ofifice  till  further  Orders  from  proper 
Authority.  But  as  you  were  made  fully  acquainted  with: 
his  conduct,  and  it  was  a  Matter  over  which  you  had  a. 
particular  Superintendencv,  I  was  unwilling  to  interfere;: 
more  especially  as  I  had  a  Right  to  expect  that  you  would: 
have  thought  yourself  in  Duty  bound,  after  receiving  suchi. 
Information,  to  remove  him  immediately  from  his  Office 
in  the  Customs. 

"There  is  one  matter  more,  Gentlemen,  which  I  think  nec- 
essary to  mention  to  you  on  this  Occasion.  It  appears  by 
Mr  Hatton's  Book  of  Letters  (which  has  been  seen  by  sev- 
eral Gentlemen  in  Salem)  that  he  wrote  you  a  Letter  on  the-^ 
23d  of  Jany  1769,  containing  some  injurious  Reflections  on- 
me  &  the  Magistrates,  accusing  us  of  having  treated  him: 
with  Inhumanity,  &  intimating  that  we  were  Enemies  to- 
our  King  &  Country.  At  the  same  Time  he  sent  enclosed  a 
Letter  which  he  said  he  had  received  from  an  English  Gen- 
tleman who  arrived  here  the  June  preceding,  and  'would 
give  you  an  Insight  of  his  disagreeable  and  precarious  sit- 
uation.' A  Copy  of  this  pretended  Letter  I  have  seen.  It  is. 
signed  with  the  name  of  John  Murch,  and  is  dated  Novr  28,. 
1768.  There  never  was,  perhaps,  considering  the  Time- 
when  it  was  wrote,  a  Letter  penn'd  with  a  more  wicked  De- 
sign: But  as  it  seem'd  to  carry  its  own  Antidote  with  it,  be- 
ing fiU'd  with  an  extravagantly  ridiculous  and  improbable 
Account  of  the  Disposition  &  Intentions  of  the  People  of 
this  Province,  I  never  took  any  notice  of  it,  except  writing" 
to  the  Inspector  General  (when  I  heard  he  was  at  Philadel- 
phia on  his  Way  to  Salem)  acauaintinp-  him  that  I  sus- 
pected it  to  be  a  Forgery  of  Hatton's.  or  at  least  that  Murch 
was  some  low  Fellow  who  had  wrote  it  at  his  Instigation,  and 
should  therefore  be  much  obliged  to  him  if  he  would  de- 
mand a  Sight  of  the  Original,  and  enquire  Murch's  Charac- 
ter and  where  he  was  to  be  found,  that  he  might,  should 
there  be  Occasion,  be  examined  concerning  it.  Nor  should 
I,  Gentlemen,  ever  have  thought  it  worth  my  while  to  have 
said  anything  to  you  on  the  Subject  (having  entertained  too 
good  an  Opinion  of  your  Understanding  to  suppose  such 
an  absurd  Letter  could  possibly  have  any  Regard  paid  it 


JOHN  llATTON,   THE    TOKY.  157 

Iby  you)  had  I  not  observed  in  your  last  Letter,  that  you 
"'thought  it  necessary     to  transmit  to  the  Lord's  Commis- 
sioners of  His  Majesty's  Treasury,   Copies  of  the  several 
Letters  laid  before  you'  by  Hatton,  relative  to  his  last  Com- 
^plaint,  tho'  no  proper  Enquiry  had  then  been  made  into  the 
Truth  of  his  Representations,  at  least  none  which  had  come 
to  your  knowledge.     This,  I  own,  has  alarm'd  me.     You 
may  have  likewise  thought  it  necessary  to  transmit  to  their 
Lordships  the  two  above  mentioned  false  and  scandalous 
Letters  respecting  me  and  the  Inhabitants  of  this  Colony, 
without  so  much  as  enquiring  or  thinking  it  your  Duty  to 
make  any  previous  Enquiry  into  the  Truth  of  the  Allega- 
tions.    And  their  Lordships,  not  being  acquainted  with  the 
real  Circumstances  of  the  Case,  and  perhaps  relying  upon 
that  you  woidd  not  trouble  them  with  any  idle  Informations, 
or  such  as  you  had  not  good  reason  to  believe  might  be  de- 
pended upon,  may  have  conceived  Prejudices  greatly  to  my 
Disfavour.     Had   I  received  any   such  Letter  concerning 
you.  Gentlemen,  and  thought  them  worthy  of  the  least  at- 
tention, I  am  sure  I  should  have  deem'd  myself  bound  in 
Honour  to  have  informed  you  of  it  immediately,  that  you 
might  have  an  Opportunity  of  clearing  yourselves  from  any 
Imputations  they  contained,  and  of  explaining-  your  Con- 
duct to  His  Majesty's  Ministers:  And  I  would  willingly  be- 
lieve that  you  have  not,  as  you  never  gave  me  any  Notice 
thereof,  transmitted  those  Letters  to  England  respecting 
me;  but  if  I  am  mistaken  in  this  Point,  and  the  Letters  are 
actually  transmitted,  then  I  must  desire  that  you  will  as  soon 
as  possible,  send  me  Copies  of  them  properly  authenticated 
under  the  Great  Seal  of  the  Colony  where  you  reside,  that 
I  may  have  it  in  my  power  to  obtain  that  Justice  from  Mr. 
Hatton  which  I  am  entitled  to.     A  Request  so  reasonable 
I  hope  you  will  not  refuse,  especially  when  I  tell  you  that 
Hatton  had  the  Assurance,  when  I  lately  tax'd  him  in  pri- 
vate with  having  written  &  sent  those  Letters,  to  deny  that 
Tie  ever  wrote  a  Syllable  to  you  against  me,  or  ever  sent 
you  any  Letter  from  Murch,  having,  as  he  said,  always  en- 
tertained the   highest  opinion   of  me  and  my  Conduct  in 
this  Government.     But  as  I  thought  that  he  might  after- 
wards deny  he  had  ever  made  such  a  Declaration  to  me  (no 


158  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

one  besides  bein^  present  at  the  Time)  I  took  an  opportunity 
of  asking  him  about  those  Letters  before  the  Council,  when 
he  again  positively  asserted,  'that  he  was  very  clear  he  never 
sent  a  Copy  of  a  Letter  from  Murch  to  the  Commissioners.'' 
However,  his  Son  (tho"  he  has  as  bad  a  Character  as  his 
Father)  being  soon  after  examined  on  Oath  unon  the  same 
Subject,  and  not  knowing  what  his  Father  had  said,  con- 
fess'd  that  Hatton  did  transmit  to  you  a  Copy  of  a  Letter 
from  Murch,  and  that  it  was  relative  to  me  and  the  People 
of  this  Province.  A  Copy  of  the  Notes  taken  by  the  Sec- 
retary of  their  Examinations  on  this  Point,  and  concerning 
the  Place  of  the  Collector's  Residence  (which  is  said  to  be 
without  the  District  allotted  him  by  his  Commission)  I  send 
enclosed  for  your  Perusal. 

"That  this  Representation,  Gentlemen,  of  Mr  Hatton's- 
Conduct  does  not  proceed  from  any  particular  Enmity  tO' 
the  man,*  or  Inclination  to  do  him  a  Disservice,  you  must 
do  me  the  justice  to  allow  when  you  consider,  That  it  was 
not  made  'till  you  call'd  upon  me  for  it  (I  having  left  hinv 
after  giving  him  a  Copy  of  the  Governor's  and  Council's 
Opinion  for  you,  to  tell  his  own  Story  in  his  own  Way)  and 
that  I  have  not  only  shewn  him  no  Resentment  on  Account 
of  his  Letters  (tho'  I  have  long  known  of  them)  but  have 
never  yet  demanded  of  him  my  Share  of  the  Seizure  of  the 
Sloop  Speedwell  (which  he  gave  you  such  Pompous  Ac- 
counts of  it  1768,)  notwithstanding  I  am  well  inform'd  he 
has  converted  the  whole  of  it  to  his  own  Use,  not  having 
even  accounted  for  the  Share  due  to  His  Majesty. 

"I  am  with  great  Regard,  Gentlemen, 
"Yours,    &c 

"WM.  FRANKLIN." 


*  Warrants  were  issued  bv  the  Supreme  Executive  Couiv- 
cil  of  Pennsylvania  in  August,  1776,  for  the  arrest  of  the 
Hattons.  senior  and  junior,  for  "treasonable  practices,"  in 
aiding  in  the  escape  from  jail  of  Colonel  Kirkland.  The  el- 
der Hatton  was  arrested  in  New  Jersey,  taken  to  Philadel- 
phia, and  released  on  bail. 


JOHN   HA'ITOX,   THK    TORY.  159-'' 

Copy  of  a  letter  from  tlie  Inspector-General  lo  the  Com- 
missioners of  the  Customs: 

"Gentlemen, 

"By  my  Report  of  Delaware  Bay  &  River,  your  Honours 
will  Fce  the  S  tuation  of  the  District  of  Salem;  as  to  the  Col- 
lector's J):s;vjites  with  the  People;  they  are  iti  tny  ()[)inion 
of  a  'rivate  Nature,  and  arose  from  trifling^  matters.  1  can't 
fir..!  t  )at  Mr  Hatton  has  ever  disobliged  any  I'eison  there 
as  an  officer  and  therefore  lias  not  given  any  Cau'-e  for  Re- 
sentment againsr  him  on  that  Account,  on  the  Contrary  he 
indulged  them  in  a  very  great  Degree,  even  in  giving  them 
blank  Certificates  and  blank  F'ermits  to  be  fiUeil  up  b\'  them- 
selves. 

"I  send  a  number  of  those  I'ermits  and  Certificates  in- 
closed which  Your  Honors  will  see  are  filled  up  with  as  many 
different  Hands,  as  they  are  for  Persons.  What  ]-retences- 
Mr  Hatton  can  form  tliat  he  received  ill  Treatment  from 
the  People  on  Account  of  his  Zeal  for  the  Service,  Your 
Honours  wdll  best  judge.  I  am  further  to  observe  that  every 
Vessel!  which  entered  with  him  from  the  West  Indies  was 
only  in  Ballast  except  5,  from  April  1765  to  May  1766,, 
which  was  detected  by  the  Man  of  War  and  Cutters,  and 
w'hat  is  still  more  remarkable  he  never  entered  any,  but  what 
belonged  to  noted  Smugglers. — John  Relfe  is  the  Person 
who  liad  the  P(M-n)it  from  him  for  the  5  H'luls  of  foreign 
Sugar  after  they  were  seized  ]yy  the  Collector  of  tliis  Port. 

"Since  September  1767,  tliree  Vessels  entered  with  Mr. 
Hatton  from  Guadaloupe  and  one  from  Denn'iiieo,  all  in 
Ballast,  and  he  has  not  received  a  Shilling  DuUls  during 
that  Time. — Every  Smuggler  speaks  well  of  him  as  a  Col- 
lector, but  in  his  private  conduct  as  a  peevish,  fretful,  and 
not  a  very  good  natured  Person. — Though  I  do  not  think 
m\s.If  concerned  with  the  private  Character  of  any  Officer, 
yet  I  found  myself  under  tlie  necessity  of  mentioning  this 
of  Mr.  Halton  as  he  complained  of  receiving  ill  Usage  from 
the  1^  :opie  on  Account  of  exerting  himself  in  his  Duty,  that 
your  rlonours  may  the  better  see  how  far  that  was  the  case, 
and  th.o'  it  is  probable  that  he  might  have  been  ill  used  yet 


160  IIIS^rORY  OF  OAPE  MAY  CoFNTY. 

~— _V 

there  is  little  Doubt  of  its  being  owning  to  unwise  Deport- 
ment in  his  private  Station. 

He  has  lived  for  twelve  Month  past  at  Raccoon  Creek, 
and  is  now  removed  from  thence  to  Cape  May  90  miles  be- 
low Salem,  out  of  the  way  of  all  business,  so  that  it  is  nec- 
essary he  should  fix  his  Residence  in  a  proper  Part  of  the 
District. 

"By  this  Plain  State  of  Facts  I  hope  your  Honours  will 
see  all  Circumstances  concerning  Mr  Hatton  &  his  Dis- 
trict in  their  PYoper  Light. — His  situation  having  a  Family 
to  support  with  a  narrow  Income  might  account  for  some  of 
the  irregular  Appearances  in  his  Conduct  as  an  Officer. 
That  with  his  Time  of  Life  in  a  distant  Country  renders 
him  an  Object  of  Compassion,  and  therefore  I  beg  Leave 
to  recommend  him  to  your  Admonishment  as  I  presume  it 
will  come  with  more  Propriety  &  Weight  from  Your  Hon- 
ours than  me  and  wish  it  may  have  the  Efifect  of  his  living 
upon  a  better  understanding  with  the  People,  &  being 
more  Circumspect  in  the  Duties  of  his  Office. 

"I  am  with  great  Respect,  Your  Honours 
"Humble  Servant 

"J.  WILLIAMS. 

"Philadelphia  17  June  1769. 

"To  the  Honble  The  Commissioners  of  Flis  Majesty's 
Customs  at  Boston." 


Governor  Franklin  to  Earl  of  Hillsborough,  concerning 
complaint  of  John  Hatton.  &c.: 

"Burlington,  Alay  19th  1771. 
"The  Right  Honble  the  Earl  of  Hillsborough. 

My  Lord  Inclosed  I  send  your  Lordship  a  Copy  of  the 
Minutes  of  the  Privy  Council  of  this  Colony,  from  the  8ttt 
of  January  to  the  26th  of  March,  a  great  Part  of  which  is 
taken  up  with  an  Enquiry  into  a  Complaint  made  by  John 
Hatton,  Esqr  Collector  of  His  Majesty's  Customs  for  the 
Port  of  Salem,  against  some  Justices  of  the  Peace  living  at 
Cape  May.  This  Mr.  Hatton  is  the  same  Person  mentioned 
in  my  Letter  to  your  Lordship  of  the  25th  of  Augst  1768, 
N.  II,  and  in  the  Minutes  of  the  Privy  Council  sent  with 


.lOll.X    HATTOX.   'I'HIO     roliV.  161 

•'.Tny  Letter  N.  6. — The  Council,  after  a  strict  and  impartial 
Examination  of  the  Parties,  were  unanimously  of  Opinion 
.that  there  was  not  the  least  Foundation  for  his  Complaint 
.^against  the  Justices.  I  need  not  trouble  your  Lordship  with 
any  Recital  of  Particulars  here,  as  they  are  so  fully  set  forth 
'in  the  Minutes,  and  in  the  Copies  of  Sundry  Papers  sent 
■lierewith. — I  was  in  hopes  that  the  Commissioners  at  Bos- 
Ion  would  before  now  have  removed  this  man  from  his  Of- 
fice, as  they  have  had  the  strongest  Proofs  of  his  Unfaith- 
fulness in  Execution  of  it,  ever  since  June  1769,  as  your 
Lordship  will  see  by  the  enclosed  Copy  of  the  Report  of  the 
Inspector  General.  What  reasons  they  may  have  for  con- 
•tinuing  him  in  Of^ce  I  know  not,  as  they  have  not  yet 
thought  proper  to  return  any  Answer  to  my  Letter  of  the 
loth  of  April  last,  a  Copy  of  which  is  among  the  enclosed 
Papers.  , 

"I  have  the  Honour  to  be,  with  the  greatest  Respect,  My 
Lord,  Your  Lordship's  most  obedient  &  most  humble  Ser- 
-yant  WM.  FRANKLIN." 


"Some  Notes  and  Observations  made  by  the  Depu  Secre- 
.tary  of  New  Jersey,  on  the  Complaint  of  John  Hatton  Esqr 
'Collector  of  Salem,  against  three  of  the  Magistrates  of  Cape 
May,  after  the  Examination  of  the  Parties  before  the  Gov- 
■ernor  &  Council,  explaining  more  particularly  several  mat- 
ters either  omitted  or  but  slightly  ment'd  in  the  Minutes  of 
■Council  on  that  Subject." 

"There  is  very  little  of  Mr  Hatton's  Complaint,  that,  if 
true  can  affect  the  Magistrates  of  Cape  May : — the  Transac- 
tions which  he  and  his  Son  received  the  Injury,  being  en- 
tirely without  their  Jurisdiction.  It  may  be  reduced  to  the 
following  Heads. 

"i.  Their  sending  Their  Warrant  for  him  on  the  Oath 
•4>f  Hughes. 

"2.  Their  sending  their  Warrant  for  his  Negro  on  the 
:3ame  Foundation,  and  committing  him  after  Examination, 

"3.  Refusing  to  admit  the  Negro  to  Bail. 

""4.  Demanding  Surety  of  the  Peace  of  Mr  Hatton,  on  the 


162  HISIXDRY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Affidavit  of  Mills, — on  which  they  took  his  own  Recogni- 
zance. 

"5.  Demanding  the  like  Surety  from  the  Negro,  &  com- 
mitting him  to  Prison  for  want  of  Security. 

"In  all  which  Transactions  it  does  not  appear  that  he  was 
under  anv  Kind  of  Restraint  more  than  for  a  few  Hours,, 
and  that  from  absolute  necessity,  and  not  at  a  Time  when 
the  Duty  of  his  Office  required  his  Attendance.  But  eveix 
if  it  had  interfered  with  the  Revenue,  the  Cause  of  this  Re- 
straint was  of  a  higher  Nature; — for  whenever  the  Kings 
Peace  comes  in  Question  all  Civil  Matters  must  give  Way 
to  the  Enquiry.  In  the  4th  Paragraph  of  his  Complaint, 
Mr  Hatton  calls  the  Charge  against  his  Negro  a  Pretense, 
and  says  'the  Oath  of  Hughes  was  only  invented  to  distress 
him  and  his  Family.'  If  the  Oath  was  invented  Dy  the  Mag- 
istrates for  the  Purpose,  it  was  undoubtedly  highly  Crimi- 
nal in  them.  But  can  it  be  supposed  that  they  could  induce 
Hughes  to  perjure  himself  to  furnish  such  a  Design?  What 
motive  could  they  have  for  wishing  to  distress  him?  They 
were  not  interested  in  the  Goods  seized,  nor  could  he  effect 
their  Interest  by  any  Seizures— They  were  not  in  Trade,  nor 
had  they  any  Property  that  could  be  affected  by  the  Revenue 
Laws.  On  the  other  Hand  they  had  lived  on  Terms  of  good 
Neighbourhood  with  the  Collector;  The  Magistrate  who 
administered  the  Oath  to  Hughes  had,  as  he  acknowledges 
shewn  him  particular  Acts  of  Civility.  But  on  Hughes's  of- 
fering to  make  such  an  Oath,  the  Magistrates  would  have 
been  Criminal  in  Omitting  the  Enquiry. 

"The  5  Par.  charges  the  Magistrates  with  'sending  five 
Men  to  his  House  and  taking  him  out  by  Force  thro'  heavy 
Rain,  tho'  he  was  exceedingly  ill  and  dangerously  wounded.' 
The  Magistrates,  to  make  it  as  easy  as  possible  to  Mr  Hat- 
ton,  convened  at  the  House  of  his  nearest  Neighbour,  at  a 
considerable  Distance  from  their  own  Houses,  and  did 
not  order  Force  to  be  used  until  they  found  other  measures 
ineffectual ;  and  it  was  proved  to  them  by  the  Man  at  Whose 
House  they  were,  that  he  had  been  riding  about  with  him 
most  of  the  Day  in  the  same  kind  of  Weather  and  the  Con- 
stable (by  whom  they  had  received  a  Message  from  Mr 


JOHN   IIATTOX.   THE     lOltV.  163 

Hatton  rather  clisrespectfull)  reported  to  them  that  lie  was 
not  so  ill  as  to  be  in  any  Danger  from  coming  out. 

"The  Arrogance  and  Rudeness  with  which  he  charges 
the  Magistrates,  was  no  more  than  the  Language  they 
thought  it  necessary  to  use  to  restrain  him  from  insulting- 
them  in  the  Duty  of  their  OfBce  when  he  appeared  before 
them,  charged  on  Oath  as  a  Criminal.  The  £500  Security 
he  offered  for  his  Negro  was  no  other  than  his  own  Recog- 
nizance in  that  Sum,  which  they  did  not  think  a  sufficient. 
Security;  nor  did  they  think  the  Xegro  Bailable  had  the 
Security  been  ever  so  good.  Tlie  Secretary's  Letter  con- 
tained no  more  than  his  Advice  to  admit  the  Negro  to  Bail 
if  they  should  think  it  Legal  so  to  do  from  the  Circum- 
stances of  his  Case,  of  which  they  were  then  the  sole  judges.. 

"The  Justice's  had  seen  the  Governor's  Proclamation 
before,  and  did  not  think  it  necessary  to  read  it  in  the  pres- 
ence of  Mr.  Hatton.  especially  as  it  did  not  relate  to  what 
was  then  required  of  them. 

"Par.  6.  Hughes,  in  the  mean  Time,  had  procured  a  Writ 
of  Habeas  Corpus,  and  was  admitted  to  Bail  by  the  Hon! 
Charles  Read  Esqr  one  of  the  Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court, 
and  Collector  of  His  Majesty's  Customs  for  the  Port  of 
Burlington,  by  which  he  was  entitled  to  his  Liberty.  But 
the  Justices  of  Cape  May  did  not  think  they  had  Power  to 
admit  him  to  Bail,  tho'  he  was  committed  for  a  Crime  of  a: 
less  Nature  than  the  Negro  stood  charged  with. 

"Par.  7.  By  the  Complaint  in  this  Paragraph,  one  would 
imagine  Mills  was  one  of  the  Persons  pointed  out  in  the 
Proclamation  as  being  concerned  in  the  Rescue  of  the  Pilot 
Boat.  But  the  fact  is  otherwise.  Mills  is  not  mentioned 
in  the  Proclamation  in  the  Light  of  a  Criminal ;  nor  w'as  he 
at  all  concerned  in  the  Affray.  Mr  Hatton  did  influence  the 
Printer  to  insert,  under  the  Proclamation,  an  Advertisement, 
signed  by  himself,  offering  a  reward  for  apprehending 
Mills;  but  he  seems  not  to  have  been  very  desirous  of  hav- 
ing him  taken  up,  as  he  declined  making  any  Affidavit  be- 
for  the  Justices  which  they  thought  would  be  a  proper 
Ground  for  issuing  a  Precept  against  him. 

"Par.  8  &  9.  These  Warrants  against  Mr  Hatton  &  his 
Negro,  were  grounded  on  Mills's  Afifidavit.  and  his  demand- 


164  IIIJ^TORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

ing  Surety  of  the  Peace  against  them.  From  his  going  vol- 
untarily before  the  Justices  to  make  this  Affidavit,  it  should 
seem  that  he  did  not  fly  from  Justice,  and  that  he  had  at 
least  as  much  Reason  to  be  affraid  from  the  Threats  of  Mr 
Hatton,  as  the  latter  could  have  from  his  menaces.  Mr 
Hatton  insinuates  that  he  wore  Pistols  in  his  Pocket,  and 
he  charges  Mills  with  carrying  a  Club,  they  had  quarrelled, 
and  probably  mutual  Threats  had  passed.  On  Binding 
both  Parties  to  their  good  Behaviour,  the  Judges  Obliged 
Mills  to  find  a  Bondsman,  but  from  Mr.  Hatton  they  took 
no  other  Security  than  his  own  Recognizance,  which,  if  it 
can  be  called  Partiality  at  all,  was  in  his  Favour;  tho'  by  the 
Words  of  his  Complaint,  a  Stranger  to  the  Fact  would  im- 
agine they  obliged  him  to  procure  a  Bondsman. 

"Par.  12  &  15.  The  Threats  of  Destruction  to  any  who 
should  give  Mr  Hatton  any  Assistance,  appear  nowhere  but 
in  the  Complaint;  the  Magistrates  deny  any  knowledge  of 
it.  And,  indeed,  all  his  Fears  and  Injury  to  his  Person  and 
Property  appear  to  be  chimerical  and  without  Foundation. 
His  Informations  have  chiefly  come  by  his  own  Servants 
whom  he  sent  out  as  Spies  for  that  Purpose;  and  some  of 
the  People,  knowing  their  Design,  have  dropped  Expres- 
sions on  purpose  to  furnish  them  with  a  Tale,  that  they 
might  have  an  Opportunity  to  laugh  at  the  Effects  of  his 
suspicious  Disposition.  Par.  13  &  14,  are  fully  answered  in 
the  Minutes  of  Council. 

"The  Complaint  of  the  26th  Jan.  begins  with  an  impu- 
dent Falsehood.  No  such  Promise  was  ever  made  to  him; 
on  the  Contrary  the  Governor  repeatedly  told  him  that  he 
could  not,  consistent  with  the  Royal  Insctructions,  deprive 
a  Justice  of  his  Ofiice,  but  with  the  Advice  of  the  Council, 
which  could  not  be  expected  'till  after  a  Hearing.  His  com- 
plaint against  the  Magistrates,  after  his  Answering  a  few 
Questions  in  Explanation  of  some  Parts  of  it,  afforded  but 
a  slender  Foundation  for  calling  upon  them  to  answer  it, 
much  less  to  suspend  them  without  a  Hearing. 

"He  charges  one  of  the  Justices  with  pursuing  the  Con- 
stable, to  know  what  Witnesses  he  had  summoned,  and 
tampering  with  such  as  he  could  influence — The  Fact  ap- 
pears thus,  1 


JOHN    llA'I'TOX,    THK    lOUV.  165 

"Justice  Whilclen  happened  to  meet  the  Constable  at  the 
House  of  one  of  the  Witnesses  sent  for  Mr  Hatton,  but  did 
not  know  the  Constalile's  Errand  there,  nor  speak  to  the 
Witness  on  the  Subject;  nor  did  he  ever,  as  he  declared  on 
Oath,  signify  the  least  Desire  that  any  Person  should  de- 
cline testifying  the  whole  Truth  in  Behalf  of  Mr  Hatton. 
The  Collector  had  sent  his  Negro  to  dog  the  Justice,  who 
seeing  him  go  into  this  House  where  the  Constable  was,  and 
continue  there  for  some  Time,  returned  and  told  his  Master 
of  it — and  his  Imagination  supplied  the  Rest. 

"Mr  Hatton  says  he  was  more  likely  to  be  insulted  than 
to  obtain  Justice,  when  he  had  his  Witnesses  before  the  Jus- 
tices to  be  sworn,  and  refers  to  a  Certificate  of  the  two  Jus- 
tices as  a  Proof  of  it. — This  Certificate  amounts  to  no  more 
than  this.  That  two  Persons  brought  before  the  Justices  re- 
fused to  swear  (which  they  had  a  Right  to  do)  and  that  Mr 
Hatton's  Son  having  written  something  for  one  of  them  to 
swear  to.  the  man  put  the  Paper  in  his  Pocket  and  refused 
to  return  it. 

"It  must  be  observed  that  Mr  Hatton  procured  the  Depo- 
sitions of  twelve  other  Persons  respecting  the  same  Transac- 
tions; and  it  is  remarkable  that  these  Depositions  are  all 
drawn  up  in  the  Hand  Writing  of  Mr  Hatton  &  his  Son, 
and  in  such  Parts  of  them  as  relate  to  the  Conduct  of  the 
Justices,  particular  W^ords  and  Expressions  are  selected, 
which,  standing  by  themselves,  may  sometimes  appear  to 
have  a  meaning  totally  different  from  the  real  sense  of  them 
when  connected  with  what  was  said  before  and  after  them. 

"Mr  Hatton  concludes  his  Address  in  Language  that 
would  excite  Compassion  in  the  Breast  of  a  Savage — if  the 
Facts  asserted  in  it  were  true. 

"  M  have  left  my  Wife  at  the  Point  of  Death  thro'  Fright, 
my  only  Child  wounded  and  a  cripple,  And  my  Servants 
trembling  thro'  Fear;  and  I  obliged  to  quit  my  Family  and 
Office  and  to  travel  thro'  snowy  Desarts,  all  by  reason  of 
the  Power  and  Actions  of  James  Whilden,  Thomas  Leam- 
ing  &  John  Leonard  Esquires.' 

"From  all  that  has  appeared  concerning  this  matter,  so 
far  as  I  have  been  able  to  discover,  he  might  with  as  much 
Truth,  have  inserted  the  Names  of  the  Commissioners  of 


166  HISTORY  OF  CAFE  MAY  COFM'Y. 

the  Customs,  or  the  Directors  of  the  East  India  Company, 
as  the  Justices  of  Cape  May.  For  except  that  he  was  twice 
sent  for  by  the  Ma2:istrates  on  Criminal  Accusations,  which 
took  up  but  a  vt  ry  few  Hours  of  his  Time,  he  seems  to  have 
been  as  mucli  at  Liberty,  and  as  free  from  Obstructions 
from  the  Magistrates  and  all  other  Persons  within  their  Jur- 
isdiction as  any  man  in  the  Country. 

"In  his  Remonstrance  of  the  20th  of  February  he  charges 
*  the  greatest  Part  of  the  People  of  the  County'  with  being 
^Smugglers,  boasting  the  Sweets  of  an  illicit  Trade,  and  de- 
pending on  the  Magistrates  for  Support  in  their  Yillany.' 

"Air.  Flatton  has  resided  among  them  for  some  years 
past  and  been  particularly  intimate  with  them,  in  all  which 
Time  he  has  made  no  Complaint  of  an  illicit  Trade  being 
carried  on  amongst  them,  nor  has  he  now  pointed  out  any 
Instance  of  Smuggling,  or  shewed  any  Circumstances  to  in- 
duce a  Belief  that  there  has  been  any  of  that  Business  car- 
ried on  by  the  People  nf  Capc-jNIay.  The  Bulk  of  the  Peo- 
ple and  all  the  magistrates  of  whom  he  has  complained,  are 
Farmers,  unacquainted  with  Trade  and  accustomed  to  a  re- 
tired and  peaceful  Life.  That  there  may  have  been  Smug- 
gling carried  on  from  on  board  the  Ship  he  mentions,  is 
very  probable;  and  it  is  beyond  a  Doubt  that  Mr.  Hatton 
and  his  Son  were  much  beat  and  wounded  on  board  the 
Pilot  Boat  by  Seamen  belonging  to  the  Ship — but  it  is  not 
■even  alleged  that  the  Magistrates  of  Cape  May  were  privy 
to  it,  or  gave  any  Contenance  to  the  Perpetrators  of  it. 
Hughes,  the  only  Person,  except  the  Sailors,  who  was  in 
the  Affray,  was  taken  up  by  the  Magistrates  and  committed 
to  Prison  as  soon  as  he  came  on  Shore;  and.  notwithstand- 
ing the  Violence  of  Mr.  Hatton's  Accusation,  the  Magis- 
trate before  whom  he  was  examined,  alleges  that  Hatton 
and  his  Son  acknowledged,  on  their  first  coming  on  Shore, 
that  they  had  intreated  Hughes,  during  the  AfYray,  to  mod- 
erate the  Fury  of  the  Sailors  &  to  save  their  Lives,  and 
that  Hughes  had  interposed  in  their  Behalf.  The  Truth  I 
believe  is,  that  Mr.  Hatton  being  disappointed  of  the  Prize 
he  had  taken,  was  determined  to  turn  his  Wounds  to  some 
Account  another  Way.  He  seems  to  have  had  it  in  View, 
from  the  Beginning  of  his  Quarrel,  to  provoke  the  Magis- 


JOIIX   IIATTDX.  THE   TOlli'.  167 

trates  into  Acts  of  Indiscretion,  tliat  might  wear  the  appear- 
ance of  Persecution;  and  stories  to  ground  all  their  Trans- 
actions against  him,  on  a  Settled  Dislike  to  his  Oflfice,  as 
one  that  the  I'eople  wish  to  be  entirely  rid  of.  He  wants 
to  induce  a  Belief  in  his  Superiors  that  he  is  persecuted  for 
a  strict  Adherence  to  his  Duty,  which  he  doubts  not  will 
procure  him  Preferment. 

"It  is  not  the  Office  but  the  Officer  that  is  unpopular  in 
the  Province.  He  ascribes  to  himself  the  Attributes  of 
Majesty,  and  considers  himself  as  out  of  the  Reach  of  the 
Laws — that  his  Person  and  his  Servants  are  sacred,  and  not 
to  be  called  to  account  for  even  the  most  attrocious  crimes; 
— that  his  very  Potatoes  are  to  be  treated  with  so  much  Re- 
spect, that  a  Servant  employed  in  gathering  them,  must  not 
be  arrested  tho'  charged  on  Oath  with  a  Design  against 
the  Life  of  a  Subject!  It  is  by  no  means  strange  that  a 
Mind  under  the  Influence  of  such  Ideas  should,  on  the  other 
Hand  consider  the  People  of  the  Country  as  in  a  State  of 
Rebellion,  disregarding  all  Laws  but  such  as  they  can  ex- 
ercise to  the  Oppression  of  his  Majesty's  Officers,  and 
carrying  on  an  illicit  Trade  in  open  Defiance  of  them,  and 
that  he  should  ascribe  to  the  magistrates  against  whom  he 
complains,  an  unbounded  Influence  over  the  Bulk  of  the 
People,  and  a  more  Arbitrary  Exercise  of  Power  than  the 
Bashaws  of  Turke^'  could  arrive  at. 


Some  Notes  taken  by  the  Dept.  Secretary  on  the  Examina- 
tion of  John  Hatton,  Esqr  before  the  Governor  &  Coun- 
cil, Febr.  23,  177 1. 

"John  Hatton  Esqr  being  examined  by  the  Governor  in 
Council  says: 

"That  he  resides  in  Cold  Spring  in  the  Coimtv  of  Cape 
May  50,  or  60  miles  or  more  from  Salem, — that  he  does  not 
know  how  far  it  is  from  Cohansie, — does  not  know  where 
Cohansie  is, — believes  it  is  in  Cumberland  County — it  is  not 
in  Cape  May.  Does  not  know  any  Place  called  Cohansie, 
but  knows  a  Creek  or  River  of  that  Name. 

"Saw  Inspector  Williams,  who  was  down  at  Cape  May 
twice;  saw  him  there  but  once  being  from  Home  the  other 


168  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Time  he  came  down.  Mr.  Williams  borrowed  Hatton's  • 
Book  of  Letters  and  returned  it  to  him.  Know  a  Person- 
of  the  name  of  Murch  who  is  a  Gentleman, — believes  he  was 
a  Merchant, — was  acquainted  with  him, — received  several- 
Letters  from  him,  but  never  sent  any  que  of  his  Letters  to 
the  Commissioners.  Does  not  recollect  receiving  any  re- 
markable Letter  from  Murch  characterizing  the  People  of 
this  Province.  Does  not  know  that  he,  Murch,  was  ever 
taken  up  by  a  Magistrate  or  committed  to  Prison.  Since 
Murch  w^ent  to  England  has  reed  a  Letter  from  him  (last 
Fall  or  Summer)  requesting  he  would  procure  him  a  Cer- 
tificate of  the  safe  landing  of  some  Tea  he  had  to  Philadel- 
phia consigned  to  one  Mr.  Boyd  to  sell.  Is  very  clear  he 
never  sent  a  Copy  of  a  Letter  from  Murch.  to  the  Com- 
missioners." 


Some  Notes  taken  by  the  Depy.  Secretary  on  the  Examina- 
tion of  John  Hatton  junr  Febr  23d  1771. 

"John  Hatton  junr  examined  by  the  Governor  &  Coun- 
cil, on  Oath  says : 

"His  Father  resides  at  Cold  Spring  in  the  County  of  Cape.- 
May, — knows  Salem, — has  been  there,  but  does  not  know 
the  Distance  they  are  apart, — never  travelled  that  Road, — 
it  is  above  5  miles, — not  100, — nor  80, — has  heard  it  is  about 
60,  or  70  Miles.  Remembers  Mr  Murch,  an  Englishman^, 
Christian  Name  John  he  thinks, — does  not  know  his  Occu- 
pation,— heard  he  intended  to  purchase  Lands,  but  that  he- 
did  not  purchase  any, — has  seen  him  at  his  Father's  House,,, 
— Mr.  Murch  wrote  several  Letters  to  his  Father,  one  of 
which  he  remembers  characterises  the  People,  but  does  not 
remember  what  Character  it  gave, — believes  he  may  have 
copied  this  Letter — (Objects  to  answering  such  questions, 
as  reveal  his  Father's  Secrets)  Afterwards  says,  his  Father 
did  transmit  a  Copy  of  the  Letter  to  the  Commissioners; 
this  Letter  declared  Murch  did  not  choose  to  purchase 
Lands  in  such  a  Country.  Remembers  there  was  some- 
thing about  the  Governor  in  it, — is  certain  it  was  wrote  by 
Murch, — does  not  know  how  the  Letter  came  to  the  House, , 
but  saw  it  after  it  came. 


JOHN  IIATTON,  THE  TORY.  169^ 

"Never  was  at  Cohansie, — does  not  know  how  far  it  is 
from  his  Father's  House." 


Copy  of  a  Letter  from  the  Commissioners  of  the  Customs,. 
to  Governor  Franivlin. 

"His  Excellency  Governor  FrankHn, 

"Sir:  Mr.  Hatton  Collector  of  Salem  &  Cohensy  having- 
represented  to  us  that  in  the  month  of  November  last  a  large 
Ship  called  the  Prince  of  Wales,  Captain  Crawford,  arrived 
in  Delaware  Bay  either  from  London  or  Liverpool  which 
Ship  was  met  by  Several  Pilot  Boats  (and  as  he  had  been 
informed)  were  employed  to  receive  sundry  Contraband 
Goods  from  on  board  said  Vessel,  that  he  attempted  to  go 
on  board  of  her,  but  that  they  manned  their  Sides  with  Guns 
&c  and  threatened  to  Murder  him,  that  he  had  made  Seiz- 
ures of  one  of  the  Pilot  Boats,  having  some  of  those  Goods 
on  board,  which  was  afterwards  rescued  out  of  his  Hands 
by  a  number  of  Persons  in  a  Barge  belonging  to  the  Ship, 
upon  which  occasion,  he,  his  Son  and  a  Negro  Servant, 
were  treated  in  a  most  barbarous  manner,  greatly  wounded 
and  with  great  difficulty  got  on  Shore.  That  his  Son  was,, 
afterwards  met  by  a  number  of  Sailors  in  Philadelphia, 
tarr'd  and  feathered,  put  in  the  Pillory,  dragged  by  a  Rope 
through  the  \\"ater,  and  left  in  such  a  Condition  that  his  life 
was  despaired  of — We  thought  it  necessary  to  transmit 
Copies  of  the  several  Papers,  laid  before  us,  for  the  informa- 
tion of  the  Lords  Commissioners  of  His  Majesty's  Treas- 
ury. We  have  since  received  further  Accounts  from  Mr. 
Hatton  complaining  of  the  Conduct  of  the  Magistrates,  & 
of  Distresses  &  Embarrassments  which  have  appeared  to- 
ns to  be  most  extraordinary  and  in  some  Instances  improb- 
able, but  as  he  informs  us  that  your  Excellency  has  issued' 
your  Proclamation  and  that  the  matter  was  to  be  heard  be- 
fore your  Excellenc}-  and  your  Council  on  the  21st  of  Feb- 
ruary, We  should  be  glad  you  would  be  pleased  to  acquaint 
us  with  the  Result  of  this  Enquiry,  that  we  may  be  able  to- 
form  a  true  Judgment  of  the  Conduct  of  our  Officer. — 


170  inSTUKY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

"We  are  with  great  Regard  Sir  Your  Excellency's  Most 
Obedient  Humble  Servants, 

HEN.  HULTON, 
WM.  BURCH, 
BENJ.  HATTOWELL. 
Custom  House  Boston  26th  March  1771. 

Hatton,  it  will  be  noted  by  a  careful  perusal  of  the  fore- 
going correspondence,  was  a  man  whose  word  seemed  to 
be  doubted.  It  is  said  of  him  that  all  through  the  Revolu- 
tion he  made  himself  particularly  offensive,  and  was  a  Tory 
of  the  strictest  kind.  He  was  probably  the  only  pronounced 
one  in  Cape  May  coimty.  He  lived  on  his  plantation  at 
Cold  Spring,  which  was  owned  by  the  late  Daniel  B. 
Hughes,  and  this  property  was  the  only  Tory's  property 
confiscated  in  the  county,  of  which  notice  is  made  further 
on  in  this  history.  Were  it  not  for  the  leniency  of  the 
neighborhood,  Hatton  would  have  had  more  of  a  rough  ex- 
perience during  the  Revolution  than  he  did. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 
I'KKi'AitA'rioxs  von  war. 

On  April  29,  1771.  the  following  military  commissions 
"Were  issued  for  Cape  May  county: 

Thomas  Hand,  Colonel;  John  Mackey,  Lieutenant-Col- 
'Onel;  Joseph  Savage.  Major;  Downs  Edmunds,  Adjutant. 

P'or  the  Lower  Precinct:  Silas  Swain,  Captain;  Seth  W'hil- 
den,  Lieutenant;  Levi  Eldridge,  Ensign. 

For  the  Middle  Precinct;  Jacob  Hand,  Captain;  Philip 
'Cressey,  Lieutenant;  Jonathan  Jenkins,  Ensign. 

For  the  Copper  Precinct:  Nicholas  Stillwell,  Cap'tain; 
"Enoch  Stillwell,  Lieutenant;  Joseph  Edwards,  Ensign. 

On  November  7,  1770,  Eli  Eldredge  was  commissioned 
.Sheriff  of  the  county,  and  he  served  from  1771  to  1774.  Eli 
Eldredge  was  born  about  1730,  and  was  the  son  of  Samuel 
Eldredge.  In  the  Revolutionary  War  he  was  First  Major 
of  Militia  from  August,  1775.  to  June,  1776.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Legislature  from  1773  to  1779,  and  was 
Clerk  of  Cape  May  county  from  1779  to  1802. 

On  December  21,  1771,  the  following  were  chosen  the 
"Commissioners  of  the  Peace"  for  the  county:  William 
Smith,  Thomas  Leaming,  James  Whilden,  Joseph  Corson, 
Jacob  Hand,  Daniel  Swain,  Henry  Hand,  Reuben  Ludlam, 
James  Godfrey,  John  Mackey.  Joseph  Savage. 

This  letter  of  Aaron  Leaming,  wdio  was  about  attending 
the  Assembly  at  New  Brunswick,  which  he  had  written  to 
his  constituents,  is  interesting,  but  when  perusing  it  the 
reader  should  use  his  imagination  in  recalling  expectant 
■events  at  home: 

"To  the  Freeholders  of  the  County  of  Cape  May: 
"Gentlemen: — 
"Whereas  there  is  a  great  Probability  of  a  war.  and  the 
Icing  having  ordered  an  augmentation  of  his  Forces;  and 


172  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Inlisting  Officers  are  soon  expected  to  Raise  recruits  in  this-, 
province  as  appears  by  the  Governor's  Proclamation  I  have- 
lately  received;  and  the  ships  of  war  having  received  orders- 
to  Rendevouze  at  Jamaica;  and  the  militia  of  this  Province- 
are  to  be  properly  Regimented;  and  the  Assembly  being  to* 
meet  the  17th  Instant: 

"From  all  these  Indications  I  expect  that  an  Expedition 
is  to  be  carried  on  against  some  of  the  Spanish  Settlements 
in  the  West  Indies;  and  that  the  Governor  will  demand  men 
and  money  from  this  Colony.  As  in  such  case  I  shall  be 
greatly  at  a  Loss  to  know  what  part  to  act;  I  desire  my  con- 
stituents, or  so  many  of  them  as  can  spare  the  tirne  to  meet 
at  the  court  house  the  13th  instant  at  12  of  the  clock,  pre- 
pared to  give  me  their  advice  whether  I  am  to  vote  for  the 
raising  either  men  or  money. 

"As  from  the  present  circumstances  between  Britain  and 
America,  this  is  a  matter  of  very  great  importance,  which 
I  shall  endeavor  to  explain  at  this  time.  I  hope  the  Gentle- 
men of  this  county  will  not  think  the  meeting  improper. 

"Their  compliance  will  greatly  oblige  themselves  and  also^ 
their  most  obedient,  Faithful  Servant, 

"April  4,  1771."  AARON  LEAMING." 

In  1772  a  change  was  made  in  the  apportionment  of  As- 
semblymen, but  Cape  May's  number  of  representatives  was 
not  changed  from  two,  which  it  had  had  for  about  thirty 
years. 

On  July  I,  1772,  a  census  was  taken  for  the  year  ending 
at  that  date,  in  which  the  development  of  Cape  May  county 
was  truthfully  portrayed.  The  number  of  dwelling  houses 
was  275,  while  there  were  1648  people  living  in  the  county, 
divided  into  the  following  classes:  Males  under  sixteen,  468; 
males  between  sixteen  and  fifty,  374;  males  from  fifty  to 
eighty,  42;  males  over  eighty,  2;  total  males,  886.  Females, 
under  sixteen,  384;  females  sixteen  to  fifty,  339;  females  fifty 
to  eighty,  37;  females  eighty  and  over,  2;  total  females,  762. 
During  the  year  there  had  been  eleven  marriages  and  eigh- 
teen deaths. 

A  majority  of  these  dwellings  were  owned  by  their  occu- 
pants, and  were  of  that  nature  peculiar  to  those  good,  oldl 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  WAR.  173 

times  of  which  we  dehght  to  read.     The  farm  house  was  a 
story  and  a  half  structure,  with  seahng  boards  on  the  sides 
of  the  rooms  and  on  the  ceihngs,  which  served  the  purpose 
for  which  plaster  is  used  to-day.     The  floor,  if  the  owners 
were  exceedingly  wealthy,  had  rag  carpet  on  the  floor;  and, 
if  not,  sand  of  the  white,  clean  kind,  which  is  found  on  Cape 
May's  superb  beach  was  the    principal    covering.     Others 
had  nothing  on  at  all,  and  the  tidy  housewife  kept  her  pine 
floor  boards  shining  as  the  result  of  her  daily  diligent  scrub- 
bing    There  were  no  stoves,  and  coal  was  not  then  known. 
The  big  open  fireplace  served  the  purpose,  and  the  wood 
pile  was  made  large  in  the  fall,  and  during  the  cold  weather 
when  httle  else  could  be  done,  the  sturdy  farmer  chopped 
his  wood  and  heightened  his  "pile"  for  spring  and  summer 
use.     Ihe  old-fashioned  tallow  candles  served  the  lighting 
for  evening  when  necessary,  but  these  were  only  used  when 
extraordinary  occasion  required  it.  The  glowing  pine  knots 
and  big  chunks  of  oak  wood  in  the  fireplace  gave  most  of 
the  light  for  the  evening.     Because  the  people  at  that  day 
were    early  to  bed  and  early  to  rise."     Candle  light  in  the 
morning  gave  the  illumination  for  breakfast,  and  before  sun- 
rise It  was  over,  and  the  master  with   his   slaves,   for  there 
w-ere  some  in  Cape  May  county,  and  the  "hired  man"  were 
olT  to  the  fields  to  do  their  day's  work.     The  people  worked 
hard  the  SIX  days  of  the  week  allotted  for  the  purpose,  but 
on  the  babbath  they  were  devoted  to  their  religion      The 
spirit  which  prevailed  in  New  England  prevailed  to  a  great 
degree  in  Cape  May.     The  sturdy  Presbyterian,  the  hardy 
±5aptist  and  the  spirit-moving  Quakers  were  the  only  de- 
nominations which  had  constituents  here  at  the  time 

Their  principal  holidays  and  sport  days  were  court  davs 
during  which  time  the  games  of  quoits,  running,  jumping! 
hurdling  and  of  like  nature  were  the  leading  diversions. 
I  here  was  always  feasting  on  these  occasions.  At  the  same 
time  public  matters  were  discussed  and  all  the  prominent 
men  of  the  county  knew  each  other,  by  their  regular  attend- 
ance upon  the  court  sessions. 

The  manner  of  conducting  public  meetings  and  elec- 
tions of  those  days  is  interesting,  from  the  fact  that  all  who 
favored  one  candidate  walked  to  one  side  of  the  room,  while 


174  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  :MAY  COUNTY. 

those  opposed  took  the  opposite  side.  Then  the  persons-- 
were  counted  for  the  result.  In  the  same  manner  public 
questions  were  decided,  and  nearly  every  meeting  and  elec- 
tion were  conducted  on  these  lines.  The  ballot  was  seldom- 
resorted  to,  and  so  fair  were  elections  and  the  people  trusted 
their  neighbors  so  thoroughly  that  at  times  a  very  few  voted.. 
At  one  time  only  eight  votes  are  recorded  for  members  of 
the  Legislature  in  the  county,  while  it  was  known  to  con- 
tain nearly  three  hundred  who  had  a  right  to  the  elective 
franchise. 

Reading  matter  in  Cape  May  was  scarce  at  this  time,  and. 
while  but  hardly  a  dozen,  if  that  man}-,  newspapers  of  Phila- 
delphia came  to  Cape  May,  it  was  marvelous.  There  were- 
some  magazine  readers  in  the  county,  but  the  number  was- 
confined  to  about  a  half  dozen  persons.  Aaron  Leaming 
was  agent  for  a  magazine  at  the  time,  and  he  had,  as  his  ac- 
counts show,  collected  subscriptions  from  five  persons. 
Most  of  the  knowledge  obtained,  therefore,  was  from  the 
word  of  the  neighbor. 

The  sons  usually  followed  in  the  footsteps  of  their  fathers,, 
adopting  the  same  trade,  while  the  daughters  went  out  to 
service,  and  were  not  looked  down  upon  as  now  for  so- 
doing". 

There  were  no  matches  in  those  days,  and  the  flint  was 
struck  to  make  the  sparks  from  which  the  fire  was  started.. 
The  dishes  were  pewter,  and  glassware  was  indeed  scarce. 
The  men's  clothing  was  a  pair  of  leather  I)reeches,  a  checked 
shirt,  a  flannel  jacket,  and  a  hat  with  its  brim  cocked  up 
into  three  corners.  The  women  spun  their  yarn,  and  wove 
their  dress  goods.  Their  life,  while  primitive,  was  as  happy 
as  the  people  of  to-da}',  and  while  they  had  not  the  advan- 
tages, they  knew  not  of  them,  and  were  not  compelled  to 
worry  as  to  how  thy  might  secure  them. 

On  March  18.  1773.  William  Smith.  Nathaniel  Foster,. 
Thomas  Leaming,  James  W'liilden,  John  Townsend,  John 
Leonard,  Joseph  Corson,  Jacob  Hand,  Daniel  Swain, 
Henry  Hand,  Reuben  Ludlam,  Joseph  Godfrey.  John 
]\Iackey,  Joseph  Savage  were  made  Justices  of  the  Court  of 
Oyer  and  Terminer  for  the  county. 

In  1774  the  county  jail,  which  had  been  built  ten  years- 


TKE  PA  RATIONS   FOR  WAR.  175' 

previous,  was  consumed  by  fire,  and  the  Freeholders  were 
authorized  by  the  Assembly  to  rebuild  the  same,  on  or  near 
the  former  site.  The  court  house  was  also  rebuilt  at  this 
time.  An  act  was  also  passed  to  "suspend  the  i)rosecution 
of  the  County  Collector  of  Cape  May  for  a  limited  Time." 
What  lie  had  been  dointj  is  not  known,  but  evidently  the 
Legislature  was  not  satisfied  with  him,  and  were  trying  to 
reprimand  him.  without  convicting  him  of  crime. 

Tiiis  year  a  new  oyster  law  was  passed  to  prohibit  the 
taking"  of  oysters  from  the  beds  from  April  lo  to  Sc])t ember 
I.  Closely  following  this,  on  February  Ji.  1775,  the  last 
oyster  act  of  the  New  Jersey  Assembly,  as  the  rulers  over  a 
colony  of  Great  Britain,  was  passed.  Under  it  no  one  was 
to  take  oysters  from  May  1  to  September  i.  ]-'oity  shill- 
ings was  the  forfeit,  recoverable  by  action  for  debt,  of  v/hich 
26  shillings  and  8  pence  were  to  go  to  the  informer.  Burn- 
ing the  shells  for  lime  was  an  offence,  for  which  there  was 
a  penalty  of  three  pounds.  The  last  whaling  record  before 
the  Revolution  was  the  leasing  by  Aaron  Teaming  of  Seven- 
Mile  Beach  on  I-'ebruary  28,  1775,  to  whalemen  for  thirty 
days. 

The  British  Government,  being  unable  to  obtain  any 
revenue  from  duties  on  the  tea  shipped  to  y'Xmerica,  in  1773 
resolved  to  accomplish  by  policy  what  was  found  to  be  im- 
practicable from  restraint.  It  effected  an  arrangement  with 
the  Fast  India  Company,  whose  warehouses  were  over- 
stocked with  that  article  for  want  of  a  maikct,  1})  which 
shipments  of  tea  could  be  sold  to  the  colonists  at  prices 
with  the  duties  less  than  had  been  charged  before  duties 
were  imposed.  The  colonists  adhered  to  their  principles, 
and  would  take  the  tea  at  no  price.  Ship  loads  were  sent 
to  Boston,  New  York.  Philadelphia  and  Charleston.  From 
New  York  and  Philadelphia  it  was  shipped  back.  In  the 
port  of  Boston  the  tea  was  thrown  overboard  by  the  colo- 
nists disguised  as  Indians,  and  the  news  of  this  action  spread 
through  the  colonies  and  caused  a  great  deal  of  argument. 
A?  was  natural,  there  were  some  Tories  in  every  jjrovince, 
and  tliere  were  some  in  Cape  May  as  well  as  anywhere 
else.  Parliament  closed  the  port  of  Boston  on  June  i,  1774. 
On  tile  same  day  people  assembled  in  all  the  colonies  to  pro- 


17tj  HISTORY  or'  CArE  MAY  COUM'Y. 

test  against  the  action  of  Parliament.  On  the  approach  of 
the  tea  ships  to  Philadelphia,  the  pilots  who  lived  at  Cape 
May,  and  operated  on  the  Delaware,  were  warned  not  to 
conduct  them  into  harbor.  The  Cape  May  pilots  needed 
only  a  small  excuse  for  refusing,  and  they  let  these  mer- 
chantmen find  their  own  way  up  the  river.  The  Commit- 
tee of  Safety  of  Pennsylvania  on  October  i6,  1775,  paid 
Michael  Dawson  £9  for  carrying  like  instructions  to  the 
Cape  May  pilots. 

The  necessity  of  a  general  Congress  was  now  perceived 
throughout  the  colonies.  On  the  4th  of  September  dele- 
gates from  eleven  colonies  met  in  Philadelphia  and  organ- 
ized into  a  Congress.  They  sent  a  petition  of  grievance  to 
the  colony  agents  in  London  to  present  to  Parliament  and 
the  King.  In  the  meantime  British  troops  were  arriving 
in  America,  mostly  at  Boston,  Toward  the  close  of  the 
year  news  arrived  of  a  proclamation  of  the  King  prohibiting 
the  exportation  of  arms  to  America.  Several  of  the  colo- 
nies then  began  to  prepare  for  their  own  defense  by  gather- 
ing up  what  cannon  and  ammunition  they  could  get.  Ben- 
jamin Franklin,  who  was  Deputy  Postmaster-General  for 
America,  was  dismissed  by  Parliament  for  his  sympathy 
with  the  colonists.  His  son,  William  Franklin,  Governor 
of  New  Jersey,  however,  was  a  devout  Royalist,  and  kept 
the  New  Jersey  residents  and  Legislators  in  a  quarrel  with 
him  the  balance  of  his  official  life.  In  this  State  the  Assem- 
bly appointed  a  committee  of  correspondence,  which  met 
in  New  Brunswick  on  May  2,  1775,  and  called  a  second 
provisional  convention  to  meet  at  Trenton  on  the  23d  of 
the  same  month.  The  British  Government  continued  its 
coercive  measures,  and  acts  restricting  trade  with  all  the 
colonies  were  passed  by  Parliament, 

On  the  nth  of  January,  177*=;.  the  New  Jersey  General 
Assembly  met  at  Perth  Amboy,  and  was  attended  by  Jona- 
than Hand  and  Eli  Eldredge  as  the  members  from  Cape 
May,  They  voted  for  the  presentation  to  the  King  of  a 
communication  stating  grievances  in  which  New  Jersey  was 
particularly  interested.  The  Assembly  met  at  Burlington 
on  May  15th,  and  both  the  Cape  May  members  were  pres- 
ent.    They  voted  with  a  bare  majority  of  the  members  to 


PREPARATIOXS   F(JK    WAK. 


177 


Teduce  the  salaries  of  the  State  officers,  who  were  adherents 
of  the  King.  New  Jersey  became  a  foremost  State  in  re- 
sisting the  organization  of  British  tyranny.  The  second 
Provisional  Congress  met  at  Trenton  on  Miiy  23,  according 


MAP  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 


to  call.  In  the  meantime  important  events  had  happened 
in  Massachusetts  and  in  New  York.  The  battle  of  Lexing- 
ton had  been  fought  only  a  month  before,  and  the  news  was 
just  about  getting  to  the  distant  parts  of  the  colony.  Thir- 
teen days  before  Generals  Ethan  Allen  and  Benedict  Arnold 


178  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

had  captured  Ticondcroga,  and  Crown  Point  was  about 
being  taken  by  the  Americans.  (Jn  the  same  day  that 
Ticondcroga  was  taken  the  second  Continental  CongresS' 
met  in  Philadelphia,  and  the  news  from  there  that  they  had 
voted  that  20.000  men  should  take  the  field  and  that  George 
Washington  should  be  conmiander.  reached  Xew  Jersey 
before  the  knowledge  of  Arnold's  and  Allen's  conquest. 
The  second  Xcw  Jersey  Provisional  Convention  was  at- 
tended by  Jesse  Hand  as  delegate  from  Cape  May.  The 
convention  directed  that  one  or  more  companies  of  eight/ 
men  should  be  formed  in  each  township  or  corporation;  ami 
imposed  a  tax  of  £10,000  on  the  State  to  support  these  or- 
ganizations. The  Congress  re-assembled  on  August  5,  and 
directed  that  fifty-four  companies  of  sixt}-four  minule  men 
each  should  be  organized.  The  counties  of  Cunix^rland 
and  Cape  May  were  to  have  independent  light  infantry  and 
rangers.  There  were  about  _2000  inhabitants  in  the_countv^ 
at  this  time.  On  August  16  the  county's  quota  wasraTseH^ 
to  one  battalion  and  one  company  of  minute  nun.  The 
Jersev  companies  were  appointed  by  recommendation  of 
the  Continental  Congress.  The  Cape  May  county  bat- 
talion, which  was  raised  in  accordance  with  this  call,  was 
not  officered  until  September  21.  when  the  county  election 
took  place  at  the  court  house.  The  following  were  se- 
lected by  the  people: 

John  Mackey,  Escjr.,  Colonel;  Henry  Hand,  Esnr.,  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel: Eli  Eldredge,  Major;  Thomas  Eeaming, 
Jr.,  .Vdjutant. 

Aaron  Learning,  in  his  diary,  from  which  these  facts  are 
gathered,  said  that  besides  those  elected,  there  were  then 
the  following  officers: 

"Nicholas  Stillwell. 

"Enoch  Stillwell. 

"Salanthiel  Foster. 

"Captains  James  Willits.  Jr.,  Jonathan  Jenkins. 

"Frederic  Otto,  First  Lieutenant;  Joseph  Edwards,  Na- 
thaniel Jenkins,  John  Newton,  Second  Lieutenants;  Chris- 
topher Ludlam,  Richard  Matthews" — (here  page  is  torn 
ofif). 

It  is  unfortunate  for  history  that  the  old  diary  containing 


I'UKPAKA'no.XS    I'OK    WAK.  179 

such  valua1)le  information  should  be  torn  at  such  a  place. 
But  puttinjj^  these  scraps  with  the  roster  of  Adjutant-General 
Stryker,  of  Xew  Jersey,  there  is  some  light  given  on  the 
subject  what  offices  these  men  filled  and  of  those  to  which 
they  were  promoted,     (ieneral  Stryker's  roster  says: 

"John  Mackey,  Colonel. 

"Nicholas  Stihweil.  Captain,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  Colonel. 

"Henry  Hand.  Lieutenant-Colonel. 

"Enoch  Stillwell.  First  Major.  Lieutenant-Colonel. 

"Eli  Eldredge,  First  ]\lajor. 

"John  Hand.  Second  Major.  I-'irst  Major. 

"Thomas  Learning.  Adjutant. 

"Nathan  Hand.  Quartermaster." 

The  uniform  of  the  Cape  May  minute  men  were  to  be 
"hunting  frocks  to  conform  as  near  as  may  be  to  the  uni- 
form of  riflemen  in  the  Continental  service." 

The  minute  men  entered  into  the  following  engagement: 
"A\'e.  the  subscribers,  do  voluntarily  enlist  ourselves  a  min- 
ute man  in  the  companv  of .  in  the  county  of  Cape 

Ma}-,  and  do  jiromise  to  hold  ourselves  in  constant  readi- 
ness, on  the  shortest  notice,  to  march  to  any  piace  where 
our  assistance  may  be  required  for  the  defense  of  this  and 
any  neighbour  colony;  and  also  to  pay  due  obedience  to 
the  commands  of  our  ofificers  agreeable  to  the  rules  and  or- 
ders of  tlie  Continental  Congress,  or  the  Provincial  Con- 
gress of  Xew  Jersey,  or  during  its  recess,  of  the  Committee 
of  Safety." 

These  men  took  precedence  over  other  militia,  and  were 
entitled  to  be  relieved  at  the  end  of  four  months,  unless  in 
actual  service. 

At  this  election  at  the  court  house,  when  the  militiamen 
were  chosen.  Jesse  Hand  and  Elijah  Hughes  were  chosen 
as  "delegates  for  the  Congress."  which  was  to  assemble  at 
Trenton.  Leaming  gives  us  the  names  of  the  "commit- 
tee," chosen  on  that  day  also,  which,  no  doubt,  was  the 
County  Committee  of  Safety.  The  following  were  selected 
as  members  of  it: 

Joseph  Corson,  John  Baker, 

John  McKay,  Sylvanus  Townsend,  Jr., 

Jose.   Badcock,  James  Willits,  Jr., 


180  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Jos.  Ludlam,  Joseph  Hildreth, 

Hugh  Hartshorn,  Jonathan  Learning, 

Elijah  Townsend,  George  Taylor, 

Joseph  Edwards,  Henry  Hand,  Esqr., 

Christopher  Learning,  Downs  Edmunds, 

Zebulon  Swain,  Aaron  Eldredge, 

Jesse  Hand.  Abram  Bennett. 

Thos.  Learning,  Jr.,  John  Hand,  Jr., 

Aaron  Learning,  James  Whilldin,  Esq., 

Jeremiah  Ludlam,  Memucan  Hughes, 

Jonathan  Jenkins,  John  Newton, 

Joseph  Savage,  Elijah  Hughes. 

One  of  the  notes  found  in  the  papers  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Committee  of  Safety,  which  was  no  doubt  made  the  next 
year,  shows  that  Aaron  Learning  was  the  chairman  of  this 
Cape  May  Committee  of  Safety.  It  reads:  "Memorandum. 
Hewes,  a  Committee  man  at  the  Cape,  rows  off  pilots  and 
others.     Aaron  Lemen  presd't  of  Cape  May  Committee." 

Mr.  Leaming,  in  his  diary,  says,  bearing  on  the  loan 
question,  which  we  here  note  before  proceeding  further  on 
the  acts  of  the  county  committee  and  delegates  to  Con- 
gress, that 

"The  Assembly  having  passed  a  Bill  to  strike  iioo,ooo 
to  let  on  Loan:  and  the  same  being  returned  with  the 
King's  approbation 

"July  4,  1775 — The  Justices  and  Freeholders  met  to 
choose  Two  Loan  Officers  and  unanimously  chose  Eli  Eld- 
redge  &  myself,  the  comm.issioners." 

At  the  session  of  Provincial  Congress  held  on  Monday, 
October  9,  Jesse  Hand  was  appointed  one  of  "a  committee 
to  prepare  an  estimate  of  the  expenses  necessary  to  put  this 
colony  into  a  posture  of  defence  at  this  time." 

On  the  following  Saturday,  the  14th,  a  motion  was  made 
and  it  was  "Ordered,  That  commissions  do  issue  to  the  sev- 
eral field-officers  of  the  regiment  of  militia  of  Cape  May, 
whose  names  are  mentioned  in  the  certificate  of  the  county 
committee,"  which  were  those  elected  on  September  21st. 

On  Saturday,  October  28,  it  was  ordered  that  all  persons 
between  fifteen  and  fifty  were  considered  as  able  to  bear 
arms  in  defense  of  the  colony,  and  all  "whose  religious  prin- 


PREPARATIONS  FOR  WAR.  181 

ciples  will  not  suffer  them  to  bear  arms"  were  ordered  to  pay 
four  shillings  per  month  "for  such  their  exemption."  This 
measure  made  the  Quakers,  of  which  there  were  several  in 
Cape  May,  help  to  support  those  whose  principles  did  not 
interfere  with  their  taking  up  arms  against  the  British.  At 
the  same  session  Jesse  Hand's  committee  reported  that  it 
"appears  generally  necessary,  at  this  time  of  increasing  dan- 
ger, that  the  inhabitants  of  this  colony  should  be  furnished 
with  ammunition  and  other  military  stores,  and  that  this 
colony  should  be  put  into  some  proper  posture  for  defense." 
The  Congress  thereupon  ordered  bills  of  credit  issued  to 
the  amount  of  £30,000  to  provide  necessary  funds.  To  sink 
these  bills  it  was  ordered  that  iio,ooo  should  be  raised  an- 
nually in  the  colony  in  the  years  1784,  1785  and  1786.  Cape 
May  was  to  raise  in  each  of  these  years  £166  i8d. 

By  the  beginning  of  1776  the  British  Government  had 
sent  over  reinforcements  to  Boston,  and  their  coming  had 
continually  excited  the  colonists.  The  spirit  to  obtain  con- 
by  the  British,  and  were  patriots  of  the  first  rank, 
stitutional  liberty  had  now  begun  to  turn  toward  thoughts 
of  complete  independence.  But  this  plan  was  only  with  the 
statesmen,  and  not  with  the  common  people,  because  there 
was  still  a  disposition  of  the  less  stern  to  be  neutral,  and  to 
jump  to  the  victorious  side. 

The  Committee  of  Safety  had  now  been  organized  in  the 
State,  of  which  Elijah  Hughes  was  a  member  from  Cape 
May.  It  first  met  at  Princeton,  on  January  9,  1776,  and 
at  New  Brunswick  on  February  12.  At  that  session  the 
committee  of  Cape  Alay  are  reported  as  having  made  re- 
turns of  militia  officers,  and  the  committee.  At  the  latter 
place,  on  the  6th  of  February,  Mr.  Hughes  had  been  ap- 
pointed to  take  a  census  of  Cape  Alay  county,  as  directed 
by  the  Continental  Congress,  which  varied  little  from  that 
of  1772.  On  the  20th  of  February  a  tax  to  support  the  war 
was  ordered  raised  in  the  colony  amounting  to  £50,000  and 
5  shillings,  of  which  Cape  May  was  to  raise  £156  i8d.  2p., 
and  the  rates  on  which  taxes  were  to  be  raised  fixed  as  fol- 
lows : 


tS2  mSTOKY  OV  CXri'l  MAY  COT.NTY. 

''All  householders  (exclusive  of  certain  ties)  at  from  2  to 
30s. 

"Merchants — 5  to  20s. 

''Ferry — 5s  to  5i. 

"Coasting  sloop,  schooner,  shallow,  flat,  passage  boat, 
pilot  boat,  wood  boat,  pettiauger.  3s  to  30s. 

"Single  man,  work  for  hire,  keeps  horse,  mare  or  gelding, 
:2S.  to  6s.     Single  man.  works  for  hire  only.  2s.  to  6sh. 

"Every  bought  serv.  or  slave.  2sh. 

"Riding  chair  or  kittereen.  ish. 

"2  horse  chaise  or  curricle.  2sh. 

"four  wheel  chaise  or  phaeton.  5sh. 

"Coach  or  chariot,  9  shil. 

"Every  waggon,  the  body  of  which  hangeth  on  springs, 
2  sh.     All  cattle,  etc.,  8  sh."' 

On  June  7th  a  motion  had  been  passed  by  the  Continental 
Congress  in  Philadelphia  that  the  colonies  ought  to  be  free 
and  independent,  and  their  action  and  discussions  soon 
spread  across  the  river  to  New  Jersey.  On  the  17th  of 
March  the  evacuation  of  Boston  by  the  British  had  occurred 
and  Washington  had  entered  the  city.  The  news  was  gen- 
erally spread  by  that  time.  The  sister  colonies  had  pre- 
pared for  defense,  and  the  British  Parliament  had  declared 
the  American  colonies  out  of  their  protection.  The  British 
were  sending  soldiers  to  America,  and  17.000  Hessians  had 
been  hired.  This  news  precipitated  matters  in  Congress 
and  in  the  colonies. 


LllAlTER  XIW 

rHIO    KKVOLT'TIOX    I'.K^JIXS. 

The  Continental  Tont^ress  at  I'hiladelphia,  on  the  17th 
■of  ApriK  passed  these  two  resolutions: 

'■Resolved,  That  the  secret  committee  be  directed  to  sup- 
ply Mr.  Thomas  Leaming  with  200  lbs.  of  powder  for  militia 
at  Cape  May,  he  paying  for  the  same. 

"Resolved,  That  the  commanding  officer  at  New  York  be 
<iirected  to  order  two  companies  of  Col.  Dayton's  battalion 
to  march  to  Cape  May  and  there  remain  until  further  or- 
ders." And  again  Congress,  on  June  17th,  voted  "'that  two 
•companies  of  the  force  now  in  the  Delaware  regiment  be  or- 
dered to  Cape  May." 

In  the  spring  of  this  year,  probably  in  March,  the  follow- 
ing Cape  May  men  were  elected  as  delegates  to  the  New 
Jersey  Council  of  Safety  or  Provincial  Congress:  Elijah 
Hughes,  Jesse  Hand,  Thomas  Leaming,  Jr.,  Joseph  Sav- 
age and  Hugh  Hathorn.  Leaming  was  the  man  whom  the 
Continental  Congress  voted  200  pounds  of  powder.  They 
all  attended  the  Congress  for  which  they  were  elected,  which 
met  first  at  Burlington  on  the  loth  of  June,  and  continued 
its  sessions  at  Trenton  and  New  Brunswick.  On  the  i8th 
■of  June  the  following  military  resignations  were  ordered 
accepted: 

Henry  Hand,  Es(|.,  Lieutenant-Colonel;  Eli  Eldredge, 
First  ]\lajor;  Thomas  Leaming,  Esq.,  Adjutant. 

Three  days  later  this  x\ssembly  decided  to  form  a  State 
government,  and  on  the  next  day  a  committee  of  ten  per- 
sons was  appointed  to  prepare  for  the  new  government  and 
present  a  Constitution.  Elijah  Hughes  was  one  of  the  com- 
mittee chosen.  The  Constitution  was  adopted  on  July  2, 
two  days  before  the  Declaration  of  Independence  was  pro- 
claimed.    This  Constitution  was  drawn  principally  by  Rev. 


184  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Jacob  Green,  and  upon  its  adoption  it  received  the  assent 
of  the  five  Cape  May  delegates. 

Thomas  Learning,  Jr.,  was  a  patriot,  whose  fame  was  wide 
in  Philadelphia,  as  well  as  at  home.  He  was  a  wealthy  son. 
of  Thomas  Leaming,  who  was  a  long  time  Judge  of  the 
Cape  May  courts.  Leaming  was  born  in  Cape  May,  Au- 
gust 20,  1748,  and  died  in  Philadelphia  October  29,  1797. 
He  w^as  educated  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  studied 
law  with  John  Dickinson  in  Philadelphia,  and  practiced  his 
profession  until  1776.  He  possessed  large  landed  estates 
in  New  Jersey,  and  was,  as  before  noted,  a  militia  officer 
and  member  of  the  Provincial  Congress.  He  declined  to> 
accept  from  Great  Britain  the  protection  offered  to  those 
who  would  not  bear  arms  against  the  mother  country.  He, 
after  the  convention,  went  to  Philadelphia.  To  him  is  given 
the  credit  of  obtaining  the  signatures  of  the  men  who  joined, 
the  Cape  May  battalion,  of  which  he  was  drill  master.  In 
Philadelphia  he  joined  the  First  City  Troop,  fought  with  it 
in  the  battle  of  Germantown,  October  4,  1777,  and  remained 
a  member  of  the  organization  until  his  death.  At  the  close 
of  the  war  he  became  a  merchant.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  firm  of  A.  Bunner  and  Company,  which  gave  i6ooo,  the 
second  largest  subscription  toward  upholding  the  Conti- 
nental treasury.  His  firm  was  largely  interested  in  priva- 
teering, and  in  1785  he  said  their  vessels  had  taken  fifty 
prizes  and  1000  prisoners. 

The  members  of  the  colony  Assembly  at  this  time,  which 
body  appeared  inactive,  and  was,  no  doubt,  purposely  so,, 
were  still  Eli  Eldredge  and  Jonathan  Hand. 

Closely  following  the  act  of  the  Continental  Congress  on 
July  4,  when  they  declared  that  "these  United  Colonies  are, 
and  of  right  ouglit  to  be,  free  and  independent  States;"  the 
New  Jersey  Provisional  Congress  thirteen  days  later  passed. 
a  resolution  that  "Whereas,  the  honorable,  the  Continental 
Congress,  have  declared  the  United  Colonies  free  and  in- 
dependent States,  we,  the  deputies  of  New  Jersey,  etc.,  de- 
clared New  Jersey  a  sovereign  State."  Dr.  Beesley  says  of 
these  trying  times: 

"In  the  contest  of  our  forefathers  for  Independence,  noth- 
ing praiseworthy  can  be  said  of  the  other  counties    of   the. 


TUE  REVOLUTION  BEGINS.  185 

State,  that  would  not  apply  to  Cape  May.  She  was  ever 
ready  to  meet  the  demand  made  upon  her  by  the  Legisla- 
ture and  the  necessities  of  the  times,  whether  that  demand 
was  for  money  or  men.  Being  exposed,  in  having  a  length- 
ened water  frontier,  to  the  attacks  and  incursions  of  the 
enemy,  it  was  necessary  to  keep  in  readiness  a  flotilla  of 
boats  and  privateers,  which  were  owned,  manned  and  armed 
by  the  people,  and  were  successful  in  defending  the  coast 
against  the  British  as  well  as  refugees.  Many  prizes  and 
prisoners  were  taken,  wdiich  stand  announced  in  the  papers 
of  the  day  as  creditable  to  the  parties  concerned.  Acts  of 
valor  and  daring  might  be  related  of  this  band  of  boatmen, 
which  would  not  discredit  the  name  of  a  Somers,  or  brush 
a  laurel  from  the  brow  of  their  compatriots  in  arms.  The 
women  were  formed  into  committees,  for  the  purpose  of 
preparing  clothing  for  the  army;  and  acts  of  chivalry  and 
fortitude  were  performed  by  them,  which  v/ere  equally 
worthy  of  their  fame  and  the  cause  they  served.  To  record 
a  single  deserving  act,  would  do  injustice  to  a  part;  and  to 
give  a  place  to  all  who  signalized  themselves,  would  swell 
this  sketch  beyond  its  prescribed  limits." 

Elijah  Hughes  was  born  on  February  15,  1744.  He  was 
County  Clerk  from  1762  to  1768.  and  Surrogate  from  1768 
to  1787,  as  well  as  a  member  of  the  Provisional  Congtess. 
He  was  also  a  member  of  the  Legislative  Council  (Senator) 
from  1781  to  1782,  and  from  1785  to  1786.  He  died  No- 
vember 23,  1797. 

As  soon  as  the  Constitution  for  the  New  State  went  into 
efifect  Cape  May  was  represented  in  the  Legislature  by  Jona- 
than Hand  in  the  Legislative  Council,  and  by  Eli  Eldredge,. 
Joseph  Savage  and  Hugh  Haythorn  in  the  Assembly.  Their 
experiences  were  trying  in  legislating  for  a  new  State,  whose 
future  at  that  time  could  hardly  be  predicted.  The}-  all 
served  until  1778. 

During  the  last  half  the  year  1776  tlie  British  had  lakon 
possession  of  New  York,  driven  Washington  to  New  Jersey, 
and  by  the  end  of  the  year  Washington  and  his  men  were 
struggling  about  Princeton  and  Trenton,  and  even  Philadel- 
phia was  so  threater.od  by  tlie  British  that  the  Continental 
Congress  had  adjourned  to  Baltimore  for  safety. 


18G  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

On  October  4,  1776,  Joseph  Ludlam  and  Abraham  Ben- 
nett were  appointed  inspectors  of  i^nn  powder.  They  were 
to  quaUfy;  to  mark  the  powder — "S.  N.  J./*  and  were  to  be 
fined  £5  for  neglect  of  duty.  Their  pay  was  ^  of  a  dollar  for 
every  100  wgt  of  powder;  and  should  the  inspectors  ride 
over  10  miles  to  inspect  over  1000  weight  of  powder  the  fees 
should  be  3  pence  a  mile  each  way.  The  Court  of  General 
Quarter  Sessions  could  supply  a  vacancy. 

Early  in  1777  General  Washington's  army  had  been  suc- 
cessful in  driving  the  British  from  New  Jersey,  and  the  latter 
-then  turned  their  attention  to  capturing  Philadelphia,  and  in 
getting  there  by  way  of  the  Chesapeake  Bay.  The  New 
Jersey  men  were  called  out  in  classes  for  thirty  and  sixty 
days'  tours  of  duty  in  cases  of  general  alarm,  of  which  there 
were  many  during  the  next  two  years.  Several  of  these  mi- 
litiamen did  duty  at  various  times  in  the  "Jersey  Line,''  Con- 
tinental establishment. 
V'  About  this  time  the  new  Legislature  appointed  Jesse 
Hand,  of  Cape  May,  a  member  of  the  Committee  of  Public 
Safety,  on  which  he  served  from  1777  to  1781.  The  duties 
of  this  committee  were  the  most  arduous  of  any  other  body 
in  the  newly  organized  State.  They  w^ere  considered  traitors 
by  the  British,  and  were  patriots  of  the  first  rank. 

From  the  isolated  position  of  Cape  May  county,  her  dis- 
tance from  the  theatre  of  war  which  extended  but  litttle  be- 
low Salem  county  and  her  agricultural  characteristics  which 
would  not  be  an  inducement  for  British  raids,  the  Peninsula 
was  never  the  scene  of  an  engagement.  None  the  less  how- 
ever did  the  fire  of  patriotism  burn  brightly  in  the  breast  of 
Cape  May  folk  of  the  time. 

Colonel  Richard  Somers,  of  Atlantic  county,  having  cap- 
tured the  brigantine  "Defiance,"  and  the  inhabitants  of 
Great  Egg  Harbor  having  aided  him,  it  was  ordered  by  law 
of  February  28.  1777,  that  the  Marshal  of  the  Court  of  Ad- 
miralty should  secure  the  cargo  and  sell  the  same  and  to  dis- 
tribute the  money  derived  therefrom.  On  the  fifteenth  of 
March  John  Witherspoon,  a  signer  of  the  Declaration  of  In- 
dependence and  a  delegate  from  New  Jersey  to  the  Conti- 
nental Congress  and  President  of  Princeton  College,  and 
Abraham  Clark,  were  appointed  commissioners  to  supply 


I 


JStl 


'j'lii':  KKVoLi  riox  iu:<;i.\s.  187 

Cape  i\Iay  with  33  stands  of  arms,  187  pounds  of  gun  pow- 
-der,  347  pounds  of  lead.  334  flints,  7  quires  of  cartridge  pa- 
per and  one  bullet  mould. 

It  was  also  ordered  that  the  Cape  May  militia  should  meet 
on  the  first  Saturday  of  every  month,  and  attend  general  re- 
view three  times  a  year. 

In  the  incidental  bill  of  March  17th,  are  these  items:  To 
Eli  Eldridge  for  Cantain  Henry  Stevens  in  full  for  pay  of 
militia  £316.17.9.  To  Eldridge  for  Memucan  Hughes  as 
•Commissary  and  ^^luster  master,  £213.9.9. 

Aaron  Leaming  "held  loan  office,"  March  25th.  says  his 
"diary . 

On  April  16th.  1777,  the  members  of  the  second  com- 
pany of  the  Cape  ^lay  battalion  met  to  choose  officers. 
Hugh  Hathorn  certified  that  he  was  present  at  the  election. 
The  certificate  signed  by  members  of  the  company  reads  as 
follows : 

"These  are  to  certi-fie  that  on  the  i6th  day  of  April,  1777, 
the  second  company  of  ye  Cape  May  Battalion  of  militia  in 
the  State  of  New  Jersey  being  met,  did  nominate,  choose 
and  appoint  James  Willits  Junr  Captain;  David  Edwards 
first  and  Joseph  Wheaton  second  lieutenants.  Henry  Young 
■ensign,  in  witness  whereof,  the  majority  of  the  company  of 
^the  company  have  hereiuito  set  their  hands, 
"Moses  Griffing,  Thomas  Scott, 

Abel  Lee,  Uriah  Young, 

Levi  Corson,  Japhet  Hand, 

John  Goldin.  Jeremiah  \"an  Gelder, 

Darius  Corson,  Daniel  Skull, 

James   Godfrey.  Parmenas  Corson, 

Abraham  Van  Gelder,  John  Cone, 

David  Corson,  Samuel  Insell, 

Rem  Corson,  Stephen  Young. 

Jesse  Corson,  Amos  Willits, 

Cornelius  Corson,  Jacob  Corson, 

Joseph  Badcock,  Isaac  Van  Gelder." 

Commissions  were  issued  to  these  four  officers  and  dated 
April  1 6th.  At  the  same  time  a  commission  was  civen  to 
John  Mackey,  Esqr.,  to  be  colonel,  which  was  dated  May  7, 


188  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

1777,  and  he  was  to  rank  from  the  date  of  his  former  corr^- 
mission  as  colonel. 

An  account  of  a  training  is  given  in  the  words  of  Aaroiiu 
Learning: 

'The  3d  of  May,  I777,  at  a  training  Thomas  Godfrey 
having  his  gun  charged  with  small  stones,  by  accident,  shot 
James  Parker  in  the  Leg.  The  bone  was  much  Splintered. 
&  Shattered  and  it  was  judged  necessary  to  amputate  it. 
For  this  purpose  doer.  Oto  was  Sent  for  from  Gloucester- 
County.  The  I2th  of  May  afternoon,  the  Amputation  was 
performed  by  Oto  assisted  by  Dr  McGinnis  of  Philadelphia,. 
Doer  Hunt  &  Dr.  Bcnjn  Stites.     The  17th  of  May  he  died." 

On  the  19th  of  May,  1777,  the  Continental  Congress  at 
Philadelphia,  received  petition  of  Nathaniel  Forster,  of 
Cape  May,  in  behalf  of  himself  and  divers  other  inhabitants 
of  the  said  Cape,  praving  to  be  supplied  with  a  few  pieces 
of  cannon,  and  a  suitable  quantity  of  ammunition  for  the 
defence  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  Cape,  and  protection  of 
vessels  that  may  be  there  driven  ashore,  whereupon  it  was 
"Ordered.  That  the  marine  committee  supply  the  petitioners- 
with  six  pieces  of  cannon,  and  that  the  board  of  war  supply 
them  with  a  suitable  quantity  of  ammunition." 

The  following  is  the  certificate  of  the  officers  of  the  third 
company. 

"Cape  May,  May  23d,  1777. 

"These  are  to  certify  that  the  under  mentioned  gentlemen* 
were  duly  elected  and  chosen  officers  for  the  third  company 
of  the  foot  militia  of  the  Cape  May  Battallion  of  which  John' 
Mackey,  Esqr  is  Collonel,  viz.  Salathiel  Foster  Captain,. 
Robert  Personsjun  first  Liutenant,  John  Newton  2d  Liuet, 
and  David  Hand  ensign. 

"John  Hand,  major. 

"Certifyed  by  me." 

By  this  time  vessels  of  the  British  fleet  on  their  way  from 
New  York  to  the  mouth  of  the  Delaware  and  to  the  Chesa- 
peake Bay  made  their  appearance  about  the  Cape,  and  the 
occasion  caused  considerable  stir  among  the  residents  in; 
preparing  for  defense.     Aaron  Leaming  says,  in  his  diary,. 


Tin-:  KEVOLrTiox  recjins. 


189 


"On  Guard,  June  3,  1777. 

"Benjn.  Rusji-g-ins,  officer  of  ye  first  guard,  Samuel  Erixon, 
■George  Lord,  Samuel  Wickwaus/' 

By  act  of  June  4,  1777,  the  Cape  ]\Iay  electors  were  ex- 
empted from  votinj^  by  ballot.  They  only  had  to  show  their 
hands  at  the  public  meeting-.  \Mien  there  were  two  can- 
didates for  an  office,  and  but  one  to  be  elected,  all  who  fa- 
vored one  man  would  go  on  one  side  of  a  room,  while  those 
who  favored  the  opponent  went  to  the  opposite  side,  and  the 
tellers  counted. 


f.p^V>  £..» 


f"    ^? 


BtlA.^1 
^^^t' 


STEAMBOAT  LANDING,  CAPE  MAY  POINT,  IN  1S59, 

On  June  5,  1777,  Henry  Hand  and  Jonathan  Jenkins 
were  appointed  as  commissioners  to  seize  Tory  property, 
sell  it  if  the  subject  still  held  out  against  the  new  State  gov- 
ernment, and  pay  the  same,  less  3  per  cent,  to  the  State 
Treasurer. 

On  September  20,  1777,  James  Willets,  Jr.,  and  Thomas 
Ludlam  for  Cape  May,  were  named  as  commissioners  to 
purchase  pitch,  tar,  turpentine,  masts,  yards,  spars,  and  na- 


190  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

val  stores,  for  state  uses.     The  exportation  of  these  things, 
were  prohibited. 

Later,  November  25,  1777,  Benjamin  Stites  and  Jesse- 
Hand  were  appointed  commissioners  to  purchase  army 
clothing.     Cape  May  was  required  to  furnish  50  blankets. 

Major  Stillwell's  report  of  the  officers  of  the  Cape  May- 
regiment  reads: 
"To  the  Honorable  the  Legislature  of  New  Jersey. 

"Gentlemen — The  Captains  and  Subalterns  of  the  Bat- 
talion at  Cape  May  are  as  follows,  viz: 

"First  Company,  Jonathan  Jenkins,  Capt. ;  John  Cresse, 

1st  Lt.;  Amos  Cress,  2d  Lt.;  Richard  Matthews,   Ensign. 

"2nd  Company,  James  Willits,  Capt.;  David  Edwards,  ist 

Lt.;  Josept  Wheaten,  2d  Lt.; ,  ensign. 

"3rd  Co.,  Salanthiel  Foster,  Capt.;  Robert  Persons,  first 
Lt;  John  Newton,  2d  Lt.;  David  Hand,  ensign. 

"4th  Co.,  Henry  Townsend,  Capt.;  Henry  Ludlam,  rst 
Lt. ;  Christopher  Ludlam,  2d  Lt. ;  Jacob  Cresse,  Ensign. 

"For  all  of  which  gentlemen,  I  pray  commissions  may  be 
made  out,  as  they  have  been  chosen  agreeable  to  the  con- 
stitution. 

"Enoch  Stillwell, 

Major." 
"dated 

"June  7,  1777. 
The  commissions  for  the  officers  of  the  first  and  fourth 
companies  were  issued  by  the  State  on  September  13,  1777, 
but  dated  June  7th.     The  commissions  to  the  second  and 
third  companies  had  been  previously  issued. 

On  June  20th  there  appeared  in  Cape  May  Charles  Cooke 
and  Allen  Cameron,  two  British  agents,  who  were  probably 
here  to  give  aid  to  the  troops  who  might  land  to  march  to- 
wards Philadelphia,  then  the  British's  next  point  of  attack. 
They  were  apprehended,  and  Jonathan  Leaming,  the  young 
son  of  Aaron  Leaming,  was  sent  on  the  following  day  with 
a  letter  to  Robert  Morris  in  Philadelphia,  giving  notice  of 
the  fact.     The  letter  read  in  this  way: 

"Cape  May,  June  21,  1777. 
"Dear  Sir, 

"Yesterdav  there  came  two  Gentlemen  here  from  Phila- 


THE  KEVOU'TIO.X   BEGINS.  19? 

delphia,  and  there  appearing  some  cause  for  suspicion,  were- 
taken  care  of  by  the  ^lihtia;  and  this  day  Examined  by  the 
Justices,  when  it  appeared  by  the  Oath  of  Mr.  Thomas 
Hand,  that  they  apphed  to  him  to  assist  them  in  getting  on 
Board  a  Man  of  War.  And  Sundry  papers  being  found 
upon  I  hem  \vc  apprehend  tliey  are  prisoners  of  War,  and 
have  made  their  escape  from  Philadelphia — and  say  their 
names  arc  Charles  Cook  and  Allen  Maddison;  but  by  their 
Papers  and  Confession  on  a  stricter  examination,  Confess 
their  Names  are  Allen  Cameron  and  Charles  Cook^ — the 
former  of  which  having  made  his  escape  out  of  your  Prison 
by  heaving  himself  out  of  the  window.  The  Prisoners  are 
in  Custody,  and  we  wait  your  Orders  to  know  what  further 
shall  be  done  with  them-  The  contents  of  which  Letters 
and  other  particulars  we  refer  you  to  the  Bearer  hereof,  Mr. 
Jonathan  Learning. 

"We  are  Sir,  with  great  truth  and  regard,  your  most  Obdt. 
Humble  Servts., 

(Signed)     "James  Willdin, 
"Henry  Hand. 

"Directed. 
"To  The   Hon'ble   Robert  Morris,   Esq.,   President   of   the 

Board  of  War,  Philadelphia. 

"Favor  of  Jonathan  Leaming,  Esq." 

Cameron  sent  a  letter  to  Dr.  Thomas  Bond,  asking  for  re- 
lief from  the  Cape  May  committee,  while  Cooke  appealed 
to  his  brother,  an  officer  in  the  American  army.  They  were 
subsequently  released.  Of  Cameron  his  after  life  is  not 
known  to  the  author,  but  of  Cooke  we  have  it  that  he  was 
afterwards,  in  1780,  driven  from  the  country,  and  ever  after 
resided  in  England.  He  had  two  brothers  in  the  American 
army.  Cooke  was  pensioned  by  King  George  HL  for  the 
loss  of  his  property  in  America.  The  letters  which  these 
two  prisoners  sent  on  the  day  following,  appealing  for  their 
release,  are  here  quoted: 
"Sir: 

"Xo  doubt  you  nuist  before  this  reaches  have  heard  of 
my  escape  from  there,  and  I  am  very  sorry  to  inform  you 
that  I  am  unfortunate  enough  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 


i92  nrSTORY  OF  OAPB  MAY  COUNTY. 

Cape  May  Committee.  However  it's  my  fate,  and  altho' 
you  and  I  differ  widely  in  political  sentiments,  yet  as  there 
is  a  few  British  Ships  in  sight  who  have  on  board  several 
persons  of  Consequence  belonging  to  this  place,  whom  the 
Committee  seems  anxious  to  have  exchanged,  I  Beg  leave 
to  request  that  you  will  use  your  interest  with  your  ac- 
quaintances in  Congress,  to  allow  those  in  authority  here  to 
The  Bearer  goes  purposely  with  letters  concerning  me  and 
another  Gentlemen  w^io  was  taken  with  me.  In  complying 
Exchange  me  for  one  of  those  from  the  Ships  of  War. 
with  the  above  request  you  will  vinutterably  oblige, 

"Sir,  Your  very  Humble  Servant, 

(Signed^     "Alan  Cameron. 

"Cape  May,  21st  June,  1777. 
"Directed, 

"To  Doctor  Thorns.  Bond,  Philadelphia." 

"Cape  May,  21st  June,  1777. 

"Dr.  Brother:  In  making  my  escape,  I  have  fallen  into  the 
Hands  of  the  Cape  May  Committee,  who  have  treated  me 
very  politely.  Several  Ships  of  War  lay  off  Here,  in  which 
there  are  many  of  your  prisoners,  &  I'm  very  desirous  of 
being  exchanged,  beg  you'd  use  your  utmost  influence  with 
the  Congress  to  have  it  eft'ected,  by  obtaining  the  liberty 
of  Congress  for  this  Committee  to  see  it  put  in  execution. 
You  no  doubt  will  do  everything  in  your  power  to  serve  me 
on  this  occasion,  as  it  would  give  me  particular  pleasure; 
the  rest  I  must  leave  to  your  own  good  management. 

"I  am,  D'r  Brother,  yours  sincerely, 

"Charles  Cooke. 

"P.  S.     If  not  exchanged,  perhaps  the  Congress  would 
allow  my  going  to  New  York,  either  on  Parole  or  Sending 
one  in  my  Room. 
"To  Col.  Jacob  Cooke,  Esq'r, 

"Indian  Queen,  Philada." 

The  Continental  Congress,  in  session  on  July  8th,  found 
due  and  ordered  paid  a  sum  of  money  to  Lieutenant  David 
Edwards  and  Sergeant  Amos  Willets  for  their  expenses  and 
horse  hire  in  bringing  Elisha  Hand,  a  suspected  person, 


TIII<:   KKVOM'TION    HKCIXS.  193 

^prisoner  from  Cape  May  to  Philadelphia,  under  orders  of 
General  Arnold. 

On  the  30th  of  this  month  a  sufticient  number  of  British 
-Men  of  War  had  appeared  within  the  bay  to  cause  General 
Washington  to  give  orders  for  the  concentration  of  the 
Patriot  forces  in  Philadelphia.  The  Cape  May  committee 
were  then  busy  in  reporting  by  pony  express  for  a  couple  of 
months  continually,  the  movements  of  the  tleet,  to  the 
Board  of  War,  the  Continental  Congress  and  the  Council  of 
Safety  in  Philadelphia. 

The  Supreme  Executive  Council  of  Pennsylvania  on  Au- 
gust 1st  had  in  payment  for  such  services,  orders  drawn  in 
favor  of  Abraham  Bennett  for  seven  pounds  and  ten  shil- 
lings for  "riding  express  from  Cape  May  to  this  city" 
(Philadelphia). 

James  Wilson  (probably  Whilldin)  was  paid  the  same 
amount.  On  the  following  day  Matthew  Whilldin  was  paid 
the  same,  while  on  the  fourth  David  Hand  was  an  equal 
recipient  of  money  for  his  services. 

When  the  officers  for  the  Cape  ]\Iay  foot  militia  were 
chosen  there  was  no  c|uarter-master  selected.  The  other  of- 
ficers w^ere  given  the  powder  to  select  one,  and  on  September 
10,  1777,  Nathan  Hand  was  chosen  by  John  Mackey,  colo- 
nel; Nicholas  Stillwell,  lieutenant  colonel;  Enoch  Stillwell, 
major,  and  John  Hand,  major. 

Soon  came  the  battle  of  Brandywine,  and  as  the  war  was 
getting  close  to  home,  the  New  Jersey  troops  were  hurried 
up  to  become  a  part  of  Gen.  Philemon  Dickinson's  com- 
mand.   Aaron  Leaming  thus  speaks  of  the  activity: 

"By  a  requisition  issued  from  Governor  Liviston  all  the 
Militia  are  called  from  this  county  &  the  neighbouring  ones 
to  rendevous  at  Woodberry  without  delay. 

"The  1 1  of  Sept,  there  was  a  Battle  between  General  How 
■&  General  Washington  at  Chad's  ford  &  Jone's  ford  on 
Brandewine  the  american  account  is  that  Washington  lost 
^bout  800  as  some  say. 

"The  english  lost  is  computed  by  some  to  be  1300  kil'd 
iby  some  3000  &  by  some  near  4000  all  uncertain  I  believe 
Sc  General  Washington  savs  our  loss  is  much  less  than  the 


194  HISTORY  Ol'^  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Enemy  he  is  perswaded  he  says  he  lost  7  or  8  pices  of  can- 
non. 

"All  this  acct  I  esteem  vaug  &  uncertain.  How  remained 
Master  of  the  field  &  wounded  &  that  nig^ht  Washingtoii 
retreated  to  Chester  &  wrote  the  acct  to  Congress. 

"the  19th  Septr  the  militia  march'd  from  Cape  May  said 
to  be  thus: 

James  Willet's  company   50 

Henry  Townsend's  company  turned  out  about.  ...    30 

Lieut  John  Cresse   23 

Salanthial   Foster    37 

140 

Field  officers   5 

Sub.  alterns  about 11 

156 

"A  considerable  number  would  not  go 

"The  22nd  they  rendevouzed  at  Woodberry  ana  inat  dav 
crossed  Delaware  to  joyn  Genl  Armstrong  who  is  under 
General  Washington  and  by  letters  we  hear  that  Genl  How 
lies  on  the  west  side  of  Schuylkil  at  Sweeds  fords  and  Gen- 
eral Washington  on  the  East  side  thereof  17  miles  from 
Philada.     The  22d  some  firing  was  heard  there." 

On  the  26th  of  September  the  British  Army  and  Flessian 
grenadiers,  in  command  of  Lord  Cornwallis,  entered  Phila- 
delphia, and  the  main  body  of  the  British  Army  encamped 
at  Germantown. 

To  hold  Philadelphia  the  British  must  control  the  Dela- 
ware River,  and  they  finally  captured  the  largest  American 
boat  in  the  bay,  and  thus  secured  what  they  wanted. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

CAPE    .MAY    PATRIOTS. 

By  the  third  of  October  General  Washington  had  re- 
ceived all  the  reinforcements  he  expected,  consisting  then  of 
900  Continental  troops,  600  New  Jersey  militia  under  Gen- 
eral Fornian  and  1 100  Maryland  militia  under  General 
Smalhvood,  which  made  his  force  amount  to  8000  troops 
and  3000  militia.  Generals  Sullivan  and  Wayne  were  order- 
ed to  enter  Germantown  by  way  of  Chestnut  Hill,  while 
"General  Armstrong,  with  the  Pennsylvania  militia,"  says- 
Gordon,  was  to  fall  upon  the  British,  gain  their  left  and  at- 
tack them  in  the  rear.  Generals  Greene  and  Stephens  were 
to  attack  the  right,  while  the  New  Jersey  and  Maryland  mi- 
litia were  to  circuit  the  right  and  attack  the  enemy  in  the 
rear  also.  On  the  night  of  that  day,  the  3rd,  the  battle  of 
Germantown  was  fought,  the  Patriots  losing  the  battle. 
\\'hile  Mr.  Leaming  said  the  Cape  May  men  marched  and 
joined  General  Armstrong,  of  the  Pennsylvania  militia, 
there  is  no  doubt  of  the  Cape  May  men  being  in  the  bat- 
tle, and  they  fought  under  Armstrong,  being  detailed  to  his 
command. 

On  October  14,  1777,  the  second  election  for  members  of 
the  Legislature  took  place  and  Elijah  Hughes  was  chosen 
Councillor;  Hugh  Hathorn,  Henry  Y.  Townsend  and  Jere- 
miah Eldredge,  assemblymen.  Only  twelve  persons  voted. 
None  of  these,  elected,  however,  served  then,  but  did  in  a 
year  or  so  later. 

By  act  of  April  14,  1778,  the  militia  of  the  southern  coun- 
ties of  the  State  was  formed  into  a  brigade. 

From  the  compilation  of  Adjutant  General  Stryker  and 
from  local  sources  and  genealogies  of  Cape  May  families 
we  gather  this  list  of  officers  and  men  who  served  in  the 
Revolution  from  Cape  May  county: 

John  Mackey  colonel,  resigned  March  2"],  1778. 


196  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Nicholas  Stillwell,  Lieutenant  Colonel,  September  20, 
1776,  Colonel  March  2"],  1778,  Colonel  Regiment  of  State 
troops,  October  9,  1779,  resigned  September  23,  1780. 

Henry  Hand,  lieutenant  colonel,  resigned  June  18,  1776. 

Enoch  Stillwell,  ist  Major,  September  20,  1776,  Lieuten- 
ant Colonel  October  7,  1778,  resigned  May  23. 

Eli  Eldridge,  first  major,  resigned  June  18,  1776. 

John  Hand,  2nd  Major,  September  20,  1776,  first  major 
March  27,  1778. 

Thomas  Learning,  adjutant,  resigned  June  18,  1776. 

Nathan  Hand,  Quartermaster,  September  10,  1777. 

Eli  Elmer,  paymaster  Cumberland  and  Cape  May,  2nd 
lieutenant  in  Western  Company  of  artillery. 
_  Jesse  Hand,  paymaster. 

Memucum  Hughes,  paymaster,  July  6,  1776;  commissary 
same  date. 

John  Cresse,  ist  lieutenant  Captain  Jenkins'  company 
June  7,  1777,  captain  in  the  same. 

David  Edward,  ist  lieutenant  captain  Willetts'  company, 
April  16,  1777. 

Salanthial  Foster,  Captain,  May  23,  1777. 

Jonathan  Jenkins,  Captain,  June  7,  1777. 

Seth  Whilldin,  captain  First  Battalion  Cavalry;  Captain 
in  Col.  Somers'  Battalion.  State  troops,  Dec.  25,  1776. 

Henry  Stevens,  Captain. 

Humphrey  Stites,  Captain,  and  Captain  in  Major  Hayes' 
battalion  state  troops. 

Henry  Young  Townsend,  Captain  June  7,  1777. 

James  Wilietts,  Jr.,  Captain  April  16,  1777. 

Thomas  Stites,  Captain. 

Henry  Ludlam,  ist  lieutenant  June  7,  1777.  Captain 
Henry  Townsend's  company,  June,  1777. 

Robert  Parsons,  Jr.,  ist  lieutenant  June  7,  1777.  Cap- 
tam  Forster  s  company  May  23,  1777. 

Amos  Cresse,  second  lieutenant,  Captain  Jenkins'  com- 
pany June  7,  1777. 

Christopher  Ludlam,  second  lieutenant.  Captain  Town- 
send's company  June  7.  1777. 

John  Newton,  second  lieutenant  Captain  Forster's  com- 
pany, May  23,  1777. 


CATE    MAY    PATRIOTS.  197 

Joseph  Wheaton,  second  lieutenant  in  Captain  Willetts' 
company,  April  i6,  1777. 

Jacob  Crcsse,  ensij^^n  Captain  Townsend's  company,  June, 

^777- 

David  Hand,  ensign,  Captain  Foster's  company.  May  23, 

1777. 

Richard  Mathews,  ensign,  Captain  Jenkins'  Company, 
June  7,  1777. 

Henry  Young,  ensign.  Captain  Willetts'  company,  April 

16,  1777- 

Joseph  Edward,  corporal,  New  Jersey  line. 

Of  the  privates  the  following  were  probably  from  this 
county : 

Atkinson,  Isaac. 

Bran,  Joseph,  also  2nd  Battalion,  2nd  Est.  Continental 
Line. 

Brown,  Thomas,  also  2nd  Battalion,  2nd  Est.  Continental 
Line,  Captain  Holmes'  Co.,  also  2nd  Regiment,  third  Regi- 
ment. 

Campbell,  Robert,  3rd  Battalion,  ist  Est.,  Captain  Gif- 
ford's  Company,  3rd  Battalion,  2nd  Est.,  Continental  Line. 

Chester,  Hiram,  2nd  Battahon,  2nd  Est.,  Continental 
Line. 

Corson,  Cornelius,   Captain  \\'illetts'  Company. 

Corson,  Darius,  Captain  \^'illetts'  Company. 

Corson,  David,  Captain  Willetts'  Company. 

Corson,  Jacob,  Captain  Willetts'  Company. 

Corson,  Jesse,  Captain  Willetts'  Company. 

Corson,  John,  Captain  Willetts'  Company. 

Corson,  Levi,  Captain  Willetts'  Company. 

Corson.  Nicholas,  Captain  Willetts'  Company. 

Corson,  Parmenas,  Captain  Willetts'  Company. 

Corson,  Rem,  Captain  Willetts'  Company. 

Crafton,  John,  also  2nd  Battalion,  2nd  Est.,  Continental 
Line. 

Daniels,  Jeremiah,  also  2nd  Battalion,  2nd  Est.,  Conti- 
nental Line. 

Davis,  William,  also  2nd  Battalion,  2nd  Est.  Continental 
Line. 


198  HISTORY  OF  CAI'E  :MAY  COUNTY. 

Day,  Thomas,  also  2ik1  Battalion,  2nd  Est.  Continental 
Line. 

Erickson,  Moses,  also  2nd  Battalion,  2nd  Est.  Continen- 
tal Line. 

Gamble,  Calvin,  also  State  troops. 

Godfrey,  James,  Captain  Willetts'  Company. 

Golden,  John,  Captain  Willetts'  Co. 

Goldin,  Samuel,  also  2nd  Battalion.  2nd  Est. 

Griffings,  Moses,  Captain  Willetts'  Company. 

Hand,  Constantine,  also  2nd  Battalion,  2nd  Est. 

Hand,  Cornelius,  also  2nd  Battalion.  2nd  Est. 

Hand,  Eleazer,  also  2nd  Battalion.  2nd  Est. 

Hand,  Jeremiah. 

Hand,  Japhet,  Captain  Willetts'  Co. 

Hand,  Recompense. 

Lisell,  Samuel,  Captain  Willetts'  Co. 

Kellony,  John. 

Kilsey,  John,  also  2nd  Battalion,  2nd  Est. 

Lee,  Abel,  Captain  Willetts'  Co. 

McQuay,  John.  New  Jersey  Line. 

]-^lummer,  James,  2nd  Battalion,  2nd  Est. 

Schillen^'e^,  James. 

Schull,  Daniel 

Scott,  Thomas,  Captain  \\'illetts'  Co. 

Shaw^ohn,  also  2nd  Battalion,  2nd  Est. 
['evens,  Stephen,  also  2nd  Battalion,  2nd  Est. 

Swan,  Joseph,  also  2nd  Battalion,  2nd  Est. 

Vaneman,  Richard,  also  2nd  Battalion,  2nd  Est. 

Van  Gilder,  Abraham,  Captain  Willetts'  Company. 

Van  Gilder,  Isaac,  Captain  W^illetts'  Company. 

Van  Gilder,  Jeremiah,  Captain  Willetts'  Company. 

Van  Hook  Lawrence. 

Willett,  Amos,  Captain  Willietts'  Co. 

Young,  Stephen,  Captain  W'illetts'  Company. 

Young,  Uriah,  Captain  Willetts'  Co. 

Captain  Nicholas  Stillwell  was  an  efficient  officer. 

Dr.  Beesley  says:  "Capt.  Moses  Griffing,  who  married 
Sarah,  a  sister  of  Capt.  Stillwell,  was  taken  prisoner  by  the 
British  towards  the  close  of  the  war,  and  placed  in  the  fa- 
mous, or  rather  infamous,  New  Jersey  prison  ship;  that  un- 


(^AI'K    MAY    I'ATKlorS.  199 

<lyini;"  sti^i^nia  upon  the  name  and  fame  of  Britain,  where 
the  dying',  the  dead,  the  famished  and  famishing,  were  pro- 
miscnonsly  hnddled  together.  A  trnthfnl,  yet  romantic 
5tory  conld  l)e  told  of  his  young  wife,  who,  u])on  hearing 
of  his  imfortunate  im])risonment,  true  to  her  phghted  vows, 
and  actuated  by  a  heroism  which  woman's  love  onl)'  can 
inspire,  resolved  to  visit  him  and  solicit  his  release,  though 
one  hundred  miles  (.listant  through  woods  and  wilds,  marau- 
ders and  tories,  or  die  in  the  attempt.  She  made  the  camp 
of  Washington  in  her  route,  who  put  under  her  charge  a 
British  officer  of  equal  rank  with  her  husl)and.  She  reached 
New  York  in  safety,  and  after  a  long  and  painful  suspense 
Sir  Henry  Clinton  yielded  to  her  importunities;  her  hus- 
band was  exchanged,  and  both  made  happy." 

Robert  Parsons.  Tr.,  was  one  of  the  prominent  men  of  his 
day.  He  was  lx)rn  Sept.  17.  1748,  was  appointed  first  lieu- 
tenant in  the  army  June  7,  1777. 

He  was  chosen  Captain  of  the  Militia  Company,  Lower 
Precinct,  and  was  commissioned  as  such  by  Governor  Wil- 
liam Livingston,  at  Trenton,  March  21,  1778.  He  was  also 
■duly  elected  and  commissioned  by  him  Coroner  of  Cape 
May  county,  October  11,  1785,  and  October  10,  1786.  He 
was  again  commissioned  Coroner  of  the  county  by  Govern- 
or Richard  Howell,  October  18,  1800,  and  was  appointed  by 
him  a  Justice  of  the  Peace,  November  13,  1800.  He  was 
frequently  selected  with  others  as  an  arbitrator  to  settle  dif- 
ficulties among  neighbors,  and  was  frequently  given  a  pow- 
er of  attorney  to  attend  important  business  for  persons  who 
were  living  at  a  distance  from  Cape  May.  And  he  was  ap- 
pointed by  the  Legislature,  both  Council  and  Assembly,  to 
be  one  of  the  Judges  of  the  Inferior  Court  of  Common  Pleas 
for  Cape  May  county,  and  was  commissioned  as  such  by 
Governor  Aaron  Ogden,  November  5.  1812.  He  died  Nov. 
7th,  1822,  aged  74  years. 

Abijah  Reeves,  one  of  three  brothers  who  came  to  Cape 
May  county  from  Cumberland,  in  1772,  was  a  Revolution- 
ary soldier.  He  was  born  in  1750.  He  served  also  in  the 
War  of  1812.  He  died  in  1822,  and  was  buried  at  Cold 
Spring. 

John  Grace   was   another  Revolutionary   soldier  not   re- 


200  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

corded  in  the  list  of  General  Strykcr.  He  enlisted  June  13,- 
1777,  in  Captain  Samuel  Flannagan's  Company,  Third  New 
Jersey  battalion,  second  establishment.  He  took  part  with 
the  New  Jersey  Brigade  in  the  campaign  in  Western  Penn- 
sylvania under  General  Sullivan  against  the  Six  Nations  In- 
dians. He  also  served  in  Captain  Joseph  I.  Anderson's  com- 
pany, first  regiment  New  Jersey  Continental  line,  and  was 
detailed  to  and  served  in  the  New  Jersey  Light  Infantry 
battalion,  Colonel  Francis  Barber  commanding,  and  was 
with  the  New  Jersey  troops  at  the  siege  of  Yorktown,  ^'a., 
and  at  the  battle  of  Yorktown  and  surrender  of  Cornwallis, 
on  October  19,  1781.  He  was  discharged  June  5,  1783,  by 
General  Washington.  He  died  April  10,  1835,  and  was  • 
buried  in  Union  Cemetery,  Dennisville. 

The  incomplete  records  show  him  acting  in  these  capa- 
cities: 1777.  fifer;  1778,  March,  fifcr,  and  1779,  February, 
fifer. 

The  Pension  office  records  say  he  was  in  the  battles  of 
Bennington,  Brandywine,  Monmouth  and  Yorktown.  In 
March,  Alay,  June  and  July,  1779,  he  was  a  conductor  of 
stores,  and  in  each  of  these  months  Quartermaster  General 
John  Mitchell  sent  him  in  charge  of  stores  to  Colonel  Hoop- 
er at  Easton.  He  carried  with  him  during  the  latter  years 
of  his  service,  a  letter  written  by  General  Washington  to 
General  Gates,  saying  that  John  Grace  was  a  scout  and 
could  be  trusted  wdth  any  important  despatches  which  might 
pass  between  them  relative  to  military  afifairs. 

Henry  Young  Townsend,  captain  of  the  fourth  company 
of  Cape  May,  was  born  May  7th,  1744.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Legislature  from  1779  to  1780,  and  sheriff  of  the 
county  from  1774  to  1777.    He  died  May  13th,  1789. 

The  good  services  which  the  New  Jersey  militia  perform- 
ed in  this  state  are  recorded  in  history.  Some  of  them  par- 
ticipated in  the  fights  and  skirmishes  at  Quinton's  Bridge, 
Hancock's  Bridge,  Three  Rivers,  Connecticut  Farms,  Van 
Nest's  Mills,  and  in  battles  supporting  the  Continental 
army  at  Long  Island,  Trenton,  Assunpink,  Princeton,  Ger- 
manto\A^n,  Springfield  and  Monmouth. 

Following  is  a  statement  of  Revolutionary  Pensioners  on 
the  rolls  in  1818  and  1830.    In  1833.  Jeremiah  Leaming,  a 


CAPE    MAY    PATKIOTS.  301 

member  of  the  Legislative  Council  from  this  county,  had 
other  Cape  May  m  n  pensioned.  The  statement  reads: 
"Statement  showing  the  names,  rank,  of  persons  resid- 
ing in  Cape  May  county,  who  have  been  inscribed  on  the 
pension  list,  under  the  act  of  Congress  passed  on  the  i8th 
of  March,  1818: 

Joseph  Edwards,  corporal;  annual  allowance, $96. 00;  sum  received' 
$1483  IG;  served  in  New  Jersey  line;  placed  on  roll,  August  1,  1821; 
age  77. 

John  Grace,  private;  annual  allowance.  $96  00;  sum  received, 81535  39^ 
served  in  New  Jersey  line;  placed  on  roll,  June  30,  1818;  age  78. 

John  Magway,  or  John  McQuay,  private;  annuil  allowance,  $96  00; 
sum  received,  $816  87;lserved  in  New  Jersey  Line;  placed  on  roll, 
September  14,  1820;  age  70;  died,  Februrry  13,  1S20. 

The  following  were  pensioners  under  act  of  June  7,  1832: 

John^Dickinson,   private;    annual  allowance,    $40;00;  sum    received. 

$100.00:  served  in  New  Jersey  militia;  placed  on  roll.  June   ;},   1833; 

age,  75  ^ 

Ebeufzer  Preston,  ]>rivate;   annual   allowance,  $33.30;  suai   received, 

$60  99;  served  in  it^ew  Jerseyjnilitia;  placed   011   roll,  June  3,    !833> 

age.  84 

On  October  17,  1777,  the  Council  of  Safety,  then  in  ses- 
sion, passed  a  resolution,  which  in  part  was: 

"In  consequence  of  a  resolution  of  Congress  of  the  31st 
July  last,  recommending  the  executive  authority  of  each 
State  to  appoint  proper  persons  to  recruit  men  and  appre- 
hend deserters,"  each  county  was  made  a  district,  and  per- 
sons were  appointed  to  carry  out  the  suggestion  of  Con- 
gress. In  Cape  May  John  Hand  and  James  Willetts  vv^ere 
appointed  and  the  recruits  were  to  rendezvous  at  Capt. 
James  Willetts'  house. 

Before  and  during  tlie  Revolution  there  were  many  salt 
works  along  the  shore  of  the  Province,  among  them  a  very 
extensive  one  near  Townsend  Inlet,  on  the  late  James  Town- 
send's  place,  the  owner  of  which.  Dr.  Harris,  incurred  the 
special  ill-will  of  the  British  because  he  furnished  gun  pow- 
der to  the  patriot  army.  While  the  British  oifertd  a  reward 
for  him  and  threatened,  these  works  were  not,  however,  in 
easv  reach  of  the  enemv,  and  as  a  consequence  not  disturb- 
ed.' 


202  HISTORY  OF  GAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Levi  Hujj-lingsworth  had  salt  works  at  Turtle  Gut  Inlet,  in 
1777,  and  Aaron  Learning  also  had  a  salt  works  set  up  in 
May  this  year.  John  Holmes  and  Persons  Learning  work- 
ed theni.     They  made  five  tons  of  salt  that  year. 

During-  the  Revolution  the  Delaware  was  the  object  of 
British  attack.  At  the  virtual  head  of  navigation  lay  Phila- 
-dclphi.'i  with  her  opulent  Quaker  warehouses  and  stores  and 
the  fertile  fann  lands  near  by.  To  reach  these  the  river 
must  be  ascended  and  to  guard  the  town  and  the  Delaware 
shore,  Ni.w  Jersey  looked  early  to  naval  protection.  Cape 
May  and  Luniberland  being  at  the  entrance  to  the  Bay, 
they  were  considered  of  strategic  importance.  Armed  boats 
and  boatmen  under  various  captains  were  gathered  in  the 
Delaware. 

Charles  Allen,  of  Cumberland,  who  was  in  charge  of  arm- 
-ed  boat  "Gilbert,"  as  well  as  commanding  boatmen  on  front- 
iers of  Ctmiberland  and  Cape  May.  He  was  also  a  Captain 
of  militia. 

Nicholas  Keen,  of  Salem,  of  the  armed  boat  "Friendship" 
as  well  as  commanding  boatmen  on  frontiers  of  Cumber- 
land and  Cape  May. 

There  are  also  mentioned  in  General  Stryker's  book  the 
iollowing  captains,  these  names  being  prominent  in  Cape 
May: 

Joseph  Edwards  in  charge  of  Privateer  "Luck  and  For- 
tune." 

Francis  Grice  in  charge  of  all  the  flatboats  and  artillery 
scows  on  Delaware. 

Hand,  in  charge  of  armed  boat  "Enterprise." 

Henry  Stevens. 

Enoch  Stilwell. 

Hope  Willets  in  charge  of  Privateers  "Black  Jack"  and 
■"Luck  and  Fortune." 

Among  the  list  of  seamen  the  following  were  from  Cape 
May: 

Corson,  Jacob. 

Crawford.  Eleazer.    \. 

Goldin,  John. 

Steeelman,  ,  drowned  February  7,   1781,  at  Egg 

Harbor  Tnlet. 


CAl'i;    .MAY    TAIKIO  rs.  203 

Ahranis,  Thomas. 

Cox,  Abram,  sloop  "Morning  Star,"  taken  prisoner  Jan- 
Tiiary,  1778,  confined  to  prison-ships  "Judith"  Xew  York 
Harbour. 

Edwards.  Jolni. 

Corson,   Darius. 

.Steehnan,  Richard. 

.Stevens,  David. 

The  following  is  the  list  of  "Ix-atnien  on  frontier  of  Cum- 
'berland  and  Ca])e  May:"'  Jeremiah  Ikick.  Israel  Davis, 
George  Ewing.  l^phraim  Husted,  Joseph  Lummis,  David 
Parvin,  Jeffrey  l';n-vin.  Abraham  Philpot,  Abijah  Preston. 
Isaac  Preston,  Jarncs  Simpson.  Buck.  *  Husted,  Lummis. 
Jeffrey  Parvin,  I'lrilpot.  both  Prestons  and  Simpson,  were 
also  private  militiamen.  George  Ewing  was  a  quarter  mas- 
ter sergeant  of  militia. 

By  the  end  of  1777.  while  the  American  arms  had  been 
somewhat  successful  in  Northern  Xew  York  and  along  the 
lakes  between  that  State  and  Xew  Hampshire  in  keeping- 
the  British  from  forming  a  chain  of  communication  from 
Long  Island  to  Canada,  the  hearts  of  the  patriots  in  Xew 
Jersey  had  been  made  heavy  because  of  the  capture  of  Phila- 
delphia by  the  British,  and  the  retirement  of  the  Continen- 
tal army  to  \'alley  Forge.  Here  M^ashington  and  his  men 
passed  the  terrible  winter  of  1777-8. 

The  success  of  the  Army  in  the  Xorth  had  brought  to  the 
■patriots  the  co-operation  of  France  who  early  in  the  year 
made  a  treaty  with  the  struggling  Colonies  and  soon  sent 
reinforcements  to  America.  The  British  decided  to  evac- 
*uate  Philadelphia  and  concentrate  all  its  forces  around  and 
in  X"ew  York  City.  The  local  government  prepared  to  re- 
sist this,  and  on  April  4,  1778,  the  Cape  May  men  were 
placed  in  tiic  Second  I'.rigade  of  the  Continental  troops.  On 
day  previous  an  act  was  oassed  bv  the  State  Legisla- 
ture for  recruiting  four  regiments  of  Jerseymen  for  the 
United  States  Service. 

Jonathan  Jenkins,  of  Cape  May.  was  appointed  one  of  the 
-paymasters  to  raise  money  for  the  purpose  of  the  act,  and 
Cape  May's  share  was  placed  at  £600. 

As  soon  as  the  Winter  1777-8  began  to  break  up  and  the 


204  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

prospects  of  the  British  visiting  Delaware  Bay  to  attacFc. 
Philadelphia,  the  people  of  Cape  May  desired  to  keep  their' 
malitiainen  at  home  to  protect  them.  Accordingly,  the  fol- 
lowing petition,  prepared  by  Aaron  Learning,  no  doubt  was- 
circulated  and  numerously  signed,  the  signing  beginning  at. 
Cape  Island  and  being  presented  to  each  inhabitant  along 
the  seashore  road  until  Beesley's  Point  was  reached.  The- 
petition  reads: 
"To  His  Excellency  William  Livingston,  Esqr.  (jovernor,. 

Captain  General,  and  Commander  in  Chief,  in  and  over 

the  State  of  New  Jersey,  &c.: 

"The  Petition  of  Sundry  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Cape  May 
Covmty. 
"Humbly  Showeth 

"That  your  petitioners,  from  their  Local  situation,  are^ 
greatly  exposed  to  the  incursions  of  their  enemies,  who  from, 
their  ships  and  vessels  of  war  have  landed  and  often  attempt- 
ed to  land;  wherebv  the  inhabitants  more  contigious  to  the 
shore  might  have  been  robbed  of  their  property,  had  not 
the  militia  interposed  for  their  relief. 

"That  your  petitioners  are  verv  ?nnrehensive,  as  tlie  sea- 
son is  now  advancing  in  which  they  can  cruize  along  our" 
coast  without  much  danger  from  the  inclemency  of  the- 
weather;  that  they  will  again  infest  our  shores  and  do  all  the 
mischief  in  their  power,  and  the  many  threats  repeatedly  ut- 
tered by  the  enemy,  that  they  will  destroy  our  salt  w^orks,.. 
burn  our  houses,  and  plunder  the  country,  all  tend  further 
to  confirm  us.  in  our  apprehensions  of  danger. 

"That  the  whole  of  the  militia  in  a  collective  body  are  but 
few,  and  when  one  fourth  part  of  those  few  is  on  duty  abroad 
our  condition  is  really  weak  and  dangerous;  especially  as 
we  cannot  speedily  obtain  assistance  from  the  adjacent 
covmties. 

"Your  petitioners  do  therefore  humbly  request  that  it 
may  please  your  Excellency  to  take  the  premises  under  your 
consideration  and  exempt  the  militia  of  Cape  ]\Iay  from  per- 
forming their  tour  of  duty  abroad,  and  to  point  out  such 
methods  as  may  enable  the  inhabitants  to  keep  up  a  regular 
guard  or  any  other  measure  your  Excellency  may  think, 
most  conducive  to  safetv. 


CAPE    MAA'    rATKIOTS.  205 

"And  your  petitioners  as  in  duty  bound  shall  ever  pray. 

"AaroTn^Idrcdge,  Isaac  Newton,  Ezekiel  Eldredge, 
Thomas  Hand,  George  Taylor,  JJaniel  Crowell,  Zebulon 
Swaine,  Robert  Parsons,  James  Cochran,  Salanthiel  Foster, 
Timothy  Hand,  Ezekiel  Hand,  Silas  Swain,  Henry  Jones, 
George  Campbell,  James  Whilldin,  Henry  Hand,  Downs 
Edr.iunds,  Daniel  Smith,  Jonan  Jenkins,  William  Yates, 
Philip  Godfrey,  Enoch  Willets,  Isaiah  Stites,  Joseph  Lud- 
1am,  Christopher  Leamying,  James  Godfrey,  Shamgar 
Hewit,  Robt.  Harris,  Elijah  Townsend,  James  Townsend, 
Benjamin  Stites,  Jacob  Smith,  Enoch  Smith,  Henry  Stites, 
Richard  Townsend,  John  Izard,  Thomas  Scott,  Senr., 
Thomas  Scott,  Junr.,  John  Young,  John  Hunt,  Junr.,  David 
Hedges,  Silvanus  Townsend,  Junr.,  Davis  Corson,  Sila 
Eldredge,  Joseph  Corson,  James  Godfrey,  Junr.,  Jeremiah 
A'^angilder,  David- Corson,  Stephen  Young,  Jacob  Corson, 
Peter  Corson,  Uriah  Candy,  Rem  Corson,  Joseph  Edwards, 
^aniel  Edwards,  Israel  Stites,  Jesse  Corson,  Henry  Young, 
Thos.  Stites,  Jacob  Willits,  Joshua  Garretson,  John  Baker, 
John  Baker,  Arch'd.  Hughes,  Stephen  Young,  ^olin  GoTHIn, 
Jolm  Stites,  David  Townsend,  Jacochs  Swain.  Henry 
Young  Townsend,  Reuben  Ludlam,  John  Townsend,  Junr." 
The  following  is  a  list,  made  on  May  8,  1778,  of  recruits 
raised  out  of  the  Cape  May  battalion,  of  which  Nicholas 
Stillwell  was  Colonel,  and  assigned  to  second  battalion,  sec- 
ond establishment,  and  enrolled  for  war,  and  called  for  by 
the  Continental  Cons:ress: 


Name. 

Place  of  Abode. 

Com. 

Age. 

Thomas  Brown, 

North  Carolina, 

— 

27 

Thomas  Day, 

Hattonfield, 

1st 

19 

Joseph  Brau, 

Cape  May 

1st 

17 

Moses  Erixson, 

Cape  May, 

4th 

19 

John  Grafton, 

Cape  May, 

4th 

20 

John  Kelsey, 

Cumberland, 

— 

23 

Richard  Vaneman, 

Cumberland 

— 

17 

Joseph  Swan, 

Gloucester  Co., 

— 

2/ 

Stephen  Stevens, 

Cape  May, 

— 

25 

Robert  Camelle 

Cumberland, 

— 

28 

John  Shaw, 

Cumberland, 

— 

36 

206 


HISTORY  OF  CAPE  .MAY  COUNTY, 


Name. 

Cornelius  Hand, 
Jeremiah  Daniels. 
Hiram  Chester, 
Eleazer  Hand. 
Constantine  Hand 
Samuel  Goldin, 
Daniel  Scull. 
James  Plunmier, 
William  Davis, 


Cum. 

Age- 

1st 

i8^ 

1st 

i8 

1st 

i8. 

2nd 

25 

I  St 

19. 

2nd 

45 

2nd 

21 

— 

22: 

Place  of  Abcde. 

Cape  May, 

Cape  May, 

Cape  ]\Iay, 

Cape  ^lay, 

Cape  May, 

Cumberland, 

Cumberland, 

Cape  May. 

Cumberland. 

Jonathan  Jenkins,  paymaster  and  clothier,  in  his  report 
made  on  May  25,  1778.  to  the  State,  shows  that  he  paid  for 
clothes  for  these  recruits  £600,  and  that  he  borrowed  £500 
of  the  sum  from.  Joseph  Eldridge  and  the  remainin^^  iioO' 
from  Jesse  Hand.  The  money  was  about  equally  distrib- 
uted and  paid  to  the  following  men:  Thomas  Day.  John 
Kelsey,  Stephen  Stevens,  Moses  Erixon.  Jeremiah  Daniels, 
Constant  Hand,  Cornelius  Hand.  Richard  Venimon,  Hiram 
Chester,  Eleazer  Hand.  Joseph  Brau,  Joseph  Swan,  Thomas 
Brown.  Robert  Cambel,  John  Crafton,  James  Plumer,  Sam- 
uel Goldin.  Daniel  Schull,  William  Davis  and  John  Shaw. 

The  British,  however,  did  not  move  from  Philadelphia 
until  June.  Their  presence  there  did  not  have  a  depressing 
efifect  upon  the  patriotism  of  the  people  of  this  county  as- 
might  be  expected,  because  on  the  27th  of  May  the  follow- 
ing oath  of  allegiance  was  taken  to  tlie  State  government 
by  the  following  persons : 

Oath  of  Allegiance. — 'T  do  sincerel)'  profess  and  swear, 
I  do  not  hold  myself  bound  by  allegiance  to  the  King  of 
Great  Britain — so  help  me  God.  I  do  sincerely  profess  and 
swear,  that  I  do  and  will  bear  true  faith  and  allegiance  to 
the  government  established  in  this  State,  under  the  author- 
ity of  the  people — so  help  me  God.     May  27th,  1778. 


John  Taylor, 
Levi  Hand, 
Daniel  Cresse, 
Henry  Stevens, 
David  Johnson, 
Daniel  Crowell, 
Abner  Periman, 
George  Hollingshead. 
John  Stites, 
William  Schelleng-er, 
Benjamin  Ballenger, 


Thomas  Gandy, 
.Tohn  Nickleson, 
Samuel  Townsend, 
John  Baker, 
Ell.iali  Gnr'-pt?on. 


James  Hildreth,  Jr.,. 
Jacob  Crowell, 
Henry  Schellenger, 
Daniel  Johnson, 
Samuel  Peterson, 


Jonathan  Townsend,  John  Foster, 
David  Cressee,  Jacob  Stites, 

Zebulon  Cressee,  Ellis  Hughes, 

George  Taylor,  Aaron  Swain, 

George  Campbell,         Aaron  Eldredge, 
Daniel  Gar"^«on,  Matthew  Whillden,. 


CATE    .MAY    PATRIOTS. 


20; 


Christopher  Learning, 
Ezekiel  Kldredge, 
Simoon  Izard, 
Humphrey  Stites, 
Constantine  Foster, 
Memucm  Hughes, 
Richard  Stevenson, 
Thomas  Hand, 
Davitl  T()wnsend, 
John  Gi'ldin, 
Jacob  Sniili:, 
Rem.  Corson, 
Ezra  Hand, 
Jesse  Corson, 
Nezer  Swain, 
Philip  Godfrey, 
William  Yates, 
Jeremiah  Ricliardson, 


John  Holmes, 
Abner  Corson, 
Nathan  Hand, 
Richard  Matthews, 
George  Norton, 
Richard  Edmonds, 
Jesse  Hughes. 
Elijah  Shaw, 
Reuben  Swain, 
Constant  Hughes, 
Levi  Elclrcc'gr, 
Jacob  Richardson, 
Jonathan  Eldredge, 
Gideon  Kent, 
Silas  Swain, 
Daniel  Hewitt, 
Ellis  Hughes,  Jr., 
Uriah  Gandy, 


Stephen  Foster, 
Joshua  CJarrelson, 
Peter  Corson, 
David  CoKosn, 
Joseph  lAidlam, 
John  Goof, 
James  Godfrey,  Jr., 
Lewis  Cressee, 
Israel  Stitos, 
John  Izard, 
Jonathan  Hildreth^ 
David  Hildreth, 
"William  Shaw, 
Josiah  Crowell, 
Isaac  Matthews, 
Arthur  (^i-esse. 
Absalom  Hand, 
Jonathan  Learning. 


CHArTER  XVI. 

THE  ENDING  AND  INDEPENDENCE. 

It  is  handed  down  to  posterity  that  in  the  dark  days  of 
the  Revolution,  when  the  army  was  barefoot  and  provisions 
so  exceedingly  scarce  that  the  people  boiled  out,  dried  and 
strung  large  quantities  of  clams,  and  transported  them  to 
the  army.  No  doubt  they  were  esteemed  a  luxury  by  the 
half-starved  soldiery,  and  substituted  in  some  measure  beef 
and  pork. 

In  the  operations  of  the  remainder  of  1778  the  scene  of 
the  conflict  was  transferred  to  Northern  New  Jersey  and 
New  York.  The  battle  of  Monmouth  was  fought,  and  the 
French  fleet  had  arrived  in  Long  Island  Sound  to  aid  the 
patriots.  Jesse  Hand  began  his  services  this  year  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Legislative  Council,  and  served  during  the  years 
1780,  1782  and  1783. 

On  the  5th  of  December  the  New  Jersey  Legislature 
passed  an  act  to  raise  i  100,000  for  discharging  the  just 
debts  of  the  State  in  an  assessment  of  lands,  of  which  the 
lands  of  Cape  May  could  not  be  valued  under  £5  per  acre, 
nor  over  i6o.  In  the  levy  made  upon  the  counties  Cape 
May's  share  was  £2000. 

On  the  seventh  of  December,  the  causeway  over  Great 
Cedar  Swamp  Bridge  being  out  ot  repair,  the  Legislature 
directed  repairs  to  be  made  in  conformity  with  the  act  of 
March  11,  1774. 

The  campaign  of  the  year  1779  was  barren  of  important 
events.  In  the  summer  the  British  infested  the  coast  of 
Connecticut  and  captured  a  few  towns  there,  while  about 
the  same  time  the  American  army  counterbalanced  this 
Connecticut  loss  by  gains  of  positions  at  Stony  Point,  on  the 
Hudson,  and  the  capturing  of  useful  military  stores.  In  the 
early  part  of  this  year  the  principal  events  of  the  war  were 
the  gathering  of  the  two  armies  in  the  South.     The  atten- 


'rnio  EM)i\(;  am»  iM)i:ri;Mn:.\('i:.  209 

tion  of  the  residents  of  Cape  Ma>'  clurin^'  this  year  were 
turned  to  the  water  front  and  coast  and  frontier  defense. 
During  the  first  half  of  the  year  there  was  not  much  activity. 
On  June  2  the  Legislature  ordered  that  for  frontier  defense 
Cape  May  should  furnish  one  ensign,  one  sergeant,  one 
corporal  and  eighteen  privates.  They  were  to  receive 
bounty,  subsistence  money  and  mileage,  and  Henry  Young 
Townsend  was  appointed  to  pay  these  men,  and  received 
£600  for  tile  carrying  out  of  his  duty.  On  June  8  Cape  May 
was  assessed  ±21,103.  3<^1-  toward  the  whole  amount  of 
i 1, 000,000  ^^•uch  was  ordered  raised  in  the  State.  It  was 
in  this  assessment  stipulated  that  Cape  May  landi  were  not 
to  be  assessed  over  i6o  per  100  acres. 

On  October  9,  1779,  to  fulfil  the  New  Jersey  estabhsh- 
tnent,  a  regiment  was  formed  to  include  men  from  Glouces- 
ter, Salem.  Cumberland  and  Cape  May,  containing  eight 
companies  of  102  men  each.  Of  this  Nicholas  Stillwell,  of 
Cape  May,  was  Colonel;  Robert  Brown,  of  Gloucester,  was 
Lieutenant-Colonel,  and  Anthony  Sharp,  of  Salem,  was 
Major. 

On  December  i8th,  an  act  was  passed  to  raise  £3,375,000; 
Cape  May's  lands  were  not  to  be  assessed  above  £60  per 
100  acres.     The  levy  was  £31,200.14. 

On  December  25  Parsons  Leaming  was  appointed  a 
contractor  for  supplying  stores  of  war  and  settling  State  ac- 
counts. 

The  inhabitants  of  Cape  Alay.  to  protect  themselves  from 
the  incursions  of  the  British  and  refugees,  armed  and 
manned  a  number  of  boats  and  privateers.  They  mani- 
fested great  bravery,  and  address,  and  were  successful  in 
taking  prizes.  They  had  the  most  to  fear  from  refugees — 
as  their  names  were  synonymous  with  burglary,  arson, 
treachery  and  murder.  Only  two,  as  far  as  is  known,  were 
from  this  county.  They  were  finally  taken  prisoners.  About 
the  middle  of  the  year  1779  the  incidents  relating  to  these 
privateers  are  first  recorded.     A  list  of  them  follow: 

"]v."2  2d,  1779.  The  brigaiitinc  Delight,  Capt.  Dawson, 
on  the  20th  ultimo,  from  Tortula  to  New  York,  mounting 
12  guns,  with  29  hands,  came  ashore  on  Peck's  beach,  in  a 
iog,  at  Cape  May.     Her  cargo  consisted  of  80  Hhds.  of  rum. 


210  lllS'L'OUY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

some  sugar.  (S;i.\  Soon  after  she  came  ashore,  our  militia^., 
took  possession  of  both  vessel  and  cargo,  and  sent  off  the 
crew  under  guard  to  Philadelphia." 

"About  1820,  the  tide  being  very  low,  one  of  the  cannon 
thrown  overboard,  in  the  attempt  of  the  British  to  get  her 
ofif,  was  found  by  Mr.  Ui  in'i  Smith,  and  placed  at  the  corn- 
er of  his  yartl  for  a  fender.     There  were  three  bails  in  it." 

"June  23d,  1779.  An  open  boat,  called  'The  Skunk," 
mounting  2  guns  and  12  men  belonging  to  Egg  Harbor, 
sent  in  ther.-.  on  Wednesday  last,  a  vessel  with  a  valuable 
cargo, — which  was  her  nineteenth  prize  since  she  was  fitted, 
out." 

"Upon  one  occasion  tliis  boat  had  quite  an  adventure, 
when  commanded  by  Capt.  Snell  and  John  Goldin.  They 
thought  they  had  discovered  a  fnie  prize,  off  Egg  Harbor, 
in  a  large  ship  wearing  the  appearance  of  a  Merchantman. 
The  boat  approached  cautiously,  and,  after  getting  quite 
near,  the  little  Skunk  was  put  in  a  retreating  position,  stern 
to  the  enemy,  and  then  gave  him  a  gun.  A  momentary 
pause  ensued.  All  at  once,  the  merchantman  was  trans- 
formed into  a  British  74,  and  in  another  moment  she  gave 
the  Skunk  such  a  broadside  that,  as  Goldin  expressed  it, 
*the  water  flew  around  them  like  ten  thousand  v.'hale  spouts.' 
She  was  cut  some  in  her  sails  and  rigging,  but  by  hard  row- 
ing made  good  her  escape, — with  Goldin  to  give  the  word, 
'Lay  low,  boys;  lay  low  for  your  lives.'  " 

"Oct.  6,  1779.  On  Friday  last,  Capt.  Taylor,  of  Cape  May, 
sent  into  Little  Egg  Harbor,  a  transport  from  New  York, 
to    Halifax,     with    a    quantity     of    dry     goods,     and    214 
Hessians,  including  a  Colonel,  who  are  properly  taken  care 
of." 

"Feb.  7th,  1781.  The  brig  Fame,  Capt.  William  Treen, 
of  Egg  Harbor,  about  ten  days  ago  took  the  privateer 
schooner  Cock,  Capt.  Brooks,  bound  from  New  York  to- 
Chesapeake  bay,  and  sent  her  into  a  port  in  New  Jersey." 
"On  the  night  of  the  22d  of  the  same  month,  the  brig  Fame,, 
while  at  the  anchoring  point  near  Egg  Harbor  Inlet,  in  a 
heavy  gale  from  the  NW.  with  some  snow  squals,  on  the 
flood  tide,  was  tripped  and  upset — by  wdiich  sad  mishap 
some  20  lives  were  lost." 


Tin:   KNDIXC   AND   1  M  ii:ri:M  »!:.\« 'Jv 


•211 


"Capt.  Treen,  Win.  l^acko,  and  throe  others,  were  on 
shore.  Thomas  Adams.  Kleazer  Crawford.  Jacol.>  Corson, 
and  Steehnan.  succeeded  in  lanchng  on  the  point  of  the 
beach.  The  cold  was  intense.  Steehnan,  who  was  most 
active  in  cheering-  his  companions  and  freeing  the  biuit,  per- 
ished when  near  land.  Iniur  only  of  the  crew  left  on  board 
were  rescued   in  the   moniinir.  the  rest  haviiry'  in-rished  hv 


:sr-     .¥^r 


CONdUKSS    IIAI.:,     fATK   ISLAM)     IN    )  S~)\) 

the  cold.  These  kept  alive  only  by  constant  and  unremit- 
ting exertion — that  being  the  only  method  of  shaking  ofif 
the  sleep  of  death. 

"Capt.  Wm.  Treen  was  bold  and  fearless,  and  very  suc- 
cessful in  taking  prizes.  He  was,  however,  run  down  on 
one  occasion  by  two  frigates,  for  not  inmiediately  answer- 
ing their  summons  to  surrender.     Both  frigates  passed  quite 


212  IJ I  STORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

over  his  vessel.  Treen  and  a  boy,  only,  caught  to  the  rig- 
ging of  one  of  the  frigates,  and  were  saved.  Others  made 
the  attempt,  but  had  their  fingers  and  arms  cut  of[  by  cut- 
lasses. Treen  implored  for  the  lives  of  his  crew — among 
whom  was  a  brother  of  Jesse  Somers,  now  (1842)  living  at 
Somers'  Point.  This  being  refused,  he  boldly  upbraided 
them  for  their  cruelty.  They  could  not  but  admire  his 
heroic  bearir.'^.  and,  v/hile  with  them,  he  w?.s  well  treated; 
but  on  their  arrival  at  New  York  he  was  placed  in  that  den 
of  horrors,  the  New  Jersey  Prison  ship,  and  was  one  of  the 
few  that  escaped  with  life.  In  1806  he  went  to  the  West. 
Nathaniel  Holmes,  who  lived  at  the  Court  House,  was  at 
one  time  confined  on  board  this  prison  ship." 

"Jan.  3,  1782.  William  Treen  and  Joseph  Edwards,  com- 
manders of  the  whale-boat  Unity,  captured  the  Betsey, 
which  lately  sailed  from  Jones'  creek,  Delaware,  loaded 
with  wheat,  Indian  corn  and  Hour. — which  was  taken  in  the 
Delaware  by  a  British  cruiser,  and  retaken  by  said  Treen 
and  Edwards." 

"Aug.  7,  1782.  John  Badcock  took  the  Hawk,  when 
commanding  the  Rainbow;  her  cargo  consisted  of  spirits, 
tar,  flour,  coal  and  iron, — which  was  solt  at  James  Willit's, 
(who  kept  tavern  where  Capt.  John  S.  Chattin  now  does), 
for  the  benefit  of  those  concerned." 

"Capt.  Hand,  of  the  Enterprise,  and  Capt.  Willits,  of  an- 
other boat,  on  the  5th  of  May,  1782,  chased  ashore,  near 
Egg  Harbor,  the  refugee  boat  Old  Ranger,  mounting  7 
swivels  and  one  three  pounder,  commanded  by  one  Fryan, 
with  25  men,  bound  to  the  capes  of  the  Delaware,  and  up 
the  same  as  far  as  Christiana,  with  orders  to  take  prisoners 
whom  they  pleased.  They  afterwards  fell  in  with  a  schoon- 
er laden  with  corn,  and  another  with  lumber,  which  they 
took." 

The  Supreme  Executive  Council  of  Pennsylvania,  on 
April  21,  1780,  "Ordered,  That  a  special  commission  be 
granted  to  Mr.  Abraham  Bennett,  pilot,  to  qualify  him  in 

and  making  reprisals  on  the  enemy  with  an  armed 

pilot  boat  called  the  Randolph."  The  same  authority  about 
this  time  gave  Enos  Schellenger  a  like  commission. 

wScraf  and  \A'estcott,  in  their  history  of  Philadelphia,  say: 


THE  KNI)I.\(!  AND  TNI  Hn'KXDEXCK.  213 

"In  consequence  of  depredations  committed  in  the  Dela- 
ware Bay  and  River  this  year  by  picarooning-  boats  belong- 
ing to  Tories,  Capt.  Boys  v>r,s  sen'  down  with  one  of  the 
State  galleys  to  chase  ofif  the  marauders.  The  packet 
'Mercury'  was  also  ordered  by  Congress  to  assist  in  clear- 
ing the  bay  and  river,  and  commissions  were  issued  to  the 
pilot  boats  'Randolph;  Capt.  Abraham  Bennett;  the 
'George,'  Capt.  Daniel  Hand;  and  the  'Hell  Cat,'  Capt. 
Joseph  Jacques." 

Turning  back  again  to  the  year  1780  tlie  operations  of 
the  war  were  confined  to  the  territory  of  the  Carolinas,  and 
it  was  not  until  June  of  this  year,  after  Sir  Henry  Clinton, 
the  British  commander,  had  captured  Fort  Moultrie  and 
Charleston,  and,  after  hearing  of  the  return  to  France  of  the 
French  rieet.  that  he  returned  to  New  York  by  water,  to 
begin  again  operations  there.  In  the  meantime  the  Conti- 
nental Conr;'ress  called  upon  Xew  Jersey  for  1610  men  to 
fill  up  the  ''Jersey  Line,"  for  the  campaign  of  that  year.  On 
the  nth  of  March  the  Legislature,  in  accordance  with  this 
demand,  ordered  it  filled,  and  offered  a  premium  of  $200  to 
each  of^cer  who  would  procure  a  recruit,  and  among  those 
appointed  "Muster  Alasters"  was  Captain  John  Cresse  for 
Cape  May.  The  bounty  of  State  volunteers  v/as  fixed  at 
$1000,  exclusive  of  the  Continental  army  bounty.  On  the 
i8th  of  March  the  various  counties  of  the  State  were  called 
upon  for  their  quota  of  supplies  for  the  United  States  troops. 
Cape  May's  share  was  200  wght  of  beef  or  pork,  propor- 
tionate to  price.  Beef  at  $240  per  one  hundred  weight; 
pork  220  pounds  net  to  the  barrel  $880;  fresli  pork  $280  per 
hundred  weight.  1389  bushels  of  salt.  $120  per  8olb.  wght. 
692  bushels  of  corn,  30  cts.  per  bushel.  Philip  Godfrey  was 
the  contractor  for  the  Cape  IMay  dealings. 

This  muster  of  Marcli  "not  answering  the  ends  desired," 
on  June  14th  the  Legislature  amended  the  act  by  calling  for 
624  more  men  to  remain  in  service  until  the  following  Jan-/ 
uary.  Cape  May's  apportion  of  this  number  was  thirteen 
men,  and  Lieutenant  Amos  Cresse  was  chosen  to  recruit  the 
men.  This  was  the  third  or  last  "establishment"  for  the 
"Jersey  Line"  of  the  Continental  troops.  These  thirteen 
men,  of  which  one  was  an  ensign,  were  to  defend  the  fron- 


214  HISTOUY  OF  CAl'K  ^^AY  COT'NTV. 

tier,  and  ordered  to  march  to  ^Monmouth  Court  House  to 
meet  the  recruits  from  the  other  counties.  ( )n  the  9th  of 
June  Cape  May  was  again  called  upon  for  money  to  help 
pay  tov.ard  []:c  Ur.'tcd  States  sinking  fuiid,  wliicJ-!  Avas  de- 
clared then  a::  X39.000,  17s.  6d.  On  the  17th  of  the  month 
Cape  May  was  ordered  to  furnish  25  draught  horses  for  the 
use  of  the  I'nited  States. 

On  August  28,  this  }ear,  Aaron  Leaming  died,  much 
lamented  and  full  of  hoi.or.  He  was  born  July  6.  1715,  and 
after  reaching  man.hood  had  been  constantly  a  pui^lic  man, 
whom  his  neighbors  lo;ed  to  honor.  He  nmst  have  been 
a  quiet  sort  of  a  man.  and  well  deserved  contidence  and  re- 
spect bv  his  talents  and  many  good  (|ualities,  and  served 
them  as  their  faithful  representative  for  thirty  years.  He 
was  a  man  of  great  industry,  a  large  land  holder,  and  a 
voluminous  wTiter.  He  died  the  richest  man  in  the  county, 
leaving  an  estate  valued  at  £181,000.  He  Avas  a  thorough 
patriot,  although  not  serving  in  the  Legislature  after  con- 
flict wiili  Great  Britain  had  begun.  As  chairman  of  the 
County  Committee  he  did  valued  service  to  the  patriot 
cause.  He  was  buried  two  miles  above  the  Court  House, 
in  Middle  Township,  in  the  old  Leaming  burying  ground, 
and  upon  his  monument  were  the  following: 

"In  memorv  of  Aaron  Leaming,  Esq.,  who  represented 
this  county  in  assembly,  30  years.  Died  Aug.  28th,  1780, 
aged  65  years,  t  mo.,  1 1  days. 

"Beneath  this  stone,  here  li'>.5  a  name 
That  once  had  titles,  honor,  wealth,  and  fame: 
How  loved,  how  honored,  now  avails  thee  not, 
To  whom  related,  or  by  whom  begot; 
A  heap  of  dust  remains  alone  of  thee, 
'Tis  all  thou  art.  and  all  the  proud  shall  be." 
He  left  a  large  posterity,  one  of  whom,  Br.  Coleman  F. 
Leaming,  in  1891,  removed  the  twelve  sets  of  head  stones 
from  the  Leaming  burying  ground  and  placed  them  side  by 
side  in  the  Baptist  Cemetery  at  Court  House. 

By  the  end  of  the  year  of  1780  Sir  Henry  Clinton  cap- 
tured Fort  Moultrie,  and  returned  to  New  York,  the  treason 
of  Benedict  Arnold  had  become  history  and  beyond  these 
no  decisive  events  had  happened.     On  the  26th  of  Decern- 


■iMiK  i:xi)i.\(;  .\.\i»  !M>KrKM)i:.N(:E.  215 

ber  820  men  were  ordered  raised  in  Xew  Jersey,  and  their 
terms  of  service  were  linn'led  to  January  1,  1782,  but  there 
were  none  from  Cai)e  >\la\-.  On  that  very  day,  however, 
Lieutenant-Colonel  luiovdi  Stillwell  was  made  muster-mas- 
ter, and  Henry  Young-  Townsend  bounty  antl  subsistance 
master  for  Cape  May  by  the  Legislature. 

In  the  beginning  of  tlie  year  1781  the  I'ritish  were  in  the 
South  principally,  while  the  Continental  troops  under 
Washington  were  in  Xorthern  Xew  Jersey  and  around  New 
York.  On  the  8th  of  January  the  militia  of  the  four  south- 
ern counties  of  Cape  May,  Cuml)erland.  Salem  and  Glou- 
cester were  again  formed  in  a  brigade,  known  as  the  "lower 
brigade."  Henrv  Young  Townsend,  on  the  same  day.  was 
appointed  the  Cape  Ma)-  agent  for  the  loan  fund,  probably 
to  succeed  Aaron  Leaming,  who  had  died  five  months 
previous.  He  had  to  do  with  the  management  of  the  fund 
in  discharging  the  bounty  to  be  paid  New  Jersey's  troops 
in  the  quota  required  by  Congress.  During  the  middle  of 
the  montli  there  were  some  dissatished  Jerseymeii  in  the 
Continental  ranks,  and  an  open  revolt  was  made  by  them 

:  at  Pompton.  which  was  quelled  by  force  by  General  Wash- 
ington. These  men  were  not  Jerseymen.  but  non-resiilents 
serving  in  the  Jersey  Line. 

As  soon  as  spring  opened  the  army  of  Washington  moved 
to  the  Southern  States,  where  they  were  joined  by  the 
Frenchmen  who  had  come  to  aid  the  patriots.  It  was  the 
intention  this  year  of  the  British  to  compel  the  submission 
of  Virginia.     Several  battles  occurred  in  the  Carolinas,  and 

-while  these  events  were  happening  the  Jerseymen  were  still 
getting  men  to  fight  for  the  Independence  soon  to  be  a 
reality.  In  Cape  May  Lieutenant  Amos  Cresse.  on  the 
25th  of  June,  1 781,  was  appointed  a  recruiter  of  this  county's 
share  of  the  4^0  troops,  and  for  each  man  he  ol-iained  to 
serve  throughout  the  war  he  was  to  receive  30  shillings. 
The  county  tax  was  fixed  then  at  £156  i^d.     (  )n  the  21st 

•of  June  an  act  was  passed  to  raise  in  the  State  £150,000  for 
war  and  other  purposes.  Cape  May's  share  on  the  first  pay- 
ment of  £100,000  was  £2080.  II  pence,  on  the  last  payment 

.£1040.  5^  pence. 

Six  days  later  an  act  was  passed  authorizing  the  Governor 


216  HISTORY  OF  CAPP:  MAY  COUNTY. 

to  grant  commissions  for  guard  boats  and  coasting  vessels, 
the  commander  to  give  a  $5000  bond,  and  it  is  believed  that 
two  Cape  May  men  availed  themselves  of  the  act,  but  who 
they  were  is  conjectural. 

Owing  to  the  isolated  position  of  Cape  May,  on  October 
6th  £3  was  voted  to  pay  for  sending  copies  of  the  laws  to 
Cape  May  with  other  adjoining  counties. 

The  final  struggles  of  the  war  in  X'irginia  were  being  en- 
acted, and  on  the  19th  of  October  the  British  army  under- 
Cornwallis  surrendered  to  General  \\'ashington  as  prison- 
ers of  war.  This  news  was  received  throughout  New  Jer- 
sey during  the  next  fortnight,  and  there  was  great  enthu- 
siasm among  the  patriots.  On  the  20th  of  December  the 
Legislature  appointed  Jesse  Hand,  Eli  Eldredge  and  Nich- 
olas Stillwell  to  assess  damages  occasioned  by  damage  and 
waste  on  the  part  of  the  enemy,  the  Continental  army  or 
the  Slate  i:;!litia,  and  t^xi  [l:c  same  day  Jesse  Mauvi  was  ap- 
pointed for  Cape  May  to  the  end  that  the  public  accounts 
might  the  more  speedily  be  settled. 

On  the  26th  Cape  May's  levy  of  the  State  loan  of  £150,- 
000  was  changed  to  £1560.  54  pence. 

On  the  29th  of  December  another  call  was  made  for 
troops  to  the  number  of  422  for  the  State,  to  do  service  until 
December  15.  1782.  Humphrey  Stites  was  made  captain 
for  the  Cape  May  county  compau}-.  which  was  to  be  com- 
posed of  twenty  men,  and  those  of  Cape  May,  Salem  and 
Cumberland  were  ordered  to  do  "duty  on  land  and  water." 

In  March,  1782,  they  were  allowed  to  cruise  on  the  Dela- 
ware bay,  if  necessary,  between  Cape  May  and  Reedy  Is- 
land and  as  far  eastward  on  the  ocean  as  Little  Egg  Harbor. 

Mr.  Andrew  Higgins,  of  Cape  May,  was  paid  by  the  Con- 
tinental Congress  on  January  14,  1782,  for  "his  services  at 
Cape  May  in  watching  the  British  fleet  out  of  New  York." 

"The  Pennsylvania  Journal"  of  29  May,  1782,  contains 
the  following: 

"Captain  Richard  Grinncll  who  came  to  town  last  Satur- 
day, we  are  informed,  that  he  sailed  from  Cadiz,  the  27  of 
March  last,  in  the  ship  Lady  Jay,  bound  for  this  port  (Phil- 
adelphia) and  on  the  i6th  instant  came  to  anchor  in  Cape 
May  road,  and  took  a  pilot  on  board;  but  there  being  there 


THE  ENDING  AND  INDEPENDENCE.  217 

six  sailed  English  ships  of  war  in  sight,  the  pilot  could  not 
proceed,  and  the  day  following  he  was  attacked  by  seven 
boats  from  the  enemy,  who  boarded  the  ship,  cut  her  cable, 
and  towed  her  ofi  under  cover  of  the  men  of  war,  and  the 
next  day  he  had  the  mortification  to  see  his  ship  in  flame. 
Before  he  was  boarded  he  got  the  ship  within  nuiskct  shot 
of  the  shore  with  a  warpe,  in  order  to  ground  her,  but  a  brisk 
gale  springing  up  from  the  eastward,  the  rope  broke  and 
prevented  the  accomplishment  of  his  design. 

"Captain  Grinnell  returns  his  sincere  thanks  to  the  inhab- 
itants of  Cape  Alay  who  came  to  his  assistance  with  their 
arms,  but  in  a  particular  manner  to  the  gentlemen  who  had 
the  field  piece  and  fought  till  all  the  powder  was  gone." 

Cape  May  required,  in  1782,  to  furnish  £156.  i^d.  for 
frontier  defense.  On  June  22nd  Cape  May  was  apportioned 
to  pay  £936  of  a  State  levy  of  £90,000. 

By  the  end  of  this  year,  and  the  defeats  of  the  British 
arms  becoming  unpopular  at  home,  negotiations  for  peace 
had  been  commenced  between  the  two  countries,  which  cul- 
minated in  England  the  next  year  virtually  acknowledging 
the  independence  of  America. 

On  the  20th  of  January,  1783,  the  articles  of  agreement 
were  signed,  and  on  April  nth  Congress  declared  a  cessa- 
tion of  hostilities.  On  the  9th  of  June  a  tax  levy  of  £90,930 
was  ordered,  and  Cape  May  was  to  pay  £926  of  this.  In 
October  Congress  ordered  the  army  disbanded  on  Novem- 
ber 3rd,  and  about  two  weeks  later  the  British  army  evac- 
uated New  York,  and  America  was  a  free  country.  In  De- 
cember. 1794,  the  Legislature  ordered  a  tax  levy  of  £10,000, 
of  which  Cape  May  was  required  to  pay  £149  15s.  9d,  and 
two  days  after  the  county  was  ordered  to  raise  £468:4:6d 
toward  a  levy  of  £31,259  and  5  shillings. 

The  rise  of  Methodism  did  not  begin  in  Cape  May  until 
1 78 1,  under  Rev.  James  Crowell.  He  was  succeeded  by 
Revs.  John  Fidler,  John  McClosky,  Benjamin  Abbott  and 
others;  and  ever  since  this  denomination  has  been  rapidly 
growing  in  numbers  in  the  county,  now  having  the  largest 
society  membership  in  the  county. 

The  estates  of  Tories  all  over  New  Jersey  were  confiscated 
by  the  patriots  during  the  Revolution.     There    is    one    re- 


218  IJISTOKY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

corded  confiscation  from  Cape  May  county.  That  was  the 
property  of  John  Hatton,  who  was  an  ardent  Tory,  and  who 
was  Collector  of  the  Ports  of  Salem  and  Cohansy  in  1770 
and  1 77 1,  who  had  much  trouble  in  trying  to  enforce  the 
odious  duties  imposed  by  the  British  Parliament.  The 
record  of  this  event  in  the  z\djutant-Generars  office  shows 
that  Jesse  Hand,  agent  for  forfeited  estates,  paid  into  the 
treasury  of  the  State  on  May  9,  1785,  the  sum  of  £125,  13 
shillings  and  4d.,  which  was  the  money  derived  from  the  sale 
of  Hatton's  property.  The  account  was  sworn  to  before 
James  Mott,  State  Treasurer,  and  those  who  had  a  part  in 
the  sale  and  settlement  of  the  affair  \vere  Daniel  Marsh, 
Philip  Godfrey,  David  Smith,  Salanthiel  Foster,  James  Rob- 
inson, Jesse  Hand,  Thomas  Shaw  and  Memucan  Huwes. 

A  letter  of  the  Port  Wardens  of  Philadelphia,  of  Novem- 
ber 12,  1785,  shows  that  a  lot  had  been  bought  at  Cape  May, 
on  which  a  Beacon  or  light  house  w^as  to  be  erected. 

On  the  2Tst  of  August,  probably  this  year,  the  Council  of 
Safety  in  Philadelphia  directed  its  treasurer  "to  pay  Dr. 
Frederic  Otto  for  attendance  on  a  man  wounded  at  Cape 
May  in  the  service  of  the  State,  £6:11:1^."  This  was  prob- 
ably for  attending  Thomas  Godfrey,  wdio  was  wounded  at 
a  training  on  the  3d  of  May,  1777. 

Jonathan  Hand,  County  Clerk  of  Cape  May  from  1840 
to"  1890,  says  that  it  was  in  the  year  1785  that  the  regular 
recording  of  deeds  were  begun  for  Cape  May  county  in  the 
Clerk's  office.     Some  were  recorded  from  1694  to  1726. 

On  November  26,  1785,  Cape  May  county  was  taxed  by 
law  for  State  expenses  £149:15:9.  By  act  of  May  26,  1786, 
Cape  May  was  to  have  £1497  ^7^-  6d.  of  the  £100.000  State 
bills  of  credit,  which  were  to  be  "let  out  on  loan"  by  the 
commissioners  for  that  purpose.  On  ■  November  21, 
this  year,  the  Legislature  levied  a  tax  of  £59:17  "pon  the 
county  to  pay  State  expenses.  The  next  year,  on  June  7th, 
Cape  May  was  taxed  £187:5  for  State  expenses. 

On  the  30th  of  October  an  act  was  passed  empowering 
James  Godfrey,  Thomas  Learning  and  Christopher  Lud- 
1am  to  bank,  dam  and  erect  other  water  works  at  Mill 
creek,  a  branch  of  Dennis  creek,  which  was  extended  from 
the  fast  land  of  Thomas  Leaming's  across  the  meadow  and 


'I'liK  K.xDix*;  AM)  ixi>i:ri:xin:.\(:i:.  si'j 

M\\\  creek  to  the  fast  land  of  Christopher  Ludlani.  In  the 
iall  of  this  year  Jesse  Hand,  Jacob  Eldredge  and  Matthew 
Whillden  were  elected  delegates  to  the  State  Convention 
to  act  on  the  ratification  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States,  which  had  been  unanimously  agreed  upon  by  the 
delegates  to  the  Constitutional  Convention  on  September 
17th.  The  State  Convention  met  at  Trenton  on  the  second 
Tuesday  of  December,  and  on  the  19th  unanimously  adopted 
it,  when  the  members  went  in  solenm  procession  to  the 
Court  House,  where  the  ratification  was  publicly  read  to 
the  peo])le.  New  Jersey  being  the  third  State  to  ratify.  At- 
tending this  convention  was  the  last  public  act  of  Jesse 
Hand.^ 

"He  created,"  says  Dr.  Beesley,  "great  astonishment  with 
the  people,  when  he  presented  to  their  wondering  eyes  the 
first  top-carriage  (an  old-fashioned  chair)  that  was  ever 
l)rought  into  the  county.  The  horse  cart  was  the  favorite 
Tchicle  in  those  times,  whether  for  family  visiting,  or  going 
to  meeting  purposes,  and  any  innovation  upon  these  usages, 
-or  those  of  their  ancestors,  was  looked  upon  with  jealousy 
:and  distrust." 

"Pennsylvania  Gazette,"  of  February  6.  1788,  contains 
the  following  account  of  how  Matthew  Hand  saved  "the  life 
■of  Capt.  Decatur":  "Sunday  last  Capt.  Decature,  in  the 
'Sloop  Nancy,  got  safe  into  Hereford  Inlet,  (about  twelve 
miles  N.  E.  of  the  Pitch  of  Cape  May)  after  a  passage  of  /2 
days  from  Demarara.  He  has  been  on  the  coast  since  the 
25th  of  December,  and  fifteen  times  blown  ofi.  His  mate 
:and  one  of  his  hands  were  washed  overboard,  but  the  mate 
"^vas  fortunately  saved  by  catching  hold  of  a  rope ;  another  of 
his  men  had  an  arm  broke  by  the  same  sea.  The  vessel  be- 
ing leaky,  and  his  provisions  expended,  Capt.  Decature  al- 
most despaired  of  being  able  to  make  any  port,  when  fortu- 
nately fell  in  with  Mr.  Matthew  Hand  of  the  Cape  May  Pi- 
lots, who  made  it  a  rule  to  go  out  in  his  boat  every  fair  day. 
To  this  vigilant  Pilot  Capt.  Decature  feels  himself  greatly 
indebted  for  the  present  safety  of  himself  and  vessel.  As 
soon  as  the  sloop  was  got  into  a  place  of  safety,  Mr.  Hand 
-went  out  in  quest  of  two  sloops  then  in  the  offing." 

On  November  27,  1788.  an  act  was  passed  by  the  Legisla- 


220  HISTORY  OP^  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

ture  for  the  appointment  of  managers  to  build  a  bridge  over 
Cedar  Swamp  Creek  from  the  lands  of  Job  Young  on  the- 
southeast  to  the  lands  of  John  Van  Gilder  on  the  northwests 
The  bridge  was  to  be  twelve  feet  wide.  Cranberries  are  first 
mentioned  in  the  of^cial  records  as  being  an  important  ar- 
ticle, which,  if  then  encouraged,  might  be  profitable  for  ex- 
portation. 

By  this  time  the  habit  of  pasturing  cattle  on  Peck's  Beach 
generally  prevailed,  and  the  owners  of  the  Beach  objecting 
to  fences  marking  the  property  of  each  owner,  petitioned, 
the  Legislature  for  allowing  its  use  in  common.  The- 
Legislature,  on  November  lo,  1789,  passed  an  act  authoriz- 
ing the  pasturing  of  ten  head  of  horses  or  cattle  on  every 
100  acres.  For  allowing  horses  over  18  months  or  any  hogs, 
sheep  or  goats  to  graze  on  the  beach  fines  were  to  be  im- 
posed, as  well  as  for  the  violation  of  more  than  ten  head  for 
each  100  acres.  On  the  following  day  the  Legislature  pass- 
ed an  act  authorizing  David  Townsend,  Thomas  Shaw, 
Henry  Ludlam,  Christopher  Smith  and  Jacocks  Swain  ta 
build  a  bridge  over  the  north  and  south  branches  of  Dennis 
Creek,  and  to  claw  out  a  public  road  from  Thomas  Learn- 
ing's ship  yard.  The  road  was  to  extend  from  the  ship  yard 
to  the  main  road  leading  from  Great  Cedar  Swamp  to  David. 
Johnson's  saw  mill.  Vessels  were  not  to  moor  to  the  bridge 
nor  take  the  planks  from  it. 

Pastor  Watt,   of  the  Cold   Spring   Presbyterian   church,, 
died  this  year.     On  his  tombstone  are  these  words: 
'Tn  Memory  of 
the  Rev.  James  Watt, 
who  departed  this  life 
19th  Nov'br.  1789 
Aged  46  years. 
If  disinterested  Kindness,  Integrity, 

Justice  and  Truth 
Deserve  the  Tributary  Tear, 
Here  it  is  claimed." 
By  act  of  June  12,  1790,  when  £30,000  was  raised  in  the 
State,  Cape  May  was  to  pay  toward  it  the  three  separate 
sums  of  £182:15:4,  £146:4:3.  and  £109:13:3.     On  November 
25  the  county  was  again  taxed  £219:6:6  for  a  State  levy. 


THE  ENDI\(;  AND  TNDErK.NDENCE.  221 

The  first  general  census  of  the  United  States  was  taken 
this  year,  and  there  were  in  the  county,  according  to  it,  free 
•white  males  of  sixteen  years  and  upwards,  631;  free  white 
males  under  sixteen,  609;  free  wdiite  females,  including 
heads  of  families,   11 76;  all  other  free  persons,   14;  slaves, 

141;  total  number,  2571. 

The  first  case  of  freedom  of  slavery  from  Cape  May  county 
was  that  adjudged  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State  in  1790, 
which  was  the  case  of  the  State  against  John  Ware  on  habeas 
-corpus  proceedings  of  Negro  Jethro,  whose  history  is  given 
in  the  following  abstract  from  the  decision  of  the  court: 

"It  appearing  to  the  Court  that  the  said  Negro  Jethro  was 
born  on  the  8th  day  of  September,  1768,  in  county  of  Cape 
May,"  and  that  his  mother,  Charity  Briggs,  a  Mulatto  wom- 
an, was  free  at  the  time  of  birth,  and  that  Jethro  was  bound 
by  the  overseer  of  the  poor  to  Nathaniel  Foster.  In  1768 
the  mother  was  purchased  by  John  Connell,  with  the  infant 
Jethro  at  the  breast.  Connell  sold  her  time  of  service  to 
Jonathan  Jenkins,  who  brought  up  the  child  Jethro.  Jenk- 
ins then  sold  Jethro  to  Christopher  Leaming,  who  sold  him 
in  1788  to  John  Ware,  and  on  motion  of  Joseph  Bloomfield, 
Attorney-General,  Jethro  was  freed. 

David  Johnson,  James  Ludlam  and  others  petitioned  the 
Legislature  in  1792  for  the  right  to  construct  a  grist  mill  at 
Dennis  Creek,  and  that  body  passed  an  act  on  May  26,  al- 
lowing the  mill  to  be  erected  at  Dennis  Creek,  provided  it 
was  finished  in  two  years'  time.  The  flood  gate  was  to  be 
fourteen  feet  wide,  and  always  to  be  ready  to  open  for  nav- 
igation. The  land  owners  above  the  mill  were  to  build  dams 
to  protect  their  property. 

On  November  22,  1791,  the  State  tax  was  again  fixed  for 
the  county  at  £219:6:6,  and  a  year  later,  November  22,1792, 
at  the  same  amount. 

About  this  time  Cape  May  was  provided  with  a  military 
organization,  and  on  November  30,  1792,  an  act  was  passed 
for  its  organization,  and  Eli  Tow^nsend  was  made  a  com- 
missioner to  organize  them.  On  the  5th  of  the  following 
June  an  act  was  passed  forming  the  Cumberland,  Cape  May 
and  Salem  companies  into  a  brigade.    The  Cape  May  men 


223  HISTORY  OF  CAFE  MAY  COUNTY. 

were  to  drill  on  the  first  Monday  of  each  October  and  the 
day  following. 

During  the  years  1794,  '95,  '96  and  '97  tlie  county's  share- 
of  the  State  expense  amounted  to  £202:17:10^  each  year. 

On  November  23,  1795,  EH  Townsend  was  appointed", 
judge  of  the  court,  and  Christopher  Ludlam  a  justice.  On; 
February  23,  1796,  the  Legislature  empowered  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Cape  May  to  stow  and  lay  their  boats  on  "Cape  Is- 
land road,"  leaving  two-thirds  of  the  road  clear  and  not 
distant  over  12  roods  from  high  water  mark.  On  March. 
16  this  year  the  Legislature  decided  that  the  horsemen  of 
Cape  May,  Cumberland  and  Salem  counties  make  one  com- 
pany. 

On  January  28,  1797,  Henry  Ludlam,  Reuben  Townsend*. 
and  Parmenas  Corson  were  appointed  judges,  and  Henry 
Ludlam,  Reuben  Townsend.  Parmenas  Corson,  Elijah: 
Townsend,  Elijah  Godfrey  and  Robert  Edmonds  justices  of 
the  peace,  and  on  March  3  Christopher  Ludlam  was  added 
to  the  list  of  judges  and  Eleazer  Hand  to  the  hst  of  justices^ 

Military  commissions  were  issued  on  March  2y,  this  year^ 
to  Spicer  Leaming  as  captain  and  Joseph  Ware  as  ensign^ 

In  the  annual  election  of  this  year  there  arose  a  dispute- 
over  the  election  of  sheriff  and  coroners,  the  result  being 
that  two  sheriffs  and  a  double  portion  of  coroners  received 
certificates  of  election,  none  of  which  the  court  justices  re- 
fused to  recognize.  As  a  consequence  the  Legislature  on 
the  6th  of  March  passed  an  act  requiring  the  county  clerk" 
to  call  an  election  for  the  21st  of  the  same  month  to  settle 
the  question.  On  the  I4t1i  of  October  following  a  State 
commission  was  granted  Jeremiah  Hand,  the  successful 
candidate  for  sheriff,  and  to  John  Swain,  Jonathan  Town- 
send  and  Seth  Hand  as  coroners.  Sheriff  Hand  served 
from  1798  to  1800.  During  this  year,  1797,  Persons  Leam- 
ing became  a  member  of  the  Legislature.  He  was  bom 
July  25,  1756.  He  served  in  the  Assembly  from  1797  to- 
1798  and  from  1801  to  1803.    He  died  March  29,  1807. 

By  act  of  the  Legislature  of  the  8th  of  March  this  year 
(1797)  the  county's  representation  in  the  Assembly  was  re- 
duced from  three  members  to  one,  and  Persons  Leaming 
was  the  first  Assemblvman  under  the  new  order.     From: 


THE  ENDING  AND  INDEPENKENCE.  223 

then  to  present  time  Cape  May  county  has  had  only  one 
member  of  the  Legislative  Council  (now  Senator)  and  one 
Assemblyman.  The  election  day  at  the  same  time  was 
clianf^cd  to  second  Tuesday  of  October. 

During-  the  year  1798  the  following  military  appointments 
were  made:  Jacob  Hughes,  lieutenant,  June  23;  Seth  Hand, 
ensign,  July  2^;  Jeremiah  Hand,  Jr.,  ensign,  July  23;  Robert 
Edmunds,  ensign,  July  10,  and  Ludlam  Johnson,  ensign,, 
August  7.  The  Cape  May  "training  days"  were  then  the 
second  Tuestlay  of  March  and  second  Tuesday  of  Novem- 
ber, and  the  "battalion  training"  on  the  second  Tuesday  of 
April. 

By  act  of  the  Legislature  of  February  13,  1798,  the  county 
Board  of  Chosen  Freeholders  was  incorporated,  and  soon 
after  organized.  On  the  21st  of  February  the  Upper,  Middle 
and  Lower  jn-ccincts  were  incorporated  into  townships,  with 
boundaries  nearly  as  those  which  exist  to-day,  excepting" 
that  LTpper  township  formerly  comprised  all  of  what  is  now 
(1896)  Upper  and  Dennis  townships.  The  Common  Pitas 
and  Quarter  Sessions  Courts  then  met  in  Middle  township- 
four  times  a  year,  namely,  in  February,  May,  August  andl 
October,  while  the  circuit  judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  ap- 
peared in  Cape  May  only  in  May. 

Jonathan  Leaming  was  granted  two  State  connnissions 
as  sherifif  in  October  of  both  1798  and  1799,  but  Jeremiah 
Hand  seems  to  have  actually  served  from  1798  to  1801,  as 
mentioned  before. 

In  the  incidental  bill  of  the  Legislature  of  February  21, 
1799.  Elijah  Townsend  received  £3  15s.  for  taking  to  Tren- 
ton the  papers  of  the  late  Elijah  Hughes,  when  the  latter 
was  surrogate. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

THE  COUNTY   IN   1800. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  present  century  the  foundations 
of  nearly  all  the  villages  now  in  existence  had  been  laid  by 
the  sparsely  settled  hamlets.  They  were  located  upon  the 
two  natural  highways  that  ran  through  the  county,  either 
parallel  with  the  seashore  or  with  the  bay  side.  The  total 
number  of  residents  of  the  county  in  1800,  according  to  the 
Federal  census,  was  3066,  of  which  98  were  slaves.  The 
proportion  was  as  follows:  White  males  under  ten,  487;  be- 
tween ten  and  sixteen,  242;  between  sixteen  and  twenty- 
six,  334;  between  twenty-six  and  forty-five,  264;  over  forty- 
five,  197;  females  under  ten,  449;  between  ten  and  sixteen, 
227;  between  sixteen  and  twenty-six,  272;  between  twenry- 
six  and  forty-five,  279;  above  forty-five,  137;  all  other  free 
persons,  80. 

Among  the  villages  which  were  centres  of  life  at  the  time 
were  Middletown  (now  Cape  May  Court  House),  Cold 
Spring,  Cape  Island  (now  Cape  May  City),  Tuckahoe,  East 
Creek  (now  Eldora),  West  Creek,  Dennisville,  Goshen, 
Fishing  Creek,  Green  Creek  and  Seaville.  The  first  post- 
ofiice  was  established  at  Dennis  Creek  in  1802,  when  Jere- 
miah Johnson  was  appointed  postmaster,  October  9.  In 
the  following  year  Jeremiah  Hand  was  appointed  the  first 
postmaster  at  Cape  May  Court  House,  on  January  i.  On 
January  30,  1804,  the  office  at  Cape  Island  was  established, 
with  Ellis  Hughes  as  postmaster.  Cold  Spring  was  desig- 
nated a  postofifice  in  1809,  and  Aaron  Eldredge  commission- 
ed in  charge  on  October  i.  The  mails  were  previous  to  this 
time  carried  by  private  parties.  The  stage  routes  had  not 
yet  been  established,  and  the  vessel  w^as  probably  the  prin- 
cipal means  of  transportation. 

In  the  fall  election  of  1800  Jonathan  Leammg  had  been 
chosen  sheriff  and  was  commissioned  October  21,  and  Rob- 


j'liH  corNTV  I.N  iscn.  225 

<€rt  Parsons,  James  Ludlam  and  lluinplirey  Stitts,  coroners, 
who  were  commissioned  October  i8. 

Dr.  Beesley,  speaking  of  the  cordwood  industry,  begun 
about  this  time,  says: 

"It  was  not  until  recently,  within  the  present  century, 
that  cord  wood  became  a  staple  article  of  trade.  Many  thou- 
■sand  cords  are  annually  shipped  from  the  county,  in  return 
for  goods  and  produce  of  various  descriptions,  of  which 
ilour  and  corn  were  formerly  the  most  heavy  articles. 

"The  failure  in  some  measure  of  wood  and  lumber,  and 
the  improvements  progressing  in  all  parts  of  our  State  in 
agricultural  pursuits,  have  prompted  our  farmers  to  keep 
pace  with  the  era  of  progression,  so  much  so  that  the  corn 
and  wheat  now  raised  in  the  county  fall  but  little  short  of 
a  supply;  and  when  the  grand  desideratum  shall  have  been 
achieved,  of  supplying  our  own  wants  in  the  great  staple  of 
corn  and  flour,  it  will  be  a  proud  day  for  Cape  May,  and 
lier  people  will  be  stimulated  to  greater  exertions,  from 
■which  corresponding  rewards  and  benefits  may  arise." 

Among  the  civil  commissions  granted  in  the  State  in 
i8bi  were:  Christopher  Smith,  justice,  February  26;  Stephen 
Hand,  justice,  February  26;  Aaron  Eldredge,  surrogate, 
July  31;  Thomas  H.  Hughes,  sherifT,  October  17;  Enoch 
Townsend,  coroner,  October  17;  James  Ludlam,  coroner, 
October  17;  Elijah  Townsend,  justice,  November  24.  In 
1802  State  commissions  were  issued  as  follows:  John  Town- 
send, surrogate,  June  15;  Thomas  H.  Hughes,  sheriff,  Oc- 
tober 16;  James  Ludlam,  Seth  Hand  and  Aaron  Eldredge, 
coroners,  October  16.  Aaron  Eldredge,  a  son  of  Jeremiah 
Eldredge,  was  born  June  13,  1771,  and  died  August  21, 
1819,  and  is  buried  at  Cold  Spring. 

At  the  opening  of  the  century  Cape  May  was  already 
Icnown  as  a  summer  resort,  and  probably  the  first  advertise- 
ment of  the  fact  was  that  of  Postmaster  Ellis  Hughes,  of 
Cape  Island,  which  appeared  in  the  "Daily  Aurora,"  of 
Philadelphia,  on  June  30,  1801,  which  read  as  follows: 

"The  public  are  respectfully  informed  that  the  subscriber, 
lias  prepared  himself  for  entertaining  company  who  use  sea 
l)athing,   and  he   is   accommodated   with   extensive   house- 


22(5  HISTOKY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

room,  with  fish,  oysters,  crabs,  and  good  liquors.  Care  will 
\)e  taken  of  gentlemen's  horses. 

"The  situation  is  beautiful,  just  at  the  confluence  of  the 
Delaware  Bay  with  the  Ocean,  in  sight  of  the  Light  House, 
and  afifords  a  view  of  the  shipping  which  enters  and  leaves 
the  Delaware;  Carriages  may  be  driven  along  the  margin 
of  the  ocean  for  miles,  and  the  wheels  will  scarcely  make  an 
impression  upon  the  sand;  the  slope  of  the  shore  is  so  regu- 
lar that  persons  may  wade  a  great  distance.  It  is  the  most 
delightful  spot  the  citizens  can  retire  to  in  the  hot  season. 

"A  Stage  starts  from  Cooper's  Ferry  on  Thursday  in  ev- 
ery week,  and  arrives  at  Cape  Island  on  Friday ;  it  starts 
from  Cape  Island  on  Friday  and  Tuesday  in  each  week,  and 
arrives  in  Philadelphia  the  following  day. 

"Gentlemen  who  travel  in  their  own  carriages  will  observe 
the  following  directions:  Philadelphia  to  Woodbury  is  '9 
miles,  thence  to  Glass-house,  10,  Malaga  Hill,  10,  Lehman's 
Mill,  12,  Port  Elizabeth.  7,  Dennis  Creek,  12,  Cape  May,  9, 
pitch  of  the  Cape,  15,  is  84;  and  the  last  18  is  open  to  the 
sea  shore.  Those  who  choose  water  conveyance  can  find 
vessels  almost  any  time.  ELLIS  HUGHES." 

The  hotel  which  Ellis  Hughes  kept  was  called  the  Atlan- 
tic, and  was  made  away  with  to  give  place  to  the  New  At- 
lantic. It  was  located  at  what  is  now  the  foot  of  Jackson 
street. 

The  resort  grew  in  favor  to  some  extent,  but  not  so  stead- 
ily until  after  the  second  war  with  Great  Britain.  The  old 
way  of  getting  to  Cape  May  after  the  war  w^as  by  carriages 
and  by  stage.  In  181 5  a  sloop  began  to  carry  passengers, 
often  taking  two  days  to  come  to  Philadelphia.  At  that 
time  the  Old  Atlantic  was  the  only  hotel,  and  was  the  re- 
sort of  men  of  prominence  and  wealth  for  years.  Commo- 
dore Decatur,  the  gallant  naval  oflficer,  for  years  visited  the 
island.  Congress  Hall  was  built  in  1816  and  was  at  first 
a  large  boarding  house,  but  when  destroyed  in  the  fire  of 
1818  was  200  by  300  feet  in  size.  It  was  owned  by  Thomas 
H.  Hughes. 

In  1802  Ephraim  Hildreth,  a  son  of  Joshua  Hildreth,  was 
busily  engaged  in  running  a  packet  from  Cape  May  to  Phil- 


THE   cor  NT  Y    IN    Imki.  227 

adelphia.  and  we  find  that  he  made  qnick  trips,  leaving  here 
on  one  day  and  reaching  Philadelphia  the  next  and  vice 
versa.  He  was  connected  with  many  enterprises  and  record- 
ed his  doings  faithfully  in  the  diary  which  he  kept. 

The  first  Metliodist  church's  meeting  house  in  Cape  May 
countv  was  finished  in  1803,  in  Dennis  township,  and  its 
trustees  were:  Constantine  Smith.  James  Ludlam,  Christo- 
pher Ludlam,  Nathan  Cresse  and  J.  Tomlin.  John  Goff 
preached  the  first  sermon.  The  members  of  the  class  were 
Nathan  Cresse  and  wife,  R.  Woodruf,  William  and  John 
Mitchell,  John  Townsend.  Jr.,  and  wife,  Jeremiah  Sayre  and 
wife,  Sarah  Wintzell,  Mrs.  Enoch  Smith  and  David  Hil- 
dreth,  who  was  a  local  preacher. 

Commodore  Decatur,  spoken  of  before,  in  1804  began  ta 
keep  his  record  of  the  encroachment  of  the  sea  at  Cape  Is- 
land. It  is  indorsed  "Statement  of  No.  of  feet  gained  by  the 
Sea  at  Cape  Island  from  1804  to  1829,  by  Commodore  De- 
catur." It  reads:  "A  statement  of  the  number  of  feet  gained  J 
by  the  sea  on  the  Beach  at  Cape  Island  measured  by  Com. 
Decatur." 
1804  from  Ellis  Hughes'  house  to  beach 334 

1806  "         "  "  "       "         "      324 

1807  "         "  "  "       "         "      294 

1808  "        "  "  "      "        "     >273 

1809  "         "  "  "      "         "     267 

1810  "         "  "  "      "         "     266 

1812     "        "  "  "      "      .  "     256 

1816  "  "  "  "  "        ''  225 

1817  "  "  "  "  "        "  210 

1818  "  "  "  "  "         "  204 

1819  "  "  "  "  "        "  188     ^ 

1820  "  "  "  "  "        "  180 

1821  "  "  "  "  "        "  174 

Aug.  30th,  1829,  from  Beach 64 

1824  from  Capt.  Hughes'  gate  to  Beach 606 

The  statement  shows  that  the  sea  in  that  space  of  time  had 
eaten  away  275  feet  of  land.  The  late  Jeremiah  Mecray  once 
told  the  author  that  he  remembered  when  fields  of  corn  were 
grown  where  the  pavilion  of  the  iron  pier  now  (1890)  stands. 

Persons  Learning,  the  sixth  son  of  Aaron  Learning,  2d, 


228  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  xMAY  COUNTY. 

represented  Cape  May  in  the  Assembly  from  1797  to  1798 
and  from  1801  to  1803.  He  was  born  July  23,  1756,  and  died 
March  29,  1807. 

William  Eldredge,  who  was  a  member  of  State  Legisla- 
tive Council  (Senate)  from  1805  to  1806,  was  an  Englishman, 
who  came  from  Long  Island  to  Cape  May  late  in  the  eigh- 
teenth century.  His  wife  was  Judith  Corson,  a  daughter  of 
Nathan  Corson,  a  man  of  wealth,  who  owned  what  is  now 
the  Mount  Vernon  neighborhood.  He  was  one  of  the  early 
settlers  of  Cape  Island,  buying  his  land  of  Thomas  Hand, 
it  being  located  west  of  Ellis  Hughes'.  He  was  born  about 
1754,  and  was  a  Presbyterian  in  faith.     He  died  in  1809. 

Matthew  Whilldin,  who  about  this  time  was  very  promi- 
nent in  affairs  of  the  county,  was  a  son  of  Joseph  Whilldin, 
the  patriot.  He  was  born  in  1749,  and  died  July  16,  1828, 
aged  79  years. 

He  was  for  nearly  a  half  century  a  ruling  elder  of  the  Cold 
Spring  Presbyterian  Church,  to  which  position  he  was  elect- 
ed probably  in  the  year  1790.  B_ecause  of  his  long  service 
in  that  church  he  was  appointed  June  27,  1828,  to  write  a 
history  of  the  church,  which  he  was  never  allowed  to  do, 
because  of  a  severe  kick  he  received  from  a  vicious  horse, 
which  ended  his  life  nineteen  days  after  his  appointment. 
In  a  civil  capacity  Mr.  Whilldin  was  a  valued  citizen,  and 
was  in  the  State  Legislature  for  nearly  twenty  years.  He 
was  first  in  the  Assembly  from  1791  to  1794,  and  then  in 
the  Legislative  Council  from  1794  to  1796.  Again  in  1804 
he  re-entered  the  Assembly,  serving  one  year,  and  then  re- 
entered the  Legislative  Council  twice  afterward,  serving 
from  1806  to  1807,  and  from  1809  to  181 1. 

Jacob  Hughes,  who  was  sherifif  of  Cape  May  county 
from  1808  to  1809,  was  born  about  1770  and  died  in  1830. 
He  was  commissioned  a  lieutenant  of  the  Cape  May  militia 
June  23,  1798. 

Cape  May  men  were  early  in  the  habit  of  saving  life  from 
wrecks.  In  February,  1809,  the  British  ship  "Guatamoozin," 
with  a  cargo  of  teas  and  silks  from  the  coast  of  China  for 
New  York,  carne  ashore  on  Seven-Mile  Beach,  near  Town- 
send's  Inlet.  She  was  a  full-rigged  ship.  The  beach,  then  a 
desolate  waste  of  cedars  and  sand,  was  covered  with  two  feet 


THE   COl'XTY   IN   ISOO.  229 

of  snow.  An  old  hut  was  the  only  semblance  of  life  there, 
and  that  was  only  temporarily  occupied  by  Humphrey 
Swain,  Nathaniel  Stites  and  Zebulon  Stites,  who  were  there 
gunning.  These  gunners  went  to  the  mainland,  notified 
the  farmer  residents,  and  then  all  returned  to  aid  the  ship- 
wrecked mariners.  The  crew  was  safely  landed,  but  the 
cargo  was  lost.  The  rescuers  and  rescued  experienced  great 
hardships,  and  that  was  probably  the  most  disastrous  ship- 
wreck that  ever  came  upon  Cape  May's  shores,  save  one  ten 
or  fifteen  years  later. 

By  the  census  of  1810  Cape  May  county  had  a  population 
of  3632,  of  which  81  were  slaves  and  iii  were  free  negroes; 
1803  were  males  and  1637  females. 

In  1810  the  first  Methodist  preachers  appeared  in  Cape 
Island.  They  were  Rev.  William  Smith  and  Rev.  Joseph 
Osborn.  They  preached  at  the  house  of  Mennican  Hughes, 
a  well-known  Delaware  River  pilot. 

Of  Nicholas  Willets,  who  served  in  the  New  Jersey  As- 
sembly from  Cape  May  county,  from  1806  to  1807,  from 
1808  to  1809,  from  181 1  to  1812,  from  181 5  to  1819,  and 
from  1821  to  1822,  Dr  Maurice  Beesley  says: 

''Among  those  who  deserve  a  passing  notice  as  one  of 
Cape  May's  favorite  sons,  was  Nicholas  Willets,  a  grandson 
of  John.  In  1802  he  took  up  the  profession  of  surveying, 
wdiich  he  practiced  with  great  success,  and  obtained  the 
confidence  and  respect  of  all  who  knew  him,  by  the  spright- 
ly and  urbane  deportment  which  he  ever  manifested,  to- 
gether with  stern  integrity  and  strict  impartiality  in  his 
various  business  relations  with  his  fellow-man.  It  will  be 
seen  he  was  a  member  of  the  Legislature  nine  years,  and 
closed  a  life  of  general  usefulness  in  the  year  1825,  aged 
about  fifty-six  years." 

The  centre-board  which  has  given  to  America  the  victory 
in  every  international  yacht  race  for  forty  years  was  invent- 
ed by  shipbuilders  in  this  county  in  181 1,  and  the  letters 
patent  granted  them  by  the  United  States  are  still  preserved, 
so  that  the  evidence  is  beyond  dispute  that  the  famous  de- 
vice was  first  made  use  of  in  Cape  May  county.  The  ship- 
builders referred  to  did  business  near  Seaville,  and  were  Ja- 


230  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

cocks  Swain  and  his  two  sons,  Henry  Swain  and  Joshua 
Swain. 

The  name  given  to  the  patent  was  "leeboard."  The  paten- 
lees,  it  is  said,  made  very  Httle  money  out  of  the  invention, 
because  the  patent  was  evaded  by  building  centre-boards  to 
work  between  the  main  keel  and  a  kelson  instead  of  through 
the  middle  of  the  keel,  as  provided  in  the  patent.  A  copy  of 
the  patent  follows; 

"The  United  States  of  America. 
■"To  all  to  whom  these  Letters  Patent  shall  come. 

"Whereas,  Jacocks  Swain,  Henry  Swain  and  Joshua 
Swain,  Citizens  of  the  United  States,  have  alleged  that  they 
liave  invented  a  new  and  useful  improvement 

N  in  the  Lee  Board, 

which  improvement  they  state  has  not  been  known  or  used 
before  their  application  and  have  affirmed  that  they  do  verily 
believe  that  they  are  the  true  inventors  or  discoverers  of  said 
improvement,  have  paid  into  the  Treasury  of  the  United 
States  the  sum  of  thirty  dollars,  delivered  a  receipt  for  the 
same  and  presented  a  petition  to  the  Sec'y  of  State,  signify- 
ing a  desire  of  obtaining  an  exclusive  properly  in  the  said 
improvement,  and  praying  that  a  patent  may  be  granted 
for  that  purpose :  These  are  therefore  to  grant  according  to 
law.  to  the  said  Jacocks  Swain,  Henry  Swain  and  Joshua 
Swain,  their  heirs,  administrators  or  assigns  for  the  term 
of  fourteen  years  from  the  tenth  day  of  /\pril,  1811,  the  full 
and  exclusive  right  and  liberty  of  making,  constructing,  us- 
ing and  vending  to  others  to  be  used,  the  said  improvement; 
a  description  whereof  is  given  in  the  words  of  the  said  Ja- 
cocks Swain,  Henry  Swain  and  Joshua  Swain  themselves, 
in  the  schedule  hereto  annexed  and  is  made  a  part  of  these 
presents. 

"In  testimony  whereof,  I  have  caused  these  Letters  to  be 
made  Patent  and  the  Seal  of  the  L^^nited  States  to  be  here- 
unto affixed. 

"Given  under  my  hand  at  the  City  of  Washington  this 
tenth  day  of  April,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand 


'I'lIJ.:    COlN'rV    IN    1m:h.  231 

^iglit  Inuulred  and  eleven,  and  oi  the   lndei)endence  of  tlie 
United  States  of  America  tlic  tliiii\  -titth. 

''•lAAlliS  MADISON. 


"Bv  the   President. 


"J AS.   AIOXROE, 
"Secretary  of  State." 


"'City  of  \\'ash.ington,  to  wit: 

"I  do  hereby  certify  That  the  foregoing  Letters  Patent 
^vere  dehvered  to  nie  on  the  Tentli  Day  of  April,  in  the  year 
of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight  luuidrcd  and  eleven  to  be 
•examined;  that  I  have  examined  the  same  and  find  them 
conformable  to  law;  and  I  do  hereby  return  the  same  to  the 
Secretary  of  State,  within  tifteen  da)s  from  the  date  afore- 
said, to  wit:  on  tliis  lentli  dav  of  April,  in  the  year  aforesaid. 

"C".  A.  RODNEY, 
"Attorney  (General  of  the  United  States." 

The  "schedule"  referred  to  reads  as  follows: 
"The  schedule   referred   to   in   these   Letters   Patent  and 
■making  part  of  the  same,  containing  a  description  in  the 
words  of  the  said  Jacocks  Swain,  Henry  Swain  and  Joshua 
Swain  themselves,  of  their  new  invented  Lee  Board. 

"The  vessel  that  is  intended  to  be  built  with  a  Lee  Board 
through  the  bottom,  the  keel  must  be  worked  wide  in  the 
middle  so  as  to  give  sufficient  strength  after  the  mortice  is 
worked  through  for  the  Lee  Board  to  pass;  then  there  must 
be  tw^o  pieces  of  timber  w^orked  the  same  thickness  that  the 
mortice  is  through  the  keel,  and  wide  enough  to  be  suffi- 
ciently strong,  and  one  set  at  the  forward  end  and  the  other 
at  the  after  end  of  said  mortice,  and  let  down  into  the  keel 
two-thirds  of  the  depth  through,  so  as  to  stand  on  a  square 
irom  the  keel  and  bolted  into  the  keel;  then  a  rabbet  is  to 
he  cut  on  each  side  of  said  mortice  in  the  keel,  of  the  same 
■width  of  the  thickness  of  the  plank  that  is  intended  to  plank 
up  the  sides  of  the  sheath  for  said  Lee  Board,  and  deep 
enough  into  the  keel  to  spike  into  the  same;  then  fit  down 
a  plank  on  each  side  into  each  rabbet  and  spike  them  in  the 
first  mentioned  timbers,  then  the  lower  part  of  the  sheath 
is  formed;  then  after  floor  ribbands  of  the  vessel  is  run,  then 
iit  knees  enoujjh  on  each  side  of  said  sheath  to  make  it  suffi- 


232  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

ciently  strong,  running  from  the  floor  heads  to  the  aforesaid: 
plank,  from  thence  by  plumb  line  high  enough  to  tennant 
into  the  combing  fitted  into  the  beams,  then  when  the  deck 
frame  is  in  fit  up  plank  on  each  side  to  the  deck,  fitting  the 
same  tight  to  beams,  then  in  planking  up  the  intermediate 
space  may  be  trunneled  on  every  other  one,  first  and  leaving 
one  end  of  the  opening  an  inch  or  two  wider  than  the  other,, 
and  then  when  the  shutters  are  put  in  by  working  them  large 
and  driving  them  in  end  foremost  it  may  be  made  sulBcieritly 
tight  without  any  caulking. 

"The  Lee  Board  is  made  as  follows:  It  is  to  be  made  of 
two  thicknesses  of  plank  laid  together  crossing  each  other 
enough  to  make  it  sufficiently  strong  and  thick  enough  to 
play  through  the  aforesaid  mortice  and  haul  up  into  the  said 
sheath  when  ever  necessary,  and  wide  enough  to  fill  up  said 
sheath  from  near  the  bottom  of  the  keel  to  the  beams  that 
passes  across  the  top  of  said  sheath  and  the  length  agree- 
able to  the  length  of  said  sheath  with  the  after  end  sweep 
of^  on  a  true  sweep  from  the  bolt  hole  that  it  hangs  on;  said 
bolt  hole  to  hang  it  by  is  to  be  about  four  fifths  from  the 
after  end  and  near  enough  to  the  bottom  for  a  true  sweep 
that  strikes  the  forward  end  to  strike  the  bottom,  and  work- 
ed ofif  to  the  same;  it  is  to  be  hung  on  a  bolt  sufficiently 
strong  passing  through  one  pair  of  the  aforesaid  knees  wifh- 
a  head  on  one  side  and  a  forelock  on  the  other,  high  enough 
to  fetch  the  bottom  within  the  knee;  with  a  clasp  and  thim- 
ble ribbeted  on  the  upper  side  of  the  after  end  for  the  pur- 
pose of  a  lanyard  or  a  tackle  to  be  made  fast  to  hoist  it  into 
the  sheath  when  necessary,  the  top  of  the  sheath  the  after 
part  to  pass  through  the  deck,  with  a  chock  fitted  at  the  after 
end  of  the  same  with  a  shreve  in  it  for  a  lanyard  to  pass- 
through  for  the  purpose  of  hoisting  it  up;  and  to  make  the 
said  sheath  sufficiently  strong  there  must  be  a  keelson  run 
on  each  side  of  the  same  and  bolt  through  the  aforesaid 
knees  into  the  keel. 
"Witnesses, 

"Elijah  Townsend, 

"John  Townsend." 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE  WAR  OF   1812. 

Previous  to  the  second  war  with  Great  Britain  regular 
"trainings"  w'ere  kept  up  by  the  Cape  May  mihtia,  and  tlie 
residents  w^ere  ready  for  any  emergency  which  might  arise. 
They  were  trained  in  both  land  and  sea  service.  The  mili- 
tary commissions  issued  from  1800  to  the  opening  of  tlie 
war  follow: 

Uriah  Smith,  captain,  JMarch  11,1800. 

Jeremiah  Daniels,  ensign,  April  8,  1800. 

James  Ewing,  captain,  March  15,  1802. 

Jeremiah  Daniels,  lieutenant,  March  15,  1802. 

Daniel  Garretson,  ensign,  March  15,  1802. 

Nicholas  Willets.  captain,  March  27,  1802. 

Enoch  Young,  lieutenant,  March  27,  1802. 

Joseph  Hughes,  adjutant,  June  1,  1802. 

Abijah  Smith,  paymaster,  June  i,  1802. 

Jonathan  Hand,  Jr..  captain.  May  28,  1802. 

George  Cresse,  lieutenant.  May  28,  1802. 

Cornelius  Bennett,  ensign.  May  28,  1802. 

John  Dickinson,  colonel,  November  25,  1806. 

Commissions  were  issued  November  23.  1808,  to  Cresse 
Townsend,  Jeremiah  Johnson,  James  Ludlarn,  Joseph  Cor- 
son, Isaac  Smith,  Jacob  Fester  and  Levi  Foster  for  various 
ofifieers  from  captain  and  under.  (3n  November  25*,  i8og,  a 
commission  was  issued  to  Eli  Stephenson,  and  November 
I,  1810,  commissions  were  given  Shamgar  Hewitt  and  Levi 
Smith.  What  offices  these  commissions  were  for  we  have 
not  discovered.  When  the  War  of  1812  broke  out  Cape 
May  county  had  its  "Independent  Regiment,"  and  the  corn- 
Missions  issued  to  its  officers  were  as  follows: 
First  Battalion. 

Jacob  Foster,  lieutenant,  first  company;  appointed  Au- 
gust 9,  1806;  commissioned  December  26,  1806. 


234  Illi^l-ORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Jonalhan  Nottingham.  cMisign.  first  company;  aj-pointed 
August  9,  1806;  commissioned  December  26,  1806. 

Jacol)    G.    Smith,    captain,    second    company;    appointed 
March  12,  1814;  commissioned  May  6,  1814. 

Ehsha    CoUins,    heutenant,    second   company;    appointed 
Marcli  12,  1814;  commissioned  May  6,  1814. 

Ricliard  S.  Ludlam,  ensign,  second  company;  api)ointed 
Marcli  12,  1814;  commissioned  May  6,  1814. 

Jolm  Goff,  lieutenant,  tiiird  company;  comn.iissioncd  l'"eb- 
ruary  12,  1814. 

Jaco.')  Eldridge,  ensign,  third  company;  appointed  August 
9,  1806;  conmiissioned  December  26,  1806. 
Second  Battalion. 
Ames   C.   Moore,   major;  appointed   No\cmi'cr  3.   1813; 
commissioned  same  day. 

John    Douglass,    captain,    second    company;    appointed 
March  \J,  1814;  commissioned  May  6,  1814. 

Christoplier  Hand,  lieutenant,  second  company;  appoint- 
ed IMarch  17,  1814;  commissioned  INIay  6,  1814. 

Swaine  Townsend,   ensign,   second  company;  appointed 
Tvlarch  17,  1814;  commissioned  May  6.  1814. 

Aaron  Hughes,  captain,  third  company;  appointed  IMarch 
2,^,  1813;  commissioned  April  15,  1813. 

Jacob  Hughes,  captain,  third  company;  appointed  IMarch 
12,  1814;  commissioned  May  6,  18x4. 

Jonathan  Crawford,  lieutenant,  third  company;  api)ointed 
March  27,  T813;  commissioned  April  15,  1813. 

Aaron    Eldredge,   lieutenant,   third   company;    appointed 
IMarch  12,  1814;  commissioned  May  6.  1814. 

John    Schellenger,     ensign,    third    company;     appointed 
March  12,  18x4;  commissioned  May  6.  18x4. 

Jesse  Springer,  captain,  fourth  company;  appointed  July 
7,  18x3;  commissioned  July  21,  1813. 

William  Hildreth,  ensign,  fourth  company;  appointed  July 
7,  18x3;  commissioned  July  21,  18x3. 

Furman  Learning,  captain,  artillery;  appointed   October 
2,  1813;  commissioned  October  27,  1813. 

Joseph  Ludlam,  first  lieutenant,  artillery;  appointed  Oc- 
tober 2,  1813;  commissioned  October  27.  X8X3. 


'['UK   WAK   OF    IM-'. 


235 


ft)hn  Haines,  sccuml  lieutenant,  artillery:  appointed  Oc- 
tober 2.  1813;  coniniissioned  October  2/.  1813. 

Isaac  Smith,  captain,  artillery:  appointed  June  30,  1814; 
commissioned  Augnist  4,  1814. 

Stephen  Stimson,  first  lietitenant,  artiller}-:  appointed  June 
_30,  1814;  commissioned  Auc^nst  4,  1814. 


■•.'\ 


3  ft' 


*'>;)". 


y^  .SET  3\^ 

wj^   fei«!  dn^  ^'  \ 

.^     "B       bpHl  ^ 


j^  [tad  wj/Zj 


Ezekiel  Stevens,  second  lieutenant,  artillery;  ai)pointed 
June  30,  1814;  commissioned  August  4,  18 14. 

Richard  Thompson,  captain.  Fishing  Creek  artdlery;  ap- 
pointed July  16,  1814;  conmiissioned  August  4,  1814. 

Aaron  Woolson,  first  lieutenant.  Fishing  Creek  artillery; 
.appointed  July  16,  1814;  conmiissioned  August  4,  1814. 


23()  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Recompence  Hand,  second  lieutenant.  Fishing  Creek  ar- 
tillery; appointed  July  i6,  1814;  commissioned  August  4, 
1814' 

Amos  C.  Aloore,  the  major  of  the  second  battalion,  was- 
born  at  Lamberton.  near  Wenton,  March  19,  1776,  and  was 
a  son  of  Nathaniel  Moore,  the  ferryman  there.  He  served 
in  troops  which  went  to  put  down  the  Whisky  Insurrection, 
in  Pennsylvania  in  1794.  He  died  at  Dennisville  June  25, 
1857,  aged  82  years.  He  was  fifty  years  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  for  thirty-seven  years  was 
a  teacher  and  Sunday  school  superintendent.  He  "rendered 
efficient  service  in  the  late  war  (1812)  in  defense  of  the  coast 
of  Cape  May." 

Captain  George  Norton's  company,  an  organization  of 
volunteers,  which  was  composed  of  four  officers  and  ninety- 
one  men,  did  service  at  Town  Bank  principally  and  at  other 
places  along  the  Delaware  Bay  shore.  It  belonged  to  the 
"Cape  May  Independent  Regiment"  and  was  ordered  into 
service  by  Governor  William  Pennington  for  the  defense  of 
the  sea  coast  of  Cape  May  county.  They  were  first  called 
out  in  May,  1814,  and  from  that  time  until  the  close  of  the 
war  they  were  often  under  arms  and  performed  several  tours 
of  duty  away  from  home  during  their  service.  They  were 
all  enrolled  into  the  service  on  Alay  15,  1814,  and  continued 
in  active  service  or  in  readiness  therefor  until  February  17, 
1815,  when  they  were  finally  discharged.  The  following 
were  the  members  of  the  company: 

Captain,  George  Norton. 

Lieutenant,  Joshua  Townsend. 

Ensigns.  Jesse  Springer,  James  T.  Scott. 

First  sergeant,  Ezekiel  Van  Gilder. 

Sergeants.  Samuel  R.  Springer,  George  Rutter.  Jedediah 
Tomlin.  Joshua  Crawford. 

Corporals.  Webster  Souder,  McBride  Corson.  Gideon^ 
Palmer,  Jacob  Nottingham. 

Fifer,  Jonathan  Hewitt. 

Privates,  Jacob  Baner,  Constantine  Elackman,  Joseph 
Bowker,  John  Braddock,  David  Camp,  Eli  Camp,  Daniel 
Church,  Zebulon  Collings.  John  Conover,  Aaron  Corson, 
Amos    Corson,     Cornelius     Corson,    Jr.,     Elijah     Corson,. 


Till'}   WAR  (»F    1S1_'.  237 

Jacob  Corson,  John  Corson,  Nathaniel  Corson,  Eze- 
kiel  Creamer,  Anthony  Cresse,  Jeremiah  Dagg,  John 
Daniels,  Thomas  Douglass,  Mauklare  Earnest,  Amos 
Edwards,  Jacob  Eldredge,  Jeremiah  Ewing,  Jr.,  Ste- 
phen Foster,  Thomas  French,  David  Gandy,  Joshua 
Garretson,  John  Gaskill,  Elijah  Godfrey,  Jr.,  John  Godfrey. 
Daniel  GolT,  William  Racket,  Aaron  Hand,  Miller  Hand, 
Elijah  Hays,  Job  Hickey,  James  Hildreth,  William  Hog- 
burn,  Jacob  Hughes,  Moses  Hughes,  William  Hughes, 
Edward  James,  Jacob  Johnson,  Daniel  King,  Spicer  Leam- 
ing,  Jr.,  Abel  Lee,  Anthony  Ludlam,  Norton  Ludlam, 
Thomas  Ludlam,  Jr.,  Elijah  Mathews,  Enos  Mulford,  James 
Nickerson,  Jeremiah  Norton,  Samuel  Oram,  Jr.,  Amos  Pep- 
per, William  Peterson,  John  Pierson,  Thomas  Pierson,  Jo- 
seph Ridman,  Abel  Scull.  Jeremiah  Shaw,  Smith  Sloan, 
John  Smith,  Criah  Smith,  George  Stites,  Israel  Stites, 
Charles  Strong,  Daniel  Swain,  Samuel  Taylor,  Wallace  Tay- 
lor, James  Thomas,  Zebulon  Townsend,  Daniel  Vaneman, 
Joseph  Ware,  Samuel  Warwick,  Jonathan  Wheaton,  Joseph 
Wheaton,  John  Yates. 

During  the  years  1813  and  181 4  the  Delaware  was  block- 
aded a  part  of  the  time,  and  there  was  almost  continually 
some  British  man-of-war  upon  its  waters. 

It  is  related  that  on  one  occasion  while  the  British  fleet 
were  blockading  Delaware  Ba}^  a  boat  was  sent  ashore 
from  the  74-gun-ship  Poictiers,  with  a  flag  of  truce  to  Cape 
Island,  with  the  recjuest  to  Captain  Humphrey  Hughes, 
commander  of  a  small  body  of  men  stationed  there,  to  allow 
them  to  obtain  a  supply  of  water.  On  his  refusal  the  boat 
returned,  and  shortly  after  another  was  sent  ashore  with 
the  threat  that  unless  allowed  peaceably  to  get  water  they 
would  bombard  the  place.  Captain  Hughes,  with  the  advice 
of  his  officers,  discreetly  acceded  to  their  demand.  He  was, 
however,  arrested  on  a  charge  of  treason,  for  giving  supplies 
to  the  enemy,  and  narrowly  escaped  severe  pumishmentr; 

Another  story,  which  probably  refers  to  the  same  inci- 
dent, reads  in  this  way : 

One  day,  while  the  British  ships  were  lying  ofif  the  Capes, 
it  was  observed  that  several  barges  from  the  ships  were  be- 
ing rowed  ashore,  containing  numerous  Redcoats.     "Long 


238  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAV  C(Jl\\TY. 

Tom,"  a  long'  gun,  twelve  feet  in  length,  belonging-  to  the 
countv,  was  run  down  to  the  beach  and  planted  behind  the 
breastwork  of  a  sand  dune.  As  the  barges  approached  our 
men  wanted  to  fire  on  them,  but  anH)ng  the  crowd  gathered, 
was  Abigail  Hughes,  grandmother  to  Pilot  Albert  HugheS;^ 
who  in  her  excellent  judgment  quickly  decitled  in  her  mind- 
that  to  fire  on  the  Uritish  boats  nuant  but  to  invite  their 
wrath  and  bring  destruction  on  our  own  heads.  So,  placing: 
herself  in  front  of  the  gun,  she  said  sternly:  "You  shall  not 
fire.  We  may  not  be  disturbed  if  we  tlon't,  but  we  will  sure- 
ly suffer  their  vengeance  if  we  do."  The  men  obeyed  her 
mandate.  The  L5ritish,  instead  of  landing  on  our  beach, 
row^ed  into  the  bay  and  landed  at  Town  Bank,  where  they 
raided  cattle  and  appropriated  whatever  was  useful  to  them, 
that  could  be  carried  away.  This  wise  and  brave  woman's- 
first  husband  had  been  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  a  lieutenant  coL 
in  Washington's  ami}-,  Ijelonging  to  the  Fifth  Pennsylvania'. 
Brigade.  His  name  was  William  Williams,  and  he  fought 
on  Long  Island  and  in  the  various  battles  in  New  Jersey  and 
at  Trenton. 

Captain  Hum])hrey  Hughes  was  a  privateer  and  used  to 
relate  how.  when  they  had  run  into  Egg  Harbor,  they  would 
disguise  their  vessel's  masts,  in  order  to  escape  detection  by 
the  British,  by  cutting  off  pine  trees,  which  they  would  sta-nd 
upon  shipboard  beside  the  masts,  the  thick  browse  hiding 
the  vessel's  rigging,  so  that  from  sea  they  could  not  be  ob- 
served. He  was  the  fifth  Humphrey  Hughes,  and  was  born. 
November  lo,  1775,  and  died  August  21,  1858.  It  was  he 
who,  wdien  in  Rome,  met  his  Holiness,  the  Pope,  and  his 
reckless,  never-caring  way,  refusing  to  "do  as  Rome  did,'* 
got  him  in  prison  there,  the  custom  being  then  for  a!!' 
to  bow  on  their  knees  as  the  Pope  passed.  He  did  not, 
calling  out  that  he  was  an  American,  and  recognized  no  one 
to  be  his  better.  He  w-as,  for  this  decorous  act,  seized  and 
hurried  to  prison.  His  sailors,  wdio  were  as  bold  as  their 
captain,  broke  into  the  jail  and  released  him.  They  quickly 
sailed  away. 

On  the  bay  shore  the  people  fared  badly  in  the  loss  of  cat- 
tle and  other  possessions  which  could  be  carried  away. 
Vessels  owned  bv  Reuben  Foster  and  Aaron  Crowell,  of 


Tin:   W.Mi  OF    ISIli.  239 

Fisliiiig  Creek,  were  ilcstro^cd  by  the  l)y  the  r.nj^lisli.  Two 
sisters,  Mrs.  Anne  Edwards  and  Mrs.  Web.^ter  Clmrcli, 
while  coming  home  from  Pliila<leli)hia  in  a  sloop,  were  tak- 
en prisoners  from  it  anti  the  craft  burned.  Elijah  and  Jacob 
Hand  had  .-^dt  works  there,  which  were  molested  at  tinus. 

Ab!jah  Reeves  was  a  soldier  in  the  Kevolution  and  in  the 
War  of  1812,  it  is  said.  He  w^as  born  in  Cumberland  county 
in  1750  and  came  to  Cape  May  with  his  two  brothers,  Adon- 
ijah  and  Abraham,  in  about  1772.     He  di.d  in  1822. 

Richard  Thompson  (the  first),  who  was  captain  of  the 
Fishing  Creek  artillery,  was  born  February  12,  1768,  at 
Fishing  Creek.    He  died  at  Goshen  Decend)er  21,  1824. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1813,  as  several  small  coasters  were 
sailing  around  Cape  jNIay  from  the  Delaware  River,  bound 
for  Egg  Harbor,  they  came  in  contact  with  a  British  armed 
schooner,  lying  at  anchor  off  the  Cape.  She  put  to  chase, 
fired  upon  and  overtook  the  schooner  "New  Jersey."  from 
May's  Landing,  which  was  manned  by. the  mastei,  Cajj'ain 
Burton,  and  two  sailors.  Having  placed  on  board  as  prize- 
master  a  young  midshipman,  with  three  men  (two  English- 
men and  an  Irishman),  she  ordered  the  sloop  to  follow  her, 
and  continue  the  pursuit  of  the  other  vessels.  As  they  near- 
ed  Egg  Harbor,  the  approach  of  night  compelled  her  to 
cease  the  chase,  and  she  then  put  about  for  the  Cape.  The 
sloop  followed,  but  made  little  headway,  the  young  mid- 
shipman being  an  indifferent  seaman.  He  at  length  placed 
the  sailing  of  the  vessel  under  the  direction  of  Captain 
Burton,  directing  him  to  steer  for  the  Cape.  He  designedly 
steered  the  vessel  so  that  no  headway  was  made.  Morning 
dawned  and  found  them  off  the  mouth  of  Great  Egg  Har- 
bor. Burton  feigned  ignorance  of  the  place.  Shortly  after 
a  man  was  sent  aloft  to  look  out,  the  prize-master  and  one 
of  his  men  went  below  to  examine  the  charts,  leaving  the 
three  Americans  and  one  of  the  enemy  on  deck.  Burton 
availed  himself  of  the  opportunity.  He  and  his  two  men  se- 
cured the  one  on  deck  and  fastened  the  others  in  the  cabin, 
having  made  all  prisoners  within  an  hour.  With  a  fair  wind 
he  brought  his  vessel  to  anchor  off  Somers'  Point.  The 
prize-master  was  imprisoned  for  a  short  time,  the  two  Eng- 


X 


240  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

lishnien  found  work  in  the  neighborhood,  and  the  Irishman 
afterwards  fought  under  the  Stars  and  Stripes. 

The  Philadelphia  "Daily  Aurora  and  Advertiser,"  of  De- 
cember IT,  1815,  says  that  a  London  paper  of  a  few  weeks 
previous  said  that  a  court-martial  had  been  held  on  the  ship 
Queen  Charlotte  for  the  trial  of  Midshipman  Richard  Willi- 
min,  of  the  Royal  Navy,  on  the  charge  of  desertion.  He 
was  an  officer  on  the  Jasseur,  which  had  captured  many 
prizes  in  the  Delaware  Bay.  He  was  recommended  to 
mercy,  although  condemned  to  die.  \\'hen  this  young  offi- 
cer had  charge  of  one  of  the  Jasseur's  boats,  the  sailors  ran 
it  on  shore  near  Cape  Island  and  deserted.  He  could  not 
return  to  the  ship  alone,  and  was  surrounded  and  made 
prisoner  by  the  inhabitants.  He  was  delivered  by  them  to 
authorities  in  Philadelphia,  but  through  some  misunder- 
standing he  got  away,  but  had  on  his  person  a  letter  requir- 
ing him  to  keep  within  certain  bounds,  of  which  his  English 
superiors  got  possession,  and  used  as  evidence  against  him. 

From  the  beginning  of  the  war  with  Great  Britain  the 
people  of  New  England  had  been  opposed  to  the  conflict, 
and  that  spirit  prevailed  to  some  extent  in  New  Jersey.  The 
leaders  in  this  opinion  in  Cape  May  county  were  Joseph 
Falkenburge,  who  was  then  a  member  of  the  Legislative 
Council  (Senate),  and  Robert  H.  Holmes.  They  were  the 
two  delegates  from  Cape  May  county  who  met  in  the  State 
convention  at  Trenton  on  July  4,  1814,  to  name  candidates 
for  Congress  who  would  vote  to  discontinue  the  w'ar. 
Holmes  was  elected  to  the  Assembly  that  autumn  on  this 
platform.  Falkenburge  had  previously  served  in  the  As- 
sembly from  1803  to  1804  and  from  1810  to  i8ti.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Legislative  Council  from  t8o8  to  1809  and 
from  1812  to  1814.  He  was  born  in  Gloucester  (Atlantic) 
county  April  24,  1769.  He  came  to  Cape  May  in  1790,  a 
poor  boy,  but  when  he  died,  April  30,  1846,  he  was  the 
wealthiest  man  in  the  county.  He  was  a  tailor  and  mer- 
chant. After  the  close  of  the  war  the  military  organization, 
"First  Regiment — Cape  May,"  was  kept  up  until  1835.  The 
officers  of  the  regiment  up  to  the  disbandment  of  the  same 
were : 


'rilE    WAR   OF    ISIJ.  241 

First  Battalion. 

Soniers  Corson,  lieutenant,  first  infantry;  appointed  April 
<6,  1816;  commissioned  May  20,  1816. 

Edward  Cole,  ensign,  first  infantry;  appointed  April  6, 
s8i6;  commissioned  May  20,  1816. 

Soniers  Falkenbiirg,  captain,  light  infantry;  appointed 
April  9,  1816;  commissioned  May  20,  1816. 

Jacob  Souder.  lieutenant,  light  infantry;  appointed  April 
9,  1816;  commissioned  May  20,  t8i6. 

Jonathan  Crandol,  ensign,  light  infantry;  appointed  April 
9,  1816;  commissioned  May  20,   1816. 

Jacob  G.  Smith,  captain,  second  company;  appointed 
April  9,  1816;  commissioned  May  20,  181 6. 

Richard  Smith  Ludlam,  lieutenant,  second  company;  ap- 
pointed April  9,  1 8 16;  commissioned  May  20,  18 16. 

John  Iszard,  Jr.,  ensign,  second  company;  appointed  xA-pril 
9,  1816;  commissioned  May  20,  1816. 

Joshua  Townsend,  captain,  fourth  company;  appointed 
April  10,  1816;  conmiissioned  May  20,  t8i6. 

Hugh  H.  Young,  lieutenant,  fourth  company;  appointed 
April  10,  1816;  commissioned  May  20,  1816. 

Christopher  Ludlam,  ensign,  light  infantry;  appointed 
April  20,  1818;  commissioned  May  15,  1818. 

Cornelius  Corson,  captain,  first  company:  appointed 
March  19,  1818;  commissioned  May  15,  1818.' 

Allen  Corson,  lieutenant,  first  company;  appointed  March 

19,  1818;  commissioned  May  15,  i8t8. 

Enos  Corson,  lieutenant,  fourth  company;  appointed 
March  20,  1818;  commissioned  Mav  15,  1818. 

David  Corson,  ensign,  fourth  company;  appointed  March 

20,  1818;  commissioned  May  15,  1818. 

Moses  Willet.  ensign,  first  company;  appointed  April  8, 
1820;  commissioned  May  20,  1820. 

■May  Lawrence,  ensign,  third  company;  appointed  May 
9,  1820;  commissioned  May  20,  1820. 

Joseph  GofY,  lieutenant,  third  company;  appointed  May 
9.  1820:  commissioned  May  20,  1820. 

John  GofY,  captain,  third  company;  appointed  May  9, 
1820:  commissioned  Mav  20.  1820. 


242  HIS'IOKY  Ol'  ("ArK  MAY  COUNTY. 

Christopher    Ludlani,    htutcnant,    second   company;    ap- 
pointed April  7,  1820;  commissioned  May  20,  1820. 

Jacob  Smith,  ensign,  second  company;  appointed  April 
29,  1820;  commissioned  May  20,  1820. 

John  L.  Smith,    surgeon,    second    company;    appointed 
March  6,  1820;  commissioned  May  20,  1820. 

Joseph    Fitield,    surgeon's    mate,    second    company;    ap- 
pointed June  14,  1821;  commissioned  August  28,  1821. 

Allen  Corson,  captain,  first  company;  appointed  April  i5;„ 
1822:  commissioned  May  21,  1822. 

Seth  Corson,  lieutenant,  first  company;  appointed  ApriE 
15,  1822;  'Commissioned  May  21,  1822.- 

Smith  \'an  Gilder,  ensign,  first  company;  appointed  April 
15,  1822;  commissioned  May  21,  1822. 

Joshua   Swain,  Jr.,   captain,   fourth  company;   appointed 
May  3,  1823;  commissioned  May  22,  1823. 

German  Smith,  ensign,  fourth  company;  appointed  May 
3,  1823;  commissioned  Ma}  22,  1823. 

Aaron  Corson,  lieutenant,  first  compan}-;  appointed  May 
5,  1823;  commissioned  May  22,  1823. 

James  L.  Smith,  ensign,  third  company;  appointed  May 
10,  1823;  commissioned  May  23,  1823. 

Jacob  Souder,  captain,  light  infantry;  appointed  May  10^ 
1823;  commissioned  May  23,  1823. 

Edward  Rice,  lieutenant,  light  infantry;  appointed  May 
10,  1823;  commissioned  May  23,  1823. 

Christopher  Leaming,   ensign,  light  infantry;  appointed 
May  10,  1823;  commissioned  May  23,  1823. 

Christopher  Ludlam,  captain,  second  company;  appointed 
June  12,  1824;  commissioned  July  27,  1824. 

Samuel  Matthews,  lieutenant,  second  company;  appointed 
June  12,  1824;  commissioned  July  27,  1824. 

Nathaniel    Dickinson,    adjutant;   appointed    February    l, 
1825;  commissioned  March  4,  1825. 

Joseph  Fifield,  surgeon;    appointed    February    i,    1825;. 
commissioned  March  4,  1825. 

Samuel  S.  Marcy,  surgeon's  mate;  appointed  February 
I,  1825;  commissioned  March  4,  1825. 

Jeremiah  Hand,  captain,  fourth  company;  appointed  Feb- 
ruary I,  1825;  commissioned  March  4,  1825. 


Tin:  WAU  OF  isiL'.  24:3 

Joshua  Crawford,  liculcnant,  fdurih  company;  appointed 
February  1,  1825;  connnissioned  March  4,  1825. 

PhiHp  Stites,  ensign,  fourth  company;  appointed  Febru- 
ary I,  1825:  C(immissi(ined  March  4,  1825. 

Seth  ^liller.  captain,  first  company;  ai)pointe(l  February 
II,  1825;  commissioneil  March  4,  1825. 

Epliraim  ilildrtih,  licutv-uant,  first  company;  appointed 
February  11,   1825;  ccnnmissioned  March  4,  1825. 

David  Hil(h-etii,  Jr.,  ensign,  first  company;  a[)pointed 
February  11,  1825;  commissioned  Alarch  4,  1825. 

Samuel  Springer,  captain,  first  artillery;  appointed  Feb- 
ruary 12,  1825;  commissioned  March  4.  1825. 

Absolom  Hand,  Jr.,  first  lieutenant,  first  artillery;  ap- 
pointed February  12,  1825;  commissioned  March  4,  1825. 

Miller  Hand,  second  lieutenant,  first  artillery;  appointed 
February  12,  1825:  commissioned  March  4,  1825. 

Robert  Edmunds,  captain,  second  artillery;  appointed 
February  18,  1825;  commissioned  March  4,  1825. 

Artis  Hewitt,  second  lieutenant,  second  artillery;  ap- 
pointed February  18,  1825;  commissioned  March  4,  1825. 

Aaron  Schellenger,  captain,  third  company;  appointed 
February  18,  1825;  commissioned  March  4,  1825. 

Samuel  F.  Ware,  lieutenant,  third  company;  appointed 
February  18,  1825;  commissioned  March  4.  1825. 

Thomas  Eldredge,  ensign,  third  company;  appointed 
February  18,  1825;  commissioned  March  4,  1825. 

Enos  Corson,  captain,  fourth  company;  appointed  Alarch 
T.'j,  1826;  commissioned  April  11,  1826. 

Ezra  Corson,  lieutenant,  fourth  company;  appointed 
March  27,  1826;  commissioned  April  11,  1826. 

James  Van  Gilder,  lieutenant,  first  company;  appointed 
March  27,  1826;  commissioned  April  11,  1826. 

Joseph  Goff,  captain,  third  company;  appointed  March 
28,  1826;  commissioned  April  11.  1826. 

James  L.  Smith,  lieutenant,  third  company;  appointed 
March  28,  1826;  commissioned  April  11,  1826. 

Jeremiah  Foster,  ensign,  third  company;  appointed  March 
28,  1826;  commissioned  April  11,  1826. 

David  Cresse,  captain,  second  artillery;  appointed  April 
20,  1826;  commissioned  February  15,  1827. 


244  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Robert  E.  Foster,  first    lieutenant,    second   artillery;   ap- 
pointed April  20,  1826;  commissioned  February  15,  1827. 

Joseph  B.  Hughes,  lieutenant,  third  company;  appointed 
April  20,  1826;  commissioned  February  15,  1827. 

James  J.    Ludlam,   ensign,   second  company;   appointed 
April  19,  1828;  commissioned  April  28,  1828. 

John   Little,   ensign,   light  infantry;  appointed   April   19, 
1828;  commissioned  April  28,  1828. 

Christopher  Cole,  ensign,  first  company;  appointed  April 
21,  1828;  commissioned  April  28,  1828. 

Richard  F.   Cresse,  captain,  fourth  company;  appointed 
April  21,  1828;  commissioned  April  28,  1828. 

George  Ludlam,  lieutenant,  fourth  company;  appointed 
April  21,  1828;  commissioned  April  28,  1828. 
Second  Battalion. 

Joshua    Hildreth,    captain,    fourth    company;    appointed 
June  7,  181 5;  commissioned  July  15,  181 5. 

William  Hildreth,  lieutenant,  fourth  company;  appointed 
June  7,  181 5;  commissioned  July  15.  181 5. 

Henry  Hand,  ensign,  fourth  company;  appointed  June  7, 
1815;  commissioned  July  15,  181 5. 

Aaron    Woolson,    captain,    second    company;    appointed 
July  4,  1815;  commissioned  July  15.  1815. 

Richard  Thompson,  first  lieutenant,  second  company;  ap- 
pointed July  4,  181 5;  commissioned  July  15,  181 5. 

James  Hoffman,  second  lieutenant,  second  company;  ap- 
pointed July  4,  181 5;  commissioned  July  1-5,  181 5. 

Jonathan  Nottingham,  captain,  first  company;  appointed 
December  8,  1815;  commissioned  February  4,  1816. 

Nathaniel  Tomsen.  lieutenant,  first  company:  appointed 
December  8,  1815;  commissioned  February  4,  1816. 

Joseph   Norbury,  ensign,  first  company;  appointed   De- 
cember 8,  181 5;  commissioned  February  4,  1816. 

Daniel   Cresse,  Jr.,   captain,   fourth   company;   appointed 
January  13,  1816;  commissioned  February  4,  1816. 

Jeremiah  Hand,   lieutenant,   fourth   company;   appointed 
January  13,  1816;  commissioned  February  4,  1816. 

Joshua    Crawford,    ensign,    fourth    company;    appointed 
January  13,  1816;  commissioned  February  4.  1816. 


Tin:   WAR   OF    1S1J 


245 


Joseph  Lndlani,  captain.  artiller_\-;  appointed  May  20, 
t8i6;  commissioned  June  22.  i8i6. 

John  Haines,  first  hcutenant.  artillery;  appointed  May  20, 
1816;  commissioned   lune  22,  1816. 


Harvey  Shaw,  second  lieutenant,  artillery;  appointed  May 
20,  1816;  connnissioned  June  22.  1816. 

John  Dickinson,  Jr.,  lieutenant,  second  company;  ap- 
pointed June  12,  1816;  commissioned  June  22,  i8r6. 

Joseph  Baymore,  ensign,  second  company;  appointed 
June  12,  18 16;  commissioned  June  22,  18 16. 


246  HISTOKY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

William  Thompson,  captain,  first  company:  appointed 
April  II,  1817;  commissioned  June  10,  1817. 

John  Price,  lieutenant,  first  company:  appointed  April 
II,  1817;  commissioned  June  10,  1817. 

Elijah  Corson,  ensign,  first  company;  appointed  April  ii, 
1817;  commissioned  June  10,  1817. 

John  Haines,  captain,  first  artillery:  appointed  ]May  12, 
18 18;  commissioned  July  7,  181 8. 

Harvev  Shaw,  first  lieutenant,  first  artillery:  appointed 
Mav  12,  1818:  commissioned  July  7,  1818. 

Samuel  Eldredge.  second  lieutenant,  first  artillery:  ap- 
pointed May  12,  1818;  commissioned  July  7.  1818. 

Aaron  Hughes,  captain,  third  company;  appointed  May 
9,  1818:  commissioned  July  7,  1818. 

Jeremiah  Eldredge,  lieutenant,  third  company;  appointed 
INIav  9,  1818:  commissioned  July  7,  1818. 

Tames  ^IcCane.  ensign,  third  company:  appointed  May 
9,  1818;  commissioned  July  7,  1818. 

Jeremiah  Eldredge.  captain,  third  company;  appointed 
September  25.  1819:  commissioned  January  17,  1820. 

Aaron  Schellenger,  lieutenant,  third  company;  appointed 
September  25.  18 19;  commissioned  January  17,  1820. 

Jeremiah  Ewing.  ensign,  third  company:  appointed  Sep- 
tember 25.  1819:  commissioned  January  17,  1820. 

John  Price,  captain,  first  company;  appointed  April  17, 
1820:  commissioned  July  10,  1820. 

Seth  Miller,  lieutenant,  first  company:  appointed  April  17, 
1820:  commissioned  July  10,  1820. 

Ephraim  Hildreth,  ensign,  first  company;  appointed 
April  17,  1820;  commissioned  July  10,  1820. 

Wade  Dickinson,  ensign,  second  company;  appointed 
June  14.  1820:  commissioned  July  10.  1820. 

Almain  Tomlin.  captain,  second  company;  appointed 
April  16,  1821;  commissioned  June  28,  1821. 

Wade  Dickinson,  lieutenant,  second  company:  appointed 
March  15,  1823;  commissioned  April  i,  1823. 

Thomas  Hewitt,  Jr..  ensign,  second  company;  appointed 
March  15.  1823;  commissioned  April  i.  1823. 

David  Reeves,  lieutenant,  third  company;  appointed  De- 
cember 8,  1827:  commissioned  February  11,  1828. 


Till-;    WAK   OF    ivlj.  247 

Geor^^X'  r.cniu'lt,  second  lii  uU'iKiiit.  ;n"tillcr\-:  a]i|i()iiUed 
'Deceni])cr  S.   1S27:  cdiiiniissioiu'd  l"ol)ruai\'   11.  icSjS. 

Philip  Stitcs.  lieutenant,  fourth  conipanx  ;  ai)pointe(l  |une 
13,  1827;  conuuissioncd   i-'eliruavx'  11,   1S28. 

Joshua  Ililih-eth,  ensij^n,  fouuli  compan}-;  appointed  June 
CT3,  1827;  coniniissionetl  h'ebniary   11.  1828. 

^^'ade  Dickinson,  captain.  sect)n(.l  conipanx';  ai)pointe(l 
uMay  13,  1828:  connnissioned  Fcl^marv  1.  1820. 

Thomas  EUh-edi.';e.  hentenant,  tliird  coni])an\-;  a])pointed 
March  zy.  1830:  conuuissioneil  \\\\\  2(),  1830. 

Nathanit'l  Ilohncs.  captain,  a.rtiliery:  ai)]>oinled  [unc  T2, 
11833;  connnissioned  (  )ctobcr  25,  1833. 

Benjamin  Sprins^-er,  (irst  Heutenanl.  artihery:  ap])ointed 
Jfiine  12,  1833:  commissioned  October  25.  1833. 

W'ilham  hlewitt.  second  hentenan.t.  artillerv;  ap]Kiinted 
June  12,   1833;  connnissionet!  (  )ctol)er  25.  1833. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

FKOtiUESS   AFTER    THE   WAK. 

During  the  latter  half  of  the  eighteenth  century  once  in  3: 
very  great  while  an  itinerant  school  teacher  would  appear. 
As  early  as  1765  w^e  find  the  children  of  Aaron  Learning,. 
2d,  attending  school  for  about  a  month,  but  in  the  begin- 
ning of  the  present  century  we  find  three  school  teachers  of 
prominence  going  about  the  covmty,  boarding  out  their 
claims  for  teaching  at  the  homes  of  the  parents.  From  1810 
to  1820,  Jacob  Spicer,  3d,  Constantine  and  Joseph  Foster- 
were  the  teachers  of  prominence.  From  1830  the  presence 
of  teachers  became  general.  The  old  school  places  had  no 
desks,  and  hard  wooden  benches  with  straight  backs,  and 
sometimes  no  backs  at  all  were  aftorded.  The  books  were 
such  as  could  be  gathered  for  the  scholars  by  the  parents 
themselves,  and  sometimes  there  were  no  books  at  all.  The 
"rule  of  three,"  or  reading,  arithmetic  and  writing,  were  all 
the  studies  that  were  then  considered  necessary. 

In  the  latter  part  of  December.  181 5,  the  brig  Persever- 
ance, Capt.  Snow,  bound  from  Havre  to  New  York,  with 
ten  passengers  and  a  crew  of  seven  men,  was  wrecked  on 
Peck's  beach,  opposite  the  residence  of  Thomas  Beesley. 

The  Perseverance  had  a  very  valuable  cargo  on  board,, 
of  rich  goods,  china,  glass,  silks,  &c.,  which  were  strewn 
for  miles  along  the  beach. 

On  Friday,  the  day  before  she  was  cast  away,  a  ship  from: 
New  York  was  spoken,  which  deceived  them  b}'  stating 
that  they  were  200  miles  east  of  Sandy  Hook.  It  was  with 
great  gratification  that  the  passengers  received  this  joyous 
news;  and,  elated  with  the  hope  of  soon  resting  on  "terra 
firma,"  gave  themselves  up  to  hilarity  and  merriment — 
whilst  the  captain,  under  the  same  impulse,  spread  all  sails 
to  a  heavy  northeaster,  with  high  expectations  of  a  safe  ar- 
rival on  the  morrow. 


ritOGKESS    AFTER     THE    WAR.  24'J 

Thus  she  continncil  on  her  course  until  three  o'cloek  Sat- 
urday nie')rning;  when  the  mate,  whose  watch  it  was  or: 
deck,  was  heard  to  give  the  dreadful  cry:  "Breakers  ahead!'' 
The  brig,  by  the  instant  efiforts  of  her  steersman,  obeyed  her 
hehn;  but  as  she  came  around,  head  ofT  short,  lier  stern 
striking  knocked  off  her  false  keel,  deadened  her  headway, 
and  she  backed  on  the  beach  stern  foremost.  In  less  than 
fifteen  minutes  the  sea  made  a  clean  breast  ovc  r  iier.  The 
scene,  in  the  meantime,  beggars  description;  the  jjassengers 
rushed  out  of  the  cabin,  some  of  them  in  their  night  clothes;. 
six  of  whom,  and  two  of  the  crew,  got  in  a  long  boat.  One 
of  these  was  a  young  French  lady,  of  great  beauty.  The 
remainder  of  the  crew  and  passengers  succeeded  in  reach- 
ing the  round-top,  excepting  a  Mr.  Cologne,  whose  great 
weight  and  corpulency  of  person  compelled  him  to  remain 
in  the  shrouds.  Soon  the  sea  carried  the  long  boat  and  its 
passengers  clear  of  the  wreck,  when  it  was  too  lale  discov- 
ered she  was  firnd}-  attached  to  it  by  a  hawser,  which  it  was 
impossible  to  separate.  Had  it  not  been  for  this  unfortu- 
nate circumstance,  they  might  possibly  have  leaclied  the 
shore.  Their  cries  were  heartrending,  but  were  soon 
silenced  in  the  sleep  of  deatli;  the  boat  s\\am|)ed,  and  they 
were  all  consigned  to  one  common  grave.  The  body  of  the 
lady  floated  on  shore. 

The  sea  ran  so  higli  that  it  wet  those  in  the  round-top ; 
and  although  many  efforts  were  made,  on  Saturday,  to  res- 
cue them,  it  was  fou.nd  niipossible,  as  the  boats  would  u])set 
by  turning  head  over  stern,  subjecting  those  in  them  to- 
great  danger.  Capt.  Snow  lost  his  life  in  attempting  to 
swim  ashore.  On  Sunday  the  sea  fell  a  little,  aiul  those  on 
the  wreck  were  made  to  understand  they  would  have  to 
build  a  raft  of  +.he  spars,  and  get  on  it,  or  tbey  could  not  be 
saved.  The  mate  had  fortunately  secured  a  hatchet,  with 
which  one  was  constructed;  by  which  the  survivors  (except 
a  negro  who  was  washed  overboard,  and  reached  tlie  shore 
in  safety,  whilst  making  the  raft),  were  rescued  by  the  boats. 
There  were  four  saved  out  of  the  seventeen  souls  on  board, 
viz:  one  p^assenger.  who  was  badly  frozen,  the  mate  and  two 
of  the  crew,  including  the  negro.  Three  perished  in  the 
round-top,  and  were  tlirown  over. 


250  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Mr.  Cologne,  who  was  in  the  rigging,  and  unable  to  de- 
scend from  the  shrouds,  let  go  and  fell  into  the  water,  and 
was  caught  as  he  came  up  by  his  hair,  and  thus  towed 
ashore.  He  lived  only  three  days  after,  though  every  pos- 
sible attention  was  paid  him.  He  and  his  niece,  the  young 
French  lady,  were  buried  side  by  side  in  the  Goldin  burying- 
ground,  at  Beesley's  Point.  An  eye  witness,  Dr.  Maurice 
Beesley,  from  whom  the  above  account  is  derived,  says:  "I 
saw  this  young  and  beautiful  female  after  she  had  been  trans- 
ferred from  the  beach  to  the  main.  Ker  features  were  per- 
fectly natural;  her  cheeks  bore  the  crimson  tinge  of  life;  and 
it  was  scarcely  possible  to  realize  that,  instead  of  a  concen- 
tration of  all  the  graces  of  the  female  form,  animated  by  the 
fervor  of  life,  I  was  gazing  upon  a  cold  and  lifeless  corpse." 

In  1815,  during  the  summer  season,  a  sloop  was  run  regu- 
larly from  Philadelphia  to  Cape  May  for  the  conveyance  of 
passengers.  In  1816  Thomas  H.  Hughes,  wliom  we  will 
mention  later,  budt  the  first  Congress  Hall. 

In  1818  postoffices  were  established  in  the  villages  of 
Goshen  and  Fishhig  Creek,  at  the  former  place  on  June  5, 
and  at  the  latter  place  fifteen  days  later.  Richard  Thomp- 
son, Jr.,  was  the  first  postmaster  at  Goshen  and  Robert  Ed- 
munds at  Fishing  Creek. 

The  Sheriff  of  Cape  May  county  during  the  War  of  181 2, 
or  from  1812  to  1815,  was  Aaron  Leaming,  3d.  He  was 
really  the  sixth  Aaron  Leaming,  and  was  a  son  of  Persons 
Leaming,  and  grandson  of  the  famous  Aaron  Leaming,  2d. 
Sheriff  Leaming  was  born  May  15,  1784,  and  died  January 
7,  1836.  He,  like  his  grandfather,  had  large  landed  pos- 
sessions. 

Spicer  Hughes,  in  181 5,  succeeded  Aaron  Leaming,  3d, 
as  Sheriff.  He  served  until  1818,  and  was  a  second  time 
in  that  office,  from  182 1  to  1824.  He  was  born  in  1777  and 
died  in  1849. 

Nathaniel  Holmes,  who  served  in  the  Assembly  from 
tSii  to  1812,  was  born  March  17,  1757.  in  Ireland.  He 
landed  in  Philadelphia  on  August  8.  1773.  and  during  the 
month  came  to  Court  House,  where  he  settled.  He  died 
there  January  28,  1834. 

By  the  census  of  1820  Cape  May  county's  population  had 


PROCUKSS    Al'TKK     Till':    WAK. 


251 


grown  to  a  total  of  4265,  of  which  28  were  slaves  and  205 
were  free  negroes.  The  inhabitants  were  then  mostly  en- 
gaged in  agriculture;  wheat,  rye,  oats  and  Indian  corn  being 
the  principal  crops.  Large  quantities  of  timber  were  then 
.annually  exported  to  market,  and  the  traffic  in  salt  hay  gath- 
<ered  from  the  meadows  was  of  considerable  extent.  A  great 


■deal  of  lumber  was  "mined"  from  the  sunken  cedar  swamp 
about  Dennis  creek. 
/  Beginning  about  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century 
/  negro  slavery  began  to  grow,  and  it  flourished  until  it  be- 
came a  part  of  the  New  Jersey  social  system.  All  the  peo- 
ple in  the  State  were  not,  however,  satisfied  with  this  con- 
•dition  of  servitude  which  had  grown  up  in  their  midst  by 


25-4  niSTOKY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

degrees,  almost  imperceptibly.  At  first  everybody  who- 
could  afford  it  owned  slaves,  and  the  Quakers,  of  which 
there  were  some  in  Cape  May  county,  bought  the  negroes- 
as  did  the  other  colonists ;  but  about  the  end  of  the  century 
some  of  the  Quakers  began  to  think  that  property  in  human 
being  was  not  a  righteous  thing,  and  the  Jersey  Quakers 
united  wuth  those  of  Pennsylvania  in  an  agreement  recom- 
mending that  they  should  no  longer  employ  negro  slaves, 
or  else,  at  least  not  to  import  them  thereafter. 

A  strong  party  among  the  Quakers  of  New  Jersey  op- 
posed slavery  for  many  years  following,  and  the  system  be- 
gan to  be  denounced  regularly  by  them  at  their  yearly  meet- 
ings. By  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century  the  practice 
had  been  discouraged  among  the  Society  of  Friends,  and  a 
rule  made  against  it.  As  years  passed  on  the  other  resi- 
dents of  the  State  began  to  think  as  did  the  Quakers,  and 
the  feeling  became  very  strong  against  the  custom  at  the 
beginning  of  the  present  century.  Finally,  in  1820,  an  act 
was  passed  by  the  Legislature  for  the  emancipation  of  the 
slaves.  They  were  not  set  free  all  at  once  and  turned  into 
the  world  to  make  livings  for  themselves,  but  the  emanci- 
pation was  to  be  gradual,  by  which  young  people  obtained 
their  freedom  when  they  became  of  age,  while  the  old  ne- 
groes were  taken  care  of  by  the  masters  as  long  as  they 
lived.  By  this  method  slavery  was  abolished  in  Cape  May 
county,  and  in  1830  there  were  but  three  slaves  within  its 
territory,  that  being  the  last  date  that  any  are  reported  in 
the  census. \ 

About  1820  Cape  May  Court  House  village  is  recorded 
as  having  eight  houses,  while  Watson,  two  years  later,  in 
his  "Annals,"  says  that  Cape  Island  "is  a  village  of  twenty 
houses,  and  the  streets  are  very  clean  and  grassy."  Many  of 
these  houses,  he  says,  were  for  the  accommodation  of  sum- 
mer guests. 

On  November  28,  1822,  the  line  of  partition  between  Cape 
May  and  Cumberland  and  Gloucester  (now  Atlantic)  coun- 
ties was  changed  "to  begin  at  the  place  where  the  waters  of 
Mill  or  Hickman's  creek  fall  into  the  channel  of  Tuckahoe 
river,  at  the  boundary  line  of  Gloucester  county,  and  run- 
ning thence  directly  into  the  mouth  of  said  creek,  continuing" 


l'UU(JKi:SS    AFTEK    THK    WAK.  253 

the  same  course  ])y  a  line  of  niarketi  trees  (wiiich  Ijy  pres- 
ent position  of  the  compass  is  south,  fifty-seven  degrees  and 
about  thirty  minutes  west)  until  it  strikes  Hughes'  or  the 
lower  mill  pond,  on  West  or  Jecak's  creek,  thence  down  the 
middle  of  the  ancient  water  courses  thereof,  until  it  falls  into 
Delaware  bay,  and  thence  continuing  a  due  northwest 
course  until  it  strikes  the  line  of  said  counties,  at  the  ship 
channel  of  the  said  bay." 

The  first  light  house  in  the  county,  built  by  the  govern- 
ment, was  Cape  May  light.  This  light  is  situated  on  the 
northeastern  side  of  the  entrance  to  Delaware  Bay.  It 
stands  in  latitude  38°  55'  59",  longitude  74°  57'  39".  Cape 
May  light  was  originally  built  in  1823,  and  rebuilt  in  1859. 
Its  height  of  tower  is  145  feet,  and  the  elevation  of  its  light 
is  152  feet  above  sea  level.  Its  lens  is  of  the  first  order, 
with  white  flash-light  at  intervals  of  30  seconds,  visible  at 
a  distance  of  18  nautical  miles.  Arc  illumination  N.  E.  by 
southward  to  N.  W.  Its  tower  is  painted  gray.  It  is  dis- 
tant 12^  nautical  miles  from  Cape  Henlopen  main  light, 
and  17!  miles  from  Five  Fathom  Bank  lightship. 

The  third  and  present  (1897)  edifice  of  the  Cold  Spring 
Presbyterian  Church  was  built  in  1823,  and  was  the  first 
brick  church  in  the  county. 

At  this  time  Joshua  Townsend  was  a  prominent  citizen  of 
the  county,  and  a  member  of  the  Legislature.  He  was  a 
merchant  at  Seaville,  and  a  son  of  Henry  Young  Towmsend, 
captain  in  the  Revolution.  Joshua  Townsend  was  born 
July  9,  1786,  and  when  a  young  man  was  at  first  a  lieuten- 
ant in  Cape  May  company  in  the  War  of  1812,  and  later  a 
captain  in  the  Cape  ]\Iay  regiment  of  militia.  In  1819  he 
was  first  elected  to  the  Assembly  and  served  until  1821.  He 
served  in  that  body  also  from  1822  to  1823,  and  from  1827 
to  1830.  From  1831  to  1834  he  was  an  active  member  of 
the  Legislative  Council.  In  1840  he  was  a  Presidential 
elector  on  the  Harrison  and  Tyler  Whig  ticket,  and  was 
elected,  casting  his  ballot  for  them.  He  died  November  29, 
1868.     He  built  the  schooner  "Vitruvius." 

In  1823  Israel  Townsend,  of  Lower  Township,  was  first 
elected  to  the  Assembly,  serving  four  years.  And  in  1827 
he  was  chosen  a  member   of   the    Legislative    Council    and 


254 


HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 


served  in  that  body  until  1831,  For  several  years  thereafter 
he  served  in  the  Board  of  Chosen  Freeholders  from  Lower 
Township.  He  was  a  son  of  John  Townsend,  and  was  born- 
May  12,  1782,  and  died  November  3,  1862. 

In  1825  a  new  County  Clerk's  office  was  built  by  contract 
with  Ellis  Hughes,  of  Cape  Island.  This  structure  was- 
used  until  the  present  brick  building  was  erected. 

The  steamboat  "Pennsylvania"  was  in  July  this  year 
placed  on  the  line  from  Philadelphia  to  Cape  May,  carry- 
ing passengers  distinctly  for  the  Cape  Island  House.     The 


,I08HUA  TOWNSENU. 

"Delaware"  was  also  put  on  the  line  a  few  years  later,  and 
since  that  time  steamboats  have  never  ceased  to  run  to  Cape 
May  during  the  summer  season. 

Dennis  Township  was  formed  in  1826,  out  of  Upper.  It 
was  thirteen  miles  long,  with  an  average  width  of  about  six. 
It  is  bounded  N.  by  Upper  Township,  E.  by  the  ocean,  S. 
by  Middle  Township,  and  W.  by  Maurice  River  swamp. 

The  cost  of  running  the  county  during  this  decade  was  an 
average  of  about  $3000  per  annum,  according  to  the  annual 
appropriations  of  the  Board  of  Freeholders. 

In  1827  Thomas  P.    Hughes,   of   Lower  township,   was 


PIUXJKESS    AFTEK    THE    WAR.  255 

elected  Sheriff,  and  he  served  three  years.  He  was  a  son 
of  Congressman  Thomas  11.  Hughes,  and  was  born  Jan- 
uary 19,  1790;  died  September  9,  1863.  He  was  a  member 
of  Assembly  from  1838  to  1840,  and  of  the  Legislative  Coun- 
cil from  1840  to  1842. 

In  1827  preachers  of  the  Methodist  denomination  first  be- 
gan to  travel  in  Cape  May  county  regularly  and  preach. 
The  county  was  then  in  the  Cumberland  circuit.  Rev. 
Charles  Pitman  traveled  over  the  district  as  presiding  elder, 
preaching  in  private  houses  principally.  The  three  preach- 
ers in  the  circuit  were  Reverends  John  Woolson,  Sedge- 
wick  Rusling  and  Robert  Gerry,  and  they  cacli  received 
about  $700.00  per  year  for  their  services. 

The  steamboat  traffic  on  the  Delaware  now  became  a 
thriving  industry.  The  boats  for  Cape  May  stopped  at  New 
Castle  to  take  up  the  Baltimoreans  and  Southerners  who 
would  come  down  on  the  old  Frenchtown  and  New  Cas- 
tle Railroad — the  first  railroad  ever  run  in  this  country. 
They  would  come  over  in  carriages  from  Baltimore  to 
Frenchtown,  in  Maryland,  on  the  Susquehanna,  near  Havre 
de  Grace. 

Tuckahoe  was  provided  with  a  postoffice  on  January  14, 
1828,  and  John  Williams  was  the  first  postmaster,  and  on 
August  27  the  following  year  an  office  was  established  at 
Green  Creek,  and  Matthew  Marcy  was  first  chosen  to  keep 
the  office. 

In  1837  a  new  gaol,  or  jail,  was  built,  and  Richard 
Thompson,  of  Middle  township,  was  appointed  to  superin- 
tend its  construction.  In  the  same  year  the  bridge  at  West 
Creek  was  ordered  built,  and  Nathaniel  Holmes,  of  Den- 
nis township,  ordered  to  superintend  the  work. 

May  26,  1829,  the  new  jail  was  completed  and  accepted 
by  the  Board  of  Freeholders.  It  was  after  the  architecture 
of  Strasburg  Cathedral.  Its  floor  was  of  wood,  but  owing 
to  the  escape  of  prisoners  later,  an  iron  floor  replaced  the 
wooden  one.     It  was  used  until  1894. 

Probably  the  most  popular  man  in  Cape  May  at  this  time 
was  Thomas  H.  Hughes.  As  a  citizen  he  had  been  promi- 
nent for  his  thrift  and  enterprise,  and  was  a  man  of  large  ex- 
perience.    He  was  the  son  of  Ellis  Hughes,  the  first  post- 


250  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

master  at  Cape  Island,  and  was  born  at  Cape  May  on  Jan- 
uary lo,  1769.  His  first  office  was  that  of  Sheriff,  wliicli  lie 
held  from  1801  to  1804.  Following-  this,  in  1807,  he  was 
elected  to  the  Assembly,  and  served  one  year.  He  served 
there  also  from  1809  to  1810,  and  from  1812  to  1813.  In 
1816  he  built  the  first  Congress  Hall  at  Cape  Island.  The 
people  laughed  at  him  for  his  folly  in  erecting  so  large  a 
building  in  those  times.  He  predicted  that  the  time  would 
come  when  a  purchaser  would  have  to  cover  every  inch  of 
land  with  a  dollar  to  obtain  sufficient  space  on  which  to 
erect  a  dwelling".  His  predictions  have  almost  been  veri- 
fied. In  1819  he  was  again  chosen  by  the  people  to  the 
Legislature,  but  this  time  to  the  Council,  and  served  there 
until  1823,  and  again  from  1824  to  1825.  He  was  also 
prominent  as  a  trustee  of  the  Cold  Spring  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  in  the  temperance  cause.  A  man  of  command- 
ing presence  and  large  frame,  he  was  noticed.  He  was 
blind  in  one  eye,  but  this  did  not  detract  from  his  popularity. 
His  fame  had  gone  abroad  over  the  State. 

In  the  debates  in  Congress  in  1828  the  tariff  question 
turned  up — the  question  of  levying  duties  on  imported 
goods  to  produce  a  revenue  for  the  government  and  to  raise 
the  price  of  articles  from  foreign  countries  in  order  to  stim- 
ulate home  industries  was  taken  up.  This  was  the  begin- 
ning of  the  protective  tariff.  President  John  Quincy 
Adams  favored  this  tariff,  and  in  that  year  the  duties  on  for- 
eign made  goods  were  greatly  increased.  This  was  the  be- 
ginning of  a  new  political  epoch  in  the  United  States.  The 
political  partisan  elements  of  the  country  had  been  whiling 
about  in  a  choatic  condition,  but  it  now  resolved  itself  down 
to  the  two  quickly  forming  parties — the  Whig  and  the  Dem- 
ocratic. The  people  of  the  Eastern  and  Middle  States 
favored  the  tariff,  and  were  allied  to  the  new  Whig  doctrine, 
while  the  agricultural  States  of  the  West  and  South  w^re  op- 
posed to  the  tariff.  John  Quincy  Adams  was  a  candidate 
for  re-election  as  President  on  the  new  Whig  platform,  and 
his  opponent  was  Andrew  Jackson,  the  Democratic  nomi- 
nee. 

In  New  Jersey  the  Whigs  named  as  their  candidates  for 
Congress  Thomas  H.  Hughes,  of  Cape  May,  Richard  M. 


rUOOlMOSS    Al'TKK     llli:    WAR. 


2.-.: 


'^Cooper,  of  rilouccster;   Lewis  C'ondict.    of    Morris;    Isaac 
Pierson,  of  Essex;  Janies  Fitz  Randolph,  of  Middlesex,  and 
Samuel  Swan,  of  Somerset.     \\'lien  the  election  took  place 
they  were  chosen,  and  Xtw  Jersey's  electoral  vote  was  cast 
ior  Adams  for  President  and  Richard  Rush,  of  Pennsylva- 
nia,   for     \'ice-President,    but    Jackson    was    elected.     ]\[r. 
Hughes  served  in  the  21st  and  22nd  Cong-resses.  or  from 
1829  to  1833.     One  of  his  colleagues  in  the    two    sessions 
was  Henry  Clay.     The  tariff  question  was  reopened  and  oc- 
'Casioned  great  excitement  in  Congress  and  throughout  the 
•■countr^'.     Daniel   Webster  and   Senator  Havne.    of    South 


CorXTY  .lAII.,    rsKJ)    KliO.M    18.')!l    TO    lSl)4. 

•Carolina,  had  their  great  debate  during  Hughes'  second 
term.  In  the  stirring  scenes  of  183 1-2,  when  South  Carolina 
declared  her  right  to  nullify  the  laws  and  Constitution,  he 
was  present.  In  'Sir.  Hughes'  second  term  ex-President 
John  Quincy  Adams  became  one  of  his  colleagues  as  a  rep- 
vesentative  from  Massachusetts.  After  he  retired  from 
Congress  he  remained  in  private  life  until  he  died  on  No- 
vember 10,  1839,  agetl  70  years.  His  remains  lie  in  Cold 
Spring  Cemetery. 

By  1830  the  population  of  Cape    May    had    increased    to 
.4936  souls,  of  which  there  were  but   three    slaves,    and    225 


258  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

free  colored  persons.     The  census  of  that  year  exhibited  the- 
following  facts  concerning  the  county: 

Number  of  acres,  161,500;  acres  of  improved  land,  59,528: 
lots  of  and  under  ten  acres,  188;  householders,  669;  single 
men,  188;  taxables,  1000;  merchants  and  traders,  29;  grist 
.,^  mills,  run  of  stone,  8;  saw  mills,  16;  carding  machines,  2- 
male  slaves,  2;  chairs,  sulkies  and  Dearborns,  y2;  covered 
wagons.  148;  two-horse  stage,  i ;  poor  tax,  $1,125;  road  tax,. 
$1,650. 

At  this  time  large  quantities  of  cord  wood  was  being 
shipped  to  Philadelphia  and  New  York.  Rye  and  corn 
were  the  most  abundant  crops. 

From  a  writer  of  1830  we  gather  the  following  concern- 
ing the  county  then : 

"That  portion  of  the  State  (Cape  May  county)  has  not 
generally  been  holden  in  due  estimation.  If  its  inhabitants 
be  not  numerous,  they  are  generally  as  independent  as  any 
others  in  the  State,  and  enjoy  as  abundantly  the  comforts- 
of  life.  They  are  hospitable,  and  respectable  for  the  pro- 
priety of  their  manners,  and  are  blessed,  usually,  with  excel- 
lent health.  Until  lately  they  have  known  little,  practically, 
of  those  necessary  evils  of  social  life,  the  physician  and  the 
lawyer.  Morse  assures  us  that  their  women  possessed  the 
power  not  only  of  sweetening  life,  but  of  defending  and 
prolonging  it,  being  competent  to  cure  most  of  the  diseases- 
which  attack  it." 

Of  the  villages  the  writer  notes: 

"Cape    May    Court    House   contains   a   court    house   of 
wood,  a  jail  of  stone,  fire-proof  offices  of  brick,  2  taverns, 
/        8  or  10  dwellings,  and  a  Baptist  church  of  brick.  It  is  called 
Middletown  in  the  post  office  list." 

"Cape  May  Island — It  is  a  noted  and  much  frequented 
watering  place,  the  season  at  which  commences  about  the 
first  of  July  and  continues  until  middle  of  August  or  first  of 
September.  There  are  here  six  boarding  houses,  three  of 
which  are  very  large;  the  sea  bathing  is  convenient  and  ex- 
cellent, the  beach  affords  pleasant  drives,  and  there  is  ex- 
cellent fishing  in  adjacent  waters." 

"Marshallville — several  mills  there." 

"Tuckahoe  contains  some  20  dwellings,  3  taverns,  several 


riiOCKKSS    AKTEH    TIIK    WAK.  259 

Stores.     It  is  a  place  of  considerable  trade  in  wood,  lumber 
and  ship  building." 

"Cold  Spring  contains  I  tavern,  2  stores,  15  to  20  dwell- 
ings, an  Episcopal  church  (Presbyterian).  It  derives  its 
name  from  remarkable  spring  near  it,  which  rises  in  the 
marsh,  and  is  overflowed  at  every  tide." 

"Dennis's  Creek — contains  30  to  40  dwellings,  2  taverns, 
5  stores,  a  tide  grist  mill.  Town  built  on  both  sides  of 
creek,  about  a  half  mile.  Ship  building  and  trade  in  lum- 
ber are  carried  on  extensively  here." 

"Etna,  furnace  &  forge  &  grist  mill.  On  Tuckahoe  river, 
15  m.  from  sea." 

"Goshen  contains  tavern.  2  stores,  a  steam  saw  mill,  12 
or  15  dwellings,  a  school  house,  in  which  religious  meetings 
are  held." 

"Beasley's  Point,  Upper  township,  on  Great  Egg  Har- 
bor Bav.  There  are  here,  upon  a  neck  of  land,  between  the 
salt  marshes  of  about  one  mile  wide,  2  taverns  and  several 
farm  houses,  where  visitors  to  the  shore  may  find  agreeable 
accommodations." 

The  bridge  over  West  Creek,  on  the  road  between  Lees- 
burg  and  Dennisville,  was  built  about  1830.  On  September 
25th  the  Chosen  Freeholders  of  both  counties  met  at  West 
Creek  to  inspect  the  structure. 

It  was  during  this  decade  that  the  first  spring  carriage 
was  built  in  Cape  May  county.  John  Farrow,  who  w^as  a 
carriage  wright  and  keeper  of  a  public  house,  at  Court 
House,  was  its  builder.  He  was  the  father  of  William  Far- 
row, who  is  now  chief  of  police  of  Cape  May  City. 

Jeremiah  Leaming  was  elected  to  the  Assembly  in  1830, 
and  was  prominent  in  the  affairs  of  the  county.  He  was  a 
son  of  Persons  Leaming,  and  a  grandson  of  the  second 
Aaron  Leaming,  having  been  born  May  26,  1792.  He 
served  in  the  Assembly  from  1830  to  1834,  and  then  in  the 
upper  branch  of  the  Legislature,  the  Council,  from  1834  to 
1836.  He  interested  himself  in  securing  pensions  for  the 
survivors  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  for  the  widows  of 
these  patriots.  In  1836  he  was  candidate  on  the  "Demo- 
cratic W'hig  Ticket"  for  Presidential  elector,  and  was  elec- 
ted, casting  his  vote  for  Harrison  and   Granger.     On  the 


260  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Democratic-Republican  ticket  the  same  year  James  j\Ia- 
guire,  of  Goshen,  was  a  candidate  for  Presidential  elector 
against  him.  Mr.  Leaming  died  April  26.  1839.  from  being 
overheated  by  fighting  a  fire  on  his  plantation. 

Richard  Thompson,  who  in  1830  was  elected  Sheriff,  and 
served  three  years,  was  the  son  of  Richard  Thompson,  cap- 
tain of  Fishing  Creek  artillery  in  1814,  and  was  born  in  this 
county  December  3,  1795.  The  first  position  he  held  was 
that  of  County  Clerk  from  1824  to  1829.  When  he  was 
chosen  Sheriff  he  was  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Chosen 
Freeholders,  and  the  Director  (President)  of  that  body. 
From  1834  to  1836  he  w-as  a  member  of  the  General  Assem- 
bly, and  during  the  two  years  following  sat  in  the  Legisla- 
tive Council.  From  1847  to  1851  he  served  as  a  Middle 
township  memJDer  in  the  Freeholders  again.  He  was  Loan 
Commissioner  of  the  county  from  1840  to  1844,  and  again 
in  1856.  He  died  at  Cape  May  Court  Flouse,  September 
27.  1857. 

The  Reverend  Moses  Williamson  became  the  pastor  of 
the  Cold  Spring  Presbyterian  Church  on  July  6,  1831,  and 
for  forty  years  thereafter  was  a  prominent  citizen  of  the 
county.  He  was  born  at  Newville,  Pa.,  May  7,  1802,  and 
obtained  his  education,  a  liberal  one,  at  Hopewell  Academy, 
Carlisle,  Pa.,  Jefferson  College,  Conansburg,  Pa.,  and  at 
Dickinson  College,  in  Carlisle,  from  the  latter  graduating 
with  honors  in  1824.  He  then  took  a  full  course  of  three 
}-ears  in  the  Theological  Seminary,  at  Princeton,  N.  J., 
graduating  September  22,  1828.  He  was  licensed  to  preach 
by  the  Presbytery  of  Carlisle  six  days  later,  and  entered 
upon  labors  in  Delaware  and  Maryland.  When  his  health 
failed  him  a  short  time  after  he  was  advised  to  come  to  Cape 
May  for  his  health,  and  did  so,  coming  down  the  Delaware 
by  steamer.  On  the  Sabbath  after  his  arrival  at  Cape  May, 
August  16,  1829,  he  was  invited  to  preach  in  Cold  Spring 
Church,  and  did  so.  That  day  the  pastor,  Rev.  Alvin  H. 
Parker,  resigned,  Mr.  Williamson  was  called  upon  as  a 
supply,  and  acted  as  such  for  two  years,  excepting  for  six 
months  when  he  was  studying  Hebrew  scriptures  at  An- 
dover  Theological  Seminary.  He  then  became  the  regu- 
lar pastor  of  the  church,  and  remained  with  it  until  he  was 


PltO(JKKSS   AFTER    TIIK    WAR. 


261 


released  at  liis  own  request,  from  the  charge  by  the  Pres- 
bytery of  West  Jersey,  April  i8.  1873.  I"  '""is  civil  capacity 
he  was  one  of  the  best  of  nic-n.  lie  was  a  thorough  scholar, 
and  had  as  his  pupils  those  who  afterwards  became  the  fore- 
most men  of  the  county.  He  was  a  county  examiner  of 
teachers,  with  Dr.  Jonathan  F.  Learning,  for  many  years, 
from  about  1845.  He  erected  and  conducted  at  much  ex- 
pense and  effort  the  Cold  Spring  Academy.  During  his 
pastorate  490  persons  were  added  to  his  church,  he  married 
250  couples  and  officiated   at    over    500    funerals.     Besides 


HKV.    MOSKS  WILLIAMSON 


preaching  at  Cold  Spring  he  conducted  meetings  at  Cape 
Island  and  Green  Creek.  He  died  at  Cape  iMay  City  on 
October  30,  1880.  aged  78  years. 

On  June  12.  1833.  the  Board  of  Freeholders  ordered  an 
almshouse  built,  18  by  30  feet,  and  two  stories  in  height. 
The  committee  who  had  charge  of  its  construction  were 
Jeremiah  Hand,   Samuel  Springer  and  Samuel   Matthews. 

About  1834  the  steamer  "Portsmouth"  began  to  make 
weekly  trips  to  Cape  ^lay,  Lewestown,  from  Philadelphia. 


263  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

In  1837  the  Board  of  Freeholders  accepted  Cape  May's 
share  of  the  "Surplus  Fund,"  which  was  to  loan  out  on  se- 
curity. Robert  M.  Holmes  was  made  Loan  Commissioner, 
which  position  he  held  until  he  died.. 

The  "Surplus  Fund"  was  composed  of  money  which  had 
accumulated  to  the  g-overnment  of  the  Ignited  States  mainly 
from  sales  of  government  lands,  and  was  not  needed  for  its 
expenses.  By  an  act  of  Congress  it  was  divided  among  the 
several  States  and  each  State  then  divided  its  quota  among 
its  several  counties.  In  1829  President  Jackson  suggested 
the  distribution  and  the  House  of  Representatives'  resolu- 
tion was  passed  next  session,  for  distribution  of  proceeds 
of  land  sales  among  the  States.  Henry  Clay  advocated  the 
measure  in  1832,  but  it  failed  in  the  House.  After  much 
legislation,  during  which  time  (until  1836)  the  land  sales 
reached  a  point  giving  $66,000,000  in  the  U.  S.  Treasury  as 
surplus.  Consequently  Congress  enacted  a  law  in  June, 
1832,  providing  for  the  apportionment  of  the  surplus  nearly 
among  the  several  States,  reserving  $5,000,000.  This  act 
was  repealed  in  October.  1839,  after  $37,000,000  bad  been 
apportioned.  By  act  of  the  State  Legislature  of  November 
4,  1836.  the  Governor,  Speaker  and  Treasurer  were  ap- 
pointed to  receive  this  State's  share,  and  by  an  act  of  March 
10.  1839,  t'""^  method  of  its  apportionment  among  the  var- 
ious counties  was  defined. 

During  Andrew  Jackson's  administration  the  United 
States  Government  paid  to  the  several  States  their  share  of 
the  Surplus  Fund.  The  amount  paid  to  Cape  May  county 
was  from  $18,000  to  $20,000.  The  Freeholders  of  the  coun- 
ty received  it  and  placed  it  in  the  hands  of  a  Loan  Com- 
mission, who  loaned  it  out  on  promissory  notes.  Several  of 
these  note  givers  became  bankrupt,  causing  a  loss  to  the 
fund  of  several  thousand  dollars.  The  P""reeholders  then  or- 
dered the  Surplus  Fund  loaned  only  on  bond  and  mortgage. 
Still,  interest  was  irregularly  paid  and  some  losses  on  prin- 
cipal occurred.  Several  years  ago  the  Freeholders  abol- 
ished the  office  of  Loan  Commissioners,  ordered  the  County 
Collector  to  take  charge  of  the  Loan  Fund,  then  amount- 
ing to  $12,349.14,  and  to  pay  to  the  several  public  schools 


rii()(;ui-:ss  ai  'iioi;  'iiii':  wak.  ^(53 

■^f  Cai)c  May  county  six  per  C(.nt.  aiimially  on  this  suni,  or 
^74t).96  a  year. 

About  1840  tluro  were  fears  tliat  (ape  May  citizens  might 
lose  through  the  nniltiphcity  of  State  laws  their  rights  to  the 
natural  privileges  in  the  sounds,  and  on  the  5th  of  Febru- 
-■ary,  1839,  the  Board  of  Freeliolders  authorized  Jeremiah 
Learning  to  go  to  Trenton  to  work  for  the  passage  of  an  act 
■to  preserve  these  privileges. 

During  the  _\ear  1839  there  were  within  the  bounds  of 
"Cape  jMay  count}-  ten  licensed  inns  or  hcjtels,  kept  by  the 
lollowing  persons:  Richard  S.  Ludlam,  James  J.  Ludlam, 
Clark  Henderson.  Humphrey  Hewitt.  David  Saint  (?), 
Mackey  \A'illianis,  Uenjamin  Owen.  Mark  A.*  Carroll,  John 
•Smith  antl  Steplien  Young. 

The  hrst  signal  of  danger  erected  by  the  government  ofT 
the  Cape  May  coast  was  the  Five-Fathom  Hank  lightship. 
This  vessel  is  located  near  the  shoal  called  the  Five-r'athom 
Bank,  off  the  entrance  of  Delaware  Hay.  .She  was  establish- 
ed in  1839.  '^'i*^  ^^^^  refitted  in  1855.  She  is  now  moored 
in  twelve  fathoms  of  water.  She  is  supplied  with  a  twelve- 
inch  steam  fog  whistle,  giving  a  blast  of  four  seconds  dur- 
ing each  half  minute.  "Five-Fathom  Bank"  is  j)ainted  in 
bold  letters  on  each  side.  She  has  two  lights,  with  retiec- 
tors,  and  two  hoop-iron  day  marks,  one  on  each  mast.  Her 
lights  are  a  fixed  white,  forty  and  forty-five  feet  above  sea 
level,  and  visible  a  distan-^e  of  eleven  nautical  miles.  Arc 
illumination,  the  entire  horizon.  She  is  painted  a  straw- 
color,  and  is  distant  i/^  -->iles  from  Cape  May  light  and  2^^ 
from  Cape  Henlopen  main  light.  Shoal  part  ot  bank  bears, 
per  compass.  X.  W.  ^  N..  distant  2^  miles.  She  is  in  latitude 
38°  51'  20''.  longitude  74°  36'  10". 

The  sheriff  of  the  county  from  1838  to  1841  w?s  Samuel 
Springer,  who  was  born  September  5,  1800,  and  died  March 
7,  1877.     He  was  a  prominent  resident  of  Middle  township. 

The  population  of  Cape  May  county  in  1840  was  5324, 
of  which  218  were  colored  persons,  all  free.  The  conditions 
of  the  townships  by  that  census  are  exhibited  by  the  follow- 
ing: 

"Upper — Population.  121 7.  Its  surface  is  level;  soil,  sand 
and  loam,  and  well  timbered  with  cedar,  oak  and  pine.     It 


2GI  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

contains   four   stores,   one   grist   mill,    four   saw   mills,   five- 
schools,  219  scholars. 

"The  village  of  Tuckahoe  is  situated  on  both  sides  of 
Tuckahoe  River,  on  the  county  line,  18  miles  from  court 
house,  1 1  from  the  sea,  28  from  Bridgeton  and  13  from  May's- 
Landing.  It  contains  three  taverns,  several  stores,  about 
sixty  dwellings  and  a  Methodist  church.  There  are  besides- 
in  the  township  one  Baptist,  one  Methodist  church  and  & 
Friends'  meeting  house.  Wood,  lumber  and  ship  building: 
constitute  the  business  of  the  village. 

"Dennis — This  township,  except  that  part  cultivated,  or" 
meadow,  is  covered  with  oaks,  pines  and  cedars.  There 
are  in  the  township  seven  stores,  two  grist  mills,  six  sawr 
mills,  four  schools.  205  scholars.     Population,  1350. 

"Dennisville  is  a  post  village,  extending  on  both  sides  of 
the  creek  for  a  mile.  It  is  eight  miles  north  of  Court  House,,, 
eight  south  of  Tuckahoe,  and  twenty-eight  from  Bridgeton. 
It  contains  five  stores,  about  seventy  dwellings,  a  neat  acad- 
emy, the  upper  story  of  which  is  used  for  a  lyceum  and  for 
religious  meetings.  Ship  building  and  the  lumber  trade  are- 
carried  on  here.  The  Methodist  church  at  this  place  was  the 
first  erected  in  the  county.  There  is  a  Baptist  church  m 
the  eastern  part  of  the  township.  West  Creek,  four  miles 
northwest  of  Dennisville,  is  a  thickly  settled  agricultural 
neighborhood. 

"Middle — Aljout  half  the  township  is  salt  marsh  or  sea: 
beach;  the  remaining  portion  is  mostly  sandy  loam.  The 
township  contains  twelve  stores,  two  grist  mills,  two  saw- 
mills, five  schools,  328  scholars.  Population,  1624.  Go- 
shen, five  miles  northwest  of  Court  House,  has  a  Methodist 
church  and  about  twenty  dwellings.  The  village  of  Cape 
IsIslx  Court  House  is  in  the  central  part  of  the  township,  I  lO- 
miles  from  Trenton,  and  36  southeast  of  Bridgeton,  anct 
contains  a  court  house,  a  jail  and  the  county  offices,  a  Meth- 
odist and  a  Baptist  church,  and  thirty  or  forty  dwellings  in 
the  vicinity. 

"Lower — -A  great  portion  of  its  surface  is  covered  with  a 
salt  marsh  and  sea  lieach.  On  the  ocean  shore  the  soil  i.'; 
loamy,  the  bay  shore  is  sandy,  and  the  central  part  sandr 
loam.     There  is  much  young  timber  in  the  township.     The- 


PKO(iKE88    AFTER    TlIK    WAll.  205 

inhabitants  are  mostly  engaged  in  agriculture  or  nuiritinie 
pursuits.  There  are  in  the  township  six  stores,  three  saw 
mills,  six  schools.  240  scholars.     Population,  1133. 

"Fishing  Creek,  on  the  bay  shore,  six  miles  southwest  of 
Court  House,  is  an  agricultural  village  similar  to  Cold 
Spring.  A  survey  has  been  made  for  a  breakwater,  at 
Crow's  Shoal,  in  this  township,  near  the  mouth  of  the  bay. 
When  the  wind  is  northeast  a  good  harbor  is  afforded  at 
that  place,  as  sometimes  as  many  as  one  hundred  vessels 
are  anchored  off  here.  On  a  sudden  change  of  the  north- 
west vessels  are  frequently  driven  ashore.  The  breakwater, 
if  built,  would  have  been  an  effectual  protection  against 
winds  from  this  direction. 

"Cold  Spring,  ten  miles  south  of  Court  House,  is  a  thickly 
settled  agricultural  neighborhood,  containing  about  forty 
houses  within  the  circle  of  a  mile.  It  derives  its  name  from 
an  excellent  spring  of  cold  water  flowing  up  from  the  salt 
marsh,  wliich  is  much  frequented  by  sojourners  at  Cape 
Island.  It  contains  an  academy,  a  Methodist  and  a  Presby- 
terian church. 

"The  village  of  Cape  Island  is  a  favorite  watering-place  in  V 
the  southern  part  of  this  township,  thirteen  miles  south  of 
Court  House.  It  began  to  grow  into  notice  as  a  vi^atering 
place  in  1812,  at  which  time  there  were  but  a  few  houses 
there.  It  now  contains  two  larg^e  hotels,  three  stories  high 
and  150  feet  long,  and  a  third  one,  lately  erected,  four  stories 
high  and  100  feet  long,  besides  numerous  other  houses  for 
the  entertainment  of  visitors.  The  whole  number  of  dwell- 
ings is  about  fifty.  In  the  summer  months  the  Island  is 
thronged  with  visitors,  principally  from  Philadelphia,  with 
which  there  is  then  a  daily  steamboat  communication.  It  is 
estimated  that  about  3000  strangers  annually  visit  the  place. 
The  village  is  separated  by  a  small  creek  from  the  main 
land;  but  its  area  is  fast  wearing  away  by  the  encroachments 
of  the  sea.  Watson,  the  antiquarian,  in  a  MSS.  journal  of 
a  trip  to  Cape  Island  in  1835,  o"  ^^^is  point  says:  'Since  my 
former  visit  to  Cape  Island  in  1822,  the  house  in  which  I 
then  stopped  (Captain  Aaron  Bennett's),  then  nearest  the 
surf,  has  been  actually  reached  by  the  invading  waters. 
*     *     *     The   distance   from   Bennett's   house   to   the   sea 


266  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

bank  in  1822  was  165  feet;  and  in  1804,  as  it  \vas  then  meas- 
ured and  cut  upon  the  house  by  Commodore  Decatur,  it 
was  334  feet.  It  had  been  as  much  as  300  feet  further  off, 
as  remembered  by  some  old  men  who  told  me  so  in  1822/ 
A  large  portion  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  village  are  Dela- 
ware pilots,  a  hardy  and  industrious  race.  About  two  miles 
west  of  the  boarding  houses  is  the  Cape  May  lighthouse." 


CrIAPTER  XX. 

NOTED  .Mi:X  OF  A  (ilOXEKA  TK  )X. 
In  1840  Jonathan  Hand,  jr.,  was  appointed  county  clerk 
of  Cape  May  by  the  Legislature,  which  position  he  held  con- 
tinuously thereafter  until  1890.  He  was  a  descendant  of 
Shanigar  Hand,  one  of  two  brothers  who  bought  proprietary 
interests  in  Cape  May  county  and  settled  here  in  1685.  He 
descended  from  Shanigar,  down  through  Thomas,  Recom- 
pence,  Jonathan,  his  grandfather,  and  Jonathan,  his  father. 
His  grandfather  served  in  the  Colonial  Legislature  from 
1771  to  1776,  and  wh:n  the  State's  new  Constitution  was 
adopted  was  a  member  of  the  first  Legislative  Council, 
.serving  from  1776  to  1778.  His  father  was  commissioned 
a  captain  of  the  Cape  May  regiment  in  1802,  and  is  said  to 
have  served  in  the  War  of  1812  in  the  coast  defense  of  Cape 
May  county.  His  mother  was  Sarah  Moore,  a  daughter  of 
the  Trenton  ferryman.  She.  when  a  girl  of  twelve  vears, 
Avas  selected  and  was  one  of  the  twenty-four  girls  who,  in 
1789.  when  George  Washington  was  on  his  wav  to  New 
York  to  become  the  first  President  of  the  nation,  strewed 
flowers  upon  his  path.  When  she  was  married  to  Jonathan, 
the  second,  she  was  a  widow.  Wilson  by  name.  She  lived 
at  Cape  May  Court  House  until  she  died,  in  1871,  aged  93 
years.  She  was  a  devout  Christian  woman,  and  a  member 
of  the  Baptist  denomination. 

Jonathan,  the  father,  had  served  as  county  clerk  from  183 1 
to  1834,  and  Jonathan.  Jr..  had  assisted  his  father,  who  died 
the  latter  year.  From  1834  to  1835  he  assisted  Jacob  G, 
Smith,  the  clerk,  and  was  deputy  clerk  the  five  following 
years  under  Swain  Townsend.  In  1840  he  was  appointed 
■by  the  Legislature,  and  was  chosen  by  the  people  nine  times, 
often  receiving  every  vote  in  the  countv. 

Jonathan,  the  third,  as  he  will  be  known  in  historv.  was 
horn  at  Cape  May  Court  Mouse  December  22,   i8i8.     In 


2(38 


HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 


early  life  he  was  a  Whig,  and  later  a  meml^er  of  the  Repub- 
lican party.  In  1862  Governor  Olden  appointed  him  a  draft 
commissioner  of  the  county  to  draw  men  for  the  service  of 
their  country  in  the  Civil  War,  then  in  progress.  In  1852- 
he  was  appointed  a  master  in  chancery  of  New  Jersey.  He- 
died  at  his  home  at  Cape  May  Court  House  on  the  morn- 
ing of  March  2,  1897,  aged  79  years.  Of  him  it  is  said  that 
he  was  a  painstaking,  systematic  official,  and  was  consid- 
ered by  lawyers  to  have  the  best-kept  office  in  New  Jersey-. 


JONATHAN    HAND. 


The  amount  of  the  school  fund  of  Cape  May  county  in; 
1 84 1  was  $484.48.  which  was  divided  according  to  the  num- 
ber of  scholars,  pro  rata,  to  the  various  townships:  Upper,. 
$111.93;  Dennis,  $120.20;  Middle,  $160.76,  and  Lower,. 
$91.59. 

The  next  post  office  to  be  established  in  the  county  was 
that  at  East  Creek  in  1842,  when  John  Wilson  was  appoint- 
ed postmaster  on  April  22. 

By  an  act  of  the  Legislature  of  ^Slarch  13,  1844,  a  strip 
of  Cumberland  was  thrown  into  Cape  May.     The  bounds 


xoTKi)  .Mi;.\  oi"  A  (;i:.\i:itATi<»\.  209 

■were:  Beginning-  at  the  Cumberland  and  Cape  May  line, 
where  the  old  Cape  May  road  intersects  the  same;  and  run- 
ning thence  in  a  northward  course  along  said  road  to  a  sta- 
tion formerly  called  Souder  Place;  thence  northwardly  the 
most  direct  course  to  the  Cumberland  and  Atlantic  line; 
.thence  by  the  Atlantic  line  and  the  Cape  May  line  to  the  be- 
ginning. The  commissioners  appointed  to  run  the  line  were 
Francis  Lee,  James  Ward  and  James  L.  Smith.  Arrange- 
ments were  made  that  the  township  committees  should  make 
•division  of  the  property,  that  Cumberland  officers  should 
liold  power  to  second  Monday  of  April,  1844,  and  after  that 
time  shall  act  as  if  appointed  or  elected  from  Cape  May. 
provided  judges  and  justices  take  the  ol^cial  oaths  before 
i\Iay  I.  Judgments  and  legal  actions  were  to  be  in  no  wise 
affected.  On  the  26th  of  February,  1845,  ^^e  act  was  re- 
pealed and  the  bounds  were  once  more  made  in  conformity 
with  "the  ancient  boundary  line." 

In  1844  the  State  of  New  Jersey  was  given  a  new  Con- 
stitution. The  people  of  Cape  May  sent  as  their  delegate 
Joshua  Swain,  aged  sixty-six,  a  farmer.  This  convention 
met  at  Trenton  on  May  14  and  continued  its  sessions  until 
June  29,  when  it  was  voted  for  by  the  convention  with  but 
one  dissenting  voice.  ]\Ir.  Swain  voted  in  the  affirmative. 
This  Constitution  was  ratified  by  the  people  by  a  large  ma- 
jority on  the  13th  of  iVugust  following. 

Joshua  Swain  was  born  February  2,  1778.  From  18 13 
to  1814  he  was  a  member  of  the  State  Assembly,  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Legislative  Council  at  three  different  times,  from 
1815  to  1819,  from  1823  to  1824,  and  from  1825  to  1827. 
He  was  sheriff  from  1809  to  1812.  With  his  father,  Jacocks, 
and  brother,  Henry,  he  patented  the  centre  board  in  181 1. 
He  died  August  24,  1855. 

On  March  4,  1847,  Harvey  Shaw,  Benjamin  Tomlin,  Jr.. 
Robert  Baymore,  Jr.,  and  Ezra  Norton,  of  Middle  town- 
ship, were  authorized  by  the  Legislature  to  build  a  bridge 
over  Cedar  Creek  at  Goshen. 

The  Legislature  in  1848  passed  an  act  to  better  protect 
the  propagation  of  oysters  by  prohibiting  the  vending  of 
them  in  Cape  May  county  from  May  i  to  October  i.  This 
law  remained  in  force  until  1853. 


270 


lilSTOKY  OF  CAl'i:   .MAY  COCNTY 


In  1846  the  people  elected  James  L.  Smith  a  member  of 
the  State  Senate,  in  which  he  served  the  county  three  years. 
He  was  a  resident  of  West  Creek  when  elected.  He  was 
born  at  Goshen  Januar\-  28,  1795,  and  was  educated  for  a 
surveyor  at  Bridgeton,  in  Cumberland  county.  He  was 
the  son  of  Abijah  Smith,  who  w?s  county  clerk  from  1804 
to  1824.  In  1819  he  married  Deborah  Tomlin,  and  settled 
at  \\>st  Creek.  In  1866  he  was  appointed  by  Governor 
Ward  one  of  the  judges  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  of 


.1  A.MKS    I,     SMITH. 

the  county,  holding  the  position  until  he  died,  in  1871.  He 
was  for  years  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Freeholders  from 
Dennis  township,  as  follows:  1833,  1835,  1839,  and  from 
1841  to  1854.  In  private  life  he  was  a  farmer,  a  director  of 
the  Cumberland  Bank,  and  was  a  Methodist  of  the  foremost 
type.  He  was  one  of  the  pillars  of  that  denomination  in  this 
coimty. 

From  1846  to  1847  Richard  .Smith  Ludlam  was  the  As- 
semblyman. He  was  a  hotel  keeper  of  Cape  Island,  who, 
in  1847,  entertained  Hem-y  Clay  at  the  Mansion  House.    He 


I 


.\()'IM':i>    .MK.\    OF   A    (JKNIORATION.  271 

was  born  at  Donnisvillc  in  1792,  and  conducUd  a  f^xncral 
store  there,  as  well  as  a  cortl  wood  bnsiness.  Wink-  in  the 
Legislature  he  secured  the  incorporation  of  Cape  Island  as 
a  boroujjh.  lie  served  in  the  I'.oard  of  iMxttdlders  from 
Cape  Island  in  1853,  1855  '^'i^l  1^62.  ilc  died  at  Cape  May 
City  on  June  15.  1881. 

lie  hudi  the  Mansion  House  in  1832.  being  the  second 
large  hotel  erected.  It  stood  on  four  acres  of  ground.  Fie 
opened  the  first  part  of  Washington  street,  wliicli  he  then 
laid  out  only  between  Jackson  and  IVn  \  .streets.  The  Aian- 
sion  House  was  the  first  lathed  and  plastered  l.otel  here,  old 
Congress  Hall  being  only  weatherdwarded  and  sheathed. 

It  was  in  1847  that  Henry  Clay,  the  great  Kentuckianr 
came  to  Cape  May,  and  Mr.  Ludlam  years  afterward  said: 
"The  big  time  was  when  Harry  Clay  came.  He  had  been  at 
the  White  Sulphurs,  and  said  he  had  a  notion  to  go  to  some 
of  the  Northern  watering  places;  that  was  in  iS^^.  So  I 
sent  him  an  invitation  and  he  accepted,  and  stop|K'd  at  the 
jMansion  House  for  a  week.  It  was  in  the  latter  part  of  Au- 
gust, and  the  people  had  before  that  thinned  out.  When, 
however,  it  was  announced  that  Harry  Clay  was  to  be  here, 
the  place  filled  up  to  overflowing.  Two  steamboat  loads 
came  on  from  New  York.  They  wanted  him  there.  Hor- 
ace Greeley  came  down  to  see  him,  and  the  people  from 
Salem  and  Bridgeton  and  all  the  country  around  flocked  in 
their  carry-alls  to  Cape  May  to  see  Harry  of  the  West." 

As  soon  as  it  was  known  that  Clay  was  to  become  a  vis- 
itor the  people  began  to  arrive  from  all  over  the  Middle  and 
Southern  States.  United  States  Senator  James  A.  Bayard, 
of  Wilmington,  accompanied  by  Charles  C.  Gordon,  of 
Georgia,  was  among  the  first  to  arrive.  On  the  Saturday 
previous  there  came  a  large  party  from  Philadelphia.  Clay 
had  come  by  stage  and  rail,  so  far  as  there  was  any,  to  Phil- 
adelphia, being  greeted  on  his  route  by  hosts  of  friends  who 
had,  and  by  others  who  had  not,  cast  their  ballots  for  him 
three  years  previous,  when  he  ran  for  the  Presidency  against 
Polk.  Clay  came  for  rest,  and  to  wear  away  sorrow  which 
had  come  upon  him  by  the  killing  of  his  son,  who  had  just 
previously  fallen  in  the  Mexican  War. 

On  the  morning  of  Monday,  August  16,  1847,  the  great 


272  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Statesman,  witli  his  party,  left  Philadelphia  on  the  steam- 
boat then  plying  between  that  place  and  Cape  Island,  and 
arrived  at  the  landing  about  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 
The  party  was  driven  over  the  turnpike  to  the  Mansion 
House,  where  a  big  dinner  was  in  waiting  for  the  distin- 
guished guests.  The  band  engagement  having  expired  be- 
fore this  event.  Beck's  Philadelphia  band  was  brought  down 
on  the  boat  with  Mr.  Clay.  The  old  hotel  register,  which 
is  still  preserved,  has  upon  it  the  names  of  the  following  Ken- 
tuckians,  who  came  that  day:  Hon.  Henry  Clay  (written  in 
a  big,  round  hand  by  one  of  the  committee),  Colonel  John 
Swift,  H.  White  and  son,  W.  S.  Smith,  F.  Lcnnig,  Miss 
Riche,  Miss  Johns.  Mr.  Clay  was  given  a  rest  on  his  arri- 
val, but  the  day  following  was  his  busiest  while  on  Cape 
May's  grand  beach.  During  the  day  many  more  arrived, 
and  the  Island  was  filled  with  country  folks  anxious  to  see 
the  great  man.  Rev.  Moses  Williamson  made  the  address 
of  welcome,  to  which  Mr.  Clay  fittingly  responded  in  words 
that  electrified  his  listeners.  Among  other  things  he  re- 
marked to  a  friend  that  Mr.  Williamson  made  one  of  the 
best  addresses  of  the  kind  he  ever  heard,  and  made  many 
inquiries  about  the  good  and  well-known  divine.  Mr.  Clay's 
magnificent  language,  says  one  who  heard  him,  held  the 
crowds  spell-bound.  After  the  speech-making  there  was 
hand-shaking  and  a  grand  feast.  The  speech-making  took 
place  in  the  old  "Kersal,"  the  music  pavilion  and  ball-room 
of  the  hotel,  which  had  been  built  in  the  spring  of  that  year. 
]\Ir.  Clay  was  received  on  the  part  of  the  county  of  Cape 
ISIay  by  Dr.  Maurice  Beesley.  During  his  visit  there  were 
more  arrivals  each  day  than  there  had  been  for  any  previous 
day  of  that  summer. 

While  at  Cape  May  Mr.  Clay  loved  bathing  and  went  in 
as  often  as  twice  a  day,  and  it  was  while  enjoying  it  that  he 
lost  a  great  deal  of  his  hair.  The  ladies  would  catch  him 
and  with  a  pair  of  scissors,  carried  for  just  that  purpose, 
clip  locks  from  his  head  to  remember  him  by.  When  he  re- 
turned to  Washington  his  hair  was  very  short,  indeed. 

In  Beck's  Band,  which  furnished  the  music,  there  was  the 
father,  six  sons  and  three  others,  and  as  it  was  at  Cape  Is- 
land season  after  season  their  names  are  here  given:  Jacob 


NOTED    MEN   O]'^    A    ( JE.NEKATIO.X.  273 

W.  Beck,  leader;  L.  I'.eck,  C.  IVck,  II.  Beck,  J.  M.  Beck, 
G.  Beck,  A.  Beck,  f.  W.  Caul,  J.  Leecli,  A.  Fenncr  and  B. 
Wilks. 

Mr.  Clay  remained  at  Cape  May  for  several  days.  "About 
seven  o'clock  this  (Friday,  August  20,  1847)  morning,"  said 
ihe  New  York  Herald,  "the  steamboat  New  Haven  let  fall 
Ler  anchors  opposite  the  place,  having  left  New  York  the 
previous  afternoon,  with  a  number  of  eminent  citizens,  to 
invite  Mr.  Clay  to  visit  that  city.  Among  the  visitors  were 
Recorder  Tallmadge,  Nicholas  Dean,  M.  G.  Hart,  Morris 
Franklin,  Horace  Greeley,  Matthew  L.  Davis,  James  A. 
Coffin.  Mr.  Gammage  and  Mr.  McCracken,  of  New  Haven. 
A  surf  boat  was  sent  off  and  brought  the  committee  ashore, 
who  waited  on  Mr.  Clay  and  received  his  promise  to  meet 
them  at  the  Mansion  House  at  noon.  During  the  morning 
a.11  the  passengers  came  ashore  from  the  steamboat.  The 
mode  of  transit  created  great  amusement  and  many  jokes. 
.'^^ome  called  it  the  landing  before  Vera  Cruz,  and  to  see  dig- 
nity perched  on  the  shoulders  of  the  boatmen,  who,  wading 
tiirough  the  surf,  deposited  their  loads  on  the  beach,  was 
iraly  laughable. 

"'The  New  Yorkers  stopped  principally  at  the  Columbia 
House.  At  the  appointed  time  Mr.  Ludlam  sent  down  his 
band  from  the  Mansion  House  to  accompany  the  procession, 
^vhich  soon  arrived  at  the  place  appointed  for  the  reception. 
The  hall  was  filled  with  ladies  and  gentlemen,  and  'mute 
■expectation  spread  its  anxious  hush,'  interrupted  only  by 
'tiie  strains  of  the  band,  until  Henry  Clay  made  his  appear- 
ance. Then  ensued  such  a  shouting  and  cheering,  and  ap- 
pkndits  from  fair  hands,  and  waving  of  handkerchiefs,  as 
Cape  May  never  saw  before,  and  probably  never  will  again. 
Old  Ocean  started  from  his  noonday  repose  and  lifted  up  his 
vrlifte  locks  to  listen  to  the  unwonted  shout,  and  then  there 
canie  wave  after  wave,  spreading  itself  on  the  beach,  as  if 
'tloing  joyous  homage  to  'the  man  and  the  hour.' 

"Nicholas   Dean,   Esq.,   as   chairman   of  the   New   York 

<3eIegation,  then  arose,  and  in  behalf  of  the  citizens  of  New 

Y'ork,  irrespective  of  party,  expressed  their  appreciation  of 

tire  long  and  eminent  services  of  Air.  Clay,  and  requested 

.  sn  opportunity  of  tendering  him  an  expression  of  their  con- 


274  HISTORY  OF  CAFE  MAY  COUNTY. 

fidence  and  esteem.  In  the  name  of  the  half  miUion  citizens 
of  New  York,  he  invited  Mr.  Clay  to  visit  the  metropolis — 
he  said  thousands  of  tongues  were  waiting  to  give  him  wel- 
come, and  the  entire  aggregate  heart  and  pulse  of  the  city 
was  beating  and  throbbing  to  bid  him  welcome — thrice  wel- 
come to  the  hospitality  of  New  York. 

"Mr.  Clav,  who  had  listened  with  much  emotion  to  the 
glowing  language  and  impassioned  tone  of  Mr.  Dean,  after 
a  silence  of  a  few  moments,  arose  to  reply.  Hushed  then 
was  evcr\-  sound,  lest  one'  word  that  was  to  fall  from  those 
eloquent  lips  sh(juld  he  lost.  He  commenced  by  alluding 
to  the  presence  of  other  committees,  on  similar  errands  to 
the  one  from  New  York — especially  from  Philadelphia, 
Trenton  and  New  Haven — and  then  continued: 

"  'Fellow  Citizens — The  eloquent  address  which  has  just 
been  delivered  has  had  the  effect  almost  to  induce  me  ta 
adopt  the  language  which  was  used  on  a  more  solemn  ociv. 
sion.  "Thou  almost  persuadest  me"  to  go  to  New  York. 
But  in  all  that  iqn-ightness  of  my  nature  which  I  have  ever 
endeavored  to  practice,  I  must  tell  you  the  objects  and  mo- 
tives which  brought  me  to  the  shores  of  the  Atlantic.  I  re- 
turned to  my  residence,  after  passing  the  winter  at  New 
Orleans,  on  the  23d  or  24th  of  March  last  and  a  day  or  twa 
afterwards  melancholy  intelligence  came  to  me.  I  have 
been  nervous  ever  since,  and  was  induced  to  take  this  jour- 
ney, for  I  could  not  look  upon  the  partner  of  my  sorrows 
without  experiencing  deeper  anguish.' 

"(Mr.  Clay  was  here  completely  overcome  by  his  feelings, 
covered  his  face  with  his  hands  and  was  silent  for  several 
minutes.  At  length  with  an  efifort  he  recovered  himself  and 
resumed.) 

"  'Everything  about  Ashland  was  associated  with  the  mem- 
ory of  the  lost  one:  the  very  trees  which  his  hands  assisted 
me  to  plant  seemed  to  remind  me  of  his  loss.  Had  the 
stroke  come  alone,  I  could  have  borne  it  with  His  assist- 
ance, and  sustained  by  the  kindness  of  my  friends  and  fellow- 
citizens,  with  meekness  and  resignation.  But  of  eleven  chil- 
dren four  only  remain.  Of  six  lovely  and  affectionate 
daughters  not  one  is  left.  Finding  myself  in  a  theatre  of 
sadness,  I  thought  I  would  fly  to  the  mountain  top  and  de- 


NoTKi)  .Mi:.\  ()V  A  (;i:m:ka'1'1(>.\.  275 

scend  to  the  waves  of  the  ocean,  and  h_\-  mcetiny;  with  the 
sympathy  of  friends,  ob.'ain  some  relief  to  the  sadness  which 
encompassed  me.  1  came  for  private  purposes,  and  for  pri- 
vate purposes  alone.  1  have  not  desired  these  public  mani- 
festations, but  have  rather  desired  to  escape  from  them. 
Aly  frieml  and  travelinc;-  companion,  Dr.  Mercer,  will  tell 
you,  that  in  X'ir^iiiia,  in  every  section  of  the  State  of  my 
birtli.  1  have  l^ccn  im])iored  to  remain  if  only  for  a  few 
hoiu"s,  to  exchange  congratulations  with  my  friends,  but  I 
invarial^ly  refused  and  only  remained  in  each  place  sufifi- 
cientl}-  long  enough  to  exchange  one  vehicle  for  another. 
You  may  imagine  that  1  made  a  visit  to  Philadelphia,  but 
I  was  accidentally  thrown  into  Philadelphia.  When  I  ar- 
rived in  Baltimore.  1  learnt  that  the  most  direct  route  to  this 
place  was  by  the  Delaware.  I  had  no  public  object  in  view 
in  taking  that  route,  and  yet  indifferent  I  am  not  nor  cannot 
be  to  these  manifestations  of  popular  regard,  nor  to  any- 
thing which  connects  me  wnth  the  honor,  welfare  and  glory 
of  my  cotmtry. 

"  '(Gentlemen  of  the  Committee  of  New  York,  I  have  truly 
and  sincerely  disclosed  the  purpose  of  the  journey,  but  I 
cannot  but  deeply  feel  this  manifestation  of  your  respect  and 
regard.  It  is  received  with  thankfulness,  and  excites  the 
warmest  feelings  of  my  heart,  that  I,  a  private  and  humble 
citizen,  without  an  army,  without  a  navy,  without  even  a 
constable's  staff,  should  have  been  met  at  every  step  of  my 
progress  with  the  kindest  manifestations  of  feelings — feelings 
of  wdiich  a  President,  a  monarch  or  an  emperor  might  well 
be  pround. 

"  'No — I  am  not  insensible  to  these  tokens  of  public  affec- 
tion and  regard,  I  am  thankful  for  them  all.  To  you,  gentle- 
men of  the  Committee  of  New  York,  who,  in  behalf  of  the 
400.000  individuals  whom  you  represent,  have  taken  so  much 
trouble,  I  am  deeply  thankful  for  this  manifestation  of  your 
regard,  but  I  must  reluctantly  decline  the  honor  of  your  in- 
vitation. And  you,  gentlemen  of  the  other  committees,  to 
your  fellow-citizens  of  Trenton,  New  Haven  and  Philadel- 
phia, I  must  beg  of  you  to  excuse  me.  and  trust  to  your  affec- 
tion to  do  so,  for  if  I  do  not  place  myself  upon  the  affection 
of  my  countryinen.  whither  should  I  go,  and  where  should 


27()  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

I  be? — on  the  wide  ocean  without  a  compass  and  without  a 
guide ! 

"  'I  must  beg  of  you,  gentlemen  of  all  these  committees, 
to  retrace  yovir  steps,  charged  and  surcharged  with  the 
warmest  feelings  of  gratitude — go  back  charged  with  warm- 
est thanks  from  me,  and  tell  my  friends  that  nothing  but 
the  circumstances  in  which  I  am  placed,  nothing — for  we 
may  as  well  mingle  a  laugh  wath  our  tears,  and  borrow 
the  words  of  the  Irish  Ambassador,  "situated  as  I  am  and  I 
may  say  circumstanced  as  I  am" — prevents  the  honor  of 
meeting  you.  Tell  them — and  I  hope  that  general  response 
will  be  considered  as  a  specific  answer  to  each  of  the  com- 
mittee— that  you  are  charged  with  the  expression  of  the  best 
feelings  of  my  heart.  And  you.  gentlemen  of  New  York, 
be  assured  that  among  the  recollections  of  the  incidents  of 
this  journey,  this  visit  will  be  paramount,  and  the  circum- 
stances wduch  led  to  it. 

"  'I  wish  you  an  agreeable  voyage  on  your  return,  and 
pray  make  my  apologies  for  being  constrained  to  decline 
your  kind  invitation.' 

"Mr.  Clay  then  sat  down,  and  from  the  tears  which  had 
been  so  copiously  shed  during  his  speech,  the  smiles  of  W'el- 
come  and  felicitation  lit  up  a  mellow  radiance  which  fell 
with  rainbow  softening  over  the  scene.  Throughout  the 
whole  reply  of  Mr.  Clay,  he  was  deeply  and  powerfully  af- 
fected, and  it  was  with  a  giant  efifort  that  he  succeeded  in 
uttering  his  closing  remarks." 

Nathaniel  Holmes,  Jr.,  wlio  served  in  the  Assembly  from 
1847  to  1849,  ■^^'^s  the  son  of  Captain  Nathaniel  Holmes. 
He  was  born  July  7,  1782.  He  served  in  the  Board  of  Free- 
holders from  Dennis  township  from  1834  to  1841  and  from 
1847  to  1 85 1,  or  eleven  years,  during  all  of  which  time  w^as 
the  director  (chairman)  of  the  board. 

On  April  25,  1848  the  people  by  ballot  decided  to  have 
a  new  court  house  built,  and  chose  for  its  location  Cape 
May  Court  House  village.  The  Board  of  Freeholders  se- 
lected as  the  committee  to  visit  other  counties  and  get  ideas 
of  public  buildings  James  L.  Smith  and  Samuel  Fithian 
Ware.  On  the  6th  of  June  following  the  board  ordered  the 
house  built  to  be  48  by  35  feet,  with  the  lower  story  to  be 


NOTED   MEN   OF   A   ( JEXEKATION.  277 

twelve  feet  in  tlic  clear  and  the  upper  story  to  be  nine  feet 
in  tiie  clear.  The  court  house  was  tinished  in  1850,  and  on 
May  7  the  freeholders  ni.t  at  the  new  court  house  to  settle 
the  bills,  and  they  all  amounted  to  $6284.33.  Richard 
Thompson  was  chosen  to  dispose  of  the  old  court  house. 

The  song,  "Cape  May,"  was  written  about  May  i,  1848, 
by  Thcophilus  Townsend  Price.  The  circimistances  lead- 
ing to  its  inception  are  here  related: 

Being  one  evening  in  company  with  some  young  people^ 
his  personal  friends,  they  sang  the  minstrel  song  of  "Dearest 
May,"  which  at  that  time  was  very  popular.  He  remarked 
that  it  was  a  pity  that  so  sweet  a  melody  should  be  wedded 
to  such  trifling  words.  They  requested  him  to  write  a  song 
for  the  music,  which  he  accordingly  did,  and  produced  the 
song  as  printed  at  first.  There  was  no  paper  published  at 
Cape  May  at  that  time,  and  it  was  first  printed  in  a  Philadel- 
phia paper. 

Theophilus  Townsend  Price  was  born  on  the  Price  home- 
stead plantation  at  Town  Bank,  Cape  May  county,  on  the 
2 1  St  day  of  May,  1828.  He  was  the  seventh  child  of  John 
Price  and  Kezia  Swain,  who  was  the  daughter  of  Daniel 
Swain,  and  belonged  to  one  of  the  oldest  families  in  Cape 
May  county.  When  he  was  three  years  old  his  father  sold 
his  interest  in  the  homestead  farm  at  Town  Bank  to  his 
brother.  Captain  William  Price,  and  bought  one  of  the 
Swain  farms  of  his  father-in-law  on  the  seaside  road  above 
Cold  Spring. 

Here  the  subject  of  our  sketch  grew  up  to  manhood,  en- 
gaged in  the  general  work  of  the  farm,  and  in  going  to 
school  whenever  opportunity  offered.  He  was  by  nature  a 
student  and  lover  of  books,  and  does  not  remember  the 
time  when  he  could  not  read.  His  education  was  obtained 
at  the  common  schools  and  at  the  Cold  Spring  Academy, 
which  at  that  time  was  furnishing  an  academic  education 
for  both  sexes  under  the  direction  of  Rev.  Moses  William- 
son. 

In  his  twentieth  year  he  began  teaching  in  the  public 
schools  of  Cape  May  county,  and  continued  in  this  occupa- 
tion about  three  years.  In  1850  he  commenced  the  study  of 
medicine,  reading  under  direction  of  Dr.  \'.  M.  D.  Marcy, 


278  HISTORY  OF  CAI'E   MAY  COlWTV. 

of  Cold  Spring.  He  graduated  in  March,  1853,  ^'^'''  i"  April 
settled  at  Tuckerton,  N.  J.,  where  he  has  continued  in  active 
practice  ever  since. 

In  November,  1854.  he  married  Eliza,  youngest  daughter 
of  Timothy  Pharu,  of  Tuckerton.  By  this  union  he  had 
two  children,  one  of  which  only  is  living,  the  Rev.  Theophi- 
lus  Pharo  Price. 

Soon  after  his  settlement  he  became  interested  in  and 
identified  with  the  public  affairs  of  the  communities  in  which 
he  lived.  The  township  of.  Little  Egg  Harbor,  in  which  the 
village  of  Tuckerton  is  located,  was  at  that  time  a  part  of 
Burlington  county.  He  became  a  member  of  the  Burlington 
County  Medical  Society  in  1854  and  is  still  a  member.  He 
was  township  superintendent  of  the  ])ublic  schools  of  Little 
Egg  Plarbor  for  eight  years,  and  until  the  law  was  passed 
abolishing  town  superintendents  and  creating  county  super- 
intendents. He  was  postmaster  of  Tuckerton  during  the 
Lincoln  and  the  Johnson  administrations;  was  elected  to 
the  New  Jersey  Legislature  in  1868.  During  this  service  he 
obtained  a  charter  to  build  a  railroad  from  Tuckerton  to  Egg 
Harbor  City,  and  a  supplement  to  a  charter  to  build  a  rail- 
road from  Manchester  to  Tuckerton.  The  latter  road  was 
built  in  1871,  of  which  he  was  elected  a  director  and  secre- 
tary, still  holding  these  olTices.  He  was  a  director  of  the 
National  Bank  of  Medford,  N.  J.,  for  thirty-five  years. 

In  1877  he  wrote  the  descriptive  and  historical  portions  of 
the  New  Jesey  Coast  Atlas,  published  by  Woolman  &  Rose, 
coverino^  the  first  sixty-eight  pages  of  that  work. 

In  1864  he  organized  and  conducted  for  fourteen  years  a 
union  mission  Sunday  school  in  a  destitute  neighborhood 
near  Tuckerton;  was  instrumental  and  active  in  organizing 
the  first  Baptist  church  at  West  Creek,  Ocean  covmty,  in 
1876,  of  which  he  was  chosen  deacon,  clerk  and  treasurer 
for  fifteen  years.  In  1891  he  was  actively  instrumental  in 
organizing  and  constituting  the  Baptist  church  of  Tuckerton, 
of  which  he  is  a  licentiate,  deacon  and  clerk. 

He  was  a  trustee  of  the  South  Jersey  Institute,  at  Bridge- 
ton,  for  nine  years;  a  trustee  of  the  New  Jersey  Reform 
School  for  Boys  at  Jamesburg  for  three  years.  He  is  now 
president  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Camden  Baptist 


X(>r!:i»  .Mi;,\  oi"  a  (;i:.\i:uA'n<».\.  279 

Association,  president  of  tlu-  Hoard  of  lulucation  of  Little 
Eg-g  IlarlH)r.  physician  and  secretary  of  the  Board  oi  1  iealth, 
director  and  secretary  of  the  J>each  Haven  Land  Associa- 
tion, life  member  of  the  Xew  ^K^^ey  1  listorical  Society,  pres- 
ident of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Tuckerton  Library  .Associa- 
tion, and  is  a  member  of  several  other  benevolent  and  char- 
itable societies. 

For  seventeen  years  he  held  the  office  of  United  States 
Marine  Hospital  surgeon  at  th^'  ]K)rt  of  Tuckerton  and  until 
the  office  was  abolished  by  the  government.  March,  i8(;6. 
During  this  time  he  examined  anmially  about  one  hundred 
and  tifty  life-saving  men  before  they  entered  on  their  duties. 
He  has  contributed  from  time  to  time  articles  to  the  press, 
both  in  prose  and  verse,  and  has  delivered  many  public  ad- 
dresses and  lectures. 

On  the  9th  of  June.  1849.  two  additional  j^ostoffices  were 
-established  in  the  county,  one  at  Townsend's  Inlet,  with 
William  Stiles  as  postmaster,  and  the  other  at  Seaville.  with 
John  Gandy  as  postmaster. 

Enoch  Edmunds,  of  Cape  Island,  who  was  elected  to  the 
State  Senate  in  1849  ^"d  served  three  years,  was  born  in 
Lower  townsh.ip  in  1799.  He  was  the  son  of  Robert  E<!- 
munds.  From  1844  to  1847  he  was  sheriff  of  the  county. 
In  185 1  he  became  an  elder  of  the  Cold  Spring  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  was  such  until  he  died,  sixteen  years  later.  In 
i860  he  was  chosen  overseer  of  ]X)or  of  Cape  Island,  and 
served  in  the  City  Council  in  1861  and  from  1863  until  his 
death,  on  March  30,  1867.     He  was  a  merchant. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

/ 

THE  DECADE  BEFORE  THE  KEBELLION. 

I<>om  1845  the  people  of  this  county  began  to  move  into- 
the  then  newly  developing-  States  of  Indiana  and  Illinois, 
and  after  the  gold  fever  of  1849  many  went  further.  These 
two  States,  however,  were  the  objective  point  of  many  of 
the  emigrating  families  from  Cape  May.  Dr.  Maurice  Bees- 
ley,  in  speaking  of  this  fact,  says  (1857): 

"The  population  meets  with  an  unceasing  annual  drain 
in  the  wav  of  emigration.  Numerous  families  every  spring" 
and  fall  sell  ofY  their  lands  and  effects  to  seek  a  home  in  tlie 
far  West.  Illinois  has  heretofore  been  the  State  that  has 
held  out  most  inducements  to  the  emigrant,  and  there  are 
at  present  located  in  the  favored  county  of  Sangamon,  in 
that  State,  some  sixty  or  seventy  families  which  have  re- 
moved from  this  county  within  a  few  years  past,  most  of 
whom,  be  it  said,  are  blessed  with  prosperity  and  happiness- 
Many  of  her  people  are  to  be  found  in  the  other  free  States 
of  the  West." 

When  the  last  half  of  the  present  century  opened  there 
were  6433  residents  in  this  county,  and  it  was  estimated  by 
the  census  takers  that  about  one-fifth  of  the  entire  male 
population  were  engaged  in  seafaring,  and  a  more  hardy  and 
adventurous  band  never  sailed  from  any  port;  no  sea  or 
ocean  where  commerce  floats  a  sail  they  did  not  visit  i£ 
duty  called. 

The  pilots  of  Cape  Island  were  likewise  renowned  for 
their  skill  and  enterprise  in  the  way  of  their  profession. 
They  braved  the  tempest  and  the  storm  to  relieve  the  mar- 
iner in  distress,  or  to  conduct  the  steamer,  the  ship,  or  the 
barque  to  the  haven  of  her  destination.  There  were  about 
thirtv-five  of  them  living  in  the  lower  end  of  the  county. 

The  Dias  Creek  postofhce,  with  Charles  K.  Holmes  as 
postmaster,  was  established  September  9,  1850,  and  on  the 


^^W%?^-^^l,^.^i^ 


THE    DECADIO    UEFOKE    THE    KEBELEION.  281 

3d  of  March.  1851,  another  office  was  cstabhshed  at  Bees- 
ley's  Point,  with  Joseph  D.  Chatten  in  charge. 

Captain  ^\■ih^lon  Whilldin,  Sr.,  the  first  to  estabUsh  steam- 
boat communication  between  Philadelphia  and  Cape  May,, 
was  a  native  of  this  county.  He  was  liorn  Marcli  4,  1773,. 
near  Ca])e  ]\Iay  City,  on  the  estate  possessed  by  his  ances- 
tors from  the  tirsi  settlement  of  the  county.  He  was  the 
-  son  of  Jonathan  \Vhilldin  (who  is  described  as  "gent"  in  old 
conveyances),  by  his  wife.  Hannah  Crowell;  grandson  of 
James  \\'hilldin.  Esq..  by  his  wife.  Jane  Hand;  great  grand- 
son of  Joseph  ^\'hill^lin,  by  his  wife,  Mary;  and  great  grand- 
son of  Joseph  Whilldin,  Esq.,  by  his  wife,  Hannah.  The 
last  named  Joseph  was  High  Sheriff  of  the  county  from  1705 
to  1708,  and  many  years  one  of  His  Majesty's  Justices  of 
the  Peace  and  of  the  Couits  of  Common  Pleas.  James 
Whilldin,  Esq.,  the  grandfather  of  Captain  Whilldin,  was 
commissioned  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  by  Governor  Belcher, 
June  7,  1753,  and  re-commissioned  by  Governor  Hardy, 
September  24,  1762,  and  by  Governor  Franklin,  August  21, 
1767.  On  the  two  last  occasions  he  was  also  commissioned 
a  justice  of  the  quorum.  He  was  also  commissioned  Justice 
of  the  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer  on  March  13,  1773,  in  ' 
which  capacity  he  served  until  he  died.  En  1779  he  was  a  / 
member  of  the  Legislature,  and  during  the  Revolution  he 
served  on  the  County  Committee  of  Safety.  He  was  a  prom- 
inent member  of  the  Cold  Spring  Presbyterian  Church,  of 
which  he  was  a  ruling  elder  from  1754  until  his  decease,. 
November  5,  1780.  Captain  Whilldin  studied  naviga- 
tion, and  early  in  life  removed  to  Philadelphia,  where  he 
resided  until  his  decease,  April  2,  1852.  He  was  one  of  the 
pioneers  in  steam  navigation  on  the  Delaware.  In  1816  he 
built  the  steamer  "Delaware,"  w^ith  which  he  established 
comnumication  witli  Cape  May.  (A  large  portrait  in  oil  of 
Captain  Whilldin,  now  in  the  possession  of  liis  granddaugh- 
ter, Mrs.  J.  (jranville  Leach,  has  a  portrait  of  the  "Dela- 
ware" in  the  background.)  Captain  Whilldin  became  the 
owner  of  several  steamers,  which  plied  to  different  points  on 
the  Delaware,  also  on  the  Chesapeake.  At  one  time  he  was 
a  partner  of  the  elder  Commode  re  X'anderbilt.     The  pilot 


282  HIS'JORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUXTY. 

boat  John  CI.  Whilldin,  so  familiar  in  our  waters,  was  named 
in  honor  of  Captain  Wliilldin's  son,  Dr.  John  Galloway 
Whilldin,  a  promising-  young  physician  of  Philadelphia,  who 
died  of  consumption  in  early  life. 

On  the  decease  of  Captain  Whilldin  his  only  surviving 
•child.  Captain  Wilmon  Whilldin,  Jr.,  succeeded  to  the  busi- 
ness of  the  father,  and  continued  the  line  of  steamers  to  Cape 
May  until  the  civil  war,  when  most  of  his  boats  were  em- 
ployed by  the  government  in  tlie  transportation  of  troops 
and  n"':^vi:ions  to  the  army.  At  his  decease.  May  23,  1866, 
he  was  extensively  engaged  in  transportation  by  steam,  and 
was  interested  in  lines  running  to  many  parts  of  the  country. 

The  first  town  school  superintendents  were  appointed  in 
the  county  in  1851,  and  they  were:  Upper  township,  Barna- 
bas Coffie;  Dennis,  Joshua  Swain;  Middle,  Rev.  N.  B.  Tin- 
dall;  Lower,  Joseph  E.  Hughes;  Cape  Island,  Rev.  Clark 
Polly.  There  vi'ere  2135  school  children  in  the  coimty,  di- 
vided as  follows:  In  Upper,  441;  Dennis,  534;  Middle,  609; 
Lower,  400;  Cape  Island,  151. 

The  old  borough  of  Cape  Island  did  not  suit  the  inhabi- 
tants. Therefore,  in  1851,  a  city  charter  for  the  place  was 
secured  from  the  Legislature.  Since  that  time  Cape  May 
City  has  had  two  charters:  one  in  1867,  and  the  last  in  1875. 
From  185 1  to  1867  the  Councilmen  (six  in  number),  were 
elected  yearly;  and  from  1867  to  1875  three  Councilmen 
Avsre  elected  each  year,  for  a  two-years'  term,  nia1<;n;.^-  six 
as  before.  Up  to  1875  the  Alderman  and  City  Recorder  were 
members  of  Council,  and  the  Mayor  was  its  president,  but 
the  latter  had  no  vote  only  in  case  of  a  tie,  while  the  two 
former  were  accorded  that  privilege.  Council  then  elected 
its  clerk.  Since  1875  there  has,  each  year,  been  three  Coun- 
cil''^ ^n  elcctcf!  for  terms  of  three  years  each,  making  the 
body  nine  in  nvir.iber,  and  thev  choose  the'r  president  from 
amo'  •  their  number.  The  Recorder  is  now.  the  clerk  of 
the  ciiy,  n'ld  l)y  orc'in-nce  sup-^rintendent  of  the  water  works 
and  register  of  the  bondetl  indebtedness.  The  Alderman  is 
now  simply  jusli  e  of  the  peace,  and,  should  the  Mayor  re- 
sign or  die,  acts  as  such  until  the  next  election. 

loshua  Swain,   Jr.,  who  was  elected  to  t!ie  State  Sena*-e 


THK  DI-X'ADK  I'.KI'X)KK  TllK  KKHKI.LION. 


283 


In  1852,  was  the  son  of  Joshua  Swain,  who  was  a  member 
of  tlie  Constitutional  Convention  of  1844.  He  was  born 
June  2,  1804,  and  died  March  23,  1866.  He  served  in  the 
Assembly  from  1850  to  1852,  and  then  in  the  Senate  until 
1854.  He  was  continuously  clerk  of  the  IJoard  of  Chosen 
Freeholders  from  1831  until  he  died,  lie  was  for  six  years 
a  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Errors  and  Appeals  of  the  State 
of  New  Jersey.     He  died  at  Seaville.  and  his  remains  lie  in 


COriJT  HOUSK  fSKD    SINCE  1850. 

Calvary  Baptist  Church  Cemetery,  Seaville.  He  was  a  Bap- 
tist in  faith. 

He  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  Edward  Y.  Swain,  as  clerk 
•of  the  Board  of  Freeholders.  The  latter  was  prominent 
in  county  affairs,  and  was  clerk  from  1866  to  1871,  when  he 
died.  He  was  born  December  2"],  1834.  and  died  October 
9,   1871. 

Henry  Swnin,  brother  of  Joshua,  Jr.,  who  was  loan  com- 
missioner, was  born  May  12.  1806,  and  died  September  24, 
1877.  He  served  the  county  as  loan  commissioner  from 
1854  to  1856,  and  from  1857  to  1862. 


284  riISTV)KY  or  CAFE  MAY  COUNTY. 

The  first  bank  in  the  county  to  be  estabhshed  was  tliat  at; 
Cape  Island,  known  as  the  "Bank  of  Cape  ]\Iay  County,"' 
which  had  subscribers  to  stock  from  every  part  of  the 
countv.  Its  certificate  of  association  was  filed  in  the  County 
Clerk's  oftice  on  September  26,  1853.  It  was  a  State  bank.. 
In  1855  it  closed  up  its  business.  On  October  17,  this  year, 
Joseph  F.  Learning,  its  vice-president,  gave  notice  that  "all. 
circulating  notes  issued  must  be  presented  to  the  State 
Treasurer  within  two  years"  for  payment.  On  ]\Iarch  3, 
1854,  the  act  to  incorporate  the  Cape  May  Turnpike  Com- 
pany became  a  law.  The  object  of  this  company  was  to 
construct  a  thoroughfare  between  Cape  Island  and  Cape 
May  Court  House.  The  incorporators  were  Richard  C. 
Holmes,  Dr.  John  Willey,  Eli  L.  B.  Wales,  George  Ben- 
nett, Joseph  Ware,  Richard  Thompson  and  Clinton  H.. 
Ludlam.  The  work  on  it  was  not  commenced  until  three 
years  afterwards,  and  in  1858.it  was  completed. 

The  Cape  Island  Turnpike  Company  built  the  pike  fromv 
the  steamboat  landing  on  the  Delaware  Bay  to  Cape  Island 
for  the  accommodation  of  steamboat  passengers.  This  pike 
was  constructed  between  1846  and  1848.  The  company  is". 
still  in  existence,  and  toll  is  still  charged  to  those  who  drive- 
vehicles  over  it. 

The  first  President  of  the  United  States  to  visit  Cape  A'Jay- 
was  Franklin  Pierce,  who  visited  the  island  in  the  sunmier- 
of  1855.  He  was  welcomed  b}-  the  City  Council  and  held 
a  public  reception.  People  came  from  all  parts  of  the 
county  to  see  him. 

In  September  (5th)  of  this  }":ar  the  famous  jNIount  Wt- 
non  Hotel  at  Cape  Island,  wliich  had  been  two  years  in. 
building,  was  burned.  And  in  June,  of  1856,  tl":e  Mansion- 
House  and  Kersal  were  destroyed  by  fire  also. 

The  first  newspaper  published  in  the  county  was  the- 
"Ocean  Wave,"  which  was  established  at  Cape  Island  by- 
one  Colonel  Johnson  in  June,  1855.  The  sizes  of  its  four 
pages  were  twelve  by  eighteen  inches.  About  three  month.s. 
after  it  was  founded  it  was  purchased  by  Joseph  S.  Leach ^ 
who  edited  and  published  it  until  1863,  when  he  .'.old  it  to- 
Samuel  R.  Magonigle.  When  Mr.  Magonigle  died,  in  iS6g,. 
the    "Wave"     became     the     property     of  Christopher     S. 


THK  DECADK  KKi^JRi;  '1  1 1  K  liKHKLLlOIs .  2S5 

ZMagrath  and  Aaron  Garretson,  Sr.  In  1878  Mr. 
Mai^rath  l)ecanic  sole  owner,  and  remained  so 
until  he  sold  it,  in  1883,  to  Thomas  11.  Williamson,  son  ot 
Rev.  Moses  Williamson.  In  1886  Mr.  Williamstni  died, 
^nd  it  was  then  purchased  from  his  estate  by  James  H.  E'l- 
munds,  who  still  (1897)  owns  it.  It  has  been  edited  from 
1883  by  Henry  \V.  Hand,  who  served  in  the  L'nited  States 
Xavy  during  the  Civil  War. 

Joseph  S.  Leach,  editor  of  the  "Ocean  Wave,"  was  born 
in  Shutesbury,  Mass,  March  30,  1816,  and  died  at  his  resi- 
dence in  Cape  May  City,  August  9,  1892.  He  was  the  son 
of  Lemuel  Leach.  Jr.,  and  Elizabeth  Smallidge,  his  wife. 
His  grandfather,  Lenmel  Leach,  Sr.,  was  an  ol^cer  in  the 
Revolutionary  Army,  and  his  maternal  grandfather,  Rev. 
Joseph  Smallidge,  was  a  prominent  clergyman  of  the  Bap- 
tist faith  in  \\'estern  Massachusetts.  His  colonial  ancestor, 
Lawrence  Leach,  a  descendant  of  John  Leche,  surgeon  t(j 
King  Edward  the  Third,  arrived  in  Massachusetts  with 
Rev.  Francis  Higginson,  in  1629.  Mr.  Leach,  also  de- 
scended from  John  Washbourne.  the  first  secretary  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, and  from  Francis  Cooke,  one  of  the  "pilgrim.s" 
who  came  in  the  Mayflower. 

Mr.  Leach  was  educated  at  New. Salem  High  School,  and 
at  Franklin  Academy.  Shelburne  Falls,  Mass.  Fie  after- 
Avards  studied  theology  and  entered  the  ministry,  in  which 
he  was  preceded  by  three  elder  brothers.  Rev.  Sanford 
Leach,  Rev.  V\'illiam  Leach  and  Dr.  Elbridge  G.  Leach. 
Failing  health  compelled  him  to  seek  a  milder'climate,  and, 
in  1840,  he  came  to  Cape  May,  and  took  up  his  residence 
at  the  county  seat.  Shortly  after  his  arrival  he  was  invited 
to  take  charge  of  the  Seaville  school,  which  position  he  ac- 
cepted, and  from  that  time  until  he  became  the  proprietor 
of  the  "Ocean  W'ave"  he  was  constantly  and  successfully 
engaged  in  teaching  the  youth  of  this  countv. 

Foremost  among  those  who  were  engaged  in  the  Baptist 
Church  of  Cape  Island  was  Mr.  Leach.  He  was  licensed 
to  preach  at  Shutesbury  Church,  in  Massachusetts,  about 
•1838.  He  did  not.  however,  unite  with  the  local  church 
imtil  January,  1849.  ^or  nearly  half  a  century  Mr.  Leach 
was  one  of  the  leading  members  of  the  church,  was  many 


286  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

years  clerk  of  the  church,  and  one  of  its  trustees,  and  for 
forty-three  years  a  deacon.  The  congregation  was  frequent- 
ly without  a  settled  pastor  for  months  at  a  time,  on  which 
occasions  he  occupied  the  pulpit,  but  always  declined  com- 
pensation for  his  ministerial  work. 

In  the  early  fall  of  1855  Mr.  Leach  purchased  the  "Ocearr 
Wave"  and  published  it  and  edited  it  until  he  sold  the  pa- 
per to  the  late  Samuel  R.  Magonagle.  As  editor  he  gained 
the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  ablest  and  strongest  news- 
paper writers  in  the  State,  and  by  the  use  of  his  pen  he  was 
largely  instrumental  in  advancing  the  social,  educational,, 
and  material  interests  of  the  county.  His  writings  were 
notedly  valuable  in  aiding  to  secure  the  construction  of  the 
Cape  May  and  Millville  Railroad.  The  late  Charles  B. 
Dungan  is  known  to  have  said  that,  "but  for  Mr.  Leach's 
earnest  and  able  support  in  this  connection,  the  building  of 
the  road  would  doubtless  have  been  delayed  for  years." 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War  Mr.  Leach  warmly  es- 
poused the  cause  of  the  Union,  not  only  with  his  pen,  but 
with  voice  as  well.  He  was  recognized  as  one  of  our  best 
public  speakers,  and  his  services  in  tliis  direction  were  fre- 
quently in  demand,  particularly  during  the  war,  at  "war 
meetings."  He  was  concise  in  argument,  clear  in  diction 
and  fervid  in  utterance,  and  his  elocjuence  stirred  his  hear- 
ers to  the  heartiest  expressions  of  enthusiasm. 

In  1 85 1,  on  the  granting  of  the  charter  creating  Cape 
May  (then  Cape  Island)  into  a  cit}-.  yir.  Leach  was  elected 
the  first  Recorder,  by  virtue  of  which  office  he  became  a 
member  of  City  Council  and  a  justice  of  the  peace.  In 
1852  and  1858  he  w'as  chosen  a  member  of  City  Council, 
and  in  1872  he  was  again  chosen  Recorder  of  the  city.     In 

1862  he  was  town  superintendent  of  public  schools,  and  in 

1863  President  Lincoln  appointed  him  postmaster  of  the 
city,  which  position  he  held  until  Andrew  Johnson  suc- 
ceeded to  the  Presidency,  when,  entertaining  views  an- 
tagonistic to  President  Johnson's  "policy,"  Mr.  Leach  re- 
signed the  office.  He  was  a  member  of  the  County  Board 
of  Chosen  Freeholders  in  1863,  1864,  1865,  1867,  1868  and 
1870.     He  was  frequently  urged  to  accept  a  nomination  for 


THE  D.A'ADK  i;i:F()i;K  'I'lIK  JiKliKMJuN  287' 

tlie  A.ssonil)l\-,  as  well  as  to  the  Mayoralty  of  Cai)e   May, 
but  declined  these  honors. 

In  his  death  Cape  May  lost  one  oi  its  most  pronnnent 
and  highly-esteemed  citizens,  one  who  will  long  be  re- 
membered as  a  worthy  representative  of  the  "gentleman  of 
the  old  scl col."  The  tablet  erected  to  his  memory  in  the 
Ilaptist  Church  bears  this  inscription: 
"In  Memory  of 
Joseph  Smallidge  Leach,  Es(|..  a  descendant  of  tlu  Puritans. 
He  preached  to  this  people  many  years  without  compensa- 
tion and  served  in  the  office  of  deacon  forty-three  years. 

A  Successful  Educator. 

An  Able  Editor. 

An  Exemplary  Citizen. 

He  honorably  filled  many  public  offices.  In  all  life's  re- 
lations he  merited  and  won  universal  respect  and  esteem. 

A  quiet  and  peaceable  life  in  all  godliness  and  honesty. 
I  Timothy,  xi,  2." 

Mr.  Leach  married.  May  31.  1841,  Sophia,  daughter  of 
Josiah  Ball,  Esq.,  of  Worcester  county.  Mass.  She  still 
survives  him,  with  seven  of  their  nine  children. 

Petersburg's  postoffice  was  first  opened  in  April.  1856, 
with  Peter  Corson  as  postmaster.  On  the  6th  of  Septem- 
ber following  the  Rio  Grande  postoffice  was  opened,  with 
Jeremiah  Hand  as  postmaster.  This  mr.de  the  fifteenth 
postofifice  established  in  the  county.  None  were  again  es- 
tablished until  after  the  close  of  the  Civil  War. 

In  1856  a  telegraph  known  as  the  Philadeli)hia  and  Cape 
Island  Telegraph  was  doing  business,  and  continued  to  do 
so  until  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War,  when  it  was  aband- 
oned by  its  proprietors. 

In  1856  Jesse  H.  Diverty  was  chosen  to  represent  Cape 
May  in  the  State  Senate,  and  served  in  the  sessions  of  '57, 
'58  and  '59,  having  served  two  preceding  years  as  a  member 
of  the  Assembly.  His  grandfather  was  William  Diverty, 
who  lived  from  1744  to  181 1,  and  was  a  native  of  Scotland. 
IPs  father  was  James  Diverty,  born  in  Aberdeen,  Scotland, 
in  1783.  At  the  age  of  10  the  father  came  to  Wilmington, 
Del.,  to  live  with  an  uncle.  When  21  he  came  to  Cape  May 
to  purchase  hoop  poles  for  the  cooperage  business  of  his 


•288 


IILSTOKY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 


uncle.  He  married  afterwards  Deborah  Smith,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Mrs.  Jesse  Hand,  wife  of  the  Cape  May  patriot.  The 
new  couple  began  life  at  Dennisville.  where  the  father  be- 
came a  lumber  merchant  and  postmaster.  He  died  in  1858. 
Jesse  H.  Diverty  was  born  there,  December  22,  1822.  He 
was  educated  in  the  village  school  and  at  Ih-idgcton  Acad- 
emy. For  a  time,  when  young-,  he  was  engaged  in  mercan- 
tile pursuits  in  Baltimore,  and  then  with  his  father  at  Den- 
nisville.    In    1865    he    began    the    ship    building   l)usiness, 


.IKSSK   H.    DIVKiMY. 


building  in  his  time  about  thirty  vessels.     When  the  ship- 
building died  out,  he  entered  into  agricultural  pursuits. 

In  public  life  he  served  as  township  collector,  committee- 
man, justice  of  the  peace,  superintendent  of  schools,  and  for 
forty  years  was  a  school  trustee.  After  serving  in  the  Sen- 
ate, he  was  made  engrossing  clerk  of  that  body  for  the  two 
following  years.  Governor  Abbett  appointed  him  one  of 
the  commissioners  of  State  Charities  and  Corrections.  He 
was  at  first  a  Whig,  but  later  a  Democrat.  During  the  war 
he  was  a  staunch  Unionist.     In   1877  he  was  appointed  a 


THH    DKCADK    l'.i:inKi:     illK    Ki;!'.i:Ll.U)X. 


2S9 


Judge  of  County  Courts,  and  was  reappointed  in  1882  and 
1887. 

When  12  years  of  age  he  beeanie  a  Methodist,  and  in 
1843  was  made  a  class  leader.  Me  was  in  1S44  made  an  ex- 
liorter,  in  1847  ^  local  preacher,  in  i860  a  deacon  and  in 
1871  an  elder.  He  was  superintendent  of  the  Su.nday-school 
from  1843  until  his  death.  He  died  at  Denn'sville  March 
9,  1890. 

The  county   of  C"ape   I\lay   owes  to  the   memory   of   Dr. 


1)1!.    :\1AIH1(K  liKKSI.KV. 

jMaurice  Beesley,  of  Dmnisville,  as  n)i:ch,  if  not  more,  :.'S  'o 
any  man  of  recent  times,  for  his  ])resu"vation  of  the  facts 
concerning  the  early  settlers  and  the  tlevelopment  of  the 
county.  In  1857  he  had  printed  liis  "Sketch  of  the  Early 
History  of  Cape  May  County,"  and  it  has  proved  a  valuable 
document.  Dr.  Beesley  was  long  connected  with  the  wel- 
fare of  the  county.  He  iirst  saw  the  light  of  day  at  Den- 
nisville  on  May  16,  1804.  His  grandfather,  Jonathan  Bees- 
ley, was  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  being  killed  fighting  in 
battle  for  American  independence.     H-s  father  was  Thomas 


290  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUiNTY. 

Beesley.  Tlie  doctor  was  an  elder  brother  of  Thomas  H.. 
Beesley,  who  succeeded  him  in  pubhc  life  a  few  years  later. 
Youne:  Maurice  Beesley  obtained  a  good  education  by  his 
own  diligent  work,  and  then  began  the  study  of  medicine 
with  Dr.  Theophilus  Beesley.  of  Salem.  He  graduated  in 
1828,  and  shcirtly  after  began  practicing  his  profession  at 
Cape  May  Court  House,  remaining  there  about  a  year. 
Afterwards  he  removed  to  Dennisville,  where  he  actively 
practiced  for  fifty-three  years.  Dr.  Beesley  was  sent  to  the 
Legislature  by  the  people  from  1840  to  1842,  and  the  two 
years  following  he  served  in  the  Legislative  Council.  He  was 
actively  interested  in  the  laws  perfecting  the  management  of 
the  insane  institutions  in  the  State.  In  1845  he  became  a 
member  of  the  New  Jersey  Historical  Society,  and  contrib- 
uted to  its  library  often  valuable  historical  records. 

In  1866,  upon  the  taking  effect  of  the  new  school  law,  he 
was  appointed  superintendent  of  public  instruction  for  Cape 
May  county,  and  served  efficiently  in  that  capacity  until 
1 88 1,  when  he  resigned  on  account  of  failing  health.  He 
dearly  loved  nature.  "His  researches  into  the  origin  of  the 
burned  juniper  forests  of  Dennis  Creek  are  of  great  and  last- 
ing value,"  says  a  writer,  "being  the  standard  authority  to 
this  day."  He  died  January  13,  1882,  aged  78,  and  his 
remains  lie  in  the  cemetery  at  South  Dennis. 

William  Smith  Hooper,  who,  in  1856,  was  elected  Sherifif 
and  served  three  years,  was  born  at  Tuckahoe,  September 
10,  1816,  and  was  the  last  male  descendent  of  his  line 
when  he  died.  His  father,  who  came  from  South  Carolina, 
and  who  was  a  nephew  of  William  Hooper,  the  signer  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence,  was  drowned  in  the  Delaware 
Bay  when  the  lad  was  4  years  of  age.  His  mother  was 
Abagail  Smith,  a  daughter  of  Captain  William  Smith,  of  the 
Revolutionary  army.  When  young  he  was  bound  to  Rich- 
ard Smith  Ludlani  (Assemblyman  in  1847  and  cousin  of  his 
mother).  Young  Hooper  served  as  clerk  in  Mr.  Ludlam's 
store  and  mill  at  Dennisville,  and  afterwards  at  the  Man- 
sion House  in  Cape  Island.  When  he  became  of  age  he 
went  to  the  banks  of  the  Ohio  River,  crossing  the  Allegheny 
Mountains  by  stage,  and  engaged  in  purchasing  and  selling 
lumber  in  the  towns  along  the  river,  and,  for  a  time,  was 


I'lii-:  in-;(Ai>E  hi:f()hk   the  rebellion. 


•^91 


clerk  in  a  countint^  lu)use  in  Covinytcjn.  His  health  failing 
him,  he  came  back  to  Cape  May  county  and  resided  at  Den- 
nisville,  where  he  held  township  offices.  He  came  to  Cape 
Island,  and  in  1853  he  was  a  member  of  the  City  Council  of 
Cape  Island,  and  in  1855  was  Recorder  of  the  city,  and  at 
the  same  time  a  member  i^f  the  JJoard  of  Freeholders.  He 
enlisted  for  the  war  wi'li  Mexico,  bin  did  n.ot  <^o.  At  the 
breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War  he  entered  Company  A.  Sev- 
enth Regiment,  New  Jersey  Volunteers,  being  mustered  into 
service  for  three  years  and  commissioned  corporal  August 
23,  1861,  and  was  promoted  to  sergeant  July  15,  1863.     He 


WII.I.IAM   S.  HooPKU. 


was  in  all  the  important  battles  with  the  regiment  during 
the  service,  being  mustered  out  October  7,  1864.  He  be- 
came an  invalid  in  the  service,  and  remained  so  until  his 
death.  In  1872  he  was  chosen  tax  collector  of  Cape  May 
City,  and  was  re-elected  five  times,  serving  until  1878.  In 
1884  he  was  chosen  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Freeholders 
again,  and  served  in  the  board  from  1886  to  1891.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Cape  Island  Lodge,  Free  and  Accepted  Ma- 
sons, a  director  of  the  Cape  Island  Turnpike  Company.  In 
politics  he  was  a  Whig  until  the  formation  of  the  Republi- 
can party,  when  he  became  a  believer  in  its  principles.  He 
died  in  Cape  May  City  on  August  20,   1896,  being  within 


292  IllSTOKY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

twenty  days  of  his  8oth  year.  His  remains  are  interred  in 
Calvary  Baptist  Church  Cemeter}-.  Seaville. 

The  mail  service  in  the  year  1857  was  irregular,  the  at- 
tempts being  made  to  get  two  and  sometimes  three  mails  a 
week.  The  mails  were  all  carried  by  the  stage  lines.  The 
"Ocean  Wave"  of  April  16,  this  year,  tells  of  the  need  of  a 
daily  mail  and  of  the  delays  in  the  following  article: 

"We  need  a  daily  mail.  That  we  have  no  direct  mail 
communication  between  Cape  Island  and  Cape  May  C.  H., 
our  county  seat,  but  once  a  week,  is  a  fact  known  to  all.  A 
letter  written  here  on  \\'ednesday  may  go  direct  to  the 
Court  House  on  Thursday,  and  an  answer  be  returned  on 
Saturday,  by  the  Bridgeton  mail;  but  at  any  other  time  in 
the  week  our  letters  must  be  sent  up  by  the  Bayside  mail, 
on  Mondays.  Wednesdays  or  Fridays  to  Tuckahoe,  and 
there  stopped  till  the  next  dov/n  mail  to  the  Court  House, 
thus  performing  a  journey  of  nearly  fifty  miles,  while  the 
distance  is  onlv  thirteen  miles  direct  from  here  to  the  Court 
House." 

The  same  source  gives  the  facts  tliat  in  Cape  May  county, 
from  returns  of  assessors  and  statistics  otherwise  obtained, 
t'at  farm  products  had  increased  by  [857  over  the  products 
in  1850  by  50  per  cent.,  and  that  since  the  United  States 
census  of  1S50  the  price  of  land  in  ihe  county  had  nearly 
doubled. 

In  the  election  of  the  fall  of  1857  there  were  but  541  votes 
polled  in  the  county.  Downs  Edmunds,  Jr.,  was  chosen 
Assemblyman;  Elijah  Townsend,  Jr.,  Surrogate,  and  Wil- 
liam S.  Hooper  Sheriff.  In  the  election  of  the  succeeding 
year  the  slavery  question  was  beginning  to  agitate  the  peo- 
ple. There  were  the  American,  People's  and  Democratic 
parties.  The  result  was  that  Downs  Edmunds,  Jr.,  Amer- 
ican, and  Abram  Reeves,  People's,  were  chosen  Senator  and 
Assemblyman  respectively.  In  1859  Reeves  was  re-elected 
to  the  Assembly  on  the  American  ticket. 

In  1858  the  Cape  Island  Gas  Company  had  been  estab- 
lished, and  the  rates  charged  for  gas  was  $6.00  per  one  thou- 
sand feet  burned,  and  the  rent  of  the  meters  was  ^3.00  per 
year.  '  •  1 


Tin-:  i)i:("Ai)i-:  HEi^oiiio  tiik  ukim'.i.i.ion.         lm;^ 

Downs  Edmunds,  Jr.,  served  three  years  in  the  Assembly, 
1856.  1857,  1858,  and  was  elected  and  served  a  full  term  in 
the  Senate,  servings  in  the  Legislatures  of  1859,  i860  and 
1861.  He  was  born  at  Fishing  Creek,  October  29,  1813, 
and  was  the  son  of  Downs  Edmunds,  an  esteemed  resident 
of  lower  Cape  May  county.  He  was  a  man  of  considerable 
business  qualifications,  being  a  farmer,  merchant  and,  for 
a  number  of  years,  was  agent  at  Cape  May  for  the  steam- 
boats plying  between  Cape  May  and  other  places.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Board  of  Freeholders  for  several  years.  On 
June  3,  1884,  Governor  Abbett  appointed  him  a  Judge  of 
Common  Pleas  Court  for  Cape  May  county,  and  he  served 
out  the  unexpired  term  of  Abraham  Reeves.  He  was  an 
adherent  of  the  Republican  party.  He  died  at  his  West 
Cape  May  home  April  i,  1890,  aged  'j'j  years. 

Abraham  Reeves,  who  was  elected  to  the  Assembly  when 
Mr.  Edmunds  was  chosen  Senator,  was  a  son  of  Abijah 
Reeves,  of  the  War  of  181 2,  and  was  born  in 
Lower  township  October  22,  1802.  He  was  a  man 
of  commanding  presence,  six  feet  in  height.  He 
was  known  as  "Uncle  Abe"  to  every  one.  His  educa- 
tional advantages  were  limited,  it  being  said  of  him  that  he 
never  spent  but  three  months  in  a  school.  He,  however, 
was  a  man  of  good  judgment  and  integrity.  He  served  two 
terms  in  the  Assembly  and  was  twice  appointed  a  Judge  of 
Common  Pleas  Court,  holding  the  position  when  he  died. 
For  a  number  of  years  he  was  a  chosen  Freeholder,  and 
held  many  township  ofHces.  He  served  several  years  as 
president  of  the  County  Bible  Society,  was  an  elder  of  the 
Cold  Spring  Presbyterian  Church.  He  was  at  first  a  Whig, 
and  then  a  Republican  in  politics.     He  died  May,  1884. 

In  the  year  i860  Cape  May  was  passing  out  of  one  epoch 
into  another.  The  old  stage  coach  was  soon  to  give  way 
to  the  railroad  train.  The  impending  conflict  of  afifairs 
which  terminated  in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  was  becoming 
intense.  No  better  way  of  ascertaining  the  condition  of  the 
county  at  this  time  can  be  had  than  by  recourse  to  the 
statistics  here  presented.  The  population  consisted  of  7130 
persons,  divided  as  follows: 


294 


HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 


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There  were  in  the  county  1465  famUies,  1600  dwellings, 
523  separate  farms  and  thirty-eight  manufacturing  estab- 
lishments. The  value  of  the  assessable  real  estate  in  the 
county  was  $872,364.00,  and  the  total  taxes  assessed  in  the 
county  were  $11,727.47,  it  being  used  for  the  following  pur- 
poses: For  support  of  the  county,  $3899.47;  for  schools, 
$6128.00,  and  for  public  roads,  $1700.00. 

Farming  was  the  principal  occupation  of  the  residents,  and 
the  production  for  the  year  ending  on  June  i  is  here  given: 


THE    DKCADK    HKFOKK     rHI':    ItKP.KM.H  )N. 


295 


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Value  of  Farming  Im- 
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Horses 


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HISTORY  OF  CATE  MAY  COI'XTY. 


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THE  DECADE  BEFUKE  Tl  1  E  KEr.ELi-K)N.  297 

The  avcra<;e  monthly  wages  of  a  farm  hand  was  $12.00; 
the  day  laborer's,  with  board,  seventy-iive  cents  per  day; 
the  day  laborer's,  without  board,  $1.00;  carpenter's  average 
daily  wages,  $1.50;  weekly  wages  of  a  domestic  female, 
with  board,  $1.00,  and  without  board,  $2.25  per  week. 

The  number  of  manufacturing  establishments  was  thirty- 
eight,  in  which  there  was  $79,658.00  invested.  The  value 
of  material  used  in  a  year  was  $60,846.00,  out  of  which  the 
annual  productions  amounted  to  $75,320.00.  Seventy- 
eight  males  and  seven  females  were  employed. 

There  were  twenty-seven  schools  in  which  thirty-two 
teachers  were  employed,  teaching  2373  scholars  at  an  annual 
cost  of  $7586.00.  There  was  one  academy,  the  one  at  Cold 
Spring  (M  Williamson's),  in  which  one  teacher  was  en- 
gaged, and  which  had  thirty  students,  which  was  run  at  an. 
expense  of  $760  per  year.  There  was  one  library  in  th- 
county,  in  which  there  were  1550  books.  Throughout  the 
county  there  were  twenty-one  churches  of  various  denom- 
inations, with  an  aggregate  accommodation  for  9056  per- 
sons, and  valued  at  $58,900. 

The  mode  of  travel  to  and  from  the  county  was  either  by 
stage  or  vessel  up  to  1863.  The  steamers  during  the  sum- 
mer seasons  made  round  trips  from  Philadelphia  and  New 
York  once  every  two  days,  and  sometimes  there  was  a  daily 
communication  by  water  in  this  season  with  Philadelphia. 
But  at  other  seasons  of  the  year  the  water  route  wa^  more 
uncertain. 

The  stages  ran  by  way  of  Bridgeton  and  Tuckahoe.  The 
"Bridgeton  stage"  passed  through  the  bay  shore  towns  from 
Cape  Island  to  Bridgeton,  while  the  "Tuckahoe  stage" 
passed  through  the  villages  on  the  seashore  side  of  the 
county,  going  to  May's  Landing  and  thence  to  Philadelphia. 
These  routes  were  subject  to  change.  The  stages,  before 
the  advent  of  the  railroads,  carried  the  mails,  and,  when 
approaching  the  villages,  the  driver  would  always  herald 
their  approach  by  tooting  a  big  horn.  Then  the  village 
folk  would  gather  around  the  primitive  postoffice  to  get  a 
letter  or  hear  the  latest  news  from  the  "United  States  Ga- 
zette" (now  the  "North  American"),  of  Phi!adel]jhia,  which 
seemed  to  be  the  |)rincipal  newspaper  read  in  the  count}'. 


298 


HISTORY  OF  CArE  MAY  COUNTY. 


The  fare  between  Philadelphia  and  Cape  May,  one  way  only, 
was  $3.50  per  passenger. 

The  Bridgeton  stage,  which  in  1856  was  owned  by  James 
Whitaker,  left  Cape  May  on  Mondays  and  Thursdays  at  5 
in  the  morning,  winter  and  summer,  and  passed  through  the 
villages  of  Cold  Spring,  Fishing  Creek,  Green  Creek,  Dy- 
ers Creek,  Goshen,  Dennisville,  Leesbury,  Dorchester,  Port 
Elizabeth  and  Millville,  arriving  at  Bridgeton  on  the  same 
evming  at  4  o'clock.     There  the  passengers  took  another 
stage  and  went  on  to   Philadelphia.     The  returning  days 
wer^e  Wednesdays  and  Saturdays,  which  gave  the  team  of 
liorses  a  day's  rest  between  times.     Those  who  drove  these 
stages  the  longest  were  Henry  C.  MuUiner,  William  Heben- 
thal,  better  known  throughout  the  county  and  to  his  passen- 
gers at  the  time  as  "Dutch  Billy." 

The  great  centres  of  industries  were  about  West  Creek, 
and  Dennis  Creek,  which  was  reached  by  water.  At  the  latter 
place  ship  building  was  conducted  on  a  large  scale.  Most 
of  the  store  business  of  the  county  was  done  there,  and  these 
businesses  did  not  decline  until  the  railroad  opened  and 
made  the  means  of  transportation  a  more  easy  matter. 

The  people  of  this  county  held  many  meetings  during 
the  eight  years  preceding  1863,  when  the  Cape  May  and 
Millville  Railroad  was  finally  opened  to  Cape  May. 

There  were  schemes  and  routes  laid  out  for  many  roads, 
and  during  the  year  1857  the  proposed  "Cape  May  and 
Atlantic"  Road  had  meetings  held  all  over  the  county.  The 
directors  of  it  were  Ebenezer  Westcott,  Joshua  Swain.  Jr., 
Hezekiah  W.  Godfrey,  Matthew  Whilldin,  Dr.  Henry 
Schmoele,  Daniel  E.  Estel,  Abraham  L.  Iszard,  William 
Schmoele  and  Lilburn  Harwood.  Elias  Wright  was  the 
en-'neer  in  charge. 

(  1  September  2,  at  a  public  meeting  at  Cape  Island, 
Do\  ^s  Edmimds,  Jr.,  David  Reeves.  John  West,  Waters  B. 
Miller  --M  Joseph  Ware  were  appointed  to  confer  with  the 
West  Jci..  •'  Railroad  about  building  a  road  through  the 
county.  On  t'--  7th  of  August,  preceding.  Dr.  Schmoele, 
Matthew  Whilldin,  Waters  B.  Miller  and  Joseph  Ware 
(then  Mayor)  were  appointed  at  a  public  meeting  to  confer 
with  the  Camden  and  Atlantic  Road  for  the  same  purpose. 


TIIK  Dl'.CADE  r.KFORK  THE  REBELLION.  21)9 

The  Council  of  Cape  Island  was  asked  to  subscribe  $10,000 
for  the  enterprise,  which  it  finally  did  on  April  24,  i860, 
Matthew  Whilldin  was  paid  by  this  Council  also  to  procure 
the  right  of  way  for  a  road  from  property  owners. 

Joseph  S.  Leach,  editor  of  the  "Ocean  Wave,"  and  Charles 
B.  Dungan,  who  was  president  of  the  company  which 
"finally  built  the  road  and  who  was  the  contractor  also,  de- 
serve, with  others,  a  large  share  of  gratitude  from  the  present 
residents  of  Cape  May  county  for  their  untiring  efforts  in 
getting  the  road  here.  On  May  13,  1863,  the  Board  of 
Freeholders  passed  a  resolution  allowing  the  Cape  May 
and  Millville  Railroad  the  right  to  lay  rails  over  Cape  Is- 
land bridge,  and  within  a  few  days  thereafter  the  railroad 
was  opened  to  Cape  May.  It  was  not  until  August  29,  1879, 
that  it  was  united  with  the  West  Jersey  Railroad.  Since 
then  the  great  Pennsylvania  system  has  secured  control  and 
thus  has  given  to  Cape  May  unnumbered  advantages,  and 
cheap  excursion  rates  from  all  over  the  country.  The  open- 
ing of  the  road  caused  much  prosperity. 

Charles  B.  Dungan  was  born  in  Holmesburg,  Pa.,  in  1813. 
He  remained  there  for  twelve  years,  attending  the  public 
schools. 

A  blind  gentleman  from  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  who  was  visit- 
ing Holmesburg,  took  a  strong  liking  to  him,  and  induced 
Tiis  mother,  who  was  a  wadow,  to  allow  him  to  take  the  boy 
with  him  upon  his  return  home.  Young  Dungan  remained 
with  this  gentleman  until  his  death,  a  period  of  five  or  six 
years,  acting  as  his  clerk  and  companion.  He  was  then 
apprenticed  to  Gideon  Cox,  a  dry  goods  merchant,  wdiose 
place  of  business  was  at  the  corner  of  Eighth  and  Market 
streets,  Philadelphia.  When  he  attained  his  majority  he 
•went  in  to  business  for  himself  in  Philadelphia.  His  store 
was  robbed,  and  everything  of  value  carried  oft.  Not  being 
able  to  resume  his  business,  he  secured  a  clerkship  in  the 
-office  of  the  Northern  Liberties  Gas  \\'orks,  eventually  be- 
'Coming  one  of  its  ol^cers. 

He  then  engaged  in  the  business  of  building  gas  works, 
constructing  those  in  the  cities  of  Washington,  D.  C;  Fre^" 
ericksburg,  Va.;  Reading,  Pa.;  Hartford  and  New  Haven, 
Conn.,  and  other  cities,  seventeen  in  all.     In   1850,  when. 


300  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

through  ill  health,  he  had  virtually  retired  from  business^ 
he  was  the  possessor  of  large  means. 

He  was  induced  to  take  an  interest  in  the  construction 
the  Hoosac  Tunnel,  in  Massachusetts.  This  work  was  be- 
ing successfully  prosecuted,  when  the  great  panic  of  1857' 
overtook  them,  and  in  consequence  became  so  involved 
that  he  was  never  able  to  resume  work  on  it,  the  State  tak- 
ing it  up  after  the  war  and  completing  it. 

He  then  became  interested  in  the  managements  of  city 
passenger  railways  in  Philadelphia,  and  was  for  several  years, 
president  of  the  Fairmount  and  Arch  Street  Road.  He- 
conceived  and  carried  out  its  consolidation  with  the  Heston- 
ville  Road. 

His  next  venture  was  the  building  of  the  Millville  and 
Cape  May  Railroad,  in  1863,  of  which  he  was  contractor  and 
president.  He  was  not  only  public-spirited,  but  whole- 
souled  and  generous  to  a  fault.  His  purse  was  always  open 
to  the  needs  of  others,  to  the  church  and  to  any  worthy 
benevolence  which  claimed  his  attention.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  a  consistent  professor  of 
Christianity. 

He  died  at  his  home  in  Cape  May  City  on  Wednesday. 
January  ii,  1888. 

Thomas  y^  Townsend,  who  w^as  a  prominent  sea  captain 
before  the  war,  has  done  a  good  work  for  posterity  in  pre- 
serving many  historical  records.  He  was  born  about 
i&ir2~,  and  when  young  was  a  clerk  in  the  store  of  Jeremiah 
Leaming  at  Dennisville.  He  then  became  a  blacksmith,, 
and  later  a  sea  captain,  commanding  at  different  times- 
eleven  vessels.  He  retired  in  1863.  His  historical  docu- 
ments were  gathered  since  then.     He  died  April  24,  1894. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

OPENING  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR. 

The  attention  of  our  reader  is  now  turned  to  the  part  our 
people  took  in  the  War  of  the  RebelHon,  in  which  Cape 
May  men  did  honor  to  themselves  and  to  their  State  and 
country.  As  soon  as  the  Confederates  seized  Fort  Sumter, 
in  April,  1861,  the  spirit  of  patriotism  spread  over  Cape  May 
county  in  as  great  a  degree  as  anywhere  else  in  the  Union. 
In  the  autumn  previous  the  people  of  the  county  had  voted 
by  a  large  majority  for  Mr.  Lincoln  for  President.  In 
every  village  the  people  assembled  in  public  meetings  and 
pledged  their  support  to  the  Union.  Military  organizations 
were  formed  throughout  the  :<:ounty.  The  Cape  Island 
Home  Guards,  under  command  of  Captain  John  West;  the 
Seaville  Rangers,  under  the  care  of  Captain  Joseph  E.  Cor- 
son, and  a  company  at  Cape  May  Court  House,  under  the 
command  of  N.  N.  Wentzell,  were  quickly  organized.  "Long 
Tom,"  the  only  cannon  in  the  county,  which  had  been  used 
in  the  War  of  1812,  was  brought  out,  and  the  Board  of  Free- 
holders, on  May  7,  were  asked  to  repair  its  carriage,  which 
they,  however,  refused  to  do,  being  composed  at  the  time 
of  men  not  in  sympathy  with  President  Lincoln.  On  the 
same  day  Captain  West's  communication,  asking  for  aid  for 
the  "Home  Guards,"  was  also  disregarded  by  the  board. 
But,  as  more  serious  events  happened  in  the  border  States, 
the  Board  of  Freeholders  at  last  realized  that  they  must  do 
something,  and  therefore  their  sympathies  were  turned  in 
for  the  Union. 

On  May  i  Henry  W.  Sawyer,  of  Cape  Island,  offered  his 
services  to  Governor  Olden,  and  was  subsequently  given  a 
commission  in  the  First  Cavalry.  He  had  already  per- 
formed service  for  the  Governor  and  in  Washington,  which 
is  told  of  later  on. 

On  the  nth  of  June  the  Board  of  Freeholders  gave  N.  N. 


302  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Wentzell  permission  to  use  the  Grand  Jury  room  in  thet 
Court  House  for  drilling  purposes.  Immediately  previous, 
to  this  the  board  also  passed  a  resolution  giving  to  the  family 
of  Mr.  Sawyer  $6.00  per  month  as  long  as  he  remained  in^ 
the  service  of  either  the  United  States  or  New  Jersey. 

Simultaneous  with  these  movements  for  the  recruitment 
and  organization  of  troops,  the  State  authorities  were  en- 
gaged in  other  important  labors.  Realizing  the  necessity 
of  means  of  prompt  and  constant  communication  with  all 
parts  of  the  State,  the  telegraph  line  to  Cape  May,  which  had 
been  abandoned  by  the  company,  was  at  once  ordered  to 
be  put  in  working  order  at  the  expense  of  the  State;  and,  as 
a  further  means  of  defense,  a  maritime  guard  was  established 
along  the  line  of  the  coast,  consisting  of  patriotic  citizens 
living  adjacent  thereto.  Waters  B.  Miller,  then  a  member 
of  the  Board  of  Freeholders  from  Cape  Island,  sent  the  fol- 
lowing telegram  to  the  Governor  concerning  the  abandoned 
Philadelphia  and  Cape  Island  Telegraph  Line: 

"Philadelphia,  April  21,  1861. 
"Governor  Olden: — The  telegraph  line  to  Cape  Island 
has  not  been  in  operation  for  several  months.  The  company, 
it  is  said,  have  abandoned  it.  The  line  should  be  put  in 
working  order  to  communicate  with  government  vessels  off 
the  Capes.  It  will  cost  about  $500.  Shall  I  have  it  put 
in  order?  W.  B.  Miller,  of  Cape  May." 

The  Governor  forthwith  ordered  Mr.  Miller  to  repair  the 
line,  which  was  quickly  done,  the  work  costing  in  all 
$779.08. 

In  order  to  prepare  for  an  earnest  Union  meeting,  on 
Friday,  June  21,  1861,  a  meeting  was  held  in  Court  House 
village,  at  which  J.  F.  Craig  presided  and  A.  L.  Haynes 
acted  as  secretary,  to  arrange  for  the  celebration  of  the 
Fourth  of  July.  The  following  Committee  of  Arrange- 
ments was  appointed:  Dr.  John  Wiley,  Dr.  Coleman  F. 
Leaming,  Dr.  Jonathan  F.  Leaming,  Hon.  Thomas  Beesley, 
Judges  Holmes  and  Samuel  Springer.  The  committee  sub- 
sequently met  and  appointed  a  County  Committee,  consist- 
ing of  the  following  persons:  Thomas  Williams,  Joseph  E. 
Corson,  Richard  B.  Stites,  Charles  Ludlam,  James  L.  Smith, 
Henry  Swain,  Stephen  Bennett,  Franklin  Hand,  John 


OI'KNIN(i  ( )F  THE  CIVIL  WAR.  303 

Swain,  William  J.  Bate,  Abraham  Reeves,  Jacob  Corson, 
Waters  B.  Miller,  S.  R.  Magonagle  and  Colonel  John  West, 
Committee  on  Grounds  and  Seating  were:  William  Ross, 
W^illiam  H.  Benezet,  George  Ogden,  Joseph  Holmes  and 
Charles  Mills.  Committee  fpr  Obtaining  Speakers  and 
Music:  Dr.  J.  F.  Learning,  Dr.  C.  F.  Leaming.  Committee 
on  Resolutions:  Rev.  Moses  Williamson,  Drs.  Coleman  F. 
and  Jonathan  F.  Leaming. 

This  celebration  was  held  and  the  residents  of  the  whole 
county  participated  in  it. 

During  the  early  summer  Samuel  R.  Magonagle,  editor 
of  the  "Ocean  Wave,"  at  Cape  Island  induced  the  follow- 
ing persons  to  enlist  for  the  war,  who  signed  the  roll  in  the 
Baptist  Church  there:  Samuel  R.  Magonagle,  George  W. 
Smith,  Richard  T.  Tindall,  Joseph  Hand,  David  Reeves, 
Jr.,  Charles  FL  Weeks,  William  S.  Hooper,  Samuel  R.  Lud- 
lam,  Harry  L.  Gilmour,  Walter  S.  Ware,  W.  S.  Ware,  Wil- 
liam B.  Eldredge,  Albert  J.  Cassedy,  James  T.  Smith.  John 
W.  Kimsey,  Nicholas  T.  Swain,  Stephen  D.  Bennett,  Joseph 
W.  Johnson,  John  Mecray,  Townsend  T.  Ireland,  Stephen 
Pierson,  James  Burns,  Caleb  Warner,  Thomas  S.  Stevens, 
Benjamin  RedhefTer,  Joseph  W.  Ireland,  Charles  S.  Hays, 
Charles  J.  Silver,  T.  Fletcher  Jacobs,  Jonathan  C.  Stevens, 
John  Stites,  Owen  S.  Clark,  Walter  A.  Barrows,  Patrick 
Kerns,  Swain  S.  Reeves,  Edward  Filkin  and  Lewis  H. 
Cresse.  Nearly  all  of  them  finally  went  to  the  front.  Wal- 
ter S.  Ware  was  not  accepted  because  of  his  youthfulness. 

With  those  who  went  to  Trenton  from  Cape  May  county 
to  join  the  First  Cavalry  Regiment  were  Thomas  S.  Stevens 
and  Joseph  Hand,  who  were  enrolled  and  mustered  in  as 
privates  in  Company  F,  Fourth  Regiment  Infantry,  on  Au- 
gust 15,  for  a  period  of  three  years.  Mr.  Stevens  remained 
with  his  regiment  until  August  17,  1864,  when  he  was  mus- 
tered out  at  Trenton.  Mr.  Hand  served  until  he  was  dis- 
charged from  the  service  on  account  of  disability  at  De 
Camp  U.  S.  Army,  General  Hospital,  David's  Island,  New 
York  harbor,  on  October  7,  1862. 

The  Fourth  Regiment  arrived  in  Washington  on  Au- 
gust 21,  and  was  assigned  to  the  brigade  of  General  Philip 
Kearney,  known  as  the  First  Brigade.     The  regiment  took 


304  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

part  in  the  following  engagements:  West  Point,  Va.,  May  7, 
'62;  Gaines  Farm,  Va.,  June  27,  '62;  Charles  City  Cross 
Roads,  Va.,  June  30,  '62;  White  Oak  Swamp,  Va., 
same  day;  Malvern  Hill,  Va.,  July  i,  '62;  Manas- 
sas, Va.,  August  27,  '62;  Chantilly,  Va.,  Septemberber  i,  '62; 
Crampton's  Pass,  Md.,  September  14,  '62;  Antietam,  Md., 
September  17,  '62;  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  December  13  and 
14,  '62;  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  May  3,  '63;  Salem  Heights, 
Va.,  May  3  and  4,  '63;  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  2  and  3,  '63; 
Fairfield,  Pa.,  July  5,  '63;  Williamsport,  Md.,  July  6,  '63; 
Funktown,  Md.,  July  12,  '63;  Rappahannock  Station,  Va., 
October  12,  '63;  same  place,  November  7,  '63;  Mine  Run, 
Va.,  November  30,  '63;  Wilderness,  Va.,  May  5  to  7,  '64; 
Spottsylvania,  Va.,  May  8  to  11,  '64;  Spottsylvania  C.  H., 
Va.,  May  12  to  16,  '64;  North  and  South  Anna  River,  Va., 
May  24,  '64;  Hanover  Cv\H.,  Va.,  May  29,  '64;  Tolopotomy 
Creek,  Va.,  May  30  and  31,  '64;  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  June  I 
to  3,  '64;  before  Petersburg,  Va.  (Weldon  Railroad),  June 
23,  '64;  Snicker's  Gap,  Va.,  July  18,  '64,  and  other  skirm- 
ishes and  battles  following,  none  of  which  the  Cape  May 
men  were  in  as  members  of  the  Fourth  Regiment. 

In  the  Sixth  Regiment  of  Infantry,  which  left  the  State  for 
the  scene  of  the-war,  was  Dr.  John  Wiley,  of  Cape  May  Court 
House,  who  served  as  chief  surgeon  of  the  regiment  dur- 
ing the  war.  He  was  commissioned  and  mustered  into  ser- 
vice on  August  17,  1861,  for  three  years,  being  mustered 
out  September  17,  1864.  He  was  born  in  Pennsgrove,  N. 
J.,  in  1815,  and  graduated  from  Jefferson  Medical  College, 
Philadelphia,  in  1837.  Shortly  after  he  settled  at  Cape 
May  Court  House,  being  for  many  years  county  physician. 
He  was  chosen  by  the  Board  of  Freeholders  in  1865  county 
collector  and  held  the  office  for  upwards  of  twelve  years. 
He  died  at  Cape  May  Court  House  on  December  24.  i8qt. 

Wilmon  Whilldin  enlisted  as  private  in  Company  I,  Sixth 
Regiment,  on  August  9.  1861,  and  was  mustered  into  service 
twenty  days  later  for  three  years,  but,  owing  to  disability, 
he  was  discharged  at  Washington  on  June  16,  1862.  After 
this  he  entered  the  service  again  in  the  famous  Wilson  Raid- 
ers, which  operated  during  the  close  of  the  war  around 
Georgia.     Upon  the  arrival  of  the  Sixth  in  Washington  it 


OPENING  OF  THE  (  IVIL  WAK.  305 

went  into  camp  at  Meridian  Hill,  and  there  remained  until 
the  early  part  of  December,  when  the  Second  New  Jersey 
Brigade,  of  which  the  regiment  formed  a  part,  was  ordered 
to  report  under  Joseph  Hooker. 

Company  A,  Seventh  Regiment,  as  first  organized,  was 
composed  largely  of  Cape  May  men,  all  of  whom  enlisted 
and  were  mustered  into  service  on  August  23  for  three  years, 
excepting  Thomas  Bush  and  John  Reeves,  who  were  en- 
rolled and  mustered  into  the  company  on  September  15. 

Those  who  entered  the  company  were,  and  their  records 
of  promotion  are,  as  follows: 

George  W.  Smith,  first  sergeant;  sergeant-major  of  regi- 
ment January  1 1,  '62;  second  lieutenant  of  company,  June 
16,  '62;  first  lieutenant,  Company  H,  October  2,  '62;  captain 
Company  C,  February  23,  '62;  resigned  January  7,  '64. 
Was  shot  through  cheek. 

Joseph  W.  Johnson,  private;  corporal,  June  9,  '62;  ser- 
geant, March  i,  '63;  sergent-major  of  regiment  June  i, 
'63 ;  first  lieutenant  of  company,  October  27,  '63. 

Samuel  R.  Magonagle,  private;  quartermaster-sergeant 
of  regiment,  September  13,  '61;  discharged  on  account  of 
disability,  November  21,  '61. 

James  T.  Smith,  private;  corporal,  October  12,  '61;  ser- 
geant. July  22,  '62;  wounded  in  battle  of  The  Wilderness. 

William  S.  Hooper,  corporal;  sergeant,  July  15,  '63. 

Charles  H.  Weeks,  private;  corporal,  June  9,  '62;  ser- 
geant, July  15,  '63. 

Thomas  L.  Van  Wrinkle,  private;  corporal,  January  i, 
'64;  discharged  as  paroled  prisoner  at  Trenton  on  February 
I,  '65.  Was  taken  prisoner  and  confined  in  the  "Pen"  at 
Andersonville,  Ga.,  suffering  many  privations. 

Swain  S.  Reeves,  private;  corporal,  June  18,  '64. 

Jonathan  C.  Stevens,  private;  corporal,  July  15,  '63. 

Thomas  Bush,  private. 

Moses  W.  Matthews,  private. 

John  Reeves,  private. 

Nicholas  T.  Swain,  corporal;  discharged  on  account  of 
disability  at  Division  Hospital,  Budd's  Ferry,  Md.,  June 
13,  '62. 

Walter  A.   Barrows,  private;  discharged  on  account  of 


306  HISTORY  OF  CATE  MAY  COUNTY. 

disability  at  U.  S.  Army  General  Hospital,  Newark,  N.  J.,. 
November  lo,  '62. 

Lewis  H.  Cresse,  private;  discharged  on  account  of  dis- 
ability at  Centre  Street  U.  S.  Army  General  Hospital,  New- 
ark, N,  J.,  October  30,  '62. 

Edward  Filkins,  private;  discharged  on  account  disability 
at  U.  S.  Army  General  Hospital,  Philadelphia,  October  24,. 

'62. 

Isaac  H.  Hall,  private;  discharged  on  account  of  disability 
at  U.  S.  Army  General  Hospital,  Philadelphia,  September 
13,  '62. 

Joseph  W.  Ireland,  private;  discharged  on  account  of  dis- 
ability at  Washington,  May  16,  '62. 

Thomas  Fletcher  Jacobs,  private;  discharged  on  account 
of  disability  at  U.  S.  Army  General  Hospital,  Newark,  N.^ 
J.,  August  18,  '62. 

Levi  E.  Johnson,  private;  discharged  on  account  of  dis- 
ability at  Baltimore,  July  14,  '62. 

Thomas  Keenan,  private;  discharged  on  account  of  dis- 
ability at  White  House,  Va.,  May  18,  '62. 

David  T.  Kimsey,  private;  discharged  on  account  of  dis- 
ability at  U.  S.  Army  General  Hospital,  Philadelphia,  Jan- 
uary 24,  '63. 

John  W.  Kimsey,  private;  discharged  on  account  of  dis- 
ability at  Convalescent  Camp,  Alexandria,  Va.,  September 

4,  '63. 

Stephen  Pierson,  private;  discharged  on  account  of  dis- 
ability at  New  York  city,  October  29,  '62. 

Ulysses  Receaver,  private;  discharged  on  account  of  dis- 
ability at  U.  S.  Army  General  Hospital,  Philadelphia,  No- 
vember 19,  '62, 

David  Reeves,  Jr.,  private;  discharged  on  account  of  dis- 
ability at  Budd's  Ferry,  Va.,  June  18,  '^2. 

William  H.  Kirby,  private ;  transferred  to  Veteran  Reserve 
Corps;  re-enlisted  May  6,  '64;  discharged  therefrom  August 

18,  '64. 

Richard  T.  Tindall,  sergeant;  died  of  typhoid  fever  at 
Washington,  October  8,  '61. 

Stephen  D.  Bennett,  private;  died  at  Cape  May,  May  28, 


O  !•  E  X .  XCi  ( )  L^^  T n  1<:  civil  W  a  R .  307 

'62,  of   wounds   received    in    battle   at    Williamsburg,    Va., 
May  5,  '62. 

Owen  S.  Clark,  private;  died  at  Baltimore,  July  20,  '63,  cl 
wounds  received  in  battle  at  Gettysburg,  Pa. 

Townsend  Ireland,  private;  killed  in  battle  at  Williams- 
burg, Va.,  May  5,  '62. 

John  Mecray,  private;  killed  in  battle  at  \Villiani:iburg, 
Va.,  May  5,  '62. 

John  F.  Shaw,  private;  died  of  congestion  of  lunga  and 
measles  at  Camp  Baker,  Md.,  March  12,  '62. 

Charles  J.  Silver,  private;  died  at  Cape  May,  May  2S.  '62, 
of  wounds  received  in  battle  at  Williamsburg,  Va.,  May  5, 
'62. 

Of  these  men  of  Company  A  the  following  few  renained 
to  the  end  and  were  mustered  out  of  service  on  October  7, 
1864:  Joseph  W.  Johnson,  James  T.  Smith,  William  S, 
Hooper,  Charles  H.  Weeks,  Swain  S.  Reeves,  Jonathan  C. 
Stevens,  Thomas  Bush,  Moses  W.  Matthews  and  John 
Reeves. 

J.  Howard  Willetts,  of  Cape  May  county,  was,  on  October 
18,  1861,  appointed  captain  of  Company  H,  Seventh  Regi- 
ment, with  which  he  remained  until  he  was  appointed  lieu- 
tenant-colonel of  the  Twelfth  Regiment,  on  August  11,  '62. 
He  was  born  at  Dias  Creek,  November,  18,  1834,  and  re- 
moved to  Port  Elizabeth,  Cumberland  county,  in  1845.  He 
was  educated  at  Pennington  Seminary  and  at  West  Point 
Military  Academy.  He  is  a  grandson  of  Nicholas  Willets, 
who  was  in  the  Legislature  in  the  early  part  of  the  century. 

He  studied  medicine  after  leaving  West  Point,  and  gradu- 
ated from  Jeflferson  Medical  College,  Philadelphia,  in  1858. 
In  1852  and  1853  he  was  a  member  of  the  Assembly  from 
Cumberland  county,  and  from  1855  to  1858  was  State  Sen- 
ator. 

At  the  request  of  the  government  that  the  Seventh  Regi- 
ment be  forwarded  to  the  seat  of  w^ar,  seven  companies,  in- 
cluding Company  A,  were  dispatched  to  Washington  Sep- 
tember 19,  1861,  and  reported  for  duty  the  following  day. 
Upon  arrival  at  Washington  the  regiment  went  into  camp 
at  Meridian  Hill,  D.  C,  and  there  remained  until  the  early 
part  of  December,  at  which  time,  in  connection  with  the 


.308  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Fifth,  Sixth  and  Eighth  Regiments,  they  were  ordered  to 
report  to  General  Joseph  Hooker,  near  Budd's  Ferry,  Md., 
where  they  were  brigaded  and  designated  the  Third  Bri- 
gade, Hooker's  Division. 

In  the  spring  of  1862  the  work  of  the  regiment  began  in 
earnest.  "During  the  month  of  April,"  says  John  Y.  Fos- 
ter, "General  McClellan  having  determined  his  plans  for  an 
offensive  movement,  the  brigade  was  transferred  (with  its 
division)  to  the  Peninsula,  General  F.  E.  Patterson  being 
placed  in  command  shortly  after  its  arrival.  On  the  night 
of  the  3d  of  May  Yorktown  was  evacuated  by  the  enemy, 
and  on  the  following  morning  the  army  was  promptly  or- 
dered forward  in  pursuit,  Stoneman  leading  the  advance. 
*  *  *  About  noon  Hooker's  Division  advanced  on  the 
Yorktown  road  to  Williamsburg,  where  the  enemy  was  ex- 
pected to  make  a  stand,  having  a  strong  fort  in  front  of  that 
place,  at  the  junction  of  several  roads,  which  commanded, 
with  some  thirteen  connecting  works,  all  the  roads  leading 
further  up  the  Peninsula.  The  Jersey  brigade,  leaving 
Yorktown  at  2  o'clock,  pushed  forward  with  all  possible 
rapidity  until  11  o'clock,  when  it  bivouacked  in  a  swamp 
some  five  miles  from  Williamsburg.  The  night  wa=  rn- 
teiisely  dark  and  rainy,  the  roads  were  muddy  and  difficult, 
and  the  men  were  sorely  exhausted  by  labor  in  the  trenches 
and  want  of  sleep;  but,  notwithstanding  all  obstacles  and  dis- 
couragements, the  troops  pressed  eagerly  forward,  all  anx- 
ious to  participate  in  the  struggle  which  was  felt  to  be  im- 
minent. At  2  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  5th  the  brigade, 
being  in  advance,  resumed  its  march,  and  three  hours  after, 
emerging  from  a  forest,  came  in  sight  of  the  enemy's  works. 
The  position  of  the  enemy,  as  described  in  General  Hook- 
er's report,  was  one  of  great  strength.  *  *  *  After  a 
careful  survey  of  the  position,  Hooker  decided  to  attack  at 
once,  and  at  half-past  7  o'clock  advanced  his  skirmishers  on 
both  sides  of  the  road  by  which  he  had  come  up,  at  the  same 
time  throwing  forward  two  batteries  on  the  right,  and  send- 
ing in  the  Fifth  New  Jersey  as  their  support.  Almost  si- 
multaneously the  remaining  regiments  of  the  brigade — 
Sixth,  Seventh  and  Eighth — were  sent  into  the  left  of  the 
road,  occupying  a  wood  in  front  of  a  line  of  field-works. 


OPENING  OF  THE  CIVIL  WAR.  309 

At  this  time  the  rain  was  falhng'  in  torrents,  and  the  men 
stood  half-leg  deep  in  mire  and  water.  Steadily  advancing 
through  the  underbrush,  the  gallant  regiments  soon  came 
upon  the  enemy's  forces,  and  at  once  opened  a  vigorous  fire. 
Here,  for  three  hours,  the  conflict  raged  with  desperate  fury. 
Commanding  the  ground  at  every  point,  the  fire  of  the  en- 
emy was  pitilessly  destructive,  and  did  not  slacken  for  a 
moment.  But  the  brave  fellows  into  whose  faces  it  was 
poured  stood  firmly  and  unflinchingly — sometimes,  indeed, 
pushed  back  a  little  space,  but  as  surely  hurling  the  rebels, 
bleeding  and  shattered,  back  to  their  works.  From  the  na- 
ture of  the  ground  there  was  no  opportunity  for  the  bayonet, 
but  the  rapid  volleys  of  the  heroic  troops  were  scarcely  less 
efifective.  And  thus  the  battle  raged,  the  enemy  reinforced 
again  and  again,  directing  against  these  three  regiments 
all  the  fury  of  their  attack;  but  still  for  hours  the  little  col- 
umn stood  immovable.  At  last,  however,  the  enemy,  driven 
now  to  desperation,  rushed  forward  in  overwhelming  num- 
bers, pouring  a  terrific  fire  into  our  whole  line.  Then,  at 
last,  that  brave  line  wavered.  The  ammimition  exhausted, 
their  muskets  rusted  by  the  drenching  rain,  their  ranks  ter- 
ribly thinned,  exhausted  by  want  of  food  and  a  dif^cult 
march,  these  heroes  of  the  day,  before  this  last  overwhelm- 
ing onset,  fell  slowly  back.  But  they  were  not  defeated. 
They  had  held  the  enemy  in  check,  had  frustrated  every  at- 
tempt to  flank  our  position,  and  so  had  saved  the  division, 
which,  but  for  this  stubborn  resistance,  would  have  been 
swept  in  disaster  from  the  field." 

Samuel  Toombs,  in  his  account  of  the  "Jersey  Troops  in 
the  Gettysburg  Campaign,"  says  of  the  second  day  of  the 
battle  at  Gettysburg: 

"The  Seventh  New  Jersey  Regiment  suffered  considerably 
from  the  artillery  fire  of  the  eneniy  while  lying  in  support  of 
the  batteries,  a  number  of  men  being  killed  and  wounded. 
*  *  *  At  last,  when  the  fighting  was  the  fiercest  at  Lit- 
tle Round  Top,  the  Devil's  Den  and  the  Wheatfield,  the 
Seventh  became  exposed  to  a  shower  of  flying  bullets  at 
their  backs.  The  regiment  changed  front  to  the  left  by  the 
right  flank,  bringing  them  to  face  in  the  lane  and  moving 
a  few  hundred  feet  over  towards  the  Emmetsburg  road,  and 


310  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

nearer  to  Trestle's  lane.  Just  at  this  time  the  artillery,  in  order 
to  escape  the  advancing  lines  of  Longstreet's  hosts,  limbered 
up  and  came  hastening  to  the  rear  from  the  Peach  Orchard 
and  from  the  field.  One  battery,  coming  straight  toward 
the  Seventh  Regiment,  caused  the  right  four  companies  to 
separate  from  the  line,  thus  causing  a  gap,  and,  to  avoid 
being  crushed  to  death  by  the  reckless  drivers  of  the  battery, 
were  forced  across  Trostle's  lane.  The  artillery  became 
temporarily  blocked  in  the  lane,  the  anxiety  of  the  drivers 
caused  them  to  lap  their  horses  over  the  pieces  and  caissons 
in  front  of  them,  thus  effectually  preventing  the  right  four 
companies  of  the  Seventh  from  rejoining  their  colors  and 
the  other  six  companies  on  the  south  side  of  the  lane.  Si- 
multaneously with  this  blockade  in  Trostle's  lane  came  the 
rebel  lines  into  the  sunken  road,  running  from  the  Emmets- 
burg  pike  to  Round  Top,  and,  with  colors  planted  on  this 
natural  breastwork,  they  opened  a  galling  fire  upon  the 
Seventh  New  Jersey  and  the  Second  New  Hampshire, 
which,  falling  back  from  its  first  position  at  the  extreme 
angle  in  the  Peach  Orchard,  had  made  this  its  last  stand,  in 
the  field,  about  midway  between  the  two  roads.  The  right 
of  the  Seventh,  which  was  then  the  color  company  of  the 
regiment  commanded  by  Captain  Hillyer,  rested  under  a 
single  tree  that  still  stands  on  the  fence  line  of  Trostle's 
lane.  The  regiment  could  not  return  with  any  efifect  the 
fire  of  the  rebel  line,  as  nothing  but  the  slouch  hats  of  their 
men  were  visible;  they  were  unable  to  lie  down  in  the  lane, 
owing  to  the  blockade  of  the  artillery,  and  there  was  no 
other  shelter  for  the  gallant  veterans  of  the  Seventh,  who 
had  no  thought  of  leaving  the  field  without  firing  one  shot 
at  the  enemy,  at  least,  before  the  guns  were  safely  drawn. 
Colonel  Francine.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Price  and  Major 
Cooper  in  a  few  moments  saw  that  it  would  be  impossible 
to  hold  the  men  together  inactive,  exposed  to  this  concen- 
trated and  galling  fire,  which  in  a  few  moments  would  be- 
come deadly,  when  the  rebel  rifiemen  had  a  more  accurate 
range.  Believing  that  a  charge  on  the  double-quick,  with 
hearty  Yankee  cheers,  would  check  the  advance  of  the  en- 
emy's line  and  draw  his  fire  from  the  retreating  batteries, 
at  the  same  time  destroying  his  range,  the  order  was  quickly 


()l'i:iSI.\<i  OF  'i'llH  Cl\ir>  WAK.  311 

given:    'Fix  bayonets;  forward,  double-quick,  charge!'    and 
tliis  devoted  little  band  swept  across  the  field  with  shouts 

•  of  confidence.  As  they  reached  about  the  prolongation  of 
the  line  of  the  Second  New  Hampshire — which  stood  like 

.a  wall,  hopelessly  watching  its  spent,  feeble  and  almost  ex- 
hausted fire  against  the  long  line  of  battle  confronting  it — 
the  hopelessness  of  the  Seventh's  effort  was  apparent,  and 
all  knew  that  any  further  advance  meant  certain  annihila- 
tion for  the  brave  Jerseymen.     A  halt,  a  hasty  adjustment 

•  of  the  line  and  a  volley  at  the  line  of  dirty  slouch  hats  in 
front,  was  the  work  of  but  a  minute,  and  the  rattle  of  the 
musketrv  drowned  all  other  sounds,  while  the  smoke  to- 
tally obscured  the  rebel  hats  and  colors. 

"At  this  point  Colonel  Francine,  Lieutenant  Alullery,  Ad- 
jutant Dougherty  and  over  one-third  of  the  Seventh  were 
x^uickly  placed  hors  de  combat.  The  few  who  were  still 
able  to  get  away  (wounded  and  unhurt)  fell  back  beyond 
the  Trostle  house,  where  they  joined  the  other  four  com- 
panies, under  the  command  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Price, 
^vho  rallied  the  scattered  fragments  and  made  another  stand 
nearTrostle's  dwelling,  until  he  himself  fell,  shot  through 
the  thigh,  when  the  command  devolved  upon  Major  Fred- 
erick Cooper.  In  falling  back  from  its  most  advanced  po- 
sition many  more  were  struck  by  the  shower  of  balls.  *  *  * 
The  losses  of  the  Seventh  were  severe,  ""  *  *  wounded 
-and  missing  as  follows: 

"Company  A. 

"Killed. — Corporal  Parker  S.  Davis,  Martin  Van  Houten, 
James  Flaveger. 

"Wounded. — Lieutenant  Robert  Allen,  First  Sergeant 
Frederick  Laib  (died  July  7),  Corporal  Swain  S.  Reeves, 
William  PL  Kirby.  Thomas  Prady,  Lewis  Hoag,  Jonathan 
C.  Stevens.  Owen  S.  Clark  (died  July  20),  John  Geckler." 

These  two  regiments  (the  Sixth  and  Seventh)  constituted 
two  of  the  four  regiments  composing  what  was  generally 
known  as  the  Second  Brigade.  New  Jersey  \'olunteers,  and 
was  first  attached  to  the  Third  Brigade,  Hooker's  Division; 
afterwards  to  the  Third  Brigade,  Second  Division,  Third 
Corps;  then  to  the  First  Brigade,  Fourth  Division.  Second 
Corps;  then  to  the  Third  Brigade,  Third  Division,  Second 


312  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Corps,  and  at  the  close  of  the  war  was  attached  to  what  was 
known  as  the  Provisional  Corps,  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

The  regiments  took  part  in  the  following-  engagements 
(while  Cape  May  men  were  in  them):  Siege  of  Yorktown, 
Va.,  April  and  May,  '62;  Williamsburg,  Va.,  May  5,  '62; 
Fair  Oaks,  Va.,  June  i  and  2,  '62;  Seven  Pines,  Va.,  June 
25,  '62;  Savage  Station,  Va.,  June  29,  '62;  Glendale,  Va., 
June  30,  '62;  Malvern  Hill,  \'a.,  July  i,  '62;  Malvern  Hill, 
Va.,  August  5,  "62;  Bristow  Station,  Va.,  August  27,  '62; 
Bull  Run,  Va.,  August  29  and  30,  '62;  Chantilly,  Va.,  Sep- 
tember I,  '62;  Centreville,  Va.,  September  2,  '62;  Freder- 
icksburg, Va.,  December  13  and  14,  '62;  Chancellorsville, 
Va.,  May  3  and  4,  '63;  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  2  and  3,  '63; 
Wapping  Heights,  Va.,  July  24,  '63;  McLean's  Ford,  Va., 
October  15,  '63;  Mine  Run,  Va.,  November  29,  30  and  De- 
cember I,  '63;  Wilderness,  Va.,  May.  5  to  7.  '64;  Spottsyl- 
vania,  Va.,  May  8  to  11,  '64;  Spottsylvania  C.  H.,  Va.,  May 
12  to  18,  '64;  North  Anna  River,  Va.,  May  23  and  24,  '64; 
Tolopotomy  Creek,  Va.,  May  30  and  31,  '64;  Cold  Harbor, 
Va.,  June  i  to  5,  '64;  before  Petersburg,  Va..  June  16  to  23, 
'64;  Deep  Bottom,  Va.,  July  26  and  27,  '64;  mine  explosion, 
Va.,  July  30,  '64;  North  Bank  of  James  River,  Va.,  Au- 
gust 14  to  18,  '64;  Fort  Sedgwick,  Va.,  September  10,  '64, 
and  Poplar  Spring  Church,  Va.,  October  2,  '64. 

Of  Captain  George  W.  Smith  it  is  said  that  he  was  a 
brave  soldier.  He  was  born  in  Cincinnati  in  1828,  being 
the  grandson  of  Thomas  Smith,  who  came  from  England 
to  Maryland  in  1750.  The  oldest  son  was  Thomas,  father 
of  the  captain,  who  died  in  Cincinnati  from  cholera  in  1832. 
The  youth  was  then  left  to  toil  for  himself  with  his  two 
brothers,  James  T.  and  William.  In  1844  the  widowed 
mother  and  sons  removed  to  Philadelphia,  where  George 
learned  the  painter's  trade.  In  1850  they  came  to  Cape  Is- 
land. In  1861  he  was  elected  Alderman  of  Cape  Island, 
but  went  to  war  before  serving  out  his  term.  On  June  17 
he  became  first  lieutenant  of  the  "Cape  Island  Home 
Guards,"  and  shortly  after  entered  the  service,  as  noted  be- 
fore. He  was  wounded  at  Chancellorsville  May  3,  1863, 
which  was  the  cause  of  his  resignation  from  the  service  on 
January  7,  1864.     When  the  advance  was  being  made  upon 


OI'EMNc;    OF   THE   CIVIL    WAK. 


313 


Richmond  and  just  before  the  Seven  Days'  battle,  he  was  in 
command  of  Companies  A  and  G.  At  the  battle  of  Mal- 
vern Hill  he  comniandetl  the  regiment  because  every  other 
commissioned  officer  had  been  killed  or  woimded.  He 
brought  the  regiment  safe  to  Harrison's  Landing. 

Shortly  after  resigning  Captain  Smith  came  home-,  and 
was,  in  March,  elected  a  member  of  the  City  Council.  In 
1871  and  1872  he  was  Sergeant-at-Arms  of  the  New  Jersey 
Senate. 

He  organized  Companv  H,  Sixth  Regiment,  New  Jersey 


GEOlUiK  W".  M.AriTir. 

State  Guards,  auvl  \v:.s  r.ja.'.t  ics  first  captain,  June  4,  1875, 
He  was  elected  major  of  the  regiment  on  September  21, 
1882,  and  lieutenant-colonel  on  October  11.  1885.  ^^  re- 
signed the  last-named  position  on  March  14,  1887,  and  has 
since  been  in  private  life.  He  was  postmaster  at  Avalon 
during  his  brief  residence  there.  He  was  for  twenty-five 
years  superintendent  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
Sunday-school  at  Cape  May  City.  In  politics  he  was  a  Re- 
publican, Init  in  later  years  has  been  a  member  of  the  Pro- 
hibition party.     His  brother.  William,   who   was  cue   time 


314  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY'. 

captain  of  the  "Cape  Island  Home  Guards,"  served  in  a 
Pennsylvania  regiment,  and  was  killed  in  the  battle  of  Get- 
tysburg. 

Conipany  C,  of  the  Ninth  Regiment  Infantry,  New  Jer- 
sey Volunteers,  contained  the  following  persons,  who  en- 
rolled and  were  enlisted  on  September  20,  1861,  for  three 
years  of  service:  David  D.  Burcli,  Samuel  D.  Corson,  Jo- 
seph F.  Craig,  Enoch  W.  Hand,  Jub  Heritage,  Richard 
Heritage  and  Augustus  Spalding,  all  privates.  Burch  re- 
enlisLed  January  io,  "04,  and  was  appointed  corporal  De- 
cember 3,  '64,  and  sergeant  JMay  14,  '65.  Corson  and 
Spalding  also  re-enlisted  on  January  18,  '64,  and  Richard 
HeriLage  two  days  following.  Benjamin  B.  Garrison  was 
mustered  into  the  service  on  May  22,  1863,  and  Jeremiah 
Garrison  on  April  13,  1864,  each  as  a  private,  for  three 
years.  Samuel  Hearon  and  John  High,  of  Cape  May 
county,  who  had  enlisted,  and  were  mustered  in  Company  E, 
same  regiment,  on  April  8,  1865,  for  one  year,  were  trans- 
ferred to  Company  C,  while  John  C.  Garrison,  who  en- 
listed on  March  16,  '65,  for  one  year  in  Company  B,  was 
transferred  to  Company  C  also.  Benjamin  B.  Garrison  died 
of  typhoid  fever  at  the  hospital  of  the  Third  Division,  Twen- 
ty-third Army  Corps,  Greensboro,  N.  C,  May  17,  1865, 
and  was  buried  at  Raleigh  National  Cemetery,  N.  C.  Sec- 
tion 23,  Grave  6.  All  the  others  served  out  their  enlist- 
ments or  v/ere  mustered  out  of  service  as  follows:  Enoch 
W,  Hand,  December  7,  '64;  Joseph  F.  Craig  and  Job  Heri- 
tage, the  next  day;  David  D.  Burch,  Samuel  D.  Corson, 
Jeremiah  Garrison,  John  C.  Garrison,  Richard  Heritage, 
Samuel  Hearon  and  John  High,  July  T2,  '65,  and  x\u- 
gustus  Spalding,  August  7,  '65. 

^\&  Ninth  Regiment  took  part  in  the  following  engage- 
mei  '^>:  Roanoke  Island,  N.  C,  February  8,  '62;  Newberne, 
N.  C  March  14,  '62;  Fort  Macon,  N.  C,  April  25,  '62; 
Youn;  '  Cross  Roads,  N.  C,  July  27,  '62:  Rowells'  Mills, 
N.  C,  Nlv  --^her  2,  '62;  Deep  Creek,  N.  C,  December  12, 
'62;  South  W',-'-  Creek.  N.  C.  December  13,  '62;  before 
Kinston,  N.  C,  December  13,  '62;  Kinston,  N.  C,  Deceiii- 
ber  14,  '62;  Whitehall,  N.  C,  December  16.  '62;  Goldsboro, 
N.  C,  December  17,  '62;  Comfort  Bridge,  N.  C,  July  6, 


oriOMXC    OF   THK    Civil,    A\  A  U.  315 

'63;  near  W'inton,  X.  C.  July  26,  '63;  Deep  Creek,  \"a.,  "  . !  - 
rruary  7,  '64;  Deep  Creek,  Va.,  March  i,  '64;  Cherry  Grove, 
Va.,  April  14,  '64;  Port  Walthall,  \a.,  May  6  and  7,  04; 
Procters,  \'a.,  May  8.  '64;  Swift  Creek,  \'a.,  May  9  and  10, 
'64;  Drury's  Bluff.  \'a..  May  12  to  16,  '64;  Cold  Harbor, 
\'a.,  June  3  to  12,  '64;  Free  Bridge,  V'a.,  June  16,  '64;  be- 
fore Petersburg,  Va.,  June  20  to  August  24,  '64;  Gardner's 
Biidge,  N.  C,  December  9,  '64;  Foster's  Bridge,  N.  C, 
December  10,  '64;  Butler's  Bridge,  N.  C,  December  11, 
"'64;  South  West  Creek,  N.  C,  March  7,  '65;  Wise's  Fork, 
N.  C,  March  8,  9  and  10,  '65;  Goldsboro,  N.  C,  Alarch  21, 

Colonel  James  Stewart,  Jr.,  of  the  Ninth,  in  a  letter  to 
Governor  Joel  Parker  from  Carolina  City,  N.  C,  October 
15,  1864,  says  of  Enoch  W.  Hand,  who,  with  others,  were 
bearers  of  State  .  colors,  that  they  "were  severely  wounded 
'by  bearing  them  at  the  battles  of  Newberne  and  Goldsbor- 
ough,  N.  C,  and  Drurv's  Blufif,  Cold  Harbor  and  Peters- 
l)urg,  Va." 

In  the  Tenth  Regiment,  which  was  raised  under  author- 
-ity  from  the  War  Department,  and  without  the  consent  of 
the  Governor  of  New  Jersey,  and  was  recruited  at  Beverly, 
were  Richard  H.  Townsend,  in  Company  B,  and  Silas  Hoff- 
man, in  Company  I.  Townsend  enlisted  on  September  28, 
1861,  and  two  days  later  was  mustered  in  as  first  sergeant  of 
'the  company.  He  enlisted  for  three  years,  but  was  commis- 
■-sioned  April  9,  '63,  and  was  mustered  in  as  second  lieutenant 
'of  Company  C.  Twelfth  Regiment,  on  June  30,  '63.  Hoffman 
■enlisted  and  was  mustered  in  as  a  private  in  Company  I 
•on  November  8,  1861,  for  three  years.  He  re-enlisted  on 
January  3,  1865,  and  served  until  July  i,  1865,  when  he  was 
mustered  out  of  service.  The  earlier  services  of  the  regi- 
ment were  around  Washington.  After  ^lay  15,  1863,  the 
■regiment  took  part  in  the  principal  engagements  in  which 
the  Sixth  and  Seventh  Regiments  participated. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

FIRST  NEW  JERSEY  CAVALRY. 

In  the  First  New  Jersey  Cavalry  the  following  from  Cape 
May  county  enlisted:  Henry  W.  Sawyer,  William  B.  El- 
dredge,  Caleb  L.  Warner,  John  H.  Warner  and  Harry  L, 
Gilmore,  in  Company  D,  and  Jacob  E.  Johnson,  in  Com- 
pany B. 

Henry  W.  Sawyer  was  commissioned  second  lieutenant 
of  Company  D,  and  mustered  into  service  on  April  14,  1861^ 
for  three  years,  and  on  April  7,  1862,  was  promoted  to  first 
lieutenant;  was  promoted  to  captain  of  Company  K  on  Oc- 
tober 8,  1862,  and  commissioned  major  of  the  regiment 
October  12,  1863,  but  was  not  mustered  into  this  office  until 
August  31,  1864.  He  was  mustered  out  of  service  on  July 
24,  1865. 

Henry  W^ashington  Sawyer  was  born  in  Lehigh  county^ 
Pa.,  May  16,  1829.  In  youth  he  received  a  plain  education, 
arul,  as  he  was  advanced  in  years,  he  learned  the  carpenter's 
trade.  In  1848  he  removed  to  Cape  Island,  where  he 
worked  at  his  trade  until  the  Rebellion  broke  out.  Oa 
April  15.  1 86 1,  when  President  Lincoln  issued  his  proclama- 
tion calling  for  volunteers,  he  was  among  the  first  to  ofifer 
his  services.  As  there  was  no  res'imental  organization  or 
comoany  ready,  or  likely  to  be  ready  for  two  weeks  in  this- 
State  at  tliat  time.  Mr.  Sawyer  went  to  Trenton,  saw  Gover- 
nor Olden,  and  offered  his  services  to  the  LTnion  cause.  At 
that  time  the  rebels  had  possession  of  Baltimore,  and  inter- 
cepted all  mail  and  telegraphic  connnunications  with  Wash- 
ington city.  Governor  Olden  accepted  his  services  and  sent 
him  to  the  latter  city,  with  dispatches  to  Simon  Cameron, 
then  Secretary  of  War,  which  Sawyer  faithfully  delivered. 
On  the  19th  of  April  (midnight)  he  was  chosen  one  of  the 
guards  to  protect  the  Capitol,  there  being  but  one  company 
of  regular  cavalry  in  Washington.     On  the  20th  five  com- 


FIUST    NEW    .iEKSlvY    CAVALRY.  317 

panics  of  Pennsylvania  three-months'  men  arrived,  to  one 
of  which  Mr.  Sawyer  was  attached  as  private.  Ere  thirty 
days  had  passed  he  was  appointed  a  second  sergeant,  and  in 
sixty  days  from  the  time  of  his  enhstment  he  was  promoted 
second  Ueutenant.  The  time  of  the  three-months'  men  hav- 
ing expired  in  August,  i86i,  he  returned  home. 

He  had  not  been  home  long  when  he  again  offered  his 
services  to  Governor  Olden  for  a  position  in  a  New  Jersey 
regiment,  and  his  record  having  been  found  so  meritorious, 
he  was,  on  the  19th  of  February,  1862,  commissioned  as 
second  lieutenant  in  Company  D,  First  New  Jersey  Cavalry, 
in  which  position  he  served  with  such  marked  credit  that, 
on  April  7,  1862,  he  was  promoted  first  lieutenant,  and  so 
meritorious  had  been  his  conduct  from  the  time  he  first  en- 
tered the  regiment  that  he  was  promoted  captain' of  Com- 
pany K  on  the  8th  of  October,  1862,  ,5      .p.'S;*) 

Captain  Sawyer  made  a  most  gallant  fight  with  his  com- 
pany on  the  9th  of  June,  1863,  at  the  battle  of  Brady's  Sta- 
tion— one  of  the  great  cavalry  battles  of  the  Rebellion.  Un- 
fortunately, he  received  two  w^ounds  in  this  battle,  was  taken 
prisoner  and  held  for  nine  months  in  Libby  Prison. 

In  order  to  do  justice  to  him,  we  copy  at  length  from  the 
"Appended  Notes"  in  Foster's  "History  of  New  Jersey  and 
the  Rebellion"  that  portion  in  reference  to  Captain  Sawyer. 
It  reads: 

"In  the  battle  of  Brandy  Station,  June  9,  1863,  Captain 
Sawyer  was  taken  prisoner,  and,  after  remaining  a  short 
time  at  Culpepper,  was  carried  to  Richmond  and  placed  in 
Libby  Prison.  ■  Here  he  remained  until  the  6th  of  July, 
when  all  the  captains  among  the  prisoners  were  summoned 
by  General  Winder  from  their  quarters  into  a  lower  room 
of  the  prison.  No  exchanges  having  taken  place,  the  men 
generally  supposed  that  they  were  to  be  paroled  and  sent 
liome;  but  no  such  good  fortune  awaited  them.  Instead  of 
receiving  an  order  for  their  release,  they  were  informed  that 
an  order  had  been  issued  by  the  rebel  War  Department  di- 
recting that  two  captains  should  be  selected  by  lot  from 
among  the  prisoners  to  be  shot  in  retaliation  for  the  exe- 
cution by  General  Burnside  of  two  rebel  officers,  who  had 
Ibeen  detected  in  recruiting  within  the  Union  lines.     The 


318  BilSTOKY  OF  CAPE   A[AY  COINTY. 

consternation  occasioned  by  this  announcement  may  ber 
imag-ined.  They  had  hoped  for  release,  and  here  was  an. 
order  which  in  a  moment  clouded  the  whole  prospect.  Es- 
cape, of  course,  was  impossible.  The  drawing  was  inevita- 
ble. After  being  formed  in  a  hollow  square,  a  slip  of  pa- 
per, with  the  name  of  each  man  written  upon  it,  and  care- 
fully folded  up,  was  deposited  in  a  box,  whereupon  Captain 
Turner  informed  the  men  that  they  might  select  whom  they 
pleased  to  draw  the  names,  the  first  two  names  drawn  to  in- 
dicate the  men  to  be  shot. 

"Captain  Sawyer,  who  alone  seemed  to  retain  his  self- 
possession,  suggested  that  one  of  the  chaplains  should  be 
appointed.  Three  of  the  chaplains  were  called  down  from- 
an  upper  room,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Brown,  of  the  Sixth  Mary- 
land, accepting  the  task,  amid  a  silence  almost  deathlike  the 
drawing  commenced.  The  first  name  taken  out  of  the  box 
\\'as  that  of  'Captain  Henry  Washington  Sawyer,  of  the  Sec- 
ond New  Jersey  Cavalry,'  and  the  second  that  of  'Captain 
Flynn,  of  the  Fifty-first  Indiana.'  'When  the  names  were 
read  out,'  savs  the  Richmond  Dispatch,  'Sawyer  heard  it 
with  no  apparent  emotion,  remarking  that  some  one  had  to 
be  drawn,  and  he  could  stand  it  as  well  as  any  one  else, 
Flynn  was  very  white  and  depressed.'  The  drawing,  over,, 
the  prisoners  were  returned  to  their  quarters,  the  condemned 
meanwhile  poceeding  under  guard  to  the  headquarters  of 
General  Winder,  Provost  Marshal-General.  Here  they  were 
warned  not  to  delude  themselves  with  any  hope  of  escape, 
as  retaliation  must  be  and  would  be  inflicted,  it  being  added 
that  the  execution  would  positively  take  place  on  the  14th, 
eight  days  hence.  Sawyer,  however,  desperate  as  the  situa- 
tion seemed,  did  not  despair,  but.  reflecting  that  if  by  any 
means  his  situation  could  be  brought  to  the  knowledge  of 
the  government,  he  might  still  be  rescued,  he  asked  permis- 
sion to  write  to  his  wife,  which,  being  granted  on  condition 
that  the  authorities  should  read  the  letter,  he  immediately 
wrote  the  following,  which  none  other  than  a  brave  and 
true-souled  man.  thus  standing  in  the  shadow  of  death,, 
could  pen: 


FiKsr  ^l:^^■  .ikkskv  cAVAi.itY. 


319 


"  'i^-ovost-General's  Office, 

"  'Kiclimor.cl,  Va.,  July  Ctli,  1863. 

"  'My  Dear  Wife: — I  am  r.ndcr  the  nccessit}  of  informing 
yon  that  my  jirospects  look  (lari<. 

"  'This  mornini;^  all  the  captains  now  jjiisoncrs  at  the 
Libbv  Militar\-  Prison  drew  lots  for  two  to  be  executed.  It 
fell  to  my  lot.  Myself  and  Captain  I'dynn.  of  the  h'ifly-first 
Indiana  Infantry,  will  be  executed  for  two  captains  executed 
by  Burnside. 

"  'The  Provost-Cjen-.ral,  J.  II.  Winder,  assures  me  that 
the  Secretary  of  War  of  tb.e  Southern  Confederacy  will  per- 


mit yourself  and  my  dear  children  to  visit  me  before  I  am 
executed.  You  will  be  permitted  to  bring  an  attendant. 
Captain  Whilldin,  or  Uncle  W.  W.  W^are,  or  Dan,  had  bet- 
ter come  Avith  you.  ]\Iy  situation  is  hard  to  be  borne,  and  I 
cannot  think  of  dying  without  seeing  you  and  the  children. 
You  will  be  allowed  to  return  without  molestation  to  your 
home.  I  am  resigned  to  whatever  is  in  store  for  me,  with 
the  consolation  that  I  d:e  without  having  committed  any 
crime.  I  have  no  trial,  no  jury,  nor  am  I  charged  with  any 
crime,  but  it  fell  to  my  lot.  You  will  proceed  to  Washing- 
ton. My  government  will  give  you  transportation  for 
Fortress  Monroe,  and  you  will  get  here  by  a  flag  of  truce, 


330  HISTORY   OF   CATE   MAY   COUN'i'Y. 

and  return  the  same  way.     Bring  with  you  a  shirt  for  me. 

"  'It  will  be  necessary  for  you  to  preserve  this  letter  to 
bring  evidence  at  Washington  of  my  condition.  My  pay  is 
due  me  from  the  ist  of  March,  wdiich  you  are  entitled  to. 

Captain  B owes  me  tifty  dollars,  money  lent  to  him 

when  he  went  on  a  furlough.     You  will  write  to  him  at 
once,  and  he  will  send  it  to  you. 

"  'My  dear  wife,  the  fortune  of  war  has  put  me  in  this  po- 
sition. If  I  must  die,  a  sacrifice  to  my  country,  with  God's 
will  I  must  submit;  only  let  me  see  you  once  more,  and  I 
will  die  becoming  a  man  and  an  officer;  but,  for  God's  sake, 
do  not  disappoint  me.  Write  to  me  as  soon  as  you  get  this, 
and  go  to  Captain  Whilldin;  he  will  advise  you  what  to  do. 

'■  'I  have  done  nothing  to  deserve  this  penalty.  But  you 
must  submit  to  your  fate.  It  will  be  no  disgrace  to  myself, 
you  or  the  children;  but  you  may  point  with  pride  and  say: 
"I  give  my  husband;"  my  children  will  have  the  consolation 
to  say:  "I  was  made  an  orphan  for  my  country." 

"'God  will  provide  for  you;  never  fear.  Oh!  it  is  hard 
to  leave  you  thus.  I  wish  the  ball  that  passed  through  my 
head  in  the  last  battle  would  have  done  its  work;  but  it  was 
not  to  be  so.  My  mind  is  somewhat  influenced,  for  it  has 
come  so  suddenly  on  me.  Write  to  me  as  soon  as  you  get 
this;  leave  your  letter  open,  and  I  will  get  it.  Direct  my 
name  and  rank,  by  way  of  Fortress  Monroe. 

"  'Farewell!  farewell!!  and  I  hope  it  is  ah  for  the  best.  I 
remain  yours  until  death,  "  'H.  W.  Sawyer, 

"  'Captain  First  New  Jersey  Cavalry.' 

"After  perning  this  letter,  with  a  conflict  of  feeling  which 
we  may  well  imagine,  Sawyer  and  his  companion  were 
placed  in  close  confinement  in  a  dungeon  under  ground. 
Here  they  were  fed  on  corn  bread  and  water,  the  dungeon 
being  .so  damp  that  their  clothing  mildewed.  The  14th 
came  at  last,  but  still  they  remained  unmolested.  Sawyer 
had  estimated  aright;  his  letter  had  saved  him  from  the 
rebel  clutch.  Immediately  upon  receiving  it,  his  true- 
hearted  wife  hastened  to  lay  the  matter  before  influential 
friends,  and  these  at  once  proceeded  to  Washington,  pre- 
sented the  case  to  the  President  and  Secretary  of  War,  who, 
without  delay,  directed  that  General  Lee,  son  of  General 


FIRST    .\KW   JEKSKV    CAVALltV.  321 

Robert  E.  Lee,  and  General  Winder,  son  of  the  rebel  Pro- 
vost Marshal-General,  then  prisoners  in  our  hands,  should 
be  placed  in  close  confinement  as  hostages,  General  Butler 
being  at  the  same  time  ordered  to  notify  the  Confederate 
Government  that  immediately  upon  receiving  information, 
authentic   or   otherwise,   of   the   execution   of   Sawyer  and 
Flynn,  he  should  proceed  to  execute  Winder  and  Lee.    This 
action,  prompt  and  unmistakable,  and  more  significant,  per- 
haps,  to   the   enemy,   because   of   General    Butler's   known 
.resolution  of  purpose,  produced  the  desired  effect.     Saw- 
y-er  and  Flynn  were  not  executed. 

"After  remaining  twenty-one  days  in  the  dungeon  to 
which  they  were  assigned,  they  were  relieved  and  placed  on 
the  same  footing  with  other  prisoners.  Still,  however,  the 
Richmond  papers  vehemently  insisted  that  the  execution 
must  and  would  take  place,  and  the  fate  of  the  condemned 
remained  some  time  longer  a  matter  of  speculation  and 
•doubt.  But  the  days  lengthened  into  weeks,  the  winter 
passed,  and  at  length,  in  March,  1864,  the  prison  doors  were 
•opened.  Sawyer  being  exchanged  for  General  Lee.  The 
satisfaction  with  which  the  brave  captain  once  more  walked 
forth  a  free  man,  and  found  shelter  under  the  old  flag,  was 
such  as  only  a  man  coming  from  death  into  life,  from  dismal 
bondage  into  joyous  and  perfect  liberty,  can  ever  experi- 
ence, and  none  other,  certainly,  can  appreciate.  It  should 
be  added  that  Captain  Sawyer,  after  this  sad  exf^ience,  as 
before  it,  fought  gallantly  and  effectively  for  the  good  cause, 
coming  out  of  the  war  a  major  and  w-ith  scars  'more  honor- 
able than  the  highest  rank.'  " 

Captain  Flynn,  who  never  got  over  his  long  confinement 
in  Libby  Prison,  seven  weeks  of  which  were  spent  in  a  dun- 
geon, died  six  months  after  his  release. 

The  Philadelphia  Inquirer  of  Wednesday,  March  23,  1864, 
said  of  Captain  Sawyer's  confinement  in  Libby: 

"Captain  Sawyer,  of  the  First  New  Jersey  Cavalry,  who 
has  been  a  prisoner  in  the  Libby  Prison  for  nine  months, 
arrived  in  this  city  on  Monday.  Captain  Sawyer  was  taken 
prisoner  in  the  cavalry  combat  at  Brandy  Station  in  June  last. 
This  was  the  closest  cavalry  fight  of  the  war.  Towards  the 
conclusion  Captain  Sawyer  received  two  wounds  from  pistol 


323  HISTORY    OF   ("APK    MAY    COUNTY. 

bullets,  one  of  which  passed  through  his  thigh  and  the  other 
striking  his  right  cheek,  passed  out  of  the  back  of  the  neck 
on  the  left  side  of  the  spine.  Notwithstanding  his  wounds^ 
he  still  kept  the  saddle  until  his  horse  was  shot,  when  the  lat- 
ter sprang  up  into  the  air  and  fell  dead,  throwing  his  rider 
with  such  force  as  to  render  him  insensible.  When  he  re- 
covered consciousness  Captain  Sawyer  saw  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Broderick  lying  near,  and  crawled  up  to  him,  but 
on  examination  found  that  he  was  dead.  A  short  distance 
further  on  he  saw  Major  Shellmire,  while  all  around  him 
were  men  of  his  own  or  other  companies,  either  killed  or 
wounded. 

"While  bv  the  side  of  Colonel  Broderick,  Captain  Sawyer 
was  seen  bv  two  rebel  soldiers,  who  took  him  prisoner,  and, 
after  washing  the  blood  from  his  face  with  water  from  a 
neighboring  ditch,  conveyed  him  to  the  rear.  His  wounds 
were  pronounced  very  dangerous,  if  not  mortal,  but  in  a  few 
weeks  he  improved  so  much  he  was  sent  to  Richmond  and 
confined  in  Libby  Prison.  In  that  dismal  prison  he  re- 
mained until  about  a  week  ago.  Early  in  June  all  the  cap- 
tains who  were  prisoners  were  assembled  in  a  room  by  a 
Captain  Turner,  their  jailor.  These  officers,  of  course,  did 
not  know  of  the  object  of  these  unusual  proceedings,  but 
supposed  it  was  in  order  that  they  might  be  pardoned.  The 
reader  can  judge  of  the  painful  surprise  they  experienced 
when  Captain  Turner  said:  'Gentlemen,  it  is  my  painful  duty 
to  communicate  to  you  an  order  I  have  received  from  Gen- 
era W^inder  (provost  marshal  of  Richmond),  which  I  will 
read.'  The  order  was  then  read,  ordering  Captain  Turner 
to  select,  by  lot,  two  Federal  captains  for  immediate  execu- 
tion, in  retaliation  for  the  execution  of  two  Confederate  offi- 
cers in  Kentucky  by  General  Burnside. 

"The  order  having  been  read,  it  only  remained  to  decide 
who  the  lot  should  fall  upon,  and  Captain  Turner  asked  the 
Union  officers  to  select  a  man  to  draw  the  ballots  as  the 
names  were  called.  After  a  brief  silence  Captain  Sawyer 
suggested  a  chaplain  of  the  United  States  Army,  who  was 
present.  This  was  acceded  to,  and  the  drawing  commenced. 
Nearlv  half  the  roll  had  been  called  and  neither  of  the  fatal 


FIRST    M:W    .IKHSKV    CAVAI.KY.  323 

ballots  had  been  drawn:  but  when  the  name  of  Captain 
Henr\-  W.  Saw\er  was  called  the  ballot  drawn  responded 
'execution.' 

"The  two  victims  were  separated  from  thc'r  comrades  and 
ordered  to  prei)are  for  death.  The  Richmond  papers,  in 
their  published  accounts  of  this  scene,  all  ai^Teed  in  saying 
that  Captain  Sawyer  met  the  trial  with  unfaltering  courage. 
There  was  no  bravado,  no  affectation  of  recklessness,  but 
there  was  no  faltering;  only  the  steady,  calm  courage  of  a 
brave  man;  to  use  the  captain's  own  words  (if  we  may  do 
so  w'tliout  impropriety),  he  was  determined  that  New  Jer- 
sey should  have  no  cause  to  be  ashamed  of  his  conduct. 

"The  prisoners  thus  sentenced  to  death  were  removed  to 
a  dungeon,  a  vault  in  the  cellar  of  the  Libby  Prison,  where 
they  remained  until  al)out  the  middle  of  August.  The  vault 
was  only  about  six  feet  wide,  and  had  no  place  for  light  or 
air,  except  a  hole  about  six  inches  square  cut  in  the  door. 
In  front  of  this  door  a  sentry  was  constantly  stationed  whose 
duty  it  was  to  challenge  the  inmates  once  in  each  half  hour 
and  receive  a  reply.  This,  of  course,  rendered  it  impossible 
for  both  the  inmates  to  sleep  at  one  time.  That,  however, 
would  have  been  impossible  without  this,  for  it  was  neces- 
sary for  one  to  remain  awake  to  keep  away  the  rats,  which 
swarmed  in  the  cell,  off  his  comrade.  About  the  loth  of 
August  the  prisoners  were  removed  from  this  vault  to  the 
upper  rooms  among  the  other  prisoners,  where  iioo  men 
were  confined  in  six  rooms,  averaging  about  37  by  100  feet 
each. 

"We  should  have  stated  above  that  shortly  after  being  sen- 
tenced, Captain  Sawyer  asked  for  a  respite  sui^cient  to  per- 
mit his  \vife  to  visit  him.  This  procured  a  respite  for  fifteen 
days.  During  this  time  the  Richmond  papers  clamored  for 
the  execution  of  the  two  Union  officers,  with  a  spirit  worthy 
the  bloodiest  barbarians.  But  during  the  fifteen  days  the 
Government  had  received  information,  and  General  Lee,  a 
son  of  General  Robert  E.  Lee,  and  Captain  Winder,  a  son  of 
the  Richmond  jailor,  were  ordered  into  close  confinement  as 
hostages  for  Sawyer  and  Fynn.  This  was  effectual,  and  it  is 
hardly  probable  that  the  Rebel  Government,  after  that  event, 


324  HISTORY   OF   CAPE   MAY   COUNTY. 

ever  really  intended  to  carry  their  sentence  into  effect.  At  all 
events,  last  week  Captains  Sawyer  and  Flynn  were  ex- 
changed for  Lee  and  Winder,  and  both  are  now  safe. 

"Captain  Sawyer,  from  long  and  close  confinement  (being 
entirely  without  meat  for  the  last  forty  days  of  his  imprison- 
ment), is,  of  course,  somewhat  weak;  but  he  is  in  good  spirits 
and  hopes  to  rejoin  his  regiment  at  an  early  date." 

After  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  breveted  lieutenant-col- 
onel by  United  States  Commission,  and  remained  in  that  po- 
sition until  September,  1865,  when  the  regiment  was  dis- 
charged. At  the  close  of  the  Rebellion,  the  rank  of  the  reg- 
ular army  being  recruited  up,  he  was  offered  by  Edwin  M. 
Stanton,  Secretary  of  War,  having  been  recommended  by 
a  division  officer,  a  lieutenantcy  in  the  regular  army,  which 
position  he  declined.  During  the  time  that  he  was  in  the 
field  he  received  four  wounds,  two  of  which  were  of  a  serious 
character.  One  ball  he  carried  in  his  body  until  he  died.  For 
being  one  of  the  guards  at  the  Capitol  on  April  19,  1861,  he 
was  granted  a  medal  by  the  Pennsylvania  Legislature  in  rec- 
ognition of  his  services. 

In  1867  Colonel  Sawyer  became  proprietor  of  the  Ocean 
Mouse,  Cape  May  City,  and  held  it  until  April.  1873,  when 
he  removed  to  Wilmington,  Del.,  and  became  proprietor  of 
the  Clayton  House,  which  he  conducted  for  about  three 
years.  He  again  returned  to  Cape  May  and  built  the 
"Chalfonte,"  which  he  managed  and  owned  for  several  years, 
when  he  sold  it. 

Colonel  Sawyer  was  for  a  number  of  years  a  valued  mem- 
ber of  the  City  Council,  and  served  in  that  capacity  during 
the  years  1876,  '"JJ,  '78,  '80,  '81,  '82,  '85,  '86  and  '87,  and  was 
at  one  time  superintendent  of  the  United  States  Life  Saving 
Service  for  the  coast  of  New  Jersey  and  a  member  of  the 
New  Jersey  State  Sinking  Fund  Commisison  from  1888  to 
1891.  He  died  suddenly  of  heart  failure  at  Cape  May  City 
on  October  16,  1893. 

The  records  of  the  other  Cape  J\lay  men  in  the  First  Cav- 
alry Regiment  are: 

William  B.  Eldredge,  private  Co.  D.;  enlisted  August  13, 


FIKST    NEW    JEKSKY    CAVALRY.  325 

'6i;  nnistered  in  August  20.  '61 ;  transferred  to  Company  K 
June  2/63;  mustered  out  of  service  September  16,  '64. 

Caleb  L.  Warner,  private  Company  D;  enrolled  August 
13.  '61;  mustered  into  service  August  24,  '61;  re-enlisted 
January  i,  '64;  mustered  out  of  service  July  24,  '65. 

John  H.  Warner,  corporal  Company  D;  commissioned 
August  13,  '61;  mustered  into  service  August  20,  '61;  re- 
enlisted  as  a  sergeant  January  i,  '64;  first  sergeant  Decem- 
ber 12,  '64;  commissioned  second  lieutenant  July  18,  '65, 
but  not  mustered  into  of^ce:  mustered  out  of  service  July 
24.  '65. 

Harry  L.  Gilmore.  sergeant  Company  D;  commissioned 
August  13.  '61;  mustered  into  service  August  20,  '61;  trans- 
ferred to  United  States  Army  as  hospital  steward  June  i, 
'62;  discharged  threfrom  July  24,  '65. 

Jacob  E.  Johnson,  private  Company  B;  enrolled  and  mus- 
tered into  service  September  5.  '64  for  one  year;  dis- 
charged at  camp  near  Cloud's  Mills.  Va..  May  31,  '65. 

Johnson  also  served  in  Company  K,  Twenty-third  In- 
fantry Regiment,  previously.  He  enrolled  on  August  28, 
1862.  and  was  mustered  into  service  as  a  corporal  for  nine 
months  on  September  13,  1862.  He  became  a  private  Oc- 
tober 25,  1862,  and  was  mustered  out  of  service  with  his 
company  on  June  27,  1863. 

The  First  New  Jersey  Cavalry  was  organized  by  authority 
of  the  War  Department,  and  was  not  under  the  control  of 
the  State,  and  was  first  known  as  Halstead's  Cavalry.  It 
proceeded  to  AVashington  on  September  i.  1861,  where  it 
encamped  until  Fel^ruary,  1862.  On  February  19  an  order 
was  issued  placing  it  under  the  State  authority,  and  it  was 
then  thoroughlv  organized.  The  regiment  was  first  at- 
tached to  the  Cavalry  Division.  Army  of  the  Potomac,  then 
to  the  military  district  of  AVashington:  then  to  the  Depart- 
ment of  the  Rappahannock:  then  to  the  Army  of  A^irginia; 
then  to  the  defenses  of  AA'ashington :  then  to  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  and  again  to  the  Department  of  AVashington. 
This  regiment  was  probably  in  as  many  encounters  during 
the  war  as  any  other  regiment,  the  following  being  the  list: 
Pohick  Church,  A^a.,  December  29.  '61,  and  January  15.  '62; 
Seddons'  Farm,  A^a..  :\Iay  i,  '62;  Gray's  Farm.  Va..  May  9; 


326  HISTORY   OF   CArE   MlVY   COI-NTV. 

Rappahannock  Station,  May;  Strasburg,  Jime  i;  Wood- 
stock, June  2;  Harrisonburg,  June  6;  Cross  Keys,  June  8; 
Madison  C.  H.,  July  27:  Barnett's  Ford  (Rapidan),  July  29. 
August  4  and  August  7:  Cedar  Mountain,  August  9;  Rappa- 
hannock Station,  August  18;  Brandy  Station,  August  20; 
Rappahannock  Station,  August  20  and  21;  Warrenton,  Au- 
gust 23;  Waterloo  Ford,  August  24;  Snicker's  Gap,  August 
28;  Bull  Run,  August  29  and  30;  Chantilly,  September  i; 
Warrenton,  September  24;  Aldie,  October  31;  Port  Cono- 
way,  November  19;  Fredericksburg,  December  11  to  13; 
Rappahnnock  Station,  April  7,  '63;  Stoneman's  road,  April 
30;  Rappahannock  Station  and  Kelly's  Ford,  May  19; 
Brandy  Station,  June  9;  Aldie,  June  17;  ]\liddleburg,  June 
19;  Upperville,  June  21;  near  Aldie,  June  22;  Westminster, 
Md.,  June  30;  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  2  and  3:  Emmettsburg, 
Md.,  July  4  and  6;  Tettersburg,  Pa.,  July  7;  Cavetown,  Md., 
July  8;  Harper's  Ferry,  \"a.,  July  14;  Sheppardstown,  Md., 
July  16;  Barryville,  Va.,  July  31;  Salem,  Va.,  August  15; 
White  Plains,  August  16;  Sulphur  Springs  and  Brandy  Sta- 
tion, October  12;  Bristow  Station,  October  14;  near  War- 
renton, November  12  and  18;  Mountain  Run,  November 
27;  Mine  Run,  November  27;  Parker's  Store,  November 
29;  Custer's  raid,  February  18,  '64;  Ravenna  River,  Febru- 
ary 21;  Ely's  Ford  (Rapidan),  May  3;  Todd's  Tavern,  May 
5  and  7;  Sheridan's  raid.  May  9;  Beaver  Dam  Station,  May 
10;  Yellow  Tavern  and  Ashland  Station,  May  11;  fortifica- 
tions of  Richmond,  May  12;  Church  of  the  Messiah,  May 
12;  North  Anna  River.  May  24;  Havves'  shop.  May  28;  Em- 
mons Church,  May  29;  Cold  Harbor,  June  i;  Gaines'  Mills, 
June  2;  Chickahominy  River,  June  2;  Bottom's  Bridge, 
June  4  and  5;  Pamunky  River,  June  8;  Trevillian  Station, 
June  12  and  14;  White  House,  June  20  and  21;  St.  Mary's 
Church,  June  24;  near  Petersburg,  June  29  and  July  12; 
raid  through  the  Shenandoah,  July;  Deep  Bottom,  July  28; 
Malvern  Hill,  July  28  to  30;  Deep  Bottom,  August  14; 
Charles  City  Cross  Roads,  August  16  and  17;  Reams  Sta- 
tion, Atigust  26;  Malvern  Hill,  September  5;  Charles  City, 
September  11;  Jerusalem  plank  road,  September  17;  Reams 
Station,  September  29  and  30;  \'aughn's  road,  October  i; 


FIRST    XKW    .lEUSKY    C.WAI.UY.  P.27 

TBoydton  plank  road,  October  6;  Stony  Creek.  November  27; 
Beilefiekl  Station.  December  9  and  10;  Din\vi(klie  C.  H., 
February  6.  '65;  Hatcher's  Run.  Inbruary  6  and  7;  before 
Petersburf^.  March  20;  Dinwidthe  C.  H.,  March  30;  Five 
Forks  and  Chamberlain's  Creek.  March  31;  Amelia  Springs 
.and  Jettersville.  April  5;  Sailors'  Creek,  April  6;  I'^armville, 
April  6  and  7;  Appomattox  C.  H.  (Lee's  surrender).  April  9. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE   ENLISTMENTS   OF    1S<>2. 

Not  until  tlie  second  year  of  the  war  did  any  more  men. 
go  to  the  front  from  Cape  May  county,  but  in  the  mean- 
while the  Board  of  Freeholders  prepared  for  the  relief  of  the 
families  of  those  who  went  to  help  save  the  Union.  On 
August  28,  1861,  a  committee  consisting  of  one  person  from 
each  township  and  Cape  Island,  were  appointed  to  look  af- 
ter the  wants  of  the  soldiers'  families:  Thomas  Williams, 
Upper  township;  William  S.  Townsend,  Dennis;  Smhh 
Townsend,  Middle;  Samuel  F.  Ware,  Lower,  and  Waters 
B.  Miller,  Cape  Island.  These  committeemen  each  had  his 
own  territory  to  look  after,  and  was  authorized  to  give  each 
soldier's  family  six  dollars  per  month  as  long  as  the  head  of 
the  family  was  in  service.  This  committee  served  until 
May,  1862,  when  a  new  one  was  appointed,  consisting  of 
Thomas  Williams,  of  Upper;  Richard  S.  Leaming,  of  Den- 
nis; Aaron  Miller,  of  Middle;  Samuel  F.  Ware,  of  Lower, 
and  Dr.  Samuel  S.  Marcy.  of  Cape  Island. 

Samuel  Fithian  W'are,  of  Lower  township,  who  served 
with  great  credit  on  the  Relief  Committee  during  the  war, 
was  born  on  October  16,  1800,  and  was  a  brother  of  Wilmon 
W.,  Maskel,  John  G.  W.,  and  Joseph.  He  served  in  the 
Board  of  Freeholders  many  years.  He  was  a  carpenter  and 
an  undertaker,  and  buried  during  his  time  about  fifteen 
hundred  persons.     He  died  in  1876. 

In  the  meanwhile  the  Seaville  Rangers,  which  were 
known  as  Company  B,  of  the  Atlantic  Brigade,  did  duty  and 
drilled  at  home  under  the  care  of  Captain  Joseph  E.  Corson. 
They  were  given  by  the  State  for  use  on  October  26,  1861, 
thirty  sets  of  arms  and  equipment  and  1000  rounds  of  elon- 
gated ball  cartridges. 

On  the  2T,d  of  December  the  Board  of  Freeholders  pro- 
vided for  the  transporting  of  volunteers  to  the  State  rendez- 


THE    ENLISTMENTS    OF    ]8(J2.  32'J 

vous  and  appointed  as  a  committee  to  take  cluii'i^e  of  the 
work  Clinton  H.  Liullam,  of  Dennisvillc,  and  Samuel  R. 
Magcnagle,  of  Cape  Island. 

The  Twelfth  Reg-iment  was  one  of  the  quota  of  five  regi- 
ments charged  u])on  New  Jersey  under  the  call  for  300,000 
volunteers  for  three  years  made  by  President  Lincoln  on 
July  7,  1862.  It  was  rendezvoused  at  Woodbury,  and  left 
the  State  on  September  7  for  service.  In  it  were  J.  Floward 
Willetts,  formerly  of  Cape  May,  v/ho  had  served  in  the  Sev- 
enth Regiment,  as  before  noted;  Richard  S.  Thompson  and 
Albert  Walker,  of  Cape  May  Court  House.  J.  Howard 
Willetts  was  commissioned  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  regi- 
ment on  August  II,  1862,  and  served  as  such  until  he  was 
promoted  to  the  colonelcy  of  the  regiment,  February  2-j, 
1863.  He  was  discharged  on  December  19,  1864,  on  ac- 
count of  wounds  received  in  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville, 
Va. 

Richard  S.  Thompson  was  commissioned  captain  of  Com- 
pany V  on  August  14,  1862,  and  mustered  into  service  on 
September  4.  He  was  promoted  major  of  the  regiment  on 
February  25,  1864.  and  commissioned  as  lieutenant-colonel 
on  July  2,  T864,  and  sixteen  days  later  mustered  into  thnt 
position.  On  account  of  wounds  received  in  the  action  at 
Ream's  Station,  \'a.,  where  he  commanded  the  regiment,  he 
was  discharged  from  the  service  February  17,  1865. 

Lieutenant-Cclonel  Richard  S.  Thompson  was  born  De- 
cember 27,  1837,  '^t  Cape  May  Court  House.  His  father 
was  Richard  Thompson,  a  prominent  citizen  of  this  county. 
His  mother,  Elizabeth,  was  the  daughter  of  Major  Nathan- 
iel Holmes,  also  of  this  county.  After  nine  years'  study  in 
seminaries  and  under  private  tutors,  he  entered  Flarvard 
College  in  1859,  graduated  in  1861.  He  was  admitted  to 
the  Philadelphia  bar  early  in  1862.  Fie  was  a  member  of 
Captain  P)iddle's  Artillery  Company,  of  Philadelphia. 

In  July,  of  1862,  he  raised  a  company  in  Cumberland 
county,  N.  J.,  and  enlisted  as  captain  of  Company  K,  Twelfth 
N.  J.  Vols.  He  was  mustered  with  his  regiment  September 
4,  1862.  His  regiment  was  shortly  after  stationed  at  Elli- 
cott's  Mills,  Md.,  where  he  was  appointed  assistant  provost- 
marshal  under  General  Wool.     In  December,  1862,  with  his 


330  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MxVY  COUNTY. 

regiment,  he  joined  the   Army  of  the   Potomac,  and  was 
placed  in  the  Second  Army  Corps. 

February  i6,  1864,  he  was  appointed  judge  advocate  of 
a  division  court-martial.  He  remained  with  his  regiment 
(excepting  a  few  months  in  1864,  while  he  was  on  detached 
service)  until  August  25,  1864,  when  he  was  severely 
wouned  in  the  battle  of  Ream's  Station,  Ya.  He  com- 
manded hif.  regiment  as  captain,  major  and  lieutenant- 
colonel. 

Among  t;ie  general  engagements  in  which  he  took  part 
were  Chancellorsville,  Gettysburg,  Auburn  Mills,  Bristow 
Station,  Robinson's  Tavern,  Mine  Run,  Deep  Bottom  and 
Ream's  Station. 

In  December,  1864,  while  still  on  crutches,  he  was  ap- 
pointed president  of  a  general  court-martial  for  trial  of  of- 
ficers in  Philadelphia.  Februar}-  17,  1865,  he  was  honor- 
ably discharged  on  account  of  wounds  received  in  battle. 
June  7,  1865,  he  married  Miss  Catherine  Scovel,  daughter 
of  the  Rev.  Alden  Scovel,  of  Bloomington,  111. 

In  November,  1865,  he  changed  his  residence  from  Cape 
SDipnad  311}  uodu  p^aajua  aq  aaaijAV  'oSHOiq^  o;  A^unoo  .\bj\[ 
of  his  profession,  in  which  he  is  still  engaged. 

In  November,  1872,  Colonel  Thompson  was  elected  Sen- 
ator of  the  Illinois  General  Assembly. 

Albert  Walker  was  enrolled  for  service  on  August  9, 
'62,  and  mustered  into  service  (in  Company  K)  on  Septem- 
"ber  4.  He  was  promoted  to  corporal  on  June  4,  '64,  and 
served  until  mustered  out,  on  June  15,  '65. 

On  April  9,  1863,  Richard  Townsend,  of  Cape  May,  who 
was  then  a  sergeant  in  Company  B,  Tenth  Regiment,  was 
commissioned  second  lieutenant  of  Company  C,  this  regi- 
ment, and  mustered  into  service  on  June  30,  and  on  July  3, 
in  t'^e  battle  of  Gettysburg,  was  killed.  His  remains  were 
buried  at  the  National  Cemetery,  Gettysburg,  in  Section  A, 
Grav;^  T.  Samuel  Tombs,  in  his  work  on  Gettysburg,  says: 
"In  the  height  of  the  fight  Lieutenant  Richard  H.  Town- 
send,  of  Cape  Mp^^  county,  fell,  shot  through  the  heart.  Pro- 
moted from  the  Tenth  Regiment,  New  Jersey  Volunteers, 
he  had  been  able  to  join  his  new  command  only  three  days 
before,  and  thus  died  in  his  first  battle." 


THE    ENLISTME-NTS    OF    ISC.L'.  331 

On  the  28th  of  August  the  Board  of  Freeholders  passed 
a  resokition  "That,  for  the  purpose  of  filHng  the  requisition 
made  on  the  county  of  Cape  May,"  under  tlie  caU  for  the 
,300,000  vokuiteers.  they  would  give  to  each  volunteer  who 

enlisted  in  the  United  States  service  the  sum  of  fifty  dollars. 
'The  county  collector,  at  the  same  time,  was  authorized  to 
'.borrow  on  the  credit  of  the  county  the  sum  of  ten  thousand 
-dollars  to   pay   this   bounty,  and   Richard   S.   Learning,   of 

Dennisville.  was  authorized  to  go  to  Beverly,  where  the 
'Twenty-fifth  Regiment  was  being  rendezvoused,  to  give  the 
■volunteers  their  orders. 

The  Twenty-fifth  Regiment  Infantry  was  organized  un- 
der the  provisions  of  an  act  of  Congress,  approved  July  22, 

1861.  A  draft  for  10,478  men  to  serve  for  nine  months, 
tmless  sooner  discharged,  had  been  made  upon  the  Governor 
-of  this  State  by  the  President  of  the  United  States,  August 
.4,  1862,  and  soon  after  full  instructions  for  conducting  it 
•were   received   from  the   War  Department.     The   draft   so 

ordered,  was  not  to  interfere  with  orders  governing  recruit- 
ing, and  all  enlistments  up  to  September  i,  1862,  would  be 
-placed  to  the  credit  of  the  State.  A  general  desire  mani- 
fested and  expressed  by  the  State  authorities,  as  well  as  by 
-prominent  citizens  throughout  the  State,  to  avoid  the  draft. 
-gave  an  enthusiasm  to  recruiting,  which  caused  the  entire 
•quota  to  be  raised  b}  voluntary  enlistment,  and  in  camp,  by 
-the  3d  day  of  September.  1862,  the  time  appointed  for  com- 
mencing the  draft.  The  organization  of  the  regiment  was 
immediately  commenced,  and  soon  after  fully  completed, 
officered  and  equipped.  It  was  then  duly  mustered  into  the 
service  of  the  United  States  for  nine  months.  Companies 
T,  G  and  I,  composed  principally  of  men  from  Cape  May 
'County,  were  mustered  in  at  Beverly,  N.  J.,  September  26, 
1862, 'by  William  B.  Royall,  captain  Fifth  Cavalry,  U.  S. 
Army.  The  headquarters  of  the  regiment  were  established 
-at  Beverly,  from  which  place  it  left  the  State  October  10, 

1862,  en  route  to  W^ashington,  D.  C.  Upon  arrival  at 
"Washington  it  was  assigned  to  the  Second  Brigade,  Casey's 
Division,  defenses  of  Washington,  and  went  into  camp  at 

TEast  Capitol  Hill,  and  immediately  began  to  prenare  for 
ractive  service.     It  remained  in  this  vicinity  until  tlie  30th 


332  HISTORY  OF  CAFE  MAY  COUNTY. 

dav  of  November,  when,  under  orders,  it  marched  to  the 
front  and  joined  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  having  been  as- 
signed to  the  Ninth  Army  Corps.  On  the  i  ith  of  February,. 
1863,  the  regiment,  in  connection  with  the  Ninth  Ci«rps,. 
was  detached  from  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  and  proceeded' 
to  Newport  News,  Va.  On  the  13th  of  March  it  proceeded 
to  Suffolk,  Va.,  to  assist  in  repelHng  a  threatened  invasion: 
by  the  enemy  at  this  point.  The  regiment  continued  its- 
organization  and  remained  in  active  service  until  the  expir^x- 
tion  of  its  term  of  service,  when  it  was  ordered  to  return  to- 
New  Jersey  for  discharge.  It  was  mustered  out  at  P.evcrly, 
N.  J.,  June  20,  1863.  After  leaving  Casey's  Division  it 
was  attached  to  the  First  Brigade,  Third  Division,  Ninth 
Army  Corps.  It  took  part  in  the  engagements  at  Freder- 
icksburg, Va.,  December  13  and  14,  '62,  and  at  "Near  Suf- 
folk," Va.,  May  3,  '63. 

Company  F  was  composed  entirely  (excepting  Captain 
Blenkow)  of  residents  of  Dennis  and  Lower  townships  and 
Cape  Island.     All  the  members  were  enrolled  for  service  on' 
September  i,  '62,  and  mustered  into  service  on  September 
26.     When  the  company  left  with  its  regiment  it  was  com- 
posed of  the  following  officers  and  men: 
Captain.  David  Blenkow,  shoe  dealer. 
First  lieutenant.  Nicholas  W.  Godfrey,  carpenter. 
Second  lieutenant,  Henry  Y.  Willetts,  carpenter. 
First  sergeant,  Reuben  Foster. 

Sergeants,   John    F.    Gofif,   Edwin    Ludlam,   J.    Granville 
Leach. 

Corporals,    Coleman    F.    Ludlam.   William    T.    Stevens, 
Abijah  D.  Reeves,  Joseph  Garrison,  Virgil  D.  Schellenger.. 
Musician  (drummer),  George  S.  Cresse. 
Privates — Charles   Abrams,   Skidmore   Abrams,   William- 
Armstrong,  Jerome  Bowker,  Joseph  Brewton,  Elias  Camp, 
Daniel  Chambers,  John  Chambers,  John  W.  Corson,  Fred- 
erick W.   Cradol.   Thomas   M.   Creamer,  Anthony   Cresse, 
Daniel  F.  Crowell,  Samuel  S.  Cummings,  Evan  Edmunds, 
Jonathan  H.  Edwards,  George  H.  Eldredge,  James  S.  El- 
dredge,  Clark  Elliott,  Samuel  R.  Stites,  Ezekiel  Voss,  Jo- 
seph Elliott,  Owen  Endicott,  Seely  Ernest,  James  Ewing,- 
Livingstone  Ewing,  Thomas  S.  Foster,  Elbridge  G.  Goff,. 


THE    ENLISTMENTS   OF    1S«;2.  333 

Albert  Grace.  James  S.  Grace.  Matthew  W.  Hall,  Jeremiah 
Hampton,  Philip  Hand.  Samuel  Hand,  Seth  L.  Hand. 
Thomas  H.  Hand.  Charles  Heisles,  Joseph  S.  Higbee,  John 
T.  Hofifman.  Samuel  Honn,  Joseph  B.  Hughes,  Joshua 
Johnson,  Alphonso  A.  Jones,  James  H.  Kimsey,  Henry 
Langley.  Alphonso  D.  Lee,  Richard  F.  Lloyd,  Walter  S. 
Peterson,  Josiah  Powell,  William  L.  Pritchard,  Charles  P. 
Riel,  William  C.  Rutherford,  Charles  T.  Shaw,  Francis  W. 
Sheldon,  William  F.  Smith,  William  Snyder,  Israel  S.  Town- 
send,  John  Trout,  Samuel  F.  Ware.  Jr.,  Maurice  V.  Warner, 
Leaming  Weatherby.  George  T.  Weeks,  John  Wrecks,  Jere- 
miah Weldon,  Eva  E.  Westcott,  Joseph  Whitaker,  Josiah 
Whitaker,  Thomas  B.  Williams,  Stacy  M.  Wilson,  Jonathan 
G.  Fidler,  Thomas  Morton,  Jesse  S.  Godfrey,  Furman  Bar- 
nett,  Theodore  Church,  Elwood  Devaul,  John  W.  Reeves, 
John  P.  Sutton,  David  E.  Swain.  Albert  S.  Edmunds, 
Thomas  Beckwith,  Albert  F.  Brewton,  Hugh  Edmunds 
David  E.  Hand,  Thomas  P.  Hand,  John  B.  Robinson,  Jere- 
miah F.  Tyler  and  Daniel  H.  White.  The  occupations  and 
professions  of  the  company  were  as  follows:  Artists,  2;  car- 
penters, 8;  clerks,  2;  farmers,  40;  laborers,  33;  shoemaker. 
i;  seamen,  9;  miller,  i,  and  printers,  2.  This  company  had 
live  men  wounded  and  one  (Albert  S.  Edmunds)  killed  in 
the  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  and  two  men  wounded  at  Suf- 
folk. 

Nicholas  W.  Godfrey  resigned  as  first  lieutenant  on  De- 
cember 22,  and  three  days  later  Henry  Y.  Wllletts  was  com- 
missioned and  mustered  into  that  position.  On  the  same 
day  Reuben  Foster  was  commissioned  second  lieutenant, 
and  on  January  3.  63,  mustered  into  the  office.  John  F. 
Goff  was  made  first  sergeant  January  3.  Coleman  F.  Lud- 
1am  and  William  T.  Stevens  were  made  sergeants  January 
I.  Samuel  R.  Stites  was  promoted  to  corporal  December 
29,  '62,  and  to  sergeant  two  days  later.  J.  Granville  Leach 
was  promoted  to  sergeant-major  of  the  regiment  on  January 
I,  '63,  and  then  commissioned  second  lieutenant  of  Company 
I  March  20,  '63.  John  Chambers  was  made  corporal  No- 
vember 15,  while  Ezekiel  Voss.  Anthony  Cresse  and  John 
W.  Corson  were  promoted  to  corporals  on  January  i.  '63. 

The  records  of  the  men  who,  owing  to  disability  and  other 


334  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

causes,  did  not  stay  with  the  company  until  the  close  of  itB 
service,  were: 

Jonathan   G.    Fidler — Discharged  at   Suffolk,  Ya.,  April. 
15,  '63;  disability. 

Thomas   Morton — Discharged   at   camp   near   Falmouth,. 
Va.,  December  29,  '62;  disability. 

Jesse  S.  Godfrey — Discharged  at  Fortress  Monroe,  Va.,. 
April  9,  '63;  disability. 

Furman  Barnett — Discharged  at  Fifth  Street  U.  S.  Army 
Hospital,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  February  4,  "63;  disability. 

Theodore  Church — Discharged  at  Convalescent  Camp,. 
Alexandria,  Va.,  February  4,  '63;  disability. 

Elwood  Devaul — Discharged  at  U.  S.  Army  General  Hos- 
pital, Philadelphia,  February  23.  '63;  disability. 

John  W.  Reeves — Discharged  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  F"eb- 
ruary  14.  '63;  disability. 

John  P.  Sutton — -Discharged  U.  S.  Army  General  FIos- 
pital,  Philadelphia,  February  4.  '63;  disability. 

David  E.  Swain — Discharged  U.  S.  Army  General  Hos- 
pital, Philadelphia,  January  28,  '63;  disability. 

Albert  S.  Edmunds — Killed  in  action  at  Fredericksburg,. 
Va..  December  13.  '62. 

Thomas  Beckwith — Died  of  measles  at  Emory  U.  S, 
Army  Hospital,  Washington,  D.  C,  November  9,  '62. 

Albert  S.  Brewton — Died  of  typhoid  fever  at  Regimentaf 
Hospital,  near  Suffolk,  Va.,  April  15,  '63;  buried  at  National 
Cemetery,  Hampton,  Va.,  Row  22,  Section  C,  Grave  19. 

Hugh  Edmunds — Died  of  disease  at  Regimental  Hos- 
pital, near  Suffolk,  Yz.,  March  26.  '63;  buried  at  National 
Cemetery.  Hampton.  Va.,  Row  21,  Section  B,  Grave  5. 

David  E.  Hand — Died  of  typhoid  fever  at  U.  S.  Army 
General  Hospital,  Newark,  N.  J.,  January  27,  '63. 

Thomas  P.  Hand — Died  of  chronic  diarrhoea  at  Hamp- 
ton U.  S.  Army  General  Hospital,  Fortress  Monroe,  Va,,. 
May  3,  '63. 

John  B.  Robinson — Died  of  congestion  of  brain  in  camp 
near  Suffolk,  Va.,  March  19,  '63;  buried  at  National  Ceme- 
tery, Hampton.  Va.,  Row  19,  Section  B,  Grave  26. 

Jeremiah  F.  Tvler — Di-^d  at  W  S.  Armv  General  Hospital, 
Newark,  N.  J.,  January  6,  '63 ;  wounds  received  in  action  at 


THE    ENLISTMENTS    OF    1.S('.2.  335 

Fredericksburg,  \  a.;  buried  at  b'airmoiuit  CcnutvTy,  New- 
ark, N.J. 

Daniel  H.  White — Died  at  St.  Elizabeth  U.  S.  Army  Gen- 
eral Hospital,  Washinton.  D.  C,  Deeembcr  23,  '62,  of 
wounds  received  in  action  at  Tredericksburg,  \'a.;  buried  at 
Military  Asylum  Cemetery,  D.  C. 

The  loliowing-  remained  in  the  service  of  the  company 
unt.l  it  was  mustered  out,  on  June  20,  1863:  Henry  Y. 
Willetts.  Reuben  Foster,  John  F.  Goff,  Coleman  F.  Ludlani, 
William  T.  Stevens,  Edwin  Ludlam,  Samuel  R.  Stites,  Abi- 
jah  D.  Reeves.  Joseph  Garrison,  Virgil  D.  Schellenger,  John 
Chambers,  Ezekiel  Voss,  Anthony  Cresse.  John  W.  Cor- 
son, George  S.  Cresse,  Charles  Abrams,  Skidmore  Abrams, 
William  Armstrong,  Jerome  Bowker,  Joseph  Brewton, 
Elias  Camp,  Daniel  Chambers,  Frederick  Crandol,  Thomas 
M.  Creamer,  Daniel  F.  Crowell,  Samuel  S.  Cummings,  Evan 
Edmunds,  Jonathan  H.  Edwards,  George  H.  Eldridgc,, 
James  S.  Eldridge,  Clark  Elliott,  Joseph  Elliott,  Owen  Endi- 
cott,  Seely  Ernest,  James  Ewing,  Livingstone  Ewing, 
Thomas  S.  Foster,  Elbridge  G.  Goff,  Albert  Grace,  James  S. 
Grace,  Matthew  W.  Hall,  Jeremiah  Hampton,  Philip  Hand, 
Samuel  Hand,  Seth  L.  Hand,  Thomas  H.  Hand,  Charles 
Heisler,  Joseph  S.  Higbee,  John  T.  Hoffman,  Samuel  Honn, 
Jose}:)h  B.  Hughes,  Joshua  Johnson,  Alphonso  A.  Jones, 
James  H.  Kinsey,  Henry  Langley,  Alphonso  D.  Lee,  Rich- 
ard F.  Lloyd,  Walter  S.  Peterson,  Josiah  Powell,  William 
L.  Pritchard,  Charles  P.  Riel,  William  C.  Rutherford, 
Charles  T.  Shaw,  Francis  W.  Sheldon,  William  F.  Smith, 
William  Snyder,  Israel  S.  Townsend,  John  Trout,  Samuel 
F.  W^are,  Maurice  V.  W^arner,  Leaming  Weathcrby,  George 
T.  Weeks,  John  Weeks,  Jeremiah  Weldon,  Elva  E.  West- 
cott,  Joseph  Whitaker,  Josiah  W'hitaker,  Thomas  B.  Wil- 
liams and  Stacy  M.  Wilson. 

Company  G  was  made  up  mostly  of  upper  Cape  May 
county  men  and  of  men  who  lived  at  Tuckahoe,  on  the  At- 
lantic county  side,  and  men  from  Marshallville,  in  Cumber- 
la -^d  county,  since  made  a  part  of  Cape  May  county.  They 
enlisted  on  September  2,  and  were  mustered  into  service  on 
the  26th  of  the  month.  When  they  left  the  State  for  service 
thev  held  these  ranks: 


336  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Captain,  Charles  R.  Powell,  blacksmith. 

First  lieutenant,  Ewing  W.  Tibbies,  painter. 

Second  lieutenant,  Nicholas  Corson,  school  teacher. 

Sergeants — Maurice   B.   Stites,  John  S.   Cole,   Enoch   S. 
Willetts. 

Corporals — John  W.  Shoemaker,  Charles  W.  Corson, 
Benjamin  Weathcrby. 

Musician  (drummer),  Lewis  S.  Williams. 

Privates — Charles  S.  Corson,  Matthew  Hughes,  George 
Baner,  Samuel  Barnes,  Jonathan  Borden,  John  L, 
Piuzby,  Aaron  B.  Clark,  Jonathan  Cliver,  John  Col- 
lins, Joseph  Collins,  Lucien  B.  Corson,  Daniel  Creamer, 
Reuben  Creamer,  Robert  M.  Dare,  John  Dayton,  Nicholas 
Frambers,  Howard  M.  French,  George  E.  Gandy,  Thomas 
Garron,  James  H.  Gifford,  Abraham  Hayes,  Mahlon  Hor- 
ton,  David  T.  Ingersoll,  Richard  Ingersoll,  Levi  E.  Lippin- 
cott,  James  Little,  Charles  Lloyd,  John  Lloyd,  Leaming 
Lloyd,  John  Magee,  Furman  Mannery,  Frederick  Marshall, 
Hollis  Mickel,  Adam  Moore,  Samuel  Morris,  Thomas  W. 
Pettitt,  George  M.  Searse,  Reuben  Searse,  Ezekiel  Steven- 
son, Gabriel  G.  Surran,  John  Thornton,  Richard  S.  Town- 
send,  Stephen  Williams,  Townsend  S.  Williams,  Evan  Arm- 
strong, Thomas  R.  Gandy,  William  Gruff,  Richard  Jarman, 
Adam  Kerrick,  Mark  Cook,  William  W.  Cook,  Charles  H. 
Coombs,  Frederick  Creamer,  Joseph  W.  Lee,  Samuel  T. 
Surran,  Theophilus  Vannaman,  Hezekiel  \'each,  George 
Trader. 

The  occupations  and  professions  of  this  company  was  ap- 
portioned as  follows:  Bricklayers,  2;  blacksmith,  i ;  carpen- 
ters, 2;  clerks,  3;  cigarmaker,  i;  sheetiron  worker,  i;  sea- 
men, 14;  carriage  trimmer,  i;  mason,  i;  machinist,  i; 
moulder,  1;  shoemaker,  i;  school  teacher,  i;  farmers,  5; 
millwright,  i;  miller,  i;  printer,  i;  harness  makers,  2;  paint- 
ers, 2;  laborers,  50;  glasscutter,  i;  glassblower,  t. 

Captain  Powell  resigned  on  December  22.  Enoch  S. 
Willetts  was  promoted  to  first  sergeant  on  September  30. 
Charles  H.  Corson  was  promoted  to  corporal  on  October 
16,  and  Matthew  Hughes  to  the  same  rank  on  January  i, 
1863. 


:i£' 


THE    ENLISTMENTS    OF    ISC.l'.  337 

Those  who  (Hcl  not  remain  with  the  regiment  until  it  \vas 
mustered  out  and  the  reasons  therefor  were : 

John  S.  Cole — Discharged  at  U.  S.  Army  General  Hos- 
pital, Philadelphia,  Pa.,  January  24,  '63;  disability. 

Evan  Armstrong — Dischargied  at  Washington,  D.  C, 
January  5,  '63;  disability. 

Thomas  R.  Gandy — Discharged  at  Regimental  Hospital, 
near  Fairfax  Seminary,  Va.,  November  28,  '62;  disability. 

William  Grufif — Discharged  at  Regimental  Hospital,  near 
Fairfax  Seminary.  Va.,  November  28.  "62;  disability. 

Richard  Jarman — Discharged  February  23,  '63;  wounds 
received  in  action  at  Fredericksburg.  \'a. 

Adam  Kerrick — Discharged  at  Newport  New^s,  Va., 
Alarch  8,  '63;  disability. 

Maurice  B.  Stites — Died  of  typhoid  fever  at  Regimental 
Hospital,  camp  near  Falmouth,  Va..  Febuary  i,  '63. 

Mark  Cook — Died  of  measles  at  Emory  U.  S.  Army  Gen- 
eral Hospital,  Washington,  D.  C,  November  5,  '62;  buried 
at  Military  Asylum  Cemetery,  D.  C. 

William  W.  Cook — Died  of  measles  at  Emory  U.  S.  Army 
General  Hospital,  Washinngton,  D.  C,  November  i,  '62; 
buried  at  IMilitary  Asylum  Cemetery,  D.  C. 
.  Charles  H.  Coombs — Died  at  Richmond,  V^a.,  January  7, 
^6^,  of  wounds  received  in  action  at  Fredericksburg,  Va. ; 
prisoner  of  war. 

Frederick  Creamer — Died  of  typhoid  fever  at  Chestnut 
Hill  U.  S.  Army  General  Hospital,  Philadelphia,  March 
2,  '63. 

John  W.  Lee — Died  of  measles  at  Emory  U.  S.  Army 
General  Hospital,  Washington,  D.  C,  November  28,  '62; 
buried  at  jMilitary  Asylum  Cemetery,  D.  C. 

Samuel  T.  Surran — Died  of  heart  disease  at  Harewood 
U.  S.  Army  General  Hospital,  Washington,  D.  C,  January 
II,  '63;  buried  at  Military  Asylum  Cemetery,  D.  C;  Tucka- 
hoe,  Atlantic  side. 

Theophilus  Vanneman — Died  of  tvphoid  fever  at  Regi- 
mental Hospital,  camp  near  Suffolk,  Va.,  March  28,  '63. 

Hezekiah  Veach — Died  of  typhoid  fever  at  Regimental 
Tlospital,  camp  near  Falmouth,  Va.,  January  25,  '63;  buried 


338  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

at   National   Cemetery,    Fredericksburg,   Va.,    Division    D^ 
Section  C,  Grave  277. 

George  Trader— Absent,  sick  in  U.  S.  Army  General 
Hospital.  Fairfax  Seminary,  \'a.,  December  i,  '62;  final 
record  unknown. 

Those  who  remained  to  the  end  with  the  company  and 
were  mustered  out,  on  June  20,  1863,  were: 

Ewing  W.  Tibbies,  Nicholas  Corson,  Enoch  S.  Willetts^ 
John  VV.  Shoemaker,  Charles  W.  Corson,  Benjamin  Weath- 
erby.  Charles  H.  Corson.  Matthew  Hughes.  Lewis  S, 
Williams,  George  Baner,  Samuel  Barnes,  Jonathan  Borden^ 
John  L.  Buzby.  Aaron  B.  Clark.  Jonathan  Cliver,  John 
Collins,  Joseph  Collins,  John  Magee,  Furman  Mannery^ 
Frederick  Marshall,  Lucien  B.  Corson,  Daniel  Creamer, 
Reuben  Creamer.  Robert  M.  Dare,  John  Dayton,  Nicholas- 
Frambes.  Howard  M.  French,  George  E.  Gandy.  Thomas. 
Garron,  James  H.  Gifford,  Abraham  Hayes,  Mahlon  Hor- 
ton.  Davkl  T.  Ingersoll.  Richard  Ingersoll,  Levi  E.  Lippin- 
cott,  James  Little,  Charles  Lloyd.  John  Lloyd.  Leaming 
Lloyd,  Hollis  Mickel.  Adam  Moore,  Samuel  Morris^ 
Thomas  W.  Pettitt,  George  M.  Searse,  Reuben  Searse,  Eze- 
giel  Stevenson.  Gabriel  G.  Surrann,  John  Thornton,  Richard 
S.  Townsend,  Ste  hen  Williams,  Townsend  S.  Williams. 

All  but  twenty-five  of  the  men  in  Company  I  were  Cape 
May  men.  and  enlisted  either  from  the  county  or  Atlantic 
county.     These  men  all  enlisted  on  August  30,   1862,  and 
v^ere  mustered  into  service  on  September  26.     When  they 
went  to  the  front  they  ranked  as  follows: 
First  lieutenant,  John  F.  Tomlin,  farmer. 
Second  lieutenant,  Samuel  E.  Douglass,  farmer. 
First  sergeant,  James  Whitaker. 

Seargeants — William  Ogden,  Enos  R.  Williams,  John 
Spalding,  Edward  L.  Townsend. 

Corporals — David  Hildreth,  Joseph  H.  Holmes,  Charles 
G.  Mills,  Willoby  Snyder,  Malachi  High. 

Privates — Elmer  Edwards,  Reuben  Smith,  Adam  Abrams^ 
Henry  Bennett,  Henry  Brown,  Daniel  Chambers,  James, 
F.  Chambers,  James  Chester,  George  W.  Corson,  James 
Crandol,  Page  R.  Crawford,  Joseph  E.  Dickinson,  William 
Early,  Joseph  Elberson,  Daniel  Eldredge,  Charles  S.  El- 


THIO    ENLISTMENTS    OF    ISC'J.  330 

well,  George  Errickson.  John  Errickson.  William  Farrow, 
Joseph  Foster,  Jesse  Grace,  Elias  Hand,  Aaron  Hewitt,  Fre- 
ling  F  Hewitt,  John  Hewitt,  Gabriel  H.  Holmes,  Francis 
Katts,  Aaron  Leaming,  John  D.  Leaming,  Joseph  McCarty, 
William  H.  McKeag,  Richard  Nott,  Jonathan  Rash,  Clayton 
G.  Sapp.  Martin  Selover,  William  Smith,  Charles  H.  Ste- 
phens. Charles  \\  .  Townsend.  Embury  fownsend.  James 
Weeks,  Elmer  Willetts,  Jonathan  Willetts,  George  L.  Wil- 
liams, Enos  R.  Williams,  John  Spalding,  Alexander  Corson, 
Edmund  Y.  Godfrey.  Thomas  D.  Sayers,  Elmer  Taylor, 
Alonzo  Willis,  Edward  L.  Townsend,  David  Hildreth, 
Henry  Rudolph,  John  Russell,  David  Norton,  Benjamin 
Conover. 

The  occupations  and  professions  of  the  members  of  the 
companv  were  apportioned  as  follows:  Blacksmith,  i;  butch- 
ers, 2;  carpenters,  7;  farmers,  36;  hucksters,  i;  cotton  spin- 
ner I ;  mason,  i ;  painters,  2;  moulders,  2;  seamen,  37;  shoe- 
makers, 4;  sheetiron  workers.  2. 

John  F.  Tomlin  was  promoted  to  captain  on  March  20, 
'63,  and  at  the  same  time  Samuel  E.  Douglass  was  made 
first  lieutenant  and  J.  Granville  Leach  promoted  from  the 
non-commissioned  staff  (sergeant-major)  to  second  lieuten- 
ant of  the  company.  Joseph  H.  Holmes  was  promoted  to 
sergeant  on  December  15.  '62,  and  Charles  G.  Mills  on 
April  15.  "63.  Elmer  Edwards  was  made  a  corporal  Janu- 
ary 29,  '63,  and  Reuben  Smith  on  April  15. 

Those  who  did  not  remain  in  service  with  the  company 
until  it  was  mustered  out  and  the  causes  therefor  are  as 
follows : 

Enos  R.  Williams — Discharged  at  camp  near  Falmouth, 
Va.,  January  29,  '63 ;  disability. 

John  Spalding — Discharged  at  camp  near  Suffolk,  Va., 
April  15,  '63;  disability;  corporal  August  30,  '62;  sergeant 
October  2,  '62. 

Alexander  Corson — Discharged  at  camp  near  Falmouth, 
Va.,  January  9.  '63;  disability. 

Edmund  Y.  Godfrey— Discharged  at  U.  S.  Army  General 
Hospital,  Washington,  D.  C,  April  12,  '63;  disability. 

Thomas  D.  Sayers — Discharged  at  Summit  House  U.  S. 


340  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Army  General  Hospital,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  February  4.  '63; 
disability. 

Elmer  Taylor — Discharged  at  U.  S.  Army  General  Hos- 
pital, Portsmouth  Grove,  R.  I.,  June  26,  '63;  disability. 

Alonzo  Willis — Discharged  at  Ward  U.  S.  Army  Gen- 
eral Hospital,  Newark,  N.  J.,  March  2,  '63;  disability. 

Edward  L.  Townsend — Died  at  hospital,  Fredericks- 
burg, Va.,  December  14,  '62,  of  wounds  received  in  action 
at  Fredericksburg,  Va. ;  buried  at  National  Cemetery,  Fred- 
ericksburg, Va.,  Division  A,  Section  A,  Grave  54. 

David  Hildreth — Died  of  typhoid  fever  at  camp  near  Fal- 
mouth, Va.,  December  29,  '62. 

Those  who  remained  in  service  until  the  regiment  was 
mustered  out,  June  20,  1863,  were: 

John  F.  Tomlin  Samuel  E.  Douglas,  J.  Granville  Leach, 
James  Whitaker,  William  Ogden,  Joseph  H.  Holmes, 
Charles  G.  Mills,  Willowby  Souder,  Malachi  High.  Elmer 
Edwards,  Reuben  Smith,  Adam  Abrams,  Henry  Bennett, 
Henry  Brown,  Henry  Rudolph,  John  Russell,  David  Nor- 
ton, Benjamin  Conover,  Embury  Townsend,  James  Weeks, 
Elmer  Willetts,  George  L.  Williams,  Daniel  Chambers, 
James  F.  Chambers,  James  Chester,  George  W.  Corson, 
James  Crandol,  Page  R.  Crawford,  Joseph  E.  Dickinson, 
William  Early,  Joseph  Elberson,  Daniel  Eldridge,  Charles 
S.  Elwell,  George  Errickson,  John  Errickson,  Wil- 
liam Farrow,  Joseph  Foster,  Jesse  Grace,  Elias 
Hand,  Aaron  Hewitt,  Freling  F.  Hewitt,  George  Hewitt, 
John  Hewitt,  Gabriel  H.  Holmes,  Francis  Katts,  Aaron 
Leaming,  John  D.  Leaming,  Joseph  McCarty,  William  H. 
McKeag,  Richard  Nott,  Jonathan  Rash,  Clayton  G.  Sapp, 
Martin  Selover,  William  Smith,  Charles  H.  Stephen  and 
Charles  W.  Townsend. 

Josiah  Granville  Leach,  eldest  son  of  Joseph  S.  Leach, 
^as  born  at  Cape  May  Court  House  July  27,  1842.  He  re- 
ceived his  education  in  our  public  schools,  at  the  classical 
school  of  Rev.  Mr.  Julien,  and  under  private  tutors.  In  his 
eighteenth  year  he  began  writing  for  the  newspapers,  and 
continued  to  write  largely  until  the  summer  of  1862,  when 
he  enlisted  in  the  Twenty-fifth  New  Jersey  Volunteers, 
where  he  served  as  sergeant,  sergeant-major  and  second- 


THE    ENLISTMENTS    OF    18G2.  341 

Hutenant,  receiving  his  promotion  at  the  hands  of  Colonel 
Derrom,  to  the  sergeant-niajorship,  for  gallant  conduct  at 
the  battle  of  FrederiLk::bi..^.  I'or  some  months  previous 
to  his  military  service  he  devoted  much  of  his  time  in  or- 
ganizing soldiers'  aid  societies,  by  which  he  was  instru- 
mental in  providing  a  large  amount  of  clothing  and  hos- 
pital stores  for  the  sick  and  wounded. 

On  leaving  the  army  he  removed  to  Philadelphia,  and  be- 
gan the  study  of  law;  was  graduated  LL.  B.  by  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania,  and  in  March,  1866,  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  Philadelphia,  where  he  has  since  continued  the 
practice  of  his  profession.  During  the  summer  of  1865,  at 
the  instance  of  S.  R.  Magonagle,  Esci..  Colonel  Leach  or- 
ganized and  edited  the  "Cape  May  Daily  Wave." 

He  has  ever  taken  a  deep  interest  in  public  affairs,  and  has 
been  active  in  almost  every  political  campaign  since  his 
nineteenth  year,  when  he  took  the  stump  in  support  of  Lin- 
coln and  Hamlin.  He  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  to  for- 
mally present  Mr.  Blaine's  name  for  the  Presidency.  In 
the  fall  of  1875  he  was  elected  to  the  Pennsylvania  Legisla- 
ture from  Philadelphia,  and  served  in  the  House  during  the 
session  of  1876.  Declining  a  renomination.  he  became  a 
candidate  for  the  Senate,  but  failed  of  a  nommation.  In 
1878  he  was  nominated  for  the  Legislature  by  the  Green- 
back-Labor party,  but  declined  the  honor.  In  April,  1887, 
Governor  Beaver  appointed  him  Commissary-General  of  the 
National  Guard  of  Pennsylvania,  with  the  rank  of  colonel, 
which  position  he  retained  until  January,  i8gi. 

At  the  beginning  of  President  Harrison's  administration 
a  strong  movement  was  on  foot  to  secure  the  appointement 
of  Colonel  Leach  as  Minister  Resident  and  Consul-General 
to  Switzerland,  but  before  his  claims  were  presented  to  the 
President  the  mission  was  filled  bv  the  appointment  of  his 
kinsman,  Colonel  Washburne,  of  Massachusetts.  A  few 
days  later  (March  18)  the  President  appointed  him  appraiser 
of  the  United  States  at  the  port  of  Philadelphia,  this  being 
the  President's  first  apointment  in  Philadelphia.  The  office 
had  not  been  sought,  but  was  accepted,  and  filled  for  four 
years  with  marked  abilitv. 

Colonel   Leach  has  long  devoted  much  time  to  literary 


342  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

pursuits,  largely  of  a  historical  and  genealogical  character. 
His  contributions  to  "Appleton's  Cyclopaedia  of  American 
Biography"  were  more  numerous  than  those  of  any  other 
contributor,  aside  from  its  editorial  staff.  Among  his  publi- 
cations is  ''Memoranda  Relating  to  the  Ancestry  and  Family 
of  Levi  P.  Morton,  Vice-President  of  the  United  States,"  a 
work  of  190  pages.  He  is  a  member  of  the  American  Bar 
Association,  the  American  Academy  of  Social  and  Political 
Sciences  and  the  Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
was  for  some  years  the  historiographer  of  the  latter.  He 
was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Genealogical  Society  of  Penn- 
sylvania, of  which  he  has  been  a  vice-president  since  its  or- 
ganization; a  member  of  the  Society  of  Colonial  Wars;  a 
founder  of  the  Pennsylvania  Society  of  Sons  of  the  Revolu- 
tion and  its  historian,  and  is  also  historian  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Society  of  Descendants  of  the  Mayflower,  and  a  mem- 
ber of  many  other  organizations  of  a  literary  and  social 
character. 

Reuben  Foster  was  born  in  Lower  township  October  28, 
1839.  He  received  a  common  school  education,  and  when 
eighteen  years  of  age  went  to  Southwestern  Iowa,  where  he 
remained  with  his  uncle.  Rev.  Dr.  Daniel  L.  Hughes,  for 
four  years,  being  engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits.  In  1861 
he  returned  home,  and  entered  the  Twenty-fifth  Regiment, 
and  was  promoted  for  meritorious  conduct  at  Fredericks- 
burg. After  the  close  of  the  war  he  attended  a  business 
college  in  Philadelphia,  and  in  1867  he  entered  into  the 
transportation  business.  He  shortly  afterwards  located  at 
Baltimore.  He  became  connected  with  the  Southern 
Steamship  Line,  and  is  now  one  of  the  wealthiest  men  in 
the  Monumental  City.  He  was  at  one  time  receiver  of  the 
Richmond  and  Danville  Railroad,  and  is  also  agent  of  the 
North  River  line  of  steamers. 

The  Relief  Committee  for  the  years  1863-4.  as  appointed 
by  the  Board  of  Freeholders  on  May  13,  1863,  was  com- 
posed of  Thomas  Williams,  of  Upper;  William  S.  Townsend, 
of  Dennis;  Dr.  Alexander  Young,  of  Middle;  Samuel  F. 
Ware,  of  Lower,  and  Joseph  S.  Leach,  of  Cape  Island.  Be- 
sides the  money  distributed  by  the  board,  the  State  contrib- 


THE    KXLIST.MKNTS    OF    1S(;:2.  343 

aited  to  the  relief  of  the  soldiers'  faniihes  a  total  of  $5449.40, 
through  County  Collector  Charles  Hand. 

By  the  calls  made  by  the  State  for  troops  in  Jvdy  and  Oc- 
tober, this  year,  Cape  May  county  was  to  furnish  eighty- 
three  on  the  first  call  and  eighty-eight  on  the  second  call. 
These  men  were  to  be  recruited  by  January  4,  1864.  On 
December  22,  '63,  the  Board  of  Freeholders  voted  a  bounty 
of  $300  to  each  volunteer  who  would  enlist,  and  this  olifer 
was  to  last  until  the  171  men  had  been  secured.  Dr.  Cole- 
man F.  Leaming  was  appointed  to  distribute  the  bounty 
among  the  volunteers.  The  townships'  committees  and 
Cape  Island  City  Council  also  passed  resolutions  giving 
bounties  in  addition  to  further  aid  in  the  recruiting.  The 
Freeholders  recommended  recruiting  officers  for  each  town- 
ship, which  they  asked  the  Governor  to  appoint,  as  follows: 
Thomas  Williams,  Upper;  Clinton  H.  Ludlam,  Dennis;  Dr. 
Coleman  F.  Leaming,  Middle;  Waters  B.  Miller,  Lower, 
and  George  W.  Smith,  Cape  Island.  By  the  same  body  it 
Avas  agreed  that  each  volunteer  would  get  seventy-live  dol- 
lars before  leaving  camp,  and,  in  addition  to  regular  pay, 
be  given  every  six  months  an  additional  sum  of  fifty  dollars. 
On  January  13,  1864,  the  Freeholders  passed  a  resolution 
making  the  $300  bounty  apply  to  colored  as  well  as  white 
persons,  and  the  rule  was  to  hold  good  until  the  171  men 
liad  entered  the  service.     The  bounty  ceased  on  May  7,  1864. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

THE  CAMPAIGNS  OF  1864  AND  18(i5. 

On  the  4th  of  January,  1864,  the  time  set  for  the  filhng  up 
of  the  quota  for  Cape  Mslv,  a  number  of  persons  vohmteered 
and  entered  Company  A,  Third  New  Jersey  Cavah-y.  Most 
of  these  men  had  served  in  the  Twenty-fifth  Regiment,  In- 
fantry. 

The  Third  Cavalry  was  organized  under  the  provisions 
approved  July  22,  1861,  and  in  pursuance  of  a  proclamation 
issued  by  the  President  of  th.e  United  States,  dated  October 
17,  1863.  The  organization  of  the  regiment  was  to  be  ef- 
fected under  the  requirements  of  existing  orders  for  the  en- 
rollment of  troops.  The  organization  of  the  regiment  was 
immediately  commenced,  and  the  authorities  to  raise  com- 
panies were  issued  to  individuals  in  different  parts  of  the 
State.  The  headquarters  of  the  regiment  were  established 
at  Camp  Bayard,  Trenton,  and,  to  insure  an  early  comple- 
tion of  the  organization,  it  was  designated  the  First  Regi- 
ment, United  States  Hussars,  and  a  uniform  pertaining  to 
this  branch  of  service  was  adopted,  which  gave  an  enthusi- 
asm to  recruiting,  and  the  required  number  of  men  to  com- 
plete the  regiment  was  soon  obtained.  As  soon  as  the  com- 
panies were  raised  they  reported  at  camp,  and  were  immedi- 
ately mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  for  three 
years,  unless  sooner  discharged.  Company  A  was  mustered 
in  January  26.  The  regiment  left  the  State  April  5,  1864, 
and  marched  overland  to  Annapolis,  Md.,  having  been  as- 
signed to  the  Ninth  Army  Corps.  It  remained  at  this 
point  but  a  short  time,  when,  under  orders,  it  proceeded  to 
Alexandria,  Va.,  and  joined  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  The 
regiment  continued  its  organization  and  remained  in  active 
service  until  the  close  of  the  war,  and  the  most  of  the  officers 
and  men  were  mustered  out  August  i,  1865,  at  Washington, 
D.  C.     The  regiment  was  first  attached  to  the  Ninth  Army 


THE  CAMPAIGNS  OF  18(M  AM)  1SG5.  345 

Corps:  then  to  the  Third  Brigade.  First  Division,  Cavalry 
Corps;  Army  of  the  Potomac;  then  to  the  h'irst  Brigade, 
Third  Division.  Cavalry  Corps,  Army  of  the  Potomac.  It 
took  part  in  the  following  engagements,  all  in  Virginia:. 
United  States  Ford,  May  19,  1864;  Ashland  Station,  June 
i;  North  Anna  River,  June  2;  Haines'  Shop,  June  3;  Bot- 
tom's Bridge.  June  4:  White  Oak  Swamp,  June  13;  Smith's 
Store,  June  15;  before  Petersburg,  July  25;  Lee's  Mills,. 
July  2"/;  Winchester,  August  17;  Summit  Point,  August  21; 
Kearneysville,  August  25  and  26;  Berryville  Turnpike,  Sep- 
tember 13;  Opequan,  September  19;  Front  Royal,  Septem- 
ber 21  and  22;  Fisher's  Hill,  September  22;  Winchester, 
September  24:  Waynesboro,  September  28;  Bridge  water,. 
October  2;  Tom's  Brook,  October  9;  Cupp's  Mills,  October 
13;  Cedar  Creek,  October  19;  Back  Road  (near  Cedar 
Creek),  November  12;  Mount  Jackson,  November  22; 
Lacey's  Spring.  December  21;  Moorefield,  February  22, 
186":  Waynesboro,  March  2;  Dinwiddie  C.  H.,  March  31; 
Five  Forks.  April  i:  capture  of  Petersburg,  April  2:  Deep 
Creek.  April  3;  Sailor's  Creek,  April  6:  Appomattox  Sta- 
tion, April  S.  and  at  Appomattox  C.  H.  (Lee's  surrender), 
April  .9. 

When  the  company  was  mustered  into  service  the  Cape 
May  men  ranked  as  follows: 

Second  lieutenant,  John  F.  Tomlin. 

Sergeant,  Joseph  H.  Holmes. 

Blacksmith.  German  Corson. 

Privates — David  S.  Townsend.  Isaac  W.  Mulford,  Daniel 
H.  Wheaton.  Thomas  H.  Taylor,  Shamgar  C.  Townsend, 
Lewis  Gooden,  Jolin  \\ .  Hand,  Andrew  Kramer,  George 
W.  Lester.  John  \\'.  McCarty.  Joseph  A.  McCarty,  Isaac 
W.  McCormick.  William  H.  McKeag.  Francis  G.  Springer. 
John  Thornton,  Edgar  Yoss,  Elva  E.  Westcott.  Josiah  'Whit- 
taker.  George  L.  \^'illiams,  Willets  Corson,  Charles  Grace, 
Alfred  \^'arwick. 

John  F.  Tomlin  was  promoted  to  first  lieutenant  of  Com- 
pany M  on  ;May  6.  "64.  and  assumed  the  place  five  days  later. 
May  3.  1865.  he  was  commissioned  captain  of  Company 
E,  and  on  the  17th  mustered  into  that  office  and  remained  as. 


346  HISTORY   OF   CAPE   MAY   COUNTY. 

such  until  the  regiment  was  mustered  out  on  August   I, 

1865. 

Joseph  H.  Holmes  was,  on  May  3,  1865,  commissioned 
second  lieutenant  of  Company  F,  and  mustered  into  that  po- 
sition on  May  18,  1865,  in  which  he  sensed  until  mustered 
out  of  service  on  August  i,  1865. 

David  S.  Townsend  was  promoted  to  sergeant  January 
I,  1865,  and  Isaac  W.  Mulford  to  corporal  on  June  11,  1864. 
Daniel  H.  Wheaton  was  made  a  corporal  on  January  4, 
1865;  Shamgar  C.  Townsend,  April  26,  1864,  and  Thomas 
H.Taylor,  March  i.  1865. 

Those  who  did  not  remain  with  the  company  during  their 
entire  service  and  the  reasons  therefor  were: 

Shamgar  C.  Townsend— Prisoner  of  war  and  confined  in 
Andcrsonville  Prison;  paroled  and  discharged  at  U.  S. 
Army  General  Hospital,  York,  Pa.,  May  12,  1865. 

Andrew  Kramer — Discharged  at  Armory  Square,  U.  S. 
General  Hospital,  Washington,  May  3,  1865. 

Edgar  Voss — Discharged  at  same  time  and  place. 
Willitts  Corson — Died  at  Douglass  U.  S.  Army  General 
Hospital,  Washington,  D.  C,  June  9,  1864;  buried  at  Na- 
tional Cemetery,  Arlington,  Va. 

Charles  Grace — Died  at  U.  S.  Army  General  Hospital, 
Fairfax  Seminary,  Va.,  June  19,  1864;  buried  at  National 
Cemetery,  Alexandria,  Va.,  Grave  2 191. 

Alfred  Warwick — Died  October  6,  1864;  buried  at  Pop- 
lar Grove  National  Cemetery,  Va.;  prisoner  of  war;  died  of 
starvation  in  Saulsbury  Prison. 

Those  who  remained  with  the  company  until  it  w^as  mus- 
tered out,  August  I,  1865,  were:  David  S.  Townsend,  Isaac 
V/.  Mulford,  George  L.  Williams,  German  Corson,  Lewis 
Go  'den,  John  W.  Hand,  Elva  E.  Westcott,  Joshua  Whit- 
taker,  Daniel  Wheaton,  Thomas  H.  Taylor,  George  W. 
Lester,  John  W.  McCarty,  Joseph  A.  McCarty,  Isaac  W. 
McCoiniick,  Wilkam  H.  McKeag,  Francis  G.  Springer, 
John  Thornton. 

The  next  companies  in  which  Cape  May  men  served 
were  Companies  H  and  K,  Thirty-eighth  Regiment  Volun- 
teers.    This  regiment  was  organized  under  the  provisions 


TFIE  CAMPAKJNS  OF  ISVA  AND   lS(!.->. 


347 


<-of  acts  of  Conoress  of  July  22,  i86r.  and  July  4,  1864,  and 
under  authority  of  the  War  Department  for  the  raising  of 
two  regiments  of  infantry.  The  recruiting  was  commenced 
and  headquarters  of  the  regiment  were  established  at  Camp 
Bayard,  Trenton,  and  active  measures  were  pursued  to 
-complete  the  organization  at  an  early  date.  The  required 
number  of  men  to  complete  the  regiment  was  raised  and 
mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  by  com- 
panies, for  one  year,  by  the  ist  day  of  October,  1864.  Com- 
pany H  was  mustered  into  service  September  30,  1864,  and 
Company  K  September  15,  at  Camp  Bayard.  The  regi- 
-went  was  fully  officered  and  completed  by  October  3.     It 


WILLIAM    J.  SEWELL. 


left  the  State  in  three  detachments.  Company  K  left  in 
■.the  first  detachment  on  September  20,  and  Company  H 
October  4,  under  Colonel  William  J.  Sewell,  whose  name 
lias  since  become  a  household  word  in  the  county  by  reason 
of  his  prominence  in  Cape  May's  improvement,  his  summer 
residence  in  the  county  and  his  twice  serving  the  State  in 
the  United  States  Senate.  Each  detachment  proceeded  to 
Baltimore,  Aid.,  thence  by  transports  to  City  Point,  Va. 
Upon  its  arrival  it  was  assigned  to  garrison  and  other  duties, 
the  headquarters  of  the  regiment  being  at  Fort  Powliattan, 
•on  the  James  River,  having  been  assigned  to  a  provisional 
';l)rigade.  Army  of  the  James.     It  remained  in  this  vicinity 


34S  HISTOKY   OF   CArE   MAY   COUNTY. 

during  its  entire  period  of  service,  which  lasted  until  the  end 
of  the  war.  It  was  mustered  out  of  service  at  City  Point, 
Va.,  Ttme  30.  1865,  and  started  immediately  for  its  return 
to  New  Jersey,  where  it  arrived  on  July  4.  It  took  part  ia 
the  operations  of  the  army  before  Petersburg,  Va.,  which 
resulted  in  its  capture  April  2,  and  the  surrender  of  General 
Robert  E.  Lee,  April  9. 

Those  who  enlisted  in  Company  H  on  September  20 
were:  George  Aumack,  Richard  Aumack,  Jr.,  Samuel 
Barnes,  John  G.  Sheppard,  Edward  F.  Townsend,  Joseph 
W.  Whitaker,  and  on  the  27th  were  John  C.  Camp,  James 
Chambers,  Frederick  W.  Crandol  and  Franklin  Scull.  They 
all  served  as  privates.  All  but  Franklin  Scull  were  mus- 
tered out  on  June  30,  1865,  he  having  died  of  pleurisy  at 
Post  Hospital,  Fort  Pocohontas,  Va.,  on  November  22, 
1864. 

The  Cape  ]\Iay  men  in  Company  K  all  enlisted  on  Sep- 
tember 6,  excepting  William  Hoffman,  who  enlisted  on  the 
following  day.  When  the  company  was  mustered  into  ser- 
vice the  Cape  May  men  ranked  as  follows: 
First  lieutenant,  Albert  E.  Hand. 
Sergeant,  Samuel  E.  Douglass. 
Corporal,  Eleazer  F.  Hankins. 

Privates — Isaac  Heritage,  Enoch  T.  Abrams,  Skidmore- 
Abrams,  Elijah  D.  Batts,  Henry  Brown,  James  F.  Cham- 
bers, Jacob  S.  Corson,  Joseph  Cresse,  George  Eldridge, 
James  Estell,  Robert  Garrison.  Benjamin  A.  Hankins,  Wil- 
liam H.  Fleritage,  William  Hoffman,  David  Lloyd,  Albert 
Norton,  David  Norton,  L^riah  Norton,  Henry  Rudolph 
and  Socrates  J.  Smith. 

Samuel  E.  Douglass  was  made  first  sergeant  October  i, 
1864;  sergeant-major  of  the  regiment  on  November  i,  and 
was  on  May  16,  1865.  promoted  to  be  second  lieutenant  of 
Company  E,  with  which  company  he  served  until  the  regi- 
ment was  mustered  out. 

Eleazer  F.  Hankins  was  made  sergeant  on  October  i, 
1864,  and  Isaac  Heritage  a  corporal  on  November  i.  All 
the  men  remained  with  the  company  until  it  was  mustered 
out,  on  June  30,  1865,  excepting  Samuel  E.  Douglass  and 


THE  CAMPAKJXS  OF  18U4  AND  ISCm.  349 

lienry  Rudolph,  the  latter  being  discharged  at  Camp  Pa- 
jole,  Annapolis,  Md.,  May  i,  1865. 

Cape  May  men  did  excellent  service  in  the  navy,  the 
more  prominent  of  these  men  being: 

Henry  W.  Hand,  acting  master;  appointed  November  13, 
''61;  discharged  February  21,  '66;  served  on  U.  S.  steamship 
•"Vermont"'  during  1863  and  1864. 

James  Mecray,  Jr.,  acting  assistant  surgeon;  appointed 
November  5,  '62;  resigned  April  i,  '64;  served  in  East  Gulf 
Blockading  Squadron,  '62;  U.  S.  bark  "James  L.  Davis," 
J863, 

Henry  Bennett  (records  unknown);  drowned  in  Charles- 
Ion  Harbor,  S.  C. 

Edward  D.  Springer,  acting  ensign;  appointed  August 
31,  '64;  dischaged  December  11,  '65;  served  in  Mississippi 
Squadron. 

Eli  D.  Edmunds,  acting  master;  appointed  May  8,  1865; 
discharged  September  9,  1865;  acting  master's  mate  Sep- 
tember 9,  '62;  U.  S.  steamer  "Crusader,"  '62;  acting  en- 
sign September  9,  '63;  Potomac  Flotilla,  '63  and  '64;  com- 
manding coast  survey  steamer  '66. 

Seth  L.  Hand,  landsman;  appointed  September  2,  '64; 
discharged  June  11,  '65;  served  on  U.  S.  receiving  ship 
"Princeton." 

Theodore  F.  Hildreth,  seaman;  appointed  December  14, 
'63;  discharged  December  7,  '64;  served  on  U.  S.  steamer 
"Niphon." 

Elijah  Hand,  Jr.,  ordnance  seaman;  appointed  Septem- 
ber 5.  '64;  discharged  June  8,  '65;  served  on  U.  S.  steamer 
^'Pontoosuc." 

Andrew  J.  Tomlin,  U.  S.  Marine  Corps. 

Henry  Walker  Hand  is  of  colonial  stock,  being  a  lineal 
tiescendant  of  Mark  Hand,  a  soldier  in  the  army  of  Oliver 
Cromwell.  He  is  a  son  of  Christopher  Smith  Hand,  and 
was  born  at  Green  Creek  on  July  8,  1833.  After  obtaining 
snch  educational  advantages  as  were  to  be  had  in  his  native 
neighborhood,  he  began  a  life  upon  the  sea  at  seventeen 
years  of  age.  At  twenty-one  he  was  a  master  in  the  mer- 
-chant  marine.     When  in  Mobile,  Alabama,  in  1856,  he  was 


350  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

arrested  for  carrying  ofif  a  negro  slave,  but  upon  trial  was- 
acquitted.  He  was,  however,  an  ardent  Abolitionist  and. 
strong  Union  man  during  the  war.  He  entered  the  navy 
at  the  outbreak  of  the  conflict,  on  November  13,  1861,  and 
as  master  was  ordered  to  the  U.  S.  steamship  "Keystone 
State"  as  division  and  watch  offtcer.  He  was  on  this  vesseK 
when  it  made  its  long  cruise  after  the  Confederate  blockade- 
runner  "Nashville."  He  was  in  Admiral  Du  Pout's  squad- 
ron when  his  fleet  captured  the  Southern  ports  south  of 
Port  Royal,  South  Carolina.  He  operated  with  the  divi- 
sions of  sailors  and  marines  for  shore  duty  and  was  prize- 
master  of  the  Confederate  privateer  "Dixie,"  captured  by 
the  "Keystone  State."  He  was  attached  to  the  monitor 
"Passaic"  in  New  York  during  the  celebrated  draft  riots^. 
and  had  command  of  her  turret  division.  He  w'as  after- 
wards transferred  to  the  U.  S.  ships  "Vermont"  and  "New 
Hampshire,"  and  was  executive  offtcer  of  each  of  them  in 
succession  from  July  28,  1863,  to  November,  1865.  He  did 
service  at  the  blockade  at  Charleston,  S.  C,  and  wdth  the 
naval  brigade,  under  Brigadier  General  Hatch,  operated  in. 
South  Carolina  in  February,  1865.  in  the  division  which 
acted  as  a  diversion  to  General  Sherman  in  the  march  to  the 
sea. 

After  the  war  Captain  Hand  made  a  three  years'  cruise 
in  the  U.  S.  steamship  "Lackawanna,"  on  the  Pacific  sta- 
tion, as  watch  offtcer.  This  ship  did  surveying  in  the  Pa- 
cific Ocean  with  headquarters  at  Honolulu,  Sandwich  Is- 
lands. This  was  the  first  U.  S.  war  vessel  to  reach  that  port 
after  the  war.  He  was  honorably  discharged  in  1869,  and 
returned  home.  Since  that  time  he  was  connected  with  the- 
public  schools  as  teacher  until  he  devoted  his  whole  time 
to  editorial  duties  as  editor  of  the  "Wave,"  in  which  ca- 
pacity he  has  acted  since  1883. 

In  1862  the  total  value  of  property  in  the  county  was- 
$2,638,028,  divided  as  follows:  Upper  township,  $536,775; 
Dennis,  $520,871;  Middle,  $580,180;  Lower,  $498,476,  and 
Cape  Island,  $474,726.  In  1865  the  total  value  had  de- 
creased, according  to  estimate,  a  half  million  dollars.  The 
following  table  shows  the  condition  of  the  county  as  esti- 
mated at  the  close  of  the  war  (June,  1865): 


THE  CAMPAKiNS  OF  18(54  AM)  ]80.j. 


351 


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352  HISTORY   OF   CAPE   ISIAY   COUNTY. 

In  1866  the  war  debt  of  Cape  May  county  had  reached 
about  twenty  thousand  dollars,  and  it  was  reduced  at  the 
rate  of  about  thirty-five  hundred  dollars  per  year  until  ex- 
tinguished. 

Frederick  Ricard,  State  superintendent  of  public  schools, 
in  his  report  of  January  15,  1862,  says  of  the  Cape  May 
county  schools: 

"The  tax  per  child  raised  here  for  the  purpose  of  edu- 
cation is  exceeded  by  only  three  other  counties  in  the  State. 
:>=  *  *  There  is  no  charge  made  for  tuition  in  any  of  the 
public  schools,  though  I  regret  to  say  that  the  average 
number  of  months  which  they  are  kept  open  does  not  com- 
pare favorably  with  that  of  other  counties.  The  teachers 
here  are,  with  very  few  exceptions,  spoken  of  in  the  high- 
est terms." 

Cape  May  county's  war  Senator  was  Jonathan  F.  Learn- 
ing, A.  M.,  M.  D.,  D.  D.  S.,  who  served  from  1862  to  1865. 
He  was  born  in  Cape  May  county  September  7,  1822.  His 
family  is  of  English  extraction,  he  being  the  sixth  m  his  line 
from  Christopher  Leaming,  who  migrated  from  England 
in  1670  and  settled  in  Cape  May  county  in  1691.  He  was 
a  great-grandson  of  Aaron  Leaming,  second.  H?  pursued 
his  collegiate  course  at  Madison  L^niversity,  New  York, 
and  subsequently  at  Brown  University,  Lhode  Island,  and 
graduate  at  the  Jefferson  Medical  College,  in  Philadelphia, 
in  1846.  In  1847  ^^6  commenced  the  practice  of  medicine 
in  his  native  county,  which  he  pursued  for  fourteen  years, 
compelled  to  relinquish  it  for  the  kindred  but  less  arduous 
profession  of  dentistry  on  account  of  impaired  health.  In 
i860  he  graduated  at  the  Pennsylvania  Dental  College, 
Philadelphia,  and  has  since  practiced  dentistry  in  Cape  May 
county.  He  has  taken  an  active  part  in  public  affairs,  edu- 
cational, political  and  religious.  For  several  years  he  was 
township  superintendent  of  public  schools,  for  fifteen  years 
county  school  examiner;  served  two  terms  as  trustee  of  the 
State  Normal  School,  of  which  he  was  always  a  firm  advo- 
cate and  supporters. 

In  1861  he  was  elected  as  a  Republican  to  the  New  Jer- 
sey House  of  Assemblv,  and  in  1862  he  was  elevated  to  the 


J^ 


THE  CA^rrAIGNS  OF  lS(t4   AND   ISCr.. 


G53 


State  Senate,  where  he  served  three  years.  He  was  chair- 
man of  the  committee  of  the  Senate  on  the  estabUshment  of 
the  New  Jersey  Agricultural  College,  and  was  largely  inter- 
«ster  in  securing  for  Rutger's  College  her  agricultural  en- 
dowment fund. 

In  1868  he  was  elected  surrogate  of  Cape  May  county 
for  five  years,  and  re-elected  in  1873,  but  in  1877  resigned 
that  position  on  January  i  to  accept  a  seat  in  the  State  Sen- 
ate again,  to  which  he  had  been  elected  by  the  people  for  a 
term  of  three  years. 

Religiously,  he  is  a  Baptist,  and  has  been  affiliated  with 
church  work  for  sixty  years,  either  as  teacher,  trustee, -dea- 


DK.  JONATHAN  F.  LKAMING 


con  and  clerk,  and  for  a  great  many  years  was  a  Sunday- 
school  superintendent. 

A  prominent  citizen  of  Cape  May  during  the  war  period 
was  Dr.  Coleman  F.  Leaming,  of  Court  House.  He  was 
the  second  son  of  Jeremiah  Leaming,  who  was  in  the  Leg- 
islative Council  in  1832  to  1834,  and  elder  brother  of  Rich- 
ard S.  Leaming,  who  was  a  Senator  in  1874  to  1877.  The 
doctor  was  born  on  June  6,  1818.  He  was  loan  commis- 
sioner of  Cape  May  county  from  1863  to  1880.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Board  of  Freeholders  from  Middle  town- 
ship in  1863.  '64,  "65.  Previous  to  the  war  he  practiced 
medicine  in  New  York.    For  a  number  of  years  he  has  been 


364 


HISTORY  OF  CAFE  MAY  COUNTY, 


a  director  of  the  West  Jersey  Railroad,  and  was  for  some 
years  superintendent  of  schools  in  Middle  township. 

The  war  Assemblyman  was  Wilmon  W.  Ware,  who  served 
from  1862  to  1865,  and  who  was  State  Senator  from  1865. 
to  1868.  He  was  born  at  Cape  May  City,  where  he  always  re- 
sided, in  1818,  and  was  a  brother  of  Joseph,  Daniel  C,  Mas- 
kel  and  John  G.  W.,  all  of  whom  held  public  offices  of  trust 
in  Cape  May  City.  He  was  a  member  of  Cape  Island  Ctiy 
Council  during  the  years  1854,  1864,  1870  and  1878.  He- 
served  as  city  clerk  from  1858  to  1861,  and  was  a  member 
of  the  Board  of  Freeholders  in  1870.  In  politics  he  wa& 
Republican,  having  formerly  been  a  Whig.  He  died  at 
Cape  May  City  on  August  25,  1885. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

LIFE  FOLLOWING  THE  REBELLION. 
John  Wilson  was  elected  sheriff  in  1865  and  served  un- 
til 1868.  He  was  born  at  East  Creek,  where  his  father, 
then  a  lad  of  nineteen,  had  settled,  June  13,  1809.  His  fa- 
ther came  from  the  north  coast  of  Ireland  to  America.  He 
always  lived  in  that  village,  where  he  was  a  leading  citizen. 
He  was  a  merchant,  and  engaged  largely  in  the  shipping  of 
cord  wood.  He  was  the  first  postmaster  of  his  village,  hav- 
ing been  appointed  in  1842,  and  occupying  the  position 
until  he  died,  December  23,  1875.  He  was  prominently 
identified  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  his 
neighborhood  and  a  devout  Christian.  In  politics  he  was 
at  first  a  Whig  and  then  a  Republican. 

On  June  14,  1865,  the  Board  of  Freeholders  concluded  to 
build  a  new  surrogate's  and  clerk's  office,  and  selected  a 
committee  to  visit  other  counties  and  examine  the  public 
offices.  Dr.  Coleman  F.  Leaming,  Sylvanus  Corson  and 
Joseph  E.  Hughes  were  chosen  as  the  committee.  On  De- 
cember 28  they  reported  to  the  Board  that  they  had  had  the 
offices  built  at  a  cost  of  $5100  and  that  they  were  finished 
on  December  i. 

By  the  census  of  this  year,  and  in  spite  of  the  war,  the 
population  had  increased  to  7625  persons,  or  a  gain  in  five 
years  of  495.  The  population  was  apportioned  among  the 
townships  as  follows:  Upper,  1575;  Dennis,  2019;  Middle, 
2077;  Lower,  1355,  and  Cape  Island,  599. 

On  September  10,  1866,  the  New  Jersey  Legislature,  in 
special  session,  ratified  the  Fifteenth  Amendment  to  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  United  States.  Wilmon  W.  Ware  was  Sen- 
ator and  Thomas  H.  Beesley  was  the  Assemblyman. 

On  January  16,  1767,  a  postoffice  was  established  at 
Belle  Plain,  which  was  then  in  Cumberland  county,  but 
which  is  now  within  the  bounds  of  Cape  May  county.     On 


356  FIISTORY   OF   CAPE   MAY   COUNTY. 

the  7th  of  September  of  this  year  the  postofftce  at  South 
Seaville  was  opened,  with  Remington  Corson  as  postmaster. 

Samuel  R.  JNIagonagle,  who  was  a  member  of  the  As- 
sembly in  1868,  and  the  fifth  and  seventh  Mayor  of  Cape  Is- 
land, was  born  in  1829  at  IMifflin,  Juniata  caunty,  Pa.,  where 
he  was  brought  up  and  went  to  school.  His  mother  died 
when  he  was  ten  years  of  age,  and  he  was  left  much  of  the 
time  to  look  out  for  himself.  Early  in  life  he  apprenticed 
himself  to  a  printer,  and  learned  that  trade,  and  so  industri- 
ous was  he  that,  when  nineteen  years  of  age,  or  in  1848,  he 
was  the  publisher  of  a  newspaper  in  his  native  town,  known 
as  the  "Pennsylvania  Register."  He  published  the  journal 
for  a  number  of  years,  and  during  his  editorial  management 
was  a  power  for  the  Democratic  party,  to  the  principles  of 
which  Mr.  Magonagle  always  clung.  After  disposing  of 
his  paper,  the  young  and  ambitious  man  hunted  for  new 
fields,  and  traveled  all  over  the  West,  working  his  way  at 
the  printer's  case,  until,  in  1859,  we  find  him  in  Philadelphia. 
At  that  time  he  became  an  employe  at  the  printing  establish- 
ment of  Crissy  &  Markley,  and  afterwards  became  an  em- 
ploye of  the  "Philadelphia  Inquirer."  In  1856  he  came  to 
Cape  May,  or  Cape  Island,  as  the  place  was  then  called,  and 
became  an  employe  and  assistant  to  Mr.  Joseph  S.  Leach. 
at  that  time  proprietor  and  publisher  of  the  "Cape  May 
County  Ocean  Wave,"  when  the  paper  was  a  power  both 
editorially  and  in  a  business  way.  While  in  the  employ 
of  Mr.  Leach  he  did  not  waste  any  time,  but  between  hours 
learned  to  manipulate  the  telegrapher's  keyboard,  and  was 
shortly  made  the  manager  of  the  Western  Union  Telegraph 
Company  for  Cape  Island. 

On  December  5,  1859,  President  Buchanan  made  him 
postmaster  of  the  town,  which  office  he  held  until  June  26, 
1863,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Joseph  S.  Leach. 

In  May,  i860,  he  married  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Tindall,  widow  of 
Rev.  N.  B.  Tindall,  a  Baptist  clergyman,  and  a  daughter 
of  Richard  Thompson,  of  Court  House. 

In  March,  1861,  Mr.  Magonagle  was  elected  Mayor  for 
one  year,  and,  although  his  place  was  never  filled  by  an- 
other appointment,  the  office  was  virtually  vacant,  because 
Mr.  Magonagle  had,  shortly  after  election,  volunteered  his 


LIFE  FOLLOWING   THE   REBELLION. 


357 


services  to  the  country  and  gone  off  with  the  brave  boys  of 
Company  A,  Seventh  Regiment,  New  Jersey  \'olunteers. 
He  was  "only  away  a  :  ho.  .  iim:,  durhig  which  time  he  was 
quartermaster-sergeant.  He  was  taken  ill  and  never  crossed 
the  Potomac,  and  the  illness  never  left  him  entirely. 

He  purchased  the  "Wave"  in  1863  from  Mr.  Leach,  and 
was  its  proprietor  until  his  death.  In  1865  he  began  the 
summer-time  daily  issue,  which  has  been  continued  by  suc- 
cessive proprietors  of  tlie  paper  since. 

He  was  elected  INIayor  for  the  second  time  in  March,  1863, 


surrogate's  anj)  (.'Lekk'is  offick,  lu'ii/r  ix  iNGo. 

and  re-elected  in  1864.  1865,  1866  and  1867  for  terms  of  a 
vear  each.  He  would  have  probably  been  elected  in  1868, 
but  he  was  elected  to  the  House  (i  Assembly  in  the  fall  of 

1867.  Before  he  had  served  to  the  end  of  his  session,  in 

1868,  he  was  elected  a  member  of  City  Council,  and  died  be- 
fore that  term  was  served  out.  He  was  the  first  Democrat 
elected  to  the  Assembly  from  the  county. 

In  1859  he  united  with  the  First  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  of  this  city,  and  remained  a  faithful  member  and 
worker  and  Sunday-school  teaclier  during  the  balance  of  his 
life. 


358  HISTORY   OF   CAPE   MAY   COUNTY. 

While  in  Trenton  attending  to  getting  some  amendments 
to  the  city  charter,  which  were  finally  passed  in  1869,  he 
was  taken  ill  at  a  reception  at  the  home  of  Hon.  John  P. 
Stockton,  a  firm  friend  of  Mr.  Magonagle,  who  has  since 
that  time  been  United  States  Senator  and  x\ttorney-General 
of  the  State.  This  illness,  caused  by  the  illness  contracted 
in  the  army,  became  worse,  and  he  died  in  his  apartments 
in  the  American  House,  in  Trenton,  on  the  evening  of  Jan- 
uary 22,  1869.  The  body  was  brought  home,  and,  after  a 
large  funeral,  it  was  placed  in  its  last  resting  place  in  the 
Cape  May  Court  House  Cemetery.  He  left  a  widow,  who 
died  in  1894. 

At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  a  member  of  the  Soldiers' 
Union,  the  ^Masonic  Order  and  of  the  Good  Templars. 

In  speaking  of  •  him  in  its  obituary,  the  Philadelphia 
"Evening  Bulletin"  said: 

«*  *  *  j^jj.  ]\Iagonagle  was  a  gentleman  of  varied 
abilities,  and  of  the  most  estimable  character.  Generous 
and  humane  in  his  nature,  his  affections  and  sympathies 
were  always  enlisted  on  the  side  of  mercy.  These  traits 
were  eminently  developed  throughout  the  seven  years  he 
occupied  the  position  of  chief  magistrate  of  Cape  Island. 

"In  the  adjudication  of  the  varied  cases  which  came  be- 
fore him,  Mr.  Magonagle  exhibited  signal  ability.  His 
quick  appreciation  of  legal  duty  and  unmistakable  power 
of  analysis  always  guided  his  decisions  and  led  him  to  a  cor- 
rect determination  of  the  cases  that  came  before  him.  In 
the  discharge  of  his  duties  on  these  principles  he  won  for 
himself  the  warmest  attachments  of  all  who  came  in  social 
and  political  contact  with  him.  A  community  loses  much 
when  it  loses  such  a  man.  Mr.  Magonagle  had  been  a  resi- 
dent of  Cape  Island  for  many  years,  and  had  grown  almost 
with  the  growth  of  that  popular  seaside  resort. 

"He  had  been  successful  in  establishing  his  newspaper, 
the  'Ocean  Wave,'  on  a  firm  and  quite  prosperous  basis, 
and  was  an  active  spirit  in  advancing  all  the  essential  inter- 
ests and  improvements  of  that  city. 

"Mr.  Magonagle  was  a  gentleman  of  pleasing  and  affa- 
ble manners;  a  well-known  Democrat,  but  of  moderate  po- 
litical views;  was  a  member  of  the  Legislature  in  1868,  and 


LIFE  F()LL()WlN<i    I'llE    KEHKLLIOX.  359 

■was  esteemed  by  his  colleagues  for  his  honorable  traits  of 
•character,  and  by  the  members  of  the  press  throughout  the 
-State  for  his  social  qualities,  business  enterprise  and  en- 
ergy." 

Anthony  Steelman,  Sheriff  from  1868  to  1871,  was  born 
in  Atlantic  county  December  23,  1823,  his  father  being  Jo- 
nas Steelman.  He  attended  the  public  schools  until  he  was 
eighteen  years  of  age.  Then  he  worked  on  his  father's  farm 
-until  1845,  when,  on  October  6,  he  became  a  partner  of 
Elijah  Ireland,  at  Tuckahoe,  in  the  mercantile  business,  and 
in  August,  1847,  became  a  partner  of  James  Shoemaker, 
remaining  with  him  twenty-three  years.  He  then  became 
sole  owner,  and  conducted  the  business  until  he  retired  in 
1895,  having  been  in  business  then  forty-nine  years.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Freeholders  nine  years,  "nd 
■of  the  Upper  Township  Committee  fifteen  years. 

The  "Star  of  the  Cape,"  the  second  newspaper  established 
in  the  county,  first  appeared  at  Cape  May  Court  House 
about  1868,  its  publishers  being  J.  Alvin  Cresse  and  one 
Cheever.  In  less  than  two  years'  time  it  was  moved  to 
Cape  May  City  by  W.\'.  L.  Seigman.who  purchased  it  of  its 
original  owners,  and  who  conducted  it  until  1883,  when  it 
Avas  purchased  by  Thomas  R.  Brooks.  Mr.  Brooks  edited 
it  until  May,  1889,  when  he  sold  it  to  Aaron  W.  Hand  and 
N.  Perry  Edmunds.  In  February,  1890,  Mr.  Brooks  pur- 
•chased  of  Mr.  Edmunds  his  interest,  and  finally  the  whole 
paper  in  1894,  but  in  September,  1895,  he  sold  it  to  the  Star 
of  the  Cape  Publishing  Company,  who  are  the  present  own- 
ers. It  is  now  managed  for  this  companv  by  Aaron  W. 
Hand. 

Thomas  Rezo  Brooks,  a  grandson  of  Rev.  Thomas 
Brooks,  a  Baptist  cli^rgyman  who  preached  at  West  Creek, 
was  born  at  Heislerville,  Cumberland  county,  X.  J..  Octo- 
"ber  4,  1838.  His  grandfather  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier, 
and  he  was  one  of  those  who  were  confined  in  the  prison 
■ship  in  New  York  harbor  by  the  liritish  for  his  ardent  pa- 
triotism. Flis  father  was  Sanniel  Brooks,  a  prominent  of- 
ficial member  and  exhorter  in  the  Methodist  Church  of 
Cumberland  county.    His  mother  is  Loraina,  a  daut^hter  c 


360 


HISTORY   OF   CAPE   M\Y   COT'XTY. 


Barlow  Williams,  who  was  licensed  as  a  local  minister  in 
the  Methodist  Church  at  the  beginning  of  the  present  cen- 
tury. Mr.  Brooks'  parents  removed  to  Philadelphia  in  the- 
spring  of  1839  and  it  was  in  the  public  schools  of  that  city 
that  he  was  mainly  educated.  In  December,  1861,  he  mar- 
ried Miss  Emma  T.  Brooks,  of  Smyrna.  Delaware.  In  1859 
he  began  teaching  school  in  his  native  county,  and  m  1869 
closed  his  career  as  a  teacher  at  Dennisville,  this  county, 
and  accepted  a  position  tendered  him  by  the  West  Jersey 
Railroad  Company.  He  was  with  this  company  for  four- 
teen years.     While  yet  with  the  company,  in  1876,  he  be- 


TIIOMAS   K.    HROOK 


came  associate  editor  of  the  "Wave."  and  in  1883  resigned 
his  position  with  the  company  and  purchased  the  "Star  of 
the  Cape,"  from  which  he  retired  in  the  fall  of  1895.  Under 
his  editorial  control  the  "Star  of  the  Cape"  became  one  of  the 
most  popular  and  successful  journals  in  South  Jersey.  He 
now  resides  ui  Cape  May  City. 

Dr.  Edmund  Levi  Bull  Wales,  of  Tuckahoe,  was,  about 
1866,  appointed  a  judge  of  the  New  Jersey  Court  of  Errors 
and  Appeals,  to  succeed  Joshua  Swain.  Jr.,  who  had  died. 
He  served  in  that  capacity  until  1881.  Dr.  Wales  was  a  son 
of  Dr.  Roger  Wales,  and  was  born  March   15,   1805.     He- 


LIFE  following;    Till-:   KK1U:LLIUN.  o61 

was  a  graduate  of  Jefferson  Medicr.l  College,  Philadelphia, 
and  practiced  metlicine  at  Tuckahoe  for  many  years.  He 
was  the  wealthiest  man  of  the  county  at  tlic  time  of  his 
death,  on  August  19.  1882. 

His  brother.  Dr.  Eli  B.  Wales,  of  Cold  Spring,  was  for 
many  years  a  judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  of  Cape 
May  county.  Pie  was  born  July  10,  1798,  and  died  Sep- 
tember 24,  1883. 

In  1870  Cape  May's  acreage  was  divided  as  follows: 
Beaches,  4424;  marsh  on  which  tide  rose  and  fell,  58,824; 
bays  and  sound?  and  creeks,  10,443;  ^^^^  upland,  96,480; 
total,  170,171  .-;cres.  Twenty-one  thousand  four  hundred 
and  two  acres  of  this  fast  land  were  under  cultivation  and 
known  as  "improved  land.""  The  estimated  total  value  of 
farms  was  $1,683,430.  The  total  value  of  all  farm  produc- 
tions, including  Ix'ttenricnts  and  addition  to  stock,  was 
$318,609.  The  live  stock  in  the  county  (valued  at  .$196,000) 
was  divi'led  as  follows:  Horses,  816:  mules  and  asses,  4; 
milch  0(1"/?.  1545;  working  oxen,  13:  slieep,  382,  and  swine, 
175 1.  The  production.-  were  as  follows:  Busliels  of  winter 
wlieat,  19.064:  busliels  of  rye,  171;  bushels  of  Indian  corn. 
86.218:  bushels  of  oats,  6648:  bushels  of  buckwlieat,  157; 
pounds  of  wool,  1095:  bushels  of  Irish  potatoes,  22,360; 
bushels  of  sweet  ]:)otatoes,  21.193,  '^'"'^^  pounds  of  butter,  68,- 
310. 

Tlie  assessed  valuatinn  of  real  ond  personal  estate  was 
$•^.800,810:  true  value  of  real  and  personal  estate,  $5,599.- 
383:  total  amount  raised  by  taxation.  $36,637;  State  tax, 
$2228:  county  tax.  $11,529:  town  and  city  tax,  $22,870; 
countv  public  debt,  nothing:  townsliip  and  city  public  debt. 
$50,600. 

The  population  of  the  count  y  was  apportioned  as  follows: 

TOWNSIIirS.  WHITE  (OI.OHKI)  TOTM. 

Cape  May  City, l-:4^  148  ]-M^?> 

Dennis, 1598  2  KSOO 

Lower 'Hn2  Cll  181H 

Middle, -J  28  n?  2^m 

Ufq-er, l=-.-.^i  7  1528 

80n4  4:-"!:)  852<> 


362 


HIS1X)RY  OF  GATE  MAY  COUNTY. 


In  the  beginnino^  of  the  present  century  whale  boats  were 
used  on  the  Cape  May  county  coast  for  the  saving  of  lives 
and  merchandise  from  wrecks.  These  boats  were  built  for 
such  purposes  in  conjunction  with  use  for  fishing  purposes 
of  shore.  They  were  owned  by  private  parties,  and  the 
crews  were  necessarily  volunteers.  About  1840  Jonathan 
J.  Springer,  of  Middle  township,  brother  of  Samuel  Spring- 
er, sheriff,  hiiilt  a  boat  for  the  purpose,  which  was  named 
"Insurance."  This  craft  was  built  for  the  Vessel  Insurance 
Company,  for  which  Judge  Richard  C.  Holmes  w^as  agent 
in  Cape  May  county.  The  "Insurance,"  owing  to  its  un- 
seaworthy  qualities,  was  abandoned,  and  about  1852  the 
"Relief"  was  built  by  Mr.  Springer  for  a  company  of  nine. 
Some  of  those  who  served  as  volunteers  in  the  crew  were 
Richard  Ludlam,  Aaron  D.  Hand,  George  Hildreth,  Isaac 
Isard,  Jonathan  Fifield,  Elijah  Townsend,  Enoch  Hand  and 
James  Crowell.  About  i860  "The  Rescue"  was  built  and 
manned  by  Henry  Y.  Hewitt,  captain;  Richard  Holmes, 
Enoch  Hand,  Cornelious  Bennett,  Swain,  Church,  Somers, 
Isard,  William  McCarty,  Sr. 

In  1857  Judge  Holmes  built  his  self-righting  life-saving 
boat,  and  in  the  summer  of  that  year  it  was  exhibited  on 
the  beach  at  Cape  Island.  This  boat,  however,  never 
proved  successful. 

Judg;e  Richard  C.  Holmes  was  born  in  Cape  May  county 
September  17,  1813.  He  was  educated  in  Philadelphia,  and 
the  early  part  of  his  life  was  spent  in  the  employ  of  Captain 
Joseph  Hand,  an  extensive  shipping  merchant  (who  was  also 
born  in  Cape  May  county).  While  in  Captain  Hand's  em- 
ploy young  Holmes  gained  a  full  knowledge  of  vessels, 
boat's  and  seamen,  and  afterwards  used  his  knowledge  in 
savi'ig  hundreds  of  lives  on  the  coast.  He  was  an  officer 
of  bo'h  the  State  and  the  United  States  and  agent  for  Phila- 
delpl  i.'i  ind  New  York  insurance  comp.anies.  He  was  col- 
lector of  the  Port  of  Cape  May  about  1832.  Judge  Holmes 
died  at  his  hon-"^.  near  Cape  May  Court  House,  January 
25.  1863,  aged  49  years. 

The  attention  to  establishing  life-saving  stations  on  the 
coast    was  first  given  by  the  United  States  Government    in 


LIFE   FOLI.OWIXd   TIIF   UEBELI.IOX.  36-3 

K848.  wlien  William  A.  Xewell,  of  New  Jersey,  was  in  Con- 
■gress.  He  urged  the  expediency  of  action,  and  secured  an 
appropriation  of  $10,000  to  "provide  surf  boats,  rockets, 
'Carronades  and  other  necessary  appurtenances  for  the  better 
•preservation  of  life  and  property  from  shipwreck.  In  1849 
boats  were  first  placed  on  Cape  May  beaches  for  life-saving 
stations  by  the  authority  given  above.  The  boats  and  ap- 
purtenances were  not  placed  in  the  hands  of  persons  held 
accountable.  In  December,  1854,  Congress  authorized  the 
appointment  of  captains,  who  were  paid  $200  per  year  sal- 
ary, while  the  crews  were  to  be  volunteers.  In  1871  the 
present  organized  service  was  established.  New  stations 
were  built  and  equipped  with  boats  and  with  rooms  for  liv- 
ing and  sleeping,  a  code  of  signals  adopted  and  full  crews 
■employed. 

Geographical  positions  of  United  States  life-saving  sta- 
tions in  Cape  May  county: 

No.  30.  Beasley's — South  side  Great  Egg  Harbor  Inlet. 

No.  31,  Peck's  Beach — Three  and  one-half  miles  above 
'Corson's  Inlet. 

No.  32,  Corson's  Inlet — Near  inlet,  north  side. 

No.  33,  Ludlam's  Beach — Three  and  one-half  miles  above 
Townsend's  Inlet. 

No.  34,  Townsend's  Inlet — Near  the  Inlet,  west  side. 

No.  35,  Stone  Harbor — Three  and  one-half  miles  above 
Hereford  Inlet. 

No.  36,  Hereford  Inlet — Near  Hereford  Light. 

No.  37,  Turtle  Gut — Six  and  one-quarter  miles  above 
Cape  May  City. 

No.  38,  Two-Mile  Beach — Four  miles  above  Cape  May 
City. 

No.  39.  Cold  Sprinn- — One  hundred  feet  west  ^Madison 
avenue,  Cape  May  Citv. 

No.  40,  Cape  May — Near  Cape  May  Lii^ht. 

No.  4T,  Bay  Shore — Two  and  one-half  miles  west  Cape 
Mav  City. 

Thomas  Beesley.  of  Dennisville.  who  was  chosen  State 
Senator  in  1870  and  served  in  1871,  '72  and  '73.  was  a 
vounger  brother  of  Dr.  Maurice  Beeslev.     Thomas  Beeslev 


364  UISTOIIY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

was  born  in  Capo  May  county  August  22,  1815,  and,  after 
receiving  a  moderate  education,  engaged  himself  in  mer- 
cantile pursuits.  He  became  prominent  as  a  counselor 
among  men.  He  was  five  times  chosen  to  the  Assembly, 
serving  in  the  years  1865,  '66,  '67,  '69  and  70.  He  held. 
local  offices  and  was  an  ardent  Union  man.  He  was  at 
first  allied  with  the  Whig  party,  and  then  with  the  Repub- 
lican, and  as  such  was  elected  to  public  office.  He  died  on 
October  16,  1877. 

Nelson  T.  Eldredge,  of  Lower  township,  who  was  chosen^ 
sheriff  in  187 1,  was  a  son  of  Jeremiah  L.  Eldredge,  a  prom- 
inent pilot  who  lived  in  the  county.  He  was  born  in  Lower 
township  October  13,  1833.  He  served  as  sheriff  from  1871 
to  1874.     He  died  in  Lower  township  on  June  16,  1886. 

In  1872  postoffices  were  at  Ocean  \'iew  and  Palermo,, 
the  former  on  May  6  and  the  latter  on  December  11. 
February  24,  1873,  the  office  at  South  Dennis  was  first 
opened. 

In  1872  the  State  Legislature  passed  a  law  authorizing 
the  building  of  life  saving  stations  along  the  beaches. 

In  1875  the  International  Cape  May  Ocean  Regatta  came- 
off,  and  the  Cape  May  Cup,  which  was  then  won,  has  been 
carried  all  over  the  world  and  raced  for  many  times  since- 
by  those  yachts  famous  both  in  Europe  and  America. 

The  cup  was  raced  for  by  the  New  York  Yacht  Club 
from  a  buoy  off  Sandy  Hook  to  Five-Fathom  Beach,  off 
Cape  May. 

The  third  President  to  visit  Cape  May  county  was  General 
Grant,  who  came  for  four  different  seasons  for  short  visits.. 
On  Saturday  evening,  June  13,  1873,  he  arrived  at  Congress 
Hall.  Cape  Island,  and  was  at  the  opening  of  the  hotel  for 
the  season.  He  brought  with  him  several  Cabinet  officers 
and  prominent  citizens,  among  whom  were  General  George 
H.  Williams,  Attorney-General;  Hon.  Benjamin  Bristow, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury;  Hon.  R.  B.  Cowen,  Assistant 
Secretary  of  the  Interior;  ex-Vice-President  Hannibal  Ham- 
lin, then  United  States  Senator  from  Maine;  General  O.  E. 
Hancock,  United  States  Army,  and  Private  Secretary  to  the 
President;  Hon.  A.  G.  Cattell.  ex-United  States  Senator 
from  New  Jersey,  and  who  was  afterwards  president  of  the 


LIFE   1"()LL()\VI.\(;   'iHi:   IlKr.ELLTO.X.  8t)5 

local  banking-  institution,  the  New  Jerse}-  I'rust  and  Safe 
Deposit  Compan\-;  Governor  A.  R.  Sheppard,  oi  the  Dis- 
trict of  Coknnbia;  Hon.  John  Goforth,  Assistant  Attorney- 
General;  General  Edward  AlcCook,  Governor  of  Colorado; 
Thomas  H.  Dudley,  Consul  to  Liverpool,  and  others.  The 
party  was  received  by  Company  H,  Sixth  Reghnent,  the 
local  military  organization,  and  welcomed  to  the  city  by 
Mayor  Waters  B.  jMiller.  During  that  season  Hon.  Fred- 
eric T.  Frelinghuysen,  ai'terwards  Secretary  of  State  un- 
der President  Arthur,  was  a  guest  at  the  Stockton  with  his 
family.  The  following  season  Governor  Thomas  A.  Hen- 
dricks, afterwards  \' ice-President  of  the  United  States,  was 
a  Stockton  guest. 

Frank  \\'illing  Leach,  who  left  Cape  May  for  other  fields 
about  this  time,  is  the  youngest  surviving  son  of  Joseph  S. 
Leach,  and  was  born  at  Cape  ]\Iay  August  26,  1855.  He 
was  educated  primarily  at  the  local  schools  and  by  private 
tutor.  Flaving  read  law  with  his  brother,  J.  Granville 
Leach,  he  was  admitted  to  the  Philadelphia  bar  March  31, 
1877.  He  immediately  began  the  practice  of  his  profession 
in  that  city,  where  he  has  resided  since  January,  1873.  Mr. 
Leach,  at  an  early  age,  even  before  attaining  his  majority, 
evinced  an  appetite  for  journalism  and  literature.  When  a 
youth  he  was  president  of  the  Philadelphia  Amateur  Press 
Association  and  critic  of  the  Eastern  Amateur  Press  Asso- 
ciation. About  this  time  he  was  editor  of  "The  Literary 
•Gem,"  a  monthly  journal,  published  by  the  Crescent  Liter- 
ary Society,  of  which  organization,  made  up  chiefly  of  col- 
lege students,  he  was  the  president.  Soon  afterw'ard  he  be- 
gan contributing  to  current  periodicals,  his  first  story,  a  nov- 
elette, having  been  published  in  the  ''Waverly  Magazine," 
when  he  was  twenty-tvv'o  years  of  age.  Before  this  he  had 
done  work  as  a  correspondent  for  the  Philadelphia  "Press" 
and  Philadelphia  "North  American."  For  a  number  of 
years  Mr.  Leach  has  been  engaged  upon  a  biographical  and 
genealogical  work  entitled  "The  Signers  of  the  Declaration 
of  Independence:  Their  Ancestors  and  Descendants." 

Mr.  Leach's  tastes  and  inclinations  ran  to  politics  while 
he  was  yet  a  young  man.  In  1881  he  was  a  delegate  to  the 
Republican   State   Convention,  of  which,  also,  he  was  the 


3G6  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

secretary.  The  same  year  he  followed  the  political  fortunes" 
of  Hon.  Charles  S.  Wolfe,  who  ran  as  an  independent  can- 
didate for  State  Treasurer.  Mr.  Leach  was  secretary  of  the- 
Independent  Republican  State  Committee  that  year,  as  well, 
as  in  1882,  when  Hon.  John  Stewart  was  the  independent, 
candidate  for  Governor,  and  he  was  also  secretary  of  the 
convention  which  placed  the  latter  in  nomination,  May  24,. 
1882.  In  1883  he  was  chief  auditor  in  the  office  of  the  City 
Controller  of  Philadelphia,  and  the  following  year  he  was- 
chief  clerk,  at  the  same  time  serving  as  secretary  to  the- 
he  became  the  secretary  of  the  Republican  State  Committee- 
Commissioners  of  the  Sinking  Fund  of  that  city.  In  1885 
of  Pennsylvania,  which  position  he  held  until  the  sumrner 
of  1893.  From  1886  to  1892,  and  again  in  1895,  ^'^^  '^^"^s 
secretary  of  the  Republican  State  Committee.  He  was  also 
a  delegate  to  the  State  Convention  of  1893.  In  1888  he 
was  secretary  of  the  Republican  National  Convention,  which 
met  at  Chicago,  and  from  1888  to  1892  he  was  assistant 
secretary  of  the  Republican  National  Committee,  and  he 
conducted  the  campaign  of  that  year.  As  a  political  or- 
ganizer he  has  few  equals  in  Pennsylvania. 

Mr.  Leach  is  a  member  of  the  Pennsylvania  Society  Sons 
of  the  Revolution  and  of  the  Pennsylvania  and  New  York 
Societies  of  Mayflower  Descendants;  also  a  member  of  the 
Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania,  the  American  Academy 
of  Political  and  Social  Science,  the  Numismatic  and  Anti- 
quarian Society  of  Philadelphia,  the  University  Archeolog- 
ical  Association,  the  American  Folk  Lore  Society,  the  Civil 
Service  Reform  Association  of  Philadelphia  and  the  Gealog- 
ical  Society  of  Pennsylvania;  also  of  Mt.  Moriah  Lodge, 
No.  55,  F.  A.  M.,  and  Damascus  Council,  No.  536,  Jr.  O.  U. 
A.  M.;  also  of  the  Markham  and  Penrose  Clubs  of  Philadel- 
phia, and  the  Harrisburg  Club,  of  Harrisburg,  Pa. 

Hereford  Inlet  Light  was  established  in  1874. 

This  light  is  located  on  the  north  end  of  Five-AIile  Beach, 
in  latitude  39°Oo'oo''  and  longitude  74°47'oo".  Its  height 
of  tower  is  49^  feet  and  elevation  of  light  57  feet  above  sea 
level.  It  has  a  fourth-order  lens  and  fixed  red  light,  visible 
at  a  distance  of  thirteen  nautical  miles.  Arc  of  illumination, 
N.  E.  by  N.  I  N.,  around  eastward  to  S.  W.  ^  S.     This 


LIFE  FOLLOW  I  N<;    THE   HEHKLI.iON. 


3b7 


Structure  is  of  wood  and  placed  in  a  grove.  The  tower 
surmounts  the  dweUing.  Both  are  painted  straw  color. 
Distant  lof  nautical  miles  north  of  Cape  May  Lighthouse. 

Richard  S.  Learning,  Senator  from  1874  to  1877,  was  a 
prominent  man  of  the  county.  He  was  a  son  of  Jeremiah 
Learning,  who  was  Senator  from  1834  to  1836,  and  was 
born  in  Cape  May  county  July  16,  1828.  In  early  life  he 
evinced  business  capacity,  and  began  business  as  a  ship 
builder  at  Dennisville,  where  he  was  successful  in  his  opera- 


KICIIAKD  S.  I.EAMIXC4. 


tions.  During  the  war  he  became  a  staunch  Union  man, 
and  was  active  in  moving  supplies  and  securing  volunteers. 
He  became  a  member  of  the  Republican  party  upon  its 
formation.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Freeholders 
from  Dennis  township  during  the  years  1862,  '69,  '70,'7i  and 
y2.  He  served  as  a  member  of  the  Assembly  in  1871,  '72 
and  'yT,.  The  latter  year  he  was  chosen  to  the  Senate  and 
served  during  the  years  1874,  '75  and  '76.  He  was  a  candi- 
date for  Presidential  elector  in  1888  on  the  Harrison  and 
Morton  ticket.     He  was  a  prominent  Baptist  and  many 


308 


HISTORY  or  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 


years  superintendent   of   liis   Sunday   school.     He   died   at 
Dennisville  on  May  25.  1895. 

In  1874  Dr.  Alexander  Young,  of  Court  House,  ser\'ed 
in  the  Assembly.  He  was  a  grandson  of  Henry  Young, 
who  was  surrogate  of  Cape  Way  from  1743  to  1768.  Dr. 
Young  was  born  at  Beesley's  Point  March  27,  1828.  After 
getting  a  primitive  education,  he  entered  Jefferson  Medical 
College,  in  Philadelphia,  in  1857,  and  two  years  later  was 
graduated  an  M.  D.  He  settled  at  Goshen  and  practiced 
there  until  1873,  when  he  removed  to  Court  House.     Early 


■  V•V^■V^■^{^^^^^ 


fn  life  he  became  a  member  of  the  Petersburg  M.  E.  Church, 
and  was  some  years  a  class  leader.  While  at  Goshen  he 
gave  attention  also  to  cranberr\'  growing  and  had  one  of 
the  largest  bogs  in  the  county. 

Beginning  in  1868,  he  served  in  the  Board  of  Freeholders 
for  about  fifteen  years  from  Middle  townslrp.  and  from  1870 
until  he  retired  he  was  the  director  (president)  of  that  body. 
He  died  at  Court  House  on  May  17,  1887. 

In  1874  Joseph  E.  Hughe?  was  appointed  a  judge  of 
county  courts  by  Governor  Joel  E.  Parker.     Judge  Hughes, 


LIFE  FOLLOWING ;   TI  IF    UFi'.FI.l.IOX. 


:JG9 


who  was  a  son  of  James  R.  Hughes,  a  well-known  local 
•educator  of  his  day,  and  a  grandson  of  Aaron  Eldredge, 
surrogate  from  1802  to  1803,  was  born  in  Lower  township 
July  31,  1821.  In  his  thirteenth  year  he  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Cold  Spring  Presbyterian  Church.  He  grew  to 
manhood  on  his  father's  farm  and  was  studious  and  acquired 
a  moderate  education.  He  entered  upon  farming,  and  for 
fifteen  years  taught  the  district  school.  For  many  years 
superintendent  of  the  Cold  Spring  Sunday-school,  and  was 


.insKi'H    E.  i[U(iiU!:s. 

made  an  elder  of  the  church  in  1835.  where  he  remained  until 
1875,  when  he  united  with  the  church  in  Cape  May  City,  of 
which  he  is  to-day  an  elder;  He  was  clerk  of  the  Township 
Committee  and  town  superintendent  of  schools.  In  1865 
he  was  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Chosen  Freeholders,  and 
was  its  clerk  in  1871  and  1872.  During  the  latter  year  he 
removed  to  Cape  May  City,  and  was  in  1874  elected  to  the 
City  Council.  In  1874  he  was  appointed  judge,  and  served 
until  1882,  when  he  was  appointed  postmaster  of  Cape  May 
City  by  President  Arthur.  He  held  this  position  four  years. 
In  1886  he  was  chosen  alderman,  and  served  two  years.     In 


370  HISTORY    OF   CAPK   MAY   COUNTY, 

1893  he  was  appointed  again  a  judge  of  the  courts  by  Gov- 
ernor Werts,  and  served  until  the  law  was  changed  in  1896.- 
In  politics  he  is  a  moderate  Republican.  He  was  in  private 
life  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits  and  the  hotel  business. 

By  the  State  census  of  1875  Cape  May  had  a  population 
of  8190,  of  which  354  were  colored  persons.  The  popula- 
tion, according  to  townshis,  was:  Upper,  1569;  INIiddle, 
2355;  Lower,  1480;  Dennis,  1585.  and  Cape  May  City,  1201.. 

In  1875  Cape  Island  was  given  a  new  charter  by  the 
Legislature,  and  its  name  changed  to  Cape  May  City.  The- 
new  charter  provided  for  a  mayor,  an  alderman,  and  a  re- 
corder, elected  every  two  years;  nine  councilmen  for  three- 
year  terms,  three  going  out  of  ofBce  each  year,  and  a  col- 
lector of  taxes,  assessor  of  taxes,  treasurer  and  overseer  of 
poor,  each  elected  anually.  The  limit  of  indebtedness  was- 
fixed  at  $100,000. 

Richard  D.  Edmunds,  who  served  in  the  Assembly  in 
1875,  was  a  son  of  Robert  Edmunds,  a  soldier  in  the  War  of 
1812.  He  was  born  in  Lower  township  in  1814,  where  he 
spent  his  boyhood  days.  He  obtained  an  education  as  best 
he  could,  and  then  entered  into  mercantile  pursuits  and 
farming.  He  served  in  the  Board  of  Freeholders  from 
Lower  township  in  1857.  In  1862  he  was  chosen  loan  com- 
missioner of  the  county,  and  held  that  office  for  a  year,  hav- 
ing that  autumn  been  chosen  sheriff.  He  served  in  that 
capacity  until  1865.  Afterwards  he  removed  to  Cape  Ls- 
land,  and,  in  1871,  was  chosen  from  there  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Freeholders.  In  1875  he  was  elected  recorder  of 
Cape  May  City  under  its  new  charter,  and  served  one  year. 
He  was  a  judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  for  some 
years  previous  to  his  death.  For  fifteen  years  he  was  an 
elder  of  the  Cold  Spring  Presbyterian  Church.  He  died 
on  October  8,  1879. 

In  1875  Sea  Grove,  now  Cape  May  Point,  was  founded 
as  a  Presbyterian  summer  resort  by  Alexander  Whilldin^ 
of  Philadelphia,  and  others.  The  idea  of  such  a  place  had 
been  in  the  minds  of  Mr.  Whilldin  for  some  years.  The 
first  move  towards  its  founding  was  the  organizing  of  the- 
West  Cape  May  Land  Company,  which  was  chartered  by 


LIFE  F<)I>LOWI.\<i   THE   KEBELLION.  371 

the  Legislature  in  March  8,  1872.  The  incorporators  were 
Alexander  Whilldin.  Colonel  James  Pollock,  George  H. 
Stuart,  H.  R.  Wilson,  S.  A.  Mutchmore,  Nicholas  Murray, 
James  H.  Stevens,  George  W.  Hill,  G.  H.  Huddell,  J.  P. 
Reznoo,  John  W'anamaker,  Robert  J  Mercer,  Hon.  M.  Hall 
Stanton  and  Joseph  Freas,  of  Philadelphia;  Return  B. 
Swain.  Franklin  Hand.  Richard  S.  Leaming,  Thomas  Bees- 
ley,  Downs  Edmunds  and  X'irgil  M.  D.  Marcy,  of  Cape  May 
county,  and  former  United  States  Senator  Alexander  G. 
Cattell.  of  Camden  county.  On  the  i8th  of  February,  1875, 
the  Sea  Grove  Association  was  chartered  by  the  Legislature, 
with  Alexander  Whilldin,  Dr.  V.  M.  D.  Marcy,  Downs  Ed- 
munds. Dr.  J.  Newton  Walker  and  John  Wanamaker  as 
directors. 

Under  their  supervision  Sea  Grove  was  laid  out  on  the 
most  northerly  point  of  the  State,  and  on  wdiat  was  originally 
known  as  Stites'  Beach.  The  town  prospered  for  a  about 
fifteen  years.  A  postoffice  was  established  there  on  March 
27,  1876,  with  Alexander  Whilldin  Springer,  nephew  of  the 
above,  as  postmaster.  In  1878  the  name  of  the  office  was 
changed  to  Cape  May  Point,  by  wdiich  it  is  still  known. 
Shortly  after  the  town  v/as  settled  a  borough  government 
was  established,  which  lasted  until  1894. 

Alexander  Whilldin  was  born  in  Philadelphia  in  1808, 
his  father  being  a  Cape  May  pilot,  who  was  drowned  in  18 12. 
The  mother  and  son  then  came  to  Cape  May  and  lived  here 
until  young  Alexander  was  sixteen  years  of  age.  He  then 
became  a  clerk  in  a  Philadelphia  store,  and  did  the  chores. 
Gradually  rising  in  his  position,  he  was,  in  1832,  able  to 
begin  business  for  himself  as  a  wool  merchant.  He  pros- 
pered until  he  became  one  of  the  first  men  in  the  financial 
world  of  Philadelphia.  He  was  for  years  president  of  the 
American  Life  Insurance  Company.  He  died  in  Philadel- 
phia in  April  16,  1893. 

John  Wanamaker,  a  merchant  and  philanthropist,  of  Phil- 
adelphia, was  born  in  that  city  on  July  11,  1837.  He  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  there,  and  began  business  in 
1 86 1,  and  now  owns  the  greatest  retail  establishment  in  the 
United  States.     He  has  also  a  large  retail  store  in  New 


372  HISTORY   OF   CAPE   MAY   COUNTY. 

York  city.  He  is  a  prominent  Presbyterian,  and  in  1857 
organized  Bethany  Sabbath-school,  of  which  he  has  ever 
since  been  superintendent.  For  many  years  he  was 
president  of  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association 
of  Philadelpliia.  From  1889  to  1893  he  was  Post- 
master-General of  the  United  States  under  the  ad- 
ministration of  President  Benjamin  Harrison.  He  owns  a 
handsome  summer  residence  at  Cape  May  Point,  where  he 
built  Beadle  Memorial  Chapel. 

Virgil  M.  p.  Marcy  was  the  son  of  Dr.  Samuel  S.  ]\Iarcy, 
and  was  born  in  Lower  townsliip  January  5,  1823.  At  ten 
years  of  age  he  was  sent  to  Connecticut  to  school,  and  there 
prepared  for  college.  At  sixteen  he  was  prepared  for  col- 
lege, but,  being  young,  waited  a  year  and  then  entered  Yale 
College,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1844.  He  became  a 
member  of  the  Phi  Beta  Kappa  Literary  Society.  He  then 
returned  to  Cape  May  and  studied  medicine  under  his  father 
and  Dr.  Edmund  L.  B.  Wales,  of  Tuckahoe.  In  1846  he 
received  the  degree  of  M.  D.  from  the  University  of  Mary- 
land, at  Baltimore.  He  then  settled  in  Gloucester  county, 
Va.,  and  practiced  three  years,  and  then,  in  1849,  removed  to 
Cold  Spring,  and  took  up  his  father's  practice,  where  he  re- 
sided until  1876,  when  he  removed  to  Cape  May  City.  Fie 
\vas  a  charter  member  of  Cape  Island  Lodge,  F.  and  A.  M., 
organized  in  1866.  He  became  a  member  of  Cold  Spring 
Church  in  1840,  and  has  been  an  elder  for  thirty-five  years. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Marcy  &  Marcy,  druggists. 

In  the  summer  of  1876  ten  commissioners  of  the  Meth- 
odist Church  South  and  Methodist  Church  North  met  at 
Cape  May  City  to  settle  on  a  basis  of  fraternal  union  between 
the  two  organizations,  which  had  been  divided  by  the  Civil 
War,  and  they  originated  a  plan  which  was  subsequently 
agreed  upon  by  the  two  bodies. 

On  June  4.  1875,  a  company  of  the  State  National  Guard 
was  organized  in  Cape  May  City,  which  was  known  as  Com- 
panv  H,  Sixth  Regiment,  until  it  was  disbanded  in  May  16, 
1893.  Its  membership  was  composed  of  residents  of  all 
parts  of  the  county.  The  records  of  the  officers  of  this  com- 
pany are  as  follows: 


LIKE  F()1.I.()WIN(t    THI-:   KKHKI.LION.  37o 

Captains. 
George  W.  Smith — Elected  June  4.  1875;  commissioned 
June  22,  1875;  promoted  major  September  21,  1882. 

Christopher  S.  Magrath— Elected  (Jctober  10,  1882; 
commissioned  January  23.  1883;  resigned  January  15,  1884; 
afterwards  became  adjutant  of  the  regiment. 

Edwin  P.  Clark — Elected  April  17,  1884:  commissioned 
May  20,  1884;  resigned  March  21,  1885. 

George  W.  Reeves — Elected  July  18,  1885;  commissioned 
September  22,  1885;  resigned  Eebruary  5,  1889. 

Herbert  W.  Edmunds— Elected  March  14,  1889;  commis- 
sioned April  19,  1889;  resigned  September  30,  1890. 

H.  Freeman  Douglass — Elected  February  9.  1891;  com- 
missioned May  2,  1 891 ;  retired  May  16.  1893. 
First  Lietitenants. 

Christopher  S.  Magrath — Elected  June  4,  1875;  commis- 
sioned June  22,  1875;  elected  captain  October  10,  1882. 

^^'illiam  Farrow— Elected  October  10,  1882;  commis- 
sioned January  23,  1883;  resigned  April  24,  1884. 

James  T.  Bailey — Elected  July  4,  1884;  commissioned 
August  5,  1884;  resigned  March  21,  1885. 

Robert  C.  Hill— Elected  July  18,  1885;  commissioned 
September  22,  1885;  resigned  January  24,  1888. 

Herbert  W.  Edmunds — Elected  Alarch  26,  1888;  commis- 
sioned April  24,  1888;  elected  captain  March  14,  1889. 

H.  Freeman  Douglass — Elected  April  13,  1889;  commis- 
sioned August  20,  1889;  elected  captain  February  9,  1891. 

James   f.    Bailey — Elected    February   9.    1891;    commis- 
sioned May  2,  1891;  retired  May  16,  1893. 
Second  Lieutenants. 

John  Henry  Farrow — Elected  June  4,  1875;  commis- 
sioned June  22,  1875:  resigned  December  25.  1877. 

William  Farrow— Elected  February  4.  1878;  commis- 
sioned May  2.  1878:  elected  first  lieutenant  October  10,  1882. 

Edwin  P.  Clark— Elected  October  10.  1882;  commis- 
sioned January  23,  1883;  elected  captain  April  17,  1884. 

Charles  G.  Clark— Elected  April  17,  1884:  commissioned 
Mav  20,  1884;  resigned  March  21,  1885. 

James     T.   Bailey— Elected     March   24,   1886;  commis- 


874  HISTOKY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

sioned  April  29,  1886;  elected  first  lieutenant  February  9, 
189T. 

William  F.   Williams— Elected  February  9,   1891;   com- 
missioned May  2,  1891;  retired  May  16,  1893. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

FIFTEEN  YEARS  OF  riiOSPERITY. 
In  1876  William  Doolittle,  of  Ocean  View;  W.  Y.  L.  Seig- 
xnan.  of  Cape  May  City;  Dr.  John  Wiley,  of  Court  House, 
-and  Downs  Edmunds,  of  Lower  township,  were  appointed  by 
the  State  Centennial  Commission  as  a  local  conmiittee  to 
.•gather  agricultural  and  horticultural  specimens  from  Cape 
May  county  for  exhibition  at  the  Centennial  Exposition, 
.'held  that  year  in  Philadelphia.  They  asked  the  Board  of 
Freeholders  for  one  hundred  dollars,  with  which  to  accom- 
plish their  purpose.  It  was  refused,  and  Cape  ]\Iay  was, 
therefore,  not  represented  olificially. 

In  1876,  '■/'/  and  '78  William  T.  Stevens,  of  Cape  May 
City,  was  the  member  of  the  Assembly.  He  was  born  in 
Lower  township  on  November  13,  1841,  and  was  a  great 
grandson  of  Henry  Stevens  and  of  Henry  Young  Town- 
send,  both  captains  in  the  Revolution,  and  a  grandson  of 
Joshua  Townsend,  lieutenant  in  the  War  of  18 12,  and  after- 
wards a  member  of  both  branches  of  the  Legislature.  He 
•obtained  his  education  in  the  public  schools  and  under  Rev. 
.Moses  Williamson  and  James  R.  Hughes.  He  served  in 
-"Company  F,  Twenty-fifth  Regiment,  during  the  Civil  War, 
and,  after  being  mustered  out,  as  a  recruiting  officer.  Hav- 
ing learned  the  carpeenter's  trade,  he  was  employed  after 
the  war  in  the  rebuilding  of  light  houses  in  the  South.  In 
T871  and  '72,  and  again  from  1886  to  1892,  he  was  a  member 
•of  the  City  Council  of  Cape  May  City.  In  1888  he  was 
■president  of  the  body.  He  v»as  a  member  of  the  L'.oard  of 
Freeholders  from  1893  to  1896,  and  was  chosen  in  1897  for 
:an  additional  term  of  three  years.  He  has  been  building 
inspector  of  Cape  May  City  for  two  years.  In  politics  he 
has  always  been  a  Republican.  He  is  a  deacon  of  the  Bap- 
tist Church,  with  which  he  united  when  a  young  man. 

In  1877  William  Hildreth,  of  Court  House,  was  appointed 


376 


HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 


surrogate  to  succeed  Dr.  Jonathan  F.  Learning,  who  re- 
signed. He  was  that  year  elected  for  five  years,  and  has. 
been  three  times  re-elected,  holding  the  office  at  the  pres- 
ent time.  He  is  a  son  of  Joshua  Hildreth,  who  was  born 
in  1774  and  died  in  1859,  and  who  was  a  judge  of  the 
Court  of  Common  Pleas.  Surrogate  Hildreth  is  also  a 
grandson  of  John  Dickinson,  colonel  of  the  Cape  May- 
regiment  in  the  War  of  18 12.  He  was  born  at  Court  House 
on  June  10,  1828.  He  was  first  chosen  assessor  of  Middle 
township. 


WILLIAM  T.  WTKVKNS. 

On  ]\Iarch  26,  1878,  a  part  of  ^Maurice  River  township> 
was  set  over  into  Cape  May  county  by  act  of  the  Legislature, 
The  new  boundaries  were  as  follov.'s:  Beginning  at  a  stone- 
on  the  old  Cape  road,  on  the  division  line  between  Cape 
May  and  Cumberland,  thence  along  the  several  courses  of 
the  said  Cape  Road  to  the  intersection  with  the  Dorchester 
and  Estelleville  road.  Following  that  highway  to  the  Cum- 
berland and  Tuckahoe  road,  the  line  ran  thence  along  said 
road  to  a  point  on  Hunter's  ^lill  Dam  in  the  Cumberland 
and  Atlantic  line,  thence  along  the  latter  line  to  the  terminus 
of  the  present  Cumberland  and  Cape  May  line,  thence  to  be- 
ginning.   This  land  was  made  a  part  of  Upper  township. 


FIFTEEN    YEARS   OF    ruOSI'EKITY.  377 

In  1879  Ocean  City,  on  Peck's  Beach,  the  most  northerly 
in  Cape  May  cotmty,  was  founded  by  three  brotheis,  Samuel 
Wesley  Lake,  James  E.  Lake  and  Ezra  B.  Lake,  all  min- 
isters of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  During-  that 
summer,  while  sailing  across  Great  Egg  Harbor  Bay,  they 
conceived  the  idea  of  selecting  the  place  as  a  Methodist  and 
temperance  resort.  In  October,  that  year,  the  Ocean  City 
Association  was  formed.  In  February  following,  William 
Lake,  another  brother,  made  survey,  and  in  May  an  auction 
was  held.  The  next  year  a  postof^ce  was  established  there, 
with  Rev.  W.  H.  Burrell  as  postmaster. 

In  1877  William  H.  Benezet,  of  Court  House,  was  chosen 
sheriff,  serving  three  years.  In  1883  he  was  again  elected 
sherifY,  and  served  as  such  until  he  died,  in  1886.  He  was  a 
descendant  of  Anthony  Benezet,  the  famous  Philadelphia 
philanthropist,  who  lived  there  before  the  Revolution.  He 
was  born  at  Court  House  on  March  27,  1841,  where  he  ob- 
tained his  education.  He  was  apprenticed  to  a  carriage 
builder  and  learned  that  trade.  He  afterwards  became  a 
shoe  merchant  at  Court  House.  After  his  second  election  as 
sheriff  he  removed  to  Cape  May  City,  and  opened  a  shoe 
store  there.     He  died  August  10,  1886,  at  Cape  May  City. 

By  the  census  of  1880  the  population  of  th&  county  was 
9765,  of  which  570  were  colored  persons.  The  number  of 
males  living  in  the  county  over  twenty-one  years  of  age 
were:  Native  white,  2465;  foreign  white,  loi ;  colored,  144. 
The  population  was  divided  among  the  political  divisions 
as  follows:  Cape  May  City,  1699;  Cape  May  Point,  198; 
Dennis  township.  1812:  Lower,  1779;  Middle,  2575,  and 
Upper,  1702.  The  population  of  the  villages  reported  were: 
Court  House,  570;  Dyers  (Dias  Creek),  356;  Goshen,  464; 
Green  Creek,  362;  Mayville,  273;  Rio  Grande,  241;  Towns- 
end  Inlet,  309. 

Waters  Burrows  ]\Iiller,  vvdio  was  State  Senator  from  1880 
to  1886,  and  was  the  ninth  and  eleventh  mayor  of  Cape  Is- 
land, was  born  in  Gloucester  county,  N.  J.,  in  1824,  and, 
when  eleven  years  of  age,  his  father,  Jonas  Miller,  a  prom- 
inent hotel  man  of  his  day.  and  who,  as  proprietor  of  Con- 
gress Hall,  entertained  President  Buchanan  when  that  dis- 


378 


HISTORY   OF   CAPE   MAY   COUNTY. 


tinguished  official  visited  Cape  May,  moved  with  his  fam- 
ily to  Cape  Island,  where  young  "Burr,"  as  he  was  famil- 
iarly called,  grew  up.  Miller,  as  soon  as  he  was  old  enough, 
began  his  life  as  a  partner  with  his  father  in  the  manage- 
ment of  Congress  Hall,  which  was  a  most  famous  place  in  its 
day,  being  known  in  almost  every  part  of  America.  His 
sister.  Miss  Pauline,  married  Jacob  Frank  Cake,  who  after- 
ward became  famous  as  a  Congress  Hall  and  Stockton  Ho- 


wATKvis  B.  MI!. I. in;, 
who  entertained  both  Grant  and  Arthur,  and 


tel  p  oprietoi 

num.-.-ous  Cabinet  officers  and  statesmen.     A^ter  Mr.  Cake's 

death  ?.!"S.  Cake  continued  to  manage  Congress  Hall. 

When  il;?  city  cf  Cape  Island  was  made  a  municipality, 
he  was  elected  ?A  its  first  election,  in  March,  185 1,  the  first 
alderman  of  the  c.:y,  and  for  the  forty  years  succeeding  was 
one  of  the  forem^ost  citizens,  not  only  of  the  city,  but  of  the 
county  and  State. 


FIFTEEN   YEARS   OF    rilOSPEKlTV.  379 

In  the  fall  of  1852  Mr.  Miller  was  elected  a  member  of 
Tthe  New  jersey  Assembly,  and  served  in  the  seventy-seventh 
Legislature.  In  1854  the  people  of  this  city  elected  him  a 
member  of  the  Board  of  Chosen  Freeholders,  and  he  was 
successively  re-elected  in  1855.  1856,  1857.  1858,  1859,  i860 
and  1 86 1,  and,  after  being  out  a  year,  was  again  elected  to 
the  same  office  in  1863.  In  1865  he  was  elected  a  member 
of  the  City  Council  for  one  year,  and  again  made  a  member 
of  the  Board  of  Freeholders  in  1866  and  1868. 

In  March,  1869,  he  was  elected  mayor  of  the  city  for  a 
term  of  two  years.  In  187 1  he  was  a  candidate  for  the  office, 
but  was  defeated  by  Mayor  Joseph  Ware  by  a  few  votes,  two 
other  candidates,  Messrs.  Richard  R.  Thompson  and  Joseph 
O.  Williams,  being  in  the  field  and  dividing  the  vote.  But 
in  1873  Mr.  Miller  was  again  a  candidate  and  elected  for  a 
two-vear  term.  He  was  again,  in  1878  and  1879,  made  a 
member  of  the  Board  of  Freeholders.  He  was  a  leading 
Democrat  of  the  county,  and  was  a  power  in  politics.  He 
tried  five  times  to  get  into  the  State  Senate,  being  success- 
ful twice.  He  made  his  first  trial  in  1855,  and  was  defeated 
by  Jesse  Diverty,  Know  Nothing,  afterwards  a  leading  Dem- 
ocrat and  judge  of  the  county  courts.  He  tried  for  the  place 
again  in  1873,  and  was  defeated  by  Senator  Richard  S. 
Leaming.  Not  discouraged,  he  was  again  made  the  Demo- 
cratic nominee  in  1879.  and  was  successful,  defeating  his 
former  opponent,  Senator  Leaming,  being  the  second  Dem- 
ocrat elected  to  the  Senate  from  the  county.  He  was  re- 
elected in  1882  for  three  more  years.  In  1891  he  was  de- 
feated in  the  convention  by  one  vote  by  Lemuel  E.  ]\Iiller, 
who  was  elected. 

When  the  Cape  May  and  Millville  Railroad,  now  the  West 
Jersey,  was  being  built  to  Cape  May,  its  projcctiiMi  seemed 
to  be'a  failure,  when,  by  mortgaging  his  property,  he  aided 
materially  in  its  completion  to  this  city. 

In  1886  he  was  the  originator  of  the  first  electric  light 
company  in  this  county.  He  was  largely  instrumental  in 
the  securing  of  the  Cape  May  City  charter  of  1875.  He  was 
postmaster  of  Cape  May  City  from  March  12  to  April  16, 
In  il 


380  HISTORY   OF   CAPE   MAY   COUNTY. 

He  has  three  sons,  Richard  T.  Miller,  appellate  judge  of 
the  New  Jersey  Supreme  Court;  Jonas  S.  ]\Iiller,  prosecutor 
of  the  pleas  in  Cape  May  county,  and  Lafayette  Miller.  He 
died  at  Cape  May  in  September,  1892. 

Richard  T.  Miller,  his  son,  was  born  in  Cape  May  City 
December  16,  1845.  ^^^  studied  law  with  Thomas  P.  Car- 
penter, then  a  justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  New  Jersey. 
He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  as  an  attorney  in  1867  and  as 
counsellor  in  1870.  He  was  city  solicitor  of  Cape  May  ia 
1869  and  1870,  and  again  from  1890  to  1893.  He  was  dis- 
trict court  judge  of  Camden  city  from  March  3,  1877,  to- 
July  II,  1888,  and  was  prosecutor  of  the  pleas  for  Cape  May 
county  from  1889  to  1892.  On  April  i,  1892,  he  was  made 
president  judge  of  the  Camden  County  Common  Pleas  and 
resigned  from  that  position  on  March  11,  1893,  to  go  on  the 
Circuit  Court  bench  of  the  New  Jersey  Supreme  Court,  to-' 
which  he  had  been  appointed  b}'  Governor  Werts  for  a 
term  of  seven  years,  which  will  expire  in  1900.  In  politics 
he  is  a  Democrat. 

Jesse  D.  Ludlam,  who  was  elected  Assemblyman  in  1879^ 
and  who  served  in  the  Assembly  in  1880,  1883,  1884  and 
1885,  was  a  grandson  of  Henry  Swain,  who,  with  Joshua 
Swain,  patented  the  centre-board  in  181 1.  He  was  born 
at  Dennisville,  February  28,  1840.  He  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  and  at  Pennington  Seminary.  He  was  for 
ten  years  a  member  of  the  Dennis  Township  Committee, . 
and  for  live  years  its  chairman.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Freeholders  from  Dennis  township  from  1881  to 
1884.  He  served  for  manv  vears  on  the  School  Board.  He 
is  engaged  in  farming  and  in  selling  and  shipping  cedar.  In.. 
1890  Governor  Abbett  appointed  him  a  judge  of  the  Court 
of  Common  Pleas,  and  he  served  as  such  until  1896,  wherr 
the  law  was  passed  reducing  the  number  to  one  law  judge. 
In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat. 

Remington  Corson,  of  South  Seaville,  was  sheriff  from 
1880  to  1883,  was  born  about  1846  and  died  at  his  home  at 
South  Seaville  on  April  21.  1894,  aged  48  years.  He  held 
township  offices  and  postmaster  at  South  Seaville,  where  he 
was  a  leading  merchant  from  1867  to  1881,  and  from  1889 


FIFTEEN   YEARS  OF    I'ltOSPEniTY.  3«1 

to  1893.  He  was  a  member  of  Calvary  Baptist  Church. 
His  father.  Baker  Corson,  also  postmaster  from  1881  to 
1885,  died  one  day  before  Remington — on  April  20,  1894, 
ao-ed  78  years.  He  was  for  forty  years  a  member  of  Cal- 
vary Baptist  Church.  He  was  formerly  a  sea  captain  and 
merchant. 

The  third  newspaper  established  in  the  county  was  the 
"Cape  May  County  Gazette,"  which  was  prmted  at  Cape 
May  Court  liouse.  The  first  number  appeared  on  March  6, 
1880.  It  was  and  still  remains  a  weekly.  The  first  issue 
-contained  four  pages,  each  15  b}  21  inches.     It  was  issued 


^(^ 


AI-FRED  COOI'EK. 

by  Alfred  Cooper,  who  is  still  its  publisher.  Alfred  Cooper 
is  a  son  of  George  B.  Cooper,  of  Cumberland  county,  who 
was  a  clerk  of  the  New  Jersey  Assembly  in  1865  and  1866. 
He  was  born  at  Kinderhook,  N.  Y.,  September  6,  1859.  He 
obtained  his  education  in  Millville,  N.  J.;  Valatia,  N.  Y., 
and  at  Pierce's  Business  College,  Philadelphia.  After  grad- 
uating he  learned  the  printer's  trade  at  Millville,  where  he 
remained  until  establishing  the  "Gazette."  Since  1890  he 
hts  been  on  the  Count  Board  of  Elections.  In  politics  he 
is  a  Republican. 

On  January  3,  1881.  Thaddeus  Van  Gilder,  of  Petersburg, 


382  HISTORY   OF   CAPE   MAY   COIXTV. 

died.  He  was  one  of  the  most  noted  merchants  in  the 
county.  He  was  born  April  6,  1830.  He  conducted  a 
ship-building  business  and  had  hundreds  of  men  chopping" 
and  shipping  wood. 

During  the  session  of  our  Legislature  of  [881  a  bill  was 
passed  entitled  "An  act  to  encourage  the  manufacture  of  su- 
gar in  the  State  of  New  Jersey."  This  act  provided  that  a, 
bounty  of  one  dollar  per  ton  could  be  paid  by  the  State  to 
the  farmer  for  each  ton  of  material  out  of  which  crystallized 
cane  sugar  was  actually  obtained ;  it  provided  also  a  bounty 
of  one  cent  per  pound  to  the  manufacturer  for  each  pound 
of  cane  sugar  made  from  such  materials.  After  the  passage 
of  this  act,  the  Senate  requested  the  Agricultural  College  to 
experiment  on  the  sorghum  plant  in  order  to  further  its 
cultivation  by  the  farmers  of  this  State. 

Mr.  Hilgert,  an  enterprising  business  man  of  Philadelphia, 
member  of  the  firm  J.  Hilgert's  Sons,  sugar  refiners,  built 
and  fitted  up  an  extensive  sugar  house  at  an  expense  of  at 
least  $60,000  at  Rio  Grande.  This  house  during  the  first 
fall  worked  the  cane  of  about  700  acres.  The  product  of 
crystallized  sugar  was. sold  to  refiners  at  seven  and  eight 
cents  per  pound.  The  yield,  though  not  as  large  as  ex- 
pected, was  regarded  as  satisfactory.  The  farmers  of  that 
section  who  calculated  on  an  average  yield  of  ten  tons  of 
cane  and  thirty  bushels  of  seed  were  disappointed,  the  av- 
erage yield  per  acre  being  about  five  tons  of  cane  and  twenty 
bushels  of  seed,  which  sold  readily  for  sixty-five  cents  per 
bushel.  Lemuel  E.  Miller,  who  was  perhaps  the  largest 
cane  grower  on  the  cape,  raised,  on  120  acres,  641  tons  of 
cane  and  2500  bushels  of  seed.  The  total  amount  realized 
by  him  is  reported  to  be  $3648.  The  cost  of  growing  this 
crop  is  not  known  at  present,  but  the  reported  cost  for  Iowa 
in  the  year  1873,  is,  exclusive  of  fertilizers,  $12.50  per  acre. 

The'bounties  offered  for  the  production  of  sorghum  cane 
and  sugar  encouraged  the  Rio  Grande  Sugar  Company, 
which  had  succeeded  the  Hilgerts,  to  invest  large  sums,  and 
in  the  purchase  of  lands  upon  which  to  grow  sugar  cane. 
This  enterprise  was  continued  until  1885.  Good  crops  were 
grown  and  much  sugar  made.  The  difficulties  in  establishing 
a  new  business  was  fairly  overcome.     The  ruinously  low 


FIFTEEN    YEARS    OF    rUUSrEKli'V.  383 

prices  of  sugar  in  the  latter  years,  however,  took  away  all 
chances  of  profit  in  a  mill  which,  at  the  best,  could  express 
only  half  the  sugar  in  the  cane.  The  process  of  diffusion, 
or  soaking  out  the  sugar  by  water,  was  tried  upon  a  large 
scale,  but  .ii'ticulties  incident  to  a  new  busiiuss  delayed  the 
realizarc::  of  the  hopes  of  the  company,  and  work  by  the 
Rio  Grande  Sugar  Company  ended  with  1886.  The  boun- 
ties offered  by  the  State  ended  with  1885.  The  whole 
amount  of  bounties  pakl  to   encourage  this  industry   was 

Henry  A.  Hughes,  of  Cape  jMay  City,  who  had  been  the 
superintendent  of  the  works  from  the  beginning,  and  who 
was  largely  interested  in  overcoming  the  difficulties  experi- 
enced in  tiie  above  enterprise,  at  the  beginning  of  1887  or- 
ganized the  Hughes  Sugar  Company,  and,  with  the  assist- 
ance of  the  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,  built 
and  equipped  a  small  sugar  house,  to  work  fifteen  or  twenty 
tons  of  cane  per  day.  The  machinery  in  the  hcuse  was 
mainly  of  his  own  invention,  and  included  machines  for 
topping,  stripping  and  shredding  the  cane,  and  for  extract- 
ing the  sugar  by  diffusion.  The  results  of  the  work  in  1887 
were,  in  many  respects,  satisfactory,  and  the  experience 
gained  showed  where  and  how  many  savings  of  time,  labor 
and  expense  could  be  made. 

At  the  beginning  of  1888  numerous  changes  were  planned 
so  as  to  produce  effective  work,  and  a  large  sum  of  money 
was  appropriated  by  the  New  Jersey  Agricultural  Experiment 
Station  to  carry  them  into  operation.  But  these  plans  for 
the  expenditure  of  the  money  were  not  carried  through. 

The  United  States  Government  latterly  assisted,  but  in 
1890  the  attempt  to  raise  sorghum  cane  was  abandoned. 

Henry  A.  Hughes  was  a  grandson  of  Captain  Humphrey 
Hughes,  of  the  War  of  1812.  He  was  for  years  an  employe 
of  Edward  C.  Knight  in  the  Philadelphia  Sugar  Refinery. 
Rev.  Edward  Patrick  Shields  was  appointed  county  super- 
intendent of  public  schools  in  1881  to  succeed  Dr.  Maurice 
Becslev,  who  had  resigned. 

Edward  Patrick  Shields,  D.  D.,  was  born  August  31,  1833, 
al-  New  Albany,  Ind.,  and  was  the  third  son  of  Henry  B.  and 
Joanna   D.   Shields.     He  joined  the   Presbyterian   Church 


38i  HISTOUY   OF    CAPE   MAY   COUNTY. 

there  on  profession  of  faith  in  1849,  i"  the  sixteenth  year  of 
his  age.  He  received  an  academical  training  at  New  Al- 
bany in  an  eight  years'  course  of  superior  schooling  in  the 
classical  institute.  From  1848  he  was  employed  in  a 
wholesale  hardware  store  in  Louisville,  Ky.,  remaining  three 
years.  He  graduated  at  Miami  University,  at  Oxford,  C, 
in  1854,  during  the  presidency  of  Rev.  \\'illiam  C.  Ander- 
son, D.  D. 

He  then  took  a  three  years'  course  (1854-57)  in  the  New 
Albany  Theological  Seminary,  now  the  McCorm.ick  Sem- 
inary, at  Chicago,  111.  Another  year  was  added  in  theology 
with  the  class  which  graduated  at  Princeton  Theological 
Seminary  in  April,  1858.  He  served  as  a  stated  siipply  oi 
the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Bloomington,  Ind.,  in  1856, 
while  his  studies  at  New  Albany  were  in  progress.  He  was 
ordained  a  minister  of  the  gospel  in  the  Presbyterian  denom- 
ination by  the  Presbytery  of  West  Jersey,  at  Pittsgrove,  N. 
J.,  June  2,  1858.  He  was  settled  over  the  church  there  from 
1858  to  1870.  During  this  time  a  very  handsome  brick 
church  was  erected  by  the  congregation  at  a  cost  of  $25,000. 
He  removed  on  January  i,  1871,  to  Cape  May  City,  and  was 
installed  pastor  over  the  Presbyterian  Church,  where  he  re- 
mained until  March  i,  1884,  the  longest  pastorate  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  county  of  Cape  May,  with  the  exception  of  the 
very  long  pastorate  of  Rev.  Moses  Williamson,  at  Cold 
Spring,   viz.,  forty-six  years. 

He  was  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
at  Bristol,  Pa.,  being  installed  May  i,  1884,  where  he  re- 
mained until  1897,  when  he  resigned.  His  three  pastorates 
averaged  thirteen  years.  He  received  the  honorary  degree 
of  D.  D.  from  Miami  University,  his  alma  mater,  in  1887. 

He  served  a  full  three  years'  term  as  superintendent  of 
public  instruction  in  Cape  May  county  from  188 1  to  1884. 
by  appointment  of  the  State  Board  of  Education.  His  re- 
moval to  Pennsylvania  required  a  change  in  the  office. 

Furman  L.  Richardson,  who  served  in  the  Assembly  from 
188 1  to  1883,  was  born  in  Middle  township  February  23. 
1842.  He  is  a  grandson  of  Aaron  Learning,  who  was  sher- 
iff of  the  county  from  1812  to  1815.  He  attended  the  pub- 
lic schools  at  Rio  Grande.     In  187-  he  entered  into  the  gro- 


iMi"n:K.\  VEAKs  oi-   ri;(_»si']:kriY.  sso 

•eery  and  provision  business  with  J.  Henry  Farrow  under 
the  firm  name  of  Richardson  &  Farrow,  which  continued 
until  Mr.  Farrow  died,  in  18S3.  Fie  served  in  the  Cape  May 
City  Council  in  1875  and  1876,  and  was  treasurer  in  1879 
and  1880.  After  serving  in  the  Assembly  in  1881  and  1882, 
he  was  sergeant-at-arms  of  the  State  Senate  in  1887  and  1888. 
In  1889  he  was  appointed  postmaster  of  Cape  Mav  City  and 
served  five  years.  He  has  for  several  years  past  conducted 
summer  hotels.     In  politics  he  is  a  Republican. 

The  fourth  newspaper,  a  weekly,  established  in  Cape  May 
county  was  the"  Ocean  City  Sentinel,"  first  issued  at  Ocean 
City  on  April  21,  1881,  by  W.  H.  Boyle  &  Bros.  In  1885 
this  paper  was  purchased  by  R.  Curtis  Robinson  and  W.  H. 
Fenton,  but  a  couple  of  years  later  Mr.  Robinson  purchased 
Mr.  Fenton's  interest  and  has  since  been  sole  proprivitor. 

R.  Curtis  Robinson  was  born  in  Atlantic  county  in  1862. 
At  sixteen  years  of  age  he  entered  a  wholesale  dry  goods 
house  in  Philadelphia.  Finding  this  distasteful,  he  engaged 
to  learn  the  printing  business  in  the  "Banner"  olifice,  Bev- 
erly, N.  J.  Shortly  after  he  became  connected  with  the  "At- 
lantic Review."  of  Atlantic  City,  where  he  remained  six 
years.  During  this  time  he  was  also  editor  of  the  "May's 
Landing  Record"  and  associate  editor  of  the  Philadelphia 
publication,  "Over  the  Mountains  and  Down  by  the  Sea." 
In  1885  he  removed  to  Ocean  City.  In  1888  he  was  a 
member  of  the  Board  of  Freeholders  from  Ocean  City.  He 
was  postmaster  there  from  1889  to  1893. 

In  1882  the  town  of  Sea  Isle  City,  on  Ludlam's  Beach, 
which  had  been  founded  by  Charles  K.  Landis,  had  grown 
large  enough  to  have  a  post-ofifice  established  there  on  June 
20,  with  George  Whitney  as  postmaster.  In  1883  another 
postoffice  was  established  at  Anglesea,  a  new  town  on  the 
north  end  of  Five-Mile  Beach.  A  week  later  an  office  was 
established  at  Holly  Beach,  which  had  been  founded  on  the 
south  end  of  the  same  beach. 

President  Arthur  visited  Cape  May  City  in  the  Summer  of 
1883.  With  a  party  of  friends,  he  arrived  at  the  steamboat 
landing  at  Cape  May  Point  on  Monday,  July  23,  at  1 1 
o'clock  in  the  morning.     He  had  come  there  on  the  o-qv- 


386  IIISTOKY  <JF  ("ATE   .MAY  CUTNTV. 

ernment  steamer  "Dispatch."  He  was  received  there  b>' 
United  States  Marshal  McMichael,  of  Washington;  Colonel 
Henry  W.  Sawyer  and  J.  Frank  Cake,  proprietor  of  the 
Stockton  Hotel.  They  were  conveyed  by  carriage  alon^ 
the.  ocean  front  to  the  hotel,  where,  as  they  entered,  Simon 
Hassler's  orchestra  and  the  Weccacoe  Band  played  "Hail 
to  the  Chief."  In  the  afternoon  the  President  was  driven 
over  the  town.  In  the  evening  a  reception  was  given  to 
Mayor  Melvin  and  Council,  followed  by  a  banquet  and  ball 
at  the  Stockton,  in  honor  of  the  President.  At  9  o'clock 
President  Arthur  appeared,  with  United  States  Marshals 
William  H.  Kern,  of  Philadelphia,  and  McMichael,  of  Wash- 
ing to,  leading  the  way.  During  the  evening  President  Ar- 
thur shook  the  hands  of  over  2500  persons. 

The  President  left  about  12  o'clock  at  night,  amid  a  grand 
display  of  fireworks,  and  was  rowed  through  the  billows  in. 
the  surfboat,  manned  by  tlie  crew  of  Life  Saving  Station  No. 
39,  to  the  "Dispatch,"  which  had  then  steamed  around  im; 
front  of  the  city. 

In  1884  West  Cape  May  was  created  a  borough  out  of 
Lower  township,  and  has  remained  a  political  division  ever 
since.  In  1885  Holly  Beach,  on  the  south  end  of  Five-Miie 
Beach,  and  Anglesea,  on  the  north  end  of  the  same  beach, 
were  made  bor  oughs. 

In  1884  Vincent  O.  Miller,  of  Dennisville,  was  appointed 
County  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction,  to  succeed  Rev. 
Edward  P.  Shields.  He  was  born  at  Goshen  on  May  5, 
1852.  He  attended  the  public  schools  at  Goshen  and  at 
Bridgeton,  N.  J.,  finishing  his  education  at  Fort  Edward 
Collegiate  Institute,  Fort  Edwards,  N.  Y.,  in  1870.  He 
taught  in  the  public  schools  of  Cape  May  county  for  sixteen 
years.  On  June  26,  1883,  he  was  appointed  county  superin- 
tendent, and  held  that  position  until  September  29,  1896. 
He  also  held  other  local  offices.  He  is  engaged  at  present 
in  manufacturing  fertilizers  and  in  sawing  and  selling  cedar 
lumber. 

By  the  census  of  1885  there  were  io,744  persons  living  in 
the  county,  of  which  9856  were  white  natives,  591  colored 
and  297  white  foreign  born.  The  population  of  the  polit- 
ical divisions  of  the  county  were  as  follows: 


FlFTi:i:.\    YEARS    O!"    1  L.(  (Sl'Kltl'r V.  387' 

Cape  May  City,  1610;  Cape  ]\lay  Point,  200;  Dennis  town- 
ship. 1770;  Holly  lleacli,  210:  l.ower  township,  1208;  Mid- 
dle township.  2605;  (  )cean  City.  465;  Sea  Isle  City,  558; 
Upper  township.  i=;oo:  West  C^ane  Maw  618.  The  villages 
had  the  following  nuniber  of  residents:  (  )eean  \'iew,  191; 
South  Seaville.  ^eS;  Xcrth  DcniiisA'ille.  ^187;  Sor.tli  Deiniis, 
308:  East  Creek,  1 1 1.  and  West  Creek.  175. 

In  1885  the  Cape  May  County  Medical  Society  was  organ- 
ized, and  during  the  same  year  West  Cape  May  was  cre- 
ated a  liorougii  out  of  Lc-wcr  teA-.TisIiii!. 

During  this  year  Ludlam's  Beach  Lighthouse  was  built 
at  Sea  Isle  Cit\ ,  its  latitude  l^eing  39°09'42''  north,  and 
longitude  74^41 '05"  west  from  Wasldngton.  The  light 
flashes  white  ever}-  quarter  minute,  and  is  of  the  fourth  or- 
der. The  light  stands  36  feet  above  mean  high  water,  and  is 
visible  a  distance  of  ii|  miles. 

Joseph  H.  Hanes,  who  was  elected  Senator  in  the  fall  of 

1885,  was  born  at  W  oodstown.  Salem  county,  on  September 
20,  1845.  He  learned  the  blacksmith  trade  when  young  and 
subsecjuently  became  a  successful  contractor.  He  served 
nine  years  in  the  Cape  May  City  Council,  from  1878,  and 
was  president  of  that  body  during  the  first  three  years  of  his 
service.     He  s£rved  in  the  Senate   during  the  sessions  of 

1886,  1887  and  1888.  In  1895  he  was  again  elected  to 
Council  for  three  years,  but  resigned  after  a  month's  ser- 
vice, owing  to  the  pressure  of  his  private  business.  In 
politics  he  is  a  Republican. 

Alvin  P.  Hildreth,  who  this  same  year  was  elected  to 
the  Assembly,  was  born  at  Cold  Spring,  June  13,  1830.  He 
attended  the  public  schools,  and  then  attended  a  private 
academy  in  Central  Pennsylvania,  and  during  the  years 
1846-7  and  1847-8  was  a  student  in  Yale  College.  Owing 
to  ill  health  he  returned  home  and  subsequently  taught 
school.  In  private  life  he  was  connected  with  many  large 
hotels  afterwards  in  Cape  May,  Philadelphia  and  Wash- 
ington. He  was  city  clerk  of  Cape  Island  in  1856  and 
1857  and  served  in  the  City  Council  from  1859  to  1863. 
He  was  assessor  from  1859  to  1873,  '^^^^  ^  member  of  the 
Board  of  Freeholders  from  Cape  May  City  from   1880  to 


388 


HISTORY   OF   CAPE   MAY   COUNTY. 


1886.  He  served  in  tlie  Assembl)  in  the  sessions  of  1886 
and  1887.  He  was  appointed  a  Riparian  Commissioner  of 
the  State  in  1892  and  served  two  ytars.  For  several  years 
he  has  been  a  member  of  the  Democratic  State  Committee. 
In  1886  the  fifth  newspaper  estaljhshed  in  the  county  was 
the  "Cape  IMay  County  Times."  pubhshed  by  Thomas  E. 
Ludlam,  at  Sea  Isle  City.  It  contained  four  pages,  size  15X 
21  inches.  He  continues  to  be  its  publisher.  Thomas  E. 
Ludlam  was  born  at  Dennisville,  on  January  30,  1855.  He 
obtained  his   education  there.      [■(  r  eiL^ht  vears  he  taught 


illU-MAS  JC.    LriU.A.M. 

school  in  different  sections  of  the  count\-,  and  then  removed 
to  Sea  Isle  City,  and  at  its  first  election,  in  1882,  was  made 
a  member  of  the  Board  of  Freeholders.  He  was  six  years 
agent  of  the  West  Jersey  Railroad  at  Sea  Isle  City,  and 
from  1884  to  1896  Ma}-or  of  tlie  l^orough.  He  was  inter- 
ested in  the  formation  of  the  'SI.  E.  Church  there  and  has 
for  a  number  of  years  been  on  the  Board  of  Education,  be- 
ing now  its  president.  As  a  real  estate  dealer  he  was  largely 
instrumental  in  the  development  of  Sea  Isle  City.  He  is  a 
director  of  the  South  Jersey  Railroad. 


FII"ri:K.\    Y!:AIJS    (*!'    ViiO'I-IMUTY.  38» 

In  1886  postoffices  were  estal)li>licfl  at  lUnieigh  (formerly 
Mayville),  and  at  Clerm.>nt. 

The  valuation  of  rjal  a.ui  i.ersoiial  prt^perty  as  assessed 
in  the  county  in  1887  was  as  follows:  Upper,  $456,740; 
Dennis,  $416,215;  Middle,  $614,125;  Lower,  $259,850;  Cape 
May  City,  $1,700,000:  Cape  May  Point,  $200,000;  West 
Cape  May,  $133430:  Anglesea,  $150,000:  Sea  Isle  City, 
$237,365;  Ocean  City.  $200,073:  Holly  Beach,  $175,000; 
total,  $4,542,798. 

On  July  9,  1888,  a  postof^ce  was  established  at  Avalon, 
a  newly  laid-out  town  on  the  north  end  of  Seven-Mile  Beach, 
and  in  September,  1889,  one  established  at  the  new  town  of 
Wildwood  on  the  centre  portion  of  Five-Mile  Beach.  In 
June,  1890,  the  office  at  Marmora  was  opened. 

On  September  5.  1888,  the  people  voted  upon  the  ques- 
tion of  "local  option,"  or  for  and  against  the  granting  li- 
cense for  the  sale  of  liquor  as  a  beverage.  The  following 
townships  and  boroughs  voted  for  granting  licenses:  Sea 
Isle  City,  Cape  May  City,  Holly  Beach,  Anglesea,  Middle, 
Upper  and  Lower.  Those  voting  against  were:  West  Cape 
May,  Ocean  City,  Dennis  and  Cape  May  Point.  The  com- 
bined majority  in  the  county  for  license  was  222.  This  was 
the  only  time  in  the  history  of  the  county  when  the  ques- 
tion was  decided  by  ballot. 

The  175th  anniversary  of  the  founding  of  the  Cold  Spring 
Presbyterian  Church  was  celebrated  in  1889.  Rev.  Daniel 
L.  Hughes,  D.  D..  read  the  historical  address. 

In  1888  Dr.  Walter  S.  Leaming  was  elected  State  Sena- 
tor. He  is  a  son  of  Dr.  Jonathan  F.  Leaming,  who  twice 
had  been  State  Senator.  He  was  1)orn  at  Seaville  on  March 
4,  1854,  and  there  passed  his  'hoyhood  days.  For  a  time  he 
was  a  law  clerk  in  New  York  city.  In  1867  his  father  re- 
moved to  Court  House.  After  that  time  the  Doctor  attend- 
ed the  Mayville  Academy.  Fle  entered  the  Pennsylvania 
College  of' Dental  Surgery  in  1876,  graduating  two  years 
later  with  honors.  Later  on  he  entered  Jefferson  Medical 
College,  Philadelphia,  and  was  graduated  as  M.  D.  in  1881. 
He  became  a  partner  of  his  father  and  remained  so  until 
moving  to  Cape  ^lay  City  in  ]89i,  where  he  still  practices 


:390 


HISTORY  OF   CATE  MAY  COUNTY 


dentistry.  In  1887  he  was  elected  to  the  Assembly  and 
:served  in  the  session  of  1888. 

It  was  during  this  session  of  the  House  that  in  a  speech, 
ably  made,  he  broke  the  then  prevailing  political  Republican 
combination,  and  succeeded  in  electing  Colonel  Henry  W. 
Sawyer  Sinking  Funk  Commissioner  of  the  State. 

That  year  he  was  chosen  Senator,  and  served  three  years  in 
the  upper  house.  In  1891  he  was  the  Republican  caucus 
jiominee  for  President  of  the  Senate,  receiving  the  full  Re- 


DK.   WALTER  S.   LEAMINCJ. 


publican  vote.  In  1895  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
Cape  May  City  Council  for  three  years,  during  all  of  which 
time  he  was  president  of  the  body.  In  politics  he  is  a  Re- 
publican, and  in  religion  a  Baptist. 

Eugene  Conrad  Cole,  who  was  Assemblyman  in  the  ses- 
sions of  1889,  1890,  and  1891.  was  born  at  Seaville,  June  23, 
1 85 1.  He  was  of  Revolutionary  stock,  and  his  ancestors 
were  Massachusetts  people,  and  was  also  a  direct  maternal 
descendant  of  Henry  Young,  surrogate  and  surveyor-gen- 
eral of  the  county  in  the  last  century.  He  was  educated  in 
the  public  schools,  and  studied  military  tactics  at  West 
Point   in    1869.      In    1871    he   began   teaching  school,   and 


i"ii"rKi:.\  ^iiAKS  (»y  riinsi'i^urrv. 


391 


■.taught  until  about  1894.  irle  was  for  years  up  to  1897  a 
county  examiner.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1886.  He 
was  Coroner  of  the  cinuity  from  1881  to  1884,  ^"<^1  ^^'^s  a 
Justice  of  the  Peace  for  several  years.  In  politics  he  is  a 
Republican,  but  not  a  partisan,  and  one  in  whom  men  of 
every  party  have  confidence. 

Charles  E.  Nichols,  of  Court  House,  who  was  Sheriff 
from  1889  to  1893.  was  born  at  Kingston,  New  Hampshire, 
©n  August  27,  1849.  I^'s  forefathers  fought  in  the  Revolu- 
tion. For  a  time  he  attended  school  there,  and  later  at 
Oswego,  New  York.  h\:)r  two  years  he  was  a  drug  clerk  in 
the  latter  place.     In  1865,  when  sixteen,  he  came  to  Cape 


KrUKNJC  ('.  COT.K. 

l^Iay  Court  House,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  com- 
pleted his  education  at  Mayville  Academy.  In  1885  he  was 
appointed  postmaster  by  President  Cleveland,  and  served 
tmtil  1889,  ^vhen  he  was  elected  Sheriff.  In  1893  lie  was 
again  appointed  postmaster  by  President  Cleveland.  He 
lias  been  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  several  years.  He  is  a 
Democrat  politically.  For  thirty-two  years  he  has  been  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  Church,  twelve  years  of  which  time 
he  has  been  a  teacher  in  the  Sundav  school. 

The  condition  of  the  county  in  1890  was  prosperous.  Itsto- 
i:al  debt  was  $7000,  which  had  been  incurred  three  years  be- 


3j2  history  of  cape  M.W  cor.VTY. 

fore  in  the  building  of  a  new  almshouse,  which  cost  $10,000.. 
The  population  of  the  county  was  11,268,  divided  as  follows: 
Anglesea,  161;  Cape  May  City,  2136;  Cape  May  Point,  167; 
Dennis  township,  1707;  Holly  Beach,  217;  Lower,  1156; 
Middle,  2368;  Ocean  City,  452;  Sea  Isle  City,  766;  Upper, 
1381;  West  Cape  May,  757.  The  number  of  farms  were 
505;  area  of  farms,  47,066  acres;  area  of  improved  land, 
26,491  acres;  imimproved,  20,575  acres;  value  of  farms,  in- 
cluding lands,  fences  and  buildings,  $1,312,530;  value  of  im- 
plements and  machinery,  v$68,33o;  value  of  live  stock,  $141,- 
580;  value  of  farm  products,  $235,800. 

In  June,  1890,  the  "Five-Mile  Beach  Journal,"  at  Wild- 
wood,  was  first  printed  by  Samuel  P.  Foster.  It  contained 
four  pages  of  six  columns  each.  Mr.  Foster  published  it 
until  the  autumn  of  1895,  when  it  was  sold  to  Jedediah  Du 
Bois,  who  continues  to  publish  it. 


CHAPTER  XX\I1I. 
DISTINGUISHED   VISITORS. 

Soon  after  Ca])e  Alay  Point  was  established,  John  \\'i.i'.a- 
niaker,  of  Philadelphia,  bought  properly  there  and  erected 
a  summer  residence.  When  President  Harrison  wa.^'  in- 
augurated, he  appointed  Mr.  W'anamaker  liis  Postmaster- 
General.  They  became  warm  friends.  During  a  few  weeks 
in  June,  1889,  ]\Irs.  Harrison  and  the  family  w'ere  guests  of 
the  Wanamaker  cottage,  and  liking  Cape  May  well,  she  so 
expressed  herself.  The  President  also  uaid  one  visit.  Dur- 
ing tlie  winter  of  1889-1890  the  friends  of  the  President 
built  a  handsome  $10,000  summer  cottage,  and  through 
Postmaster-General  Wanamaker  and  William  V.  McKean, 
editor  of  the  Philadelphia  "Public  Ledger,"  presented  the 
cottage  to  ]^Irs.  President  Harrison,  by  handing  her  the 
deed  and  keys  in  the  White  House,  at  Washington,  on 
June  ^,  1890.  In  three  weeks  the  family  took  possession, 
where  they  resided  from  June  20  until  August  28.  The 
President  passed,  about  four  weeks  of  the  season  with  his 
family. 

Hon.  James  G.  Blaine,  the  Secretary  of  State  of  Presidents 
Garfield  and  Harrison,  visited  the  Cape  during  the  summer. 
General  William  Tecum;  tli  Sherman  visited  his  daughter, 
who  resided  in  a  Columbia  avenue  cottage. 

On  the  24th  of  August,  that  day  being  Sunday,  the  Presi- 
dent, accompanied  by  /.Irs.  Harrison  and  Mrs.  Dimmick, 
his  wife's  niece,  who  afterwards  became  the  second  Mrs. 
Harrison,  visited  the  Cold  Spring  Church  for  worship. 
While  on  their  way  honie.  Coachman  William  Turner,  wlio 
had  grown  up  in  the  neighborhood,  was  directed  to  drive 
by  the  cottage  of  "Uncle  Dan"  and  "Aunt  Judy"  Kelly,  on 
tiie  "Sumpike,"  in  Lower  township,  to  wdiom  the  attention 
of  Mrs.  Harrison  liad  been  drawn  by  a  photograph  she  had 
seen  of  the  aged  couple,  and  the  vine  clad  cottage  in  which 


394  TTISTOny  OF  CAIi:   -MAY  (OT'NTY. 

they  bad  lived  for  years.  Through  Mrs.  Harrison  the  Presi- 
dent became  interested,  and  that  occasion  was  taken  for 
viewing  it. 

The  carriage  drove  up  to  the  garden  gate  and  the  Presi- 
dent aHghted  and  entered.  Aunt  Judy,  who  was  asleep  in- 
side the  cottage,  was  aroused,  and  President  Harrison  re- 
quested a  drink  of  water,  which  was  furnished  clear  and 
cool  from  t'-'e  depths  of  the  old  well,  and  which  was  drawn 
up  by  the  "old  oaken  bucket,"  hung  upon  a  rope.  As  he 
stood  drinking  Judy's  bright  eyes  watched  him  closely.  As 
he  finished  he  remarked,  "I  have  a  photograph  of  you  and 
your  husband." 


"What  might  vou  name  be?"  asked  Jud 


"I  am  General  Harrison,"  replied  the  President. 

"The  saints  be  praised,"  cried  Judy.  "I  ha.ve  lived  to  see 
a  President  and  talk  to  him.  Dan'l!  Dan'l!  Coom  out  here, 
old  man.    Sure  an  the  President  has  coom  to  us." 

The  old  man,  who  was  a  cripple,  hobbled  out,  and,  drop- 
ping his  hat,  seemed  too  awe-struck  at  the  great  honor  to 
talk.  Judy,  however,  had  her  tongue  wagging,  and,  turn- 
ing to  the  President,  said: 

"Sure  if  you  have  my  picter,  can't  I  have  one  of  yourn?" 

"I  have  no  picture  of  myself  with  me,"  answered  the 
President.  "But,"  and  his  eyes  twinkled  as  he  felt  in  his 
pocket,  and  drawing  something  therefrom,  which  he  handed 
to  Judy,  "this  is  the  picture  of  another  President." 

Judy's  hand  closed  over  the  gift,  and  she  grasped  the 
President's  hand,  shouting  her  tlianks  as  he  moved  toward 
his  carriage,  which  he  entered  with  a  farewell,  lifting  his  hat, 
and  was  whirled  out  of  sight. 

Only  then  did  Judy  stop  to  look  at  what  had  been  given 
her,  and  her  surprise  and  delight  can  be  imagined  when  she 
discovered  a  new  and  crisp  tivc-doUar  bill,  contaming  :he 
likeness  of  President  Jackson. 

Du:  ;rg  the  summer  of  1891  President  Harrison  and  fam- 
ily again'  passed  the  season  at  Cape  May  Point,  while  the 
President  established  his  executive  office  at  Congress  Hall, 
in  Cape  May,  wh.ch  was  open  from  July  3  until  Septem- 
ber 15. 

The  President  and  family  came  on  July  3  to  their  cct- 


DIS'l'IXCriSHKl)    \'ISIT()KS.  395 

■frage.  but  the  President  himself  (hd  not  remain  there  ail  the 

:seascni.  I'rom  August  t8  to  2y  he  was  away  at  Saratoga, 
X.  V.     In  the  season  of  1892  the  family  did  i;ot     «jiiie  to 

"Cape  May  Point.  That  fall  Mrs.  Harrison  died,  louring 
the  summer  of  1893  General  Harrison,  who  had  ci  the  4th 

■of  March  preceding  retired  from  the  1 'residential  chair, 
passed  part  of  his  summer  at  the  cottage,  in  1896  he  dis- 
posed of  the  cottage  to  a  Philadelphian. 

Tn  the  fall  of  1889  Edward  L.  Rice,  son  of  Leaming  M. 
Rice,  who  had  previously  been  State  Senator,  was  elected 
county  clerk,  to  succeed  Jonathan  Hand,  after  fifty  years 
of  service.  Edward  L.  Rice  was  born  at  Dennisville  on 
January  25,  1864.  He  attended  school  at  Dennisville  and  at 
Rutgers  College,  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.  Before  he  en- 
tered college  and  before  reaching  his  eighteenth  year  he 

iDegan  teaching  school.  When  elected  clerk  he  was  prin- 
cipal of  the  Cape  Mav  Citv  School.  He  is  a  natural  ofator, 
and  has  written  some  poetry.  In  1894  he  was  chosen  by  the 
people  for  another  term  of  five  years.  In  politics  he  is  a 
Democrat. 

The  Jewish  colony  at  Woodbine  w-as  founded  in  1891.  It 
was  early  in  the  spring  of  that  year  that  the  American  trus- 
tees of  the  Baron  Hirsch  Fund  closed  negotiations  by  pur- 

'chasing  5100  acres  of  land  in  and  around  Woodbine  from 
Mr.  John  M.  Moore,  the  Clayton,  N.  J.,  glass  manufac- 
turer, for  $39,000.  Before  the  purchase  was  completed  the 
titles  were  searched  back  to  the  days  of  the  "West  Jersey 

..Society." 

In  April,  1891,  work  was  conuiienced  at  the  colony.  A 
number  of  small  dwelling  houses  were  erected  for  the  ac- 
commodation of  the  men  wdio  came  to  the  place  to  clear  the 
land  and  build  homes.  A  survey  of  the  land  w-as  made  and 
sixty-two  farms  of  thirty  acres  each  were  laid  out.  These 
farms  are  now  occupied  by  as  many  families.  They  were 
sold  to  the  settlers  on  terms  wdiich  were  extremely  liberal, 
and  yet  not  calculated  to  make  the  buyers  entirely  depen- 
dent. By  the  terms  of  purchase  the  refugees  upon  their 
arrival  in  this  country  were  l)rought  direct  to  Woodbine  and 
placed  on  their  farms,  which  were  thirty  acres  each  in  extent. 
In  August  the  colonv  was  settled.    To  everv  family  were 


39(3  HISTORY  OF  CAFE  MAY  COUNTY. 

allotted  a  neat  house,  barn  and  all  necessary  outbuildings;; 
one  cow,  twenty-five  chickens,  farming  implements  and 
seeds. 

Ten  acres  of  the  thirty  were  cleared  and  ploughed  and' 
sown  with  rye  or  wheat.  For  the  farm  complete,  the  trus- 
tees asked  $1200,  the  cost  price.  Every  settler  was  given 
ten  years'  time  in  which  to  pay  for  his  purchase,  and  in  or- 
•  derto  give  him  a  start,  the  fund  only  required  the  interest  ors 
the  principal  to  be  paid  during  the  first  three  years.  After 
that  time  the  purchase  price  was  to  be  paid  ofT  in  yearly  pay- 
ments. 

Immediately  after  the  founding  of  the  colony  a  large  num- 
ber of  refugees  were  brought  to  the  colony  and  employed  in 
the  large  cloak  factory  the  trustees  had  erected. 

During  the  summer  of  1892  the  crops  were  very  large  and 
farming  proved  a  success  far  beyond  all  expectations.  The- 
town  site  was  laid  ci.:  near  the  depot  and  within  six  months 
thirty-five  new  hourt:.,  costing  over  $50,000,  were  built  and, 
occupied  by  those  who  worked  in  the  cloak  factory.  x\  new 
factory  for  the  manufacture  of  trousers  was  completed  and' 
the  two  industries  gav'e  employment  to  over  five  hundred 
people. 

The  management  (^  i  the  colon}-  devolved  upon  Professor 
H.  L.  Sabsovich,  who  is  yet  superintendent.  Professor 
Sabsovich  is  a  native  of  Southern  Russia  and  is  about  forty- 
seven  years  of  age.  His  title  comes  from  the  "Agricultural' 
College  of  Russia,''  of  which  institute  he  is  a  graduate.  In 
1888  he  left  Russia,  en  account  of  aggressive  laws  with  his 
family  and  came  to  New  York.  Shortly  after  arriving  in 
America  he  accepted  a  position  as  professor  of  chemistry  in. 
the  Colorado  State  Experimental  College,  at  Denver,  where 
he  remained  until  he  came  to  Woodbine  to  superintend  the 
newly-established  colony.  Within  a  year  nearly  seven  hun- 
dred persons  settled  there. 

In  1 89 1  the  Legislature  again  passed  an  act  changmg 
Cape  May's  boundary  line,  by  adding  a  portion  of  Maurice- 
River  township,  in  Cumberland  township,  to  Dennis  town- 
ship. It  was  during  this  year  that  Avalon  became  a  bor- 
ough. 

The  first  woman  physician  to  settle  in  Cape  ]\Iay  county- 


distix(;t'isiii:i>  nisituks. 


•591 


was  Anna  M.  Hand,  who  l)egan  the  practice  of  niecHcinc  in 
Cape  ^lav  City  in  January,  1892.  She  was  of  Revolutionary 
stock,  havin.q-  had  maternal  anrt  paternal  ancestors  in  the 
Revolution.  Dr.  Hand  was  Ixirn  near  Ca])e  ]\Iay  Court 
House,  where  she  obta-'ned  h.er  educatii'U  in  the  public 
■schools  and  with  private  teachers.  This  was  supplemented 
by  two  years  of  study  in  the  New  Jersey  State  Normal 
School.  After  graduating  she  tau-ht  school  for  seven  years 
in  Eastern  Pennsylvania.  The  idea  of  studying  medicine 
then  took  hold  of  her,  and  she  matriculated  in  the  Women's 


.-^)A^ 


Medical  College.  IMiiladelphia,  in  1886,  and  took  an  extend- 
ed or  four  years'  course.  Afterwards  she  took  a  post  grad- 
uate course  in  the  Philadelphia  Polyclinic.  Her  career  of 
preparation  was  concluded  with  nearly  two  years  more  of 
practical  experience  in  the  Maternity  Hospital  and  Nur^e 
School,  of  Philadelphia.  She  then  settled  at  Cape  May 
City  and  acquired  a  large  practice. 

The  first  move  towards  establishing  a  second  railroad 
•through  Cape  May  county  was  by  Logan  M.  Bullitt,  of 
Philadelphia,  and  James  E.  Taylor,  of  Cape  May  City.  •  They 
■secured  an  agreement  with  the  Central  Railroad  of  New  Jer- 


A/ 


398  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

sey.  the  Atlantic  City  Railroad  Company  and  Vineland 
Railroad  Company  to  operate  a  proposed  road  in  connec- 
tion with  these  companies.  On  January  14,  1893,  a  public 
meeting  was  held  in  Hand's  Hall.  Cape  May,  which  was 
presided  over  by  James  M.  E.  Hildreth.  At  that  meeting, 
$5300  was  subscribed  toward  the  project.  The  road  was- 
built  from  Winslow  Junction  in  Camden  count)-  to  Sea  Isle- 
City,  and  the  first  train  ran  there  on  July  27,  1893.  The 
next  day  a  regular  train  service  was  established. 

On  June  23.  1894,  the  road  having  been  completed  from- 
Tuckahoe  to  Cape  May,  the  first  train  arrived  with  a  large 
party  of  invited  guests,  and  a  public  holiday  was  the  conse- 
quence. In  July  regular  service  was  established.  The 
road's  projectors  had  had  many  financial  difficulties.  It 
was  first  known  as  the  Philadelphia  and  Seashore  Railroad, 
and  afterwards  reorganized  as  the  South  Jersey  Railroad.  On. 
August  22  a  receiver  was  appointed  for  the  road,  who  still 
manages  it.  The  officers  of  the  company  at  the  time  of  the 
appointment  of  the  receiver  were:  William  S.  Fox,  president - 
Logan  M.  Bullitt,  vice-president;  Thomas  H.  Willson,  sec- 
retary; Thomas  Robb,  James  E.  Taylor,  Charles  K.  Landis, 
J.  H.  Wheeler.  James  M.  E.  Hildreth,  Morris  Boney, 
Thomas  E.  Ludlam,  John  Halpin,  H.  W.  Sawyer,  Edward 
A.  Tennis,  Dr.  James  Mecray  and  Dr.  Y.  M.  D.  Marcy. 

Logan  M.  Bullitt  is  a  son  of  John  C.  Bullitt,,  of  Philadel- 
phia, a  large  land  holder  of  Cape  May.  He  was  born  in 
Philadelphia  in  1863,  and  was  graduated  from  the  Univer- 
sity of  Pennsylvania  in  1883.  After  graduating  he  was  ap- 
pointed superintendent  of  Dunbar  Furnace  Company,  Dun- 
bar, Pa.  In  1884  he  became  manager  of  the  Northern  Pa- 
cific Coal  Company  and  remained  in  Dakota  and  Montana 
until  1888.    In  1889  he  was  admitted  to  the  Philadelphia  bar. 

James  E.  Taylor  was  born  in  Cape  May,  and  after  ob- 
taining an  education  he  studied  civil  engineering.  He  was 
at  one  time  head  of  the  contracting  department  of  the  Edi- 
son Electric  Company,  New  York  city.  In  1888  and  1889 
he  was  collector  of  Cape  May  city. 

Lemuel  E.  Miller,  who  was  State  Senator  from  1892  to- 
1895,  was  born  at  Green  Creek,  August  i.  1854,  and  was 
a  son  of  Aaron  Miller,  one  time  Sheriff.     When  fifteen  his 


insTiX(;risiiEi)  visrroKSi. 


399 


father  died  and  ho  was  left  to  care  for  hinistlf.  He  Ixcaine 
a  gneral  contractor,  doing"  work  in  all  parts  of  the  coun- 
try, such  as  building  railroads,  bulwarks,  etc.  He  served 
in  the  Cape  May  City  Council  from  1875  to  1878,  and  in 
1876  was  the  president  of  the  council. 

On  the  fourth  of  July,  1893,  the  celebration  was  partici- 
pated in  ])}•  ex-President  Benjamin  Harrison,  who  made  the 
principal  address  from  the  piazza  of  the  Stockton  Hotel, 
Cape  ]\Iay  City.  Those  who  took  part  in  celebration  were 
Mayor  James  M.   E.  Hildreth;  General  William  J.  Sewell, 


roUNTV  rlllSON,  BUILT  IN  1S1I4. 

of  Camden;  Congressman  John  E.  Reyburn,of  Philadelphia; 
Hood  Gilpin,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia,  and  Rev.  James  N. 
Cockius,  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

The  one  hundred  and  eighty-second  anniversary  of  the 
founding  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Cape  May  was  held 
at  Cape  May  Court  House  on  June  16,  17,  18,  19,  20  and 
21,  1894. 

In  1894  South  Cape  May  was  created  a  borough  out  of 
West  Cape  May. 

The  first  hanging  which  ever  took  place  in  Cape  May 
county  was  that  of  ihe  murderer  Richard  Pierce,  a  colored 
man,  of  Goshen,  aged  about  24.    The  hanging  took  place  in 


400 


JJISTORV  or  CAPE   MAY   I'OT'NTY. 


the  court  liouse  yard  on  the  afternoon  of  July  13,  18514. 
Sheriff  Robert  E.  Hand  was  in  charsje  of  tlie  execution. 
Pierce  had  killed  his  wife  on  February  19. 

In  1894  the  ]>resent  county  prison  was  erected. 

I'y  the  census  of  1895,  the  school  property  in  the  county 
was  valued  at  $64,000;  public  property,  $46,150:  church  and 
charitable  institutions,  $173,450;  cemeteries,  $2,100.  The 
total'number  of  residents  in  the  county  was  12,855;  ^^.ch  politi- 
cal division    containing     thf    following    inhabitants:      Anglesea, 


KDMUNO  r..  t: 


247;  Avalon,  105;  Cape  May  City,  2452:  Cape  May  Point,  136; 
Dennis  township,  2370;  Holly  Beach,  300;  Lower  township, 
1063;  South  Capj  Miy,  65;  Midlle  township,  2500;  Ocean 
City,  921;  Sea  Isle  City,  424;  Upper  township,  1420;  West 
Cape  May,  742;  Wildw'ood,  109.  There  were  3367  dwelling 
houses  in  the  county,  occupied  by  3193  families. 

Edmund  L.  Ross,  who  represented  Cape  May  county 
in  the  Senate  during  the  sessions  of  1895,  '96  and  '97,  was 
born  at  Cape  May  Court  House,  March  10,  1852.  He  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  and  at  Mayville  Academy. 
He  followed  the  sea  for  some  years  and  then  entered  into 


i»iSTi\i;ri>ii];])   \  !sr,\)KS. 


•401 


the  mercantile  business,  lie  has  1)lcii  nine  years  county 
-  collector.  He  was  a  nieniljer  ot  {hv  Assembly  in  the  ses- 
sions of  1892,  '(;3  antl  "94. 

Furman  L.  l.udlam,  who  was  .\ssur.bl\ man  in  1895  and 
1896,  was  born  at  South  l)ti;nis,  on  Xovem])er  J^,  1832,  and 
is  a  farmer.     In  early  yeais  he  wa,-.  a.  sta  eaj^tain. 

Andrew  J.  Tonilin.  of  (ioslu'U,  wa;  in  181)5  elected  Sher- 
iil  for  a  three-year  term,  tic  was  a  brcMher  of  John  F. 
Tomlin,  who  was  a  distinLMuslicd  soldier  from  Cape  iVlav 
county  during-  the  war  of  the  rcbelhiT..      lie  was  born  at 


AN  I  HH.V    .1.     rc.M  i,;\. 

•Goshen,  March  15,  1845.  He  grew  nj)  on  the  farm  and 
■went  to  the  villag-e  schools.  In  1862.  he  went  to  Philadel- 
p'hia,  where  he  enlisted  in  the  United  States  Marine  Corps, 
and  was  detailed  for  duty  at  the  Washington  Navy  Yard. 
Alter  remaining-  there  for  one  year,  he  was  sent  with  a  bat- 
taijon  to  Morris  Island,  participating  in  the  attack  upon 
Fort  Sumter  in  September,  1863.  He  was  then  detailed  to 
tiie  revenue  cutter  "Cuzler,"  and  later  to  the  U.  S.  steamer 
"Wabash,"  being  wi^h  the  latter  in  the  b'ort  Fisher  cam- 
paig^n.     He  helped  to  storm  the  breastworks  and  for  his  per- 


<02 


IIISTOKY  OF  CATE   MAY  COLN'rV. 


sonal  bravery  received  a  medal  from  (lideon  Welles,  Secre- 
tary of  the  Navy.  At  the  close  of  the  war  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  U.  S.  steamship  "Mohongo."  of  the  Pacific 
squadron,  upon  which  he  remained  until  his  five  years'  en- 
listment expired.  He  returned  home,  remained  a  short 
while,  and  enlisted  again,  being  detailed  to  the  U.  S.  steam- 
ship "Plymouth,"  of  the  European  sciuadron.  While  on  the 
"Plymouth"  he  was  in  Europe  during  the  Franco-German 
war  of  1870,  and  was  also  enabled  lo  visit  the  Holv  Lands^ 
and  ports  on  both  sides   of  the   ]\Iediterrancan   Sea.      He^ 


«vNA(;()(aj';  at   w hodiunk. 
upon  returning  home,   allied  himself  with  the   Republican 
party.     He  was  township  committeeman  of  Middle  town- 
ship for  ten  years,  school  trustee  fourteen  years. 

By  reason  of  the  unconstutionality  of  the  State  borough 
law^s,  all  the  boroughs  in  Cape  May  county  ceased  to  exist, 
but  the  Legislature,  in  1896,  passed  an  enabling  act  to  al- 
low boroughs  to  hold  on  to  their  government  until  legisla- 
tion could  be  enacted.  They  all  continued  their  existence 
excepting  Cape  May  Point,  which  became  again  a  part  of 
Lower  township.  Ocean  City  was  incorporated  as  a  city 
in  1897,  and  on  April  13  held  its  first  election  under  its  new 
charter. 


1  »is'ri X( J r  1 SH i-:i )  v i s i  re )i;s. 


40S 


On  Sunday.  November  29,  1896.  tlie  Synagogue  at 
Woodbine  was  consecrated.  Every  part  of  the  structure 
was  made  bv  the  colonists  themselves.  It  cost  al)out  six 
thousand  dollars.  The  day  was  made  a  memorable  one,  a 
large  number  of  visitors  being  present. 

In  September.  1896.  Aaron  W.  Hand,  of  West  Cape  May, 
was  appointed  County  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction 
by  the  state  Board  of  Education,  and  entered  into  the  perform- 
ance of  the  duties  of  the  office  with  an  earnestness  which  greatly 
stimulated  interest  in  the  publie  schools.  He  was  of  Cape  May 
stock,  anil  born  at  Camden,  N.  J.,  February  10,  1857.     He 


AAKOX    \V.     UANn. 

was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Camden  and  Phila- 
delphia, and  was  for  a  considerable  time  a  student  at  the  U.  S. 
Military  Academy  at  West  Point,  N.  Y.  He  began  teaching 
school  in  1877,  and  taught  twelve  years,  being  stationed  at 
Dennisville,  Rio  Grande,  Cape  May  Point  and  Cape  May 
City.  He  was  one  of  the  most  efficient  principals  of  the  schools 
of  the  latter  place,  and  resigned  the  position  to  enter  into  the 
newspaper  business  in  1889.  From  1880  to  1887  he  resided  at 
Cape  May  Point,  and  was  tax  collector  and  teacher  there  six 
years.  He  was  also  a  merchant  there.  In  1887  he  removed 
to  West  Cape  May  and  began  a  mercantile  business.  He 
was  assessor  of  the  borough  in  1895  and  1896.  He  was  as- 
sociate   editor  of  the  Dailv  Star  in  the  summer  season  from 


404 


HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 


1881  to  1889.  In  1889,  in  company  with  ]\  Perry  Ed- 
munds, he  purchased  the  Star  of  the  Cape,  and  in  1890  Mr. 
Edmunds  sold  out  to  Thomas  R.  Brooki,  who  became  a 
partner.  In  1894.  Mr.  Hand  sold  his  iniLrest  to  Clarence 
R.  Brooks,  son  of  Thomas  R.  When  the  Star  of  the  Cape 
Publishing  Company  purchased  the  paper  in  1895,  Mr. 
Hand  became  its  editor  and  manager.  In  his  newspaper  career 
he  has  been  fearless  as  an  editor  and  successful  as  manager. 

Robert   E.    Hand,   who   served  in  the  Assembly   in  the 
session  of  1897,  was  born  at  Erma,  Cape  May  county.  Tune 


ROBERT    E.    HANI). 


28,  1854,  and  still  resides  there.  He  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools.  He  owns  large  tracts  of  lands,  is  engaged  in 
cultivating  and  shipping  oysters.  He  was  a  member  of 
school  board  for  twelve  years.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Freeholders  from  Lower  township  from  1887  to 
1892.  In  the  latter  year  he  was  elected  Sheriff  and  served 
three  years.  In  pohtics  he  is  a  Republican.  In  June,  1896, 
he  was  a  delegate  to  the  Republican  National  Convention 
at  St.  Louis,  which  nominated  McKinley  and  Hobart  for 
President  and  Vice-President. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

CAPE  ISLAND. 
All  that  portion  of  Cape  May  county,  beginning  at  a 
point  in  the  Atlantic  Ocean  opposite  the  mouth  of  Cold 
Spring  Inlet,  as  far  southerly  as  the  jurisdiction  of  the  State 
extends,  and  running  a  westerly  course  until  opposite  an 
inlet  (now  filled  up)  between  Cape  Island  and  the  light- 
house; thence  following  the  several  courses  of  the  inlet,  or 
.  creek,  to  ISIount  Vernon  Bridge,  and  Broadway;  thence 
along  the  northwest  side  of  Broadway  to  the  north  side  of 
its  junction  w^ith  the  Cape  Island  turnpike;  thence  along  the 
north  side  line  of  the  turnpike  to  Cape  May  Island  Bridge 
and  creek;  thence,  following  the  several  courses  of  the  creek 
down  the  main  channel  to  the  place  of  beginning,  is  by 
law  of  1875  declared  to  be  the  City  of  Cape  May.  Previous 
to  this  the  territory  was  called  Cape  Island. 

The  first  reference  to  Cape  Island  was  when  George 
Eaglesfield  in  1699  built  the  causeway.  The  first  reference 
to  the  island  by  law  was  in  1796,  when  a  law  was  passed  to 
make  a  road  on  which  boats  could  be  stowed.  The  old  way 
of  getting  to  Cape  May,  formerly  called  Cape  Island,  was 
by  carriages,  the  visitors  from  Philadelphia  driving  down. 
In  181 5,  a  sloop  was  built  to  convey  passengers.  Sometimes 
it  would  take  two  days  to  get  down.  The  old  Atlantic,  the 
only  hotel,  was  at  the  foot  of  Jackson  street,  and  was  the 
resort  of  men  of  prominence  and  wealth  for  many  years. 
Commodore  Decatur,  the  gallant  and  lamented  American 
naval  officer,  for  years  was  a  visitant  of  Cape  Island  and  was 
a  constant  habitue  of  the  old  Atlantic.  Among  its  proprie- 
tors may  be  mentioned  Ellis  Hughes.  William  Hughes,  Dr. 
Roger  Wales,  Aaron  Bennett,  Alexander  McKenzie,  Daniel 
Saint  and  Mr.  MclMackin. 

The  old  Congress  Hall  did  not  occupy  the  site  of  the 
present  brick  structure,  but  in  1812,  when  built  l)y  Thomas 


406  IJISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

H.  Hughes,  its  rotunda  stood  where  Drs.  Marcy  &  Me- 
cray's  Palace  Pharmacy  now  stands.  It  was  a  wooden 
building-,  of  extensive  exterior,  being-  108x140,  but  not  as 
elegant  as  the  newer  class  of  hotels.  Thomas  Hug-hes,  Jo- 
seph Hughes,  Jonas  Miller,  W.  Burr  Miller,  Richard 
Thompson.  John  West  and  Jacob  F.  Cake  were  among  the 
proprietors  before  its  destruction  in  1878.  Jackson  street 
was  the  first  regularly  laid  out  thoroughfare. 

The  reason  why  Cape  Island  was  r.ot  laid  out  in  squares, 
like  he  more  modern  towns,  is  because  streets  were  only 
made  when  they  were  needed.  Jackson  street  was  the  first 
made  street  in  the  town,  and  that  was  more  than  one  hun- 
dred years  ago.  Lafayette  street  was  a  cow^  path  for  the 
most  part,  and  for  convenience  it  was  made  a  wagon  road, 
and  finally  adopted  as  a  street.  Washington  street  was 
made  to  run  parallel  with  Lafayette.  Delaware  avenue  is 
probably  the  next  oldest.  Franklin,  Jefiferson  and  Queen 
are  also  very  old  streets. 

There  was  a  hotel  on  the  lot  north  of  the  old  Atlantic, 
built  in  1822,  and  kept  by  Ephraim  Mills.  The  first  steam- 
boat began  to  run  in  1828.  Before  that  freight  was  brought 
to  Cape  May  in  sloops  up  to  Schellenger's  Landing.  Old 
Captain  Whilldin  ran  the  first  steamboat  to  the  present  land- 
ing place  on  the  bay  side.  The  boat  stopped  at  New  Castle 
to  take  up  the  Baltimoreans  and  Southerners  who  would 
come  down  on  the  old  Frenchtown  and  New  Castle  Rail- 
road— the  first  railroad  ever  run  in  this  country.  They 
would  come  over  in  carriages  from  Baltimore  to  French- 
town,  in  Maryland,  on  the  Susquehanna,  near  Havre  de 
Grace. 

The  hotel  next  erected  after  Congress  Hall  was  the  Man- 
sion House,  raised  in  1832.  covering  four  acres  of  ground. 
It  was  the  first  lathed  and  plastered  house  on  the  island. 
Richard  S.  Ludlam  built  it,  and  also  opened  a  street  fifty 
feet  in  width,  called  Washington,  between  Perry  and  Jack- 
son. The  first  summer  cottage  was  put  up  by  Thomas  Hart, 
of  Philadelphia.  "The  Kersal,"  meaning  a  place  of  amuse- 
ment, was  a  wing  or  extension  of  the  Mansion  House,  124 
feet  long,  built  in  1849,  had  hops  and  concerts  in  it;  also 


r'AlMO    ISI.AXD.  407 

used  as  a  large  dining  room.  Among  the  proprietors  of  the 
Mansion  House  were  Ephraim  Mills,  Isaac  Schellenger,  Eli 
B.  Wales.  Daniel  Saint.  John  Sturtcvant,  Richard  Smith 
Ludlam  in  1839;  William  S.  Hooper  and  Albert  H.  Lud- 
lam  from  1850  until  the  house  was  burned  in  185G. 

The  Ocean  House  was  erected  about  1832  by  Israel  Lea- 
ming,  and  was  located  on  the  east  side  of  Perry  street,  be- 
tween Washington  street  and  the  beach. 

After  the  old  Mansion  House,  the  next  house  was  built 
by  Mrs.  Remolds,  called  the  American,  with  accommoda- 
tions for  125  guests. 

About  1834  the  steamer  "Portsmouth"  began  to  make 
weekly  trips  to  Cape  May  and  Lewestown.  In  later  years 
she  was  followed  by  the  "Wilmon  Whilldin."  "Kent,"  "Rip 
Van  Winkle."  "Zephyr."  "Wave,"  "Mountaineer"  and 
others. 

The  first  Alethodist  Episcopal  scjciety  in  Cape  May  City 
was  formed  in  December,  1837,  and  fourteen  years  aftei 
this,  1843.  the  first  church  was  erected  near  the  site  of  the 
present  one,  and  it  is  now  the  A.  ^I.  E.  Church,  on  Frank- 
lin street.  Socrates  Townsend.  Israel  Townsend.  Jonas 
Miller.  Israel  Leamipg  and  Jeremiah  Church  were  the  most 
active  workers  for  its  foundation.  Joseph  Ware  was  the 
"builder,  and  Rev.  Clark  Policy  was  the  first  preacher.  He 
-was  also  the  first  town  Superintendent  of  Schools  for  Cape 
Island.  The  church  is  now  located  on  Washington  street, 
having  been  last  rebuilt  in  1893. 

In  1846  the  Old  Columbia  Hotel  was  built,  extending 
from  Ocean  to  Decatur  street,  erected  by  George  Hildreth. 
Messrs.  Harwood  and  Bolton  were  its  proprietors. 

The  Merchants  was  built  on  the  site  of  the  New  Colum- 
bia and  Messrs.  Mason  and  Eldredge  were  its  proprietors 
before  it  was  swept  away  in  1878. 

The  Centre  House,  erected  in  1840.  was  kept  by  Jeremiah 
Mecray  on  the  corner  of  Jacks«ni  and  Washington  streets, 
until  the  fire  destroyed  it  with  the  rest  in  1878. 

The  New^  Atlantic  was  built  in  1840,  and  conducted  by 
Benjamin,  Joe  and  John  McMackin  until  its  destruction  in 
1878. 


4(),s  HiSTor.Y  or  cAri-;  may  <'o\'xv\. 

On  Decatur  street  stood  the  Madison,  whose  construe-- 
tion  dated  from  1845. 

The  VVashhigton  Hotel  was  first  erected  on  Washington  street 
and  was  built  in  1840,  It  now  stands  at  Beach  and  Madisoa 
avenues.  White  Hall  was  erected  in  1850,  by  Dr.  Samuel  S. 
Marcy,  and  the  Delaware  in  1840. 

National  Hall  was  erected  in  aliout  1850  by  Aaron  Gar- 
retson. 

The  first  IJaptist  Society  was  formed  about  1844.  and  a 
church  was  erected  in  the  spring  of  1845.  It  was  replaced  im 
1879  by  the  present  one,  costing"  some  $19,000.  The  first 
pastor  was  Rev.  M.  B.  Tindall.  The  following  were  the 
original  members  of  the  church:  Isaac  Church,  Philip 
Hand,  George  Strattcn.  Stephen  Mulford,  Alexander  A_ 
Shaw,  John  Price,  Thomas  McKain,  William  Price,  John 
K.  Church,  Aaron  Schcllcnger,  Rebecca  H.  Church,  Sarah- 
H.  Hand,  Abigail  F.  Stratton,  Hetty  Barnett,  Elnor  Fisher, 
Jane  E.  Shaw,  Elizabeth  McKain,  Phoebe  Webb,  Louisa 
M.  Schellenger,  Elizabeth  Brooks,  Eliza  Burch,  Mary  Lea- 
rning, Keziah  Price,  Isabella  Stevens  and  Hannah  Rob- 
ertson. 

The  need  of  local  government  was  apparent  and  Assem- 
blyman Richard  S.  Ludlam  began  a  movement  in  the  Legis- 
lature which  on  March  8,  1848,  terminated  in  the  passage 
of  the  act  "to  incorporate  Cape  Island  into  a  borough." 
This  instrument  named  James  Mecray  chief  burgess;  James 
Clark,  assistant  burgess;  Thomas  P).  Hughes,  hi'^h  con- 
stable, and  William  Cassedy,  borough- clerk;  and  .hose  men 
were  to  constitute  the  government,  with  an  assessor  and  col- 
lector of  taxes,  until  t  e  first  Tuesday  of  May,  1849,  whea 
the  people  were  from  year  to  year  to  choose  their  succes- 
sors. The  government  existed  until  185 1,  when  in  March 
the  Legislature  incorporated  the  "'City  of  Cape  Island/*" 
There  was  a  mayor,  six  councilmen,  an  alderman  and  a  re- 
corder, who  as  a  body  were  legislators  for  the  new  city. 

The  first  Council  met  in  the  school  house  cm  the  corner 
lot  of  Franklin  and  Lafayette  streets  (south  side),  on  Satur- 
day evening.  March  15,  1851.  There  were  present  Isaac 
M.  Church,  Mayor;  Waterr.  B.  ]\Iiller,  Alderman:  Joseph  S. 


CAPE   ISLAND.  409 

Leach,  Recorder,  and  James  S.  Kennedy,  David  Pierson, 
John  G.  W.  Ware,  Joseph  Ware,  Aaron  Garrctson  and 
James  Mecray,  Councilmen.  The  only  thing  done  tb.at  even- 
ing was  the  election  of  Charles  T.  Johnson,  a  carpenter,  a^ 
City  Clerk. 

On  the  following  Saturday  evening,   March   22,   Mayor 
Church  delivered  his  inaugural  address,  in  which  he  said: 

"Gentlemen  and  Fellow-  Citizens: 

"Allow  me  the  privilege  of  congratulating  you  upon  the 
happy  auspices  under  which  we  are  now  convened. 

"Our  unfeigned  gratitude  is  due  the  Great  Aulb.nr  of  all 
good,  for  the  bounties  of  Providence  we  so  largely  enjoy. 
In  addition  to  wealth,  peace  and  plenty,  our  'lines  have  fallen 
to  us  in  pleasant  places.'  Situated  as  we  arc,  upon  one  of 
the  most  delightful  spots  to  be  found  within  the  fair  do- 
main of  our  beloved  country,  from  this  location  we  may 
look  out  upon  the  heaving  bosom  of  the  broad  and  fathom- 
less  Atlantic,  and  listen  to  the  ceaseless  roar  of  its  rolling 
billows  as  they  dash  upon  our  sandy  beach.  This  island 
prominence  is  worthily  noted  for  its  unsurpassed  beauty 
and  salubriousness,  and  has  lately  become  truly  cclel^-atcd 
for  the  pleasantness  of  hs  climate,  and  the  invigorating  iv- 
fiuence  of  its  summer  sea  breezes.  These  advantages,  to- 
gether with  the  convenience  and  safety  of  its  bathing- 
grounds,  contribute  so  many  attractions  that  it  is  often 
thronged  by  thousands  of  the  wealthy  and  fashionable  from 
various  and  even  remote  parts  of  the  Union.  And  their  an- 
ticipations are  usually  more  than  realized  in  the  agreeable- 
ness  of  the  retreat  from  the  sultry  and  sickly  atmosphere  of 
crowded  cities  and  inland  towns.  It  is  our  good  fortune 
here  to  have  our  dwelling  places,  as  free  and  independent 
citizens,  and  to  enjoy  uninterruptedly  the  privileges  of  the 
Gospel,  with  the  rights  and  immunities  of  the  civil  and  so- 
cial institutions  of  our  highly  favored  land. 

"But  this  occasion  requires  especially  that  I  should  con- 
gratulate you  upon  the  success  of  your  late  application  to 
ate  Legislature  of  our  State  for  tlie  rights  and  privileges  of 
a  citv  charter.     We  have,  for  a  few  years  past,  been   wit- 


410  PlISTORY  OF  CATK   MAV  COT'NTY. 

nessing  with  much  gratification  the  unparalleled  growth  and 
prosperity  of  our  place,  which  has  only  been  equalled  by  its 
widening  notoriety  and  increasing  popularity  as  a  desirable 
.summer  resort.  A  large  amount  of  capital  is  annually  ex- 
pended in  the  erection  and  furnishing  of  commodious  and 
magnificent  hotels  and  boarding-houses  for  the  comfortable 
entertainment  of  the  multitudes  who  visit  us  during  each 
successive  bathing  season.  So  that,  in  point  of  fact,  our 
former  village  is  rapidly  assuming  the  real  ap])earance  of  a 
splendid  city.  And  to  maintain  the  respectability  to  which 
the  rapid  progress  of  the  place  entitles  it.  as  well  as  for  the  se- 
•curilv  of  the  stock  invested  in  its  imi)rovement,  it  was 
•deemed  expedient  to  procure  a  city  charter.  For  this,  and 
■other  reasons,  such  as  the  preservation  of  just  rights  and 
g-ood  order  among  us,  it  was  thought  indispensable  that  an 
eificient  municipal  government  should  be  organized. 

"Moved  by  a  commendable  spirit  of  enterprise,  you,  my 
fellow  citizens,  after  mutual  and  mature  deliberation,  pre- 
pared a  bill  which,  in  the  dictates  of  your  best  judgment, 
:should  meet  the  exigencies  of  the  case.    This  bill  was  in  due 
time  presented  to  the  Legislature  by  your  committee  ap- 
pointed for  that  purpose,  through  whose  efficiency  it  se- 
< cured  the  early  attention  of  that  body.     And  being  duly 
•  considered,  with  the  circumstances  which  called  for  its  en- 
.actment,  it  was  slightly  amended  to  meet  the  views  of  the 
members    interested,    and    finally   secured  the   Legislative 
■sanction  by  a  passage  through  both  houses,  and  was  ap- 
proved and  signed  by  the  Governor.     And  by  our  bill  thus 
becoming  law,  we  were  constituted  a  chartered  corporation. 
On  the  tenth  of  the  present  month,  Cape  Island  took  her 
place  among  her  older  sisters  of  the  Union  as  a  legally  in- 
corpn-ated  city.     And  though  she  may  be  the  least  among 
the  thousands  of  America  bearing  such  a  title,  yet  the  vigor 
-of  Ik:-  infancy  promises  well  for  a  speedy,  a  propitious  and 
.a  far-far.T cd  maturity.     The  realization  of  this  result,  how- 
•ever,  depends  very  much  upon  the  spirit  with  which  our 
•chartered  privileges  are  improved  and  carried  out  to  their 
.practical  operations. 

"In    this    responsible  business  we  have  just   embarked. 


CAPE   ISLAND.  411 

Agreeably  to  the  provisions  of  tlie  charter,  the  polls  were 
legally  opened  on  the  eleventh  instant,  for  the  election  of 
mtmicipal  officers;  and  our  citizens,  with  a  zeal  worthy  the 
cause,  came  forward  to  the  enjoyment  of  their  right  of  suf- 
frage. The  voice  of  the  sovereign  people,  spoken  through 
'the  medium  of  the  ballot-box,  has  summoned  us,  the  offi- 
•cers-elect,  to  take  the  first  administration  of  the  public  af- 
lairs  of  this  municipality. 

"In  accepting  the  honor  to  which  my  fellow  citizens  have 
called  me — that  of  serving  them  as  chief  magistrate  of  the 
citv — it  may  not  be  amiss  for  me  to  remark  that  at  the 
late  election  was  the  first  time  I  ever  allowed  my  name  to 
be  used  as  a  candidate  for  a  public  civil  office.  And  not- 
withstanding the  misgivings  I  mv.y  have  respecting  my 
capability  for  the  duties  devolved  upon  me,  I  should  still 
he  an  ingrate,  indeed,  not  to  feel  and  express  the  emotions 
of  unaffected  gratitude  to  my  friends  for  placing  me  in  this 
"honorable  position,  by  such  a  decided  expression  of  the 
public  will.  Yet  I  should  be  reluctant  to  obey  even  this 
summons  to  official  duty,  were  it  not  that  I  have  the  fullest 
confidence  in  the  abilities  of  my  compeers  in  office.  Feeling 
satisfied  that  they  are  every  way  competent  to  meet  and  dis- 
charge the  respective  duties  assigned  them,  and  to  grapple 
successfully  with  every  emergency  that  may  arise,  and, 
moreover,  cherishing  the  assurance  that  they  will  give  me 
their  cordial  co-operation  in  all  measures  that  concern  the 
public  weal;  with  such  coadjutors,  and  with  entire  depend- 
ence upon  the  direction  and  assistance  of  God,  I  venture 
cheerfully  into  the  new  department  of  civil  obligations.  And 
w^e  feign  hope  the  public  will  be  prepared  to  make  all  rea- 
sonable allowance  for  errors  in  judgment  that  may  arise 
through  inadvertency  or  inexperience  on  the  part  of  their 
official  servants. 

"And  now,  gentlemen,  you  who  have  the  honor  to  be  the 
elected  functionaries  of  this  body  politic,  and  especially  the 
members  of  the  City  Council,  permit  me  with  due  deference 
to  your  respective  view^s  and  abler  judgment,  to  state  in 
brief  the  principles  I  wish  to  be  governed  by  and  would 


4i2 


HISTORY   OF   CAPE   MAY   COUNTY. 


recommend  to  you  as  the  basis  of  our  official  administra- 
tion. 

"We  are  placed  by  the  favor  and  confidence  of  our  con- 
stituents in  a  position  that  will  call  forth  our  best  energies 
to  sustain  satisfactorily  all  the  interests  of  this  corporation. 
To  us  is  committed  the  responsible  work  of  setting  in  opera- 
tion a  new  form  of  government  for  a  newly  constituted  city. 
And  this  is  to  be  done  with  very  limited  financial  resources, 
amid  the  paralyzing  influence  of  fear  on  one  side,  prejudice 
on  another,  and  perhaps  derision  on  the  third.  x\nd  this 
responsibility  is  necessarily  laid  upon  those  altogether  inex- 
perienced in  the  work  they  have  to  perform.  A  govern- 
ment is  to  be  established  and  kept  in  effective  motion,  with 
the  least  possible  friction  in  its  machinery,  although  its  op- 
erators be  unused  to  many  of  its  delicate  wires. 

"With  such  raw  material,  both  as  agents  and  principals,  it 
will  be  difficult  to  prevent  some  creaking  in  the  contact  be- 
tween new  rules  and  old  usages.  For,  no  doubt,  it  will  be 
expected  of  us,  as  a  condition  of  our  public  approval,  that 
all  the  varied  and  somewhat  conflicting  interests  that  here 
concentrate,  be  maintained  and  promoted.  Yet  I  trust  we 
shall  not  be  deterred  from  launching  the  ship,  though  the 
channel  be  narrow,  shallow  and  difficult  to  navigate;  for  if 
we  do  our  duty,  we  think  she  will  float  out  to  good  sailing; 
at  all  events  it  will  be  satisfaction  enough  to  be  conscious 
of  having  done  the  best  we  could  under  the  circumstances. 
Among  the  several  interests  that  will  demand  our  attention, 
the  first  are  those  of  a  local  character,  confined  within  the 
limits  and  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  city  itself.  Embraced 
in  this  class  will  be  internal  improvements,  proper  care  of 
health  and  cleanliness,  the  preservation  of  peace  and  good 
order,  the  protection  and  fostering  of  moral  institutions^ 
the  detection  and  punishment  of  vice  and  misdemeanor,  the 
judicious  management  and  suitable  encouragement  of  edu- 
cational interests,  with  the  prudent  direction  of  finances. 
To  these  things  we  must  carefully  look,  in  order  that  the 
city,  so  far  as  its  internal  police  is  concerned,  may  be  kept 
in  a  thriving  and  prosperous  condition.  By  these  meajx. 
it  will  present  a  standing  invitation  to  its  visitors  to  con- 


("ATK    ISLAND.  413 

tinue  their  periodical  visitations;  and  to  those  who  are  in 
search  of  a  location  to  make  it  their  permanent  residence. 
And  this  evidently  will  be  the  surest  and  quickest  way  of 
increasing  the  value  of  city  property,  by  which  all  are  bene- 
fited. 

"The  next  claim  upon  the  deliberations  of  the  Council  is 
the  interest  of  the  surrounding'  vicinity,  and  the  county  at 
large.  With  these  our  municipal  enactments  should  con- 
flict as  little  as  possible.  It  is  an  obvious  fact  that  the  pe- 
cuniary interest  of  the  adjacent  country  is  closely  identi- 
fied with  the  prosperity  of  this  city.  The  more  rapid  and 
permanent  its  growth,  and  the  greater  number  that  can  be 
induced  to  visit  it  during  the  summer,  the  longer  and  bet- 
ter market  it  will  afford  for  their  produce,  and  the  more  em- 
ployment it  will  provide  for  their  teams  and  carriages.  While 
the  effect  of  wholesome  restraints  and  regulations  in  the 
city  will  go  far  to  prevent  a  poisonous  influence  of  immor- 
ality from  spreading  around,  which  otherwise  would  have  a 
tendency  to-  contaminate  the  whole  region.  It  is  to  their  ad- 
vantage, therefore,  not  to  fight  against,  but  to  assist  in  pro- 
moting the  interests  of  the  city.  Yet,  on  the  other  hand, 
there  is  a  reciprocal  dependence  upon  them  in  securing  and 
perpetuating  the  advantages  of  the  corporation.  We  want 
their  marketing,  their  fish,  their  hay,  their  wood,  their  labor, 
their  teams,  and  their  vehicles.  Hence  it  will  be  but  pru- 
dent economy  for  both  city  and  country,  far  as  practicable, 
to  give  mutual  encouragement  to  each  other's  interests. 

Next,  and  the  last  that  w^e  shall  name,  though  perhaps  not 
the  least  in  its  bearing  upon  the  ultimate  success  of  our 
municipal  enterprise,  is  to  be  considered  the  interests,  com- 
fort and  wishes  of  the  annual  visitors  to  the  city.  Some  of 
them  own  property  here,  and  are  actual  residents  with  us 
during  the  summer  season,  while  the  vast  majority  only  re- 
main a  few  weeks  in  the  capacity  of  boarders,  at  the  hotels 
and  private  houses.  That  it  will  be  an  important  point  with 
the  authority  of  the  city  to  consult  their  advantages  and 
preferences  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  from  this  class  of 
people  has  come  the  principal  part  of  the  money  that  has 
thus  far  built  up  our  city;  and  from  them  must  still  come  the 


414  HISTORY   OF   CAFE   MAY   COUNTY. 

funds  indispensable  to  the  continued  life  and  activity  of  our 
business  operations.  If,  therefore,  through  carelessness  or 
an  arrant  disregard  of  the  comfort,  safety,  and  gratification, 
of  these  visitors,  they  should  be  turned  off  in  some  other 
direction,  our  hope  of  prosperity  to  our  youthful  city  must 
end  in  bitter  and  remediless  disappointment.  Such  a  catas- 
trophe we  should  not  only  deprecate,  but  endeavor  to  avoids 

"Having  thus  presented  to  your  consideration  some  of  the 
leading  objects  at  which  I  hope  it  will  be  our  united  purpose 
to  aim,  in  our  administration  of  the  public  affairs  of  the 
city,  your  indulgence  is  asked  while  I  take  the  liberty  of 
recommending  the  means  which  to  me  seem  best  adapted 
to  attain  these  desirable  ends.  Not  only  is  the  public  good 
as  a  whole  to  be  sought  by  us,  but  it  is  to  be  sought  in  the 
easiest  and  best  way  we  can  devise.  And  first  of  all,  it  will 
be  essential  to  an  effective  government  that  each  officer 
connected  with  it  acquaint  himslf  thoroughly  with  the  du- 
ties, privileges,  and  responsibilities  of  his  office.  And  that  he 
hold  himself  ready  at  all  times  to  act  expeditiously  and  de- 
cidedly as  occasion  may  require.  Without  prompt  and 
energetic  action  on  the  part  of  officers,  no  stability  or  force 
can  be  given  to  the  municipal  transactions;  and  the  whole 
organization  would  soon  be  treated  with  the  disrespect  its 
childish  indecision  would  merit.  But  we  will  not  give  place 
to  the  fear  that  any  one  has,  or  will  take  upon  him,  an  office 
merely  for  its  honor  or  emoluments,  who  are  still  unresolved 
as  to  its  duties.  For  may  the  Lord  deliver  me  from  an  as- 
sociation with  men  in  office  who  wilfully  neglect  the  duties 
they  are  sworn  to  perform. 

"Another  point  of  importance  will  be  a  vigilant  endeavor 
to  preserve  unanimity  of  sentiment  and  concert  of  action 
in  the  deliberations  and  decisions  of  Council.  United  coun- 
sel will  be  the  best  guarantee  that  the  city  government  can 
give  for  the  perpetuity  and  practical  benefits  of  our  charter. 
Of  course,  it  will  be  both  proper  and  expedient,  when  dif- 
ferent views  are  entertained  on  subjects  under  consideration, 
to  compare  and  discuss  their  relative  merits,  to  advocate 
measures  with  all  your  several  abilities.  Only  let  this  be 
done  in  a  friendly  manner,  and  with  due  respect  to  each 
other's  judgment.     And  though  majorities  should  always 


CAPE   ISLAND. 


be  submitted   to   cheerfully,    yet   they    sliould   never   carry 
points  with  an  overbearing:  and  exulting  spirit;  rather  let 
a  conservative  spirit  predominate  and  regulate  the   \vlu>le 
proceedings.     To  secure  this,  compromises  will  sometimes 
require  to  be  made  to  minority  views,  which  is  well  enough^ 
where  it  can  be  done  without  encroaching  upon  important 
rights  and  principles.    But  if  sectional  or  personal  prejudices, 
and  jealousies  are  allowed  to  produce  embittered  controver- 
sies, and   control  the   consultation   and   enactments   of   the. 
Council,  the  arm  of  its  strength  will  be  palsied.  'For  a  house 
divided  against  itself  cannot  stand;'  while   its   wranglings 
will  soon  become  the  by-word  of  those  who  will  treat  its 
ordinances  with  contempt.     In  your  legislative  movements,, 
you  will  have  a  noble  trio  of  well-established  landmarks  by 
which  to  steer  your  course.     The  highest  and  broadest  of 
these  is  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  which  it  will' 
ever  be  the  duty  and  pride  of  every  good  American  citizen,, 
whether  in  ofhce  or  private  life,  to  preserve  inviolate  by  a 
faithful  adherence  to  its  requisitions,  prohibitions  and  prin- 
ciples.    Next  to  this  is  the  Constitution  of  our  own  State, 
w'hich   expresses   the   fundamental   laws   by   which   we   are 
governed  as  Jerseymen.    And  where  is  the  Jerseyman  woith 
the  name  that  does  not  regard  it  an  honor  either  to  live 
under  or  assist  in  maintaining,  unimpaired,  the  majesty  of 
that  purely  republican  document.     Then  as  the  inside  di- 
rectory of  our  enactments,  we  have  our  city  charter,  which- 
detines  our  rights,  privileges,  and  duties  as  citizens  of  Cape 
Island,   and   more   particularly   as  officers   chosen   by   said 
citizens  to  take  the   supervision  and   prosecution   of   then- 
public  concerns.     In  our  enactment  and  execution  of  local 
law,  therefore,  it  will  be  indispensable  to  keep  our  eye  upon 
the  limitations  of  those  higher  and  more  general  laws  al- 
ready established.     These  we  are  bound  to  respect  as  su- 
preme, to  obey  them  faithfully,  to  abide  by  them  immovably;: 
in  doing  which  we  shall  not  be  liable  to  overreach  our  proper 
jurisdiction,  but  will  secure  all  due  reverence  to  the  city 
authority. 

"I  will  now  detain  you.  gentlemen,  no  longer  than  will  be 
necessary  to  make  a  few  special  recommendations.  Your 
ii.dependent  and  judicious  judgment  will  need  to  be  imme- 


416  IIISIORY   OF   CAPE   MAY   COUNTY. 

diately  exercisd  in  the  choice  of  a.  Councilman  to  fill  the 
vacant  seat,  the  election  of  a  City  Clerk,  and  Street  Com- 
missioner. After  these  selections  are  made,  it  will  be  requi- 
site to  draft  and  adopt  suitable  Rules  of  Order,  By-Laws, 
etc.,  for  your  own  convenience  in  expediting  the  correct 
transaction  of  business.  These  preliminaries  disposed  ot, 
I  would  recommend  the  early  appointment  of  an  efficient 
police,  with  definite  instructions  as  to  their  duties,  that  they 
may  be  ready  to  operate  whenever  needed:  but  that  they 
be  not  called  into  service  until  actual  occasion  recjuires.  It 
will  be  well  for  the  Council,  soon  as  practicable,  to  take 
measure  for  ascertaining-  the  amount  of  money  sui¥icient  to 
meet  the  ordinary  expenses  of  maintaining  the  poor,  re- 
pairing the  streets,  supporting  the  schools,  etc.,  which,  to- 
gether with  the  State  and  county  tax.  will  constitute  the 
sum  which  the  Assessor  will  have  to  raise  by  a  tax  levied 
on  the  inhabitants  and  property  holders  of  the  city,  accord- 
ing to  a  fair  valuation  of  their  respective  possessions.  T':e 
amount  needed  to  meet  the  current  expenses  of  the  City 
Government,  and  for  internal  improvements.  I  woidd  recom- 
mend lo  be  derived  from  a  revenue  that  shall  be  produced 
from  various  sources.  Of  these,  the  following  are  proposed: 
First,  let  a  light  tax  be  laid  upon  all  vehicles  that  come  froui 
without  the  bounds  of  the  city,  to  be  used  here  as  pleasure 
carriages  during  the  boarding  season.  I  would  suggest 
that  the  owners  or  drivers  of  all  such  be  required  to  obtain  a 
written  permit  from  the  Mayor,  or  City  Clerk,  for  the  sea- 
son before  commencing  operation.  The  stim  to  be  paid  for 
said  permits  will  be  fixed  by  the  wisdom  of  the  Cjuncl. 
Probably  something  like  the  following  rates  might  be  an 
equitable  demand:  for  each  tv.'o-horse  carriage  bi,'ionging 
to  the  line,  one  dollar;  for  each  of  the  same  description  not 
connected  with  the  line,  two  dollars,  and  for  each  of  like 
kind  coming  from  without  the  county,  five  dollars.  '\s  a 
further  source  of  revenue,  let  all  transient  shop-keepers  of 
whatever  kind,  before  opening  for  sale,  be  reqiiircd  to  pro- 
cure license  of  the  city  authorities,  to  pay  therefor  ?urli  smn 
as  the  discretion  of  the  Council  shall  designate.  I  W'l  'Id 
also  recommend  that  all  kinds  of  exhibitions,  farces,  shows, 
fireworks,  etc.,  be  prohibited,  except  they  first  procure  li- 


CAPE    ISLAND.  417 

cense  in  like  manner,  and  that  the  respective  charj2:es  be  ad- 
justed to  their  probable  income.  And  further,  that  llie  same 
principle  be  undeviatingly  applied  to  all  l>()\vlin^-  riileys. 
pistol  galleries,  archeries  and  whatever  other  ])Iaces  A 
amusement  the  Council  may  see  proper  to  allow  A'ithin  the 
limits  of  the  city.  In  their  number  and  character,  we  ho])e 
the  Council  will  not  overlook  the  moral  interests  of  tlie 
community.  You  are  aware  that  the  Legislature  have  seen 
iit  in  the  passage  of  the  bill  to  authorize  the  Council  to  grant 
license  to  inns,  bars,  etc.,  within  the  city,  and  this  right  shall 
be  discretionary,  sole  and  exclusive,  and  that  it  mav  also  be 
applied  to  defining  the  period  of  such  license  to  any  term 
not  exceeding  one  year.  Now,  if  the  Council  shall  deem 
it  expedient  to  grant  license  for  the  sale  of  ardent  spirits,  I 
reconunentl  that  the  term  of  said  license  be  fixed  to  tl^ree 
months  only,  from  the  tenth  of  June.  You  will  tind  by  a 
reference  to  the  statutes  of  the  State  that  in  determining  up- 
on the  amount  demanded  for  tavern  licenses,  you  have'  the 
range  between  ten  and  seventy  dollars  to  select  in. 

"We  confidently  think  that  the  revenue  derived  from  these 
several  sources  will  be  sui^cient  to  meet  the  necessary  ex- 
penditures. We  earnestly  recommend  that  immediate  ac- 
tion be  taken  by  the  Council  for  the  prevention  of  the  de- 
struction of  property  by  fire.  Let  the  Marshal  be  authorized 
to  institute  a  speedy  and  thorough  examination  of  all  chim- 
neys, stovepipes,  fines,  etc.,  in  the  city,  and  report  those  he 
regards  as  unsafe.  It  might  be  well  to  pass  an  ordinance  re- 
quiring every  house  to  be  furnished  with  a  certain  number 
of  leather  fire-buckets,  according  to  its  number  of  rooms,  to 
be  kept  in  good  repair  and  in  a  conspicuous  place.  We 
should  entertain  the  plan  favorably,  of  your  encouraging  the 
formation  of  a  hook  and  ladder  company,  who  could  oper- 
ate to  good  advantage  in  case  of  fire. 

"Regulations  will  be  needed  also,  in  regard  to  suitable 
wagon-stands,  that  the  public  passage  way  to  boarding  and 
other  houses  be  not  obstructed.  It  is  further  recommended 
that  timely  and  stringent  measures  be  adopted  to  prevent  any 
indecent  or  imoroner  behavior  on  or  about  the  bathing- 
g-rounds  at  any  time,  especially  during  bathing  hours.  While 
from  the  necessitv  of  the  case,  the  observance  of  econumv 


418  III8TOKY   OF   CAPE   MAY   COUNTY. 

will  be  re(iuirccl  in  arranging  your  expenditures,  still  we  hope 
that  a  due  degree  of  public  spirit  will  characterize  your  ap- 
propriations. Some  improvements  will  doubtless  be  expect- 
ed and  demanded  by  the  public;  and  it  is  hoped  that  they 
will  not  be  altogether  disappointed  in  their  wishes.  Our 
streets  and  sidewalks  need  repairing.  But  as  to  Public  Build- 
ings, I  would  suggest  that  for  the  present  the  Council  rent 
or  lease  some  suitable  room,  that  will  answer  all  practical 
purposes  for  a  city  hall.  In  addition  to  this.  I  should  favor 
vour  proceeding  at  once  to  build  a  small  jail.  We  think  the 
time  is  not  far  distant  when  a  market-house  will  be  needed. 
I  would  merely  notify  you  that  some  of  the  stockholders 
have  proposed  to  offer  the  school  house  and  lot  on  which 
it  stands,  for  sale,  which  wT)uld  be  a  very  good  site  for  city 
buildings.  Especially  do  we  recommend  that  the  educa- 
tional interests  of  the  city  receive  your  liberal  patronage. 
'Better  pay  for  the  tuition  of  the  boy  than  for  the  ignorance 
and  vice  of  the  man!'  We  hope  that  school  appropriations 
will  be  made  to  such  an  extent  as  will  render  it  an  object 
of  interest  to  the  Superintendent  of  Common  Schools  to 
look  well  to  its  judicious  and  profitable  outlay.  This  he  can 
do  by  giving  his  sanction  only  to  competent  teachers,  vis- 
iting the  schools,  giving  lectures,  etc. 

"As  to  the  salaries  and  fees  of  officers,  a  proper  medium 
between  meanness  on  one  hand  and  extravagance  on  the 
other  should  be  preserved.  While  it  is  not  reasonable  to 
expect  that  men  can  devote  their  time  and  energies  to  the 
public  benefit  without  compensation,  neither  is  it  to  be 
supposed  that  ofihce-holding  in  an  infantile  city  like  ours  can 
be  a  very  lucrative  employment.  Equity  and  good  policy 
w^ould  dictate  that  paid  officers  receive  a  fair  and  proper 
remuneration  for  the  time  they  occupy  and  the  services  they 
render  in  public  affairs.  And  as  this  cannot  at  present  be 
ascertained  in  the  case  of  most  of  them,  I  would  recom- 
mend that  the  Council  defer  their  decision  upon  this  ques- 
tion until  the  first  of  October,  and  that  they  require  each 
officer  to  keep  a  faithful  account  of  the  time  they  have  been 
in  actual  service  during  the  interim,  and  present  said  ac- 
counts to  the  Council  at  the  time  specified. 

"It  will  add  much  to  the  respectability  and  comfort  of  the 


CAi'E    IS  I, AND.  41'> 

city  that  no  horses,  cattle,  sheep,  goats  or  swine  be  allowed 
to  roam  at  large  as  commoners  within  the  incorporated 
bounds. 

"In  conclusion,  allow  me  to  express  my  fond  hope  that  a 
year's  trial  of  the  new  arrangements  under  which  we  now 
enter  will  prove  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  concerned  the  utilit}-' 
and  advantage  of  our  city  charter.  And  it  is  our  earnest 
desire  that  all  who  have  been  chosen  by  the  suffrages  of 
their  fellow  citizens  to  bear  a  part  in  the  government  of  our 
young  city  will  honorably  acquit  themselves  in  meeting  the 
responsibility  under  which  they  are  laid,  and  thereby  credit- 
ably sustain  the  confidence  reposed  in  them.  If  this  is  done,, 
voters  will  have  no  occasion  to  regret  the  result  of  their 
choice. 

"We  should  now  fervently  invoke  upon  you,  and  the  city 
you  represent,  the  continued  and  special  blessing  of  Hun, 
without  whose  favor  and  protection  the  'watchmen  of  a  city 
but  waketh  in  vain.'  " 

Isaac  Miller  Church,  the  first  Mayor  of  Cape  Island,  and 
a  Baptist  clergyman,  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  April 
8,  1814.  He  was  taken  by  his  father,  Isaac  Church,  in  1818, 
to  Lancaster,  Ohio.  The  lad  returned  to  Philadelphia  alone 
and  on  foot  in  1834,  being  followed  shortly  by  his  father, 
who  settled  near  the  steamboat  landing  in  Lower  township, 
now  Cape  May  Point.  Mr.  Church  was  ordained  at  the 
meeting  house  of  the  West  Creek  Baptist  Church,  Cumber- 
land county,  N.  J.,  Saturday,  April  24,  1841,  as  licentiate  of 
the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Cape  May. 

He  had  been  laboring  for  a  few  years  before  as  a  mis- 
sionary under  the  patronage  of  the  State  Convention  in  the 
West  Creek  field. 

On  June  11,  1848,  he  was  extended  a  call  to  become  pas- 
tor of  the  Cape  Island  Baptist  Church,  accepting  the  call  on 
the  7th  of  October,  and  remained  its  pastor  until  he  left 
Cape  May  in  October,  185 1.  On  the  20th  of  October  he 
delivered  his  valedictory  to  the  Council,  having  resigned  as 
Mayor,  and  a  resolution  of  "thanks"  was  tendered  him  "for 
the  judicious  manner  in  which  he  had  conducted  the  af- 


420  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

fairs  of  the  city."  On  (Jctober  2-^,  the  new  Mayor,  James 
Clark,  was  sworn  into  office. 

Mr.  Church  commenced  his  pastorate  wi.h  the  First  Bap- 
tist Church  of  South  Kingston.  Washington  county,  R.  I., 
April  I,  1853,  and  continued  for  one  year  to  April  i,  1854. 
Mr.  Church  continued  to  reside  in  Rhode  Island  until  he 
died. 

Mr.  Church,  who  was  a  chaplain  in  the  Civil  War,  entered 
Company  E,  Second  Rhode  Island  Infantry,  as  second  lieu- 
tenant, and  on  June  6,  1861,  was  made  first  lieutenant  of 
Company  H,  same  regiment.  On  July  21,  1861,  he  was  tak- 
en prisoner  at  the  battle  of  Bull  Run  and  borne  as  a  prisoner 
of  war  to  Richmond,  Va.,  where  he  was  confined  in  Libby 
Prison  for  about  a  year.  He  afterwards  published  a  diary  of 
three  hundred  pages  on  his  confinement  in  that  nefarious 
place.  He  was  afterwards  made  captain  of  Company  G, 
Fourth  Regiment,  Rhode  Island  Infantry. 

Mr.  Church  was  a  very  industrious  and  useful  man;  be- 
sides his  work  as  a  minister  in  South  Kingston,  R.  I.,  he 
carried  on  the  business  of  house  painting,  photographing, 
taught  school,  was  agent,  committee,  manager  and  counsel 
for  the  town  in  road  cases  and  other  important  matters,  irff. 
w?.s  town  surveyor,  then  chairman  of  their  School  Commit- 
tee and  in  1859  and  i860  was  president  of  the  town  Council. 
He  died  at  his  son-in-law's  house  in  Davisville,  R.  L,  Octo- 
ber 28,  1874,  and  is  buried  at  Riverside  Cemetery,  in  Wake- 
field, R.  I.  He  married  Judith  Swayne  Thompson,  of  Cape 
May,  N.  J.,  October  16,  1834,  who  died  at  Millville,  N.  J., 
August  19,  1887. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  was  organized  June  25,  1851, 
by  a  committee  of  the  Presbytery  of  West  Jersey.  The  pres- 
ent church  was  erected  in  1853.  St.  ]\Iary"s  Roman  Catholic 
Church  was  erected  about  1848,  on  the  opposite  side  of 
Washing^ton  street  from  where  it  stands  to-day.  It  was  in 
about  1870  removed  to  its  present  location. 

James  Clark,  the  second  Mayor  of  Cape  Island,  was  born 
June  7,  1798,  at  Cedarville.  Cumberland  county,  New  Jer- 
sey. He  lived  some  years  in  Philadelphia  before  coming  to 
Cape  May,  where  he  passed  the  remainder  of  his  life,  identi- 
fying himself  with  all  that  pertained  to  the  welfare  of  the 


CAP?:   ISLAND. 


421 


place.  He  was  related  to  the  Fithian  and  Hateman  families, 
of  Cumberland  county.  His  father  was  Charles  Clark,  born 
January  i.  1772.  His  izr.:  ofricc  wa;^  chat  oi  postmaster  of 
the  village  of  Cape  Islarid.  which  he  held  by  appointment 
of  President  Polk  from  July  7,  1845,  to  May  9,  1849,  when 
he  was  succeeded  by  George  W.  Hughes.  This  was  before 
the  city  was  incorporated. 

At  the  meeting  cf  Council  on  October  20.  185 1.  when 
Isaac  M.  Church  tendered  his  resignation  as  Mayor,  M.. 
Clark  was  chosen  bv  Council  on  the  fifth  ballot  to  fill  the 


CAPE    MAY  CITY   IIA  FTIS  F  t' 111  W  '  11 . 

unexpired  term.  His  opponents  on  that  occasion  were  John 
K.  F.  Sites  and  Dr.  Samuel  S.  Marcy.  He  was  sworn  in  and 
assumed  the  duties  of  his  office  on  October  27,  1851,  and 
served  as  Mayor  until  ?vlarch,  1C53,  having  been  elected  by 
the  people  in  1852. 

He  was  an  ardent  Democrat  oi  his  time,  and  was  appoint- 
ed postmaster  a  second  time  by  President  Buchanan,  and 
served  from  March  13.  1857,  to  December  5.  1859.  being 
succeeded  by  Samuel  R.  Magonagle.  Five  days  after,  on 
December  10.  1859,  he  passed  from  this  earth  to  the  world 
bevond,  aged  61  years  and  6  months. 


432  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

It  is  said  of  him  that  he  was  very  fond  of  music  and  in- 
terested in  the  improvement  of  church  music.  To  that  end 
he  worked  in  the  Baptist  Church  here,  having-  charge  of 
the  choir  for  quite  a  period.  He  married  EHza  Bennett,  a 
sister  of  Jeremiah  and  Stephen  Bennett,  Delaware  River 
pilots  of  their  day. 

John  Kake  Church,  the  third  Mayor  of  Cape  Island,  was 
born  at  Lancaster,  Ohio,  on  Christmas  Day,  in  the  year 
1818.  He  was  a  son  of  Isaac  Church,  a  prominent  Baptist 
and  preacher,  who  removed  with  his  family  to  Cape  May 
when  John  was  a  lad  of  sixteen  years.  With  them  came 
his  elder  brother,  Rev.  Isaac  M.  Church,  the  first  Mayor. 
Both  the  father  and  John  K.  Church  on  April  6,  1844,  3-t 
the  organization  of  the  Cape  Island  Baptist  Church,  became 
members  of  the  church,  with  twenty-three  others.  The 
father  was  blind,  but  nevertheless  was  the  first  regular 
pastor  of  the  church,  and  served  from  May  17,  1844,  to  Oc- 
tober 7,  1848. 

While  young,  the  subject  of  our  sketch  learned  the  car- 
penter trade  and  followed  it  throughout  his  life. 

The  first  office  which  Mr.  Church  held  was  that  of  City 
Clerk,  to  which  he  was  elected  by  Council  in  March,  1852. 
At  the  charter  election,  in  the  following-  year,  he  was  chosen 
Mayor  of  the  city,  and  re-elected  in  1854  and  1855. 

In  1856  he  was  elected  to  the  City  Council,  and  held  the 
office  for  a  year. 

He  died  of  apoplexy  in  his  boat  at  Schellenger's  Land- 
ing, while  returning  from  a  pleasure  trip  in  the  sounds  with 
a  party  of  men,  on  Saturday  afternoon,  July  30,  1859,  being 
in  his  41st  year.     His  widow  still  lives. 

The  Cape  May  Ocean  Wave  of  the  Thursday  following 
his  death  said  of  him: 

"Mr.  Church  was  respected  and  esteemed  by  every  one 
who  knew  him  for  his  calmness  of  disposition,  his  honesty, 
uprightness  and  veracity  of  character  in  all  his  dealings 
and  intercourse  with  the  world;  and,  above  all,  his  consis- 
tent Christian  walk.  He  needed  but  to  be  known  to  be 
appreciated.  He  was  for  several  consecutive  years  (for- 
merly) elected  Mayor  of  Cape  Island,  which  office  he  filled 


(API-:    ISLAM).  4-^3 

Avitli  the  same  uprightness  with  which  he  has  ever  performed 
all  the  otlier  duties  of  life.'' 

Joseph  Ware,  the  f<iurth  and  tenth  Mayor  of  Cape  Island, 
was  a  son  of  Joseph  Ware,  who  came  from  Cumberland 
county,  and  a  brother  of  Samuel  Fithian,  of  Lower  town- 
ship, and  of  James  W.,  Mashel,  John  G.  W.,  Daniel  C,  Wil- 
mon  W.,  of  Cape  May  City.  He  was  born  May  i6,  1809. 
In  early  life  he  learned  the  carpenter's  trade.  In  185 1  he 
was  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Freeholders,  in  1852  As- 
sessor, 1854  Recorder,  and  1855  Assessor.  In  1856  he 
was  chosen  Mayor  and  re-elected  three  times,  serving  until 
1861.  Again  he  was  chosen  in.  1871,  and  served  a  term  of 
two  years.  He  died  on  April  30.  1890,  in  the  Mount  Vernon 
Hotel,  the  latter  at  the  time  being  the  largest  hotel  in  the 
United  States.  It  was  never  completed,  being  burned  in 
1855.  The  Mansion  was  destroyed  by  fire,  in  1856,  and  the 
Atlantic,  United  States  and  American  hotels  were  burned 
in  1869.  The  proprietors  of  the  Mount  Vernon  Hotel  were 
Samuel  Woolman  and  j\I.  Cain,  who  was  burned  to  death  in 
the  fire,  with  five  others. 

In  the  advertisement  of  summer  resort  hotels  in  1858 
the  following  were  the  houses  and  their  proprietors:  Colum- 
bia House,  L.  Harwood;  Atlantic  House,  J.  and  B.  l\Ic- 
Mackin;  Ocean  House,  Israel  Leaming;  Delaware  House, 
James  Mecray;  National  Hall,  Aaron  Garretson;  Washing- 
ton Flotel,  S.  G.  Woolman;  Merchants'  House,  John  Lyons; 
Tontine  Hotel,  George  L.  Ludlam;  White  Hall  Hotel,  S. 
S.  Marcy.  In  1859  Congress  Hall  and  the  Morphy  House 
were  added  to  the  list  of  advertisers. 

A  writer  in  "The  Knickerbocker  Magazine,"  New  York, 
of  August,  1859,  says:  "The  neighborhood  of  which  we 
are  speaking  is  none  other  than  that  most  charming  of 
ocean  summer  resorts  and  watering  places,  that  famous 
refuge  from  the  heat  and  dust  of  the  weary  city — the  beach 
at  Cape  May.  *  *  *  We  speak  literally,  for  it  is  a  city,  and 
■not  a  village  or  town  merely,  at  which  the  traveler  will  land 
when  he  debarks  at  Cape  May.  In  this  census  we  speak, 
of  course,  of  the  permanent  residents  only,  and  not  of  the 
summer  visitants.  These  may,  in  their  season,  be  counted 
not  onlv  bv  hundreds,   but  by   thousands,   and   with   their 


424  IIISTOHY   OF   CAPI-]   MAY    COTi.NTV. 

help  and  that  of  the  dozen  to  twenty  imposing'  hotel  edi- 
fices, and  the  infinite  tail  of  restaurants,  barber  shops,  ice 
cream  saloons,  bowling  alleys,  billiard  rooms,  pistol  gal- 
leries, bathing  houses  and  temporary  houses  of  all  names 
— the  little  cit\'  really  grows  metropolitan  in  aspect;  and 
the  'gas  works'  nnd  the  'Mayor's  office,'  which  at  other  times 
seem  to  have  been  sent  there  merely  on  storage,  now  ap- 
pear quite  in  place." 

James  S.  Kennedy,  M.  D..  who  was  one  of  the  first  drug- 
gists of  Cape  May  City,  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  January 
i6,  1807,  and  came  to  Cape  May  when  a  small  boy.  He 
studied  medicine  under  Dr.  Brooks,  of  Philadelphia,  and 
graduated  at  the  Pennsylvania  College  of  Medicine,  Phila- 
delphia, Alarch  7.  1843. 

The  same  year  he  opened  the  first  drug  store  kept  in 
Cape  May  City,  in  a  small  building  on  Washington  street, 
near  Jackson  street,  where  he  continued  the  practice  of  his 
profession  for  one  year,  when  he  built  a  drug  store  on  La- 
fayette street,  near  Decatur  street,  which  he  afterwards 
moved  to  Washington  street,  near  Decatur  street.  On  Sei> 
tember  3,  1844,  he  married  Miss  Charlotte  R.  Swain,  a 
daughter  of  Lemuel  Swain,  Sr.  For  many  years  he  was 
owner  and  proprietor  of  the  Franklin  House,  and  during 
the  early  days  of  the  incorporation  of  the  city  he  was  an 
influential  member  of  Council,  and  well  know^n  and  highly 
respected  citizen.  When  Isaac  M.  Church,  the  first  Mayor 
of  Cape  Island,  resigned  in  October.  1851,  Dr.  Kennedy 
came  within  one  of  being  elected  Mayor  by  the  City  Coun- 
cil. In  185 1  he  was  elected  he  first  Assessor  of  the  city, 
and  also  a  member  of  :he  first  Council,  and  was  twice  again 
elected  to  the  position  of  Assessor  in  1856  and  1857.  He 
was  for  many  years  continuously  a  member  of  Council, 
being  first  elected  in  1855,  and  served  during  the  years  of 
1857,  1861,  1862,  1869,  1870  and  1875.  He  was  chosen 
Alderman  in  1863,  and  five  years  continuously.  At  that 
time  the  Alderman  was  a  member  of  Council,  as  well  as  a 
committing  magistrate.  He  was  a  member  of  the  county 
Board  of  Freeholders  from  Cape  May  City  during  the  years 
1864  and   1865.     He   served  as  Overseer  of  the   Poor  six 


CAPE   ISLAND.  425 

years  from  March,  1862.  In  1868  he  associated  with  him- 
self in  business  his  son,  Dr.  Henry  A.  Kennedy,  and  they 
afterwards  conducted  the  business  under  the  name  of  Dr. 
J.  S.  Kennedy  &  Son,  in  the  same  place,  until  1873.  That 
year  they  purchased  the  ground  at  the  corner  of  Decatur 
street,  where  the  United  States  Hotel  had  formerly  stood, 
which  was  destroyed  by  fire  August  29,  1869.  He,  Dr. 
Kennedy,  remained  in  business  a  the  United  States  Phar- 
macy until  he  died,  June  20,  1876.  He  was  a  prominent 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Cape  May  City,  and 
a  member  of  Evening  Star  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows,  which 
then  flourished  in  Cape  May. 

Samuel  S.  Marcy,  M.  D.,  was  born  at  Willington,  Tol- 
land county.  Conn.,  December  7,  1793,  and  passed  his  boy- 
hood days  in  that  section,  where  he  availed  himself  of  the 
advantages  of  the  schools,  and  acquired  a  thorough  Eng- 
lish education.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  he  entered 
the  office  of  Joseph  Palmer,  Jr.,  M.  D.,  at  Ashford,  Conn., 
where  he  read  and  practiced  for  three  years.  He  then 
attended  lectures  at  the  medical  department  of  Yale  Col- 
lege, and  received  his  first  diploma  from  the  State  Medical 
Society  of  Connecticut,  and  subsequently  received  the  de- 
gree of  M.  D.  from  the  faculty  of  Yale  College.  He  mi- 
grated to  Cape  May  county  in  181 7,  and  located  at  CoVd 
Sprirgs.  On  April  3,  1822,  he  married  Miss  Thankful 
Edmunds,  a  daughter  of  Robert  Edmunds,  of  Fishing 
Creek,  at  one  time  judge  of  the  Court  of  Conmion  Pleas, 
and  an  elder  in  the  Cold  Spring  Presbyterian  Church. 
Doctor  Marcy  moved  to  Cape  May  long  before  the  place 
was  incorporated,  where  he  followed  his  profession  until 
he  retired,  owing  to  his  advanced  age.  He  held  many  local 
offices,  being  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Freeholders  during 
the  years  1854,  1856,  1857.  1858,  1859,  i860,  1861,  1862 
and  1869.  He  was  a  member  of  City  Council  in  1856  and 
1857;  Recorder  in  1861,  and  Alderman  in  1858,  1859  <^"*^ 
i860. 

He  was  a  director  and  treasurer  of  the  Cape  Island  Tinn- 
pike  Company  for  a  long  time,  and  one  of  the  charter  mem- 
bers of  Cape  Island  Lodge,  No.  30,  F.  and  A.  M. 

He  died  in  Cape  May  City  February  13,  1882. 


126  IJISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

In  1862  the  Legislature  passed  an  act  allowing  Cape 
Island  to  issue  $20,000  in  bonds  for  the  purpose  of  erecting 
a  water  works,  subject  to  the  vote  of  the  people. 

The  West  Jersey  Railroad  w^as  opened  to  Cape  May  in 
3863.  Then  things  soon  took  a  start  and  people  began  to 
build  cottages.  The  value  of  lots  ranged  according  to 
fancy,  and  speculation  was  for  a  long  time  rife  and  much 
money  was  made. 

St.  John's  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  was  incorporated 
in  1863. 

In  1866  the  charter  of  Cape  Island  was  changed  so  that 
Councilmen  were  elected  for  two  years  instead  of  one. 

On  March  28,  1866,  the  "Cape  Island  Lodge,  No.  30, 
Free  and  Accepted  Masons,"  was  incorporated,  with  \''irgil 
M.  D.  Marcy,  Alvin  P.  Hildreth,  Samuel  R.  Ludlam,  Joseph 
Q.  Williams,  Samuel  R.  Stites,  Samuel  S.  Marcy  and  their 
associates  as  members. 

The  third  disastrous  fire  on  the  island  occurred  on  the 
last  day  of  August,  1869,  which  destroyed  that  entire  por- 
tion of  the  island  lying  between  Washington  street  and  the 
ocean,  and  between  Ocean  and  Jackson  streets,  with  the 
exception  of  the  Columbia  House  and  two  or  three  other 
small  buildings.  Among  the  hotels  burned  were  the  United 
States  Hotel,  American  House  and  the  Atlantic  and  other 
small  houses.    The  Atlantic  was  rebuilt. 

About  this  time  St.  John's  Protestant  Episcopal  Church 
was  built  at  Washington  and  Franklin  streets  through  the 
influence  of  Bishop  Coleman,  of  Delaware. 

In  1869  the  mammoth  Stockton  Hotel,  which  stands 
to-day,  was  built  by  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company, 
at  a  cost  of  $600,000.  This  company  owned  it  for  about 
twenty  years. 

George  Hildreth  was  born  at  Rio  Grande,  May  28,  1822. 
At  sixteen  he  was  employed  in  vessels  carrying  coal  be- 
tween Philadelphia  and  New  England  ports.  In  1839  he 
was  wrecked  at  sea  in  the  "Reaper,"  of  Cape  May.  He  was 
picked  up  by  a  passing  vessel  and  carried  to  New  York. 
He  then  became  an  employee  of  Richard  C.  Holmes  in 
the  wrecking  l)us:ness.     After  a  period  of  such  service  he 


CAPE  ISLAND.  427 

-was  engaged  in  buying  and  selling  lumber.  In  1846  he 
Ibuih  the  Columbia  Hotel,  and  sold  it  in  1851.  That  year 
he  built  the  West  End. 

From  1861  to  1863  he  was  engaged  in  fishing  and  in 
1864  entered  into  the  feed  business,  which  he  still  conducts. 
In  1874  he  built  the  Wyoming  Hotel.  On  April  12,  1870, 
she  was  appointed  keeper  of  Cold  Spring  Life  Saving  Sta- 
;tion,  and  held  the  position  for  about  fifteen  years. 

Military  organizations  have  been  numerous  at  Cape  May 
•^during  the  summer  seasons.  The  Fifth  Maryland  encamp- 
-ed  here  during  the  summer  of  1873,  and  has  been  here 
several  times  since.  The  Baltimore  Light  Infantry,  the 
Washington  Light  Infantry,  Sixth,  Seventh  and  Second 
New  Jersey  Brigades,  the  Philadelphia  State  Fencibles, 
the  First  Pennsylvania  Regiment,  and  various  civic  socie- 
ties, such  as  St.  John's  Commandery  of  Knights  Templar, 
iiave  been  here  during  various  seasons. 

Henry  Hand,  a  leading  citizen,  is  a  son  of  Recompence 
Hand,  a  pilot,  and  brother  of  Joseph  Hand  and  Enoch 
"W.  Hand,  who  have  been  Councilmen.  He  was  born  in  this 
'City  January  31,  1826,  and  was  a  cousin  of  General  Scheuch, 
once  U.  S.  Minister  to  England.  He  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  here.  At  sixteen  he  entered  as  a  carpenter's 
-apprentice  at  Philadelphia,  learned  his  trade  and  returned 
home.  He  was  chosen  City  Clerk  and  served  from  1853 
to  1855.  In  1856,  his  health  failing  him,  he  went  to  Min- 
nesota and  remained  there  three  years,  working  at  his  trade. 
His  health  being  restored,  he  returned  to  Cape  May  again, 
and  entered  into  partnership  with  Mashel  W^are,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Hand  &  Ware.  This  firm  built  many  cot- 
tages here,  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Station  at  Newark, 
and  in  1872  twenty-six  life-saving  stations  along  the  New 
Jersey  coast  for  the  United  States  Government.  He  is  a  promi- 
nent member  of  the  Cape  Island  Presbyetrian  ChurcTi,  and 
lias  been  an  ^Ider  since  1869.  From  1861  to  1863  he  was 
:SL  second  time  City  Clerk,  and  from  1863  to  1866  was  City 
Recorder.  From  1869  to  1872  he  was  Tax  Collector,  and 
served  as  Assessor  from  1872  to  1876,  from   1878  to   1883, 

..and  from  1884  to  1891.    In  1895  he  was  chosen  City  Treas- 

vurer,  which  office  he  still  holds. 


428  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

On  March  22,  1872,  the  act  to  incorporate  the  Cold" 
Spring  and  Cape  May  Water  Company  became  a  law,  and 
John  C.  Bullitt,  General  William  J.  Sewell,  Jacob  F.  Cake, 
James  Leaming  and  Return  B.  Swain  were  the  incorporat- 
ors. The  works,  which  were  finally  in  possession  of  the 
city,  were  started  in  1874. 

Return  B.  Swain  was  born  in  Middle  township,  now 
near  Swain's  Station,  on  the  West  Jersey  Railroad,  Feb- 
ruary 19,  1826.  He  was  raised  on  a  small  farm,  and  edu- 
cated in  the  district  public  school  until  the  completion  of 
his  sixteenth  year,  at  which  period  he  commenced  self 
education  through  the  medium  of  text-books,  with  accom- 
panying keys.  At  nineteen  he  commenced  life  on  his  own. 
account  as  teacher  in  the  public  schools.  When  twenty 
years  of  age  he  went  into  the  employ  of  E.  T.  Randolph 
&  Co.,  iron  manufacturers,  at  Millville,  N.  J.,  where  he  was 
a  bookkeeper  for  two  years.  The  confinement  impaired 
his  health,  and  he  returned  to  a  farm  near  his  birthplace,, 
w^here  his  time  was  passed  in  farming  and  surveying  in 
summer,  and  in  teaching  the  district  school  in  winter.  This 
he  did  until  1865.  In  F"ebruary,  1848,  he  had  married  Miss 
Rachel  Reeves,  a  daughter  of  Benjamin  F.  Reeves,  of 
Cumberland  county.  The  completion  of  the  West  Jersey 
Railroad  to  Cape  May,  in  1863,  gave  an  impetus  to  im- 
provement in  Cape  May  City,  and  in  1865  Mr,  Swain 
moved  to  the  place,  where  he  became  largely  interested  in 
many  public  enterprises,  being  a  Master  in  Chancery,  No- 
tary Public,  surveyor  and  conveyancer.  He  was  for  a 
number  of  years  a  large  real  estate  operator,  and  a  long- 
time superintendent  of  the  Cape  Island  Gas  Company.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  City  Council  in  1874.  About  1880  he 
removed  to  Philadelphia,  where  he  entered  into  the  plumbs 
ing  business  and  manufacturing  of  bath  tubs. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

CAPE   MAY  CITY. 

John  G.  W.  Ware,  the  twelfth  Mayor  of  the  city  of  Cape 
May,  was  born  at  Cape  May  City  in  1825,  and  Hved  at 
Cape  May  all  his  life,  being  identified  with  nearly  every 
public  enterprise.  He  was  known  during  his  life  as  "Uncle 
John,"  because  of  the  kindness  he  did  in  sickness  and  in 
aiding  in  ever  public  enterprise.  He  was  a  brother  of  Wil- 
mon  W.  Ware,  who  was  once  State  Senator;  Daniel  C. 
Ware,  who  served  as  a  Councilman;  of  Joseph  Ware,  who 
was  twice  Mayor  of  Cape  May,  and  Maskel  Ware,  a  chosen 
Freeholder  of  Cape  May  City. 

When  the  first  city  charter  went  into  effect  in  185 1  he 
was  chosen  a  member  of  Council  for  one  year.  He  was 
elected  to  the  same  ol!ice  in  1857,  1858,  1859,  1864,  1865, 
1866  and  1867  for  one-year  terms. 

He  was  elected  Alderman  in  1870,  and  served  until  1875, 
when  he  was  elected  Mayor  for  a  term  of  two  years.  He 
w^as  chosen  again  Alderman  in  1877,  and  served  until  1870, 
In  1881  he  was  again  elected  Alderman,  and  served  until 
1886.  In  1888  he  was  again  elected  and  served  until  his 
death,  on  September  8,  1894.  which  was  caused  by  heart 
disease. 

Dr.  James  Mecray,  son  of  James  Mecray,  pilot,  and  first 
Burgess  of  Cape  Island,  was  born  at  Cape  May  in  1842. 
He  attended  school  in  Cape  May  and  at  Philadelphia.  Af- 
ter graduating  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania  as  a  phy- 
sicin  he  entered  the  navy  as  a  surgeon  and  served  during 
the  civil  war.  In  1866  he  entered  into  partnership  with  Dr. 
Samuel  Marcy,  and  '  established  a  drug  business.  After 
ten  vears  Dr.  Marcy  retired,  and  his  son,  Dr.  V.  M.  D.  Mar- 
cv.  became  Dr.  Mecray's  partner,  and  the  firm  remains  tlie 
same  to  this  dav.  He  seved  in  the  City  Council  in  1868,  and 
when  the  charter  of  1875  went  into  effect  he  was  elected  a 


430 


HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 


member  of  Council  for  three  years,  serving  as  president: 
during  his  entire  term.  He  served  a  second  three-year 
term  from  1881  to  1884,  and  was  again  president  during  the- 
whole  of  his  term.  He  was  City  Treasurer  from  1869  tO" 
1871.  He  enjoys  a  large  medical  practice,  and  is  a  member 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

John  H.  Benezet,  merchant,  is  a  descendant  of  Anthony 
Benezet,  who  was  a  patriot  resident  of  Philadelphia  during: 
the  Revolution.  He  was  born  at  Cape  May  Court  House: 
in  1844.  When  sixteen  his  father  died,  and  he  then  begam 
working  on  the  plantations  of   different  farmers  ur^^il   he- 


I)K.  JAMES  M  ECU  AY. 

went  to  Woodbury,  N.  J.,  where  he  learned  the  tinman's 
trade.  By  1863  he  had  finished  his  trade,  and  then  began 
business  at  Court  House  on  his  own  account.  He  then 
began  a  housefurnishing  business.  In  1866  he  opened  am 
establishment  at  Cane  Island.  He  afterwards,  with  his 
brother,  Alfonso,  established  stores  at  Dennisville  and  Sea 
Isle  City.     He  was  a  member  of  City  Council  in  1872  and 

1873. 

Joseph  Q.  Williams,  the    sixth,    eighth    and    thirteentla 

Mayor  of  this  city,  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  November 

2,  1827,  and  came  to  Cape  May  about  1850,  just  previous  to 


CAl'E   MAY  CITY.  431 

the  incorporation  of  the  city.  Mr.  W'iUianis  is  a  carjicntcr 
by  trade,  and  began  his  career  here  as  a  l)uildcr  and  built 
many  of  the  residences  about  the  Cape,  lie  married  Miss 
Sarah  E.,  a  daughter  of  William  Stites,  one  time  Treasurer 
of  Cape  Island.  His  first  of^ce  was  that  of  Alderman,  to 
wliich  he  was  elected  in  March,  1856.  It  was  for  a  term 
of  one  year.  At  that  time  the  Alderman  was  a  member  of 
the  Council  and  a  justice  of  the  peace.  During  the  years- 
beginning  in  March  of  1857  and  1858  he  served  the  city  of 
Cape  Island  as  Councilman.  In  i860  he  was  elected  Re- 
corder, and  served  for  a  year.  This  was  virtually  the  same 
as  an  Alderman,  and  in  this  capacity  \vas  again  Council- 
man and  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

In  1862  he  was  put  forward  for  Mayor,  and  was  elected 
for  one  year.  He  introduced  the  system  of  paying  over 
fines  to  the  city  treasury,  a  rule  which  his  predecessors  had 
not  complied  with.  It  was  during  this  term  also  that  the 
police  were  uniformed  for  the  first  time  in  this  city. 

In  1865,  1866  and  1867  he  w^as  successively  elected  a 
member  of  the  City  Council  and  performed  also  the  duties 
of  two  other  offices  in  the  last  of  these  three  years.  He 
was  a  triple  office  holder  in  that  he  was  Councilman,  Tax 
Collector  and  a  Representative  of  Cape  Island  in  the  Coun- 
ty Board  of  Freeholders.  His  colleague  in  the  Freeholder 
Board  was  Joseph  S.  Leach. 

At  the  spring  election  in  1868  he  was  again  chosen  Mayor 
for  one  year,  and  was  a  candidate  for  re-election,  but  was 
defeated  by  a  close  vote  by  Waters  B.  Miller,  who  suc- 
ceeded him.  During  the  year  the  Legislature  passed  a 
bill  and  made  ^Mr.  Williams,  together  with  General  Wil- 
liam J.  Sewell,  of  Camden,  afterwards  United  States  Senator 
from  1881  to  1887,  and  from  1895  to  1901;  Col.  J.  Frank 
Cake,  a  prominent  hotel  proprietor  of  his  day  in  Wash- 
ington, Baltimore  and  Cape  May;  Hon.  John  C.  Bullitt,  a. 
large  property  owner,  but  a  resident  and  eminent  lawyer 
of  Philadelphia,  who  framed  the  famous  Bullitt  bill,  or 
charter  granted  to  Philadelphia  in  1886;  and  Captain 
George  Hildreth,  of  Cape  May,  the  commission  to  improve 
the  highways  of  the  place.     This  commission  lasted  five 


432 


IIISTOKY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COrXTY. 


years  and  four  months,  and  tluring-  its  existence  the  mag- 
nificent Beach  avenue,  or  boulevard,  was  built,  the  work 
of  superintending  which  almost  wholly  devolved  tipon  Mr. 
Williams.  For  this  service  ^h.  Williams  never  received  any 
pay. 

In  1874  he  was  again  elected  Recorder  for  one  year,  and 
ofccoursc  Vv'as  a  member  of  the  Council  and  Justice  of  the 
Peace.  In  the  spring  of  1875  the  new  charter  of  the  city  of 
Cape  May  went  into  elifect,  changing  the  name  from  the 


.KISEI'II   <i.   WILLIAMS. 

City  of  Cape  Island,  and  at  the  election  he  was  elected  Al- 
derman for  one  year.  The  duties  of  this  of^ce  were  purely 
judicial,  and  its  holder  virtually  vice-Mayor. 

In  1877  Mr.  Williams  was  again  elected  Mayor  for  a 
term  of  two  years,  and  in  March.  1889,  he  was  re-elected  for 
two  more  years.  He  was  succeeded  in  1881  by  Mayor 
Melvin. 

In  1884  he  was  again  elected  to  office,  this  time  as  a 
Councilman.      He    was    re-elected   in    1887   and    1890   and 


CAI'IO    MAY   (ITV.  433 

served  until  1893,  since  whicli  time  lie  has  given  up  office 
liolding.  In  1884  he  was  chosen  as  President  of  Council, 
and  again  was  its  president  in  1887.  He  was  a  valuable 
member  and  in  1886  was  one  of  the  five  who  saved  to  Cape 
May  her  valuable  w-ater  works  franchise. 

Mr.  Williams  has  been  a  consistent  Presbyterian  and 
active  in  church  work  the  greater  part  of  his  life.  In  1854 
he  was  elected  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school  of  the 
l^irst  Presbyterian  Church,  and  for  twenty-seven  years 
labored  in  the  same  position.  For  a  number  of  years  he 
laas  been  an  elder  in  the  church,  and  was  twice  elected  a 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  General  Assembly  of  the 
'^Tnited  States  for  the  New  Jersey  Synod — that  of  St.  Paul 
in  1888,  and  of  Saratoga  in  1894.  It  is  very  seldom  that 
a  layman  is  twice  honored  in  this  way.  Mr.  Williams  is  a 
tSuent  speaker.  His  son,  J.  Ashton  W'illiams,  has  been  City 
Recorder  since  1891. 

One  of  the  most  disastrous  fires  which  has  ever  visited 
this  seaside  resort  burned  over  the  most  interesting  and 
profitable  part  of  the  ocean  front  of  Cape  May  City  on  Sat- 
urday, November  9,  1878.  The  fire  broke  out  in  the  Ocean 
jHouse  about  8  o'clock  in  the  morning,  amid  excellent  ele- 
Rients,  and  lasted  until  night.  The  wind  was  an  ally,  and 
the  limited  fire  apparatus.,  was  of  no  avail.  At  half  past  five 
in  the  afternoon  it  had  crossed  Ocean  street,  and  taken 
everything  clean  on  Beach  avenue  from  Congress  street  to 
Stockton  Row,  and  the  mammoth  Stockton  seemed  in 
the  clutches  of  the  fiend  when  the  elTorts  of  the  Cape  May, 
Vineland  and  Camden  firemen,  and  the  steamers  which  the 
two  latter  companies  had  brought  with  them,  finally  sub- 
dued it.  All  night  long  and  Sunday  the  people  were  storing 
SEway  their  goods  which  they  had  saved.  Trains  came 
^own  crowded  the  next  day  from  Philadelphia.  The  burned 
'district  covered  an  area  of  over  thirty  acres,  divided  as  fol- 
Ibws:  Congress  Hall  property,  five  acres;  the  block  bound- 
ed by  Perry,  Jackson  and  Washington  streets  and  the  beach, 
-eight  acres;  the  block  bounded  by  Jackson,  Decatur  and 
Washington  streets  and  the  beach,  eight  acres;  the  prop- 
ertv  destroved  between  Decatur  and  Ocean  streets,  from  east 


434  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

of  Washington  street  to  ocean,  five  acres;  the  property  an- 
nihilated between  Ocean  and  Guerney  (Stockton  Row) 
streets,  five  acres.  The  Star  of  the  Cape,  of  the  Thursday- 
following  the  fire,  said:  "The  ravages  of  the  fire  can  scarce- 
ly be  appreciated  from  a  pen  description.  Where  on  Sat- 
urday morning  stood  thirty  acres  covered  with  magnifi- 
cent hotels,  gems  of  cottages  and  thousands  of  bath  houses- 
is  now  a  blackened  waste,  swept  by  the  besom  of  destruc- 
tion, leaving  nothing  in  its  w^ake  but  spectre  chimneys  and' 
smouldering  ruins."  The  property  destroyed  was  estimat- 
ed at  $600,000,  and  included  nine  hotels:  Congress  HalU 
Centre  House,  ( )cean  House,  Avenue  House,  Merchants', 
Centennial,  Atlantic,  Knickerbocker  and  Columbia,  al5' 
frame  buildings.  The  principal  cottages  burned  were  Fry- 
er's Bluff  and  Ocean  Cottages,  on  Perry  street;  J.  E.  Me- 
Cray's,  Peterson's,  Fenlin's,  Eliza  Miller's.  King's  Ocean 
Villa,  Hildreth's  Wyoming  Cottage,  Chill's,  McConnell's 
two,  and  Rudolph's,  on  Jackson  street;  Judge  Hamburg- 
er's, King's  three,  Denizot's  and  Columbia's  two  on  De- 
catur street;  Smart's,  Fishers,  Bullitt's  and  Wolfe's  on 
Ocean  street. 

When  the  fire  fiend  had  finished  its  work  it  left  the  fol- 
lowing hotels:  Stockton,  Arctic,  National,  St.  Elmo,  Sea. 
Breeze,  United  States,  Chalfonte,  Arlington,  Clarendon, 
Cape  May  House,  Delaware  House,  White  Hall,  Chester 
County  House,  Mineral  Spring,  Tremont  House,  Baltimore, 
American,  Washington,  Greenwood,  and  Young's. 

In  the  place  of  the  burned  ones  Congress  Hall  was  re- 
built of  brick  on  the  ocean  part  of  the  property  where  it 
stands  now.  Congress  place  was  laid  out,  and  where  the 
main  building  of  Old  Congress  Hall  stood  is  now  the  EI- 
beron  and  several  private  properties. 

The  New  Columbia  was  built  of  brick  on  Jackson  street, 
occupying  the  block  in  which  six  of  the  burned  hotels  stood. 
Cottages  have  gradually  taken  the  places  of  the  ruins,  and 
Cape  May  has  not  to-day  those  large  hostelries,  but  the 
more  modern  houses  are  of  the  smaller  class.  Nearly  thir- 
ty cottages  were  burned,  whose  places  were  taken  inside  of 
three  years  by  fortv-six  new  ones. 


CAl'E    MAY   CITY. 


435 


On  February  ii,  1880.  John  Mecray  Post,  No.  40,  Grand 
Army  of  the  RepubHc.  was  organized,  with  twenty-one  old 
soldiers  as  members,  as  follows:  George  W.  IJarnes,  Samuel 
C.  Barton,  James  H.  Carman,  James  V.  Clark,  James  Cran- 
dol,  John  B.  Davis,  James  J.  Doak,  Francis  K.  Duke,  P.  J. 
Donnelly,  William  B.  Eldredge,  William  Farrow,  Augustus 
C.  Gile,  Thomas  Lemmon,  Christopher  S.  Magrath,  Wil- 
liam W.  Messich,  John  N.  Reeves.  Mitchell  Sandgran^ 
Charles  Sandgran,  Henry  W.  Sawyer,  Henry  P.  Seaman 
and  John  D.  Speace. 


FKEDEBICK  J.  MELyiN. 

Frederick  J.  Melvin,  the  fourteenth  Mayor  of  Cape  May, 
was  born  at  Lumberton,  North  Carolina,  February  28, 
1848.  When  only  six  months  old  his  parents  removed  with 
him  to  Philadelphia,  where  he  resided  until  he  was  sixteen 
years  of  age.  Young  Melvin  attended  the  public  schools 
there  until  he  came  to  Cape  May,  being  employed  for  sev- 
eral summer  seasons  by  the  Harlan  and  Hollinsworth 
Steamboat  Company,  of  Wilmington,  on  their  line  of  small 
steamers  which  plied  between  Philadelphia  and  Cape  May, 
traveling  in  those  known  as  "Lady  of  the  Lake,"  "Felton," 


436  HIS'J'ORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

"Sue"  and  others.  During  the  winter  seasons  he  was  em- 
ployed in  the  gas  fixture  business  in  Philadelphia. 

When  he  attained  his  twentieth  year  he  entered  the  em- 
ploy of  George  B.  Cake  as  clerk  in  the  old  Washington 
House,  which  stood  wdiere  the  Knickerbocker  Building 
now  stands,  and  was  later  a  clerk  at  the  Sherman  House, 
previously  called  the  Tontine,  but  now  the  United  States 
Hotel,  at  Jackson  and  Lafayette  streets.  After  this  Mr. 
Melvin  entered  the  employ  of  the  firm  of  Richardson  & 
Farrow,  who  during  their  time  were  the  most  prominent 
provisioners  in  the  city  of  Cape  May. 

During  the  years  1874  and  1875  Mr.  Melvin  travelled  for 
a  New  York  firm,  and  in  the  latter  year  and  early  in  1876 
superintended  for  a  glass  firm  their  part  of  the  construc- 
tion of  the  big  main  building  of  the  Centennial  Exposition 
in  Philadelphia.  During  the  Centennial  he  also  ran  a  res- 
taurant near  the  Exposition  grounds.  In  1877  he  began 
business  for  himself  in  Cape  May,  opening  a  paint  ware- 
house at  the  corner  of  Mansion  and  Jackson  streets,  which 
he  conducted  for  about  five  years.  In  the  spring  of  1880 
he  was  chosen  by  the  people  Alderman  for  a  term  of  two 
years.  After  serving  one  year  of  his  term,  in  1881,  he  was 
elected  Mayor  for  a  term  of  two  years,  and  was  re-elected 
in  1883  for  another  term.  He  retired  from  the  chair  in 
1885,  after  an  administration  which  was  a  credit  to  his 
adopted  city  and  to  himself.  Through  his  influence  in  the 
summer  of  1881  St.  John's  Commandery,  No.  4,  Knight 
Templars,  of  Philadelphia,  visited  the  Cape  for  four  days, 
and  the  city  was  gay  and  festive.  The  commandery  came 
again  in  1882,  and  were  royally  entertained  through  the  ef- 
forts of  Mayor  Melvin  and  the  committee  he  selected.  On 
this  occasion  the  commandery  presented  him  with  a  mag- 
nificent Templar's  charm,  and  conferred  upon  him  the  rare 
honor  of  making  him  an  honorary  member  of  the  command- 
ery. In  1883  he  entertained  President  Chester  A.  Arthur, 
who  was  a  visitor. 

In  the  summer  of  1881  the  Washington  Light  Infantry, 
through  his  efiforts,  came  to  Cape  May  for  their  first  en- 
campment.    This  famous  organization  was  commanded  by 


CAPE  MAY  CITY.  437 

Colonel  William  G.  Moore,  chief  of  police  of  Washing- 
ton city,  who  had  previously  been  private  secretary  to  Presi- 
dent Andrew  Johnson.  TiiO  infantry  was  ci.mposed  of  the 
cream  of  Washington's  male  population.  In  1883  they 
came  again  to  Cape  May,  and  were  again  royally  enter- 
tained. Before  gomg  home  the  infantry  presented  to  Mayor 
Melvin,  at  the  Stockton  Hotel,  in  the  presence  of  a  large 
assemblage,  a  gold-headed  cane,  on  the  head  of  which  was 
inscribed^  "To  Hon.  F.  Melvin,  August.  1883,  from  the 
Washington  Light  Infantry,  Washington,  D.  C."  When 
the  regiment  was  about  to  depart  for  their  homes  on  that 
visit  Mayor  Melvin  went  to  the  depot  to  bid  them  good- 
bve  and  a  safe  return.  In  appreciation  of  his  kindness  he 
was  arrested  and  carried  by  them  to  Washington,  and  re- 
ceived by  a  grand  ovation,  a  military  reception,  and  with 
fireworks  en  route.  A  grand  banquet  was  given  there  in 
his  honor,  at  which  were  in  attendance  nearly  all  the  promi- 
nent citizens  and  officers  in  Washington. 

For  nine  vears  previous  to  1894  he  was  proprietor  of  the 
Sea  Breeze  Hotel,  the  property  of  the  great  Pensylvania 
Railroad. 

President  Cleveland  appointed  him  postmaster  of  Cape 
May  City  on  April  16,  1886,  which  office  he  held  until  April 
16,  1889,  when  he  resie^ned  and  was  succeeded  by  Post- 
master F.  L.  Richardson.  In  1890  he  entered  the  hotel 
business  in  Washington,  which  he  successfully  carried  on 
for  three  years. 

In  1884  he  purchased  the  grocer>'  business  of  Stillwell 
Hand,  in  Cape  May  City,  and  has  successfully  managed  it. 
In  1888  he  was  the  Democratic  nominee  for  State  Senator, 
but  while  polling  a  full  Democratic  vote  was  defeated  in  the 
landslide  which  carried  President  Cleveland  into  temporary 
retirement  and  made  General  Harrison  President.  He  is 
a  prominent  Free  }^Iason. 

Isaac  H.  Smith,  merchant,  is  a  son  of  Isaac  Smith,  pilot 
(1805- 1 881),  was  born  in  Lower  township  on  October  12, 
1830.  He  passed  his  boyhood  days  there,  and  then  learned 
to  be  a  tailor  in  Philadelphia.  Afterwards  he  established 
himself  in  the  clothing  business  here,  and  became  a  suc- 
cessful   merchant.      He    is    an    elder    of    the    Presbyterian 


438  HISTORY  OF  CAFK  MAY  COUNTY. 

Church.  He  is  a  director  of  the  New  Jersey  Trust  and  Safe 
Deposit  Company,  and  his  advice  in  financial  matters  has 
always  been  considered  wise  by  a  large  number  of  people 
who  consult  him  frequently.  He  has  served  the  city  in 
various  capacities  creditably.  He  was  Tax  Collector  in 
1868,  and  member  of  Council  from  1873  to  1878,  and  again 
from  1879  to  1882.  He  was  chosen  Treasurer  of  the  city 
from  year  to  year,  often  without  opposition,  from  1883  to 
1895.    _ 

Eldridge  Johnson,  also  a  prominent  merchant,  was  born 
January  i,  1838,  in  West  Cape  May.  He  attended  the  old 
cape  school,  and  then  began  business  life  as  a  clerk  in  the 
stores  of  Enoch  Edmunds,  and  later  was  a  partner  Avith  W. 
Burr  Miller  in  the  general  store  business.  For  many  years 
INIr.  Johnson  has  devoted  himself  to  his  shoe  business  and 
to  the  management  of  his  property.  He  is  a  trustee  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church,  and  has  for  years  been  president  of 
the  Cape  May  Saving  Fund  and  Building  Association.  Mr, 
Johnson  was  seveteen  times  elected  City  Treasurer,  serving 
from  i860  to  1869  and  from  1871  to  1879.  He  w^as  a  mem- 
ber of  City  Council  from  1880  to  1883  and  from  1895  to 
the  present. 

The  iron  ocean  pier  was  erected  at  the  foot  of  Decatur 
street  in  1885   at  a  cost  of  $60,000. 

James  Henry  Edmunds,  the  fifteenth  and  seventeenth 
Mayor  of  Cape  May,  was  born  in  Lower  township.  Cape 
May  county,  August  7,  1847.  He  is  a  son  of  Hon.  Richard 
D.  Edmunds,  who  has  been  Sheriff,  Assemblyman  and  Re- 
corder of  Cape  May  City.  The  first  office  which  he  held  was 
that  of  Overseer  of  Poor  in  1874.  When  the  new  charter 
went  into  effect  in  March,  1875,  he  was  elected  a  member 
of  the  City  Council  for  a  term  of  two  years.  In  March, 
1878,  he  was  again  elected  to  Council  for  a  term  of  two 
years  to  fill  a  vacancy,  and  again  in  1883  he  was  elected 
for  a  term  of  three  years.  When  he  had  served  two  years 
of  this  term,  in  March,  1885,  he  was  elected  Mayor  for  a 
term  of  two  years,  and  was  successively  re-elected  in  1887, 
1889  and  1891.  In  1893  he  was  defeated.  He  became  a 
candidate  in  1895,  and  was  elected  for  a  two-year  term. 
He  has  been  superintendent  of  the  local  beach  front  rail- 


CAPE   MAY  CrrV.  439 

Toads,  superintendent  of  the  local  j^as  company,  anil  pub- 
lisher of  the  Cape  May  Wave  smce  1887. 

In  1886  a  scheme  was  g-otten  up  to  sell  the  valuable  fran- 
chise of  the  city  water  works  toa  company  headed  byCieneral 
W-  W.  Taylor,  a  brother  of  the  literateur,  IJayard  Taylor, 
for  $22,000.  At  the  head  of  the  scheme  was  the  Mayor, 
James  H.  Edmunds,  who  was  a  pronounced  corporation 
man.  At  the  time  there  were  six  hold-over  members  r' 
Council,  four  for  the  ^ale,  one  against  it,  Joseph  Q.  Wil- 
liams, and  one  who  did  not  define  his  position,  Charles  H. 
Dougherty.  After  a  three-days'  campaign  the  people  al- 
most unanimously  elected  F.  Sidney  Townsend,  Enos  R. 
Williams  and  William  T.  Stevens  as  colleagues  of  Mr.  Wil- 
liams. Charles  H.  Dougherty,  who  was  the  president  for 
year  beginning  in  1885,  resigned,  and  there  was  a  tie  in  the 
body  over  the  matter — 4  to  4.  Subsequently  Thomas  H. 
"Williamson  was  elected  to  the  vacancy.  He  voted  with  the 
people's  representatives,  and  thus  the  works  were  saved  to 
•fheir  rightful  owners. 

In  the  autumn  of  1889  the  New  Columbia  Hotel,  built 
on  the  site  of  the  Atlantic  (burned  in  1878),  was  burned 
down.   It  was  a  brick  structure,  valued  at  $200,000. 

In  1879  the  present  Baptist  Church  was  erected  at  the 
-corner  of  Franklin  and  Lafayette  streets,  but  was  not  dedi- 
cated untii  August  14,  1892,  when  it  was  out  of  debt. 

Francis  K.  Duke,  who  was  president  of  the  City  Council 
•during  the  year  1890,  was  born  at  Harper's  Ferry,  Va.,  D::- 
cember  7,  1830,  where  he  remained  until  he  was  ten  years 
of  age,  after  which  he  lived  in  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey. 
and\vhen  the  Mount  Vernon  Hotel  was  being  built  in  1847. 
lie  came  to  Cape  May.  He  had  learned  the  carpenter's 
trade,  and  worked  on  that  famous  hotel.  While  here  he 
married  Miss  Louisa  Eldredge,  a  sister  of  Coroner  Daniel 
C  Eldredge.  Before  the  Rebellion  he  moved  to  Delaware, 
and  when  the  war  broke  out  he  entered  the  Union  army  U. 
the  Second  Delaware  Regiment,  serving  as  second  lieuten- 
ant of  Company  F,  and  was  promoted  for  meritorious  ser- 
vice at  the  battle  of  Savage  Station.  He  was  bushwhacked 
at  Drummondstown,  Va.,  and  his  horse  being  shot  from 
■«mder  him  he  was  thrown,  and  the  horse  falling  upon  his 


440  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

leg  crippled  him  so  that  he  has  never  since  had  its  free  use.  . 
He  came  to  Cape  May  again  in  1868,  where  he  has  ever 
since  resided,  taking  an  active  part  in  politics  and  Grancf. 
Army  affairs.  He  has  always  been  a  Republican,  is  past 
commander  of  John  Mecray  Post,  No.  40,  G.  A. 
R.,  and  is  a  builder  of  note.  For  ten  years  he  served  as 
Justice  of  the  Peace  in  Lower  township,  and  in  1886  he  was- 
elected  by  City  Council  to  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  death 
of  the  late  Thomas  H.  Williamson,  ^nd  re-elected  by  the 
people  for  the  unexpired  term  for  one  year.  In  1888  he  was- 
chosen  for  a  full  term  of  three  years,  and  was  the  president 
of  the  body  diiring  the  year  beginning  March,  1890.  In  the- 
fall  of  1893  he  was  elected  Coroner  for  Cape  May  county, 
and  served  three  years. 

James  M.  E.  Hildreth,  the  sixteenth  and  eighteenth  May- 
or of  the  city  of  Cape  May,  is  a  son  of  Hon.  Alvin  P.  Hil- 
dreth. who  has  served  his  city  in  various  public  offices,  and 
served  his  county  as  a  member  of  the  State  Legislature  and 
the  State  as  a  Riparian  Commissioner  under  the  administra- 
tion of  Governor  George  T.  Werts.  The  younger  Hildreth 
was  born  in  Cape  May  City,  December  9,  1858,  and  for 
twelve  years  as  a  child  lived  in  this  city.  His  maternal  an- 
cestors were  of  the  Wales  family,  whose  history  is  well. 
known,  his  great  uncle,  E.  L.  B.  Wales,  being  at  one  time 
a  judge  of  the  New  Jersey  Court  of  Errors  and  Appeals. 
the  highest  tribunal  in  the  State. 

When  Mr.  Hildreth  reached  his  twelfth  year  he  was  taken 
to  Mount  Holly,  where  he  remained,  finishing  his  education 
at  the  Mount  Holly  Academy,  which  has  been  a  famoup 
institution  of  its  kind.  After  leaving  school  he  studied  law 
in  the  offices  of  Hon.  Walter  A.  Barrows,  an  uncle,  and 
Hon.  Joseph  H.  Gaskell,  now  President  Judge  of  Burling- 
ton county.  After  being  admitted  to  the  practice  in  the 
courts  of  New  Jersey,  in  1881,  he  removed  to  his  native  city 
again,  where  he  has  since  resided,  and  become  a  prominent 
practitioner  and  enjoys  a  large  clientage.  It  is  said  of  Mr_ 
Hildreth  that  he  never  advises  any  one  to  take  up  a  la\^~ 
fight  unless  they  have  a  wrong  to  right,  and  that  his  cases', 
are  nearly  alwavs  won  by  his  thorough  research. 


CAPE   MAY   CITY, 


441 


In  1883  Mr.  Hiklreth  was  chosen  by  the  City  Council 
Solicitor,  and  that  he  conducted  the  office  in  a  way  that 
bespoke  praise  to  himself  was  known  by  every  one  who 
remembers  the  time.  He  held  the  office  for  one  year,  and 
then  did  not  hold  another  office  until  elected  Mayor  in 
March,  1893,  for  a  term  of  two  years.  He  was  always  on 
hand  to  receive  all  visitins-  delep-ations.  It  was  through  his 
efforts  mainly  that  the  Fourth  of  July  celebration  of  1893 
was  a  success.  The  principal  speaker  was  Benjamin  Harri- 
son, ex-President  of  the  United  States.  The  ceremonies 
took  place  on  the  Stockton  Hotel  piazza  and  Mayor  Hil- 


^^^r:^! 


JAMES  M.   E.    niLDRETir. 


dreth  had  the  honor  of  introducing  the  famous  visitor,  and 
every  one  remarked  on  the  occasion  of  the  gracefulness  by 
which  it  was  done.  During  that  year  of  Mr.  Hildreth's  ad- 
ministration, by  his  efforts,  City  Council  secured  as  much 
for  the  city  in  the  improvement  line  as  any  preceding  Coun- 
cil, and  yet  so  economical  v^as  the  city's  affairs  managed 
that  each  taxpayer  was  saved  fourteen  per  cent,  of  his  usual 
net  amount  of  tax. 

In  1895  the  City  Council  again  elected  Mr.  Hiklreth 
City  Solicitor  for  a  term  of  one  year.  In  1897  he  was  again 
chosen  Mavor.     He  is  a  member  of  the  First  Presbyterian 


442  HISTORY   OF   CAPK   MAY   COT'XTY. 

Church  of  this  city,  and  since  January,  1885,  has  been  a 
trustee  and  treasurer  of  the  church.  Since  1886,  when  the" 
company  was  organized,  he  has  been  general  manager  of 
the  Frankhn  Electric  Light  Company,  of  this  city.  He  is 
also  a  director  in  the  South  Jersey  Railroad  Company, 
which  opened  a  competing  line  to  Cape  May  in  1894  dur- 
ing his  term  as  Mayor. 

He  is  an  active  member  of  the  Cape  May  City  Athletic 
Club,  which  was  organized  August  15,  1887,  and  had  for  its 
directors,  Ijesides  himself,  General  William  J.  Sewell,  of 
Camden,  State  Senator  (afterwards  Congressman)  Jolm  E, 
Reyburn,  of  Philadelphia;  George  W.  Boyd,  assistant  gen- 
eral passenger  agent  of  the  great  Pennsylvania  Railroad; 
Max  Riebenack,  the  auditor  of  freight  receipts  of  the  same 
great  corporation;  W.  S.  P.  Shields,  the  Philadelphia  build- 
er; Charles  A.  Hart,  of  Philadelphia;  General  Clinton  P. 
Paine,  of  Baltimore,  and  Nathan  C.  Price,  of  this  city. 
Mr.  Reyburn  was  president;  General  Sewell,  vice-president; 
Mr.  Hildretli,  secretary  and  attorney,  and  Air.  Riebenack, 
treasurer. 

James  J.  Doak,  president  of  Council  from  1892  to  1894, 
was  born  in  the  First  ward  of  Philadelphia,  November  7, 
1844.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  that  city, 
principally  at  the  Weccacoe  and  Mount  A'ernon  Grammar 
Schools.  Between  school  hours  he  was  clerk  in  a  grocery 
and  provision  store.  Early  in  1862,  when  not  yet  eighteen 
years  of  age,  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in  the  Nineteenth  Penn- 
sylvania Regiment,  but  was  not  accepted  because  of  his 
youthfulness.  He  enlisted  a  second  time  early  in  1863  in 
the  Fifty-ninth  Pennsylvania  Regiment,  and  served  in  it  foiu 
months,  the  time  for  which  the  regiment  was  nntstered.  Af- 
ter lieing  discharged  therefrom  he  again  entered  the  army 
as  a  private  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Ninety-sixth  Regiment, 
servi.:  ;■  a  full  enlistment.  He  then  learned  the  carpenter's 
trade,  and  in  1868  came  to  Cape  May,  where  he  has  ever 
since  resided.  He  followed  his  trade  here  for  a  while,  but  in 
1869  became  a  member  of  the  police  force,  in  which  he 
served  eighteen  years,  being  chief  for  eight  years  from  1870. 
He  became  a  hotel  detective  and  served  in  the  Stockton 


LIFE  FOLL()WIX(;  'I'HE  IJEBEELIOX.  443 

IHotcl  and  Congress  Hall,  Cape  May,  and  W'illard's,  Wash- 
ington. He  was  for  some  years  a  detective  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Railroad,  operating  on  the  New  Jersey  Division.  In 
1887  he  was  elected  for  a  full  term  of  three  years  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  City  Council,  and  has  since  been  three  times  re- 
-elected,  holding  the  position  at  the  present  time.  He  has 
.been  for  several  years  assistant  chief  of  the  Cape  May  Fire 
Department.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican,  and  a  leader  in 
^the  party. 

Alonzo  L.  Leach,  M.  D.,  second  son  of  Joseph  S.  Leach, 
was  born  at  Cape  May  City  March  19,   1845;  received  his 
education  at  our  public  schools  and  under  private  tutors; 
began  the  study  of  medicine  at  Harvard  Medical  College 
and  completed  the  same  at  JelTerson  Medical  College,  from 
which  he  was  graduated  with  honors  in  1868.     Upon  his 
graduation  he  was  appointed  Demonstrator  of  Anatomy  in 
the  Philadelphia  School  of  Anatomy.    In  1869  he  was  com- 
missioned   first    assistant    surgeon  of    the  First  Regiment, 
Pennsylvania  National  Guard,  and  was  with  his  command 
■on  the  several  occasions  it  was  called  into  service  to  quell 
'formidable  riots  in  Pennsylvania.    During  the  railroad  riots 
at  Pittsburg  in  1877  he  was  in  charge  of  the  division  hos- 
pital, and  on  his  return  home  was  promoted  surgeon  for  his 
meritorious  service  with  rank  as  major.     He  resig^ned  his 
commission  after  a  service  of  thirteen  years  in  the  Guard, 
and  after  practicing  medicine  in  Philadelphia  with  marked 
•success  for  twenty  years    he  was  obliged  to  relinquish  his 
work  there  on  account  of  impaired  health.     Returning  to 
Cape  May  in  1887  to  recuperate  his  health,  he  here,  later, 
resumed  practice.    While  in  Philadelphia  he  wrote  on  medi- 
■^cal  subjects,  his  writings  being  published  in  the  then  cur- 
rent   medical    magazines.      One    article    published    in    the 
American  Medical  Journal  on  "The  Influence  of  Close  Con- 
finement in  Prisons  on  the    Production    of    Phthisis"    was 
translated  into  many  of  the  leading  magazines  of  Europe^ 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Pathological  Society  and  of  the 
Philadelphia  County  Medical  Society.     He  is  president  of 
the  ])oard  of  Health  of  Cape  May  City,  being  elected  in 
1892,  and  was  elected  member  of  the  Board  of  Education  of 


444  HISTORY  OF  CAFE  MAY  COUNTY. 

the  same  city  in  1896,  and  vice-president  of  the  Cape  May 
County  Medical  Society  in  1897. 

Lewis  T.  Stevens,  president  of  Council  in  1894,  was  born, 
in  West  Cape  May,  August  22,  1868,  and  is  a  son  of  Wil- 
liam T.  Stevens,  and  grandson  of  William  S.  Hooper.  He- 
obtained  his  education  in  Cape  May  public  schools  and  at 
Princeton  College.  Early  in  life  he  became  an  amateur  jour- 
nalist, then  learned  the  trade  of  a  printer,  and  finally  became 
a  newspaper  correspondent.  In  1892  he  was  elected  to- 
City  Council  for  three  years,  serving  as  president  the  last 
year. 

F.  Sidney  Townsend  was  born  at  Seaville,  this  county, 
June  21,  1849,  and  's  a  grandson  of  Joshua  Townsend,., 
Legislator.  He  obtained  his  educotion  in  Seaville,  and  in 
1875  removed  to  Cape  May  City,  where  he  has  since  re- 
sided. He  was  a  member  of  Council  from  1883  to  1892,, 
and  was  chosen  in  1896  for  another  full  term  of  three  years. 
He  was  president  of  Council  in  1889  and  in  1891.  He  was- 
Alderman  from  1894  to  1896. 


CHA1''1ER  XXXI. 
THE    BOROUGHS. 

Ocean  Citv,  on  Peck's  beach,  came  into  existence  as  a 
•temperance  and  Methodist  summer  resort  in  1880.  It  grew 
rapidly  and  is  second  now  only  to  Cape  May  City  in  pros- 
perity. It  was  beautifully  laid  out.  In  1884  it  was  organ- 
ized as  a  borough  government.  In  1897  it  was  made  a  city, 
and  with  the  following  as  its  bounds:  Beginning  at  a  point 
in  the  line  of  low-water  mark  on  the  northerly  side  of  Cor- 
son's Inlet  at  the  intersection  of  low-water  mark  to  said 
Corson's  Inlet  with  low-water  mark  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean; 
thence  northwesterly  along  and  in  line  of  low-w^ater  mark 
of  said  Corson's  Inlet  to  the  intersection  thereof  with  Beach 
Thoroughfare;  thence  northeasterly  along  said  Beach  Thor- 
oughfare to  the  most  easterly  channel  of  Peck's  Bay;  thence 
still  northeasterly  in  and  along  the  most  easterly  channel 
of  Peck's  Bay  and  Great  Egg  Harbor  Bay  to  the  dividing 
line  between  Cape  May  county  and  Atlantic  county;  thence 
following  said  dividing  line  in  a  southeasterly  direction 
down  Great  Egg  Harbor  Bay  and  Great  Egg  Harbor  In- 
let to  the  Atlantic  Ocean ;  thence  extending  into  the  Atlan- 
tic Ocean  as  far  as  the  jurisdiction  of  the  State  of  New 
Jersey  extends;  thence  southwesterly  along  and  in  the  said 
jurisdictional  line  of  the  State  to  a  point  in  said  line  at 
right  angles  to  low-water  mark  on  the  north  side  of  Cor- 
soli's  Inlet  aforesaid;  thence  northwesterly  to  the  place  of 
beginning. 

it  has^a  water  works,  by  which  water  is  obtained  from 
artesian  wells  driven  nearly  800  feet  in  the  earth.  A  sew- 
age and  drainage  svstem  has  been  introduced.  The  town 
is  Ughted  bv  electricity.  The  leading  hotels  are  the  Bngh- 
ton,^Illinois.  Emmett.  Wesley  House,  Vandaha,  Strand.  La- 
fayette, Travmore,  Excursion  and  Adams'  Casino.  It  has 
a  public  school,  a  Methodist  church,  built  in  1890;  St.  Au- 


44(5  JIISTOUY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

gustine's  (Catholic)  Church,  bulk  in  1895,  and  an  Episcopal, 
church,  built  in  1897. 

The  West  Jersey  Railroad  was  opened  to  Ocean  City  in 
1884. 

Gainer  P.  Moore,  the  first  Mayor,  was  born  in  Chester- 
county,  Pa.,  in  1836,  where  he  obtained  his  education.  He- 
served  honorably  in  the  civil  war  on  the  Union  side.  In. 
1866  he  became  a  merchant  in  Philadelphia,  and  in  1881 
he  came  to  Ocean  City,  and  has  since  been  an  energetic, 
public  citizen.     He  is  a  Methodis't  in  religion. 

James  E.  Pryor,  the  second  Mayor,  was  born  near  L  >- 
gansport,  Indiana,  April  24,  1861,  and  was  educated  in  ;he- 
public  schools  there  and  at  nineteen  became  a  teacher  in 
them.  He  fitted  himself  for  the  medical  profession  in  the 
University  Medical  College  at  Detroit,  Mich.,  graduating 
in  1888.     He  then  came  to  Ocean  City. 

Harry  G.  Steelman,  fourth  Mayor,  was  a  native  of  Wey- 
mouth, N.  J.,  and  settled  in  Ocean  City  in  1888. 

Robert  Eisher,  fifth  Mayor,  is  a  real  estate  agent  of  con- 
siderable activity. 

Wildwood  was  founded  by  Philip  Pontius  Baker,  of  Vine- 
land,  N.  J.,  about  1890. 

"Wildwood"  is  situated  on  the  famous  "Eive  Mile 
Beach,"  about  six  miles  northeast  of  Cape  May  City.  The 
tract  comprises  100  acres  and  it  lies  between  the  ocean 
and  the  "thoroughfare."  About  fifty  acres  are  in  woods, 
grand  timber,  some  of  the  trees  being  nearly  one  hundred 
feet  high,  and  two  to  five  in  diameter.  They  include  pine, 
red,  white  and  black  oak,  sassafras — six  feet  in  circumfer- 
ence— red  and  white  cedar,  holly,  magnolia,  wild  cherry, 
persimmon,  sweet  gum,  beech,  plum  and  other  varieties, 
and  from  the  branches  of  many  of  them  hang  festoons  of 
beautiful  green  mosses,  three  to  six  feet  in  length.  Gi- 
gantic grape  vines  here  flourish,  one  monster  nearly  a  yard 
in  circumference  ten  feet  from  the  ground,  spreading  away 
over  the  branches  of  the  oaks  a  distance  of  two  hundred 
feet.  All  underbrush,  undesirable  vines  and  bushes  have 
been  cleared  away,  bringing  to  view  the  innumerable  va- 
riety of  beautiful  wild  flowers  which  cover  the  ground  in 
every  direction.     An  authority  on  the  subject  states  that 


THE    BOKOUGIHS.  447 

every  variety  of  Howcr  that  grows  along  the   coast  from 
Maine  to  Florida  is  here  to  be  found. 

In  the  centre  of  the  forest  is  a  charming  little  body  of 
fresh  water  appropriately  called  Magnolia  Lake.  It  is 
about  three  feet  in  depth  and  is  fed  by  a  snuiU  stream  that 
rises  a  mile  or  so  away.  It  is  one  of  the  ])rcttiest  spots  on 
the  tract,  and  is  especially  popular  with  the  children  who 
are  never  happier  than  when  navigating  the  lake  in  boats. 

Here  and  there  in  the  woods  are  rare  and  interesting  spec- 
imens of  nature's  handiwork,  to  see  which  is  alone  worth 
a  visit  to  the  "Beach."  There  is,  for  example,  an  immense 
huckleberry  bush  growing  from  the  trunk  of  a  tree  twenty 
feet  from  the  ground,  and  which  has  for  years  borne  large 
crops  of  fine  fruit. 

The  town  was  developed  rapidly,  and  laid  out  in  squares. 
It  is  situated  on  the  central  portion  of  Five  Mile  Beach. 
There  are  water  works,  a  Baptist  church,  a  Presbyterian 
church  and  a  public  school  there.  The  water  is  derived 
from  two  artesian  wells,  one  looo  feet  deep  and  the  other 
700  feet.  The  latter  alone  has  a  capacity  of  500,000  gallons 
per  day.  The  leading  hotels  of  the  place  are  Flotel  Dayton, 
Marine  Hall,  The  Latimer,  Sea  View,  Ocean  Villa,  Tower 
Villa,  Silver  Dean,  Brighton,  Woodland,  Selina,  Stewart, 
Ivy  and  Wildwood.  The  West  Jersey  Railroad  runs  there. 
The  borcmgh  was  incorporated  first  on  May  i,  1895. 

Philip  P.  Baker,  its  founder,  was  born  at  Cowan,  Union 
county.  Pa.,  January  14,  1846.  He  went  to  school  there, 
and  at  sixteen  when  his  father  died,  managed  the  farm 
there. 

In  1869,  with  his  brother,  L.  R.,  he  removed  to  Vineland, 
N.  J.,  and  there  conducted  a  general  store.  The  Baker 
Brothers,  as  their  firm  was  known  by  name,  built  the  Ba- 
her  House  Block  there.  He  was  a  memher  of  Assembly 
from  Cumberland  county  in  1882,  and  in  1886  was  elected 
State  Senator  from  that  county.  He  was  a  prominent  mover 
in  having  the  law  passed  introducing  manual  training  in  the 
public  schools.  Being  a  Democrat,  he  was  a  delegate-at- 
large  from  New  Jersey  to  the  National  Democratic  con- 
vention in   1888  and  in   1892  was  a  Presidential   elector, 


4^8  lilST'jrwY  OF  GATE   M\Y   COl'N'L'V. 

casting  a  vote  for  Grover  Cleveland.  In  1891  he  was  re- 
ceiver of  the  Philadelphia  and  Seashore  Railroad.  He  was 
interested  in  Sea  Isle  City's  founclaticn. 

In  1896  he  was  made  New  Jersey's  member  of  the  Dem- 
ocratic National  Committee. 

Avalon  was  founded  by  the  Seven-Mile  Beach  Company, 
at  the  head  of  which  v>as  Frank  Siddall.  of  Philadelphia,  in 
1887,  '^'""^  ""^  ^^9^  ^  borough  was  created.  It  is  situated  on 
the  north  end  of  Seven  Mile  Beach,  and  has  several  hotels. 
The  West  Jersey  Railroad  is  opened  through  it. 

Thomas  Bray,  who  has  been  Mayor  since  its  incorpora- 
tion, was  born  in  New  York  city  on  September  5.  1843, 
He  lived  there  until  four  years  of  age,  when  he  was  taken 
to  Philadelphia,  where  he  resided  until  1857.  He  then  re- 
turned to  New  York,  where  he  was  educated.  In  1861  he 
came  back  to  Philadelphia  and  was  with  the  Lockwood 
Manufacturing  Company  two  years.  He  then  went  to  New 
York  again,  remaining  for  eight  years.  Soon  after  this  he 
became  manager  of  Dr.  J.  H.  Schenck's  medicine  manufac- 
tory, in  Philadelphia,  and  removed  there  until  he  became 
secretary  of  Seven-Mile  Beach  Company,  in  1886.  since 
which  time  he  has  devoted  his  entire  time  to  its  success. 

Sea  Isle  City  includes  the  whole  of  Ludlam's  Beach,  and 
was  first  laid  out  about  1880.  Charles  K.  Landis  was  its 
founder.  The  island  fronts  six  and  one-quarter  miles  in 
length  on  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  and  varies  from  one-quarter 
to  one  and  one-quarter  miles  in  width,  extending  from  Cor- 
son's Inlet,  on  the  north,  to  Townsend's  Inlet,  on  the  south, 
and  is  bounded  on  the  west  by  Ludlam  Bay  and  a  navi- 
gable channel,  called  the  Thoroughfare,  furnishing  excel- 
lent advantages  for  fishing,  sailing,  or  still-water  bathing. 

Sea  Isle  City  is  brilliantly  illuminated  at  night  with  elec- 
tric light,  and  the  cottages  and  hotels  are  lighted  by  elec- 
tricity. As  to  good  water.  Sea  Isle  City  is  supplied  from  an 
ever-flowing  well  of  water.  All  the  cottages  are  supplied 
with  this  water. 

Two  systems  of  railroads,  West  Jersey  and  Seashore,  and 
the  South  Jersey. 

It  has  thirty  hotels,  an  electric  railroad,  ice  plant,  school 


THE  r.()K()r<;iis.  449 

house,  a  Methodist  church,  built  in  1888,  and  a  CathoHc 
church,  built  in  1890. 

Its  first  Council  was  composed  of  James  P.  Way,  Roger 
Dever,  William  L.  Peterson  and  PTudson  Ludlam. 

Cape  May  Point  was  set  off  as  a  political  division  in  1878, 
and  continued  to  be  a  borough  until  1896.  Its  borough 
:government,  after  1890,  became  a  matter  of  uncertainty, 
its  final  abandonment  of  local  government  being  the  out- 
come of  the  unconstitutionality  of  the  law  under  which  it 
'existed.  It  is  now  a  part  of  Lower  township.  It  has  an 
•electric  light  works,  a  water  plant,  four  or  five  hotels,  sev- 
eral boarding  houses,  a  public  school,  a  Baptist,  a  Catholic 
and  an  Episcopal  church. 

Anglesea  was  made  a  borough  in  1885.  It  is  a  great  re- 
sort for  fishermen,  who  go  to  sea  to  fish.  It  contains  several 
Botels  and  boarding  cottages. 

Holly  Beach  was  also  made  a  borough  in  1885.  and  has 
several  hotels  and  boarding  cottages. 

West  Cape  May  was  made  a  borough  and  came  out  of 
Lower  township  in  1884.  Out  of  it  was  made  South  Cape 
May  Borough  ten  years  later. 


APPENDIX  A. 

MEMBERS   OF    THE    LEGISLATURE. 

A  list  of  the  Meuil^ers  of  the  Legislature  from  the  tirst  record  of  them  after 
the  surreu  ler  of  the  Government  in  Queen  Anne'«  reign  in  1703  to  the 
pre.seut  time. 


DATE. 


1702  to 
1707  to 
170S  to 
1700  to 
1710  to 
1717  to 
1723  to 
1733  to 
1740  to 

1743  to 

1744  to 

1745  to 
1760  to 
1771  to 
1773  to 
177G  to 


1707 
1708 
1700 
1710 
1717 
1723 
1733 
1740 
1743 
1744 
1745 
1769 
1771 
1773 
1776 
1778 


1778  to  1779 

1779  to  1780 

1780  to  1781 

1781  to  1782 

1782  to  1783 

1783  to  1784 

1784  to  1785 

1785  to  1786 

1786  to  1787 

1787  to  1789 

1789  to  1790 

1790  to  1791 

1791  to  1793 


COUNCIL. 


Jonathan  Hand. 

Jonathan  Jenkins. 
Jesse  Hand. 

Je-sse  Hand. 

Elijah  Hughes. 
Jesse  Hand. 

Jesse  Hand. 
Jeremiah  Eldredge. 
Elijah  Hughes. 

Jeremiah  Eldredge. 

Jeremiah  Eldredge. 

Jeremiah  Eldredge. 

Jeremiah  Eldredge. 

Jeremiah  Eldredge. 


ASSEMBLY. 


reter  Fretwell. 

IV'ter  Corson. 

Ezeliiel    Eldredge. 

Jacob  Spic'er,  P«-ter  FretAvell. 

Jacob  Spicer,  Jacob  Huling. 

Jacob  Spicer.  Jeremiah  Bass. 

Humphrey   Hughes,    Xath'l  Jenkins. 

Aaron  Learning,  1st,  Heni-y  Young,    t/ 

Aaron  Learning,  Aaron  Learning,  Jr. 

Aaron  Leaming,  John  Willets. 

Henry  Young,  Jacob  Spicer,  2d.  \ 

Aaron  Learning  2d,  Jacob  Spicer  2d.    \ 

Aaron  Leaming  2d,  NicliolasStillwelL 

Aaron  Learning  2d.  Jonathan  Hand. 

Eli   Eldredge,   Jonathan   Hand. 

Eli    Eldredge,    Joseph    oavage,    Hugh 
Haythorn. 

Eli  Eldredge.  Richard  ToAvnsend. 

Henry    Y.    Townsenu,    James    Whill- 
den,   J(mathan   Leaming. 

Joseph   Hildreth.   Jeremiah  Eldredge, 
:\IatThe\v  Whillden. 

Richard   Townsend. 

Matthew  Whillden,  John  Baker,  Eli- 
jah Townsend. 

John  Baker,  Joseph  Hildreth. 

Elijah  Townsend,  Levi  Eldredge. 

Elijah  Townsend,  John  Baker,  Nezer 
Swain. 

Matthew  Whillden,  John  Baker,  Eli- 
jah Townsend. 

Matthew    Whillden,    Richard    Town- 
send,  Elijah  Townsend. 

Eh   Townsend,    Nezer    Swain,    Elijah 
Townsend. 

Richard     Townsend,     Nezer     Swain, 
Elijah  Townsend. 

Richard   Townsend,    Matthew   Whill- 
den, Elijah  Townsend. 


MEMBERS    OF    THE    LElilSLATT UE. 


451 


DATE. 


COUMCIL. 


ASSE3IBLY. 


1793  to  1794 

1794  to  179.". 

1795  to  1790 

1796  to  1797 


1797 
1798 
1799 
ISOl 
1803 
1804 
1805 
1806 
1807 
1808 
1809 
1810 
1811 
1812 
1813 
1814 
1815 
1819 
1821 
1822 
1823 
1824 
1825 
1827 
1830 
1831 
1834 
1836 
1838 
1840 
1842 


to  179S 
to  1799 
TO  1801 
to  1803 
to  1804 
to  1805 
to  1806 
to  1807 
to  1808 
to  1809 
to  1810 
to  1811 
to  1812 
to  1813 
to  1814 
to  1815 
to  1819 
to  1821 
to  1822 
to  1823 
to  1824 
to  1825 
to  1827 
to  1830 
to  1831 
to  1834 
to  1836 
to  1838 
to  1840 
to  1842 
to  1844 


Session  Dates 

1845 

1846 

1847 

1848  and  1849 

1850  and  1851 

1852 

1853 

1854  and  1855 

1856.  1857 

and  1858 
1859  and  1860 
1861 
1862.  1863 

and  1864 


.lereuiiali  Eldredge. 

Matthew   Wliilldeu. 
Matthew    WhiUden. 

I'aruienas  Coisou. 

I'armenas  Corson. 
I'armenas  Corson. 
John  Townsend. 
I^arnieiia.s  Corsuii. 
Ebenezer   Newton. 
I'r.ruienas  Corson. 
William  Eldredge. 
:Matthew   Whillden. 
Ebenezer  Newton. 
Joseph  Falkenburge 
Matthew    \Miillden. 
Matthew    Whillden. 
Nathaniel  Holniesi. 
Joseph  Falkenburge. 
Joseph  Fallcenbnrge. 
Furnian   Learning. 
Joshua  Swain. 
Thomas  H.  Hughes. 
Thomas  H.  Hughes. 
ThoiDas  H.  Hughes. 
Joshua  Swain. 
Thomas  H.  Hughes. 
Joshua  Swain. 
Issrael  Townsend. 
Israel  Townsend. 
Joshua  Townsend. 
Jeremiah  Learning. 
Richard  Thompson. 
Amos  Corson. 
Thomas  P.  Hughes, 
j  Maurice  Beesley. 

!  SENATE. 

Reuben  Willits. 
Reuben  Willits. 
James  L.  Smith. 
James  L.  Smith. 
Enoch   Edmunds. 
Enoch    Edmunds. 
Joshua   Swain,  Jr. 
.Toshua  Swain,  Jr. 

Jesse  H.  Diverty. 
Downs  Edmunds. 
Downs  Edmunds. 


Jonathan  F.  Learning  Wilmon  W.  Ware. 


Ricliar<l  Townsend,  Matthew  Whill- 
(Un.   Ebenezer  Newton. 

David  .ri)hns(m.   liichard   Townsend. 

Richard  Townsend.  Reuben  Town- 
send.  Eleazer  Hand. 

Abi.iah  Smith.  i:iijah  Townsend^ 
Richard   Townsend. 

IVrsons  Leaming. 

Elijah  Townsend. 

Abiiah  Smith. 

I'ersdus    Le.-iming. 

Joseph  Falkenburge. 

Matthew  Whillden. 

'J'honias  Hughes. 

Nicholas  Willets. 

I'homas  H.  Hughes. 

Nicholas  Willets. 

Thomas  H.  Hughes. 

Joseph   Falkenburge. 

Nicholas  Willets. 

Thanias  IL   Hughes. 

Jushua    Swain. 

Kubert   H.   Holmes. 

Nicholas  Willets. 

Joshua    Townsend. 

Nicliolas   Willets. 

.Toshua   Townsend. 

Israel  Townsend. 

Israel  Townsend. 

Israel  Townsend. 

.Joshua  Townsend. 

.Jeremiah  Leaming. 

Jeremiah  Leaming. 

Richard  Thompson. 

Amos  CoTSon. 

Thomas  P.  Hughes. 

Maurice  Beesley. 

Reuben  Willets. 

House  of  Assembly. 
John   Stites. 
Samuel  Townsend. 
Richard   S.   Ludlam. 
Nathaniel  Holmes,  Jr. 
Mackey   Williams. 
Joshua  Swain. 
Waters  B.  Miller. 
Jesse  H.  Diverty. 

Downs  Edmunds,   Jr. 
Abram  Reeves. 
Jonathan  F.  Leaming, 


452                     PlISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Ses;sion  Date^. 

SENATE. 

House  of  As.sembly. 

1865,  1806 

and  1867 

^^'ilulon  ^■\'.  ware. 

Thomas  Beesh'y. 

1868 

Leaminy  M.  llice. 

Samuel   R.   Magonag-le. 

1869  and  1870 

Et^auiiuy  .M.   IJicc. 

Thomas  Becsley. 

1871,  1872 

and  1873 

TlioiuMs   Beesley. 

Richard   8.   Leaming. 

1874 

Kicliaid  S.  "Leamiug. 

Alexander  Young. 

1875 

Kicliard  S.  Leaiuing. 

Richai-d  D.  Edmunds. 

1876 

Richard  S.  Lwmiiug. 

William  T.   Stevens. 

1877  aud  1878 

.Jnuatjuiu   F.    Lenuiiii.L;-. 

William  T.   Stevens. 

1879 

•loualjian   F.   Leamiui,'. 

Daniel   ScLelliuger. 

1880 

^^'aters  B.   Miller. 

Jesse  D.   Ludlam. 

1881  aud  J 882 

Waters  B.   Miller. 

Fiu-man  L.   Richardson. 

1883,  1884 

and  1885 

Waters  B.   Miller. 

Jesse  D.  Ludlam. 

iv^F  and  3  887 

Joseph  H.  Hanes. 

Alvin  r.  Hildreth. 

1888 

Joseph  H.  Hanes. 

Walter  S.  Leaming. 

1881).  LS90 

' 

aud  1891 

Walter  S.  Learning. 

Eugene  C.  Cole. 

1892.  1893 

aud  1894 

Lemuel  E.  :Miller. 

Edmund  L.  Ross. 

3895  and  1896  : 

Edmund  L.   Koss. 

Furnian  L.  Ludlam. 

1897 

Edmund  L.  Ross. 

Robert  E.  Hand. 

DIRECTORS  OF  THE  FREEHOLDERS. 


1827— Joseph  Falkinburge. 
1830— Richard  Thompson. 
1831— Joseph  Falkinburge. 
1833— Samuel  Matthews. 
1834— Nathaniel  Holmes. 
1841— Franklin  Hand. 
1842— Jonathan  J.   Springer. 
1844— Franklin  Hand. 
184.5— Stephen  Young. 
1846— John   Smith. 
1847— Nathaniel  Holmes. 
1851— William    S.    Townsend. 


1855— Hez^kiah  W.   Godfrey. 
1859- Samuel  F.    W^are. 
1861— Tliomas  Williams. 
1869— Aaron   Miller. 
1870— Alexander   Young. 
1878— Alexander  Corson, 
1888— John  W.  Reeves. 
1893— William  Lake. 
1894— Andrew  "NA'eeks. 
1895— AVilliani  T.  Bate. 
189e,_A.  Carlton  Hildreth. 


APPENDIX  B. 

BOARDS  OF  FREEHOLDKKvS. 

Members  of  the  l>oards  of  Chosen  Freeholders  from  1827 
to  1897: 

1827 — Ezekiel  Stevens.  Thomas  P.  Hughes,  Lower; 
Ephraim  Hildreth,  Joseph  Falkenburg,  Middle;  Jacob  G. 
Smith,  Samnel  Bishop,  Dennis;  John  Williams,  Amos  Cor- 
son, Upper. 

1828 — John  Williams,  Amos  Corson,  Upper;  Samuel 
Bishop,  Christopher  Ludlam.  Denrd^;  Joseph  Falkenburg, 
Ephraim  Hildreth,  Middle;  Ezekiel  SLevens,  Reuben  Fos- 
ter. Lower. 

1829 — Stephen  ^'oung.  Parmenas  Corson,  Upper;  Chris- 
topher Ludlam,  Samuel  Bishop,  Dennis:  Joseph  Falken- 
burg. Ephraim  Hildreth,  iMiddle:  Ezekiel  Stevens,  Spicer 
Learning,  Lower. 

1830 — Parmenas  Corson.  Stephen  Young.  Upper;  Amos 
C.  Moore,  Elijah  Robinson.  Dennis;  Richard  Thompson, 
Swain  Townsend.  Middle:  Ezekiel  Stevens.  Downs  Ed- 
munds, Lower. 

183 1 — Parmenas  Corson,  Stephen  Young,  Upper;  John 
Smith,  Elijah  Robinson,  Dennis;  Joseph  Falkenburg,  Sam- 
uel Springer,  Middle:  Ezekiel  Stevens,  Alexander  ]\IcKean, 
Lower. 

1^23 — Parmenas  Corson.  Stephen  Young,  Upper; 
John  Smith,  Elijah  Robinson,  Dennis:  Joseph  Falkenburg, 
Samuel  Springer.  Middle:  Ezekiel  Stevens,  Alexander  Mc- 
Kean,  Lower. 

1833 — John  Williams,  Stephen  Young,  Upper;  Samuel 
]\Iatthews.  James  L.  Smith.  Dennis;  Jeremiah  Hand.  Sam- 
uel Springer.  Middle;  Ezekiel  Stevens,  Joseph  B.  Hughes, 
Lower. 

1834 — Parmenas  Corson,  David  Kinsey.  Upper:  Jacob 
Souder,    Nathaniel    Holmes,    Dennis;    Ephraim     Hildreth, 


) 


4o4  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

John  Townsend,  Middle;  ToscdIi  B.  Hug-hes.  David  Cresse, 

Lower. 

1835 — John    Stites,    David    Kinsey,     Upper;     Nathaniel 

Holmes,  James  L.  Smith,  Dennis;  John  Townsend,   Eph- 

raim    Hildreth,   Middle;   Israel  Townsend,    David    Cresse, 
Lower. 

1836 — David  Kinsey.  John  Stites,  Upper;  Nathaniel 
Holmes,  Jacob  G,  Smith.  Dennis;  Joseph  Falkenburg, 
Ephraim  Hildreth,  Middle;  Israel  Townsend,  David  Cresse, 
Lower. 

1837 — Jo^i"  Williams,  Eli  Bnnnell,  Upper;  Jacob  G. 
Smith,  Nathaniel  Holmes,  Dennis;  Samuel  Springer,  Frank- 
lin Hand,  Middle;  Ezekiel  Stevens,  David  Cresse,  Lower. 

1838 — John  Williams.  Eli  Bunnell,  Upper;  Nathaniel 
Holmes.  James  L.  Smith,  Dennis;  Franklin  Hand,  Samuel 
Springer,  Middle;  Ezekiel  Stevens,  David  Cresse,  Lower. 

1839 — David  Kimsey,  Miles  Corson,  Upper;  Nathaniel 
Holmes,  James  L.  Smith,  Dennis;  Franklin  Hand,  Jonathan 
J.  Springer,  Middle;  Ezekiel  Stevens,  David  Cresse,  Lower. 

1840 — John  Williams,  John  Stites,  Upper;  Nathaniel 
Holmes,  William  S.  Townsend,  Dennis;  Franklin  Hand, 
Jonathan  J.  Springer,  Middle;  Ezekiel  Stevens,  David 
Cresse,  Lower. 

1841 — Randolph  Marshall,  John  Stites,  Upper;  James  L. 
Smith,  Amos  C.  Moore,  Dennis;  Franklin  Hand,  Jonathan 
J.  Springer,  Middle;  David  Cresse,  Ezekiel  Stevens,  Lower. 

1842 — Eli  Bunnell,  Hezekiah  W.  Godfrey,  Upper;  Amos 
C.  Moore,  James  L.  Smith,  Dennis;  Jonathan  J.  Springer, 
Jonathan  Hewitt,  Jr.,  Middle;  Ezekiel  Stevens,  David 
Cresse,  Lower. 

1843 — Eli  Bunnell,  Hezekiah  W.  Godfrey,  Upper;  John 
Smith,  James  L.  Smith,  Dennis;  Jonathan  J.  Springer, 
Franklin  Hand,  Middle;  Israel  Townsend,  Ezekiel  Stevens, 
Lower. 

1844 — Hezekiah  W.  Godfrey,  Daniel  Corson,  Upper; 
Jame  L.  Smith,  John  Smith,  Dennis;  Franklin  Hand, 
Thomas  Hewitt,  Middle;  Israel  Townsend,  Ezekiel  Stev- 
ens, Lower. 

1845 — Stephen  Young,  Reuben  Gandy,  Upper;  James  L. 


l'.()AUI>S   OI'    FUIvi:iI()I.l>KKS.  455 

•Smith,  John  Smith,  Dennis;  EH  Townsend,  Thomas  Hew- 
itt, Middle;  Spicer  Hughes,  Abraham  Reeves,  Lower. 

1846 — Thomas  \'an  Gilder,  Ezra  Corson,  Upper;  James 
L.  Smith,  John  Smith,  Dennis;  Thomas  Hewitt,  Stephen 
Hand,  Middle;  David  Cresse,  Abraham  Reeves,  Lower. 

1847 — Hezekiah  W.  Godfrey,  Stephen  Young,  LIpper; 
Nathaniel  Holmes,  James  L.  Smith,  Dennis;  Richard 
Thompson.  Stephen  Hand,  Middle;  Israel  Townsend,  Sam- 
uel Fithian  Ware.  Lower. 

1848 — Stephen  Young,  Hezekiah  W.  Godfrey,  Upper; 
Nathaniel  Holmes.  James  L.  Smith.  Dennis;  Richard 
Thompson,  Stephen  Hand,  Middle;  Israel  Townsend,  Sam- 
uel F.  Ware,  Lower. 

1849 — Stephen  Young.  Hezekiah  W.  Godfrey,  Upper; 
Nathaniel  Holmes,  James  L.  Smith,  Dennis;  Richard 
Thompson,  Richard  C.  Holmes.  Middle;  Israel  Townsend, 
Samuel  F.  Ware,  Lower. 

1850 — Hezekiah  W.  Godfrey,  Levi  Corson,  Upper;  Na- 
thaniel Holmes.  William  S.  Townsend,  Dennis;  Richard 
Thompson,  Richard  C.  Holmes,  Middle;  Israel  Townsend, 
Lemuel  Swain,  Lower. 

185 1 — Levi  Corson.  Townsend  Stites,  Upper;  James  L. 
Smith.  William  S.  Townsend,  Dennis;  Stephen  Hand, 
Matthew  Marcy,  Middle;  Abraham  Reeves.  Israel  Town- 
send.  Lower;  Joseph  Ware,  William  Cassedy,  City  of  Cape 
Island. 

1852 — Townsend  Stites.  Hezekiah  W.  Godfrey,  Upper; 
William  S.  Townsend,  James  L.  Smith,  Dennis;  Stephen 
Hand,  Matthew  Marcy,  Middle;  Israel  Townsend,  Abram 
Reeves,  Lower;  William  Cassedy,  Charles  Downs,  Cape 
Island. 

1853— Hezekiah  W.  Godfrey,  Thomas  Van  Gilder.  Up- 
per; William  S.  Townsend,  James  L.  SmHh,  Dennis;  Mat- 
thew Marcy,  Stephen  Hand.  Middle;  Israel  Townsend, 
Abraham  Reeves.  Lower;  William  Cassedy,  Richard  S. 
Ludlam,  Cape  Island. 

1854— Hezekiah  W.  Godfrey,  Stephen  Young,  Upper; 
WilHam  S.  Townsend,  James  L.  Smith,  Dennis;  Matthew 
Marcy,  Stephen  Hand,  Middle;  Downs  Edmunds.  Jr..  Sam- 


450  IIISTOKY   OF   CAFE   MAY   COUNTY. 

uel  F.  Ware,  Lower;  Samuel  S.  Marcy,  Waters  B.  Miller, 
Cape  Island. 

1855 — Hezekiah  W.  Godfrey,  Amos  S.  Corson.  Upper; 
David  T.  Smith,  Clinton  H.  Ludlam,  Dennis;  Stephen 
Hand,  Aaron  Miller,  Middle;  Samuel  F.  Ware,  Richard  D. 
Edmunds.  Lower;  William  S.  Hooper.  Richard  S.  Ludlam, 
Cape  Island. 

1856 — Hezekiah  W.  Godfrey,  Townsend  Stites,  Upper,- 
Matthew  Marcy.  Stephen  Hand,  Middle;  Clinton  H.  Lud- 
lam, William  S.  Townsend,  Dennis;  Andrew  H.  Reeves, 
Samuel  F.  Ware.  Lower;  Dr.  Samuel  S.  Marcy,  Waters  B. 
Miller,  Cape  Island. 

1857— Hezekiah  W.   Godfrey.  Townsend  Stites,   Upper;. 
William   S.  Townsend,  Clinton  H.   Ludlam,   Dennis;  Ste- 
phen Hand,  Aaron  Miller,  Middle;  Samuel  F.  Ware.  Rich- 
ard D.  Edmunds,  Lower;  Samuel  S.  Marcy,  W.  B.  Miller, 
Cape  Island. 

1858— Hezekiah  W.  Godfrey,  Townsend  Stites,  Upper; 
Clinton  H.  Ludlam,  William  S.  Townsend,  Dennis;  Stepheo 
Hand.  Smith  Townsend,  Middle;  Samuel  F.  W^are,  An- 
drew H.  Reeves,  Lower;  Samuel  S.  Marcy,  W.  B.  Miller, 
Cape  Island. 

ig^g — Townsend  Stites,  Thomas  Williams,  Upper;  Wil- 
liam S.  Townsend,  Clinton  H.  Ludlam,  Dennis;  Stephen 
Hand,  Smith  Townsend,  Middle;  Samuel  F.  Ware.  An- 
drew H.  Reeves,  Lower;  Samuel  S.  Marcy,  W.  B.  Miller, 
Cape  Island. 

i860— Thomas  Williams,  Joseph  D.  Chattin,  Upper;  Wil- 
liam H.  Townsend,  Clinton  H.  Ludlam,  Dennis;  Smith 
Townsend,  Aaron  Miller,  Middle;  Samuel  F.  Ware,  An- 
drew H.  Reeves,  Lower;  Waters  B.  Miller,  Samuel  S. 
Marcv,  Cape  Island. 

i86i_Thomas  Williams,  Townsend  Stites,  Upper;  Wil- 
liam S.  Townsend,  Clinton  H.  Ludlam,  Dennis;  Aaron  Mil- 
ler, Smith  Townsend,  Middle;  Samuel  F.  Ware,  Andrew 
H.  Reeves,  Lower;  Samuel  S.  Marcy,  Waters  B.  Miller, 
Cape  Island. 

1862— Thomas  Williams,  Townsend  Stites.  Upper;  Clin- 
ton H.  Ludlam,  Richard  S.  Leaming,  Dennis;  Aaron  Mil- 
ler, Smith  Townsend,  Middle:  Samuel  F.  Ware.  Andrew  H. . 


BOARDS  OF  FKEEHOLDEKS.  457 

Reeves,  Lower;  Samuel  S.  Marcy,  Rich.ard  S.  Liullarn, 
Cape  Island. 

1863 — Thomas  Williams,  Townsend  Stites,  Upper;  Clin- 
ton H.  Ludlam.  William  H.  Townsend,  Dennis;  Coleman 
F.  Learning,  Alexander  Young,  Lower;  Waters  B.  Miller, 
Joseph  S.  Leach,  Cape  Island. 

1864 — Thomas  Williams,  Sylvanus  Corson,  Upper;  Wil- 
liam S.  Townsend,  Clinton  H.  Ludlam,  Dennis;  Coleman 
F.  Learning,  Alexander  Young,  Middle;  Andrew  H. 
Reeves,  Samuel  F.  Ware,  Lower;  Joseph  S.  Leach,  James 
S.  Kennedy,  Cape  Island. 

1865 — Thomas  Williams,  Sylvanus  Corson,  Upper;  Wil- 
liam S.  Townsend,  Clinton  H.  Ludlam,  Dennis;  Coleman  F. 
Leaming,  Alexander  Young,  Middle;  Joseph  E.  Hughes, 
Andrew  H.  Stevens,  Lower;  Joseph  S.  Leach,  James  S. 
Kennedy,  Cape  Island. 

1866— Thomas  Williams,  Sylvanus  Corson,  Upper;  Wil- 
liam S.  Townsend,  Clinton  H.  Ludlam,  Dennis;  Aaron  Mil- 
ler, John  W.  Swain,  Middle;  Samuel  F.  Ware,  Andrew  H. 
Reeves,  Lower;  Waters  B.  Miller,  Thomas  B.  LIughes, 
Cape  Island. 

1867 — Thomas  Williams,  Sylvanus  Corson,  Upper;  Wil- 
liam S.  Townsend,  Clinton  H.  Ludlam,  Dennis;  Aaron  Mil- 
ler, John  W.  Swain,  Middle;  Andrew  H.  Reeves.  SamuoJ 
F.  Ware,  I  ower;  Joseph  O.  Williams,  Joseph  S.  Leach, 
Cape  Island. 

1868 — Thomas  Williams,  Sylvanus  Corson,  LIpper;  Clin- 
ton H.  Ludlam  (John  Grady,  to  fill  vacancy),  William  S. 
Townsend,  Dennis;  Aaron  Miller,  Alexander  Young,  Mid- 
dle; Samuel  F.  Ware,  Andrew  H.  Reeves,  Lower;  Joseph 
S.  Leach,  Waters  B.  Miller  (Joseph  Q.  W^illiams,  to  fill  va- 
cancy), Cape  Island. 

1869 — Sylvanus  Corson,  James  Shoemaker,  LJpper; 
Richard  S.  Leaming,  Thomas  Townsend,  Dennis;  John  W. 
Swain,  Aaron  Miller,  Middle;  Samuel  F.  Ware,  Andrew  H. 
Reeves,  Lower;  Samuel  S.  Marcy,  Joseph  SchellengL-i, 
Cape  Island. 

1870 — Tames  Shoemaker,  Sylvanus  Corson,.-  Upper; 
Thomas  Townsend,  Richard  S.  Leaming,  Dennis;  Alcxcm- 


458  HISTORY  OF  CAl  E   MAY  COT'.NTY. 

der  Young,  Thomas  Douglass,  Middle;  Andrew  H.  Reeves, 
Daniel  Schellenger,  Lower;  Wilmon  W.  Ware,  Aaron  Mil- 
ler (died,  and  Joseph  S.  Leach),  Cape  Island. 

J871 — James  Shoemaker,  Richard  B.  Stites,  Upper; 
iRiehard  S.  Learning,  Learning  M.  Rice,  Dennis;  Alexan- 
der Young,  Thomas  Douglass,  Middle;  Andrew  H.  Reeves, 
Daniel  C.  Eldredge,  Lower;  J.  Stratton  Ware,  Joseph 
Schellenger,  Cape  Island. 

1872— James  Shoemaker,  Sylvanus  Corson,  L^pper;  Rich- 
ard S.  Learning,  Lcaming  M.  Rice,  Dennis;  Alexander 
Young,  Tliomas  Douglass,  Middle;  Andrew  H.  Reeves, 
Daniel  C.  Eldredge,  Lo\\\jr;  J.  Stratton  Ware,  Richard  D. 
£dmunds.  Cape  Island.      \ 

1873 — James  Shoemaker,  Alexander  Corson,  Lipper; 
X-eam, ng  M.  Rice,  James  Henderson,  Dennis;  Alexander 
Young,  Tliomas  Douglass,  Middle;  Daniel  C.  Eldredge, 
Daniel  Schellenger,  Lower;  J.  Stratton  Ware,  J.  Henry 
Farrow,  Cape  Island. 

1874 — Lewis  S.  Williams,  Alexander  Corson,  Upper; 
James  Henderson,  Leaming  M.  Rice,  Dennis;  A.lexander 
Young,  Thomas  Douglass,  Middle;  Daniel  C.  Eldredge, 
Daniel  Schellenger,  Lower;  J.  Stratton  Ware,  J.  Henry 
Farrow,  Cape  Island. 

1875 — Alexander  Corson,  Lewis  S.  Williams,  Upper; 
Leaming  M.  Rice,  John  Tyler,  Dennis;  Alexander  Young, 
Thomas  Douglass,  Middle;  Daniel  C.  Eldredge,  Daniel 
Schellenger,  Lower;  J.  Stratton  Ware,  J.  Henry  Farrow, 
-Cape  May  City. 

1876 — Alexander  Corson,  Anthony  Steelman,  Upper; 
Learning  M.  Rice,  John  Tyler,  Dennis;  Alexander  Young, 
'Tlomas  Douglass,  Middle;  Daniel  Schellenger,  William  L. 
Cucifmings.  Lower;  J.  Henry  Farrow,  Maskel  Ware,  Cape 
May  City. 

187*^ — Alexander  Corson,  Anthony  Steelman,  Upper; 
Leamting  M.  Rice,  John  Tyler,  Dennis;  Dr.  Alexander 
Young,  Tliomas  Douglass,  Middle;  William  L.  Cummings, 
John  W.  Reeves,  Lower;  J.  Henry  Farrow,  J.  Stratton 
Ware,  Cape  May  Ciy. 

1878— Alexander  Corson,  Anthony  Steelman,  Upper; 
Leaming  M.    Rice,   John   Tyler,    Dennis;    Frai  klin    Hand, 


BUAHDS  OF   FKEKHOLDEKS.  459 

Cornelius  Townsend,  Middle;  Daniel  Schellenger,  Joseph 
C.  Eldredge.  Lower;  Waters  B.  Miller,  Maskel  Ware,  Cape 
May  City;  George  W.  Barnes,  C.  B.  Reeves,  Cape  May 
Point. 

1879 — Alexander  Corson,  Anthony  Steelman.  Upper; 
Learning  M.  Rice,  John  Tyler,  Dennis;  Franklin  Hand, 
John  W.  Swain,  Middle;  Joseph  C.  Eldredge,  Samuel 
Tow^nsend,  Lower;  Waters  B.  Miller,  Maskel  Ware,  Cape 
May  City;  George  W.  Barnes,  Samuel  W.  Wiley,  Cape 
May  Point. 

1880 — Alexander  Corson,  Anthony  Steelman,  Upper; 
Learning  M.  Rice,  John  Tyler,  Dennis;  Franklin  Fland, 
John  W.  Swain,  Middle;  Joseph  C.  Eldredge,  Samuel 
Townsend,  Lower;  Alvin  P.  Hildreth,  Maskel  Ware,  Cape 
May  City;  Samuel  W.  Wiley,  Cape  May  Point. 

1881 — Alexander  Corson,  Anthony  Steelman,  Upper; 
Learning  M.  Rice,  Jesse  D.Ludlam.  Dennis;  Franklin  Hand, 
Townsend  W.  Garretson,  Middle;  Joseph  C.  Eldredge, 
Samuel  Townsend,  Lower;  Alvin  P.  Hildreth,  Maskel 
Ware.  Cape  May  City;  C.  Simpson,  William  H.  Keeler, 
Cape  May  Point. 

1882 — Alexander  Corson,  Anthony  Steelman,  Upper; 
Leaming  M.  Rice,  Jesse  D.  Ludlam.  Dennis;  Townsend  W. 
Garretson,  Nathaniel  Newton,  Middle;  Joseph  C.  Eldredge, 
Samuel  Townsend,  Lower;  Alvin  P.  Hildreth.  Maskel 
Ware,  Cape  May  City;  C.  Simpson,  Howard  Finley,  Cape 
May  Point;  Thomas  E.  Ludlam.  William  L.  Peterson,  Sea 
Isle  City. 

1883 — Alexander  Corson.  Anthony  Steelman,  Upper; 
Leaming  M.  Rice,  Jesse  D.  Ludlam,  Dennis;  Townsend  W. 
Garretson.  Nathaniel  Newton,  Middle;  Joseph  C.  Eldredge, 
William  S.  Harris.  Lower;  Alvin  P.  Hildreth,  Micajah 
Smith,  Cape  May  City;  C.  Simpson.  Cape  May  Point; 
Crawford  Buck,  Sea  Isle  City. 

1884 — Alexander  Corson,  Anthony  Steelman.  Upper; 
Leaming  M.  Rice,  John  W.  Young,  Dennis;  Townsend  vV. 
Garretson.  Nathaniel  Newton.  Middle;  Joseph  C.  Eldredge, 
William  S.  Flarris.  Lower;  Alvin  P.  Hildreth.  William  S. 
Hooper,  Cape  May  City;  Page  Crowell,  Cape  May  Point; 


4W)  HISTORY  or  CATE  MAY  COUMY. 

Crawford  Buck,  ?ca  Isle  City;  William  Lak:,  L^cean  City; 
Joiin  W.  Reeves,  West  Cape  May. 

1885 — Alexander  Corson,  Benjamin  H.  Marshall,  Upper; 
Learning  M.  Rice,  Henry  T.  Corson,  Dennis;  Townsend  W. 
Garretson,  Nathaniel  Newton.  Middle;  Joseph  C.  Eldredge, 
William  S.  Harris,  Lower;  Alvin  P.  Hildreth,  Micajah 
Smith.  Cape  May  City;  Page  Crowell,  Cape  May  Point,- 
Martin  Wells,  Sea  Isle  City;  William  Lake,  Ocean  City; 
John  W.  Reeves,  West  Cape  May;  John  Measy,  PloUy 
Beach;  Plewlett  Brower,  Anglesea. 

1886 — Alexander  Corson,  Benjamin  H.  Marshall,  Upper; 
Leaming  M.  Rice,  Henry  T.  Corson,  Dennis;  Townsend  W. 
Garretson,  Nathaniel  Newton,  Middle;  Joseph  C.  Eldredge, 
James  H.  Shaw,  Lower;  Micajah  Smith,  William  S.  Hoop- 
er, Cape  May  City;  William  Lake,  Ocean  City;  Martin 
Wells,  Sea  Isle  City;  Hewlett  Brower,  Anglesea;  L.  M.  Pan- 
coast,  Holly  Beach;  John  W.  Reeves,  West  Cape  May: 
Henry  Jacoby,  Cape  May  Point. 

1887 — Alexander  Carson,  Benjamin  H.  Marshall,  Upper; 
Leaming  M.  Rice.  Lewis  Edwards,  Dennis;  Townsend  W, 
Garretson.  Nathaniel  Newton,  Middle;  Micajah  Smith,  Wil- 
liam S.  Hooper.  Cape  May  City;  Joseph  C.  Eldredge.  Wil- 
liam T.  Bate.  Lower;  William  Lake.  Ocean  City;  Martin 
Wells,  Sea  Isle  City;  Hewlett  Brower,  Anglesea;  L.  M. 
Pancoast,  Holly  Beach;  John  W.  Reeves,  West  Cape  May- 

1888 — Alexander  Corson,  John  Wallace,  Upper;  Lea- 
ming M.  Rice,  Charles  J.  Devitt,  Dennis;  Townsend  W.. 
Garretson,  Jacob  G.  Hand,  Middle;  William  T.  Bate.  Rob- 
ert E.  Hand.  Lower;  Micajah  Smith,  William  S.  Hooper, 
Cape  May  City;  R.  Curtis  Robinson.  Ocean  City;  Crawford 
Buck.  Sea  Isle  City;  Hewlett  Brower,  Anglesea;  L.  M.  Pan- 
coast.  Holly  Beach;  John  W.  Reeves,  West  Cape  May: 
Richard  C.  Stevenson,  Cape  May  Point. 

1889 — Alexander  Corson,  John  W^allace,  Upper;  Lea- 
ming M.  Rice,  Charles  J.  Devitt,  Dennis;  Townsend  W- 
Garretson,  Jacob  G.  Hand,  Middle;  William  T.  Bate,  Rob- 
ert E.  Hand,  Lower;  Micajah  Smith,  William  S.  Hooper, 
Cape  May  City;  Youngs  Corson,  Ocean  City;  Crawford 
Buck,   Sea  Isle   Citv;    Hewlett    Brower,   Anglesea;    L.   IVL 


B()Ai:i>s  oi'  ]"ki:eh<)LI)Ki:s.  4GI 

Pancoast,  Holly  reach;  J(  Im  W.  Reeves,  West  Cape  Mas- 
Richard  C.  Stevenson,  Ca'pc  May  Point. 

1890 — .Mexander  Corsiii.  Theophilus  Corson,  Upper; 
'Charles  J.  Devitt.  Michael  Swing,  Dennis;  Townsend  W. 
{.iarretson,  Jacob  G.  Hand,  Middle;  William  T.  Bate.  Rob- 
frt  E.  Hand,  Lower;  William  S.  Hooper,  Lewis  T.  Entri- 
kin,  Cape  May  City;  John  W.  Reeves,  West  Cape  May; 
James  P.  Spofford,  Holly  Beach;  Andrew  Weeks,  Angle- 
sea;  Thomas  Whittington,  Sea  Isle  City;  William  Lake, 
Ocean  City. 

1891 — Alexander  Corson,  Theophilus  Corson,  Upper; 
Charles  J.  Devitt,  Leaming  M.  Rice,  Dennis;  Townsend 
W.  Garretson,  Jacob  G.  Hand,  Middle;  W^illiam  T.  Bate. 
Robert  E.  Hand,  Lower;  Lewis  T.  Entrikin,  Albert  L. 
Haynes,  Cape  May  City;  John  W.  Reeves,  Wesi  Cape  May: 
James  P.  Spofford,  Holly  Beach;  Andrew  Weeks,  Angle- 
sea;  Thomas  Whittington,  Sea  Isle  City;  William  Lake, 
Ocean  City. 

i892^Alexander  Corson,  Theophilus  Corson,  Upper; 
Charles  J.  Devitt.  Leaming  M.  Rice.  Dennis;  Townsend 
W.  Garretson,  Jacob  G.  Hand,  Middle;  William  T.  Bate, 
Robert  E.  Hand,  Lower;  Lewis  T.  Entrikin,  Albert  L. 
Haynes,  Cape  May  City;  John  W^  Reeves,  West  Cape  May; 
Andrew  Weeks,  Anglesea;  Craw^ford  Buck,  Sea  Isle  City; 
AVilliam  Lake,  Ocean  City;  Frank  E.  Smith,  Holly  Beach. 

1893 — Alexander  Corson,  Theophilus  Corson,  Upper; 
Leaming  M.  Rice,  Charles  J.  Devitt.  Dennis;  Townsend  W. 
Garretson,  Jacob  G.  Hand.  Middle;  William  T.  Bate,  J. 
Durell  Hoffman.  Lower;  Albert  L.  Haynes,  William  T. 
Stevens.  Cape  May  City;  William  Lake,  Ocean  City; 
Crawford  Buck,  Sea  Isle  City;  Andrew  Weeks,  Anglesea; 
Frank  E.  Smith.  Holly  Beach;  Samuel  E.  Ewing,  West  Cape 
May. 

1894 — Alexander  Corson,  Theophilus  Corson,  Upper; 
Charles  J.  Devitt.  Joseph  C.  P.  Smith,  Dennis;  A.  Ca"lton 
Hildreth.  Townsend  W.  Garretson,  Middle;  J.  Durell  Hoti- 
nian.  William  T.  Bate,  Lower;  Albert  L.  Haynes,  William 
T.  Stevens.  Cape  May  City;  James  W.  Lee.  Ocean  City. 
Crawford  Buck,  Sea  Isle  City;  Andrew  S.  Weeks.  Anglesea: 


462  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAY  COUNTY. 

Frank  E.  Smith,  Holly  Beach;  Samuel  E.  Ewing,  \V'e«t 
Cape  May. 

1895 — Alexander  Corson,  Theophilus  Corson.  Upper; 
Joseph  C.  P.  Smith,  Charles  J.  Devitt,  Dennis;  Townsend  W. 
Garretson,  A.  Carlton  Hildreth,  Middle:  J.  Durell  Hoff- 
man, William  T.  Bate,  Lower;  Albert  L.  Haynes,  William 
T.  Stevens,  Cape  May  City;  James  W.  Lee,  Ocean  City; 
Crawford  Buck,  Sea  Isle  City;  Edward  M.  Shivers,  Angle- 
sea;  Charles  Bridges,  Holly  Beach;  Samuel  E.  Ewing,  West 
Cape  ]\Iay. 

1896 — Alexander  Corson,  Theophilus  Corson,  L'pper; 
Joseph  C.  P.  Smith,  Charles  J.  Devitt,  Dennis;  Townsend 
W.  Garretson.  A.  Carlton  Hildreth.  Middle;  J.  Durell  Hoff- 
man, Enoch  J.  Hitchner,  Lower;  Albert  L.  Haynes.  Robert 
S.  Hand,  Cape  May  City. 

1897 — Alexander  Corson,  Theophilus  Corson,  Upper; 
Joseph  C.  P.  Smith,  Douglass  J.  Robinson,  Dennis;  Town- 
send  W.  Garretson,  A.  Carlton  Hildreth,  Middle;  J.  Durell 
Hoffman,  Enoch  J.  Hitchner,  Lower;  Robert  S.  Hand, 
William  T.  Stevens,  Cape  May  City;  Frederick  P.  Canfield, 
Lewis  S.  Smith,  Ocean  City. 


APPENDIX  C. 

COUNTY  OKIK<TAJ.S. 


SHERIFFS. 


lUlKi— Timotby  Brauderetli. 
101)5 — John   Townseiid. 
1(597— Ezekiol  Eldiedge. 
1700— Edmund  iloAVfll. 
1701— Caesar  Hoskiiis. 
1704 — ,7ohii    Taylor. 
1705— Joseph   Whilldiu. 
1711 — Humphroy   IIus;ht's. 
1711 — John   Townsend. 
1714— Kit-hard   Downs. 
1715— Robert  Townsend. 
1721— Richard   Downs. 
1722— Henry   Young. 
172o — Richard   Downs. 
1740— Constant  Hughes. 
1744— Jacob    Hughes. 
1748 — Jeremiah  Hand. 
1751 — Thomas   Smith. 
1754 — John  Shaw. 
1757 — Jeremiah   Hand. 
1700— Ebenezer   Johnson. 
17<>2— Heniy   Hand. 
17t>.5— Sylvauus  ToAvnsend. 
17<>S— r)aniel    Hand. 
1771— Eli  Eldredge. 
1772— Jonathan  Jenkins. 
1774-TIenry  Y'.  Townsend. 
1777— Isaiah  Stites. 
1780 — Richard  Townsend. 
1781— Nathaniel   Hand. 
1782— Daniel    (Jarretson. 
1783— Jonathan  Hildreth. 
] 784— Benjamin  Taylor. 
]:-7— Phiiip  Hand. 
ITSS— Henry  Stites 
1791- Eleazer  Hand. 
1 " i  l(^— Jii  c(d>   G od frey . 
17J7— Jcieniiali  Hand. 


1198    Jon;. tlian  Leaimng. 
1801— Thomas  H.   Hughes. 
1804— Jobeph   Hildi-eth. 
1807   -Cresse    Townsend. 
J8l)8— Jacob    Hugh.s. 
1809— Joshua   Swain. 
1 8 1 2 — Aa ron    I.ea mi ng. 


181.5- Sjiicei 
1818— Djivid 
1821 — Spicer 
1824 
1827 


llllglU'S. 

Townsend. 

Huglus. 
Swaiu  Townseiid. 
Thomas  P.   Hughes. 


1830— Kii-hnrd    'I'liouipson. 
1833—1  U(ll;im    I'iersui.. 
1834 — Joshua    '^wain.   Jr. 
I,S35 — Ludlaui   ]'iers<ui 
1 835— Sa  m  uel   A  fa  tt  ho  \vs. 
1838 — f^amuel   Springer. 
1841 — Thomas   Vangilder. 
1844— Enoch   Edmunds. 
1847— I'eter    S<mder. 
18,50— Thomas  Hewitt,  Jr. 
18.53 — Elva   Corson. 
185(>— Willi r.m    S.    Hooper. 
18.59— Richard    D.    ]^:dniuiids_ 
1802— Aaron   Miller. 
180.5— John   Wilson. 
1808— Anthony   Steelman. 
1871— Nelson  T.  Eldredge. 
1874— Albert  Adams. 
1878— William  H.  Bene/.et. 
1881 — Reming-ton   Corson. 
1884— William  H.   Benezet. 
18S0— Stillwell  H.  Townsend. 
188(>— James  Shoemaker.  Jr. 
1889-Charles  E.  Nichols. 
1892— Robert  E.  Hand. 
1895— .\ndrew   J.    Tondin. 


46» 


COUNTY  off:c:a;.s. 


COUXTY    (KLERKS. 


KJyS — (Tfui-ge   Ta ylor. 
1(>!)7— Timothy   Braadreth. 
1705— John  'J'aylor. 
1730— Aaron  Ix^aminij-,  1st. 
1740— lOliiah  Hughes,   Sr. 
17(>2-Klijali    Hugiies,   Jr. 
1777  —.Tuna  I  hail   Jenkins. 
17(;8— Jeremiah    Eldredue. 
177!>— Eli   Ehlredffe. 


1S02— Jeremiah  Hand. 
1S04— Al)ijah   Smith. 
1S24— Kichard   Thompson. 
1829 — Lew  Foster. 
1K31— Jonathan  Hand.  Sr. 
1S34- Jacob  (}.  Smith. 
1 83.">— S  \va  i  n  To  ay  n  send . 
1840— Jonathon   Hand.   Jr. 
1800-  Edward  L.   Kiee.     ■ 


SURROiiATES. 


1723— Jacob    Sj)!cer,    1st. 
1741— Henry   Young. 
17(i8-  Eli.1ali   Hughes,  Jr. 
1787— Jesse   Hand. 
1793— Jeremiah   Eldredge. 
179(>— Ebenezer   NoAA'ton. 
1802— Aaron  Eldredge. 


1803 — Jehu    To\A-nsend. 
1831 — Humplii'ey    Leaming. 
1852 — Eb^.iah  ToAvnsend. 
18(>3— Peter   Sunder. 
1871— Jonatlian  F.  Lea  mini 
1877— WiUiam   HiUlrfHh. 


COUNTY   COLLECTORS. 


1S27— Robert   M.   Holmes. 
1840— Cliarles  Hand. 
18G5— Dr.  Jolin  Wiley. 


1880— David   T.   Smith. 
1888— Edmund   L.    Ross. 


LOAN    COM]\nSSIONERS. 


1837— Robert  INI.   Holmes. 
1840— Richard   Thompson. 
1844- Franklin  Hand. 
1854— Henry   Swain. 
185G— Richard  Thompson. 


1857 — Henry   SAvain. 
1862— Ric'luird  IX   Edmunds. 
1803 — Dr.  Coleman  F.  Learning. 
188(1— John  B.  Huffman. 


CLERKS  OF  BOARDS  OF  FREEHOLDERS. 


1827— James  ToAvrtsend. 
1831— Joshua  Swain^  Jr. 
18(i0— Edward  Y'.  Swain. 


1871— Joseph  E.  Hughes. 
1873 — Vr.  V.  L.  Seigman. 
1884- Samuel  ToAvnsend. 


SUPERINTENDENTS  OF  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS. 

ISGG— Maurice  Beesley,  M.  D.      1884— Vincent  O.  Miller. 
1881— Rev.  Eilward  P.  Shields.    1896— Aaron  W.  Hand. 


APPENDIX  D. 
I'OSTMASTKKS. 
A  list  of  postmasters  of  Cape  May  county,  and  the  times  of 
tlicir  appfointments: 

VXTE  .^!A^    Cin'KT  HOUSE. 
J.eremiah  Hand,  January  i.  1803. 
Jnnatlian  Jarman,  July  i,  1804. 
Xathaniel  Holmes.  February  15,  1808. 
Mark  A.  Carroll,  August  18,  1810. 
loseph  Fifiekl.  August  27,  1829. 
]ames  Hildretli,  (  )ctober  18,  1838. 
John  M.  Hand,  March  7.  1844. 
James  Hildreth,  November  12,  1846. 
Elijah  Townsend,  Jr.,  April  19,  1847. 
John  Farrow.  July  15,  1853. 
Xkholas  A.  W'entzell,  April  16,  1858. 
James  McCartney,  September  10,  i860. 
Charles  E.  Nichols,  September  21,  1885. 
Harrv  S.  Douglass.  April  17,  1889. 
Charies  E.  Nichols,  December  20,  1893. 

CAPE    ISLAND. 
Ellis  Hughes.  January  30,  1804. 
Alexander  Mackenzie,  March  8,  1820. 
Joseph  B.  Hughes,  April  4,  1833. 
Jonas  Miller,  June  18,  1835. 
James  Clark,  July  7,  1845. 
George  W.  Hughes,  May  9,  1849. 
John  K.  E.  Stites,  July  28,  185 1. 
Samuel  S.  Marcy,  January  20,  1853. 
James  Clark,  I^Iarch  13,  1857. 
Samuel  R.  Magonagle,  December  5,  1859. 
Joseph  S.  Leach,  June  26,  1863. 
Joseph  Ware,  July  10,  1866. 
Name  changed  to  Cape  May.  January  15,  1869. 


4C6  HISTORY  OF  CAPE  MAV  COUNTY. 

C.^VK    MAY. 

Joseph  W'are.  January  15,  1869. 
Jonathan  S.  Garrison,  January  13,  1871. 
Joseph  E.  Hughes,  February  3,  1882. 
Waters  B.  Miller,  March  12,  1886. 
Frederick  J.  Melvin,  April  16,  1886. 
Furman  L.  Richardson,  April  16,  1889. 
John  W.  Thompson,  April  9,  1894. 

SEA  1SI.E  CITY. 
George  Whitney,  June  20,  1882. 
John  S.  Morris,  August  29.  1883. 
William  R.  Uryant,  September  15,  1885. 
J.  Monroe  Chester,  April  17,  1889. 
Lewis  Steinmeyer,  May  1,  1894. 

SEA   (iKOVPl 
Alexander  W.  Springer.  March  2y,  1876. 
Name  changed  to  Cape  May  Point,  August  8,  1878. 

CAPE    :MAY    POINT. 
Alexander  W.  Springer,  August  8,  1878. 
Anmon  Wright.  September  21,  1885. 
John  N.  Reeves,  May  25,  1889. 
Amnon  Wright,  July  14,  1893. 

FISHING    CREEK. 
Robert  Ednumds,  June  20,  1818.  • 
Jonathan  Cummings,  April  16,  1822. 
Reuben  Foster,  May  20,  1825. 
Robert  E.  Foster,  April  3,  1834. 
Leonard  Cunnnings,  October  18,  1838. 
Aaron  H.  Snyder,  December  6,  1886. 
Washington  Hemingway,  February  15,  1887. 

OCEAN  CITY. 
William  H.  Burrell,  March  2,  1881. 
R.  Howard  Thorn,  October  15,  1887. 
R.  Curtis  Robinson.  April  25,  1889. 
R.  Howard  Thorn,  September  16.  1893. 

<;osHEN. 
Richard  Thompson,  Jr..  June  5,  1818. 
James  Maguire,  September  18,  1820. 
Bernard  Murphy,  October  20,  1829. 


Post  MASTKKS.  467 


Alackey  Williams.  March  29.   1834. 
James  Waters.  March  5.  1836. 
Thomas  Wible.  March  24.  1837. 
James  Maguire.  July  11.  1840. 
Edward  Price.  July  7.  1845. 
John  \\'.  Swain,  April  2,  1853. 
Moses  S.  Dalbey.  December  18.  1856. 
James  Wiley,  July  13.  1861. 
Griffin  Smith,  January  30.  1865. 
William  Oliphant.  May  10,  1870. 
Smith  Champion,  December  14,  1870. 
Robert  P.  Thompson.  January  25,  1872. 
Edward  J.  Mixner,  July  2,  1885. 
Anna  H.  Grace,  April  13.  1889. 

('OLD    SPRIN(;. 
Aaron  Eldredge,  October  i,  1809. 
Daniel  Hughes.  September  8.  1813. 
Ezekiel  Stevens,  October  10.  181 5. 
Joseph  Eldredge,  June  15,  1849. 
Richard  D.  Edmunds,  February  21,  1855. 
Joseph  Eldredge,  July  13.  1861. 
John  M.  Russell,  December  7,  1877. 
Harry  B.  Marcy,  November  13,  1885. 
Joseph  C.  Eldredge,  October  24.  1889. 
Furman  Barnett,  November,  1893. 

HOLLY   BEACH. 
Jennie  L.  Osborn,  November  26,  1883. 
Frank  E.  Smith,  September  5,  1893. 

BEESLEY'S    POINT. 
Joseph  D.  Chatten,  March  3,  1851. 
Joseph  Baner,  February  7.  1872. 
James  A.  Chatten,  March  6,  1884. 
James  C.  Ross,  October  10.  1887. 
Frank  S.  Ashmead,  June  17,  1889. 

TOWXSENDS  INLET. 
William  Stiles,  June  9,  1849. 
Chauncey  M.  Brower,  April  9,  1861. 
William  Hewitt,  August  19,  1867. 
Tabitha  Brower,  April  12,  1872. 


■^(iS  11!S'1'()]{V  or   CAPE   MAY  COrXTY. 

Rockliff  Morris,  June  22,  t88j. 
Isaac  Swain.  Jr..  September  18,  1885. 
George  Eldridge,  Auynst  iC.  i88y. 
Luther  M.  Swain.  September  5,  1893. 
Name  chang-ed  to  Swainton,  July  i,  1896. 

SWAIXTOX. 

Luther  M.  Swain,  July  i.  1896. 

(JREEN    CREEK. 

Matthew  Marcy,  August  2"/,  1829. 
C)ffice  discontinued.  March  26.  1836. 
Office  re-established.  September  9,  1850. 
Seth  Miller,  September  9,  1850. 
John  T.  Price,  January  12,  1854. 
James  W.  Johnson,  May  14,  1855. 
Matthew  Marcy,  June  15,  1857. 
William  Hildreth,  October  3.  1861. 
AaTon  Miller,  June  9,  1863. 
James  T.  Miller,  June  22.  1870. 
Henry  Schellinger.  Jr..  February  12,  1886. 

AN(JLESEA. 
William  A.  Thompkins,  November  19,  1883, 
Sarah  D.  Thompkins,  February  i,  1886. 
John  J.  Sturmer.  Jr.,  July  5,  1887. 
Jason  Buck.  June  17.  1889. 
John  Taylor,  August  8,  1893. 

CLERMONT. 

Chester  J.  Todd,  February  4.  1886. 
Martha  G.  Kates,  January  16,  1889. 

DEXMS    CREEK. 
Jeremiah  Johnson,  October  9,  1802. 
James  Diverty,  February  8,  18 16. 
Jacob  G.  Smith,  June  19,  1829. 
Jacob  Souder,  June  14,  1840. 
John  L.  Chance,  January  20,  1848. 
Name  changed  to  Dennisville,  January  12.  1854. 

DEX.XISVIELE. 
John  L.  Chance,  January   12.  1854. 
Richard  Crawford.  May  30.  i86t. 
Francis  \\'illiams.  March  26.  1869. 


POt^T  MASTKKT.  -IG*) 


Eleazer  Crawford.  January  19.  1874. 
John  W.  Young.  July  26.  1880. 
Jonas  Shaw,  April  23.  ii-S6. 
Thomas  Ludlam.  May  26,  1886. 
Herbert  M.  Carroll,  October  9,  1890. 
Thomas  Ludlam,  January  1,  1895. 
Frank  Earnest.  January  i,  1897. 

OCEAN  VIK^Y. 
William  Doolittle.  May  9,  1872. 
Stephen  T.  Coleman,  November  25,  1885. 
Shamgar  C.  Townsend.  August  16,  1889. 
Belle  S.  Coleman,  September  12,  1893. 

SOT'TH    DENNIS. 
Robert  Hutchinson,  February  24,  1873 
Rhoda  L.  Hutchinson,  July  23,  1877. 
Margaret  C.  Carll.  November  9.  1891. 

PAEEKMO. 
James  S.  Willetts,  December  11.  1872. 
Luther  Corson,  September  30,  1878. 
Eleanor  W.  Corson,  :March  29,  1887. 
Amos  T.  Gandy,  April  5.  1887. 
Sallie  Young,  July  29,  1889. 
Seth  W.  Corson,  October  17.  1893. 

MAKMOIIA. 
James  H.  Corson.  June  21,  1890. 
Stephen  H.  Young,  February  i.  1895. 

BEELE    PEAIN. 
George  W.  Blinn,  January  16,  1867. 
Rettie  M.  Goff,  October  8,  1879. 
George  W.  Blinn,  October,  1883. 
Albert  T.  Peacock,  December  12.  1890. 
George  W.  Blinn.  ^lay.  1893 

RIO   ORANDE. 
Jeremiah  Hand,  September  6,  1856. 
William  K.  Palmer,  October  18,  1867. 
Joseph  H.  Richardson,  June  24.  1873. 
ichabod  C.  Compton,  August  3,  1885. 
Howard  C.  Buck,  December  6,  1886. 


470  HISTORY   OF   CAPE   MAY   COUNTY. 

EAST   CREEK. 

John  Wilson,  April  22,  1842. 
Bell  P.  Wilson,  January  5,  1876. 
Asbury  Goff,  Januar\'  23,  1879. 

TICKAHOE. 
John  Williams,  January  14,  1828. 
Edward  Middleton,  May  11,  1835. 
Mackey  Will-anis,  July  15.  T836. 
Martin  Madden,  April  2,  1844. 
Hosea  F.  Madden,  March  20,  1846. 
Thomas  Williams,  April  21,  1848. 
Lewis  L.  Dunn,  July  15,  1853. 
Ephraim  Westcott,  August  16.  1853. 
Elijah  Ireland,  January  30,  1858. 
William  J.  Royal.  February  8,  1859. 
Peter  Turner,  May  9,  1864. 
Thomas  M.  Seeley,  June  4,  1875. 
Charles  H.  Blizzard,  August  29,  1883. 
William  B.  Brown,  August  3.  1885. 
Thomas  M.  Seeley,  May  11,  1889. 
Otis  Madden,  August  14,  1893. 
Jennie  Madden,  January  25,  1897. 

SOUTH    SEAVILLE. 
Remington  Corson,  September  7.  1867. 
Baker  Corson,  December  6,  1881. 
Edwin  F.  Westcott,  September  21,  1885. 
Remington  Corson,  May  11,  1889. 
Edwin  F.  Westcott,  April  28.  1894. 
Marietta  Westcott,  March  21,  1896. 

SEAVILLE. 
John  Gandy,  June  9,  1849. 
John  Jones,  June  29.   1863. 
Ellis  H.  Marshall,  October  18,  1867. 
Thomas  C.  Sharp,  November  25.  1885. 
Ellis  H.  Marshall,  July  23,  1889. 

AVALOX. 

George  W.  Smith,  July  9,  1888. 
Piatt  Brower. 
Walter  G.  Smith. 


1'U.ST  .MASTKKS.  471 


STONE   HARBOR. 
Godfrey,   1894. 
S.  S.  Hand,  December  26,  1896. 

ERMA. 

Reuben  T.  Johnson,  April  7,  1893. 

DIAS  CREEK. 

Charles  K.  Holmes,  September  9,  1850. 
Alexander  Springer,  September  12,  1870. 
Thomas  H.  Leaming,  November  5,  1874. 
Lizzie  N.  Errickson,  January  1 1,  1886. 
Thomas  H.  Leaming,  August   16,  1889. 
E.  S.  Erricson,  August  31,  1893. 

WILDWOOD. 
Reuben  W.  Ryan,  September  14,  1889. 

I'ETERSBURG. 
Peter  Corson,  April  14,  1856. 
Thaddeus  Van  Gilder,  June  22,  1865. 
Hannah  Van  Gilder,  February  7,  i88r. 
William  R.  Van  Gilder,  February  13,  1882. 
Harrison  J.  Corson,  August  3,  1885. 
William  R.  Van  Gilder,  April  15,  1889. 
Harrison  J.  Corson,  OctobeR  13,  1893. 

BURLEIGH. 

Deborah  Carey,  May  13,  1886. 

Maggie  A.  McPherson,  December  6,  1895. 

ELDORA. 

Howard  Goff,  July,  1892. 

Isaac  W.  Dawson,  January,  1894. 


APPENDIX  E. 

MUXICrPAL   OKFICEltS. 

Anglesea. 
MAYORS. 
1885— Dr.  Tliompkins.  1890  -Edward   M.  Sliiv<n's. 

1885— Peter  J.   Miini-o.  18;»4— Kdwin  S.  Hev>itt. 

1888— EdAviu  S.  HewHt. 

COLLECTORS  AND  TREASIRERS. 
1885— John  J.   Stunner.  IS'.):!— .Toseitli    Douebiss.    Jr. 

1888— Hewlett   Bruwer.  ISiM;— Wilbur  E.   Younu-. 

1800— Edwin  S.  Hewitt. 

ASSESSORS. 
1885— J^dwin   S.   Hewitt.  1800— Rieliard   D.   Sliiiiip. 

188G— John   Tnylor.  1801— E.   Ellsworth   Hewitt. 

1887— E.  Ellsworth  Hewitt.  1807— Thomas  Cor.son. 

Avalon. 
MAYORS. 
1891— Thomas  Bray. 

CLERKS. 
1891— Charles   M.    Preston. 

ASSESSORS. 
1801— James  M.  Corson.  1805— Hush   H.   Holmes. 

COLLECTOR    AND    TREASURER. 
1891— (ieorge  W.  Kates. 

Cape  May  City.  , 

MAYORS. 
(Presided  over  Cov.noil  until  1875.) 
1851- Isaac   M.   Churel.  1871- Joseph    Ware. 

1851— James  Clark.  1873— Waters  B.  Miller. 

1853- John  K.  Church.  1875— John  G.  W.  Ware. 

185«>-Joseph  Ware.  i877— Joseph    Q.    \\'illianis. 

1861— Samuel  R.  :\la.cona;ii>  .  1881- Frederick  J.  Melviu. 

1862— Joseph  Q.  Williams.  1SS.5— J.  Henry  Edmunds. 

1863— Samuel  R.  ilagonagle.         1893— James  M.  E.  HildreUi. 
1808— Josejih  Q.   "SA'illiams.  1S95— J.  Henry  Edmunds. 

1869— Waters  B.  Miller.  1807  -  Jauies  :\L  E.  Hil  Iretli. 


MrMcii'Ai-  Oil  I(■l•::.^■ 


47.■; 


ALDERMEN. 

(Wi'i-c   lidlli  ;i    iiH'iiihcr  (if  Council  ;uul  .lustier 
],ST."i.   lint   now  oiilv  ;i  .lustice  of  llu 


)]■  t  111'   ri'.-H'f  uiilil 
iN'.-irc.i 


1851— Waters  B.  Millor. 
18r)2— George  Strattou. 
1853— "Willia 111  Cassedy. 
18r>4— Isaac  W.  Buck, 
18.")— Jolm  K.  E.  Stiles. 

ISoG— Joseph  Q.   Williams. 
1857 — Clnistopher  T.r.-miiii.u. 
1858— Samuel  S.   .Marc.v. 
ISGl— George  W.  Sinitli. 

1862— Christoiiher  Ecaiuini 
18G3— James  S.  Kennedy. 
1S(;8— John  AV.  Lycett. 
1870— John  (J.  W.  Ware. 


1875— Jerenii.ili    1 1. 'Powiiseud. 

1875 — Josejili  (}.    \A'illiains. 
]ST<',-^T[enry    !•'.    I><ulittle. 
187<i — Koberl    (Jih^ii/ii. 
1877— John  (J     W.    "\^■a^e. 
187{>-Samuel  E.  AN'a.re. 
18S(i— Eredei-i(-  J.   Melvin. 
1881— John  c;.  W.  Ware. 
1886— Joseph  K.  Hughes. 
1888— John  (J.  W.  Ware. 
1891— William  T.  Stevens. 
1894— F.  Sidney  TownsiMid. 
189tV-Cliarles  Sandgi'an. 


RECORDERS. 

|^\'ere  liolh  a  nieiiiiici-  of  Tity  Council  and  Jns1i<-es  of  llie  Peace 
until  1S7.~),  since  w  hicli  time  they  have  been   City   Clerk.) 


1851— Joseph  S.  Leac-h. 
1853— Charles  T.  Johnson. 
1854— Joseph  Ware. 
185.5— William  S.  Hooper. 
1856— William   Bennett. 
1858— John  ^y.  Blake. 
1860- Joseph  Q.  Williams. 
1861— Samuel  S.  ilarcy. 
1862— Thomas   B.   Hughes. 
1863- Henry   Hand. 
]86r,— Thomas  B.   Hughes. 
1871— AA'illiani    Eldredge. 


1872-Josepli  S.  Lea^-h. 
1.S73— Samuel   R.   Stites. 
1874— Joseph  Q.  Williams. 
187.5— Richard  D.   Edmunds. 
1876— Harry  C.  Thomiison. 
1S81— George  S.  Ware. 
1881— Harry  C.  Thompson. 
T8S3— Samuel  R.  Stites. 
188.5— Harry  C.   'Ihompson. 
1887— H.  Ereeman  Douglass. 
1891— J.  Ashton  Williams. 


CUUXCILMEN. 

1851— James  S.  Kennedy,  David  Pierson,  .Fidni  <;.  W.  Ware, 
Joseph  Ware.  Aaron  Garretson,  James  Meciay. 

1852— David  IMerson.  Aaron  Garretson.  Charles  Downs.  Eem- 
uel  A.  Shaw,  William  Schellenger,  Lemuel  Swain,  Jr. 

185.3- Israel  Learning,  Richard  R.  Thompson,  riiilip  Hand.  Jr., 
William  S.  Hooper.  George  L.  Lndlam.  William  Townsend. 

1854— Richard  R.  Thompson.  David  W.  IMerson.  Wihnon  W. 
Ware,  Joseph  S.  Leach.  Jeremiah  Schellenger.  Isaac  AA'.  Buck. 

1855— David  W.  IMerson.  Humphrey  Ijeaming.  JoS(»ph  Hall, 
James  S.  Kennedy.  ?ilaskel  AVare,  Joseph  Schelleiiucr. 

1856— Daniel  C.  Ware.  Aaron  Schellenger.  Jr..  Jolin  K.  (Mnirdi. 


47-i  HISTOKY  OF  CAl'E  MAi'  COU.N'i  V. 

James  Leamiug.  .jr.  (resigufd.  and  .Tdscj)!!  Silu'llengcr  elected  to 
vacancy),  John  K.  F.  Stites.  Samuel  S.  Ma  icy. 

1857— Samuel  S.  Maicy.  William  Town.send,  John  <;.  W.  Ware, 
George  Roseman.  Jo.sepli  ().  Williams,  James  S.  Kennedy. 

1808— John  (;.  ^\■.  AVarc,  .lo.sepli  (,).  AA'illiams.  Joseph  Schel- 
ienger,  Joseph  S.  Leach,  Aaron  Garretson,  Thomas  B.  Hughes. 

ISijO— John  (J.  W.  Wave.  .Joseph  ychellenger,  Aaron  (Jarretsou. 
Alviu  r.  Hildreth.  A>  illinm  Schellenger.  Daniel  C.  Ware. 

18fi(i— Aaron  darretson,  Daniel  (\  Ware,  Charles  A.  Shaw. 
Jeremiah  Schellenger,  Alvin  P.  Hildreth,  Thomas  B.  Hughes. 

18G1— Aaron  Garretson,  Alvin  I'.  Hildreth,  Enoch  Edmunds, 
John  West,  Humphrey  Learning,  James  S.  Kennedy. 

18(i2— Aaron  Garretson,  James  S.  Kennedy,  John  W.  Blake, 
George  L.  Ludlam,  George  Roseman,  Aaron  Schellenger,  Jr. 

18()3— Aaron  Garretson,  Peter  McCollum,  Enoch  Edmunds, 
Joseph  S.  Leach,  Joseph  Schellengei-,  Alvin  P.  Hildreth. 

18G4— Enoch  Edmimds.  Joseph  Schellenger.  Wilmon  W. 
Ware,  James  Leaming,  Jr..  George  W.  Smith.  John  G.  W.  Ware. 

18(>5— Enoch  Edmunds.  Joseph  Schellenger,  John  (4.  W.  Ware, 
Waters  B.  Miller,  James  Mecray,  Joseph  Q.  Williams. 

ISOft — p]noch  Edmunds,  Joseph  Schellenger,  .John  (i.  W.  Ware. 
Joseph  Q.  Williams,  Lemuel  Swain,  Jesse  M.  Smith. 

18f)7— Enoch  Edmunds  (died,  and  George  B.  Cake  put  in  va- 
cancy), John  G.  W.  Ware,  Joseph  Q.  Williams.  William  S.  Schel- 
lenger, John  West,  Samuel  R.  Ludlam. 

1S()S— George  B.  Cake.  AVilliam  S.  Schellenger,  Samuel  R. 
I.r.dlam,  John  AV.  Blake.  James  Mecray,  Jr..  Samuel  R.  Magon- 
iis-le. 

18(W)— John  W.  Blake,  Samuel  R.  Liidlam,  Thomas  D.  Clark, 
James  S.  Kennedy,  James  Mecray,  Sr..  Richard  R.  Thompson. 

1870— Samuel  R.  Liullam.  Thomas  D.  Clark  (died,  and  Henry 
W.  Sawyer  elected  to  vacancy;  Sawyer  tailing  to  qualify,  Wilmon 
W.  Ware  was  chosen  to  vacancy),  James  S.  Kennedy.  James 
Mecray,  Sr..  Richard  R.  Thompson,  J.  Stratton  Ware. 

1871— James  Mecray.  Sr.,  Richard  R.  Thompson,  J.  Stratton 
Ware,  Micajah  Smith.  William  T.  Stevens,  Matthew  Beai-dwood. 

1872— Richard  R,  Thompson,  Micajah  Smith,  William  T.  Ste- 
vens, Matthew  Beard  wood.  John  H,  Benezet,  William  F.  Cassedy. 

1873— Richard  R.  Thompson.  .John  H.  Benezet,  William  V. 
Cassedy,  Isaac  H.  Smith,  Nathan  C.  Price.  Christopher  S.  Ma- 
grath. 

1,S74— Isaac  II.  Smith.  X;ithau  C.  Price,  Joseph  E.  Hughe.s, 
Richard  D.  Edmunds,  Jeremiah  B.  Schellenger,  Return  B.  Swain. 

1875— Isaac  H.  Smith.  Matthew  Whilldin  (died,  and  .Tames  S. 
Kennedy   elected    to   vacancy).   .Tnmes    Mecray.   Jr..    Furman   L. 


MIXICIPAL    OFFICEKS.  475 

Richavds.m.  Jaiues  11.  K.lnnnuls.  J:nii.-s  Lc.-.niin.Lr.  \\-illiain  Town- 
send.  William  Bennett,  .lohn  L.  Lansinj;. 

1S7(^-Isaac•  H.  Sniil,.  .Ja^^es  .Mecray.  .Jr..  i'r.niian  L.  Riolmr.l- 
son.  James  H.  Edmt.i-.is.  .lan.es  Leanun.i;-.  ^Vililam  Townsend, 
■\ViIliam  Bennett,  John  L.  Lansinj;-.  Henry  \V.  Sawyer. 

I.s7».-_is;..,c  H.  Smith.  James  Mecray.  Jr.,  James  Learning  Wil- 
liam Bennett.  John  L.  Lansing,  Henry  W.  Sawyer,  Sammuel  li. 
Ludlam.  Mieajah  Smith,  Richard  R.  Thompson. 

1878-James  Learning.  John  L.  Lansing,  Henry  W.  Sawyer 
Samuel  R.  Ludlam,  Micajah  Smith,  Richard  R.  Thompson  (died 
and  AVilmon  A\'.  Ware  elected  to  vacancy).  James  H.  Edmunds, 
.Tames  C.  Bennett.  .Tosei)li  LI.  Hams. 

1879— Samuel  R.  Luulam.  Micajah  Smitli,  James  H.  Edmunds. 
James  C.  Bennett  (resigned,  and  John  Bennett  elected  to  vacancy). 
Joseph  H.  Hanes,  Isaac  H.  Smith.  Christopher  S.  Magrath,  El- 
di'idge  Johnson,  Victor  Denizot. 

188tV-Johu  Bennett,  Joseph  H.  Hanes,  Isaac  H.  Smith,  Chris- 
topher S.  Magrath,  Eldridge  Johnson,  \ictor  Denizot,  John  Stu- 
art, Henry  W.  Sawyer,  Samuel  R.  Stites. 

1881-Joseph  H.  Hanes,  Isaac  H.  Smitli.  Christopher  S.  Ma- 
grath, Eldridge  Johnson,  Alctor  Denizot,  John  Stuart.  Henry  W. 
SaAvyer,  James  Mecray.  Jr.,  William  F.  Cassedy. 

1882— Jcseph  H.  Hanes,  Eldridge  Johnson,  John  Stuart,  Henry 
W.  Sawyer,  James  Mecray,  Jr..  AVilliam  F.  Cassedy.  John  Bennett. 
Joseph  Hand,  Robert  E.  Hughes. 

1883— .Joseph  II.  Hanes.  James  Mecray.  Jr..  William  F.  Cas- 
sedy, John  Bennett,  Joseph  Hand.  Robert  E.  Hughes,  James  H. 
Edmunds,  Henry  F.  Doolittle,  F.  Sidney  Townsend^ 

1884— Joseph  II.  Hanes.  John  Bennett.  Joseph  Hand.  Robert 
E.  Hughes.  .Tames  H.  Edmunds,  Henry  F.  Doolittle,  F.  Sidney 
Townsend,  Victor  Denizot.  Joseph  Q.  Williams. 

1885— Joseph  H.  Hanes,  Henry  F.  Doolittle.  F.  Sidney  Town- 
send,  Victor  Denizot.  Joseph  Q.  Williams.  Charles  a'.  Shaw, 
Lemuel  E.  Miller,  Henry  W.  Sawyer.  Charles  IT.  Dougherty. 

188(1— Joseph  II.  Hanes,  F.  Sidney  Townsend.  Victor  Denizot, 
Joseph  Q.  Williams.  Lemuel  E.  Miller,  Henry  W.  Sawyer,  Charles 
H.  Douglierty  (resigned,  and  Thomas  H.  Williamsou  elected  to 
vacancy,  w'ho  afterAvards  died,  and  Avhose  seat  was  then  given  to 
Francis  Iv.  Duke),  William  T.  StoA-ens.  Enos  R.  Williams. 

1887— F.  Sidney  Townsend,  Joseph  Q.  Williams,  Lemuel  E. 
Miller,  Henry  W.  SaAvyer,  Francis  K.  Duke.  William  T.  Stevens. 
Enos  R.  Williams,  Albert  L.  Haynes.  James  .T.  Doak. 

1S88— F.  Sidney  ToAvnsend.  Joseph  Q.  Williams.  Francis  K. 
Duke.  William  T.  Stevens,  Enos  R.  Williams  (resigned,  and  Rob- 


476 


IlLSTOKY    OF    CAl'E    MAY    ('(H'NTY. 


ert  E.  Hughes  elected  to  Y;;c:uK-y).  Albert  L.  Iluyues,  James  J. 
Doak.  John  Akiiis.  W.  Frauk  Shaw. 

18S'J— F.  Sid:i  y  Towuseud,  Joseph  Q.  >Villiaiiis,  Frauds  K. 
Duke,  Williau!  'I'.  Stevcus.  Albeit.  Ij.  Ilayues,  James  J.  Doak, 
Johu  Akius.  N\'.  i-'rauk  Shaw  (seat  dcy-lared  vacant  because  of 
absence,  and  iw:  l^rrt  E.  llu.ulies  chosen  to  vacancy),  Joseph 
Hand. 

1800 — F.  Si<!i;cy  'rov.nscnd.  Joseph  (j.  Williams.  Francis  K. 
Didw,  William  'W  Stevens,  James  J.  Doak,  John  Akins,  Josepli 
Hand,  Joseph  1*.  IJeury,  Augustus  C.  Ciile. 

l,St)l — F.  Si(b;cy  Townsend,  Joseph  <J.  ^Villiams,  William  T. 
Stevens.  James  .J.  Doak,  Johu  Akins,  Josei)h  Hand,  Joseph  T. 
Henry.  Samuel  li.  Siite.s,  Charles  P.  Fosler. 

18S>2— Joseph  Q.  Williams,  James  J.  Doal-c.  .lohn  Akins.  Joseph 
Hand,  Jose]:li  V.  Henry,  Samuel  IL  Stites.  Charles  P.  Foster, 
Lewis  T.  Stevf^ns.  Stites  York. 

KS'.k; — .laii.'cs  .(.   Doai;,   .5(dm   Akins.  .Foseitli    Hand.   Samuel   K. 
NJ     Stites,   Charles  1*.   Foster.  Lewis  T.   Stevens.   Stit(>s  York,  Fnocli 
W.  Hand,  John  Halpin. 

1S!>4— James  J.  Doak,  Jose]ih  Hand,  Lewis  T.  Stevens,  Stites 
York,  Enoch  W.  Hand,  John  Halpin,  Joseph  Hand  (jeweler),  E. 
Swain  Hildreth,  Kenjanun  F.  Poinsett. 

IS!).")— James  J.  Doak.  Enoch  W.  Hand,  .bilni  Halpin,  Josepli 
Hand  (jeweltM'),  E.  Swain  Hildreth,  Ben.iamin  F.  Poinsett,  Walter 
S.  Leiiming,  Eidridge  Johnson,  Joseph  H.  Hanes  (resigned,  and 
Augustus  C.  Gilo  elected  to  vacancy). 

1S96— James  J.  Doak.  Joseph  Hand  (.ieweler),  E.  Swain  Hil- 
dreth, Benjamin  F.  Poinsett,  AValter  S.  Leanung,  I<:idridgo  John- 
son, F.  Sidney  'rownsend.  Stc^phen  R.  AYilson.  Henry  S.  Ruther- 
ford. 

iyc)7_j.,nies  J.  Doak,  Joseph  Hand    (jeweh-y),   Walter  S.  Leam- 
ing,  EMre.lge  Johnson,   F.   Sidney  T(wnsen<l,   Stephen   B.  Wilson, 
Henrv  9.  i;utlierfoi-<l,  E:hvard  F.  Townsend,  .fose]>li  Hand. 
CITY  CLERKS. 
(!■  rom  1851  to  1875.) 


1851— Charl.'S  T.  Johnson. 
1852— Johu  K.  Church. 
1853— Henry  Hand. 
1855— Lemuel  Swain.  Jr. 
185(1— Alvin  T'.  Hildreth. 
1858— Wilmon  ^^'.  AVare. 
1858— Jesse  M.  Smith. 
1861- Henry  Hand. 
1863- Jesse  M.  Smith. 
186(3— John  M.  Sullivan. 


1867— Joseph  B.  Hughes. 
1868— Samuel  R.  Stites. 
1869— Christopher  S.  Magrath. 
18(>9— Jesse  iNIcCollum. 
1ST1— Samuel  R.  Stites. 
1S71— Richard  D.  Edmunds. 
1872- George  S.  AA'are. 
1873- Jesse  McCollum. 
1874— John  W.  Blake. 


MUMCII'AL    OrFK'KUS. 


477- 


rRE.SIlHOXTS  OF  COUNCII.. 
1S75,  7(>,  '77— James   Mfcray,   Jr.  1SS8— Williniu  T.  ytovcns. 

1778,  '79,  '80— Joseph  H.  Hanes.  18S0— F.  Sidney  Tovviiseml. 

18til,  '82,  '83— James  Met-ray,  Jr.  18J)0— Francis  K.  Duke. 

1884— Joseph  Q.  AVilliams.  1891— F.  Sidney  Town.send. 

1885— Charles  II.  DoiiKhorty.  1892.  1893— James  J.  Doak. 

1886— Lemuel  E.  MiUvi:  1894— I.eAvis  T.  Stevens. 

1887— Joseph  Q.  Williams.  isiio,  '9{i,  '97— Walter  S.  Learning. 

TKEASURERS. 
1851— Lemuel  Swain.  1871— Eldridge  Johnson. 

1852— James  Mecray.  1879— Furman  L.  Richardson. 

1858— William  Stites.  1881— John  Heury  Farrow. 

18(i()— Eldridge  Johnson.  1883— Isaac  H.  Smitli. 

18(i9— James  Mecray,  Jr.  1895— Heury  Hand. 

COLLECTORS  OF  TAXES. 
1851— Aaron  Sc-hellen.Licr.  Sr.        1883- J.  Swain  Garrison. 
1852— Aaron  Schellen-er.  Jr.         1884— William  F.  Cassedy. 


18(54— Joseph  Schellenger. 
18(>7-Joseph  Q.  Williams. 
18<'8— Isaac  H.  Smith. 
1869— Henry  Hand. 
1872— William  S.  Hooper. 
1878— Thomas  H.  Williamson. 


1885- Albert  B.  Little. 
1887- Jeremiah  E.  Mecray,  Ji-. 
1888— James  E.  Taylor. 
1890— Albert  B.  Little. 
3891— Oeorge  L.  Lovett. 
1894— David  W.  Rodan. 


ASSESSORS   OF  TAXES. 


1851 — James  S.  l\enn«>dy. 
1852— Joseph  Ware. 
1853— William  Cassedy. 
1854 — Christopher  Leaming. 
1855— Joseph  Ware. 
1850— James  S.  Kennedy. 
1S5S— John  K.  F.  Srites. 
1859-Alvin  P.  Hildreth. 
1872— Henry  Hand. 


187G— WiUiam  C.  Miller. 
1878— Henry  Hand. 
1883- Joseph  H.  Hughes. 
1884— Heury  Hand. 
1891— Josejih   M.   S(  helleuger. 
1893- Willim  H.  Ehvcll. 
1894— Charles  Sar.dgrau. 
1894— William  H.  Elwell. 
1895— Joseph  M.  Schellenger. 


Ocean  City. 

MAYORS. 
1884— tJainer   P.   Moore.  189.5— Robert   Fisher. 

1890— James  E.  Pryor.  M.  D.       1890— Gainer  P.  Mooi-e. 
1892- Gainer  P.  Moore.  1897— Wesley  C.  Smitli. 

1894— Harry  G.  Steebnan. 

CLERKS. 
1884— Simeon   R.    Miller.  1S:>2— Harry  B.  Adan-s. 

1889— John  S.  SVagiioner.  M.  D.    is<)4— E.    A.    Bourgeois. 
1891— Simeon   B.   Miller.  1897— Ira   S,   Chamiiion. 


47S  HISTORY  OF  GATE  MAY  COU^TY. 

ASISESSORS. 

1SS4— Reuben   I.udlam.  1S07— Herbert    C.    Smith    ;iii(J 

B.  Euglish. 

COLLECTORS  AND  TREASURERS. 
1SS4— Edward   Borie,   Jr.  1890— Harrv  G.  Steelinnn. 

1885— .James  W.  Lee.  1894 -Samuel  Scburch. 

COLLECTORS. 
1897— Sa'i.uel  Scburch. 

TREASURERS. 
1897— George  O.  Adam.s. 

Sea  Isle  City. 

MAYORS. 
1882— Maitiu  Wells.  189(>— .lohu  Q.  Woertz  (died^ 

1884— Thomas  E.  Ludlam.  189(i— Augustus  H.  Sickler. 

CLERKS. 

1882— Jacob  L.  I'etcisou.  1887-R.   H.  Lee. 

1883— William  H.  Davis.  1897-James  T.   Chaymau. 

1885— William  R.  Bryaut. 

ASSESSORS. 
1882— Thomas  E.   Ludlam.  1890— Robert  S.   Muller. 

1884— Isaac  A.   Hues.  1891— Charles  H.  Clouting. 

188o-Robert  S.  Muller.  189G— Charles  S.  Schick. 

1889— Uriah  H.  Huntley.  1897— Charles  H.   Clouting, 

COLLECTORS  AND  TREASURERS. 
1882— James  P.  W^ay.  1888— H.  W.  Fackler. 

1883— John  Telford.  1891— Lewis  S.   Chester. 

1884— James  P.  Way.  1895— Daniel  H.  Wheaton. 

1885 — Lewis  S.  Chester. 

South  Cape  May. 
MAYORS. 
1894— James  Ritchie,  Jr.     • 

ASSESSORS. 
1894— A.  J.  Rudolph. 

COLLECTORS  AND  TREASURERS. 
1894— Henry  H.  Walton. 

Holly  Beach. 
MAYORS. 
1885— Franklin  J.  Van  Valin.        1891— William  E.  Forcum^ 
1887— William  E.  Forcum.  1892— Frank  E.  Smith. 

1890— J.  B.  Osborn. 


Ml'NICII'AL    OFI'ICEKS. 


T8Sr.— Frank    E.    Smith. 
J88(5— CharK-s   Bridges. 
38S7— Fnink  K.  Smith. 
ISSS- William   E.   Drdrick. 
ISSJ)— Charle.s   Bridges. 

COLLECTOKS  A.\D  TREAST'KERS. 

1885— Beujamin  F.  Barker. 
1892— William  E.  Forcum. 


ASSESSORS. 

J^')(V- Martin  E.   Harrison. 
is;»l— Charles  Bridjies. 
1  MM— William  A.  Sliaw. 
is;.(,— Charles  Bii.];:es. 
ISDT-  Julni  II.   Smith. 


IS'.).-)— WiUiam    M.    Bright. 


1884— Lemuel   Swain. 
1886— John    Spencer. 
189(>— George  H.  Reeves. 


West  Cape  May. 
M.VYORS. 

1890-John  Spencer. 
1892— George  PI.  Reeves. 
1898- Samutl  E.  Ewing. 

CLERKS 
1884— .Tosei)h  H.  Brewton.  1890— William   G.  Blattuer. 

AS,=iESSORS. 
1884- William  H.  Reeves.  1897— Henry  H.  Eldredge. 

1895— Aaron  W^  Hand. 

COLLECTORS  AND  TREASURERiJ. 


1884— John  Spencer. 
1885— Sanuiel  E.  Ewing. 


1895— Latimer   R.    Baker. 


1888- John  Reeves. 
1891— Enos  S.  Edmnnds. 


Wildwood. 
MAYORS. 


1895— William  Prentiss. 


CLERKS. 

1897— .Tedediah  Du  Bois. 
ASSESSORS. 
1895- Burgher  V.  Van  Horn.        1897— W.   H.   Washburn. 

COLLECTORS  AND  TREASURERS. 
1S9.">— Charles  H.  Leamau.  1897— Burgher  V.  Van  Horn. 


'^ 


APPENDIX  F. 

The  population  of  Cape  May,  at  different  periods  since 
the  year  1726,  was  as  follows,  viz: 


fKAK. 

r.IlM   LAIION. 

Sl.AVKS. 

F::ke  C()i.o:;Kn 

(iUAKKIW. 

172(i 

l)6S 

17^J0 

1,004 

42 

1745 

1,185 

54 

171)0 

2,571 

141 

18(VJ 

;],0()() 

98 

1820 

3,532 

81 

1820 

4,265 

28 

205 

1830 

4,934 

3 

225 

1840 

5,324 

21s 

1850 

6,433 

247 

18"  "i 

r^^':•^'i 

C'.'T 

1860 

7,130 

273 

1865 

7,6-?5 

1870 

8,250 

435 

1875 

S.tOD 

554 

1880 

9,765 

57i> 

1885 

10,774 

r>Hi 

1890 

11,268 

1895 

12,«55 

8V»7 

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